Yan Sanhe: “How old were you when you came to his side?”

Yan Xi: “This humble one was castrated and entered the palace at seven. After entering the palace I was taken a liking to by him, always following by his side.”

To be noticed by a great eunuch immediately upon entering the palace—besides appearance, this person should have some other exceptional qualities.

Yan Sanhe looked into his eyes: “In the seventh year of Yonghe, you followed Yan Ruxian to the northern territories, correct?”

Yan Xi nodded eagerly: “That’s right. My godfather… ptooey, Eunuch Yan was ordered by His Majesty to serve as military supervisor in the northern territories.”

Yan Sanhe: “What was his reason for bringing you?”

Yan Xi froze, then smiled somewhat awkwardly with embarrassment.

Previously these were his capital for boasting and showing off to others. Now that Yan Ruxian had fallen, these had become stains he could never erase in his lifetime.

“This humble one is meticulous, always attending to his food and daily needs. The northern territories are the most harsh and bitter place. Eunuch Yan selected me.”

“How old were you then?”

“Twelve, but I was thin and small, so I looked young too.”

“Besides you, who else did he bring?”

“He brought a squad of Imperial Guard attendants, one hundred eighty people total. The leader was called… called… Tan Shu.”

“How many days did it take you to get there?”

“Quite fast—we reached the northern territories in a month. We didn’t rest much on the road.”

Yan Sanhe’s gaze sharpened: “Do you know what Yan Ruxian’s purpose was in going to the northern territories as military supervisor?”

“This…”

Yan Xi’s eyeballs flashed lightly: “Miss Yan, these are matters of important personages. How could a mere lowly slave like me know?”

“Slap!”

Xie Zhifei forcefully slapped the table, his voice stern: “Yan Xi, how did your Highness instruct you?”

Yan Xi fell to his knees with a thump, wailing miserably: “This humble one naturally doesn’t dare disobey His Highness’s orders. This humble one truly doesn’t know!”

Still pretending?

Does this lord interrogate so many criminals for nothing? Can’t I see when you roll your eyes that you’re feeling guilty?

Xie Zhifei sneered: “Zhu Qing, go tell His Highness that…”

“Third Master, Third Master…”

Yan Xi crawled before Xie Zhifei using both hands and feet, pleading bitterly:

“Leave this humble one a way to live. His Highness already doesn’t favor this humble one much because of Eunuch Yan. If you…”

“There is a way to live—just speak honestly. If you speak, Third Master won’t just give you a way to live but can point you toward a path to success. Otherwise…”

Xie Zhifei picked up his tea cup, lightly stirring it a few times: “Little Eunuch Yan’s path has probably reached its end.”

Yan Xi was stunned by these words, his face alternating between white and green. After a long while, he wiped his tears: “Third Master, if this humble one speaks… I’m afraid there will be no way to live either.”

Xie Zhifei’s heart thumped, his gaze quickly glancing toward Yan Sanhe: Promising?

Yan Sanhe’s eyes lightly closed: Promising.

“Yan Xi.”

Xie Zhifei’s tone suddenly changed.

“Do you know what His Highness worries about most right now? War horses. As long as what you say benefits the Zheng family case and benefits the war horses, even if you’re harboring a tremendous secret, Huairen can ensure you survive.”

“Truly?”

“Truly.”

Various complex feelings surged from Yan Xi’s heart.

After a long time, his gaze lifted, asking pitifully: “Can Third Master guarantee it?”

“I can!” Xie Zhifei’s words struck the ground forcefully.

“Good, I’ll speak.”

Yan Xi’s expression clearly showed he’d completely committed himself.

“Eunuch Yan went to the northern territories that time under the Emperor’s orders to kill old General Zheng.”

These words came without warning, suddenly, even completely without premonition, shocking everyone’s hearts into wild pounding.

The Emperor wanted to kill Zheng Yu???

The Emperor truly wanted to kill Zheng Yu!!!

Xie Zhifei’s ears rang. The blood color on his face receded like a tide, rapidly draining away. His five organs and six bowels began to ache. In his mind, in his heart, there was only one thought—

The true mastermind behind it all, the chief culprit, really was him, was him, was him!

The man in black was dispatched by him.

The Zheng family’s one hundred eighty members were killed by him.

Framing Wu Guanyue and his son was his idea.

Grandfather’s death was also by his hand.

What more witness or physical evidence was needed? What more questioning here and there, investigating this and that?

Who else in this world besides him could achieve this? Who else could cover the sky with one hand?

“Yan Sanhe.”

His gaze looked miserably toward Yan Sanhe. Meeting his gaze, Yan Sanhe’s eyes also slowly reddened.

She’d asked to see Yan Xi merely following routine procedure, actually not holding much hope in her heart. Just imagine—a twelve-year-old little inner attendant, how many secrets could he glimpse?

Yet unexpectedly…

This Yan Xi used one sentence to connect everything they’d investigated over so many days, linking them together. The cause, the process, the result all matched seamlessly.

Truly wearing out iron shoes in fruitless search.

Yan Sanhe’s hand pressed down, signaling Xie Zhifei to rein in his emotions first.

Xie Zhifei wanted to rein them in but couldn’t no matter what, to the point where his heart began aching. His handsome face turned frighteningly pale.

Seeing this, Zhu Qing walked to his side and asked quietly: “My lord, where do you feel unwell?”

Xie Zhifei spoke one word in a thread-thin voice: “Medicine.”

Only then did Zhu Qing discover his hand resting on his knee was trembling with very small amplitude.

Zhu Qing quickly reached into Third Master’s chest, pulling out a small porcelain bottle from inside.

Pei Xiao saw that porcelain bottle and cried out in shock: “Xie Wu Shi, your heart palpitation illness has flared up again?”

At that moment, Zhu Qing had already poured out the pills from the porcelain bottle, discovering only one remained. He also exclaimed: “My lord, where are the pills in this bottle? You’ve eaten them all?”

Hearing this, Yan Sanhe couldn’t help but stand up.

Li Buyan and the others also gathered around.

Xie Zhifei saw he couldn’t hide it. His chin lifted toward the medicine, indicating whether he could first take the medicine before speaking.

Yan Sanhe was about to pick up the tea cup when Pei Xiao’s hand got there before hers.

Xie Zhifei took the medicine with his hand, looked up at Yan Sanhe: “Didn’t mean to hide it. Just too many things happening recently.”

Yan Sanhe made an “mm” sound and asked Zhu Qing: “How many pills were originally in the porcelain bottle?”

Zhu Qing: “Eight or nine, I think.”

Eight or nine pills?

It seemed from the day the Zheng family’s wall collapsed, this person’s heart palpitation illness had begun flaring up.

“Can you still hold on?” she asked.

“I can.”

Yan Sanhe made another “mm” sound and said to Zhu Qing: “Later you personally make a trip to get the medicine fully prepared, just in case.”

“Yes!”

Yan Sanhe looked deeply at Xie Zhifei once, then turned to sit back in her position, her voice suddenly becoming stern.

“Yan Xi, you’ve also seen—Third Master was shocked by your one sentence until his heart palpitation illness flared up. If you don’t have solid evidence, you’re slandering the Late Emperor and will be beheaded.

Forget the Crown Prince being unable to protect you—even if the Heavenly King himself came, he still couldn’t protect you.”

Yan Xi was so frightened he shook violently: “Miss Yan, I… I don’t have evidence.”

“Then what do you have?”

“I…”

Yan Xi swallowed and said hoarsely:

“I accidentally… accidentally overheard the conversation between Eunuch Yan and old General Zheng.”