No wonder Young Master Pei was furious.

What were tax revenues?

They were a nation’s foundation!

These bastards dared even touch the foundation—simply lawless.

“Imperial Consort Li’s suicide should be because of these three memorials.”

Xie Zhifei looked at Yan Sanhe. “In that case, her death isn’t entirely unjust.”

Yan Sanhe said nothing.

In her mind, it was as if a steel needle had been driven in. Painful, yet simultaneously, the thought that had vaguely surfaced earlier suddenly became clear and lucid.

Actually, she wasn’t the only one whose understanding became clear—Third Master and Young Master Pei’s expressions also gradually grew clear.

Yan Ruxian;

Imperial Consort Li;

Li Xing;

Li Xing’s two sons;

So next… whose turn would it be?

Pei Xiao sighed. “Yan Sanhe, I don’t know why, but I have a notion in my heart.”

Yan Sanhe looked at him. “I have a notion too.”

Pei Xiao: “Fifty, what about you?”

Need you ask?

“I have one.”

Li Buyan couldn’t help herself. “Can you tell me what notion?”

The three said in unison: “Cannot.”

Li Buyan: “…”

Yan Sanhe: “It’s not yet time to speak of it.”

Young Master Pei: “Even when the time comes, we cannot speak of it.”

Xie Zhifei: “Speaking of it might ruin things.”

“Alright, stop!”

Li Buyan’s brain was being stirred into a paste by the three of them. She thought: Mother, you’re good in every way except one—you didn’t give me a good brain.

Yan Sanhe: “To verify this notion, Young Master Pei, can you help me indirectly inquire about Li Xing as a person?”

Young Master Pei froze. “How do I inquire?”

Yan Sanhe: “Using Imperial Consort Li’s lingering ghost as an excuse, you should be able to find out some things about Li Xing from before. Focus on how Li Xing rose to prominence.”

With lingering ghosts as a topic, it wouldn’t arouse anyone’s suspicion at all.

My wife is boundlessly clever.

Young Master Pei nodded proudly. “Rest assured, leave it to me.”

Yan Sanhe: “Third Master also needs to help me with something.”

Third Master Xie: “Just say it.”

Yan Sanhe: “Among the capital’s beggars, Third Master should have informants, correct?”

Third Master Xie was shocked. “How did you know?”

Yan Sanhe: “When I left the Xie residence initially, if not for them, Third Master wouldn’t have found me so quickly.”

Third Master Xie: “…”

Yan Sanhe: “Have your informants help me watch Lu Shi. I need to know his movements.”

Using little beggars?

Both concealed and safe.

My little sister is boundlessly clever.

Xie Zhifei nodded proudly. “Leave it to me.”

Yan Sanhe’s gaze turned to Zhu Qing and Li Buyan.

Zhu Qing: “What does Miss Yan need me to do?”

Li Buyan said painfully, “As long as it doesn’t require thinking, just give the orders.”

“Hey!”

Young Master Pei quickly interrupted. “Count my Huangqi in. That fellow has nothing to do and wants to seek death.”

Huangqi, currently watching monks chant sutras in the palace, suddenly sneezed violently: Which bastard is badmouthing me behind my back?

Yan Sanhe: “You three divide into three shifts and secretly protect someone for me.”

Zhu Qing: “Lu Shi?”

“Correct.”

Young Master Pei poked Yan Sanhe’s arm with his finger. “Are you planning to find an opportunity to meet him?”

“I need to wait for someone first.”

Yan Sanhe slowly stood and walked to the window. “Only after meeting this person will I go see him, and only then will I have the confidence to see him.”

“Man or woman?”

Two voices sounded simultaneously again.

Young Master Pei glared at Third Master: I’m concerned about my wife—why are you butting in?

Third Master returned a white-eyed look: I’m concerned about my little sister—what’s it to you!

Before Yan Sanhe could speak, Li Buyan directly threw out four words: “Neither man nor woman.”

Young Master Pei: “…” I think you’re the one who’s neither man nor woman.

Xie Zhifei: “…” That stick is stirring shit again.

“Mingting.”

Xie Zhifei: “You’d better get going. Without you there, Huangqi can’t hold down the fort.”

Pei Xiao felt the several talismans in his robe, then the Five Emperor Coins at his waist, and showed Yan Sanhe a tragic expression of “the wind blows cold on Yi River” before hurrying away.

“Li Buyan, Zhu Qing.”

Xie Zhifei: “You two stay here and discuss how to rotate shifts. Yan Sanhe and I are going out for a walk.”

Yan Sanhe was about to ask: Why should I go out for a walk with you?

The man blocked her words with five characters.

“Still have things to say.”

…

The autumn night was slightly cool, cold enough to numb the hands.

Having been bustling about all day, Xie Zhifei rarely had such a quiet moment, and with her by his side at that—his entire being felt supremely comfortable.

When a person felt comfortable, they didn’t want to speak. Yan Sanhe had glared at him several times with her eyes, but he pretended not to see.

Yan Sanhe could only cough once. “Third Master, if you have something to say, speak directly.”

“I’m not certain whether the notion in my heart is the same as the notion in yours.”

Xie Zhifei turned to look at her. “Because I don’t believe there exists such a type of person in this world.”

“I don’t believe it either, which is why this notion only dares exist in my thoughts—I don’t dare speak it aloud.”

“When did you start suspecting?”

Yan Sanhe thought carefully. “I don’t know. Just investigating and investigating, suddenly something felt wrong.”

“After you meet that person, I’ll find a way to arrange for you to see Lu Shi.”

“What method do you have?”

Xie Zhifei smiled. “Rest assured, it definitely won’t be risky.”

Seeing Yan Sanhe remain silent, he added, “Taking risks now would be the stupidest thing. Regarding the scholar incident, that person in the palace can only have known about it early—it’s impossible he didn’t know. This is probably also why you want those three to protect Lu Shi.”

Yan Sanhe didn’t speak, raising her eyes to look the man up and down from head to toe.

In dark official robes, his entire person appeared low-key yet solid, vastly different from the romantic wastrel who’d first blocked her in the alley.

“Alright, let’s stop here.”

Xie Zhifei’s footsteps halted. “Huairen is leaving the capital. I need to see him off.”

“Good.”

Yan Sanhe: “Third Master, take care.”

“Wait.”

Xie Zhifei reached out to stop her. “When I saw Huairen arrive where the carriage was parked today, why did you hide behind a tree?”

Yan Sanhe first froze, then said angrily, “You followed me?”

“Not following—being concerned.”

“What’s the difference?”

“You savor it carefully—what’s the difference?”

Who wants to savor it?

Yan Sanhe flicked her sleeve and turned to leave.

A faint smile floated to Xie Zhifei’s lips.

Her memory was gone, but her temper remained as big as before—at the slightest displeasure, she’d turn and walk away with a face-change. Who knows who spoiled her into this.

Yan Sanhe walked a distance, then looked back. The man’s tall figure merged with the night.

The difference between following and being concerned—the former was wariness, the latter was worry.

“Wariness?”

She repeated this word, her brows suddenly knitting together.

Xie Zhifei walked a distance and heard urgent footsteps coming from behind.

He whipped around sharply. Yan Sanhe couldn’t stop in time. The two collided, simultaneously emitting muffled grunts.

Xie Zhifei quickly steadied her. “Are you hurt from the collision?”

How could Yan Sanhe still care about pain? “Xie Zhifei, have you considered a question?”

“What?”

“If things are truly as the three of us think, then…”

She hurriedly changed her breath. “Then… will Lu Shi take further action?”

Xie Zhifei instantly stood frozen in place.