As Changning spoke, he kept glancing at Changshun.

Changshun was puzzled. “Changning, you’re reporting matters to the Heir—why are you looking at me?”

Changning coughed. “Changshun, you need to step aside for a moment.”

Changshun’s eyes immediately widened as he looked at Qi Shuo with grievance. “Heir, look at him—”

Qi Shuo said indifferently, “Then step aside for a bit.”

Changshun froze, then dejectedly withdrew to a distance.

“Speak.”

Changning drew closer. “Heir, Second Miss Lin brought back two beggars.”

Qi Shuo smiled. “Second Miss Lin is kindhearted.”

Changning grew anxious. “That’s not it—Second Miss Lin acknowledged the older beggar as her sworn elder brother.”

Qi Shuo’s eyes flickered slightly, though his voice remained calm. “Sworn elder brother?”

“That’s right.” Changning’s face bore worry. “Heir, you didn’t see—that beggar is extremely good-looking. What do you suppose Second Miss Lin was thinking, casually picking up a beggar and acknowledging him as her sworn elder brother?”

It must be because that beggar is good-looking!

Changning was filled with righteous indignation.

“Understood.” Qi Shuo casually picked up his book and began reading.

“Heir—”

“Is there something else?”

“No… but Second Miss Lin—”

Qi Shuo frowned. “Second Miss Lin must have her reasons for doing this. There’s no need to mention this matter again.”

Changning acknowledged with a word, secretly anxious for his master.

Changshun walked over and gave Changning an unfriendly look.

The Heir and Changning actually had secrets between them now—how heartbreaking!

The two servants stood on either side of Qi Shuo, maintaining their silence.

Qi Shuo held his book, somewhat lost in thought.

Changning secretly shook his head.

The Heir’s words and heart don’t match—it’s he himself who suffers!

Suddenly Qi Shuo rose and strode outward.

The two servants exchanged glances and hurried after him.

The weather had grown rather cold. The sunlight looked bright but held little warmth. The trees along both sides of the street had already shed all their leaves, revealing bare branches.

Qi Shuo walked at a measured pace, as if strolling leisurely through a garden.

Changning followed behind, somewhat puzzled.

So the Heir wasn’t going to find Second Miss Lin after all.

Ahead, a crowd had gathered, with occasional cheers ringing out. Qi Shuo walked over and became part of the throng.

What people were watching was the Ruyi Troupe.

The Ruyi Troupe was a rather famous acrobatic troupe in the capital. They were often hired by wealthy families for performances, and when no wealthy families engaged them, they would perform on this open space by the bridge.

Qi Shuo’s gaze fell on a youth performing with knives in the Ruyi Troupe.

The youth had a slender build and moved with agility, his long blade like an extension of his arm, wielding it with complete ease.

Changning followed Qi Shuo’s line of sight to the youth, inwardly surprised and suspicious.

This youth was called Xiao Feng. Originally he had performed freely on the streets, but later was taken in by the Ruyi Troupe, which gave him some security.

For some reason, the Heir paid particular attention to this performing youth and had already come to watch the acrobatics several times.

Qi Shuo watched the Ruyi Troupe’s performance quietly. Along with the crowd’s cheers, he lightly clapped his hands, like any other spectator watching the excitement.

When the Ruyi Troupe finished their performance, several people carried bronze gongs and other items to solicit rewards from the crowd.

The youth called Xiao Feng, holding a wooden tray, walked toward Qi Shuo.

Qi Shuo glanced at Changning.

Understanding, Changning pulled out a string of copper coins and tossed them onto the wooden tray.

Xiao Feng thanked them repeatedly and moved toward the next person.

Qi Shuo gave Xiao Feng one deep look before turning to leave the crowd. On the way back, he encountered Lin Hao and a youth.

From the corner of his eye, he swept a glance over the youth’s face and calmly greeted Lin Hao. “Second Miss Lin is going out?”

The trip to Qinglu Temple had undoubtedly drawn the two closer. Lin Hao smiled. “Just strolling around with my sworn elder brother.”

“Sworn elder brother?” Qi Shuo openly directed his gaze to A’Xing’s face.

A’Xing was clearly unaccustomed to this and endured Qi Shuo’s scrutiny with a tense expression.

This young master accompanied by servants was truly someone from the same world as Second Miss—unlike him, a beggar who, despite changing into fine clothes, could be beaten back to his original form at any moment.

“Just acknowledged him. My sworn elder brother is called A’Xing.” After introducing him, Lin Hao said to A’Xing, “This is Prince Jing’s heir. He lives right next door to the General’s Mansion.”

A’Xing was startled.

He was actually a young prince!

“This one greets the Heir.” A’Xing’s voice was tight.

Qi Shuo smiled slightly. “No need to be formal. Second Miss Lin and I have known each other since childhood—we’re quite familiar. Since you’re Second Miss Lin’s sworn elder brother, that makes us friends as well.”

A’Xing truly didn’t know what to say and could only smile, thinking to himself that this lofty young prince was actually so approachable.

Seeing A’Xing’s discomfort, Lin Hao bid farewell to Qi Shuo. “The Heir must be returning to the mansion. We’ll be going now.”

“Where are you strolling?” Qi Shuo asked without changing expression.

Lin Hao’s expression became somewhat strange.

Prince Jing’s heir didn’t seem like such a gossipy person.

“Just… strolling randomly. A’Xing knows many places I haven’t been to.”

Qi Shuo curved his lips. “I also have many places I haven’t been to—”

Meeting the young lady’s astonished gaze, he smiled. “If Second Miss Lin goes to any interesting places, tell me about them later so I can go stroll around too.”

Lin Hao’s expression returned to normal. “All right.”

She had thought Prince Jing’s heir wanted to stroll around together.

After parting with Qi Shuo, Lin Hao and A’Xing wandered from the western district to the eastern district. The sun was visibly about to set.

A’Xing finally couldn’t help asking, “Aren’t you tired?”

“I am rather tired. Let’s rest at a teahouse and take a carriage back.”

A roadside teahouse had set out several tables. Being in the eastern district, those drinking tea were clearly ordinary common folk.

Watching the young lady calmly hold her tea bowl and drink with an unchanged expression, A’Xing found it increasingly strange.

Second Miss really didn’t seem like a noble young lady at all—drinking tea in such a place without showing the slightest disdain.

“Aren’t you thirsty?” Lin Hao noticed A’Xing holding his tea bowl in a daze and asked.

A’Xing came to his senses and gulped down the coarse tea.

“A’Xing, after you finish practicing martial arts with Steward Liu tomorrow, let’s come out and stroll around again.”

A’Xing instinctively frowned. “Second Miss—”

“I told you to call me A’Hao.”

“A’Hao…” A’Xing forced himself to get used to it. “Why do you want me to take you everywhere to look at beggars?”

Lin Hao had no intention of hiding things from A’Xing. “I want to see roughly how many elderly and young beggars there are in the capital. Haven’t you noticed? This time of year is much colder than last year. Once the twelfth month arrives, I’m afraid they won’t be able to endure it.”

A’Xing’s eyes widened in shock. “Don’t tell me you want to bring all these beggars home?”

“Not that. I plan to provide them with a place to shelter from wind and rain, to get through this winter before deciding what comes next…” Lin Hao paid no mind to A’Xing’s complex and astonished expression as she voiced her confusion. “Having walked through these places, I’ve discovered there aren’t many elderly beggars.”

A’Xing was silent for a moment, his voice somewhat muffled. “The elderly and frail don’t live long.”

Unable to compete with able-bodied beggars and not as pitiable as young beggars, going hungry for ten days to half a month was about all it took.

Lin Hao fell silent for a moment, then asked A’Xing, “Can you help me? Dealing frequently with beggars isn’t very convenient for me.”

A’Xing didn’t answer immediately but instead asked, “With so many beggars, do you plan to keep supporting them indefinitely?”

“Of course not. This is just the first step—there are further arrangements after this.”

Hearing Lin Hao say this, A’Xing nodded. “Leave dealing with the beggars to me.”