Xie Zhifei frowned and said nothing.

The matter happened too suddenly, no time to think carefully, but eighteen Embroidered Uniform Guards coming to the door in broad daylight was indeed unusual.

Could something have gone wrong?

“To be safe, prepare two contingency plans. Lu Da, Hero Li, Zhu Qing, Ding Yi—you four prepare to leave with Yan Sanhe at any moment.

Mingting and I will go to the front to meet them and probe their intentions. Huang Qi will be midway to coordinate—act according to my hand signals.”

Xie Zhifei lowered his head and met Yan Sanhe’s gaze. “Don’t be afraid. With so many people, we can protect you.”

Yan Sanhe’s face was no better than white paper. Her eyes flashed, and she nodded lightly.

“Good!”

…

The moment Xie Zhifei saw who came, his heart jumped violently. It was actually the newly appointed Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard Jiang Shining who came in person.

He had never dealt with this Jiang Shining and had no personal relationship whatsoever.

He dared not take even the slightest risk.

Xie Zhifei’s clasped hands moved lightly behind his back, making a hand signal.

In a distant corner, Huang Qi saw the signal, turned, and ran.

“Commander Jiang?”

Xie Zhifei walked forward, cupped his hands in greeting, very composed: “What wind blew you here?”

Jiang Shining: “By His Majesty’s command, I request that you two and Yan Sanhe enter the palace.”

No matter how prepared Xie Zhifei was in his heart, he was still shocked by these words, thinking he had misheard.

“What did Commander Jiang say?”

“His Majesty has commanded that this subordinate bring Xie Zhifei, Pei Xiao, and Yan Sanhe into the palace.”

Jiang Shining snorted coldly: “Third Master Xie, did you… hear clearly this time?”

Mountains collapsing and earth splitting couldn’t adequately describe Xie Zhifei’s shock at this moment.

How could the Emperor know about Yan Sanhe?

Who leaked her background?

His horrified gaze looked toward Pei Xiao.

The panic on Pei Xiao’s face exceeded Xie Zhifei’s. He was completely stunned.

Just now didn’t Elder Brother Zhu divine it as auspicious? How did auspicious turn to inauspicious in just two hours?

Xie Zhifei was quick to shock but also quick to recover, putting on a full twelve measures of smile.

“Commander Jiang, Yan Sanhe is my goddaughter. She’s just a woman. Why would His Majesty summon her to the palace…”

“His Majesty has his own reasons. How could I know them? How could you know them?”

Jiang Shining’s tone was very unfriendly. “Third Master Xie is also someone from officialdom. You don’t even know this?”

Third Master knows.

Third Master just wants to stall for time, you bastard!

Xie Zhifei raised his chin toward Pei Xiao: “I’ll chat with Commander Jiang. You go call Yan Sanhe out.”

“Huh?”

“Huh what? Have her change into presentable clothes, comb presentable hair. Don’t be like at home, all disheveled.”

Pei Xiao’s heart was pounding frantically, but he still steadily turned around and steadily muttered:

“Strange things happen every year, but this year especially. Out of the blue, why would the Emperor summon small fry like us? We haven’t broken any laws.”

A long sword blocked Pei Xiao’s path. Looking up, it was an unfamiliar Embroidered Uniform Guard.

“No need to trouble Lord Pei. I’ll go call Yan Sanhe.”

“Who the fuck are you to block this young master’s path?”

Pei Xiao instantly exploded: “My sister is a maiden from a good family. What business does a rough man like you have calling her? Get out of the way!”

That Embroidered Uniform Guard was startled by Pei Xiao’s rage. His eyes looked toward Jiang Shining.

Jiang Shining didn’t even blink, saying sternly: “Third Master and Lord Pei can wait here with me. You all quickly go call the person out.”

“Yes!”

The accompanying Embroidered Uniform Guards left a few behind. The rest all rushed toward the inner residence.

“Commander Jiang!”

Xie Zhifei erupted in fury: “Did His Majesty order you to invite or to arrest?”

Jiang Shining sneered: “Is there a difference?”

“Arresting, I have nothing to say. But if inviting…”

Xie Zhifei gritted his teeth: “Then please show some respect!”

“No need to invite, no need to arrest. I’m right here!”

Xie Zhifei’s breathing stopped.

He suddenly turned around.

Several zhang away, Yan Sanhe was walking toward him unhurriedly.

Under heaven, there is no land that is not the king’s; within the seas, there is no one who is not the king’s subject. She could walk away, but what about Xie Zhifei? The Xie family? Pei Mingting? The Pei family?

Would she cause another bloodbath because of her identity?

She absolutely would not!

Yan Sanhe walked to Xie Zhifei’s side, actively took his hand, and smiled slightly.

“Let’s go. Let’s try to go and return early!”

…

They should have entered through the East Prosperity Gate and gone north.

However, after the carriage reached the East Prosperity Gate, it went south instead, continuing until they reached a dense forest, crossed three stone bridges, and finally stopped at a palace gate.

The three got out of the carriage.

Yan Sanhe didn’t recognize it, but Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao looked around, their eyes filled with fear.

“Commander Jiang, where is this?” Xie Zhifei’s inexplicable anger flared again: “Didn’t you say entering the palace?”

Jiang Shining sneered: “Third Master Xie, if the Embroidered Uniform Guard wanted to kill you, there would be no need for such great trouble. There are plenty of methods that would leave no trace. Please!”

“Even under the Emperor’s feet, we should still discuss the law.”

The smile on Yan Sanhe’s face was even colder than Jiang Shining’s. “Please lead the way.”

Jiang Shining glanced at Yan Sanhe.

Very strange.

This young woman showed not a trace of fear upon hearing about entering the palace, and meeting him, she was completely calm. How did she develop such courage?

Just then, a fair-skinned man hurriedly walked out from the vermilion gate. “You three, come with me!”

Seeing it was Sun Jinzhong, the first eunuch beside the new Emperor, Xie Zhifei’s face showed both shock and fear.

The shock was that it was indeed an imperial summons.

The fear was: why would the Emperor summon them? Was it because of Yan Sanhe?

Pei Xiao seemed to suddenly think of something. Covering his lips, suppressing his voice, he said extremely quickly: “Elder Brother Zhu said he saw Buddha’s light when the bells rang.”

Xie Zhifei looked directly at Yan Sanhe, only to find Yan Sanhe’s gaze also looking toward him.

Both saw understanding in each other’s eyes.

It must have been the bell ringing and Buddha’s light that caught the Imperial Observatory’s attention. The Observatory reported to the Emperor, who followed the trail—that’s how they traced it to the estate.

“If it’s fortune, it’s not disaster. If it’s disaster, it cannot be avoided.”

Yan Sanhe took out a handkerchief from her breast, unfolded Xie Zhifei’s hand, wiped away the cold sweat in his palm, then passed the handkerchief to Pei Xiao.

Pei Xiao took it and not only wiped his palms but also his face, forehead, and neck.

Yan Sanhe’s face resembled the former Crown Prince.

The former Crown Prince and the current Emperor had an uncle-nephew relationship.

They were all Zhao family members, all from the same vine. They saw each other constantly. What if…

Thinking of this, the cold sweat he had just wiped away appeared again in another layer. Young Master Pei was sweating like rain, wishing in his heart he could pray to every Buddhist deity under heaven.

Taking advantage of Sun Jinzhong turning around, Xie Zhifei quickly whispered in Yan Sanhe’s ear: “Don’t put anything in your mouth. Act according to circumstances.”

Yan Sanhe looked at the white hair at his temples and suddenly smiled lightly: “Xie Chengyu, guess who I met over there?”

Xie Zhifei froze.

“I met Qi Ming.”

Yan Sanhe: “He said the living are travelers, the dead return home. Walk the road home—don’t be afraid.”

What words could describe Xie Zhifei’s shock at hearing this sentence?

At this point, he finally understood where Yan Sanhe’s courage to walk out alone came from—facing death to live!

Yes.

Having reached this point, what was there to fear? A head falling off was just a bowl-sized scar.

Xie Zhifei took a deep breath. One hand took Yan Sanhe’s hand, the other fell on Pei Xiao’s shoulder: “Mingting, let’s go!”

Pei Xiao looked at Xie Fifty, then at Yan Sanhe. The cold sweat suddenly stopped.

Fine, fine, fine.

The several of them were grasshoppers tied to the same rope.

Besides, if something really happened, wasn’t there still Zhao Huairen?

“Let’s go!”

…

They passed through a long tree-lined path, walked through several vermilion gates, and finally arrived at a secluded courtyard.

Only then did the three realize that not only had Jiang Shining and the other Embroidered Uniform Guards not followed, but this courtyard didn’t even have a gatekeeper.

“Your Majesty, the people are waiting outside.”

“Have them enter.”

A low voice came from inside. Sun Jinzhong raised his chin toward the three, indicating they should enter.

Yan Sanhe straightened her clothes and was the first to step across the high threshold.

————

Some not-so-good news: on the 14th, 15th, and 16th, I have to travel for a training course and can only take leave with no updates. Normal updates resume on the 17th.

Sorry to make you wait!