Shi Huo was a steady young man. Facing Grand Commander Luo, he spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly: “This subordinate has come under orders to interrogate Pingli.”

“On what grounds are you interrogating him?” Grand Commander Luo asked.

Shi Huo said: “The person who assassinated the County Magistrate of Liuqing confessed to being instructed by Pingli.”

Grand Commander Luo’s eyes narrowed. He originally wanted to ask whether the assassin of the Liuqing County Magistrate came from a certain assassin organization, but forcibly swallowed the question.

His Majesty was a suspicious person. After he became involved in the old affairs from twelve years ago, he ordered multiple parties to participate in the investigation precisely for the purpose of mutual checks and balances.

Prince Kaiyang was one of these parties.

If he inquired about these matters from Prince Kaiyang, it would be troublesome once it reached His Majesty’s ears.

For Grand Commander Luo, who had just emerged from the great prison, caution was naturally paramount.

Ahem, he wasn’t anxious. Perhaps Prince Kaiyang would proactively tell Sheng’er.

Grand Commander Luo had this thought in a flash of inspiration, and upon further consideration, he actually felt quite confident about it.

Seeing that Grand Commander Luo remained silent, Shi Huo cupped his hands and asked: “Grand Commander, may I ask if it’s convenient to bring him out now?”

Grand Commander Luo collected his thoughts, his expression suddenly becoming grave: “To be frank, Pingli has escaped.”

Escaped?

Shi Huo looked at Grand Commander Luo with astonishment.

A person confined in the Jinlin Guard’s prison had escaped, yet after such an incident, why did Grand Commander Luo give him the feeling of being quite pleased with himself?

As if he had gained some advantage.

Of course, Shi Huo was not like his third brother Shi Yan—even if surprised, he remained discreet.

“Could the Grand Commander inform me of the details so this subordinate can report back to my master?”

Grand Commander Luo looked embarrassed: “It’s due to my lax supervision. My daughter had deep sibling affection with Pingli and made a fuss about seeing him once, so I let her see him. As a result, Pingli took my daughter hostage…”

Shi Huo was stunned hearing this.

Miss Luo had deep sibling affection with Pingli?

Miss Luo was taken hostage by Pingli?

This news was truly rather shocking.

Shi Huo hurriedly left the Jinlin Guard offices and reported the information he had obtained to Wei Han.

“Say that again.”

Though the tone was calm, Shi Huo detected waves of coldness and hastily repeated everything.

“Grand Commander Luo really said this?”

Shi Huo cupped his fists: “Grand Commander Luo told this subordinate personally.”

Wei Han rose abruptly and strode outside with large steps.

Grand Commander Luo was patiently waiting for news when a Jinlin Guard came in to report that Prince Kaiyang had arrived.

Grand Commander Luo was slightly surprised.

The personal guard had already come, so Prince Kaiyang wouldn’t make another trip, would he?

Regardless of what he thought, he couldn’t neglect propriety toward Prince Kaiyang. Grand Commander Luo calmly went out to greet him, saying politely: “I didn’t expect Your Highness to grace us with your presence. If Your Highness has any matter, you need only send someone to say so—”

Wei Han got straight to the point: “I heard that Pingli took your daughter hostage.”

“How shameful, making Your Highness laugh at me.” Grand Commander Luo showed an embarrassed expression.

His daughter eloping with a traitor imprisoned in jail was a scandalous disgrace. Only because Sheng’er had trained him over these years could he remain this composed.

“Is it Second Miss Luo?” Wei Han asked again.

On his way to the Jinlin Guard offices, he had thought that Shi Huo must have heard incorrectly, but he still needed to ask to truly set his mind at ease.

Grand Commander Luo was somewhat displeased.

Why probe to the bottom of such a disgraceful matter?

Who would have thought Prince Kaiyang was also a gossip.

However, the person had escaped from his place, and he could get out thanks to help from the young man before him. Grand Commander Luo couldn’t act tough, so he nodded: “It’s that worthless girl.”

Wei Han’s lips curved upward.

Grand Commander Luo: ?

Why did he actually detect a trace of pleasure on Prince Kaiyang’s face?

Wei Han immediately straightened his expression: “If the Grand Commander needs any assistance, please speak freely.”

That serious face made Grand Commander Luo think he had been seeing things earlier.

“Many thanks, Your Highness.”

The two didn’t have much to say to each other. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Wei Han said: “Then I’ll take my leave.”

Grand Commander Luo secretly breathed a sigh of relief: “Your Highness, take care.”

Wei Han walked a few steps, then his feet paused and he suddenly stopped.

“Does Your Highness have other matters?”

“Today… is there a tavern opening for business?”

Grand Commander Luo fell silent for a moment.

He suddenly felt this was Prince Kaiyang’s real purpose for making this trip.

Ahem, Sheng’er opened for business when she wanted and closed when she wanted—she wouldn’t tell him.

But he couldn’t show weakness before outsiders.

Grand Commander Luo immediately adopted a serious expression: “I haven’t heard Sheng’er say the tavern is closed today, so it should open. However, for me there’s no difference—Sheng’er prepares my food and wine every day anyway.”

Wei Han lightly drew his brows together.

He felt Grand Commander Luo was showing off to him.

However, considering the relationship between Grand Commander Luo and Miss Luo, he had to let it go.

“Thank you for informing me, Grand Commander.” Wei Han nodded slightly and strode away from the Jinlin Guard offices.

Returning to the prince’s manor, Wei Han said coldly: “Summon Shi Huo.”

Shi Huo quickly arrived: “What are Master’s orders?”

“Put aside the matters at hand for now and go scrub the chamber pots.”

Shi Huo walked out with a bewildered expression.

Scrubbing chamber pots was one of the cruel punishments at the prince’s manor. He didn’t know what he had done wrong to have stolen the job his third and fourth brothers usually did.

Wei Han picked up his teacup and slowly drank a few sips, feeling not the slightest sympathy for the personal guard he had sent to scrub chamber pots.

To get even this wrong—he was only fit for scrubbing chamber pots.

How could Miss Luo possibly have deep sibling affection with Pingli?

After this hiding, Pingli spent three days in concealment.

He didn’t choose to leave the city.

Compared to fleeing desperately without direction after leaving the city, staying within the city made it easier to hide.

Throughout the city, he had several residences he had gradually acquired over the years, from the western district where nobles gathered, to the eastern district where all walks of life congregated, and even the southern and northern districts—he had properties everywhere.

Pingli was hiding in an inconspicuous dwelling in the eastern district.

This area was a chaotic mix of people. New faces didn’t stand out, and once hidden in his pre-arranged residence, no one could find him.

Having spent many years in the Jinlin Guard, their tracking methods posed no threat to him.

Moreover, though the Jinlin Guard’s reputation was frightening, they were actually ordinary people—perhaps skilled at raiding homes, but not all-seeing, all-hearing immortals.

The only annoying thing was that this place had been visited by thieves, and the provisions he had prepared with foresight were gone.

Pingli touched his stomach, gazing toward the doorway with some hesitation.

On his way fleeing here, he hadn’t dared buy large quantities of food—three days ago he had only hastily bought six meat buns.

Having grown accustomed to delicacies over the years, he would no longer spare a glance at such lowly fare as meat buns.

Who would have thought that in desperate times, what sustained him would still be meat buns?

That year, what changed his beggar’s fate was similarly a meat bun.

Diagonally across from his hiding place at the street corner was a stall that specialized in selling meat buns—perhaps this was why he had purchased this place to begin with.

The heavy snow from three days ago had begun melting due to the consecutive clear days. When snow melts, it’s colder than when it snows, especially when one’s stomach is empty—it becomes even harder to withstand such cold weather.

Pingli licked his bluish lips and finally made the decision to go buy a few meat buns.

Going out to buy food would involve some risk, but he couldn’t be trapped here and starve to death.