This was a youth who bore four or five parts resemblance to Su Yao. Looking at his figure alone, they were nearly identical.

“Feiyang, come greet Miss Luo.”

The youth stepped forward and greeted Luo Sheng.

Luo Sheng gazed at him intently and curved her lips in a smile. “Your Highness, I think he looks very much like the newly crowned zhuangyuan, Su Yao.”

In that instant, she saw the youth’s eyes flash and his expression change slightly. Upon closer examination, there was no trace to follow.

Luo Sheng looked at Princess Changle with a bright smile.

Princess Changle seemed not to have expected Luo Sheng to suddenly say this. After a brief moment of astonishment, she smiled and said, “He does bear some resemblance. A’Sheng, it’s not like you don’t know—I’ve taken a fancy to Su Yao now, so I found someone who resembles him somewhat to relieve my boredom.”

From the corner of her eye, Luo Sheng paid attention to the youth. After Princess Changle casually said the words “relieve my boredom,” she clearly saw his expression suddenly darken.

“No wonder Your Highness didn’t have him appear at yesterday’s chrysanthemum appreciation banquet.” Luo Sheng teased with a blink of her eyes.

Princess Changle smiled nonchalantly. “A’Sheng, don’t overthink it. He had a bit of a cough yesterday, so I didn’t have him meet people.”

Luo Sheng sighed regretfully. “Had I known about Feiyang, I wouldn’t have chosen Lingxiao.”

Princess Changle was stunned, a trace of strangeness emerging in her expression. “A’Sheng has taken a fancy to Feiyang?”

Luo Sheng tensed her heartstrings, but her face showed not the slightest hint. “I do find the one before me more to my liking. Why don’t Your Highness give him to me?”

This request was somewhat risky, but she had to try.

Even if Princess Changle refused, it wouldn’t be without any gain. At the very least, she could probe whether Princess Changle’s regard for Miss Luo was merely so-so.

If she agreed, then this trip would be a great harvest.

Princess Changle looked deeply at Luo Sheng.

Luo Sheng appeared completely calm and composed.

After a brief silence, Princess Changle spoke. “Since A’Sheng wants him, naturally there’s no problem.”

She looked at the youth and said lazily, “Feiyang, that Miss Luo has taken a fancy to you is your good fortune. Later, you’ll go with Miss Luo.”

“Your Highness—” The youth seemed unable to believe it, his tone carrying a trace of astonishment.

Princess Changle’s face turned cold, her lazy tone becoming stern. “Did you hear me?”

The youth bowed his head deeply and said softly, “Yes.”

Luo Sheng glanced at the youth and cheerfully expressed her thanks to Princess Changle.

“Why be so formal between you and me? If you truly want to thank me, make me another portion of glutinous rice and red bean paste rolls later.”

Luo Sheng smiled with pursed lips. “Besides glutinous rice and red bean paste rolls, I can also make glutinous rice rose and red date cake, pumpkin glutinous rice cake, brown sugar mochi…”

Princess Changle’s eyes brightened as she exclaimed, “A’Sheng, so you’ve spent these two years on this!”

The two women conversed, with no one paying further attention to the handsome youth standing there silently.

“Your Highness, I should be going.”

Princess Changle instructed a servant to escort Luo Sheng out, then lowered her eyes to look at her open right palm.

The wound on her palm had already been treated and didn’t look as horrifying anymore, but the faint threads of pain from the surrounding area still made Princess Changle furrow her brows and her eyes turn cold.

She was true imperial nobility, especially after her elder siblings had successively passed away—she had become even more precious.

In all these years, forget such a wound—even when servants combed her hair and a single strand fell out, they would be terrified.

Yet Wei Wen had dared to stab her with a golden hairpin.

Cold light flowed through Princess Changle’s eyes as she rose and walked outside.

The quiet chamber where the Longevity Immortal Lady was enshrined still swirled with incense mist. Princess Changle walked in and recited scriptures under the gentle, loving gaze of the Longevity Immortal Lady.

The smooth, pleasant sound of scripture recitation began. Princess Changle’s stern expression gradually became calm.

After an unknown amount of time, the sound of recitation stopped.

Princess Changle raised her eyes to look at the somewhat aged statue of the Longevity Immortal Lady, then walked out with a peaceful expression.

Luo Sheng walked toward the carriage stopped outside the second gate, Hong Dou by her side, and behind her the youth who resembled Su Yao.

“Miss, take your time.” Hong Dou lifted the carriage curtain with one hand and helped Luo Sheng into the carriage, then climbed in herself.

The youth stood outside the carriage, momentarily not moving.

Luo Sheng leaned close to Hong Dou’s ear and whispered a few words.

Hong Dou nodded, lifted the window curtain, and called out, “Hey, what are you standing there like an idiot for? Hurry up and get in!”

Seeing the youth still showed no intention of moving, Hong Dou’s willow-leaf brows stood on end. “What, do you need me to get out of the carriage and invite you?”

With Hong Dou’s shout, quite a few gazes turned their way.

The youth knew he couldn’t avoid it. Keeping his head lowered, he silently boarded the carriage.

The carriage interior was fairly spacious—adding one more person didn’t make it feel crowded.

Hong Dou called out, “Miss says to go directly to the tavern.”

Hearing this, the coachman cracked his whip, and the carriage slowly departed from the Princess’s Manor.

The sky was growing late, but places like Qingxing Street remained as lively as ever—this was the busy time for wine houses and eateries.

Moreover, with squads from either the Ministry of Justice yamen, the Western City Military Commissioner’s Office, or Prince Pingnan’s Manor passing by from time to time, it drew even more people to Qingxing Street.

Drinking wine while watching the excitement—how delightful!

Compared to the liveliness outside, the carriage interior was rather cold and quiet.

Hong Dou had been staring at the youth since he boarded and finally couldn’t help scolding, “Hey, why do you keep wearing that funeral face? Are you unhappy about going with our miss?”

The youth sat in the spot closest to the carriage door, showing no reaction to Hong Dou’s displeasure.

Hong Dou shifted closer to him and spat, “You really don’t know what’s good for you. I’m telling you, being able to follow our miss is a blessing you’ve cultivated over several lifetimes. It’s much better than following the Princess…”

The youth, who had been expressionless all along, finally showed a change in his demeanor.

“What, did I say something wrong?” Hong Dou asked with her hands on her hips.

Sitting in the carriage, this gesture inevitably lacked some imposing force.

Luo Sheng lifted a corner of the window curtain and gazed outside casually, completely indifferent to the little maid’s commotion inside the carriage.

“Not going to speak?” Hong Dou’s voice rose. “I’m telling you, not speaking means you agree! Since you don’t want to follow our miss, why didn’t you say so when you were at the Princess’s Manor? Now putting on this unwilling appearance—are you trying to make people think our miss is forcibly abducting you? Heh, clearly the Princess doesn’t care for you anymore, which is why she happily gave you to our miss—”

Luo Sheng seemed to finally be unable to listen anymore and put down the window curtain, chiding, “Hong Dou.”

The little maid felt even more aggrieved. “Miss, he’s gotten a bargain but still acts coy. He should see how happy that Lingxiao was to leave the Princess and follow you—”

“Please don’t mention Her Highness again.” The youth finally spoke, his voice slightly heavy.

“Can’t mention her?” Hong Dou was instantly provoked and excitedly shifted toward the youth. “I will mention her, I will mention her! If you have the ability, don’t follow our miss—go find your Princess Highness!”

The little maid was fuming with rage. She suddenly extended her leg and kicked the youth out of the carriage.

The carriage traveling on Qingxing Street wasn’t moving fast, but someone suddenly falling out still stunned the passing pedestrians.

They had just heard quite a commotion coming from inside this carriage and had deliberately walked faster to follow along—how did someone suddenly fall out?

Someone with sharp eyes called out, “Oh my, isn’t that the zhuangyuan!”