In the carriage.

Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao looked at each other, both showing difficulty in their eyes.

Seek Huairen’s help?

Needless to say, he’d definitely help.

But should they tell him the whole story?

Telling him meant the former Crown Prince’s witchcraft curse case couldn’t be hidden either.

Not telling him—how could they hide it?

Having reached this point, Xie Zhifei no longer had time to analyze pros and cons one by one. He said decisively:

“Mingting, what you’re thinking, what I’m thinking—on three, we’ll say it together.”

Pei Xiao was also straightforward: “Alright!”

Xie Zhifei extended one finger, two fingers, and as the third finger extended, both said in unison:

“Tell him!”

“Tell him.”

With these words, both simultaneously released long breaths.

Why tell him?

Because Yan Sanhe’s current location and condition were unknown. To ensure her safety, they could only rely on Huairen.

Huairen was the Imperial Grand Grandson.

Though he was a generation younger than Prince Han, his words absolutely carried weight and had deterrent power. They could make Prince Han weigh the consequences before acting against Yan Sanhe.

Moreover, only he had the qualifications to sit down with Prince Han for negotiations.

This was one reason, and also the most important reason.

The second reason—

The three of them had been good brothers since childhood. Whatever happened to you, whatever happened to me—they never hid anything.

The previous two heart demon cases they’d hidden from him had already made Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao feel guilty, always feeling they’d betrayed Zhao Huairen somehow.

This matter wasn’t like the previous two that could be concealed.

Rather than wait for Huairen to come asking, better for the two of them to come clean directly.

The third reason—

The current Emperor was the incense lighter. Looking across the realm, aside from Prince Han, Huairen was the person His Majesty valued most.

If he stepped forward and found the right timing, perhaps the Zhu family still had a thread of hope.

In the silence, Xie Zhifei subtly raised a brow. “Mingting, we’re putting ourselves in mortal danger hoping to live.”

Pei Xiao clearly understood what these words meant, yet nodded firmly:

“Don’t worry. I trust Huairen’s character.”

…

When Zhao Yishi stepped onto the pleasure boat, he immediately noticed many irregularities.

First: The person rowing was Ding Yi;

Second: Mei Niang was surprisingly absent;

Finally: Xie Chengyu and Pei Mingting weren’t sitting in the cabin waiting for him as usual but standing on deck, both with grave expressions.

Connecting this with the fact that the sky had just darkened…

He walked forward. “Speak. What happened?”

Xie Zhifei: “Let’s talk inside the cabin.”

Pei Xiao nodded beside him.

Entering the cabin, Xie Zhifei personally brewed tea.

Three cups of hot tea were served. Pei Xiao steeled himself and began frankly.

The story was long, starting from when Zhu Xuanjiu’s coffin cracked open, speaking of a blood moon, crows from the Yin realm…

From the Yin realm’s crows, he spoke of the Peach Blossom Well, life-demanding nails, the two young servants Tianshi and Taiwei…

From the two servants, he spoke further of the witchcraft curse case, of the Shen family, Shen Duruo…

Finally he mentioned Shen Yande’s assassination and Yan Sanhe’s sudden disappearance today.

Zhao Yishi’s expression had been calm initially, but upon hearing of the witchcraft curse case, the color drained completely from his face and his breathing grew heavy.

When Pei Xiao’s final word fell, his face was pale as paper, unprecedented terror showing in his eyes.

Nothing new under the sun.

From ancient times to present, certain matters absolutely had to be like that tuft of red fox fur—sunk into a deep well with the lid sealed tightly.

But while lids could cover truth, they couldn’t cover human hearts. Moreover, human mouths were inherently the world’s most unreliable things.

So Zhao Yishi had always been very clear in his heart that Imperial Grandfather’s methods of ascending to power that year definitely wouldn’t have been honorable.

But while others could speak and discuss such things, he as Imperial Grand Grandson couldn’t even think about it without showing great disrespect toward Imperial Grandfather.

First, they were grandfather and grandson, connected by blood;

Second, without Imperial Grandfather’s methods back then, where would his current glory come from?

But he’d never dreamed that one day the lid on this well would suddenly fail to contain things and be about to be lifted.

Among those lifting it were two of his good brothers.

“Your audacity is too great!”

Zhao Yishi suddenly stood, saying angrily, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“How could we tell you?”

Xie Zhifei looked up at him. “Who knew Zhu Xuanjiu’s heart demon would involve this matter? Mingting and I discussed it secretly so many times, hesitated so many times—we couldn’t speak a single word.”

“Huairen, telling you means dragging you in.”

Pei Xiao sighed. “Xie Wushi told me to put myself in your position and think deeply—it seemed impossibly difficult. Not knowing is safer than knowing.”

Zhao Yishi had no response. He slumped down, his back drenched in cold sweat. “Why are you willing to speak now?”

Xie Zhifei: “Yan Sanhe has disappeared. No matter how unwilling, we had to speak.”

Pei Xiao: “This fellow likes Yan Sanhe.”

Zhao Yishi looked at Xie Zhifei incredulously.

Xie Zhifei nodded emphatically. “Not just a little bit either.”

Zhao Yishi couldn’t help sneering coldly. “Three points? Four points? Or five, six points?”

Xie Zhifei’s lips moved, lightly biting out two words:

“Completely.”

No wonder!

No wonder!

Zhao Yishi pointed his finger at Xie Zhifei.

This person always handled affairs tactfully, knowing when to advance and when to retreat, keeping mental accounts, never placing himself in danger.

By rights, when the investigation reached the witchcraft curse case, he should have pulled back. Yet he recklessly pressed forward regardless of life or death—it had to be for Yan Sanhe.

Xie Zhifei watched Zhao Yishi’s expression change repeatedly, then swept his robes aside and knelt on the ground, startling both nearby men.

“Your Highness.”

He said in a deep voice, “Chengyu has never asked Your Highness for anything. Today’s kneeling is to beg Your Highness, in consideration of…”

“Shut your damn mouth!”

Zhao Yishi slammed the table fiercely. “Mingting, stuff his mouth shut for me.”

“Actually…”

Pei Mingting sighed. “You’d better do it yourself. I actually also want to kneel, for the sake of Yan Sanhe’s…”

Maidservant Li Buyan.

Just now in the silk shop’s courtyard, that girl’s tears made his heart ache terribly, and after the ache came a dull pain.

She was Li Buyan!

Fearless of heaven and earth—even if fierce ghosts walked before her, she wouldn’t blink, only draw her soft sword and call out, “Come, this old mistress will meet you.”

But now she’d shed tears for Yan Sanhe…

He inexplicably recalled their first meeting at the Ministry of Justice gate, when that girl smiled sweetly and declared proudly to everyone:

“One person, one life. If I can’t rescue Miss, what do I need this life for?”

If something truly happened to Yan Sanhe, she was capable of anything—destroying heaven, earth, and herself.

Thinking this far, Pei Xiao’s legs bent and he also knelt down.

“Fine, fine, you’re all kneeling…”

Zhao Yishi sneered coldly. “Kneel then. If you’re so capable, don’t get up. I’ll go alone to Prince Han’s manor to demand the person.”

“Huairen?”

“Huairen!”

—