Pushing open the door, the room was pitch black with two breathing sounds—one coarse, one shallow.

He didn’t rush inside but instead sniffed the smell coming from the room.

The smell carried a bit of staleness, with sourness mixed in—this was precisely the odor emitted by a middle-aged person’s body. No abnormalities.

He walked to the bedside like a ghost.

Bed curtains hung over the bed. The curtains had a large hole through which the lower halves of bodies could be vaguely seen.

The lower halves were covered with a thin blanket, clearly containing two people.

The thinner one should be the mistress of this household, and also the person to be killed today—the wet nurse who had stayed in Haitang Courtyard.

He used his knife to lift the curtain, and suddenly his eyelid twitched.

But it was too late.

In his shocked gaze, the two people under the thin blanket instantly launched their attack.

One hand swept out, scattering a powder.

The other lunged forward with lightning speed, sending a needle forward that struck squarely into his thigh.

As pain shot through his leg, he felt his eyes burning fiercely. Tears instantly gushed out and he couldn’t see anything.

Furious, he wrapped himself in murderous intent and swiftly slashed twice with his knife before turning to flee.

How could Zhu Qing, who had just delivered the needle, let him escape? He lunged forward and firmly grasped him from behind.

“Seeking death!”

His expression became ferocious with rage. He grabbed Zhu Qing’s collar, lifted him heavily, then violently flung him away.

Zhu Qing was thrown onto the bed. With a clang, the wooden bed instantly shattered into pieces.

The other person on the bed was Li Buyan.

Li Buyan glanced back at Zhu Qing, pushed off with her foot, and pursued with all her might.

He suddenly slashed out with his knife.

Though he couldn’t see, his senses were exceptionally keen. The blade passed narrowly by Li Buyan’s cheek.

To dodge this strike, Li Buyan had no choice but to retreat several steps.

After forcing her back with one slash, his first thought was still to escape. But just as he reached the doorway, his right leg suddenly weakened and he fell to one knee.

He struggled to stand, exerting so much force that his bones made terrifying cracking sounds, yet he couldn’t muster any strength at all.

At that moment, a soft sword crossed over.

Li Buyan looked down from above with a cold laugh: “The needle was coated with numbing powder. The more violently you move, the faster it takes effect.”

He endured the severe pain in his eyes and gave a cold laugh. His body suddenly contracted as he nimbly rolled backward.

At that moment, Zhu Qing still hadn’t gotten up from the ground. Seeing this, he rolled over and tightly wrapped both hands and feet around the man.

“Miss Li, quickly!”

Li Buyan put her thumb and index finger in her mouth and whistled a sharp, long note.

After the whistle, Ding Yi and Huang Qi were the first to rush in.

Seeing the situation on the ground, the two immediately stepped forward to help.

Three people entangling one—that person was like an insect stuck in a spider’s web, unable to break free no matter what.

Yan Sanhe and the others arrived right after.

Pei Xiao was quick-eyed and quick-handed, immediately lighting a lamp and holding it in his hand, bringing it close.

Xie Zhifei pulled forcefully, ripping off the black cloth covering the black-clothed figure’s face.

—Lu Da?

Xie Zhifei looked at Yan Sanhe beside him with a face full of shock.

—Lu Da?

Pei Xiao looked at Li Buyan in alarm, his heart stopping its beat.

—Lu Da?

Zhu Qing, Ding Yi, and Huang Qi looked at each other, feeling as if their heads had been struck hard with a hammer.

Were they dreaming?

How could it be him???

Time froze at this moment.

Air solidified in this instant.

The room was silent as death, with only the candlelight gently flickering, illuminating this absurd and laughable scene.

Lu Da stopped struggling. Tears continuously flowed from his eyes.

His gray-white hair hung down, covering most of his face. His collar had been torn open in the struggle, revealing a still-firm chest.

Even with closed eyes, even though Yan Sanhe hadn’t said a word from start to finish, his eyes still looked accurately toward her. Every word contained grievance and bitterness.

“Miss Yan, it was Lord Lu who instructed me before his death to protect you.”

When the three words “Lord Lu” came out, everyone was stunned.

Zhu Qing frowned: Why would Lu Shi want Lu Da to protect Miss Yan?

Ding Yi was bewildered: If protecting Miss Yan, why kill those connected to the Zheng family case?

Huang Qi was astonished: Does Miss Yan have some connection to the Zheng family?

Li Buyan narrowed her eyes: Could it be… Lu Shi knew Yan Sanhe’s true identity?

Xie Zhifei felt utterly hopeless: This girl’s identity probably can’t be hidden anymore.

Pei Xiao didn’t know what to think. The lamp in his hand shone toward Yan Sanhe.

The face was still that face, only several shades paler than usual, and covered in cold sweat across her forehead.

“Young Master Pei.”

Yan Sanhe struggled to control her breathing: “Is there an antidote for the numbing powder?”

Pei Xiao’s voice trembled: “No, no there isn’t. After an hour or two it will naturally wear off.”

Yan Sanhe squatted down and reached out to wipe the tears from Lu Da’s eyes.

“What’s making your eyes water is flour mixed with a bit of chili powder. Wash them several times with clear water and you’ll be fine.

The numbing powder will only make you sleep. Don’t resist it. If you want to sleep, then sleep. Rest assured, I wouldn’t bear to harm you in the slightest.”

Lu Da’s body, tense as stone, slowly relaxed.

With this relaxation, the effects of the numbing powder surged up.

In his daze, Lu Da thought: The young mistress is so clever—I wonder if that person has ever fallen into her hands?

…

An hour later.

The separate residence was brightly lit throughout.

Everyone gathered around the bed, waiting for Lu Da to wake from his sleep.

No one spoke. Their gazes, besides looking at the person on the bed, occasionally glanced toward Yan Sanhe standing alone by the window.

Especially Li Buyan—her gaze nearly pierced through Yan Sanhe.

Lu Shi was a person of the former Crown Prince.

Lu Da was given to Lu Shi by the former Crown Prince.

Yan Sanhe’s original identity was Zheng Huaiyou of the Zheng family.

She was the only person from the Zheng family who survived.

So, did this mean her identity was connected to the former Crown Prince?

If so, then…

Li Buyan shivered. She wasn’t stupid—she simply didn’t dare think any further.

At that moment, the person on the bed moved.

Pei Xiao sat closest: “Lu Da?”

Lu Da slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurred for a moment, then suddenly remembering something, he sat up with a start.

“You’re awake.”

Yan Sanhe walked over. Pei Xiao quickly yielded his position.

Lu Da looked at this one, then that one, not knowing what to say.

Having been a guard his entire life, never having been defeated, he never imagined being outsmarted by a few young men.

But was he truly old?

“Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something first?” Yan Sanhe asked.

Lu Da knew this was the opening, and knew he couldn’t avoid it: “I’m not accustomed to speaking on someone else’s territory. Yan Sanhe, come with me to the Lu residence.”

“No way.”

Li Buyan was the first to object: “I must go along.”

Pei Xiao: “Me too!”

Huang Qi: “Count me in.”

Ding Yi: “And me.”

Zhu Qing: “Me!”

Seeing Xie Zhifei hadn’t spoken, their gazes all glared at him as if by agreement: Say something! Why aren’t you making a peep at this critical moment?

Xie Zhifei smiled bitterly.

Lu Da wanted Yan Sanhe to go to the Lu residence alone precisely to protect this girl’s identity. How could he have anticipated that all of this was actually…

“I’ll listen to Yan Sanhe. If she tells me to go, I’ll go.”

“These are all my best friends. We’ve been through life and death together. There’s nothing to hide from them.”

Yan Sanhe imperceptibly emphasized her tone.

“Lu Da, let them come with me.”