Yan Ruxian’s expression was arrogant. Without even glancing at Pei Xiao, he pointed at Shen Chong.

“The Crown Prince’s Grandson must stay in the palace for several more days. You go back to the residence and bring several sets of his change of clothes.”

Shen Chong was about to say “Oh” when Pei Xiao cut in: “Eunuch Yan, should it be two or three sets, or five or six? Please give us a specific number, sir!”

“Don’t rack your brains trying to pry information. Is this something you’re allowed to pry into?”

Yan Ruxian coldly swept a glance at Pei Xiao, accepted the young eunuch’s hand to board his carriage, and departed at a leisurely pace.

“Dead eunuch!”

Pei Xiao cursed under his breath, turned around, and got back in the carriage, relaying those few sentences word for word to Xie Zhifei.

Xie Zhifei pondered for a moment, then said: “Since that’s the case, we’ll split up. Mingting, you go guard the Northern Bureau gates. I’ll go pick up Yan Sanhe. Shen Chong, return to the Crown Prince’s residence to get clothes.”

…

The Cai residence.

Small courtyard.

Yan Sanhe opened her eyes and stared at the canopy above.

She had imagined her past many times, but never imagined it could be this tragic.

So tragic that just thinking about those scenes from her dream made her heart ache unbearably.

After a long while, she let out a heavy breath.

Li Buyan on the rattan chair suddenly woke with a start. After vigorously rubbing her face, she walked over and sat on the edge of the bed.

“What did you dream about?”

Yan Sanhe turned her eyes toward her. “You were right—I really did come from a wealthy family.”

Those bed curtains, brocade quilt, guqin, books, paper…

These were absolutely not things a small household could afford.

“And then?”

“That person who bullied me—he should have been my older brother…”

Yan Sanhe told Li Buyan everything that happened in the dream, holding nothing back.

Having heard it all, Li Buyan sucked in a sharp breath and couldn’t recover for quite some time.

No wonder she had struggled and screamed desperately, even wanting to jump into the fire herself when she saw Zhou Ye perish in flames.

No wonder she had cried so fiercely in her dream.

It turned out all her relatives had met terrible ends.

“Did you see clearly who saved you?”

“No.”

Yan Sanhe sat up and rested her head on Li Buyan’s shoulder, completely wilted.

Li Buyan gently patted her back.

“Don’t lose heart. Black-clad men, slaughter, raging fire… this absolutely wasn’t a small matter. Let’s rest for two days first, then carefully plan where to start investigating this.”

“Buyan.”

Yan Sanhe’s voice trembled slightly. “I once told Ji Lingchuan that the deeper you dig for the truth, the more cruel it becomes.”

“Mm, you said that.”

“Those words I said so lightly, but when it falls on my own head, I find it somewhat unbearable.”

“What’s unbearable?”

Xie Zhifei walked in with damp air clinging to him.

Li Buyan stood up and used her body to shield Yan Sanhe, smiling at Xie Zhifei.

“Third Master really doesn’t consider himself an outsider—coming and going as he pleases. At least squeak to let us know you’re there!”

“I squeaked.”

Third Master looked completely aggrieved. “I squeaked twice outside. You didn’t respond.”

The master and servant were both startled.

He squeaked twice outside, which meant he’d been standing there for a moment.

“What did you hear?”

Yan Sanhe’s voice was hoarse and heavy, still carrying a thick nasal quality, as if it had been ground over by something.

Xie Zhifei frowned. “Just heard ‘somewhat unbearable.’ Yan Sanhe, what can’t you bear?”

“Can’t bear you constantly barging into my room!”

Yan Sanhe’s face was cold as she said sternly: “Get out!”

Xie Zhifei’s face was thick enough that describing it as a city wall would actually insult city walls.

The corner of his mouth lifted in a tiny arc, appearing completely open and aboveboard.

“I came in to tell you that the Crown Prince’s Grandson has been in the palace all night with no news coming out. I don’t know if it’s fortune or disaster for the Ji family. Yan Sanhe, my heart’s not settled.”

“Settled”?

Who was he acting coquettish toward?

Yan Sanhe took a deep breath and said calmly: “It’s fortune, not disaster. Put your heart back in your belly.”

“What happened to your voice?”

Xie Zhifei gently pushed Li Buyan aside. “Why is it so hoarse?”

Yan Sanhe cleared her throat. “It’s nothing serious.”

Xie Zhifei turned to look at Li Buyan. “Did you tell her what I asked you to say?”

“What?”

Li Buyan froze, then went “Oh,” remembering.

“When Miss was unconscious, Third Master had me pass along a message saying: excessive anger harms the body, excessive grief harms the heart. The heart is only as big as a fist—don’t fill it with too many things.”

Yan Sanhe didn’t understand why Xie Zhifei would suddenly say such a thing. There must be some cause and effect behind it.

Li Buyan said very cleverly: “See, my miss is so moved she can’t even speak. I’ll thank Third Master on her behalf!”

Third Master narrowed his eyes, looking at Yan Sanhe. “If you’re truly moved, tell me—what can’t you bear?”

Can’t he just let this go?

Yan Sanhe raised her eyebrows, about to retort when she heard a shout from outside the courtyard.

“Third Master Xie!”

Xie Zhifei turned and walked out without even pausing.

Yan Sanhe breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt the voice was very unfamiliar. “Who is it?”

Li Buyan: “Seems to be the master of this residence.”

Only then did Yan Sanhe realize the room was wrong. “This isn’t the Xie residence?”

Li Buyan shrugged. “Your real body is at Xuanzang Temple. We couldn’t get back to the Xie residence, so this is Northern Bureau Chief Cai Si’s home.”

Cai Si was currently standing in the courtyard with his hands on his hips. Seeing Third Master Xie rush out urgently, his face showed some anger.

Seeing his expression, Third Master Xie’s heart sank straight down, and his footsteps slowed.

Walking closer, he first bit his lip before asking: “Is it not good?”

Cai Si punched Xie Zhifei in the chest. “Consider yourself lucky, boy.”

Damn it!

That dead eunuch hits hard!

Third Master didn’t have time to cry out in pain. “Quick, tell me—how am I lucky?”

“Just now Yan Ruxian came to the Northern Bureau to announce the imperial decree. The Ji family is fine.”

“What do you mean ‘fine’?”

Third Master’s face showed disbelief. “Ji Lingchuan has been restored to his official position?”

“Is Third Master reciting heavenly texts?”

After embezzling so much silver, could he still be restored to office?

Cai Si sneered: “The confiscated family assets go to the state treasury. Ji Lingchuan receives eighty strokes of the rod and is exiled to Nanning Prefecture. Everyone else is released without charges.”

Nanning Prefecture?

What kind of damned fate is this?

Xie Zhifei’s eye twitched as he asked, “That’s it?”

“What else does Third Master want?”

Cai Si glared at him.

“After embezzling so much silver and still keeping his life—the Ji family is the first. If the Late Emperor were here, even if it were a death sentence, it would probably be the kind where skin is peeled and bones are scraped. His Majesty has shown mercy!”

Xie Zhifei turned his body halfway, his gaze staring blankly toward the room where Yan Sanhe was resting. He couldn’t describe what he was feeling right now.

He knew Cai Si’s words were truer than pure gold. Let alone the Late Emperor—in any dynasty or generation, with this level of corruption, Ji Lingchuan faced only one character: death.

She really is divine!

He sighed inwardly, then asked: “When will the punishment be carried out?”

“In one double-hour. Yan Ruxian will personally supervise. Your brother went to summon his own father!”

Cai Si looked disgusted. “Third Master should also get the hell out of my residence!”

The heart that Xie Zhifei had been worrying about for three whole months finally, at this moment, completely settled back into place.

He smiled and stepped forward to put his arm around Cai Si’s shoulder, saying roguishly:

“That Xiao Xi’er may be seductive, but in two years when her body fills out, the appeal will fade. I’ll help you find another one later…”