“Regarding finding Yan Xi, there are two groups who know about it.”

Yan Sanhe raised her left hand. “This is Zhao Yishi.”

Then raised her right hand. “This is us.”

She extended both hands before the two of them and asked coldly, “Tell me, which side is more likely to have a mole?”

Us!

Why?

Because Yan Xi knew the truth.

The truth meant the heart demon could be resolved and the war horses restored.

With the border situation so urgent now, how could Zhao Yishi possibly gamble with the Zhao family’s empire and nation?

“In terms of motive, our side has a greater possibility. But Zhao Yishi’s side isn’t entirely without possibility either.”

Yan Sanhe: “The two guards who went with him, including Shen Chong, are all possibilities.”

Pei Xiao was shocked beyond words.

Even suspecting Shen Chong?

He was Prince Huairen’s most trusted person, never leaving his side.

Pei Xiao suddenly thought of another issue. “Yan Sanhe, you called the two of us in—does that mean you trust us?”

Yan Sanhe didn’t answer but asked instead, “Could either of you be the mole?”

“How is that possible?”

Pei Xiao jumped up. “I, I, I…”

“I trust you both.”

People and people are connected by fate.

Xie Zhifei was the person in her heart. Though Little Sweet Mouth rarely appeared in the martial world anymore, the deep affection in his eyes was something Yan Sanhe could understand and perceive.

As for Pei Xiao…

This person wore his emotions on his face, had a foul mouth but a warm heart. Yan Sanhe believed it absolutely couldn’t be him.

“Zhao Yishi is a smart person. Once he calms down, he’ll quickly understand where the problem lies and will secretly investigate his people.

What we need to do is investigate our own people, hoping the problem doesn’t lie with us.”

Yan Sanhe took a deep breath.

“During the time I’ve locked myself in the study, it’s as if two Yan Sanhes have been fighting inside my body. I kept thinking that the seven of us have all experienced life and death together.”

The gazes of Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao simultaneously darkened.

No wonder her complexion was so terrible.

No wonder in just an hour or two her voice had become hoarse.

No wonder she was impatient, appearing so irritable.

The most terrifying thing in this world isn’t the sword thrust by an enemy opposite you, but the knife stabbed by the closest person beside you—leaving you completely defenseless.

Yan Sanhe gave a desolate smile. “If it’s any one of them, I also face…”

“You face mortal danger.”

Xie Zhifei’s entire face was dark enough to drip water. “You haven’t hidden your identity from any of them.”

“This… ah…”

Pei Xiao shuddered violently, cold sweat streaming down.

If the mole was really one of their people, then Yan Sanhe’s identity could no longer be concealed.

She would be doomed!

“Who?”

Pei Xiao was unprecedentedly furious, his handsome face contorting. The thing he hated most in his life was traitors who stabbed you in the back.

“Who is the mole? Let’s find a way to expose them and kill them.”

He said through gritted teeth, “Is it Huang Qi? Yan Sanhe, just say the word—if it’s him, I’ll immediately dismember him and chop him up to feed the dogs.”

“It’s not.”

Yan Sanhe’s gaze lifted to look at Xie Zhifei.

This glance startled even her. Xie Zhifei’s face and lips were tinged with a bluish-purple color.

“Xie Chengyu, don’t get agitated.”

Yan Sanhe, afraid his heart condition would flare up again, reached out to rub his back. Xie Zhifei grabbed her hand and clasped it tightly in his palm.

“I just dozed off for a bit and had a dream. In the dream, someone shot an arrow at me from behind…”

His voice became increasingly unclear toward the end.

“I never thought… never thought it would be verified here.”

Pei Xiao’s eyes widened. “Is it Zhu Qing and Ding Yi?”

“On our side, it should be one of them.”

Yan Sanhe didn’t beat around the bush. “Huang Qi has been with us the entire time. He had no opportunity or time to pass information.”

Pei Xiao: “Then… what about Li Buyan?”

Yan Sanhe: “I’ve never doubted her.”

Pei Xiao breathed a sigh of relief. “I knew you had no reason to drive her out.”

“I sent Zhu Qing to the Embroidered Uniform Guard. I had Ding Yi go to Little Beggar’s side to gather intelligence. They both acted alone.”

Having reached the extreme of anger, Xie Zhifei’s heart instead calmed down.

“The intelligence from Little Beggar’s side was that Yan Xi left through the west city gate. Yan Xi’s final whereabouts were found by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.”

Pei Xiao drew in a sharp breath. “Could it be Zhu Qing?”

“Both are possible. They came to see me at the Five Cities together. In other words, before that, the two very likely told each other the intelligence they’d each gathered.”

Xie Zhifei: “Mingting, go call them in…”

“Don’t alert the snake in the grass.”

Yan Sanhe grasped Xie Zhifei’s hand in return. “I have a better idea.”

Xie Zhifei lowered his head to look at her, his gaze as deep and still as a pool of water. “You want to use the mole to find the person hiding behind them?”

Yan Sanhe’s pupils contracted. “Yes!”

Where in this world is there a fox’s tail that doesn’t show even a hint of a flaw?

Zhu Xuan had hidden such filthy intentions so deeply, yet things like the Peach Blossom Well and the Death-Summoning Nail ultimately came to light.

Like a snake leaving traces in the grass—there are always clues to follow.

The air fell silent for a moment.

Immediately after, the voices of Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao rang out simultaneously—

“Yan Sanhe, what do you plan to do?”

…

Outside the courtyard.

Huang Qi squatted on the ground watching ants, muttering, “Is the weather about to change? Why are the ants coming out to forage in such groups?”

Zhu Qing leaned against the other side of the wall, eyes observing his nose, nose observing his heart, still with his expressionless face.

Ding Yi’s gaze was vacantly fixed on the distance, not knowing what he was contemplating.

Li Buyan, contrary to her usual lazy manner, paced back and forth.

Huang Qi’s head was spinning from her walking. “Miss Li, there’s shade over here. Come cool off a bit!”

“Cool, cool, cool…”

Li Buyan rushed over and stomped wildly with her foot. “Things are already at a critical juncture, where would this old lady have the mood to cool off?”

Huang Qi glared. “Then don’t stomp on the little ants! Look, you’ve stomped them all to death.”

“Are the ants your ancestors?”

Li Buyan cursed, “Should I set up memorial tablets for them so you can kowtow and burn incense every day?”

“You…”

Forget it.

A good man doesn’t fight with women.

If I can’t provoke her, at least I can avoid her.

Huang Qi was about to leave when Li Buyan grabbed his ear. “Come back!”

Having his ear grabbed by a woman in broad daylight, Huang Qi’s face flushed red. “Miss Li, men and women shouldn’t touch. You…”

“What damn time is this?”

Li Buyan released her hand, but it turned into a fist that hammered at Huang Qi.

“Instead of thinking about the heart demon, the war horses, about who killed Yan Xi, your head is full of ‘men and women, men and women’… We’re all about to die, and you’re still going on about men and women?”

“Who was thinking about men and women? Wasn’t it because you…”

Huang Qi’s expression suddenly changed, and he jumped back a large step.

“Li Buyan, what do you mean ‘we’re all about to die’? Why would we die?”

As the words fell.

Zhu Qing and Ding Yi’s expressions changed instantly. The two exchanged glances.

—