Xie Zhifei shuddered violently.

Before he could ask in detail, Yan Sanhe had already begun speaking.

“Staying at the magistrate’s office was the worst strategy. Staying at an inn would be a middling strategy. Returning to Guanyin Chan Temple would be the best strategy. The magistrate’s office protected us, but it also blocked them.”

The person who suggested lodging at the prefectural office was Xie Zhifei.

“I didn’t think that far. I just wanted the few of us who came out together to all go back together, with no one getting hurt, so…”

“It’s not your fault. In that situation, any person would choose to preserve their life first.”

Yan Sanhe lowered her eyes. “Let’s not mention missed opportunities. Let’s see if there’s any way to remedy this.”

“Is there?” Xie Zhifei asked urgently.

Is there?

Yan Sanhe had thought the whole way. The answer was: no.

As the saying goes, opportunity doesn’t come twice. Moving out of the government office now—even a fool would know what was happening.

And Wu Guanyue and his son were definitely not fools.

“Could there be one possibility?”

Xie Zhifei swallowed.

“Those hiding at Guanyin Chan Temple are Wu Guanyue and his son’s subordinates, or former loyal servants, while Wu Guanyue and his son are actually in Great Qi. They’re afraid we’ll find them, so they intercepted us halfway.”

“That’s possible.”

Yan Sanhe hesitated for a moment.

“But what I can’t understand is, why did the black-clothed people suddenly retreat after that arrow? Could it be there was only one person and one set of arrows hidden in the forest?”

Before Xie Zhifei could speak, she continued on her own. “They set up an ambush but neither injured us nor killed us. Doesn’t that mean they returned empty-handed?”

Xie Zhifei’s breathing caught.

At the time, he’d thought that since they’d even deployed formations, it must be a death trap, with no path but to fight to the bitter end.

“What are you suspecting, Yan Sanhe?” he asked.

She didn’t answer immediately. She thought for a long time before speaking slowly. “I suspect they were testing us.”

“Testing?”

Xie Zhifei felt every hair on his body standing on end.

“Testing us for what? What do we have to test?”

“I don’t know.”

Yan Sanhe looked down at her toes, profound disappointment in her eyes.

It wasn’t only Pei Xiao who was deeply wounded—she was too, perhaps even more so, because the hidden and revealed plan had been her proposal.

So the lack of results was her responsibility.

Xie Zhifei’s gaze swept over her lowered lashes. An inexplicable wave of heartache surged in his heart, and his hand unconsciously wanted to rub that drooping head that felt so powerless.

Suddenly.

Yan Sanhe looked up, two sharp beams of light in her eyes.

What?

Trying to flirt with her again?

“…”

Third Master’s skin was thick as leather after all. “There was a fly on your hair just now. I was helping you chase it away.”

I think you’re the fly!

Yan Sanhe snorted coldly. Just as she was about to turn back, shouting suddenly came from not far away.

Only then did she realize the two had unconsciously walked to the entrance of the prefectural office.

“Who goes there? Breaking into the government office first thing in the morning—out, out, get out!”

“Officer, I’m looking for Magistrate Zhou. I’m delivering two old hens.”

“Magistrate Zhou hasn’t arrived at the office yet. Wait outside—out, out!”

“Don’t push… aiyah… my legs aren’t good, officer.”

“Release him!”

The bailiff turned and saw Xie Zhifei. He smiled. “What’s the matter, Brother Xie? You know this old man?”

“Mm, we’ve crossed paths.”

Xie Zhifei tossed his hand, throwing two taels of silver into the bailiff’s palm.

“I’ll take him inside to wait. He’s old, and it’s so hot—don’t make him stand out here and have something happen to him. If Magistrate Zhou finds out, who knows if he’ll take it out on you!”

The bailiff got silver, could do a good deed before his superior, and could also give Brother Xie face—why not?

He just didn’t know if, after giving this face, Brother Xie would bring him along when going to listen to songs at pleasure houses.

“Old man, go inside and wait!”

The old man had two chickens tied at his waist. He rushed forward excitedly toward Xie Zhifei to thank him. “Young sir, you have such a kind heart.”

Xie Zhifei smiled. “Old sir, don’t you remember me?”

“You are…”

The old man looked at him, then at Yan Sanhe, shaking his head to indicate he didn’t remember.

“We said Magistrate Zhou was a thief. You got so angry you wanted to fight us. Forgotten?”

“Oh, I remember now.”

The old man glared. “Can’t say that carelessly in the future. Magistrate Zhou is a good person.”

“Yes, yes, yes, definitely a good person.”

Xie Zhifei: “Come on, I’ll take you to the inner hall to wait and pour you some herbal tea.”

“You’re also a good person. I can tell.”

The old man chuckled. “I’ve lived most of my life and never misjudged anyone.”

You’re misjudging right now.

The person who really wanted to help you is this young lady disguised as a man beside me.

Xie Zhifei turned his face to give the young lady a look.

This meant she shouldn’t follow too closely—the old man reeked of chicken droppings. Stinky.

“How long have the chickens been tied on?”

Xie Zhifei was somewhat curious. “Won’t they suffocate?”

“As long as I’ve been out, they’ve been tied that long. Brother, don’t worry. My chickens—even if tied for three days and three nights, they’ll hop around lively when they hit the ground.”

“What time did you leave?”

“Three quarters past midnight.”

Xie Zhifei was greatly shocked. “You walked for three hours just to deliver two chickens to Magistrate Zhou?”

The old man still chuckled. “I’m delivering one. The other isn’t mine.”

“Whose is it?”

“Old Madam Jin from our village.”

The old man babbled on. “Magistrate Zhou hasn’t come to our village to fish in ages. Old Madam Jin told me to bring a chicken to nourish him.”

This statement was disjointed and illogical.

What connection was there between fishing and nourishing?

Xie Zhifei grew increasingly curious. “Does Magistrate Zhou often fish in your village?”

“Yes!”

“Why?”

“Young sir, now you’re asking the right question.”

The pride on the old man’s face! “That’s because the fish in our village taste better than fish from other places. Fresh!”

Hearing this, Xie Zhifei grew even more puzzled.

“Then why does Old Madam Jin want to nourish him?”

“He works so hard!”

“What does his hard work have to do with her?”

“Listen to what you’re saying.”

The old man rolled his eyes so dramatically it could shake heaven and earth.

“Old Madam Jin fell ill years ago. It was Magistrate Zhou who paid silver to get her treated. Her son couldn’t find a wife—it was also Magistrate Zhou who helped him marry. He’s a great benefactor! What do you mean, what does it have to do with her?”

Xie Zhifei this time sincerely exclaimed, “The way Magistrate Zhou serves as an official is truly admirable.”

Hearing this, the old man was even prouder than if someone had praised his son for having prospects.

“Look at my chickens—are they fat?”

“Mm, really fat.”

Xie Zhifei casually responded, quickened his pace, and whispered a few words to a young bailiff guarding the main hall entrance, also casually slipping in some silver.

The young bailiff glanced at the old man. “Brother Xie, he’s carrying chickens. The inner hall won’t work. I’ll move a chair for him and pour some tea. Let him sit outside—what do you say?”

“That works.”

“Brother Xie, you’re too kind-hearted. If we let everyone in, what would our government office become?”

“What, are there others delivering chickens to your magistrate?”

“Chickens, fish, eggs… people deliver all sorts of things. The most ridiculous was someone who went to the trouble of leading over an ox.”

The young bailiff lowered his voice and pointed upward. “What use is it? How could those above know these things?”

“They’ll know eventually.”

Xie Zhifei patted the young bailiff’s shoulder. “Go on, move him a chair.”

The young bailiff scurried off.

Xie Zhifei gave the old man a few instructions before walking back to Yan Sanhe. “Does this count as seeing Buddha all the way to the West?”

Yan Sanhe pursed her lips.

Whether it reached the West she didn’t know. She only knew one thing: these days, money could make even millstones turn.

“Let’s go. Mingting is still waiting.”

Yan Sanhe “mm’d” in response.

To be fair, Xie Sanye’s conduct in dealing with people was beyond reproach. It was just… Suddenly, something flashed through her mind.

Yan Sanhe stopped abruptly, wheeled around, and stared at the old man.