In Jingsi Residence.

Eastern wing room.

Yan Sanhe turned over.

“Can’t sleep?”

Li Buyan pillowed his arm, looking at the bed canopy. “Is it because of Du Yiyun, or because of Third Master Xie?”

“Neither.”

Yan Sanhe: “Thinking about how to investigate my matter.”

Once she said this, Li Buyan also lost the desire to sleep.

After three months together day and night, both Xie Zhifei and Pei Mingting were clever people, especially the former—he looked like a frivolous wastrel, but was actually quite cunning inside.

Without a very good explanation, for Yan Sanhe it would be inviting trouble.

“If worst comes to worst, put your matter on me.” She said.

“Not suitable.”

Yan Sanhe sighed. “A few questions from Third Master and you’d be exposed.”

That’s right!

What kind of brain does he have, what kind do I have?

Li Buyan: “Tell the truth then?”

Yan Sanhe shook her head. “Too many things would need explaining. Even less suitable.”

“Then it’s quite troublesome!”

Li Buyan sighed. Just as she was about to continue, she suddenly looked alertly toward the window, then nimbly jumped down from the bed and leaped to the window, forcefully pushing it open.

Xie Zhifei had just jumped down from the wall and stood firmly.

Their eyes met. He shamelessly pulled out a peach blossom smile.

“Mm, looking for your master about something.”

“I say, Third Master!”

Li Buyan laughed in exasperation. “In the middle of the night, you don’t need to climb walls, do you? One shouldn’t use their beauty as a weapon!”

Use beauty as a weapon?

Third Master Xie thought to himself—what kind of wild phrase is this?

Yan Sanhe walked out from behind Li Buyan, her eyes cold: “What is it? Speak!”

Xie Zhifei stared at her for a moment. “It’s cool now—do you want to walk in the garden with me?”

Yan Sanhe kept a straight face. “I’m afraid Du Yiyun and your mother will chase me with eight-hundred-meter-long sabers.”

“They won’t. I swear to Buddha.”

The corner of Xie Zhifei’s mouth tightened slightly.

“Also, about today’s matter—I apologize on my mother’s behalf. Don’t hold it against her. If you want to hold a grudge, direct it at me. I’ll let you settle accounts however you want.”

Yan Sanhe wanted to roll her eyes at him.

Settle accounts with you?

You scumbag—are you worthy?

Seeing her expressionless and unmoved, Xie Zhifei stepped forward, speaking in a very shameless manner.

“Yan Sanhe, do you want to know what my attitude toward Du Yiyun is? If you do, come with me!”

Yan Sanhe gritted her teeth: “I’m not interested in your attitude. If you came about the Zheng family case, then…”

“Yan Sanhe, do you want to know why I’m short-lived?”

He smiled roguishly. “If you do, come with me!”

Yan Sanhe gritted her teeth again.

Still not working?

Xie Zhifei stepped forward, gazing at her face with deep affection. “Yan Sanhe, do you know why I’m so anxious to investigate the Zheng family case?”

Want to know!

This was the first thought that burst forth in Yan Sanhe’s mind.

Beautiful man strategy!

This was the second thought that burst forth.

I’m having trouble resisting.

This was the third thought.

Third Master seemed to see through her stubborn resistance and coaxed softly: “The night breeze is perfect, and you can’t sleep anyway. Let’s walk, hmm?”

Yan Sanhe abruptly turned to look at Li Buyan: How does he know I can’t sleep?

Li Buyan didn’t look at Yan Sanhe but instead gave Third Master a thumbs up.

Third Master’s beautiful man strategy—supremely effective!

…

The Xie residence’s back garden had pavilions and towers, flowers and grass—not extravagant, not grand, but valued for its “elegance.”

Yan Sanhe was someone with matters weighing on her heart. Her eyes had never held these scenic views, but walking beside this man, if she didn’t look at the scenery, she’d have to look at him.

Forget it!

Looking at scenery was more comfortable.

“I see Du Yiyun as an older brother sees a younger sister.”

Xie Zhifei shamelessly dragged the person out and got straight to the point without wasting words.

“I know her feelings for me, but because of our families’ relationship, I couldn’t refuse outright. This has something to do with my personality too.”

After several months together, Yan Sanhe understood his personality very well.

A three-part smile for everyone he met;

Always leaving three parts’ worth of room in words and actions;

Making peace and profit whenever possible, never harsh words.

“Mm, it’s as you said—sweet-mouthed, pepper-hearted.”

Yan Sanhe clicked her tongue twice. “Third Master has great self-awareness.”

He smiled with curved eyes. “You’ve seen right through me.”

Yan Sanhe: “…”

“Yan Sanhe.”

The smile on Xie Zhifei’s face slowly disappeared. In just the blink of an eye, he seemed like a different person.

“Living in the Xie residence, some things aren’t yours to do just because you want to. For the sake of the bigger picture, you always have to sacrifice something.”

“Did you preserve the bigger picture?”

“I didn’t.”

Xie Zhifei: “So on the way back from seeing Du Yiyun off just now, I told her: Third Master has wronged her, the Xie family has wronged her.”

Yan Sanhe’s breathing stopped, looking at him incredulously.

Xie Zhifei’s gaze was undisguisedly pitiful. “When Father beats me later, at least try to stop him!”

Looking at this person, Yan Sanhe felt calling him Xie Exquisite still fell a bit short.

Xie Exquisite could only describe his thoroughness in dealing with people—it wasn’t sufficient to describe how quickly he changed faces.

One person could produce this many different faces?

Hmph!

He was truly skilled in all theatrical arts—singing, speaking, acting, and fighting—virtuoso in virtue and skill.

Just then, Xie Zhifei withdrew his pitiful gaze and returned to his original not-quite-proper manner.

“About Du Yiyun’s matter—do you have any other questions?”

“Never been curious, and you have absolutely no need to explain.”

“That won’t do!”

Xie Zhifei smiled. “I need to explain everything clearly so you’ll look favorably on me and we can work together. Otherwise, wouldn’t I really become the scumbag you called me?”

Pei Mingting, you big mouth!

Yan Sanhe cursed inwardly.

Wait, that’s not right.

“Who said I’m working with you?”

“This leads into the next topic!”

Xie Zhifei reached out to pluck a leaf and held it under his nose to smell. “You remember that history I told about the Hua Kingdom and Qi Kingdom war?”

“Mm. Third Master, please continue.”

“You remember how I refused to believe the Zheng family case wasn’t done by Wu Guanyue and his son?”

“Mm. Third Master reacted strongly.”

“You remember how I was dejected the whole way back from Nanning Prefecture?”

“Mm. Buyan said Third Master wouldn’t even talk to Pei Mingting and needed to vent.”

Something flashed through Yan Sanhe’s mind. She turned to look at him. “Don’t tell me…”

“Exactly!”

Xie Zhifei nodded. “I have some connection to the Zheng family.”

These words truly shocked Yan Sanhe.

“Our two families lived so close, the elders all moved in official circles. Though one was civil and one military, there were ultimately occasions to meet.

After a pause, he continued: “Old General Zheng’s youngest son had a pair of dragon-phoenix twins—an older brother named Zheng Huaizuo and a younger sister named Zheng Huaiyou.

Huaizuo was three years younger than me. We met a few times when we were young. If he were still alive, he’d probably be even closer to me than Mingting.”

So that’s how it is!

Yan Sanhe quietly lowered her eyes.

“Originally I’d already let this matter go. After all, it was his bad fate. Who knew…”

Xie Zhifei’s voice suddenly went hoarse.

“On the road back to the capital, whenever I closed my eyes, I could dream of Huaizuo covered in blood. He was only eight years old. Yan Sanhe…”

Yan Sanhe lifted her head, looking at him, the coldness fading from her voice. “Speak.”

“I have to do something for him to be at peace, don’t I?”