Crossing the river, mounting horses, rushing back to Shanguan County.

By the time they reached Shanguan County, the sky had darkened. Yan Sanhe decided to rest for one night, letting Zhu Qing and the others’ injuries recover a bit more before making a straight dash back to the capital.

Since they needed to recuperate, they chose the best-conditioned inn in the county to stay. After eating, Yan Sanhe told everyone to return to their rooms to rest.

Before leaving, the bald physician had prepared seven days of medicine for each of the four. She borrowed a small kitchen from the innkeeper to personally brew their medicine.

Because of the previous incident with the meat soup, Yan Sanhe didn’t dare leave even for half a step.

Footsteps sounded behind her.

Turning her head, she found herself looking directly into Young Master Pei’s smiling eyes.

“What are you doing here?”

Coming to get close to you!

Without getting close, how can we become a couple?

While muttering internally, Young Master Pei walked forward. “I’m not injured, so I came to help you watch over things.”

“Those two stoves are yours. Be careful not to let the medicine boil over.”

Yan Sanhe gestured with her chin to the side. “Squatting is tiring—get a bamboo chair to sit on.”

Listen to how considerate she is!

This trip out, Yan Sanhe’s attitude toward him had been both warm and considerate, no longer finding fault with everything like last time.

Things were looking more and more promising!

Young Master Pei moved over a bamboo chair and sat down obediently beside her, his peripheral vision sneaking glances, his heart full of joy.

Right.

They couldn’t just sit here doing nothing—what should they talk about?

Discuss poetry and prose?

I’m not cut out for that!

Discuss Jingchen’s case?

Too heavy!

Discuss romantic matters between men and women?

Too risqué!

Maybe… still discuss Buddhist scriptures? I’m good at that.

“Yan Sanhe…”

“Pei Mingting…”

Two voices called out almost simultaneously.

Young Master Pei’s blood surged through his entire body. Ha ha ha ha—what was that moment just now called?

Called “hearts in harmony.”

“Yan Sanhe, you speak first.”

Yan Sanhe turned around with an expression of disbelief. “What am I supposed to say?”

“You didn’t just call me…”

“I did call you.”

Hearing this voice, Young Master Pei became annoyed. “Surnamed Xie, what are you doing here?”

I just couldn’t help myself—came to see what you two were doing!

Xie Zhifei coughed. “We should sell the horses tomorrow and hire two carriages instead. That way we’ll travel faster.”

Yan Sanhe frowned. “Are Zhu Qing and the others feeling unwell?”

“Yes!”

Xie Zhifei: “That person really hit quite hard.”

Only after he said this did Yan Sanhe remember she’d forgotten to ask Master Tang about that Xue Zhao fellow—who exactly was he, with such formidable martial skills?

Xie Zhifei walked over and also moved a bamboo chair, brazenly sitting down between Yan Sanhe and Young Master Pei.

“By the way Yan Sanhe, what else did you and Master Tang discuss?”

“I…”

“Well well, Third Master and Young Master Pei are both here?”

Li Buyan moved over a chair and sat down beside Yan Sanhe. “This small kitchen is graced with the presence of two young masters—how it shines with reflected glory!”

Third Master Xie: “…” This damned troublemaker.

Young Master Pei: “…” Get lost!

Li Buyan found a comfortable position. “What were you talking about? Let me hear too.”

“We want to hear too!”

At the doorway, Huang Qi leaned against the frame with a curious expression, while Zhu Qing beside him showed a hint of apology, with another unspoken message hidden in that apology: I was dragged here by this person.

Young Master Pei was so angry he looked like a gourd.

What was going on?

I finally got a chance to get close to my beloved, and here you all come crowding in to make trouble—you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?

“You two sit down first!”

Yan Sanhe: “Pei Mingting, you’re uninjured—go stand by the door and make sure no one eavesdrops.”

What?

Young Master Pei pointed at his own nose, thinking: Is there no sense of hierarchy left? I’m a young master!

“It would trouble you.”

“What kind of talk is that—where’s the trouble?”

Young Master Pei shot her a look that was both reproachful and resentful, then stood up and walked to the door. “Xie Wushi, you watch the stove—don’t let the medicine spill over.”

Xie Zhifei, while lowering his head to check the medicine, concealed the satisfaction at the corners of his mouth.

This kid was going to be completely dominated by Yan Sanhe in the future, never able to rise up—that was certain.

Yan Sanhe waited for Zhu Qing and the others to sit down before speaking. “On the back mountain, Tang Jianxi took the initiative to talk to me about Lu Shi.”

Xie Zhifei: “What?”

Li Buyan: “Really?”

Young Master Pei: “Heavens!”

Huang Qi: “How could this be?”

Zhu Qing: “Strange!”

“His reason for doing this was for Tang Mingyue, and he avoided the parts involving Jingchen, only speaking of some of this person’s past.”

Yan Sanhe’s voice was light and calm, trying not to inject any emotion as she relayed Tang Jianxi’s words.

After finishing, the small kitchen was filled only with the gurgling sound of medicine pots boiling.

After a long while, Young Master Pei sighed. “Say, is this Lu Shi even human?”

Xie Zhifei looked back at him. “No wonder Tang Jianxi didn’t want to mention it.”

Huang Qi: “Bah, too damned ungrateful!”

Zhu Qing: “Excessive, too excessive!”

“When men act base, they leave no room for beasts.”

Li Buyan’s eyes swept around in a circle, sneering coldly. “When men become base, what business is it of beasts?”

The men: “…”

Li Buyan wasn’t finished—she added another line: “No wonder my mother always says, women should guard against fire, theft, and beasts.”

“Hey, I say…”

Young Master Pei couldn’t hold back any longer. “Exactly who is your mother? Where does she get all these…”

“Golden phrases, right?”

Li Buyan looked proud.

“Because she’s a transmigrator from the twenty-first century. They have many golden phrases there, like ‘A spring breeze ten li long is not as good as your ex dropping dead,’ or ‘Men are as reliable as pigs climbing trees.'”

The men: “…” What nonsense was she spouting—they couldn’t understand a single word!

Seeing the men’s faces turn green then white, Yan Sanhe suppressed her laughter. “Let’s not curse Lu Shi for now. Let’s think about how to approach him after we return. I’m planning to go directly to his door.”

“Not advisable!”

Xie Zhifei snapped out of his shock at Li Buyan’s mother’s golden phrases.

“Lu Shi’s residence has countless eyes watching it in the capital. Going directly to his door means some things can’t be kept secret.”

“Then what does Third Master suggest…”

“I haven’t thought it through, but we absolutely cannot just go there like that.”

Yan Sanhe hesitated.

Xie Zhifei could be quite infuriating sometimes, but when it came to court matters, he was extremely cautious.

His words should be taken seriously.

“Fine!”

While Yan Sanhe indicated her agreement, she also voiced her own doubts from the journey. “There’s something I find rather suspicious.”

Young Master Pei couldn’t wait. “What?”

Yan Sanhe pointed toward the capital. “How did that person manage to employ the former Crown Prince’s old subordinates with no misgivings whatsoever?”

The words were vague, but everyone understood.

That person referred to the Emperor.

The former referred to the former Crown Prince.

The old subordinate was Lu Shi.

“And another thing!”

Yan Sanhe fixed her gaze on Xie Zhifei. “A second-rank official position isn’t something just anyone can attain. Your father already enjoys great imperial favor, yet he’s only third rank.”

Xie Zhifei’s expression changed dramatically.

That’s right—how did Lu Shi climb up step by step?