This shout brought out everyone from the Tang family.

Tang Mingyue was already eight months pregnant, her belly heavy and round.

Seeing Yan Sanhe, she nearly flew over. Yan Sanhe was so frightened she shouted repeatedly: “Slow down, go slower.”

“Miss Yan, why have you come?”

“I have some business with your father.”

Yan Sanhe clasped her fists toward Shan Eryi standing behind her. “All has been well.”

Seeing that surnamed Xie fellow wasn’t there, Shan Eryi’s expression improved considerably. He quickly smiled. “It’s cold outside. Come inside quickly to talk. Today Uncle Xue shot two wild rabbits. Perfect for a hot pot.”

“Food is secondary. Talking is the main business.”

Yan Sanhe turned to look at Tang Jianxi. “Shall we go to your study?”

Tang Jianxi looked at Yan Sanhe, then at the unfamiliar man behind her trembling from cold, and instructed Tao Qiao’er: “Prepare something hot and send it to the study.”

Tao Qiao’er nodded and gave Tang Mingyue a look. Tang Mingyue acted as if she hadn’t seen it, not moving at all.

It was Miss Yan!

How rarely could she see her!

Seeing Tang Mingyue’s gaze stuck to her like glue, Yan Sanhe remembered Xie Zhifei’s instructions. “Third Master asked me to give Miss Tang a message.”

Tang Mingyue immediately bloomed into a smile. “What did he say?”

“He said he’ll make up the baby’s greeting gift later.”

Yan Sanhe’s gaze softened. “Buyan’s and mine, and Young Master Pei’s—we’ll all make them up later too. This time we left in too much haste.”

Tang Mingyue happily took Tao Qiao’er’s arm. “Mother, did you hear? They all care about me.”

“Yes, they all care about you.”

Tao Qiao’er smiled and patted her daughter’s hand. “Come, accompany Mother to pick out a warm quilt for Miss Yan. Eryi, you support her well.”

“No need to support me. I can walk myself.”

Shan Eryi pretended not to hear and directly embraced her.

Tang Mingyue pushed at him but couldn’t budge him. She turned her head to glare at the man, saying quietly: “Miss Yan is still here.”

“So what if she’s here?”

Shan Eryi deliberately raised his voice. “I’m holding my own wife. It’s not illegal, is it?”

Yan Sanhe: “…” Still a treasure.

Tang Jianxi stepped forward and made a gesture of invitation. “Miss Yan, let’s talk in the study.”

“Alright.”

Yan Sanhe followed him into the study. Once the door closed, no pleasantries, no courtesies—she briefly explained Zhu Yuanzhao’s identity and background and the Zhu family matters, then got straight to the point:

“Tang Jianxi, the Zhu family’s heart demon is connected to the Crown Prince’s witchcraft curse case. I’ve come on this trip to ask you about this matter.”

Seeing Yan Sanhe climb the mountain, Tang Jianxi knew nothing good would come of it, but never imagined she’d ask about this.

The Late Crown Prince—his true eldest senior brother, the teacher’s eldest disciple.

The Tang family was destroyed because of him.

Zhu Yanting died for him.

Lu Shi and Tang Zhiwei—because of him, one never married for life, the other retreated into the secular world, never meeting until death.

In many midnight dreams, recalling that person he’d only met a few times yet who was stamped like a seal in his mind, did he have hatred in his heart?

No.

Only a sigh of lament.

Zhu Yuanzhao, seeing Tang Jianxi remain silent, thought he was unwilling to speak and quickly knelt on the ground.

“Master Tang, my Zhu family…”

“Your Zhu family has not even half a point of connection to me.”

Tang Jianxi didn’t even look at him, only at Yan Sanhe. “Miss Yan, I’ll only ask you one question.”

Yan Sanhe: “Go ahead.”

“If Zhu Xuanjiu was truly the instigator of the Late Crown Prince’s witchcraft curse case, you’re resolving the heart demon for him, coming up Wood Pear Mountain, seeking me, Tang Jianxi…”

His voice couldn’t help but tremble slightly. “Have you considered my position, my feelings?”

“I anticipated you’d say this.”

Yan Sanhe’s eyelashes moved slightly. “Tang Jianxi, this heart demon appears to be Zhu Xuanjiu’s heart demon, but actually it’s the heart demon of those several thousand crows.”

Tang Jianxi’s expression changed. “You, what are you saying?”

“Among those several thousand crows, I believe one must certainly be Zhu Yanting. He’s crying injustice for himself, crying injustice for the three clans of the Zhu family who were executed.”

Yan Sanhe looked at him calmly. “That’s why I came to find you.”

“You’re certain this heart demon is…”

“I’m certain.”

Yan Sanhe’s features weren’t soft and gentle like other women’s. When she looked at someone calmly, her entire presence was cool and detached.

This coolness inspired inexplicable conviction.

Tang Jianxi suddenly sprang up from his chair, pacing back and forth in the study.

Finally, he stopped before Yan Sanhe, his Adam’s apple moving up and down. “Miss Yan, what is their purpose in crying injustice?”

“Nothing more than two things.”

Yan Sanhe: “First, to investigate the truth of the matter. Second, to proclaim it to the world. The former is relatively easy. The latter…”

She lowered her head to look at Zhu Yuanzhao on the ground. His face was deathly pale, his entire person trembling.

He probably hadn’t thought this far yet.

“The latter will be very difficult.”

Tang Jianxi’s gaze burned as he looked at her. “Since it’s difficult, what will you do?”

“Meet the difficulty head-on.”

Yan Sanhe closed her eyes, then opened them. “There’s no other choice.”

“Not afraid?”

“Afraid.”

Tang Jianxi met Yan Sanhe’s gaze. After a long while, he said: “I’ll tell you everything I know.”

Hearing this, Yan Sanhe knew this trip had been right.

“You all eat something to fill your stomachs first, then I’ll take you to a place.”

Tang Jianxi’s speech suddenly quickened, his hands unconsciously rubbing together. “This night will be very, very long.”

…

At this time, who had the heart to eat? They all forced food down their throats just to fill their bellies.

Just after finishing, Tang Jianxi pushed open the door and beckoned to Yan Sanhe and the others.

The three put down their teacups and followed. After winding around in the darkness, they exited the Tang residence through a small door.

Outside the stone door, Xue Zhao already waited at the entrance holding a torch.

His gaze swept toward Zhu Yuanzhao. “Master, is this person trustworthy?”

Tang Jianxi turned his head slightly to look at Yan Sanhe, his expression seeming to ask again: Is he trustworthy?

“He’s trustworthy,” Yan Sanhe answered.

Zhu Yuanzhao’s eyes welled with heat. He gritted his teeth. “Master Tang, you can trust me. I…”

“I don’t trust you.”

Tang Jianxi coldly interrupted. “But I trust Miss Yan. Azhao, lead the way.”

Xue Zhao thrust the torch into a water bucket. With a “hiss,” the area before them darkened.

“Stay close, everyone.”

After this warning, he felt his way forward in the dark.

This was a path with ups and downs. By the end, Yan Sanhe couldn’t tell whether they were going up the mountain or down—she only felt the path beneath her feet growing narrower and narrower.

After about half a double-hour.

Xue Zhao suddenly stopped on a flat area. His hand slapped somewhere, and a heavy stone door slowly opened a crack.

Tang Jianxi squeezed through the gap. “Everyone come in.”

The three entered one after another. Li Buyan walked last. Turning her head, she saw Xue Zhao standing motionless and curiously asked: “Aren’t you coming in?”

Xue Zhao looked at her expressionlessly. “I’ll guard the door.”

After speaking, his palm slapped again and the stone door slowly closed.

Did it need to be this cautious?

Li Buyan wondered internally.

Just then, Tang Jianxi took out a fire starter and lit the lamps hanging on the stone wall one by one.

Li Buyan looked up and was stunned.

This was an enormous cave. More than half of it was piled with grain, less than half with miscellaneous items.

“This is my Tang family’s reserve grain, used to survive disaster years.”

Tang Jianxi walked to where the miscellaneous items were piled, pointing to the pile closest to the stone wall.

“Those are all Yanting’s things, including some that belonged to him.”