In the carriage.

Li Buyan hugged his chest, sleeping carelessly.

The other two young masters looked at each other, both feeling time had never been so difficult to endure.

Pei Xiao used his toe to nudge Xie Zhifei: Can the Divine Lady Yan do it? Why has she been gone so long without returning? Nothing went wrong, right?

Xie Zhifei: Ancestor, can’t you hope for something good?

Pei Xiao: I’m anxious!

Xie Zhifei: Who isn’t?

Pei Xiao: Ask that Divine Lady Li beside us how confident Divine Lady Yan is.

Xie Zhifei: Ten parts confident.

Pei Xiao: How do you know?

Xie Zhifei snorted: Divination!

Pei Xiao wanted to bite him: You’ve become Divine Charlatan Xie?

“Two young masters!”

Li Buyan had somehow already opened his eyes. “I divine that my young miss is already on her way back.”

Xie Zhifei: “…”

Pei Xiao: “…”

Just then, the curtain lifted and Yan Sanhe jumped in with a whoosh.

Pei Xiao jumped in fright, about to exclaim “Ah!” when Xie Zhifei covered his mouth.

“Yan Sanhe, how did it go?”

Yan Sanhe looked directly at Xie Zhifei. “I think I’ve found the other half of the demonic obsession, but now we face another problem.”

Xie Zhifei: “Speak!”

Yan Sanhe: “How do we get him out of the prison to bathe and change clothes? How do we prepare those items for dissolving obsessions and breaking demonic influences?”

Xie Zhifei instinctively asked, “Where’s Huairen?”

“I heard he’s playing tai chi with Xu Lai.”

Yan Sanhe reached out and quite unceremoniously grabbed Xie Zhifei’s collar. “Xie Sanye, your honeyed tongue should come in handy now.”

Xie Zhifei stared at the hand on his chest, pondering for a moment before answering extremely calmly.

“Yan Sanhe, Third Master’s honeyed tongue can prepare those items for dissolving obsessions and breaking demonic influences, but there’s no way to get someone out of the prison. Also…”

His sword-like eyebrows knitted tightly.

“Third Master must have a legitimate, aboveboard reason to have people prepare these things. Without this reason, forget one honeyed tongue—even ten honeyed tongues couldn’t accomplish it.”

Yan Sanhe released her grip, her face visibly deflating.

“Wu wu wu…”

Xie Zhifei turned his head to find he was still covering this ancestor’s mouth and quickly let go.

Pei Xiao stuck his head out through the curtain, breathing in several mouthfuls of fresh air before quickly pulling back inside.

“I have an idea.”

Yan Sanhe and Xie Zhifei said in unison, “Speak quickly!”

Pei Xiao: “Say, isn’t it coincidental—today is my maternal grandmother’s sixty-ninth birthday.”

Yan Sanhe didn’t understand. “So?”

“It’s like this—there’s an old rule in the capital. On the first birthday after an elder passes away, filial children and worthy grandchildren must celebrate their death anniversary.

If the first year’s death anniversary isn’t observed, the elder will think their descendants lack filial piety and won’t protect them in the future.”

Pei Xiao: “Fortunately there’s this custom.”

Yan Sanhe was incredulous. “There’s really such a thing?”

“Fortunately there is such a thing.”

Pei Xiao said seriously, “With the Ji family in this state, shouldn’t they seek more ancestral protection? This way, all the reasons are ready-made.”

Xie Zhifei clapped his hands. “If that’s the case, I’ll shamelessly beg Cai Si. We should be able to get the person out of prison. After all, it’s still within the Northern Bureau—he can’t run away.”

“Wait!”

Li Buyan interjected, “Don’t forget—both your ‘true selves’ are currently at Xuanzang Temple.”

Pei Xiao shook his head. “Can’t worry about that now. What do you say, Xie Fifty?”

Xie Fifty didn’t speak, only nodded.

“Alright!”

Yan Sanhe made a decisive decision. “Let’s move.”

“Wait.”

Xie Fifty grabbed her. “Yan Sanhe, nothing gets done without silver. How much do we have left?”

“Buyan?”

Li Buyan untied the bundle and took out all the remaining money. “This much is left.”

Xie Zhifei took it all without a word and stuffed it in his bosom.

Yan Sanhe: “Is it enough?”

Xie Zhifei’s deep eyes looked at her. “Originally not enough, but adding Third Master’s honeyed tongue, it’s enough.”

Mm!

Your mouth is valuable!

Yan Sanhe lifted the curtain and jumped down. After landing, she suddenly turned back and looked at Pei Xiao. “Lord Pei always comes through at critical moments. Very good.”

Pei Xiao’s face suddenly flushed red.

Bodhisattva!

This is the first time Divine Lady Yan has praised me in front of others.

I, I, I…

My heartbeat is accelerating!

…

For Third Master Xie, the Northern Bureau prison had five or six brocade-clad guards he could drink and socialize with, and he was familiar with half the guards’ faces.

This familiarity was enough for Third Master to ask favors.

Moreover, when Third Master asked people for help, he always positioned himself very low and elevated others very high.

Combined with that face that both young ladies and young wives loved, even iron-hearted people couldn’t bear to refuse.

Most importantly, Third Master never came empty-handed when asking favors—the benefits he gave were substantial.

In less than a quarter hour, a secluded courtyard was cleared, the altar and such were all prepared—only missing the Ji Lingchuan still in prison.

Without Northern Bureau Chief Cai Si’s approval, no one dared release someone from prison. A mistake could cost heads.

Cai Si’s residence was right next to the Northern Bureau.

He was currently holding a fair and delicate young eunuch, sleeping soundly. Seeing it was Third Master Xie, he closed his eyes and continued sleeping.

Xie Zhifei coughed once.

No eye-opening.

Another cough.

Still no eye-opening.

Xie Zhifei smiled silently twice and walked over to sit on the edge of the bed.

Only then did Cai Si lazily open his eyes, asking in a shrill voice, “What matter does Third Master have?”

Xie Zhifei: “Today is the Ji residence Old Madam’s first death anniversary. We want to celebrate her birthday.”

Cai Si’s voice grew even shriller. “Is Third Master planning to get the person out?”

Xie Zhifei pulled his lips into a smile. “Otherwise, could I come begging you?”

Cai Si blinked twice. “Where is His Highness the Crown Prince?”

“In your Northern Bureau, with Xu Lai.”

Cai Si’s long fingernails slid across the young eunuch’s fair neck, making him tremble all over and burrow into his embrace like a frightened rabbit.

“Half an hour, no more.”

Xie Zhifei stood up, looking down at Cai Si’s pale face, extending one palm. “This amount—I’ll have someone send it to you later.”

Cai Si’s peripheral vision glanced at the tabletop. “Third Master has spent too much.”

“What expense? Being able to honor Fourth Brother is my good fortune.”

Xie Zhifei grabbed the waist token from the table and glanced at the young eunuch, clicking his tongue twice. “So damn alluring!”

The young eunuch was about to emerge from Cai Si’s embrace when, hearing this, he shrunk back in fright.

“Get lost!”

While comforting him, Cai Si cursed at Xie Zhifei’s retreating back.

After the footsteps faded, Little Xier blushed and emerged. “Why did Godfather just give him the waist token?”

“Little Xier, remember one thing Godfather tells you—don’t look at the monk’s face, look at the Buddha’s face.”

Little Xier opened his beautiful phoenix eyes. “Could Third Master’s Buddha face be the Crown Prince?”

Cai Si neither confirmed nor denied, only laughed shrilly twice.

“Remember another thing Godfather tells you—don’t go against anyone, but don’t go against silver. Otherwise, how could Godfather afford to keep a little vixen like you?”

“Godfather…”

Little Xier’s pink, tender lips were already sealed.