Setting aside what kind of storm Student Xiao Qi would face after being caught playing truant, on this day Wei Han came to the tavern somewhat early again.

Shi Yan understood at a glance.

The master had come to look at the persimmon tree with Miss Luo again.

Whenever the master wanted to look at the persimmon tree with Miss Luo, he would come earlier.

“Master has arrived.”

Not seeing Luo Sheng in the main hall, Wei Han asked indifferently, “Where is Miss Luo?”

“Miss Luo is in the back kitchen. Please wait, this humble servant will call her.” After speaking, Shi Yan ran into the back courtyard and called out, “Miss Luo, the master has come to look at the persimmon tree with you.”

That persimmon tree in the courtyard still stood alone. After the snow melted, it revealed bare branches, which in Shi Yan’s view looked even uglier.

Luo Sheng walked out of the kitchen and simply waited by the persimmon tree, saying openly, “Then please have your prince come over. I’ll wait for him under the persimmon tree.”

Shi Yan returned to the main hall with complicated feelings.

Someone like him who so wanted to help the master and Miss Luo get together—facing such a straightforward young lady, he had strength but nowhere to apply it…

“Master, Miss Luo is waiting for you under the persimmon tree.”

Wei Han nodded and strode toward the back.

Shi Yan looked at that tall figure rapidly disappearing and, stroking his smooth chin, suddenly thought of something: if this were autumn instead, with the master and Miss Luo standing under the persimmon tree chatting casually (he didn’t dare hope for declarations of affection), and suddenly a ripe persimmon fell down and hit the master on the head—

Shi Yan quickly shook his head. Thinking again of that bare persimmon tree, he finally found one advantage: at least it bore no persimmons.

The persimmon tree had no opportunity to hear a man and woman whisper sweet nothings. As soon as Wei Han arrived, he and Luo Sheng went inside.

The two sat facing each other with a small tea table between them.

Wei Han picked up the teapot warming on the small stove nearby and with practiced ease poured two cups of hot tea.

One cup for Luo Sheng, one cup for himself.

Luo Sheng held the scalding tea cup and asked directly, “Does Your Highness have news about that assassin organization?”

Wei Han nodded slightly. “The assassin who escaped that day was very vigilant. We followed him for two days before tracking him to a location.”

“What location?” Although Luo Sheng was anxious inside, her expression remained composed.

From arriving in the capital until now, more than half a year had passed—she could wait a little longer.

Speaking of urgency, when confronting a behemoth like the imperial family, nothing wasn’t urgent.

Wei Han had no intention of making Luo Sheng wait long and said, “A gambling house called Qianjin Pavilion.”

Luo Sheng was startled.

Qianjin Pavilion—she had just recently heard of it.

Her troublesome nephew Xu Xi had lately been playing there with such abandon that he forgot to return.

Wei Han was also startled, his tone complex. “Miss Luo also knows of Qianjin Pavilion?”

Could it be that Miss Luo had been there?

According to reports from subordinates tracking the assassin, directly across from Qianjin Pavilion was a male escort house with good business…

Wei Han looked deeply at Luo Sheng and thought: Did Miss Luo go to the gambling house, or to the male escort house?

Luo Sheng had no idea what the man across from her was thinking and nodded calmly. “Naturally I’ve heard of it. Have Your Highness’s men discovered the relationship between that assassin and the gambling house?”

Wei Han picked up his tea cup and took a sip, calming his mood. “That gambling house should be one of that organization’s strongholds. Currently we haven’t alerted them, so we’re not yet certain which people in the gambling hall are theirs…”

Luo Sheng listened carefully, secretly surprised by that mysterious organization’s astuteness.

Choosing a stronghold in a place like a gambling house with people constantly coming and going and all sorts mixed together—it truly couldn’t be more suitable.

Because it was so chaotic, it was actually convenient for concealment.

For instance, this time the assassin they tracked ran into the gambling house. Trying to distinguish whether the people in the gambling hall were ordinary gamblers, gambling house staff, or members of the assassin organization wasn’t so easy.

Seeing Luo Sheng’s furrowed brow in thought, Wei Han smiled. “Miss Luo, you needn’t worry about these things. My people should be able to figure it out after watching for a few more days.”

What if Miss Luo couldn’t put her mind at ease and ran to the gambling house, conveniently visiting across the street—what then?

As for why he minded Miss Luo visiting across the street, Wei Han didn’t think deeply about it and considered it natural.

Wasn’t it proper to mind young ladies visiting male escort houses? Even Grand Commander Luo would mind.

“Then I’ll trouble Your Highness.” Luo Sheng picked up the long-spouted copper pot and refilled Wei Han’s tea.

Wei Han relaxed a little and slowly drank his tea.

The tea was scalding hot. Sitting in the warm room, sitting across from the young lady with features like a painting, drinking this way, his heart also became scalding hot.

Wei Han felt something was strange.

He clearly hadn’t drunk any wine yet seemed somewhat intoxicated.

In his vision, that familiar face seemed even more beautiful…

Luo Sheng noticed the man across from her had been staring at her for rather a long time and looked at him with some puzzlement.

Under the young lady’s gaze, Wei Han suddenly became nervous and forced himself to appear calm while rubbing his brow. “My apologies, I’ve drunk too much.”

Luo Sheng immediately looked at the tea cup in Wei Han’s hand.

That’s right, it was indeed a tea cup, with steaming tea she had just poured inside.

What happened when Prince Kaiyang drank too much tea? Would he throw a drunken tantrum?

Wei Han also realized he had spoken nonsense.

Showing embarrassment in front of Miss Luo was impossible—that would only be more embarrassing.

So a certain someone could only continue forcing himself to appear calm and extended an invitation. “Miss Luo, why don’t we go look at the persimmon tree after all?”

Luo Sheng very obligingly nodded.

That was fine too. If Prince Kaiyang threw a drunken tantrum, let the persimmon tree deal with it.

In the main hall, wine patrons gradually arrived. Wei Han returned to his usual seat to drink wine and eat meat.

Luo Sheng gave Kou’er a meaningful look and returned to the back courtyard.

“How is the situation with Young Master Xu?”

Kou’er shook her head repeatedly and sighed heavily. “Young Master Xu is hopeless. Those few people who regularly gamble with him are clearly colluding to scheme against him. Yet he can’t see it at all. After winning a few small amounts and getting a taste of success, he goes to Qianjin Pavilion every day. A young master from a marquis household with so little discernment—he’s truly hopeless…”

“He’s lost quite a bit?”

Kou’er made a gesture. “He’s already lost eight hundred taels of silver!”

Fearing Luo Sheng didn’t understand what eight hundred taels meant, the little maid quickly explained, “Miss, don’t think eight hundred taels is little—eight hundred taels is no small sum. You know Cousin Young Master, right? His monthly allowance is only five taels. Even giving him eight hundred taels, it wouldn’t finish paying out in thirteen years.”

Sheng Sanlang, who happened to come to the back kitchen to fetch dishes, vaguely overheard fragments and his brow furrowed.

Why did he hear Kou’er mention “Cousin Young Master”?

That wasn’t important, but what was this about paying out for thirteen years? By then he’d be thirty!

Seeing Sheng Sanlang appear, Kou’er asked with a smile, “Cousin Young Master, tell our miss, isn’t eight hundred taels quite a lot?”

Hearing eight hundred taels, what immediately popped into Sheng Sanlang’s mind was his income when at home: five taels monthly allowance.

“Cousin, Kou’er is right—eight hundred taels really is especially a lot.”

“I understand.” Luo Sheng smiled faintly.

Seeing his cousin understood, Sheng Sanlang cheerfully entered the kitchen. Not until he was carrying a pot of lamb into the main hall did his steps suddenly halt.

He had just now realized what would take thirteen years to pay out!