Nanny Luo’s expression carried disdain. “Young Master, you’ve used this excuse many times already. This servant believes that if you continue like this, your reputation will be completely ruined.”

Liang Zhe stood up, clasped his hands behind his back as he passed by her, his gaze straight ahead as he coldly dropped a sentence: “Don’t let me detain you.”

Nanny Luo returned cursing and swearing, naturally sparing no effort in badmouthing Liang Zhe before Old Madam Liang.

Old Madam Liang slammed the table. “Wretched creature! Wretched creature! He simply doesn’t put me in his eyes at all!”

After Old Madam Liang finished her tirade, Nanny Luo moved closer, lowering her voice to barely a whisper: “Old Madam, do you think this little wretch knows something?”

Old Madam Liang’s hand trembled. “Impossible!”

Then she shot Nanny Luo a sideways glance. “You too – what are you trying to scare me for? Didn’t you personally handle all those people back then?”

Nanny Luo said, “Yes, absolutely not one person from back then survived. But he is your blood grandson after all – how could he treat his own grandmother like this?”

Nanny Luo bit down particularly hard on the word “blood.”

Old Madam Liang let out a cold laugh, raising her voice: “The seed of a lowly woman is still lowly. No matter how you raise and teach them, you can’t change their nature. What’s strange about that? Besides, haven’t you heard people say that Minister Zhao’s grandson nearly angered Old Madam Zhao to death?”

Nanny Luo quickly forced a smile.

On the rooftop.

Liang Yanjun found it all very strange, but he still followed Liang Zhe’s instructions and reported everything Old Madam Liang and Nanny Luo had said word for word when he returned.

After listening, Liang Zhe’s brow carried a trace of gravity.

“Young Master, this subordinate intuitively feels that what they’re talking about isn’t so simple. This subordinate speculates – could this be saying that Madam Zhao’s death is connected to Old Madam?”

To distinguish between Zhao Wanniang and Qin Shuying’s forms of address, Liang Yanjun would refer to Zhao Wanniang as Madam Zhao.

Ever since Qin Shuying had said Old Madam Liang was strange, he had been paying close attention to Old Madam Liang’s words and behavior, which was why he had Liang Yanjun follow and eavesdrop.

“I’ve never doubted that point.”

Liang Zhe pondered for a moment, then said, “Arrange for me to meet with Luo Huan tonight.”

“Yes, this subordinate will handle it immediately.”

That evening.

In an unremarkable small tavern.

Liang Zhe, his face disguised by Liang Yanjun, walked to a table by the window where Luo Huan was already waiting.

Liang Zhe sat directly across from him. Luo Huan didn’t even lift his eyes, drinking his wine by himself.

Liang Zhe called for the waiter to bring bowls and chopsticks, ordered another dish, and poured himself a cup of wine. “Luo Huan, I have something I want to ask you.”

Luo Huan let out a scoffing laugh. “Liang Zhe, I don’t think we have anything to discuss.”

“How could we not? You’ve gotten what you wanted, and you’ve seen the results you wanted to see. I believe we have plenty to talk about. We can talk about how we started fighting when we were still running around bare-bottomed as children, fought for so many years, and even when I went to the frontier, you still wrote me letters to curse at me. Ah, the past is hard to look back on – I’ve kept all those letters.”

Luo Huan slammed his chopsticks on the table with a crisp “clack.”

“How many times have I told you to burn those letters – burn them! Didn’t you hear me?”

Liang Zhe shook his head. “In all my years, it’s rare to have a man write me letters. How could I burn them? I want to keep them in my coffin and continue reading them in the next life.”

Luo Huan’s face turned red with anger. He crossed his arms on the table and looked out the window. “Speak up – what did you call me here for in the middle of the night? I’ll tell you first, don’t think about getting me to help you again!”

“When have I ever asked for your help?”

Seeing Liang Zhe’s shameless expression like a dead pig unafraid of boiling water made Luo Huan furious. How had he gotten entangled with this tyrant?

“At Princess Imperial’s mansion, you deliberately made me fight with you. Although I still don’t understand the reason, I know you must have been investigating something and had me distract their attention. In the palace when Qin Shuying fell into the water, you…”

Luo Huan suddenly couldn’t continue, feeling embarrassed.

That time in the palace when Luo Huan deliberately brought up making Liang Zhe take responsibility for Qin Shuying – wasn’t that precisely a deal between Liang Zhe and Luo Huan?

Everyone knew they were mortal enemies; no one would ever think that Luo Huan was actually helping Liang Zhe.

“Luo Huan, why are you so stubborn? I’ve helped you plenty too. You’ve gained even more. We cooperate, each taking what we need – isn’t that the best arrangement?”

“Liang Zhe, you still dare to say that! Who was it that pushed Jinniang into the water? You still dare to say that!”

Liang Zhe was indifferent: “Luo Jinniang wanted to marry Liu Junqing – as her brother, didn’t you know? I was helping her. What kind of brain your sister has, don’t you know? She won’t give up until she hits the Yellow River! Would you rather watch her eventually be used by Luo Meixiang until nothing’s left? You should know about what happened at the traveling palace – do you still think Luo Jinniang would listen to you?”

Mentioning this, Luo Huan also felt helpless and even more angry at his sister’s stubborn ignorance.

“Madam Liu is no pushover, and Liu Junqing isn’t entirely without merit. If you can outmaneuver Princess Fu’an and Yun Jingshu, and if Luo Jinniang can change her stubborn temperament, she might not have a bad life in the future.”

Luo Huan scoffed: “If Liu Junqing is so good, why did Qin Shuying try every means to break off the engagement?”

Liang Zhe said coldly: “Qin Shuying is the person I’ve set my sights on. No one should think of taking her away.”

Luo Huan had no mood or interest in discussing romantic affairs with him. “Just say it – what exactly do you want from me tonight? I’m still busy. As the capital’s number one wastrel, how can I not visit the pleasure quarters?”

“I want to hear exactly why you’re determined to oppose the second branch.”

The second branch Liang Zhe referred to was the Luo family’s second branch – Luo Huan’s uncle’s family from a concubine.

In Luo Huan’s father’s generation, the population wasn’t large and relationships weren’t complex.

Luo Huan’s grandfather, Minister Luo, had only married one legitimate wife. Though he had several concubines, they left behind only three children total.

The eldest was Master Luo, born to the legitimate wife. Master Luo was Luo Huan’s father.

The second was Second Master Luo, born to Concubine Zhou. Second Master Luo and Luo Meixiang were siblings from the same mother.

The third was Luo Yanyan, born to Concubine Xiang. It was said this Concubine Xiang was particularly beautiful, just of humble birth. Luo Yanyan inherited her mother’s beauty and was chosen at first sight by the old Marquis Pingxi, who would marry no other – she became the current Old Madam Liang.

Concubine Xiang died early, and the old Madam Luo had no other children, so she recorded Luo Yanyan under her name and raised her as a legitimate daughter.

Master Luo had few heirs. His first wife bore Luo Huan and Luo Jinniang only in her advanced years. Later he remarried – the current Madam Luo wasn’t the birth mother of the Luo siblings. The current Madam Luo only gave birth to a daughter before her belly showed no further signs.

Second Master Luo had abundant offspring, and Luo Meixiang also married well.

However, outsiders would observe that Minister Luo’s descendants were generally accomplished, except for the wastrel Luo Huan.

But comparing them, people would also notice that Master Luo’s branch ultimately couldn’t match Second Master Luo’s branch.

Though Master Luo and Second Master Luo both held third-rank positions, Master Luo wielded no real power, his son Luo Huan was disappointing, and he had no other sons.

Master Luo had reached retirement age and would likely step down next year. Once Master Luo retired, with Luo Huan currently holding only a sixth-rank position, the Luo family’s main branch would likely decline from then on.

Second Master Luo not only wielded real power but also had his sister Luo Meixiang, abundant offspring, three accomplished sons, and daughters who each married better than the last.

In three to five years, people in the capital would likely no longer remember the Luo family’s main branch.

The Luo family’s second branch, however, would clearly become new nobility in the capital.

This kind of disparity could only be truly understood by those within the situation.