Luo Sheng was in a good mood, her tone gentler than usual: “What would Your Highness like to eat?”

“Saozi noodles.” Wei Han blurted out.

“Then Your Highness, please wait. Saozi noodles are easy to make—it will not take long.”

Walking toward the kitchen, Luo Sheng was still thinking: she had thought Prince Kaiyang would make excessive demands, but unexpectedly his request was quite modest.

Wei Han watched the figure disappearing at the kitchen doorway and was dumbstruck.

What had he just said?

Shi Yan sidled over with a look of exasperation: “Master, Miss Luo let you order anything you wanted, and you ordered a bowl of saozi noodles?”

Wei Han looked expressionlessly at the young guard, his mood heavy.

Was this about losing out on a bowl of saozi noodles?

He had just mustered his courage, originally intending to test whether Miss Luo had any intention of becoming his wife. But now Miss Luo had gone to make him saozi noodles. If he raised that request now, would Miss Luo think him greedy for more?

She might even dump the saozi noodles on his face.

“Master—”

Shi Yan wanted to say more but was dismissed with a single word from Wei Han: “Scram.”

The young guard rolled his eyes and left.

Wei Han sat alone at the stone table, feeling rather forlorn.

Soon an appetizing aroma wafted over.

He turned his eyes toward the kitchen, a thought circling in his mind: a bowl of saozi noodles really was a loss. How had he just blurted that out?

He did not know how long he had been staring fixedly when a familiar figure appeared at the kitchen doorway.

Luo Sheng walked over and set the tray on the stone table.

On the tray were two bowls of steaming saozi noodles.

White, thin noodles in bright red sour broth, topped with saozi made from stir-fried pork belly, and garnished with egg strips, wood ear mushroom pieces, and other ingredients. Just looking at it made one’s appetite stir.

Wei Han pressed his lips together, thinking that two bowls of saozi noodles would not be enough—this seemed like an even greater loss.

Luo Sheng sat down, placed one bowl of noodles before him, then picked up her chopsticks.

Wei Han froze.

Was Miss Luo going to… eat with him?

Seeing Wei Han sitting there dumbly, Luo Sheng was somewhat puzzled: “Will Your Highness not eat?”

“I will.” Wei Han came to his senses, staring at those elegant hands holding the chopsticks. “Is Miss Luo hungry as well?”

From what he understood about Miss Luo, she always waited until the tavern closed before eating.

Luo Sheng’s hand tightened around the chopsticks, her dark brows rising slightly.

Was Prince Kaiyang begrudging the saozi noodles?

“Cough, cough, cough—” Violent coughing sounds came from nearby.

Wei Han’s peripheral vision swept over Shi Yan, and he suddenly realized: Miss Luo was going to eat with him.

Thinking this, he was instantly filled with joy.

“Miss Luo.”

Luo Sheng quietly waited for what would follow.

“In the future, I would like to eat other things. May I place orders?”

From beneath the man’s calm exterior, Luo Sheng detected that thread of carefulness and nodded slightly.

Although Prince Kaiyang was of the Wei family, he had helped her greatly. Requests made within her capabilities would naturally not be refused.

“Then… could Miss Luo cook them?”

Luo Sheng hesitated briefly, then nodded: “If I have leisure time, I can.”

Wei Han smiled with upturned lips.

Every day he could see Miss Luo, eat dishes Miss Luo had made, and have Miss Luo eat with him.

Thinking this way, it did not seem like such a loss after all.

His feelings still needed to be expressed, but he could wait a while.

He had made so many requests today—if he made this one too and Miss Luo thought he was using his favor to coerce her, what then?

“The noodles will get soggy. Your Highness should hurry and eat.”

Wei Han said no more and picked up his chopsticks to eat heartily.

By the persimmon tree, the two ate their noodles in silence.

Shi Yan watched this scene and chuckled.

As news of the Crown Prince’s deposition spread everywhere, Prince Pingnan’s manor became a place everyone avoided like the plague.

Emperor Yong’an quickly launched a purge of officials close to the deposed Crown Prince—some were demoted, some dismissed from office, and others exiled to the frontier.

For instance, Su Yao’s superior who had relayed messages for Prince Pingnan’s manor was demoted out of the capital and never appeared in the Hanlin Academy again.

The brilliant newly-appointed top scholar Su Yao’s position in the Hanlin Academy suddenly became awkward.

This man was Prince Pingnan Manor’s son-in-law—what prospects could he possibly have in the future?

Tsk, tsk. One wrong step, and every step after was wrong. What a shame for this young top scholar.

Some tactfully advised Su Yao to break off the engagement.

Having heard these words of advice, Su Yao smiled faintly: “My engagement to the Young Princess came first, Prince Pingnan Manor’s troubles came later. If I broke off the engagement now, would I not become someone who kicks others when they are down? Su will not do such a thing.”

Once these words spread, the newly-appointed top scholar who had already faded from public view became a hot topic of discussion again.

The top scholar was not only talented and handsome but possessed such character—truly rare indeed!

For a time, whenever people mentioned top scholar Su Yao, they praised him endlessly. It was said that even His Majesty, upon hearing of this, showed some appreciation.

When the news reached Prince Pingnan’s manor, Wei Wen buried herself in her bed and wept bitterly, but the gloom that had shrouded her heart for days lifted considerably.

“Young Princess, please do not cry anymore. Your good days are still ahead,” her personal maid consoled.

Wei Wen wiped her tears and sighed softly: “I hope fortune will come after adversity. I truly have had enough of such days.”

Fortunately, her luck was not so terrible—at least she had not married the wrong person.

The maid clasped her hands together, tears also in her eyes: “Surely fortune will come. Who knows how many young ladies in the capital envy Young Princess?”

Wei Wen’s eyes reddened as she showed her first smile in days.

As a woman, what could be more important than marrying a good man? Heaven had not been so cruel to her after all.

Wei Wen’s anxious, tormented heart became settled, and she attended to her parents even more diligently.

If her parents could not hold on, she would have to observe mourning for three years. She dared not even think about whether such a long time might bring changes to her betrothal.

Soon the reputation of Prince Pingnan Manor’s Young Princess as utterly pure and filial spread. When people in the capital mentioned her, they all said that top scholar Su Yao and Prince Pingnan Manor’s Young Princess were a match made in heaven.

In a private room at the tavern, Sheng Erlang raised his cup to toast Su Yao: “Brother Su, I truly admire you. No wonder since childhood our family elders always told us to learn from you.”

Su Yao raised his cup and clinked it, saying indifferently, “When Brother Sheng says this, it makes me feel ashamed. I have not done anything special—anyone else would do the same.”

Sheng Erlang scoffed: “Brother Su thinks too well of people. Never mind distant examples—when Uncle’s troubles occurred, just look at how the Tao family, who were engaged to Eldest Cousin, behaved.”

Su Yao smiled.

Sheng Sanlang held his wine cup, wanting to speak but hesitating.

Everyone outside said Prince Pingnan Manor’s Young Princess was utterly pure and filial, but why did he feel the Young Princess had shown a completely different face when she came to cause trouble at the tavern that time?

Should he give Brother Su a warning?

Sheng Sanlang fell into an internal struggle.

“Orange wine!” Hong Dou set the wine pot on the table with a thump, left with pursed lips, and as soon as she stepped out began whispering with Kou’er.

“Who knows what ability that Su Yao has—never mind that he has captivated countless young ladies in the capital, he has even dazzled the young masters into a stupor.”

Sheng Sanlang walked out just in time to hear this and nearly stumbled.

Who had been dazzled into a stupor by Su Yao? He was perfectly clear-headed!