“Arrest people?” Shi Yan looked lazy and indifferent. “Arrest whom?”

The leading official’s expression was suspicious. “Brother Shi doesn’t know?”

By rights, these two from the Shi family working as servers at the Youjian Wine Shop should also be arrested, but unfortunately they belonged to Prince Kaiyang—they didn’t dare touch them.

“Luo Chi has rebelled. Miss Luo is now a traitor’s daughter. Everyone connected to the Luo household must be arrested.”

“Is that so?” Shi Yan looked completely surprised.

The female shopkeeper cried out in alarm and instinctively grabbed her iron abacus.

Heavens, she’d thought that following Miss Luo and regularly encountering imperial relatives and court officials was already exciting enough—she never imagined there’d be a day when she’d be connected to rebellion.

Rebellion?

Clutching her iron abacus, the female shopkeeper suddenly felt dizzy.

Hearing the female shopkeeper’s cry of alarm, the leading official looked over and couldn’t help but grow angry. “What, do you dare resist orders?”

People who worked with Miss Luo really were unruly—even a shopkeeper dared to wield an abacus to attack officials.

Thinking of that Miss Luo who had once coerced him into doing many things, the leading official’s expression darkened slightly.

Shi Yan ignored the leading official’s shouting and turned to call toward the back. “Fuxue, bring Dabai over here.”

Before long, a rosy-lipped, white-toothed youth walked in, followed by a swaggering white goose.

“Brother Shi San—” Fuxue walked to Shi Yan’s side and greeted him timidly, then glanced warily at the leading official.

The leading official was somewhat surprised.

He hadn’t expected Prince Kaiyang’s personal guards to be so cooperative.

Did this mean the rumors about Prince Kaiyang and Miss Luo having a complicated relationship were false?

Shi Yan crossed his arms over his chest and said lazily, “Brother, as you can see, the entire wine shop now has just us two brothers, one shopkeeper, one goose keeper, plus one big white goose. You came here with such fanfare to take them away—is that really necessary?”

The leading official cupped his hands toward Shi Yan. “Brother Shi, I’m truly sorry, but right now, no matter how small the fish, as long as they’re connected to the Luo family, they must be taken.”

“But they have no connection to the Luo family.” Shi Yan chuckled. “Brother might not know this, but Miss Luo gave the wine shop to our prince a few days ago. The shopkeeper and the big white goose responsible for guarding the premises all belong to our prince now.”

The leading official instinctively looked toward Fuxue.

Shi Yan’s expression turned serious. “Brother, what are you looking at? The big white goose belongs to our prince—how could the goose keeper not belong to him as well?”

Fuxue blinked, slowly understanding: Brother Shi San meant… he was a bonus addition?

The leading official was unwilling to believe it and said skeptically, “But hasn’t the prince not yet returned to the capital? How could Miss Luo give the wine shop to the prince?”

Shi Yan looked at him as if he were an idiot. “Can’t it be a surprise? In any case, Miss Luo gave the wine shop to our prince. Brother, if you insist on arresting these two plus one goose, then arrest us two brothers as well.”

The corner of the leading official’s mouth twitched violently.

Taking away the shopkeeper and Miss Luo’s male favorite was one thing, but who in their right mind would arrest a goose?

Though if they stewed it for meat—the leading official glanced at Dabai.

“Honk!” Dabai stretched out its neck, rushed over, and opened its beak to bite.

The leading official hastily dodged.

After a chaotic commotion, Shi Yan signaled Fuxue to take Dabai away and smiled apologetically at the leading official. “This guard goose is really fierce. I’ll take it back to the prince’s mansion and lock it up in a bit.”

Saying this, he gave the female shopkeeper a meaningful look.

The female shopkeeper, being quite shrewd, immediately took out her keys, opened the drawer, and retrieved a stack of banknotes.

Shi Yan stuffed the thick stack of banknotes into the leading official’s hands. “For making the brothers come all this way for nothing—you’ve worked hard.”

The leading official felt the weight of the banknotes, his heart pounding wildly, and clearly heard the gasps from his subordinates.

Prince Kaiyang’s reputation and the weight of the silver made the leading official decide to turn a blind eye. “Ahem, regardless, this wine shop cannot continue operating.”

Shi Yan smiled. “You don’t need to remind us of that, Brother. Even if we wanted to continue, we don’t have a cook.”

The leading official tucked the banknotes into his robe. “Let’s go.”

Watching this squad of officials leave, Shi Yan said flatly, “Let’s go too.”

The female shopkeeper approached, anxiety in her heart. “San Huo, are Fuxue and I really going to the prince’s mansion?”

“How could it be false? This was Miss Luo’s arrangement for me to handle from the start.” Thinking of that letter, Shi Yan felt another wave of frustration.

Being left behind felt terrible.

Never mind that Miss Luo was heartless toward the master, but she should have at least left Xiu Gu behind.

The four people and one goose left the wine shop. The female shopkeeper watched Shi Yi silently lock up the shop and couldn’t help but redden her eyes.

Fuxue consoled her softly. “Shopkeeper, don’t be sad. The wine shop will definitely open again.”

The female shopkeeper wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and smiled at Fuxue. “Yes, and when that time comes, our Dabai will still guard the premises.”

Dabai: “Honk?”

The Youjian Wine Shop officially closed. The group returned to Prince Kaiyang’s mansion in low spirits.

The first thing Shi Yan did was write a letter. Shi Yi left the capital that very day to search for Luo Sheng and the others’ whereabouts.

Their master’s task for them was to protect Miss Luo well. Now that they’d lost her, even if they contracted to clean every chamber pot in the entire capital without stopping, they’d have no way to explain this to their master.

Unfortunately, this letter Shi Yan wrote was destined never to reach Wei Han.

At this time in the south, a battle had just ended.

Wei Han led his troops back to camp. Before he’d even had time to change out of his armor, a personal guard came to report. “Master, an imperial envoy has come from the capital.”

“Show them in.”

Before long, four men entered the military tent.

“We pay our respects to Your Highness.”

“Gentlemen need not be so formal.” Wei Han surveyed the group and frowned inwardly.

Three military generals—the highest-ranking was General Xu. He recalled that the eldest young lady from the former Marquis of Changchun household, who’d received quite a bit of care from Miss Luo, had married into the Xu family.

The other was a eunuch.

Wei Han couldn’t help but wonder: his side was on the verge of triumphant return, so why had His Majesty sent three military generals and a eunuch at this time?

Could it be that the eunuch was here to serve as military supervisor?

With this thought, Wei Han’s gaze toward the eunuch grew colder.

The eunuch smiled at Wei Han. “Your Highness, this humble servant and General Xu and the others have received imperial orders to replace you. His Majesty commands you to return to the capital with all speed.”

“Return to the capital?” Wei Han was surprised inwardly, though his face remained calm. “Is there an imperial decree?”

The eunuch produced the imperial edict and immediately began reading it.

Wei Han knelt on one knee and listened silently to the end, then stood. “If that’s the case, then I shall return immediately. Please rest, gentlemen. This prince will go change his clothes.”

Seeing Wei Han leave, the four men exchanged glances.

Wasn’t Prince Kaiyang being a bit too swift and decisive?

In less than two quarters of an hour, Wei Han, having bathed and changed, appeared before the four men. “I leave this to you gentlemen. Farewell.”

The eunuch rushed outside the tent only to discover Prince Kaiyang had already mounted his horse, followed by a dark mass of soldiers. He grew anxious. “Your Highness, His Majesty summoned you back to the capital, but didn’t say you should bring so many soldiers back with you.”

Taking so many people meant fewer would remain—wouldn’t that put him, the military supervisor, in danger?