Princess Changle said with a stern face, “Put down the hairpin and this princess will see you out.”

Luo Sheng withdrew her hand.

Princess Changle secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the composed and calm young woman, she asked, “Aren’t you afraid this princess will call for people?”

Luo Sheng smiled gently. “Such an embarrassing matter—how could Your Highness do that?”

Princess Changle looked at Luo Sheng with somewhat complicated eyes. “Sometimes I feel you haven’t lost your memory after all.”

The person standing before her still seemed to be that A’Sheng who understood her so well.

Yet the other’s peaceful and indifferent gaze reminded her—things were different now.

“Let’s go.” Suppressing the wavering in her heart, Princess Changle said flatly.

The two walked out of the meditation room together.

The instant she stepped through the doorway, Luo Sheng glanced back.

Amid the drifting incense smoke, the dignified and beautiful Longevity Immortal Maiden gazed at them with compassionate eyes.

The maids standing outside all bowed to Princess Changle in succession.

Princess Changle held her chin slightly raised, looking straight ahead as she walked past these maids.

Luo Sheng was even calmer, walking shoulder to shoulder with Princess Changle. The two seemed still to be that pair of intimate friends.

Princess Changle pressed her lips tightly together as she escorted Luo Sheng all the way to the main gate.

Luo Sheng stopped and said with a smile, “Your Highness need not see me off further.”

Princess Changle also smiled. “A’Sheng, take care.”

She watched coldly as the Luo residence’s carriage slowly departed. Only after it turned the corner and disappeared from view did she stride back inside.

The sleeping palace was filled with layer upon layer of curtains—luxurious and quiet.

Princess Changle walked barefoot on the thick carpet, expressionless as she passed through the curtains and stopped before a person.

That person had an elegant and serene bearing, like a quietly blooming magnolia—it was none other than Su Yao, the champion scholar renowned throughout Great Zhou.

At this moment, Su Yao had removed his blue official robes and wore a moon-white robe instead, which made him appear even more like jade, with peerless elegance.

“Has Miss Luo left?” He spoke first.

“She’s gone.” Princess Changle sat languidly on the beauty couch, her expression revealing neither pleasure nor anger.

Su Yao fell silent for a moment.

From his youth until now, he had encountered many women who approached him. Without exception, those women all had gazes of admiration and longing.

Because of this, he could almost understand them at a glance.

But now there were two women who required his careful consideration—one was Miss Luo, and one was Princess Changle before him.

“Did Your Highness ask?”

Princess Changle raised her teacup and took a sip, saying flatly, “I asked. She admitted she doesn’t remember.”

Su Yao smiled faintly. “It seems I didn’t misjudge.”

Princess Changle set down the teacup casually, propping her chin with one hand in a lazy manner. “Compiler Su is indeed meticulous.”

“Thank you for Your Highness’s praise.”

Princess Changle’s bare foot lightly touched Su Yao’s robe as she asked casually, “Then what else do you know that this princess doesn’t?”

Su Yao looked deeply at Princess Changle for a moment, then said slowly, “This subject also knows that Miss Luo’s birth date and hour is the mao hour on the seventh day of the seventh month in the year Wuchen.”

Princess Changle immediately sat up straight, her gaze deep and fixed on Su Yao. “How do you know?”

When her imperial father selected consorts again, she naturally knew about those peculiar selection criteria. She had even thought that A’Sheng was born on that day.

But though she and A’Sheng had been close for all these years, she didn’t know A’Sheng’s specific birth date.

This wasn’t strange—a person’s birth date and hour were closely related to their fate and destiny, so they wouldn’t be casually revealed.

Given this, it was too puzzling that Su Yao would know.

Hearing Princess Changle’s question, Su Yao smiled. “Has Your Highness forgotten? When we were in Jinsha, this subject and Miss Luo once discussed marriage.”

Princess Changle suddenly understood, saying word by word, “I see.”

After a moment of silence, she gazed into Su Yao’s eyes and asked, “What do you mean by telling me this?”

Su Yao laughed lightly. “It’s merely that this subject is telling Your Highness what I know.”

Princess Changle pressed her lips together and said flatly, “You want this princess to get her into the palace?”

Su Yao shook his head. “No, I’m only telling you what I know. Everything else depends on Your Highness.”

Princess Changle stood up and paced back and forth.

She was barefoot, her footsteps silent, yet it felt as though she was stepping on Su Yao’s heart, making him feel urgent.

He certainly wasn’t as carefree as he appeared on the surface—he wanted to know Princess Changle’s decision.

Su Yao’s eyelids trembled slightly, but his face still revealed nothing.

Princess Changle suddenly stopped, her slender pale fingers lightly touching his chest. “This princess has thought it over and finds the idea of A’Sheng entering the palace as a consort quite interesting.”

Su Yao’s lips curved in a smile. “Actually, this subject thinks so too.”

The two looked at each other and smiled.

A breeze blew in from somewhere unknown, stirring the curtains, carrying dark fragrance, and making Su Yao’s gaze grow ever deeper.

Princess Changle gently pushed him away, her expression somewhere between a smile and not. “Compiler Su, you should leave now.”

Su Yao was silent for a moment, then bowed to Princess Changle. “This subject takes his leave.”

When Luo Sheng returned to the Idle Cloud Courtyard, she took a thorough bath and changed her clothes inside and out. Only then did she feel that the fragrance that had been lingering at the tip of her nose had finally dispersed.

Kou’er came in and said softly, “Miss, the person we had watching the Princess’s residence has sent news.”

For this Hongmen Banquet trip, Luo Sheng had naturally made some arrangements to prevent the worst from happening. Having little beggars keep watch was one of them.

“Go ahead.”

Kou’er said in a low voice, “Some time after you left, Su Yao quietly departed from the Princess’s residence.”

Luo Sheng’s eyebrows rose slightly, her expression gradually becoming serious.

From experience, wherever Su Yao appeared, nothing good happened.

On this trip to the Princess’s residence, she and Princess Changle had completely torn off their pretenses. Given Princess Changle’s temperament of being unable to bear even the slightest grievance, she would surely launch retaliation next.

Princess Changle probably wouldn’t do something as unwise as going directly to His Majesty to complain. So from what angle would she make her move?

Luo Sheng’s thoughts turned in circles as she fell into contemplation.

Princess Changle, Su Yao—

She suddenly thought of something and instructed Kou’er, “Go call Hong Dou here.”

Kou’er immediately felt disappointed.

She had been waiting to display her abilities and share the young miss’s burdens—why was Hong Dou suddenly being summoned? What use was Hong Dou besides cracking melon seeds?

The little maid grumbled inwardly, pursing her lips as she went to call Hong Dou in.

“What instructions does the young miss have?” Hong Dou shot Kou’er a triumphant look and asked with a smile.

Luo Sheng nodded slightly at Kou’er. “Kou’er, you go stand guard outside first.”

Kou’er: “…”

The little maid went out to guard the door, feeling very aggrieved.

Hong Dou’s lips curved high. “Please give your instructions, Miss.”

Luo Sheng took a sip of tea and asked calmly, “When we were in Jinsha, before I was schemed against by Sheng Jialan, how far had things progressed between me and Su Yao?”

“Progressed?” Hong Dou blinked. “Not much progress—we hadn’t had time to snatch him back yet.”

“Meaning that the day I woke up was the first time my eldest aunt went to the Su family to probe about the marriage?”

Hong Dou nodded. “Yes, before that, the old lady and the others thought you were being ridiculous and didn’t pay attention. They only became afraid after you had your accident and went to the Su family.”

Luo Sheng frowned slightly.

When two families mentioned marriage matters, according to convention they would only match the eight characters after both sides had reached an understanding. That meant Su Yao shouldn’t have had any way to know her birth date and hour.