“Ah…”

Madam Wu screamed repeatedly, her entire body collapsing to the ground.

“Li Buyan!”

“Hero Li!”

Li Buyan turned to look at Third Master and Young Master Pei who’d chased after her, smiling coldly.

“Have you two forgotten? That day when dining at Madam’s Zhichun Courtyard, my young miss specifically picked out the mushrooms. And…”

She met Madam Wu’s terrified eyes. “My miss has lived at the Xie residence these months—what she can and cannot eat, doesn’t everyone know?”

“Speak!”

Li Buyan pressed the soft sword forward another half-inch. “Why did you try to harm my young miss?”

“I didn’t! I didn’t!”

Hairpins tumbled from her head, her hair came loose, Madam Wu’s face was covered in tears.

“She’s the old lady’s family—how many guts would I need to harm her? I’ve been wronged! Truly wronged!”

With that, she couldn’t help but sob bitterly.

“Li Buyan.”

Xie Erli couldn’t bear seeing his mother forced into such a wretched state. His gaze was severe. “Lower your sword first. We can discuss anything properly.”

“Eldest Master.”

Li Buyan’s gaze was like ice.

“This can’t be brushed aside with a simple ‘wronged.’ I’ll ask just one thing: when this soup was prepared before, were mushrooms ever added?”

“This…”

“If they were added before, then I’ve misunderstood, and I’ll kowtow to Madam in apology—a thousand kowtows, ten thousand kowtows, I’ll do them all. But if they were never added before and only added today, then someone has malicious intent.”

Li Buyan raised her head, smiling coldly. “Whoever harbors malicious intent toward my young miss—I want their life!”

Xie Erli was left speechless by her words.

This soup had indeed never included mushrooms before. The fragrance of the pork ribs mixed with the lotus root was fresh enough to make one’s eyebrows fall off.

Today’s soup had mushrooms added, yet not a trace of mushroom remained visible—clearly someone deliberately added them then removed them.

Was this done to enhance the flavor, or to scheme against Miss Yan? Who could say for certain?

Xie Erli felt helpless and could only look to his father.

Xie Daozhi felt two currents of rage coursing through his meridians, unstoppable.

One was fury at Madam Wu for this foolish act.

The other was fury at Li Buyan for leaving no face whatsoever.

The person kneeling on the ground was his wedded wife, the legitimate mother of his three children. Even if this foolish woman had committed an unforgivable crime, only he, Xie Daozhi, could punish her.

Where did a mere maid get such audacity?

Moreover, Pei Yu was present, as were people from the second branch—this trampled the first branch’s dignity into the mud.

The first branch’s dignity was Xie Daozhi’s dignity.

Xie Daozhi’s chest heaved. Just as he was about to speak, a weak voice suddenly called from behind, “Li Buyan, lower your sword.”

Everyone looked toward the sound.

At the threshold, Yan Sanhe stood quietly, her face red and swollen beyond recognition of its original delicate features, her eyes showing rare vulnerability.

“Miss?”

“Mm?”

A short, low hum from Yan Sanhe’s nasal cavity, and Li Buyan obediently lowered her sword and obediently walked to her side.

Yan Sanhe crossed the threshold, step by step, very slowly approaching Madam Wu.

Her gaze fell on Madam Wu—without anger, without fury, but with a kind of condescending, almost cold scrutiny.

She’d said before: Madam Wu was stupid, but not bad.

A stupid person’s face couldn’t hide their thoughts. Their thoughts were like pancakes, spread out under everyone’s noses.

Madam Wu disliked her, detested her, but didn’t hate her. The only person she truly hated was Concubine Liu.

Since she didn’t hate, she wouldn’t shoot herself in the foot.

“Earlier I told Madam—Madam needn’t make a special trip over past matters.”

Having induced vomiting, her voice was hoarse to the extreme, almost speaking on breath alone.

“To the Xie family, I’m merely a guest. There’s no reason for me to stay forever without leaving. In the future, if we keep our distance, we can coexist peacefully.”

Yan Sanhe’s weak voice tore away the expressions on everyone’s faces.

People like Xie Daozhi, Xie Erli, and Madam Zhu immediately grasped three layers of meaning in these words.

First layer—

Madam Wu sending soup was indeed to please Yan Sanhe.

Someone wanting to please another wouldn’t brazenly tamper with their own soup. Madam Wu, however stupid, wasn’t that stupid.

The one who could tamper was someone else.

Who that someone else was—you investigate yourselves!

Second layer—

Yan Sanhe and Madam Wu had already cleared the air earlier. Otherwise, Yan Sanhe wouldn’t have drunk the soup.

Drinking the soup indicated they’d reached reconciliation. So why would Madam Wu still move against her? What reason would she have?

Third layer—

Yan Sanhe was a guest, the old lady’s family.

Madam Wu could maintain her footing in the Xie residence and sit firmly in her position as legitimate wife half due to the old lady’s support.

Moving against Yan Sanhe meant challenging the old lady. How many guts would Madam Wu have to dare challenge the old lady?

“Master Xie!”

Yan Sanhe took a deep breath. “This matter has nothing to do with Madam. It relates to my own poor constitution. Madam’s kind intentions must not be wronged.”

Xie Daozhi’s eyes rimmed with heat. “Miss speaks truly.”

“The small kitchen staff must be investigated. Those close to Madam must also be questioned carefully. Madam isn’t clever—but you are, as are your son and daughter-in-law.”

Yan Sanhe stopped, suppressing the discomfort surging in her throat, and continued slowly, “The Xie family has great business and reputation. Don’t let those with malicious intent exploit any openings.”

A ringing sounded in Xie Daozhi’s head, cold sweat streaming from his palms.

These words plainly told him: this wasn’t coincidence—someone used Madam Wu’s hand to do this. Whether targeting her, Yan Sanhe, or someone else, or all of you—find a way to investigate yourselves.

“Old Lady.”

The old lady looked up, meeting those jet-black eyes, her heart suddenly turning cold.

“Fate has its limits.”

Yan Sanhe looked at her coldly. “When that day comes, please don’t block the road, Old Lady. Step aside.”

Step aside for what?

To let her leave.

The old lady could even imagine this girl’s departing figure, just like watching Yan Xing leave her courtyard time and again.

Thin, upright, solitary, yet resolute.

“Child!” She choked out.

I’m not your child.

Yan Sanhe turned and, supported by Li Buyan’s hand, walked into the side room.

She was exhausted.

Not just exhausted, but weary.

“Buyan, I’ll sleep. You watch over me.”

Li Buyan looked at that face drained of all color and firmly nodded, then thought better of it. “Are we just letting this go?”

Yan Sanhe’s face showed a desolate smile. “I’m itchy, but I can’t scratch.”

Li Buyan lifted her sleeve to look—the fair skin was covered in lumps, red and swollen.

“Fan me instead.”

She spoke pitifully, her dark eyes holding a watery gleam, looking at Li Buyan beseechingly.

Li Buyan’s heart felt like it had a thorn stuck in it, aching with every breath.

“I’ll have to call you ancestor!”