Lin Teng hadn’t expected that after asking Minister Zhao, Luo Sheng would ask him. His ears immediately turned red.

Could he possibly be more important than Prince Kaiyang? How embarrassing.

“Was the food delicious?” Luo Sheng asked.

Lin Teng hesitated.

The answer was obvious, but when facing Miss Luo, one couldn’t let down their guard.

Seeing Lin Teng hesitate, Wei Han’s eyes grew cold.

If he remembered correctly, this fellow had eaten four bowls of spring noodles—one more than him.

Lin Teng’s scalp tingled.

He didn’t know if it was his imagination, but he felt Prince Kaiyang emanated killing intent.

“Delicious,” Lin Teng finally couldn’t deny it against his conscience.

“Was it extremely delicious?”

Lin Teng nodded: “Yes.”

Luo Sheng smiled slightly: “Then Young Master Lin can come eat here often in the future.”

At this point, she paused, her tone serious: “If Young Master Lin brings his cousin, I can give you half price.”

Before Lin Teng could say anything, Minister Zhao said decisively: “Lin Teng, bring your cousin tomorrow.”

He wanted to come eat braised beef. He wanted to enjoy the half-price discount.

A half-price discount on a one-thousand-tael meal was worth sacrificing Lin Teng’s cousin for!

“Minister—” Lin Teng was somewhat anxious.

Miss Luo specifically requesting his cousin—this was clearly not about the meal itself.

Minister Zhao’s face darkened: “Wasn’t the roasted pig’s head delicious?”

This troublesome boy—just finished eating the roasted pig’s head he treated him to and already forgotten?

Lin Teng: “Tomorrow this subordinate will bring my cousin.”

One shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds.

However, with Minister Zhao present, presumably Miss Luo couldn’t do much to his cousin.

Luo Sheng’s smile was genuine: “I’ll still be at the shop tomorrow.”

Lin Teng didn’t dare meet her gaze and mumbled a response as acknowledgment.

Luo Sheng stopped making things difficult for this cold-faced but warm-hearted young man and bowed slightly to Wei Han: “Your Highness, safe travels.”

Wei Han was silent for a moment, then nodded.

“Your Highness, please—” Minister Zhao extended his hand.

“Minister Zhao is too kind. This prince still has some matters to attend to. Minister Zhao should go ahead.”

Minister Zhao instinctively glanced at Luo Sheng and coughed: “Since Your Highness still has business, this official won’t disturb you.”

After exiting the wine house, the night wind dispersed some of the meaty aroma from Minister Zhao’s beard, immediately making him more clear-headed.

“Minister, what’s wrong?” Seeing Minister Zhao suddenly stop, Lin Teng asked.

Minister Zhao’s expression was serious: “Lin Teng, do you think Prince Kaiyang will come again tomorrow?”

What if he came again, what if they ran into each other again—would he have to treat him again?

Thinking of this possibility, Minister Zhao gasped.

This absolutely wouldn’t do—tomorrow he’d be spending his own money!

Lin Teng had no idea what his generous superior was worried about and simply answered the question: “This subordinate believes Prince Kaiyang will come again.”

It was so delicious that even he, in a moment of weak resolve, was bringing his cousin—how could Prince Kaiyang not come?

“Do you think Prince Kaiyang will come near closing time like today, or come early?”

Lin Teng shook his head: “This subordinate doesn’t know.”

Minister Zhao was displeased: “Just treat it like solving a case.”

Lin Teng was alarmed: “Could there be a case about to happen?”

Minister Zhao’s lips twitched as he said irritably: “Forget it. Tomorrow we’ll come early. Remember to bring your cousin.”

After parting with Lin Teng, a Jinlin Guard appeared before Minister Zhao.

Minister Zhao quickly handed over the bill.

The Jinlin Guard brought the bill back to the Grand Marshal’s residence and presented it to Grand Marshal Luo.

Grand Marshal Luo frowned: “Tomorrow just take the bill and settle it in the name of the Minister’s residence. Why bring it here?”

One meal’s worth of money—was it worth troubling him over?

Compared to this, he was more concerned about whether any real customers had gone to Sheng’er’s wine house.

The Jinlin Guard’s expression was strange: “This subordinate felt you should take a look—”

Seeing his subordinate’s unusual attitude, Grand Marshal Luo casually glanced at the bill, then his eyes went wide.

After a moment of silence, the recovered Grand Marshal Luo asked: “Did Minister Zhao eat dragon liver and phoenix marrow today?”

The Jinlin Guard who had been secretly monitoring the wine house’s activities replied: “Minister Zhao ate roasted pig’s head.”

“What else?”

“Nothing else. The only appetizer was roasted pig’s head, then there was burning liquor and spring noodles.”

“These cost nearly one thousand taels of silver?” Grand Marshal Luo’s voice rose.

It wasn’t that he lacked the money, but was Minister Zhao really using this opportunity to get rich?

Treating was fine, but he couldn’t be taken for a fool.

Wait.

Grand Marshal Luo carefully examined the bill, saw the individual prices for roasted pig’s head, burning liquor, and spring noodles, and couldn’t help scratching his head.

The shop Sheng’er opened shouldn’t be called “A Wine House”—it should be called “A Crooked Shop.”

However, one thousand taels was still too excessive.

“Minister Zhao and one subordinate ate six whole roasted pig’s heads?”

The Jinlin Guard lowered his head and explained: “Minister Zhao happened to encounter Prince Kaiyang and invited him to eat together. Prince Kaiyang also ate two.”

Grand Marshal Luo shook his head.

Honestly, he’d never realized Prince Kaiyang was this type of person before.

So tall and thin, yet taking advantage of someone treating to gorge on two whole roasted pig’s heads.

Tsk.

Wei Han, who had been scorned to dust by Grand Marshal Luo, was currently calling Shi Yan out of the wine house to question him.

“Have you not been caring for Da Bai properly these past days?”

Shi Yan’s heart jumped as he quickly said: “This subordinate has absolutely been devoted!”

“Then did you behave improperly and offend Luo—” Wei Han originally wanted to say Miss Luo but felt it was too obvious, so he changed his phrasing, “offend someone from the Luo residence?”

“Not at all. This subordinate gets along harmoniously with everyone in the Luo residence.”

Wei Han fell silent.

He understood—Miss Luo simply had an issue with him.

Yet every time the two dealt with each other, he was clearly the one at a disadvantage. If he had to say where he’d offended Miss Luo—

Wei Han thought of that night, that abandoned mansion.

The woman who threw stones at him and threw chili powder in his eyes that night wore a face covering, but he later recognized her as Miss Luo.

And at that time he hadn’t concealed his appearance, so Miss Luo naturally recognized him too.

Which meant Miss Luo’s hostility toward him was related to that abandoned mansion.

Wei Han’s expression became meaningful.

“Master, can this subordinate come help at the wine house every day from now on?” Shi Yan took the opportunity to ask about this pressing matter.

Helping at the wine house came with meals—if his master didn’t allow it, he’d cry himself to death.

Wei Han nodded in permission.

The wine house was crowded with many matters—having one of his people there was good.

Shi Yan immediately became spirited and advised: “Master, it’s getting late. You should head back early.”

Wei Han turned to look at the wine house.

The wine house remained brightly lit, yet it couldn’t dispel the doubts in his heart.

However, the wine house was right here, and Miss Luo was here too—there was no rush.

After seeing Wei Han off, Shi Yan flew back to the wine house like the wind.

Only the burly man eating noodles with his head down remained in the wine house. He was currently asking Hong Dou: “Miss, do customers eating at your wine house have to call each other by nicknames?”

Hong Dou was confused by the question: “Nicknames? No.”

“Then why did one call out ‘Minister’ and one call out ‘Your Highness’?”

How bold of them.

Hong Dou laughed: “Because one is Prince Kaiyang and one is the Minister of Justice.”

With a clatter, the chopsticks in the burly man’s hand fell onto the table.

“Guest, be careful—one pair of chopsticks costs ten taels of silver.”

The burly man silently wiped the chopsticks and ate his noodles in large bites.

Having eaten in the same room as a prince and a minister, five taels of silver per bowl of spring noodles was perfectly normal.

The burly man, who had eaten twenty bowls of spring noodles, settled his bill and walked out of the wine house in tears.

Twenty bowls of spring noodles—enough to listen to the courtesan of Jinshui River sing ditties all evening.

Come to think of it, what had he originally intended to do when he came here?