“The tomb of a nun named Jing Chen at the Water Moon Nunnery was robbed. The abbess was preoccupied with this matter, which is why she had no mind to accept disciples.”

Madam Ning looked somewhat guiltily at Yan Sanhe.

“I remembered that our old madam’s tomb had also been robbed, so I came to find you, Miss Yan. Sixth Miss, quickly—plead with Miss Yan on your mother’s behalf.”

Ji Hui rose and knelt before Yan Sanhe.

“Miss Yan, my mother is still kneeling at the gate of the Water Moon Nunnery. As her daughter, I truly cannot bear it. I beg you to help solve this case for the nunnery so the abbess will agree to let my mother take vows with her hair.”

Yan Sanhe slowly stood up, not even glancing at Ji Hui as she walked to Madam Ning.

Madam Ning still couldn’t forget how this girl had interrogated her. She instinctively stood up as well. “Miss Yan, please be merciful and help us.”

“Looking for me now is useless.”

Yan Sanhe: “I’ll point you toward a clear path—go to the Buddhist Registry and find Pei Ming Ting.”

Madam Ning said urgently, “Miss Yan, he won’t give Ming Ting face!”

“Just do as I say!”

Yan Sanhe turned her head. “Xie Zhifei, I can leave with you now.”

Xie Zhifei had been lost in thought with his head down. Hearing Yan Sanhe’s call, his heart skipped a beat. “Everything’s settled?”

Yan Sanhe frowned. “All settled.”

“Then let’s go.”

He turned his head and saw Ji Hui kneeling on the ground, looking surprised. “Sixth Sister, why are you kneeling there?”

“Did you not hear anything at all, my dear Third Master!” Madam Ning was so angry her nose went crooked.

I heard the first half, but the second half…

Xie Zhifei’s peripheral vision caught Yan Sanhe. “Just… do as Miss Yan says. You won’t go wrong.”

“Zhifei, will finding Ming Ting really work?” Ji Hui’s eyes were fervent.

Xie Zhifei was confused and asked Yan Sanhe, “You told them to find Ming Ting?”

Has your soul left you, Third Master?

Yan Sanhe looked at him deeply, then turned to Madam Ning.

“I’ve already solved the case of the old madam’s grave robbery. Just do as I say—there’s no need to ask anything else.”

Though Madam Ning was still thoroughly confused, she believed every word Yan Sanhe said.

“Also, thank you for saving me today.”

Yan Sanhe’s voice softened. “If you have difficulties in the future, you can come find me. That includes Sixth Miss too.”

Madam Ning: “…”

She was getting more confused.

Miss Yan clearly said they could come to her with difficulties, so why did solving this case still require finding Pei Ming Ting first?

“Miss Yan, there’s no need to be so polite—it was the right thing to do.”

Ji Hui took Yan Sanhe’s words as mere courtesy. “Third Aunt, let’s go now and not delay any further.”

“Yes, let’s go right away!”

Madam Ning didn’t even bother with farewells as she hurried out with Ji Hui.

Outside the shop, dusk had already darkened.

Yan Sanhe waited for Xie Zhifei to catch up and said, “Should I go with you to the patrol office, or…”

“Let’s not talk about that first.”

Xie Zhifei had already gotten the second half from Zhu Qing. “That business with the nunnery—is it related to the heart demon…”

“Yes!”

“How could it be so fast?”

Xie Zhifei’s face cracked. “Then the Zheng family case…”

It matched exactly what Li Buyan had said that afternoon.

Yan Sanhe’s answer was exactly the same too: “I’ll do my best!”

Xie Zhifei had no doubt about this. “But one person’s energy is limited. You can’t possibly…”

“Xie Zhifei!”

Yan Sanhe cut him off. “Rather than worrying about this and that, why not get me the case files first?”

Xie Zhifei’s lips moved but he said nothing.

“Also, it’s been nine years since that case. Investigating it won’t be simple—it will be extremely difficult.”

Yan Sanhe looked at him, hiding nothing. “But since I’ve promised you, I’ll investigate to the very end, no matter how many years it takes!”

Xie Zhifei’s eyes grew hot.

In that moment, he suddenly understood one reason he liked this girl—

Her word was her bond!

Yes.

He liked her.

From the vague familiarity at their first meeting and the curiosity wanting to understand more, to this moment’s palpitations and stirring of his heart—it had happened as naturally as water flowing to its destination.

The real Xie Zhifei had suffered from severe heart palpitations since birth, unable to withstand any stimulation.

Though the Zheng family came from a military background, Zheng Huaizuo’s body was so healthy that in eight years he hadn’t even had a cough.

When their souls switched, the body gradually improved. Combined with years of martial arts practice and Uncle Pei’s careful treatments, the heart condition had never recurred.

Who would have thought that today…

During that distracted second half, he had replayed in his mind every moment of these past months spent with her:

His heart had stirred when she collapsed in his arms after completing the incense ritual and recitation;

His heart had stirred when she walked out of the Justice Ministry with disheveled hair and covered in blood;

His heart had stirred when he was drunk and tried to steal her teacup.

Xie Zhifei looked at her. “First come back to the patrol office with me. I need your detailed account of this afternoon’s incident, and you’ll need to sign and seal it. Li Buyan will also meet me at the patrol office.”

Mentioning Li Buyan, Yan Sanhe remembered. “Where did she go?”

“I sent her to investigate Xu Sheng’s villa.”

“Is there any danger?”

“I know her skills—there won’t be.”

Xie Zhifei: “After she meets up with us, we’ll go to the Spring Breeze Tower to eat while waiting for Ming Ting. Once Fourth Madam and the others find him, within two hours Ming Ting will definitely come looking.”

A fine arrangement.

Yan Sanhe closed her eyes briefly.

Xie Zhifei turned back to Zhu Qing. “Send someone home to tell the old madam that Miss Yan ran into me, and I’m treating her to good food and showing her the capital’s night scenery.”

Just as Zhu Qing was about to nod, he heard Yan Sanhe say, “Don’t mention this afternoon’s incident to anyone, including your master and eldest master.”

…

In the Ci’en Hall.

After hearing Steward Xie’s report, the old madam smiled warmly. “When it comes to being thoughtful, our Third is the most thoughtful.”

“Isn’t that the truth!”

Steward Xie smiled obsequiously. “With Third Master accompanying her, Miss Yan will surely have a wonderful time.”

The old madam’s brows furrowed. “I just wonder if Third has enough silver on him. That child works at the patrol office year-round and doesn’t earn much.”

Steward Xie felt out the old madam’s intentions. “Should this old servant secretly send Third Master a few hundred taels?”

The old madam beamed. “Good, good, good!”

Just as she finished speaking, she saw her son Xie Daozhi enter wearing his official robes.

“Why haven’t you changed out of your clothes?”

The old madam looked at her son with concern. “Has something happened?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I came to keep you company at dinner.”

Xie Daozhi glanced at Steward Xie. “Have them serve dinner, and tell Madam and the eldest daughter-in-law they needn’t come attend.”

“Yes, Master!”

The mother and son’s meal was set in the inner room.

After Xie Daozhi had taken a few bites, he set down his chopsticks. “Mother, the Du family girl and Third cannot be together.”

As soon as her son entered, the old madam had noticed his expression and knew he had something on his mind. She just hadn’t expected it to be this matter.

“Why can’t they be together?”

“To put it simply, it’s simple; to put it complexly, it’s complex.”

Xie Daozhi sighed. “The Du family and our Xie family are not of one mind—we’ve diverged.”