Sheng Sanlang thought he had misheard: “What did cousin say?”

Luo Sheng’s expression was calm: “I like eating this ugly old woman’s tofu pudding and am planning to take her with us.”

Confirming he hadn’t misheard, Sheng Sanlang’s lips twitched violently.

Taking whatever catches one’s fancy—this, this was the behavior of a wastrel young master!

Sheng Sanlang recovered himself and laughed dryly: “Cousin, this isn’t appropriate, is it? She’s doing fine selling tofu pudding. How can she just leave like that…”

Xiu Yue, who was collecting bowls, stuck her head out to ask: “Will there be payment?”

Hong Dou curled her lip: “Rest assured about that. Our young lady doesn’t lack money.”

“If there’s payment, I’ll go with you.” Having said this, Xiu Yue collected bowls and wiped tables in one smooth sequence.

Hong Dou felt greatly gratified.

Who would have thought that in this remote, shabby little city there would be such a tactful person? Just based on this, she was better than many people in the capital.

Meanwhile, Sheng Sanlang looked at the expressionless Xiu Yue, then at Hong Dou’s gratified face, and finally at Luo Sheng’s calm expression, falling into deep self-doubt.

Could it be that everyone else was normal and only he was the abnormal one?

This wasn’t right—

No matter how he thought about it, something felt off. Sheng Sanlang still wanted to say something, but saw that Xiu Yue, having packed up her stall, was already standing beside Luo Sheng.

Sheng Sanlang fell silent.

“Cousin hasn’t eaten your fill yet?” Luo Sheng asked.

“I’ve eaten my fill—” Sheng Sanlang glanced at Xiu Yue, still somewhat unable to accept this. “Even if we’re taking someone with us, shouldn’t we at least let them pack up their belongings?”

Hong Dou giggled: “What belongings could someone selling tofu pudding have? The time wasted packing belongings isn’t as good as rewarding her with two more gold beans.”

Sheng Sanlang could only manage a stiff smile.

There were rumors in the manor that a washerwoman had received a bag of gold leaves as reward money from his cousin. He originally didn’t believe it, but now he did.

Even after Xiu Yue followed them back to the inn, Sheng Sanlang still felt like he was dreaming. Taking advantage of when Luo Sheng wasn’t paying attention, he pulled Hong Dou aside to ask: “Just because she likes eating the ugly old woman’s tofu pudding, she’s taking her back to the capital?”

“What else?” Hong Dou countered.

The little maid’s air of righteous confidence made Sheng Sanlang choke. He blurted out: “So if she encounters a handsome man, will she take him too?”

Hong Dou thought about it and shook her head.

Sheng Sanlang inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief, then heard Hong Dou say: “There are plenty of handsome men. Our young lady would only be willing to take one if she really liked looking at him.”

Sheng Sanlang: “…” He had actually once thought he could marry Cousin Luo for the sake of good food. How presumptuous of him.

“Young master cousin, hurry and pack up. Our young lady says we’re leaving today.”

Sheng Sanlang nodded in a daze.

In the guest room, Xiu Yue stared straight at Luo Sheng and asked: “Who exactly are you?”

She hadn’t slept all last night. This doubt had nearly driven her mad.

She had even wondered if the black-clothed woman was the princess, if it was the princess’s wronged spirit coming to find her. But today’s events had shattered her desperate hope.

The young lady before her eyes was even younger than the princess. There was no resemblance in appearance—only a pair of eyes equally bright and composed.

Luo Sheng met Xiu Yue’s gaze and calmly countered: “Then what about you? You don’t even know who I am, so why are you willing to go with me?”

Xiu Yue was stumped by the question.

She had no way to answer this question.

The entire Prince of Zhennan’s manor was besieged and killed for the crime of treason, and she was a survivor who couldn’t see the light of day. If something also happened to her, there would be no one left to remember to search for the young prince’s whereabouts.

But this young lady’s performance last night too much resembled the princess, making her unable to help suspecting this person had some connection to the princess.

Intuition told her that by following this person, perhaps the matter she had searched for bitterly for twelve years might have a turning point.

Luo Sheng watched Xiu Yue’s constantly changing expression and smiled faintly: “You see, you can’t even explain why you’re willing to go with me, so why must you ask who I am? I can only tell you this—follow me, and perhaps one day you’ll be able to find the answer.”

She had considered this. Directly revealing her identity to Xiu Yue wasn’t rational.

People all had wariness. Telling someone such an absurd thing right away could only bring suspicion.

Rather than expend effort getting Xiu Yue to accept that she was Princess Qingyang, it was better to let her actively seek the truth. At that time, revealing her identity would let everything fall naturally into place.

Xiu Yue was silent for a moment before asking: “Where are you taking me?”

Luo Sheng’s gaze turned toward the window.

Outside the window, banana leaves were emerald green like jade, stretching freely.

“We’re going to the capital.” This was Luo Sheng’s answer.

Nanyang City had already been left far behind by carriages and horses. Sheng Sanlang, riding a fine horse, looked up at the sky and wiped the sweat beads from his forehead.

Though it was only early in the third month, traveling like this on a clear sunny day was still somewhat sweltering.

His throat beginning to feel parched, Sheng Sanlang’s sharp eyes spotted a tea pavilion by the roadside ahead. He tugged the reins and moved close to the carriage: “Cousin, there’s a tea pavilion ahead. Shall we drink some cool tea before continuing our journey?”

Luo Sheng’s response quickly came from inside the carriage: “Alright.”

The group stopped before the tea pavilion. Including the guards, they directly filled all the long benches.

The tea server deftly wiped down the table and, lifting a long-spouted copper kettle, poured tea for Luo Sheng’s group.

The cups for drinking tea were coarse porcelain cups, the tea was coarse tea, but Sheng Sanlang didn’t mind at all. He picked one up and gulped it down to the bottom—his throat finally felt comfortable.

“Why isn’t cousin drinking?” Seeing Luo Sheng holding the coarse porcelain tea cup without moving, Sheng Sanlang couldn’t help asking.

At this moment, how could Luo Sheng be bothered with drinking tea? All her attention was placed on the person walking toward the tea pavilion.

It was a very young man. Between his brows and eyes was a young adult’s calm indifference, yet he didn’t lack a youth’s sharp spirit. Especially a pair of ink-jade-like eyes matching his somewhat pale complexion—even an inadvertent glance would make one feel piercing coldness.

Sheng Sanlang followed Luo Sheng’s line of sight and couldn’t help being shocked.

This man was very handsome, not inferior to Su Yao at all.

It’s over, it’s over—Cousin Luo has noticed!

“Ahem!” Sheng Sanlang began coughing, hoping the approaching young man could understand his warning and hurry away.

The young man indeed heard Sheng Sanlang’s coughing. His eyes swept this way and he strode right over.

“Does this brother have business?” Sheng Sanlang looked at the young man with the guilty conscience of good intentions gone wrong.

“There are no seats available. Little brother doesn’t mind sharing a table, does he?” Having said this, the young man didn’t wait for Sheng Sanlang’s reply and simply sat down across from Luo Sheng.

Behind the man, a young person dressed as an attendant lowered his eyes to hide his astonishment.

Luo Sheng could no longer sit still.

This was the black-clothed man from two nights ago who had appeared at the manor, whom she had struck on the head with a stone and whose face she had sprinkled with chili powder!

What was he doing sitting across from her?

Could it be he had recognized her?

Though that night couldn’t be called pitch black, she had been wearing a face covering. At most, the other party had only seen her eyes.

Luo Sheng thought of the dagger at her chest, thought of the long whip at her waist, thought of the chili powder in her sleeve, but in the end helplessly extinguished the thought of immediately finishing off this man.

There was no help for it. Broad daylight, public setting—how could one kill someone?

“Miss Luo, have you been well?” The man suddenly spoke.