Pei Xiao’s heart jolted. He looked at Li Buyan, looked at Yan Sanhe, then thought about those two sentences. Suddenly the veins at his temples throbbed.

So the person I should thank is Yan Sanhe?

She was the one who prompted Li Buyan to step forward and file the imperial complaint?

But…

When did she give the signal?

How did I not see anything?

Pei Xiao stared at Yan Sanhe for a long while, then like a fool forcefully slapped his own forehead.

He remembered now.

When the Imperial Grand Grandson first spoke, he’d addressed Yan Sanhe, and before responding, Yan Sanhe had very abruptly patted Li Buyan’s shoulder.

After that, it was entirely Li Buyan’s solo performance.

He’d wondered at the time—usually when Yan Sanhe was present, Li Buyan never spoke out of turn. Why was the girl so eloquent today?

Pei Xiao was shocked. Xie Zhifei was even more shocked, stunned for quite a while before saying in a low voice, “The first time she struck—that was also your young lady’s signal?”

“Without my young lady’s permission, how would I dare?”

As soon as Li Buyan finished speaking, she realized she’d been tricked. Cursing inwardly, she nudged Yan Sanhe with her elbow.

“Miss, you can’t blame me—the enemy is too cunning while I’m too naive!”

I’m cunning?

Xie Zhifei stared intently at Yan Sanhe, his gaze blazing and piercing.

Yan Sanhe felt very uncomfortable being looked at this way. She leaned back, closed her eyes, wearing an expression that said she didn’t want to say more.

She didn’t want to speak, but Xie Zhifei had a bellyful of questions.

“Yan Sanhe, do you know how dangerous that was? What if Mingting and I had left the Ji residence one step earlier—what would you have done? Who would have saved you?”

Yan Sanhe didn’t even lift an eyelid.

“Your ‘what if’ is meaningless. You didn’t leave, did you?”

“…”

Xie Zhifei’s handsome face twisted with anger.

He’d worried so much about Li Buyan causing trouble, when the real troublemaker was this ancestor.

“Yan Sanhe, I’m talking about ‘what if’—do you understand ‘what if’?”

Yan Sanhe grew annoyed by his questioning. Her dark eyes opened. “Xie Zhifei, I don’t understand ‘what if.’ I only know: do your utmost and accept fate.”

“You…”

“Moreover.”

Yan Sanhe’s gaze grew colder, an irrepressible aura of menace between her brows.

“Before the Old Madam’s inner demon is resolved, I don’t want anyone having accidents. What if that Ninth Miss is the Old Madam’s inner demon? The Ji family would never have another chance to rise again!”

Xie Zhifei: “…”

The atmosphere in the carriage turned cold as an ice cave.

Third Master Xie felt that since meeting Yan Sanhe, this frozen atmosphere had become routine. Even immortals couldn’t save it.

He also truly felt that this Yan Sanhe was no longer a mystery but a treasure trove.

Every step closer, he could excavate some rare treasure from her.

“Yan Sanhe, I have no intention of blaming you. Quite the opposite…”

Third Master softened his tone, his eyes sincere as anything.

“Mingting and I are both sincerely grateful to you, but I also don’t want you having accidents. You must be well—not a single hair can be harmed. Do you understand?”

Even the hardest heart would soften hearing such words.

Yet Yan Sanhe seemed obtuse, replying: “I haven’t lost a single hair!”

“…”

Fine!

You’re amazing—you’re the most amazing!

Xie Zhifei was speechless, raising both hands in surrender.

“Besides, there’s still Zhu Qing, isn’t there?”

“…”

Xie Zhifei thought: Can I raise both feet too in surrender?

Zhu Qing was his man. As many Brocade Guards knew him, that many knew Zhu Qing.

If Zhu Qing truly intervened to save them, the Brocade Guards would give him some face to varying degrees. The problem was…

“Yan Sanhe, how did you know Zhu Qing could definitely protect you?”

“If he couldn’t protect us, he wouldn’t have let that corrupt official bring us into the Ji residence at the back gate. His lack of resistance proved he was confident.”

Yan Sanhe narrowed her eyes. “Since he was confident, what did I have to fear?”

“…”

Such meticulous observation!

Xie Zhifei appeared quite composed on the surface, but his lips still twitched involuntarily.

“Mingting, do you have anything to say? Because I’m already speechless.”

Pei Xiao coughed, assuming a kneeling position, bowing deeply to Yan Sanhe.

“I’m not good with words. Ninth Sister is closest to me—you saving her is saving me. Miss, if you need anything in the future, just ask…”

“I need something now.” Yan Sanhe coldly interrupted.

Hmm?

So soon?

Pei Xiao coughed. “Speak.”

Yan Sanhe looked at him. “Why did the Emperor send the Imperial Grand Grandson to confiscate the Ji family?”

“This…”

Pei Xiao quickly scratched his ear, showing rare embarrassment. “That’s something Xie Fifty and I would also like to know.”

Yan Sanhe accepted his apology but didn’t give up questioning. “Was the Imperial Grand Grandson secretly protecting the Ji family?”

Pei Xiao scratched his ear again, showing more embarrassment. “…”

Yan Sanhe: “If he came specifically to protect the Ji family, then with Magistrate Pei’s capabilities, can you establish a connection with the Imperial Grand Grandson?”

Pei Xiao had no more embarrassment to show. He thought: Should I jump out of the carriage? I should still have time!

“You want Mingting to connect with the Imperial Grand Grandson—what do you intend to do?” Xie Zhifei suddenly asked.

Yan Sanhe met Xie Zhifei’s gaze directly.

“Protecting the Ji family comes first. Second, I’ll go back and organize what I’ve heard these past two days. When I need to meet certain people, I must be able to meet them!”

Xie Zhifei rubbed his nose, looking troubled. “Yan Sanhe, this really isn’t easy to arrange…”

“There’s no reason for the Imperial Grand Grandson to smile pleasantly at that corrupt official from the Ministry of Justice yet show you two no good face. How can Magistrate Pei, who has some connection to him however distant, fare worse?”

Yan Sanhe leaned forward slightly, her pupils contracting. “The request I’m making shouldn’t be difficult for you two, should it?”

Xie Zhifei’s blood ran cold, all the hair on his back standing on end.

He looked at the equally shocked Pei Xiao, his mind filled with only one thought—

No good, I also want to jump out of the carriage!

Whatever Third Master Xie wanted to do, he absolutely had to accomplish.

He said he wanted to jump out—he had to jump.

After he jumped, how could Magistrate Pei dare face two spirit mediums alone? Terrified, he quickly fled too.

The two men stood on the bustling street, looking at each other with the feeling of seeing ghosts in broad daylight.

Pei Xiao wiped his face. “Tell me, could that Yan spirit medium be Manjusri Bodhisattva reincarnated?”

Xie Zhifei thought it increasingly possible.

His own mind was fairly sharp, his reactions first-rate. Why did he always feel inadequate before that girl?

Just then, a little beggar suddenly ran out from somewhere, stumbling just as he reached Xie Zhifei.

As Xie Zhifei instinctively reached out to steady him, he heard six words:

“Third Master, meet at the usual place!”