Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao hadn’t left first but were waiting in the Grand Prince’s carriage.

As the curtain lifted, the two each extended a hand and pulled Zhao Yishi up.

The carriage moved forward slowly.

Pei Xiao couldn’t wait to ask, “How did it go?”

Zhao Yishi glanced sideways. “I’d guess at the latest, by daybreak, she’ll be back.”

Xie Zhifei’s expression stiffened slightly.

It was only the third watch now. There were still several hours until daybreak.

During these hours, what would that girl go through?

Would those people use force on her?

Would they…

At this thought, Xie Zhifei’s heart began to ache in waves.

Over all these years, he had secretly handled various thorny matters for Huairen and encountered dangers many times, often circling at death’s door.

But he had never been afraid.

Today, Yan Sanhe’s unexpected peril made the fear buried deep in his heart run out once again.

Xie Zhifei knew very clearly that this fear belonged to Zheng Huaizuo, belonged to Haitang Courtyard.

No matter how many years passed, no matter how mature his mind became, no matter how much power he held…

As long as that person encountered even the slightest trouble, this fear would be there.

“Mingting…the medicine is in my chest.”

“Fuck!”

Young Master Pei’s scalp exploded. Just as he was about to reach in, another hand gently swatted his away.

Zhao Yishi reached into Xie Zhifei’s chest, pulled out a small porcelain bottle, poured out the medicine inside, and placed it in his hand.

Pei Xiao quickly went to pour water.

Xie Zhifei tilted back his head, took the water, and swallowed the medicine.

“How is it?” Pei Xiao looked worried.

“Won’t die.”

“Smack—”

He received a heavy slap on the leg.

Pei Xiao pointed at his nose and cursed, “You bastard, dare to say that again?”

“Ancestor, I was wrong.”

Xie Zhifei touched his chest and said seriously, “Better now.”

Zhao Yishi reached out and patted Xie Zhifei’s shoulder. “There’s no sense in guarding against thieves for a thousand days. It’s also time to show our hand.”

Xie Zhifei’s breathing was still weak. “Huairen, speak.”

Zhao Yishi said, “Regardless of whether Yan Sanhe is harmed, your father’s memorial impeaching Prince Han must be submitted tomorrow morning.”

Xie Zhifei nodded. “Good, I’ll return home immediately.”

“Besides Master Xie, my people will also submit impeachment memorials, making something of the malevolent star issue.”

Zhao Yishi turned his head. “Mingting, you still need to find Feng Changxiu and insist that the people who took her were from Prince Han’s residence.”

Hearing this, Pei Xiao immediately understood the intention—

The bigger the commotion, the higher Yan Sanhe’s chances of safety!

“I’ll stay at the courtyard tonight.”

Zhao Yishi’s eyes closed lightly. “If there’s still no news of Yan Sanhe by daybreak, I’ll enter the palace first thing and have an audience with His Majesty.”

…

The carriage turned several corners and stopped at an alley entrance.

Shen Chong, who was driving, turned his head. “Third Master, it’s Zhu Qing and the others.”

Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao got out of the carriage.

Seeing Li Buyan was also there, Pei Xiao quickly walked over. “Why did you come? Weren’t you told to wait at the magistrate’s office?”

“Waiting anywhere is the same.”

Li Buyan asked, “What’s the situation now?”

Pei Xiao pointed at the carriage. “He says there’ll be news before daybreak. If there’s no news, he’ll enter the palace for an imperial audience.”

Xie Zhifei stood before Zhu Yuanzhao. “Why did Second Brother come too?”

“Elder Brother ordered me to come and await Third Master’s commands.”

Zhu Yuanzhao said, “He also said to use any means necessary—saving Miss Yan is what matters most.”

Xie Zhifei only cared about one thing. “Did you divine fortune or misfortune?”

Zhu Yuanzhao looked troubled. “My elder brother said Miss Yan is an extraordinary person—he cannot divine her fortune or misfortune.”

An extraordinary person is still a person—how could it be impossible to divine?

Xie Zhifei’s face paled slightly.

“If you can’t divine fortune or misfortune, what about direction?” Li Buyan’s face was full of anxiety. “Can’t divine that either?”

Zhu Yuanzhao nodded silently.

Li Buyan gritted her teeth. “Immediately set up some death-summoning array and make that bastard die.”

“Then justified becomes unjustified!”

The person in the carriage had, at some point, gotten out and walked over slowly, stopping before Li Buyan.

His gaze wasn’t gentle—it was even somewhat cold.

Seeing it was the Grand Prince, Zhu Yuanzhao quickly bowed in greeting.

Zhao Yishi nodded slightly, his gaze still fixed on Li Buyan.

Li Buyan, annoyed by his stare, was about to speak when Pei Xiao pulled her behind him. “Your Highness, she’s anxious—just venting.”

“No one is to act rashly.”

The emotions in Zhao Huairen’s eyes were deeply buried. He threw down this sentence, turned, and left.

Seeing Zhao Huairen’s retreating back, Young Master Pei knew he was angry and glared lightly at Li Buyan. “Be more careful with your words from now on.”

Li Buyan said angrily, “Evil people can use underhanded tricks, but good people can’t do bad things?”

Young Master Pei said, “You…”

“What ‘you’?”

Li Buyan said, “People who follow the rules all die early. Those who don’t follow rules not only live comfortably but die of old age peacefully!”

Zhu Yuanzhao’s expression immediately became uncomfortable.

“Everyone say less.”

Xie Zhifei covered his chest and said quietly:

“Mingting, take Li Buyan to report to the Imperial Guards. Zhu Qing, arrange for the Five Cities soldiers to patrol until daybreak. Second Brother Zhu, you come with me.”

…

Zhu Residence.

Secret chamber.

Zhu Yuanmo stood in the courtyard with his hands behind his back, his face heavy with worry.

At this moment, Third Brother Zhu Yuanhao rushed in and whispered a few words in Zhu Yuanmo’s ear. Zhu Yuanmo was so shocked he staggered back several steps.

“How could this happen?”

Zhu Yuanhao shook his head, indicating he didn’t know, then asked, “Elder Brother, what do we do?”

Zhu Yuanmo waved his hand weakly. “It’s too late. Go sleep first. We’ll discuss this tomorrow.”

“Elder Brother, there’s no time!”

“Even if there’s no time, we must wait until daybreak.”

Zhu Yuanmo shouted angrily, “Give me time to think this through properly.”

Zhu Yuanhao said no more and left, looking back three times with each step.

Seeing him walk away, Zhu Yuanmo paced back and forth in the courtyard, his face full of agitation.

Suddenly, his steps halted. His eyes bulged out, and his entire body fell straight backward.

On the distant rooftop, Prince Han’s residence’s shadow guard was thoroughly startled.

After waiting a while and seeing no movement from the person on the ground, he thought—could something have gone wrong?

Being skilled and bold,

The shadow guard, relying on his excellent martial arts, and seeing no one around, silently dropped to the ground and silently approached.

The light from inside the room cast an oblique beam, falling precisely on Zhu Yuanmo’s face.

He lay motionless with eyes tightly closed, face greenish, lips white.

The shadow guard crouched down and reached to check Zhu Xuanjiu’s breath.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Yuanmo suddenly opened his eyes and grabbed his foot. “Who are you?”

The shadow guard was shocked. His body leaped up, and with several flips, he disappeared without a trace.

At this moment, Zhu Yuanhao, who should have returned to his room to sleep, emerged from the shadows and helped Zhu Yuanmo up. “Elder Brother, how was it?”

“Success!”

Zhu Yuanmo pushed away Third Brother’s hand, entered the main hall, first bowed several times to the ancestral master, then walked into the study and slapped his palm heavily on paper.

A faint talisman appeared clearly on the paper.

Following him in, Zhu Yuanhao saw the talisman and breathed a long sigh of relief.

Indeed, success.

When Elder Brother grabbed the black-clothed man just now, the talisman in his palm had already fallen onto that black-clothed man’s foot.

The two brothers looked at each other.

Now they just had to wait and see where that black-clothed man landed.