I want him to live—not just for the heart demon, but because of who he is as a person.

Releasing a tiger back to the mountains isn’t difficult—just open the cage.

But getting a wild, untamed horse to willingly enter a cage—that’s no simple matter.

Yet Dong Chengfeng had stayed locked in for many years. Without a deep obsession, how could he have done it?

Lu Shi at least had someone he cared for deeply, someone he couldn’t forget.

But him?

Zhao Rongyu was dead.

For a dead person, he’d already sacrificed half his life. He couldn’t also sacrifice his entire life.

Yan Sanhe gave Xie Zhifei a bitter smile.

“Third Master, the problems we now face are: without alarming anyone, find a way to protect the Crown Prince and Grand Prince; find a way to let Dong Chengfeng escape by feigning death; find a way to dissolve Prince Han’s conspiracy.”

Xie Zhifei returned her bitter smile, then let his gaze fall one by one on Pei Xiao, Zhu Yuanmo, Li Buyan, Zhu Qing, Ding Yi, and Huang Qi.

His meaning was all too obvious—

Just with the few of us?

This was nearly impossible to accomplish!

Girl, don’t forget—the heavens showed an omen, a star fell, which means someone will definitely die!

Now you’re giving bitter smiles—who just said they would stand on Yan Sanhe’s side?

Pei Xiao’s two lines of sight stabbed at Xie Zhifei like blades. “Yan Sanhe, there’s only one solution now.”

“Speak.”

“Before anything happens, find a way to knock Dong Chengfeng unconscious and get him out. Without his military advisor, Prince Han naturally won’t move against those two in the Crown Prince’s palace.”

“That is an idea, but there are two problems.”

Yan Sanhe said, “First, we can’t enter Prince Han’s residence, so we have no way to knock out Dong Xiao, much less get him out.

Second, one Dong Chengfeng alone cannot stop Prince Han’s determination to seize power. The prerequisite for getting a pillow when you’re drowsy is first being drowsy.”

Oh dear!

That actually made sense!

Pei Xiao’s eyelids drooped. “Then I’m out of ideas.”

“There will be a way.”

The corners of Yan Sanhe’s bloodless lips curved upward in an arc.

“Doesn’t it say heaven cherishes life? I refuse to believe heaven will just watch so many people in the Zhu family die from heart demons!”

Zhu Yuanmo suddenly raised his head, the wrinkles on his forehead bunching together.

By the time this heart demon reached Shen Du Ruo, it was already thrilling enough. Who knew that step by step afterward, it would become not only dangerous but difficult.

The eighty-one trials were nothing compared to this!

When he drew the second talisman, he was already prepared to die if it couldn’t be resolved in three months.

He truly had no confidence left.

Yet Yan Sanhe, even to this day, hadn’t given up. Even the faintest glimmer of hope—she tried her utmost to grasp it.

“Miss Yan.”

Zhu Yuanmo’s voice choked. “I…”

“I have something for you to do.”

Yan Sanhe coldly cut him off. “Less sentiment. Show the bearing of the Director of the Bureau of Astronomy.”

Zhu Yuanmo’s spirit rallied. “Miss Yan, please command me.”

“If you secretly give the Crown Prince and Grand Prince a subtle hint about the danger they might face soon.”

Yan Sanhe paused. “Would the Crown Prince and Grand Prince, because of your hint, secretly guard against it?”

“They would!”

Xie Zhifei answered before Zhu Yuanmo. “Huairen absolutely believes the Director of the Bureau of Astronomy’s words.”

Pei Xiao sucked in a sharp breath. “If they guard against it themselves, that’s more useful than anything.”

Li Buyan frowned. “This way, we also won’t alarm anyone.”

Zhu Qing couldn’t hold back. “Miss Yan, this move is brilliant!”

This was brilliant?

Yan Sanhe walked before Xie Zhifei and looked at him quietly.

“Third Master commands the Five Cities Military Command. It may not look impressive, but at critical moments it’s always useful. Whatever Prince Han wants to do, which streets and alleys the Grand Prince will take on his wedding day—Third Master knows it all clearly.”

Xie Zhifei’s gaze lingered on her face—the full forehead, delicate nose bridge, thin lips, and jet-black yet bright eyes.

Looking at those eyes, for some reason, confidence suddenly surged in his heart.

“Originally that day, the Five Cities Military Command should deploy in full force. I’ll arrange people on every street and alley he passes through, being extra careful.”

“The Imperial Guards…”

“Don’t worry about the Imperial Guards. I’ll secretly ask people to have them send as many personnel and experts as possible.”

Xie Zhifei thought for a moment. “Besides that, I’ll also drop hints with He Yun. Marquis Wu’an has troops at his command.”

Yan Sanhe looked at him. “This way, isn’t there another layer of protection?”

Xie Zhifei’s tone deepened. “Yes!”

Yan Sanhe turned to look at Zhu Qing.

“Li Buyan alone isn’t enough—you need to be added. If the Grand Prince notices, you say Third Master and Young Master Pei heard Director Zhu’s warning and were worried, so they sent you to secretly protect him.”

Reasonable and well-founded.

And showed loyalty and righteousness.

Also wouldn’t make the Grand Prince suspicious at all.

Zhu Qing said, “Miss Yan, I’ll do my utmost.”

Li Buyan habitually shrugged. “To make Young Master Pei worthy of his brother, I’ll also do my utmost.”

Young Master Pei was speechless.

Ding Yi and Huang Qi exchanged glances.

Ding Yi boldly stepped forward. “Miss Yan, what should we two do?”

Yan Sanhe seemed not to hear, walking to the window with her hands behind her back, her silhouette appearing cold yet resolute.

After a long while, she said quietly, “With our few people and limited strength, we can only arrange things this way. Since the heavens showed an omen, many matters can only be left to doing our human best and accepting heaven’s will. Isn’t that right, Young Master Pei?”

Hearing her say this, Pei Xiao remembered his earlier outburst and suddenly felt sourness well up in his heart.

You can’t have both fish and bear’s paw—this arrangement truly was their best effort.

He smiled bitterly. “Yan Sanhe, you haven’t assigned me a task yet.”

Yan Sanhe turned around, looked at him, her gaze softening somewhat.

“You, me, plus Ding Yi and Huang Qi—the four of us are responsible for getting Dong Chengfeng out of Prince Han’s residence by feigning death.”

Xie Zhifei pushed Pei Xiao aside, walked to Yan Sanhe’s side, and said looking down, “Yan Sanhe, I have a question.”

“Speak.”

“Since Dong Chengfeng is a clever person, wouldn’t he leave himself a backup plan in conducting affairs like this? Would he truly stake his entire life?”

Yan Sanhe didn’t speak for a moment after hearing this. After a long while, she said, “You mean he’ll leave himself an escape route?”

“I think so.”

Xie Zhifei said, “The outcome of this matter is nothing more than two possibilities—either something happens to the Crown Prince’s side, or something happens to Prince Han’s side. Either way, he achieves his revenge.”

That made sense.

Yan Sanhe asked, “Then can you guess how he’ll leave this escape route?”

Xie Zhifei smiled to himself. “If it were me, I’d also leave the escape route on the Grand Prince’s wedding day.”

Yan Sanhe suddenly understood.

On the Grand Prince’s wedding day, all of Prince Han’s residence’s shadow guards would be executing their mission. Prince Han would also take his entire household to the Crown Prince’s palace for the wedding feast.

The entire residence would have only palace servants and ordinary guards. If he wanted to slip away at that time, it shouldn’t be difficult.

Yan Sanhe smiled slightly. “Have Ding Yi and Huang Qi guard front and back, waiting for the rabbit—how’s that?”

“Good idea.”

Xie Zhifei paused. “Only, once we catch the rabbit, what’s the next step?”

Yan Sanhe said, “Find a way to bring him to the courtyard.”

“Not appropriate.”

Zhu Yuanmo firmly objected. “This way, the danger falls on your courtyard.”