“People from the Ji family? Who’s from the Ji family?”

Li Buyan had just muttered this when Zhu Qing was already blocking in front of her.

Li Buyan: “What…”

Zhu Qing said in a low voice: “Don’t speak. Take care of your young miss.”

His tone was so heavy, so heavy it made one’s heart panic a little. Li Buyan’s hand instinctively went to her waist, and her feet quickly moved to stand before Yan Sanhe.

Only then did Yan Sanhe manage to stop coughing. She looked up just in time to see the person dismounting, and immediately understood why that voice had sounded somewhat familiar.

What a small world—the person was none other than Xu Lai, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

For this raid on the Ji family, the Embroidered Uniform Guard took the lead with the Ministry of Justice assisting. The Embroidered Uniform Guard entered through the front gate while the Ministry of Justice came through the back.

When Xu Lai turned his head, he hadn’t actually seen Yan Sanhe and her companions—he’d only seen Zhu Qing.

He’d met Zhu Qing a few times. This person was the most useful aide at Third Master Xie’s side.

Everyone in the capital, high and low, knew that Third Master Xie and Pei Xiao from the Imperial Physician family were childhood friends who’d been together since bare bottoms.

And Pei Xiao’s maternal family was the Ji family.

Seeing Zhu Qing sneaking around with two people from the Ji residence’s back gate at this moment, could he be helping hide someone who’d gotten advance warning?

Better to kill wrongly than let one escape.

Only then did Xu Lai shout without caring about anything else.

With his shout, several Ministry of Justice guards reined in their horses and turned around, surrounding the three in layers.

Zhu Qing clasped his hands: “Lord Xu, these two female family members are from our Xie residence, unrelated to the Ji family. Please show some accommodation, Lord Xu.”

With these words, Xu Lai immediately knew the raid news had leaked, and became even more certain that the two people behind Zhu Qing were suspicious.

“How could female family members from the Xie residence be coming out of the Ji residence?”

Xu Lai smiled contemptuously: “Step aside. This official needs to verify their identities before letting you go.”

Zhu Qing had followed Third Master Xie for many years and understood the current situation too clearly. Confronting him would only make things worse.

So he stepped aside openly and magnanimously: “Lord Xu, please inspect.”

Xu Lai hadn’t seen Li Buyan before and asked: “What’s your name?”

“Li Buyan.”

“Is her name on the registry?”

“Reporting to Your Lordship, this person is not on it.”

“Mm!”

Xu Lai raised his chin: “And the other one—step forward. What’s your name?”

Li Buyan saw she was fine and also stepped aside magnanimously.

The person behind slowly raised her head: “Yan Sanhe.”

At this raised head, Xu Lai was utterly shocked.

It was actually her!

He stared at Yan Sanhe darkly, thinking: I was just worrying about not having a chance for revenge, and you’ve delivered yourselves to my door. Given the current situation…

Hmph!

Don’t blame me for using public position for private revenge!

Yan Sanhe saw Xu Lai staring at her and knew things weren’t good. She took the initiative: “I’m not from the Ji family. My name isn’t on the registry.”

Was that up to you?

Xu Lai said sternly: “You came out of the Ji residence, so you’re from the Ji family. Men, take her away!”

The situation changed in an instant.

Before others could react, Li Buyan already had her flexible sword from her waist in hand, pointing it lightly at Xu Lai.

“Let’s see who dares?”

My dear lady, how can your hands be so fast!

Zhu Qing’s heart nearly jumped out of his throat, though his face remained exceptionally calm.

“Lord Xu, look more carefully. Miss Yan still has the wound on her forehead. My master personally came to the Ministry of Justice to retrieve her. Has Your Lordship forgotten?”

Truly worthy of someone from Third Master Xie’s side—every sentence concealing blades.

First reminding him not to lie with eyes wide open;

Then bringing up Xie Daozhi as a warning not to be unclear about the situation.

The unclear one is your Xie family!

Harming my son, smashing my Ministry of Justice plaque—let’s settle all these grievances together today!

“I don’t care if she’s Miss Yan or someone else. Coming out of the Ji residence is one crime, carrying a sword in broad daylight is two crimes, threatening a court official is three crimes, resisting arrest is four crimes.”

Xu Lai glared with round eyes and said sternly: “Men, why haven’t you apprehended them!”

“Swish—”

All the guards drew their swords in unison.

Li Buyan calmly used her flexible sword to trace an arc through the air.

My lady hasn’t fought anyone in ages and my hands are itching—come on, let’s see how I take you all down one by one!

“Miss Li!”

“Li Buyan!”

Two voices shouted simultaneously.

Li Buyan only looked at Yan Sanhe: What, you won’t let me fight?

Yan Sanhe shook her head slightly and said coldly: “Li Buyan is my maid. She just arrived in the capital and doesn’t understand the capital’s rules very well. You don’t need to apprehend us—we’ll go with you.”

Hearing Yan Sanhe speak this way, Zhu Qing’s heart, which had been in his throat, instantly fell back into place.

“Lord Xu, if you don’t hurry to the Ji residence, the people actually on the registry might escape through the back gate.”

Xu Lai didn’t really want to do anything to them—he just wanted to use this raid to humiliate and take revenge, to make the Xie family lose face.

“Take them away!”

The Ministry of Justice guards, hearing these words, sheathed their blades, remounted their horses, and galloped away, leaving six guards to escort the three toward the Ji residence’s back gate.

Yan Sanhe pointed at Xu Lai ahead: “Is that person using public position for private revenge?”

Zhu Qing couldn’t answer directly, so he could only nod.

Yan Sanhe: “Against me or against the Xie family?”

Zhu Qing: “…”

Zhu Qing silently mouthed the character for “Xie,” and Yan Sanhe’s facial expression immediately relaxed.

Beside her, Li Buyan inserted herself very calmly: “See, I told you—neither my miss nor I are the type to cause trouble!”

You’re not a troublemaker?

Zhu Qing, usually such a composed person, couldn’t help but want to roll his eyes like Lord Pei.

…

At this moment in the Ji residence, Embroidered Uniform Guards streamed in, heading straight for the left, center, and right sections.

After just a brief moment, the originally quiet residence suddenly exploded into chaos—cries, wails, and shouts rose and fell in succession, making one’s scalp tingle and heart race.

Xie Zhifei silently glanced at Pei Xiao’s ashen face: “Let’s go. You can’t help here.”

“Chengyu, I suddenly have regrets.”

“Regret what?”

Pei Xiao was silent for a moment: “Regret not telling them the old lady’s coffin couldn’t be closed. If they could all be like my uncle who heard Yan Sanhe’s words, they should fight desperately to hold on.”

Speaking of this, Xie Zhifei felt a pang of guilt.

“Now isn’t the time to talk about this. Let’s go quickly!”

“Go!” Pei Xiao gritted his teeth.

One wore a military official’s robes, the other civilian official’s robes. Wherever they went, no one dared stop them.

Several Embroidered Uniform Guard attendants, seeing it was Third Master Xie, even greeted him.

Xie Zhifei returned their greetings while saying in a low voice: “Do you know who His Majesty has ordered to oversee this raid?”

Pei Xiao said weakly: “You want to pull strings for me?”

“I don’t have that ability!”

Xie Zhifei pondered for a moment: “I’ll go back and beg him—at least ensure the Ji family doesn’t suffer too much.”

“Right!”

Pei Xiao clapped his hands, his face showing a glimmer of hope.

As they spoke, the two had reached the courtyard gate. Before them lay a sea of Embroidered Uniform Guards in black.

In the distance, beneath the shade of trees, stood several officials, all gathered around one person.

That person stood with hands behind his back, his entire bearing emanating dense nobility.

Xie Zhifei had excellent vision and recognized the person immediately. He couldn’t help but grip Pei Xiao’s hand tightly, saying in shock: “Look quickly—why would His Majesty send him?”

Pei Xiao looked over and was also stunned.

It was actually him!