More than just coming to this?

For several days straight, people from both camps acted like they’d gone mad, biting each other back and forth.

And those who had wanted to wait for the situation to clarify before choosing sides were forced to take their positions early.

What was surprising was that people behind the Crown Prince emerged like bamboo shoots after rain, suddenly sprouting up everywhere.

Prince Han’s faction instantly showed signs of decline.

Some people racked their brains, keeping close watch on the court’s storms, not daring to relax for a moment.

Others, even if dynasties changed and eras shifted at this very moment, had no time to pay attention.

For eight full days, Yan Sanhe still hadn’t awakened.

The reason she hadn’t awakened—in Imperial Physician Pei’s words—was that blow had been too severe. The wound alone required twelve stitches, and there was also blood stasis blocking her brain.

Morning and evening acupuncture sessions were needed daily to gradually disperse that blood stasis before there would be any possibility of awakening.

Not only Xie Zhifei and Li Buyan were frantic with worry.

The Zhu family and Xie family were also extremely anxious, especially Zhu Yuanmo.

On the twentieth of the twelfth month, the blood talisman would complete its full three months. With only days remaining, where would the Zhu family go? Where would he go?

On the ninth day, after administering the needles, Pei Yu emerged from the side room.

Everyone’s hopeful gazes fell on him.

“Soon!”

Pei Yu threw down this sentence and ran faster than a rabbit.

No choice!

That person called Hero Li had held a sword across his throat.

That damned boy Xie Zhifei had plucked several of his beard hairs.

Most hateful was his own spawn who said to Xie Zhifei’s face: My father’s no good—let’s find someone else.

Pei Yu thought—he’d spent his life upright and honest, displaying a physician’s integrity, with miraculous healing hands treating human suffering.

If he’d done wrong, let heaven punish him. Why make a healer suffer such humiliation?

But it didn’t make sense!

By all rights, with the blood stasis mostly dispersed, that girl should have awakened!

“Xie Fifty.”

Seeing his father’s manner, Young Master Pei knew she hadn’t woken yet. “Go sleep for a while. I’ll watch here.”

Look at what you’ve become.

Do you even look human?

Even ghosts look better than you.

And that young mistress—ghosts would be scared of her!

“You sleep too.”

Young Master Pei nudged Li Buyan’s foot. “We’ve lit perpetual lamps at the temple. She’ll definitely be fine.”

Li Buyan raised her bloodshot eyes. “If anything happens to her, I’ll make everyone in Prince Han’s entire residence pay with their lives.”

“All pay with their lives.”

Young Master Pei agreed. “Can’t spare even the cats and dogs in that residence.”

“Third Master, Miss Li, Young Master Pei…”

From the side room came Tangyuan’s piercing scream. “Miss, Miss just moved!”

Third Master, Miss Li, and Young Master Pei hadn’t reacted yet when Pei Yu rushed in like a gust of wind. “I said she was about to wake—see, see!”

This shout startled all three people in the room, who jumped up and scrambled inside in a panic.

Reaching the doorway, they blocked the passage.

Xie Zhifei pulled Li Buyan back and charged in first.

Li Buyan yanked Young Master Pei back and rushed in second.

Young Master Pei thrust his rear end and shoved his own father aside, charging in third.

His father rubbed his sore back, consoling himself—fine, consider it raising an ungrateful wolf.

…

Yan Sanhe had awakened.

The first day she was only conscious for an hour, said nothing, stared at a “male ghost” and a “female ghost” for a long while, then fell back into deep sleep.

The second day upon waking, she said she was hungry.

The third day upon waking, she complained about being dirty, about Third Master not being handsome, Li Buyan not being beautiful, and Young Master Pei being too quiet.

Third Master quickly bathed and changed, shaving that half-face of stubble clean.

Li Buyan quickly drank a bowl of calming soup and went to sleep with her head down.

Pei Xiao smiled showing all eight teeth, reporting to Yan Sanhe all matters big and small in the capital, even including affairs like whose wife had an affair.

The fourth day upon waking, she asked for brush and paper. Lying in bed, she spent half an hour drawing a portrait, then told Xie Zhifei this was the person who had abducted her.

Xie Zhifei threw the paper into Zhu Qing’s chest, ordering him to investigate, while he continued with Li Buyan to stand guard—one by the bed, one on the couch.

What was most precious in this world?

What’s lost and found again!

People from the Xie family came—Xie Zhifei sent them away.

People from the Zhu family came—Li Buyan sent them away.

Even Young Master Pei, if he talked too much and prevented Yan Sanhe from resting well, became a common enemy for him and Li Buyan.

Case in point—Young Master Pei was kicked out of the room by Li Buyan for mentioning “what happened that night.”

Young Master Pei squatted pitifully under the eaves alone for ages, thinking—is it not okay to just ask?

Not okay!

Xie Zhifei and Li Buyan had privately reached an agreement—unless Yan Sanhe’s health recovered, unless she was willing to speak of it herself, no one was allowed to ask.

But on this day, even Li Buyan couldn’t block the Zhu family people.

Zhu Yuanmo charged straight in.

“Miss Yan, disaster! His entire person, his entire face—even now half of it is still black energy.”

Yan Sanhe’s head was still wrapped in gauze. Her expression changed suddenly.

The causes and effects of the witchcraft case all connected—only lacking the incense-lighting person. By rights, there shouldn’t be any more black energy on Zhu Xuanjiu.

“That means…”

Her voice was unspeakably weak. “Half the grievance remains unresolved.”

Holy shit!

Everyone in the room’s expressions cracked.

Xie Zhifei looked shocked. “Where did we interpret wrong?”

“Impossible to have interpreted wrong.”

Young Master Pei’s back broke out in cold sweat. “The Zhu Xuanjiu line—Taiwei couldn’t have lied. The Shen family side—Shen Wei also couldn’t have lied.”

Li Buyan said, “Right, it all connects perfectly.”

Yan Sanhe took a deep breath, wanting to review everything again, but just as she was about to think, half her head began to throb with severe pain.

Xie Zhifei’s eyes never left her. “Where does it hurt?”

“Head…hurts!”

Xie Zhifei couldn’t bear hearing the word “hurt.” He turned around. “Elder Brother Zhu, her current physical condition…”

A slender hand tugged at his sleeve hem.

Xie Zhifei quickly turned his head.

“I want to be alone for a while.” Yan Sanhe showed an expression like a puppy pleasing its master.

Their eyes met at such close distance that Xie Zhifei could even see his own face reflected in her pupils, slightly darkened by helplessness.

Wanting to be alone meant she wanted to think about where the problem lay.

But her head…

“Half an hour at most.”

He gritted his teeth. “When the time’s up, Hero Li and I are coming in.”

Li Buyan snorted. “What Third Master says is what I say.”

With that, she swept up the sachet from the table and was first to walk out.

Yan Sanhe’s personal sachet was embroidered by her. Though the stitching was rough, would Yan Sanhe dare not wear it?

The sachet had gotten some bloodstains and couldn’t be used anymore. These past days when she waited anxiously, she’d casually made an identical one, just finishing the last stitch.

Li Buyan planned to transfer the items from the old sachet into the new one.

There were only two or three items in the sachet.

A banknote, two calming leaves, and a thin piece of white jade that Tang Jianxi had forcefully given Yan Sanhe.

As the items tumbled out, Li Buyan’s eyes showed a hint of suspicion.

“What’s this? Where did it come from?”