“Have Zhu Weixi pack her things and come with me. Besides Third Master, I’m afraid no one else could accomplish this.”

Xie Zhifei was quite surprised. “Why bring my sister-in-law?”

“She’s the wronged party and has the right to know the truth. Furthermore…”

Yan Sanhe took a deep breath. “I don’t want her to live her entire life with this stain. She’ll feel inferior to others everywhere.”

Not only clever but also kindhearted beyond words.

Xie Zhifei’s eyes warmed. He deliberately spread his hand. “What’s in it for me?”

“Nothing!”

Yan Sanhe lightly patted his palm. “Not only nothing, but if she can’t come, I’ll still hold you accountable.”

Xie Zhifei’s eyes were full of laughter. “Miss Yan, be reasonable.”

“Who’s being reasonable with you?”

When dealing with someone you like, what need is there for reason?

“Miss Yan, Miss Yan…”

Li Buyan, standing to the side, rolled her eyes hard.

All evening she’d heard different people calling “Miss Yan,” with no end in sight. Her ears had developed calluses from hearing it.

Zhu Yuanzhao rushed over, holding up his robe.

Yan Sanhe turned around. “Whose is it?”

Zhu Yuanzhao nodded to Xie Zhifei behind her, then pulled out two sheets of paper from his chest and handed them to Yan Sanhe.

Li Buyan quickly brought the lantern closer.

Yan Sanhe looked closely. The life charts on both sheets were identical. “Geng Songsheng’s?”

Zhu Yuanzhao gritted his teeth. “Yes!”

Yan Sanhe’s face showed no emotion. She turned and glanced at Xie Zhifei.

Meeting her gaze, Xie Zhifei said: “I’ll return to the Xie residence immediately.”

Just as he was about to step away, another thought occurred to him. “No matter what, bring more clothes. Mount Wutai is said to be terribly cold.”

“Miss Yan is going to Mount Wutai?”

Zhu Yuanzhao’s face changed dramatically. “But what about my father’s heart demon…”

“Geng Songsheng has been found. He became a monk at Mount Wutai. As for who found him, ask your eldest brother.”

Yan Sanhe glanced at Xie Zhifei. “Third Master just came to deliver the message.”

“What?”

Zhu Yuanzhao staggered back two steps, indescribable panic in his heart.

When Geng Songsheng’s matter was brought up today, Zhu Yuanzhao had secretly speculated about where this person might be now.

Was he roaming the world with his sword, or had he settled somewhere, found a virtuous woman to marry and have children?

He never imagined Geng Songsheng had actually entered the Buddhist order.

“Third Master, Third Master…”

Where was Third Master’s shadow? Only the gradually fading sound of horse hooves and Yan Sanhe standing with hands behind her back.

“Buyan.”

“What do you need me to do?”

“Immediately notify Ding Yi and Huang Qi to stop organizing and go prepare. I’ll wait for you here. When you return, we’ll go back together.”

Yan Sanhe turned around. “Second Master Zhu, prepare two excellent carriages, provision for six people, five days of dry rations, and two thousand taels in banknotes. We depart at dawn.”

Zhu Yuanzhao was stunned.

How could they just leave like this? This, this, this was too sudden.

“Why are you still standing there?”

Yan Sanhe raised her voice. “Hurry and prepare!”

“Yes, yes, yes.”

Zhu Yuanzhao quickly climbed the steps, crossed the threshold, and signaled to the old steward waiting nearby.

The two walked to a corner.

Zhu Yuanzhao said in a low voice: “Send someone immediately to wait at the street corner for my eldest brother. One of us three brothers must go.”

The old steward: “Yes!”

“Two thousand taels in banknotes isn’t enough. Prepare three thousand more. Hurry and prepare the dry rations and such. You personally select the carriages—they must be the sturdiest.”

Zhu Yuanzhao thought some more.

“Have braziers and bedding ready in the carriages, prepare several water bottles filled with hot water, also prepare some fruits and snacks, get a small red clay stove, and prepare some tea leaves.”

“Yes!”

…

As soon as Xie Zhifei entered through the side gate, he said to the young servant on watch: “Go call Steward Xie.”

“Yes!”

The servant disappeared in a flash. When he returned, a fat man followed behind him.

Xie Xiaohua hadn’t seen the young master for several days. His mouth stretched to his ears. “Third Master, Third Master, you’ve finally returned. I…”

Steward Xiao couldn’t continue. A large hand fell on his neck, gently pinching the fat flesh at his nape.

“Where’s my brother?”

Hearing this, Xie Xiaohua quickly pulled the young master to a corner and told Third Master everything that had happened an hour ago.

After hearing it, Third Master’s heart tightened slightly.

Just as he’d expected—men’s hearts aren’t that big.

“Come with me to see my sister-in-law.”

What?

Xie Xiaohua thought he was hearing things.

When brothers and their wives quarrel, when did a younger brother-in-law not comfort his own blood brother but go to his sister-in-law’s room late at night?

Xie Xiaohua was a bachelor himself, but he was extremely sensitive to matters between men and women.

“Master, it’s late at night now. The eldest young mistress has probably already gone to sleep. Tomorrow we…”

“Right now!”

Xie Zhifei’s hand couldn’t help pinching the fat man’s neck a few more times. Soft and squishy—quite comfortable actually.

“Oh yes, have someone prepare a carriage. I need to take my sister-in-law out shortly.”

Xie Xiaohua nearly threw a punch!

What’s this? You brat, are you planning to abduct the eldest young mistress?

Seeing the fat man’s expression, Xie Zhifei knew he wasn’t thinking good thoughts. But he had to keep his sister-in-law’s matter from everyone—not just Xie Xiaohua, but even Grandmother and Mother couldn’t know.

“Miss Yan wants to take my sister-in-law out for a few days.”

Xie Zhifei tapped him with his finger. “If you dare leak a single word, I’ll put a shit bucket on your head.”

Xie Xiaohua: “…”

…

At Fangzhou Court, the door bolt had already been lowered.

Hearing the knock, the old woman thought it was the master returning to sleep in the courtyard again and quickly threw on some clothes to open the door.

Looking up, she saw it was Third Master and jumped in fright.

Xie Zhifei: “Go wake up the eldest young mistress.”

“Yes!”

The old woman hurried off to wake her.

A moment later, Xie Zhifei stood in the main hall, glancing at Xie Xiaohua.

“Everyone out. I have important matters to discuss with my sister-in-law. Steward Xie, guard the door.”

Only then did Xie Xiaohua understand—this young master had brought him along to prevent the servants from gossiping.

The door closed.

Xie Zhifei looked at the blue shadows under the woman’s eyes and took a deep breath.

“Sister-in-law, Geng Songsheng has been found.”

“Crack!”

The teacup in Zhu Weixi’s hand shattered on impact.

Seeing this reaction, Xie Zhifei didn’t dare mention that the man had become a monk.

“At dawn, Miss Yan will depart to find him. She asked you to go along. That place is very cold—sister-in-law, dress warmly.”

Zhu Weixi remained motionless, letting the tea water slowly seep into the bottom of her embroidered shoes.

“Don’t worry about eldest brother—I’ll be here for him. Don’t worry about Huaizhou either—Grandmother and Mother dote on him!”

Xie Zhifei saw her expression remain wooden, not knowing if she’d heard him or not. He wanted to offer some comfort but didn’t know what to say.

“Sister-in-law, please pack. I’ll go to eldest brother’s place…”

“Third Brother.”

Zhu Weixi supported herself on the table’s edge to stand, then walked step by step to Xie Zhifei’s side before kneeling down.

“Sister-in-law!”

Xie Zhifei was frightened and quickly reached out to support her.

“It’s not necessary, not necessary. Hurry and pack. I’ll go see eldest brother. Remember to dress warmly!”

Third Master practically fled in panic.

Even after fleeing far away, he still felt his chest tight, unable to swallow the breath in his throat or spit it out.

Xie Xiaohua’s fat face leaned over. “Master, should we check on the eldest master?”

Xie Zhifei immediately developed a splitting headache.

The two were having a disagreement. Nine times out of ten, sister-in-law had told eldest brother about Geng Songsheng, and eldest brother couldn’t bear just hearing about it. Now sister-in-law was going to meet that man…

Hiding it was impossible—he could only tell the truth.

But how to say it?