At the side courtyard.
Yan Sanhe was also soaking in a bathtub. This was already the third bucket of water she’d changed, and she still felt dirty.
Li Buyan was washing her hair while planning to briefly tell her about matters in the capital.
But Yan Sanhe directly asked: “After you went south, how did things go?”
“This…”
Li Buyan hesitated, “Nothing much happened. I just stayed by the Grand Prince’s side. He was busy with his affairs, I slept when I wanted.”
“Nothing happened?”
“What could have happened!”
Li Buyan laughed unnaturally: “I’m just a rough maid.”
Yan Sanhe: “During the days you were waiting for me, what did you do?”
“Nothing at all.”
Li Buyan sighed deeply, “Young Master Pei was afraid I’d go looking for you. He tied me to his belt every day. Wherever he went, I went. I had no freedom at all.”
Yan Sanhe: “What about when he went to see the Imperial Grand Prince?”
Li Buyan answered honestly: “I followed along.”
Really?
Yan Sanhe laughed coldly in her heart.
When the Imperial Grand Prince and Young Master Pei discussed matters, they discussed important things. Would they let a rough maid listen and watch on the side?
Pei Mingting didn’t have that kind of audacity!
This was clearly the Imperial Grand Prince’s idea—Young Master Pei was just a front.
“What about that box of mooncakes?”
“He said he just wanted to send it.”
Li Buyan hadn’t watered down those words, but Yan Sanhe said with some anger: “A girl without sufficient willpower would have fallen into lovesickness.”
“My willpower could withstand Mount Tai.”
Li Buyan felt very guilty and quickly changed the subject: “Why did you and Han Xu suddenly return to Yunnan Prefecture? I was so anxious.”
“There’s a Diamond Sutra in my bundle with a letter inside. You’ll understand after reading it.”
Yan Sanhe yawned: “After you read it, help me find a hidden place to store it.”
A letter?
Li Buyan immediately left the bathhouse without another word, took out the letter, and looked at it. She was instantly thunderstruck.
My God!
Yan Xing and Old General Zheng actually knew each other, which means…
She rushed into the bathhouse in a panic, “Sanhe, Sanhe…”
No one answered.
Li Buyan looked down to discover Yan Sanhe had already fallen asleep silently, her head resting against the wooden tub.
…
Yan Sanhe slept deeply—a full five hours. When she woke, it was already past midnight.
Looking at the bed canopy, she finally realized she was truly back in the capital.
Dark moonless night—time to explore heart demons.
“Buyan.”
Li Buyan hurried in, “Awake?”
“Mm.”
Yan Sanhe sat up with support: “Eat something, then go to the Zhu residence.”
“I’ve been simmering chicken soup for you.”
Li Buyan turned and called: “Tangyuan, attend to Miss—help her wash and change clothes. Men’s clothing.”
Tangyuan had been dozing on the daybed in the outer room. Hearing the call, she quickly got up and busied herself.
She’d been with Miss for nine months now and had a good sense of what Miss did.
In just a moment, Yan Sanhe walked out of the room completely refreshed.
The food was hot, the chicken soup fragrant with two slices of astragalus and a handful of goji berries added. She drank two full bowls.
After eating, she rinsed her mouth with tea and instructed Tangyuan “Don’t wait up, go to sleep first,” then left side by side with Li Buyan.
The night was very dark, the sky dim and lightless, as if covered by a thick black cloth.
Yan Sanhe walked out the side gate and stopped.
At the gate, two carriages were parked with four people standing—the inseparable Xie and Pei brothers, plus Zhu Qing and Huang Qi.
Zhu Qing and Huang Qi each held a lantern.
Young Master Pei stamped his feet. When he opened his mouth, a cloud of white mist appeared.
“Yan Sanhe, you’re finally out. This ghost weather—how did it suddenly get so cold? I’m freezing to death.”
Yan Sanhe ignored him, her gaze falling on Xie Zhifei to the side.
“You all go back. Li Buyan knows the Zhu residence. She can take me there.”
Xie Zhifei stepped forward and looked down, asking: “Why should we go back?”
“Don’t you have matters to attend to? Do you really think the government office belongs to your family?”
Yan Sanhe: “Li Buyan and I can handle this heart demon.”
Xie Zhifei’s gaze sharpened instantly, almost glaring at Yan Sanhe: “Why can just you and Li Buyan handle it?”
“…”
Old Lady Xiao became shrewd with age—are you following in her footsteps?
Just then, Li Buyan interjected: “Right, why just the two of us? Having them along saves us work!”
“…”
Is this the pig teammate Buyan’s mother mentioned?
Yan Sanhe gave up the idea of sending them away and pointed coldly at Young Master Pei: “Wasn’t he complaining about the cold?”
Hearing the issue traced back to him, Young Master Pei quickly clicked his tongue and complained:
“You should understand what kind of person I am by now, Yan Sanhe. I just say things—my heart is burning like fire!”
“Less nonsense in the future.”
Yan Sanhe: “Get in the carriage.”
Me, nonsense?
Young Master Pei looked at Xie Zhifei with swallowed anger: Brother, I’ve discovered I was truly blind before to have taken a fancy to her!
His brother paid him no attention, his gaze entirely on Yan Sanhe.
…
After midnight, not even a ghost could be seen on the main street. The two carriages galloped quickly and soon reached the Zhu residence.
Xie Erliu stood at the entrance in a gray long robe. Seeing the carriages arrive, his expression visibly relaxed. He quickly lifted his hem and hurried over.
Yan Sanhe descended from the carriage, her gaze meeting his.
“Miss, you’re finally here.”
“Sorry to keep First Master waiting.”
“Follow me.” Xie Erliu glanced quickly at his younger brother.
Learning Third Brother had returned, after leaving the office he’d specially gone home first. They hadn’t managed to speak—Third Brother was asleep.
Xie Erliu had stood by the bed watching Third Brother’s sleeping face for a while, tucked in his quilt for him, then came to the Zhu residence.
Xie Zhifei, seeing only his own elder brother waiting at the gate, felt very uncomfortable.
Where were the Zhu family people? Shouldn’t they have come out to greet her?
Yan Sanhe didn’t feel slighted—in fact, she simply lacked that particular sensibility.
Climbing several steps and crossing the half-person-high threshold, she followed Xie Erliu inside.
After just a few steps, her chest felt stuffy, her stomach contents kept churning, cold sweat broke out on her forehead, and her pace immediately slowed.
Xie Zhifei was walking right behind Yan Sanhe. When she first slowed down, he thought she wanted to look around, but saw her head remained lowered throughout.
Something seemed wrong.
Xie Zhifei snatched the lantern from Zhu Qing’s hand and shone it on Yan Sanhe’s face.
“Why is your face so pale? Why so much sweat? Where don’t you feel well?”
His shout made everyone look at Yan Sanhe.
Yan Sanhe pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her sweat, saying rather weakly: “Are there many formations set up in this residence?”
Xie Zhifei couldn’t answer and quickly looked at his elder brother.
Xie Erliu was also confused.
He only knew his brother-in-law’s room had a formation set up, but just one—there weren’t many!
“Have them remove the formations, or I can only leave.” Yan Sanhe turned to walk away.
Why was she leaving?
Xie Erliu panicked, “Third Brother, quickly stop Miss Yan. I’ll go find Brother Zhu.”
“Alright!”
In an instant, those going out went out, those running in ran in, leaving only Young Master Pei and his servant standing dumbfounded.
Young Master Pei touched his pounding heart, “Damn, I’ve been in and out of the Zhu residence dozens of times and never noticed anything.”
Huang Qi looked terrified: “My lord, I haven’t been able to shit lately—could it be because of this formation?”
Young Master Pei looked at his fool of a servant, thinking he might as well die on the spot.