Luo Sheng’s form was mostly concealed by the flowers and trees. Standing in the shadows, she looked toward the sound.

It was the four Sheng brothers.

Luo Sheng also caught a faint scent of alcohol.

Having encountered the four earlier, they’d been too frightened to eat dinner at home—it seemed they’d gone out carousing instead.

Sheng Sanlang’s steps were unsteady as his brothers supported him, walking in Luo Sheng’s direction.

Sheng Erlang’s tone of disappointed frustration rang out: “Third Brother, why must you be so melancholy over a woman who doesn’t have you in her heart?”

Sheng Sanlang lifted his head slightly, revealing reddened eyes in the moonlight.

“Who’s melancholy? Second Brother, don’t talk nonsense.”

“Nonsense?” Sheng Erlang tapped Sheng Sanlang’s shoulder with his folding fan, saying irritably, “Then who’s the one who drank himself into this state? If this isn’t drowning sorrows in wine, what is it?”

Sheng Dalang at the side advised: “Second Brother, Third Brother’s heart is pained—say a few words less.”

Sheng Erlang sneered coldly: “I just can’t stand watching this. That Miss Qian hanged herself because she couldn’t marry Su Yao. What does Third Brother making such a fuss accomplish?”

Hanged herself?

Luo Sheng’s eyes flickered slightly.

Her eyes were like a pool of lake water, with flower branches and tree shadows reflected within, ripples stirring bright and dark.

Sheng Sanlang’s face flushed crimson. Whether from drinking too much or from shame and anger, he bellowed with full vigor: “Who’s making a fuss? Today’s wine was strong—can’t I drink a few extra cups?”

Sheng Silang yanked hard on Sheng Sanlang’s sleeve: “Third Brother, stop talking—”

Sheng Sanlang’s palm-fan-sized hand rubbed the top of his younger brother’s head: “Step aside. You little brat want to nag too?”

It was one thing for his elder brothers to be meddlesome, but did his younger brother want to lecture him too?

Sheng Silang’s small face turned bright red, stammering anxiously: “That’s not it—Cousin, Cousin Sister is over there!”

The other three stopped in unison. Seeing that Luo Sheng was indeed standing beside the flowers and trees ahead, their faces immediately displayed a riot of colors.

Luo Sheng’s expression remained composed as she nodded to the four, greeted them, and then walked forward with Hong Dou without a sidelong glance.

The evening wind was fierce, carrying fallen flowers along with it, just like the four men’s desolate mood at this moment.

Sheng Sanlang wiped his face and asked dazedly: “Did our words get heard by Cousin Luo?”

Sheng Erlang laughed dryly: “Can’t say whether others’ words were heard or not, but Third Brother, your voice was so loud just now—it was definitely heard.”

Sheng Sanlang: “…”

Luo Sheng returned to her room, washed up and changed clothes, putting on a snow-white inner garment before reclining on the couch.

Hong Dou moved over a small stool and sat down close to her mistress, asking in confusion: “Miss, why did you say you have a sleepwalking ailment?”

Luo Sheng gazed at the dark shadow cast by the banana plant on the blue gauze window, saying calmly: “Making the other party feel safe is the best way to lure the snake from its hole.”

The little maid shook her head: “This servant doesn’t understand.”

Luo Sheng looked at the completely puzzled little maid and smiled rarely: “You don’t need to understand. Just do as I instruct.”

She liked this not-so-clever little maid.

She had no memories of Miss Luo whatsoever. Fortunately, she hadn’t been at the Sheng manor long, so she didn’t need to worry about slipping up in front of these people.

If Miss Luo’s personal maid were too sharp, that would create difficulties for her.

Killing to silence someone was ultimately somewhat unbearable.

“Go call those two little maids here.”

Hong Dou responded with a “yes,” went out for a moment, and led in two little maids.

Both little maids were thirteen or fourteen years old. Normally they only handled miscellaneous tasks and weren’t usually allowed to enter the inner rooms.

“Young Miss Cousin.” The two little maids, cowed by Luo Sheng’s imposing authority, trembled as they curtsied.

Luo Sheng nodded slightly and said to Hong Dou: “Bring four taels of silver—two taels each.”

Hong Dou, having witnessed her miss spend large sums before, quite readily retrieved the silver and tossed it into the two little maids’ arms. The two little maids were so startled they dropped to their knees with a thud, asking in unison: “Young, Young Miss Cousin, what are your instructions?”

Could it be that Young Miss Cousin was short-handed and wanted them to go to the streets to snatch some young master?

Silver was good, but this kind of thing they couldn’t do!

Luo Sheng’s expression remained bland as she instructed: “Tomorrow you’ll go to the streets—”

One of the little maids swayed and kowtowed repeatedly: “Young Miss Cousin, snatching people is something this servant cannot do!”

Luo Sheng paused.

Hong Dou was already jumping up to scold: “Bah! What spring and autumn dreams are you little hooves having? Would snatching people even be your turn?”

With her, Hong Dou, here, how could Miss assign such an errand to someone else?

This was an insult to her as the first maid and enforcer!

The two maids listened with blank stares.

Was it their lack of experience? When did forcibly snatching handsome young gentlemen on the streets become a good assignment?

Luo Sheng’s tone remained calm, completely undisturbed by the three maids’ reactions, and continued instructing: “Tomorrow you’ll go to the streets to inquire whether a Miss Qian hanged herself—the more details, the better. If you feel it’s inconvenient to ask around yourselves, having fathers, brothers, or friends do it is also acceptable. These two taels of silver are errand fees. Tomorrow, whoever gathers more information will receive another two taels as a reward.”

The two maids, hearing it was only gathering information, let out great sighs of relief and repeatedly said: “Young Miss Cousin, rest assured—tomorrow at first light this servant will go inquire.”

After speaking, the two glanced at each other, their eyes carrying a trace of wariness toward the other.

Young Miss Cousin had said that tomorrow whoever gathered more information would get another two taels in reward money—they couldn’t let the other one get it.

The two little maids walked out of the room eager to try. Hong Dou quickly asked: “Miss, why are you having them inquire about that?”

“Curious.” Luo Sheng lay down on her side and pulled the brocade quilt over herself.

The bedding gave off a familiar yet strange incense scent. In the blink of an eye, it was a new day again.

Luo Sheng opened her eyes early.

Outside the blue gauze window, the banana plant swayed, and the clear calls of kingfishers drifted in.

Hong Dou slept on the raised platform of the canopy bed and was still sleeping soundly at this moment.

Luo Sheng coughed lightly and called: “Hong Dou.”

Though her voice wasn’t loud, Hong Dou immediately rolled up, rubbed her eyes, and asked groggily: “Miss, why did you get up so early?”

Luo Sheng’s lips curved slightly: “It’s not early. It’s time to go pay respects to Grandmother.”

Hong Dou instantly lost all sleepiness and said incredulously: “You never used to go pay respects.”

Even back in the capital, Miss would sleep until the sun was high in the sky. After eating and drinking her fill, she’d lead her and several maids and servants out to the streets to wander.

What were morning respects?

Luo Sheng glanced at Hong Dou, her tone indifferent: “Previously I hadn’t taken a stroll through death’s door. Now it’s different.”

This glance made Hong Dou’s heart turn cold, yet she couldn’t articulate why. She busily attended to Luo Sheng’s washing and dressing.

The mistress and servant walked out of the courtyard and slowly made their way toward Funing Hall.

The Sheng manor had typical Jiangnan scenery—graceful and elegant, with clusters of flowers visible everywhere.

Hong Dou took a breath of fresh air and said with a smile: “I hadn’t expected that though the Sheng manor is small, the garden looks quite nice in the morning.”

Luo Sheng walked slowly forward without comment.

Hong Dou suddenly stopped: “Miss, please wait a moment.”

Luo Sheng halted. She saw the little maid lift her skirt and run to an apricot tree, stand on tiptoe to break off a spray of apricot blossoms, then run back.

“Miss, these apricot blossoms are blooming beautifully. May this servant pick a few to pin in your hair?”

Luo Sheng’s gaze moved from the little maid’s flushed cheeks to the spray of abundant flowers, and she nodded slightly: “Alright.”

Hong Dou circled Luo Sheng’s hair bun, pinning a ring of apricot blossoms around it, then suddenly said in a low voice: “Miss, the two young miss cousins are coming this way.”