The farther he walked from Tranquil Reflection Residence, the slower Xie Buhuo’s steps became, until finally he stopped at the end of the corridor.

His trusted aide Wu Xing silently approached.

Seeing it was him, Xie Buhuo’s brows finally furrowed.

Wu Xing understood clearly what troubled his master—

Where had that mysterious Miss Yan come from?

Why did the Xie family try every means to keep her?

Why could she go out like a man…

Many things couldn’t be discovered. The old madam and master had concealed matters airtight. If everyone was kept in the dark, that would be one thing, but the Young Master and Third Master clearly knew the truth.

Only Second Master was kept in the dark.

“Master, yesterday Miss Yan was brought by Lord Pei to the Ji family. She stayed most of the day before returning.”

Wu Xing continued: “Third Master didn’t return all night. He went with Lord Pei to the Yongding River, and the moment he returned to the manor, Steward Xie pulled him to Tranquil Reflection Residence.”

Xie Buhuo: “How are matters at the Ji family?”

Wu Xing: “They confiscated considerable gold, silver, and jewels. Now everyone’s imprisoned in the Northern Bureau, with Lord Lu personally conducting the interrogation.”

Xie Buhuo frowned in silence.

Wu Xing asked again, “Master, should we continue watching?”

Watching?

Xie Buhuo found this word particularly grating.

“Do you think I want to watch? In this enormous manor, who treats me as the true Second Master of the Xie family? They all guard against me like I’m a treasonous rebel.”

Wu Xing didn’t dare say an extra word.

Master’s grievances weren’t just from today or yesterday.

Setting aside distant matters, just speaking of recent ones:

The manor had three young masters. The eldest walked the path of civil examinations and officialdom. Third Master was neither fully civil nor martial, yet Master still secured him a position at the Five Cities Military Command Bureau.

What about Second Master?

Second Master had been excellent at studies since childhood—so excellent even his teachers praised him as promising.

Yet Master feared he would overshadow the eldest’s brilliance, so he forbade him from taking the examination path, instead dumping all the Xie manor’s external shops, estates, and businesses onto him.

Scholar-farmer-artisan-merchant—merchants were the lowest class.

Second Master’s grievances ran deep.

“It would be better if I truly were a treasonous rebel.”

Xie Buhuo transformed all his resentment into rage. “One steel of the heart, one bite of the teeth, and I could let everything go, could do anything.”

“Second Master?”

Hearing this, Wu Xing was so frightened his face turned green. He quickly rebuked in a low voice.

“You say…”

Xie Buhuo’s hand hanging at his side slowly clenched into a fist. “Why does the human heart only grow on the left side?”

“This…”

“Because it’s born biased.”

Xie Buhuo’s lips curved into a cold smile. “Since it’s born biased, what can I hope for?

“Second Master?”

“I’m fine. Just venting some complaints.”

Xie Buhuo smiled bitterly. “Besides you, who else can I say this to!”

“Second Master!”

Wu Xing was so anxious tears nearly fell.

…

When Yan Sanhe said half a shichen, it was truly half a shichen—even the Heavenly Emperor arriving late wouldn’t be waited for.

She lifted the carriage curtain and gave cold orders: “Depart!”

Zhu Qing gripped the reins with both hands, looking at his Third Master with lingering fear.

What to do?

Lord Pei still hadn’t arrived!

Xie Zhifei gritted his teeth. “Depart.”

The carriage couldn’t move quickly through small alleys. Seeing this speed, Yan Sanhe regretted agreeing to take wastrel Xie’s carriage.

Once out of the alley, the speed picked up and they soon reached the North City Gate.

At that moment, urgent hoofbeats sounded behind them. Without needing to think, it was obviously Pei Xiao and his aide catching up.

“Apologies—stopped for medicine halfway, also bought some food.”

Perhaps because they were leaving the city, Pei Xiao looked excited.

“Yan Sanhe, I even bought two roasted ducks from Longxing Restaurant. You take one bite later—the fragrance will kill you!”

Was he traveling or going sightseeing?

Yan Sanhe glanced at Li Buyan, who quickly lifted the curtain. “Hero Zhu, crack that whip, make the horse run. If you can’t handle it, let me do it.”

“…”

I can’t handle it??

Zhu Qing snapped the reins and the carriage shot forth like an arrow released from a bow.

“And you, Lord Pei…”

Li Buyan’s voice floated over with the rising dust. “When traveling, provisions are the priority. You brought two roasted ducks… heh heh heh!”

On horseback, Pei Xiao’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Xie Fifty, what’s she heh-heh-hehing about?”

“Don’t know!”

Xie Zhifei clamped his legs forcefully and cracked his whip. “Hurry up—don’t let the young ladies laugh at us.”

Laugh at me?

Pei Xiao was so angry he rolled his eyes. Soon Lord Pei would show them what true man-horse unity was.

“Hya—”

Man-horse unity didn’t exist.

Man-horse tumbling was real.

Four shichen later, the dignified sixth-rank official of the Buddhist and Daoist Registry, Lord Pei, lay sprawled on the grass like a dead dog.

That damned Xie Fifty—couldn’t he give one reminder that galloping thousands of li on horseback would chafe your buttocks raw!

Chafing was minor—the key was it also pulled on his balls…

It hurt like hell!

Huangqi came bouncing over. “Master, time to eat. I’ll help you up.”

“Get lost!”

“Have Xie Fifty come over. Master has words for him.”

Huangqi bounced away and brought back Third Master.

Third Master Xie squatted before him, looking at that pain-racked face with both amusement and exasperation.

“You’re still laughing? How do you have the face to laugh?”

Third Master Xie glanced at the several people gathered by the stream and said in a low voice, “I’ll help you up. Soon you’ll ride in the carriage and I’ll have Li Buyan ride the horse.”

“No!”

“Why not?”

“Where would I put my face?”

“Face or buttocks—preserve one. Just say which one.”

Pei Xiao’s mouth twitched for a long while. “I’ll preserve my buttocks.”

Third Master Xie smiled without speaking and bent down to help him up.

By the stream, two fires had been lit—one heating water, one roasting provisions.

Huangqi was roasting the duck. As it met the flames, oil sizzled out and fragrance burrowed straight into noses.

Pei Xiao couldn’t sit, so he leaned against a tree trunk standing. His gaze swept over the dry steamed buns in the hands of Yan Sanhe’s master and servant, thinking: Is this what humans eat?

One roasted duck finished cooking. Huangqi looked up at his master. Master’s gaze drifted toward Yan Sanhe, so Huangqi quickly offered the duck over.

“You two young ladies eat first.”

Yan Sanhe’s answer was merciless: “No need.”

Disdaining my roasted duck?

Pei Xiao was furious. “Bring it here. I’ll eat it.”

Huangqi tore off a duck leg and handed it over. Pei Xiao took a bite, his mouth flooding with oil. “So fragrant! Xie Fifty, you take a leg.”

Xie Zhifei glanced at Yan Sanhe. “You eat it.”

“Heh, so my roasted duck is poisoned or what?”

“Lord Pei.”

Li Buyan smiled. “When traveling, better be cautious. You just drank half a flask of cold water. Now eating something so greasy—be careful of diarrhea.”

“Lord Pei has an iron stomach!”

Pei Xiao sneered coldly and bumped Xie Zhifei’s knee, deliberately reminding him, “Xie Fifty, how many more shichen until we meet Mama Chen and the others?”

“At least four more shichen of riding.”

Xie Zhifei coughed once and smiled at Li Buyan. “Miss Li, please trouble yourself to ride the horse shortly and let Mingting take the carriage.”

Li Buyan was very forthright. “I have no objection. It just depends if my young lady is willing.”

Everyone’s eyes focused on Yan Sanhe.