Xie Zhifei was drunk.

So drunk he didn’t even have the energy to make a drunken scene, collapsing directly in the carriage.

Seeing him in such a state, Pei Xiao didn’t dare send him to the Xie residence. He simply sent him to the別 courtyard where Yan Sanhe lived. After all, that courtyard was empty, and there was the capable Tangyuan to attend to him.

The swaying carriage made Xie Zhifei’s stomach uncomfortable. Just upon reaching the residence gate, he vomited with a “wah,” expelling all the wine cleanly.

After vomiting, he felt somewhat better. His head hit the pillow and he fell asleep.

Dreams came one after another, chaotic and varied. He even dreamed of his grandfather killing enemies on the battlefield, one slash beheading an enemy’s head.

Xie Zhifei was frightened awake.

He climbed up, reached out to drink a cup of cold tea, then collapsed back onto the bed to continue sleeping.

As he slept, a thought like lightning struck into his mind.

What about the Zheng family?

Standing in his father Zheng Huantang’s position—no, it should be standing in his grandfather Zheng Yu’s position—why would he send his own granddaughter to Water Moon Convent and exchange her for an infant of unknown origin?

Xie Zhifei’s entire body shuddered.

There was only one possibility—this infant’s identity was special.

To protect her, Grandfather had no choice but to painfully send away his granddaughter, had no choice but to wrong his youngest son, had no choice but to make their family of four shrink into Haitang Courtyard, even if it meant never seeing outsiders for their entire lives.

Then, could the Zheng family’s massacre be related to this infant?

Thinking this, Xie Zhifei broke out in cold sweat all over.

Then another thought rushed at him like a huge wave.

Yan Sanhe had analyzed that the Zheng family massacre must have been committed by someone familiar with that war, familiar with the capital, familiar with the court.

Judging from the ability to support twelve assassins, this person’s position could only be high, not low.

Then—

Then even if they investigated this case covertly and found some leads, with that person’s status and methods, they’d discover it sooner or later.

When that time came, it would be another bloodbath.

What would happen to him and Pei Xiao, whether the two families would be implicated—all of that aside for now, but Yan Sanhe…

Xie Zhifei panicked, completely panicked.

He, a minor Commander of the Five Cities Commandery, couldn’t protect her!

Xie Zhifei struggled to climb up, not even bothering with shoes, walking out barefoot.

Zhu Qing and Ding Yi in the outer room were so frightened they quickly climbed out of bed and chased after him, supporting him on both sides.

“Master?”

“Third Master?”

Pei Xiao in the opposite side room heard the commotion and ran out without even putting on clothes.

“Xie Fifty, what are you making a fuss about in the middle of the night?”

Xie Zhifei suddenly grabbed his wrist. “Mingting, what should I do? What should I do? What should I do…”

“What should you do about what?” Pei Xiao was confused.

Xie Zhifei’s eyes reddened with urgency. “I can’t protect her, can’t protect her, can’t protect her…”

“Who can’t you protect?”

Xie Zhifei shook his head, continuously shaking.

Pei Xiao was nearly shaken dizzy by him and shouted, “Speak!”

Xie Zhifei stared blankly at Pei Xiao before him, his body pitching forward as he embraced Young Master Pei and directly passed out.

Young Master Pei was so angry he wanted to cry.

In the middle of the night, still having to serve a drunk—might as well work him to death!

…

Young Master Pei was nearly worked to death. Li Buyan was also nearly worked to death.

A journey that should have taken half a month, they completed in just eight days. She felt every bone in her body had come apart and couldn’t be put back together.

Even more miserable than her was Pei Jing.

This young man with considerable medical talent had his brows unfurrowed for the latter half of the journey, his face white as a corpse, yet he gritted his teeth without a single complaint.

If this were Young Master Pei, his throat would have been hoarse from shouting.

Arriving at Lin’an Prefecture, they headed straight for the Pei family’s Hundred Medicines Hall. The Grand Prince’s people were already waiting inside.

The two didn’t even catch their breath before changing to another carriage and continuing the journey.

The road went deeper and deeper into the shade of trees, finally stopping before a deep residence compound.

Li Buyan immediately spotted Shen Chong standing at the arched gate.

Shen Chong was clearly startled to see Li Buyan but said nothing more, coldly stating, “Follow me quickly.”

The deep residence compound in Lin’an Prefecture differed from those in the capital—one courtyard of scenery after another, with each carved flower on the corridors unique.

After passing through two courtyards, guards became noticeably more numerous.

Li Buyan keenly sensed that even the air carried a tense feeling.

A gray-robed eunuch ran out, speaking in a thin voice. “The two of you have arrived. Please, quickly.”

Li Buyan followed the eunuch inside. In the east side room’s warm pavilion, she saw Zhao Yishi.

This person wore only an inner garment as he sat before a writing desk, his left hand wrapped in gauze with blood faintly showing through. His right hand held a memorial, presenting an image of calm scholarly elegance.

Hearing movement, Zhao Yishi looked up.

The moment his gaze met Li Buyan, it suddenly brightened.

“I never expected they would send you.”

Only then did Li Buyan notice the man’s complexion wasn’t good—it showed a layer of sickness.

“Probably because they felt I, this troublemaker, was less likely to arouse suspicion.”

“Troublemaker?”

“A nickname Third Master gave me.”

“What’s the reason?”

Li Buyan pointed at the wound on his arm. “Better let Little Imperial Physician Pei examine His Highness first. After the examination, we can talk.”

Only then did Zhao Yishi glance at Pei Jing.

Pei Jing set down his medical box, bowed respectfully to the Grand Prince before daring to step forward to examine the wound.

Li Buyan’s sharp eyes discovered Little Imperial Physician Pei’s two legs were trembling.

This inherited the Pei family’s timidity!

She turned around, lowered her head to look at herself—covered in dust, truly disgusting.

“Someone come.”

“Your Highness.”

“Prepare water for Miss Li and provide clean clothes.”

“Yes.”

Li Buyan turned around, half a breath caught in her throat, an expression on her face that said “Your Highness, are you perhaps a tapeworm in my belly?”

“Go.”

Zhao Yishi lowered his head and resumed reading the memorial in his hand.

Li Buyan followed the eunuch forward two steps, then suddenly turned back.

Zhao Yishi looked up—she was covered in travel dust, but her eyes were bright.

“Third Master says I always ruin his good deeds, so he calls me a troublemaker.”

“What good deeds did you ruin?” Zhao Yishi slowly curved his lips.

“I didn’t ruin any. He’s just petty.”

“Then why do you still listen to him and run so far?”

His eyes were also bright. Li Buyan met them directly.

“Mainly because I wanted to ask His Highness in person—that box of mooncakes, why did you give it to me?”

Just then, Pei Jing went to unwrap the final layer of gauze on Zhao Yishi’s arm. Hearing these words, his hand shook, and the gauze fell off by itself, revealing a vicious wound seven or eight inches long.

A dagger wound—not only long but deep, though not poisoned.

When the assassin struck, they must have been very close to Zhao Yishi, most likely disguised as a maidservant or infiltrated among the guards.

No wonder they had to transfer Little Imperial Physician Pei from the capital—in this unfamiliar place, it was hard to distinguish friend from foe.

Li Buyan averted her eyes.

“You guess?” Zhao Yishi asked back.

“If I could guess, would I need to ask?”

Li Buyan turned and walked away while muttering, “My mother gave me everything except a brain.”

Zhao Yishi watched her back, amusement in his eyes.