Prince Pingnan only felt a chill on his back before he collapsed.

They happened to be walking toward a shop at the corner.

The large red lantern hanging high outside the shop emitted an orange glow that merged with the lamplight in the hands of the manor servants walking ahead, illuminating the fallen Prince Pingnan with perfect clarity.

Princess Pingnan saw the feathered arrow embedded in Prince Pingnan’s back, and the spreading blood.

She let out a short, shrill scream, then collapsed limply.

The manor servants carrying lanterns were greatly alarmed. They immediately threw down their lanterns and rushed before Prince and Princess Pingnan, crying out loudly.

Some of the following guards crouched down to check on Prince Pingnan’s condition, while others drew their blades and turned outward, vigilantly surveying their surroundings.

At the same time, a black shadow sprang from somewhere, heading straight for the direction where Luo Sheng was hiding.

Luo Sheng had long anticipated that Prince Pingnan would have shadow guards following him.

After all, having reached such a position through utterly unconscionable means, who wouldn’t fear death?

After releasing that feathered arrow, she immediately leaped down from the tree and ran.

The large tree was planted behind a shop along the street. Jumping down led to a long alley.

This alley, she was also familiar with.

The alley was formed by a row of street-facing shops and a row of residences back-to-back. No doors opened into the alley, so there was no need to worry about someone suddenly pushing open a door and witnessing this scene.

Running in one breath to the end of the alley, to the left front was an old tree.

The old tree had grown in this place for who knows how many years, still luxuriantly leafy and verdant.

As Luo Sheng swept past that tree, she raised her hand and shoved the bow into the tree branches—the bow specially prepared for Prince Pingnan disappeared.

There was a tree hollow among the branches that she had discovered when scouting the route beforehand.

From the tree where she had concealed herself for the assassination, to the long alley she had to run through after jumping down, all the way to entering You Jian Tavern—she had carefully examined every place she passed.

This bow absolutely could not be brought back to the tavern.

Hiding it here, even if discovered by someone, wouldn’t matter. Such an ordinary bow—no one would suspect her.

But once discovered at the tavern, that would be hard to explain.

Luo Sheng didn’t linger, her feet moving even faster.

Her skills might not match the shadow guard pursuing behind her, but in terms of familiarity with this area, leaving the shadow guard eight streets behind was no exaggeration.

Ahead was the brightly lit You Jian Tavern. The commotion from Prince Pingnan’s assassination had already caused patrons to walk out of the tavern, standing at the entrance looking around.

Luo Sheng stopped close against the wall corner.

From here to the tavern was only separated by a bluestone road, with no cover whatsoever.

Directly ahead were patrons who had run out to watch the excitement, while behind was the pursuing shadow guard.

But Luo Sheng’s stop wasn’t a true stop—rather, she reached out to push open a door, flashed inside, and smoothly bolted the door shut.

This was an utterly ordinary residence, empty inside.

As if intimately familiar with every brick, tile, blade of grass and tree here, Luo Sheng headed straight for the woodshed.

The woodshed was messily piled with firewood. Going around it was a large rice jar that hadn’t been used in a long time.

Naturally there was no rice in the rice jar.

Luo Sheng lifted the lid and jumped inside.

The owner of this residence was also her.

At that time, she had bought not only that cosmetics shop, but also this residence.

When the commotion from Prince Pingnan’s assassination reached the tavern, the back kitchen heard the news somewhat later.

Xiu Yue walked into the wine cellar, picked up a wine jar and was preparing to go out when she suddenly heard a sound from the corner.

Xiu Yue stopped, frowning as she sought the source of the sound.

Could there be rats in the wine cellar?

Carrying the wine jar, she walked several steps in that direction and suddenly discovered the lid of a wine barrel at the base of the wall was being moved aside bit by bit.

Xiu Yue retreated half a step, eyes wide.

Due to excessive tension, the corners of her mouth twitched uncontrollably.

Fortunately, years of hardship had made her unlike ordinary women who would flee through the door or scream in alarm.

After the initial fright, Xiu Yue instead stepped forward and raised the wine jar.

She wanted to see what monster or demon this was.

By now, Xiu Yue of course understood it wasn’t rats causing mischief.

The wine lid was completely lifted.

Luo Sheng said in a low voice to Xiu Yue, who was about to smash down the wine jar: “Xiu Gu, it’s me!”

Xiu Yue held the wine jar high, looking at Luo Sheng jumping out of the wine barrel in great shock: “Miss—”

“Shh—” Luo Sheng extended one finger to her lips, stopping Xiu Yue from continuing.

After standing steady, she rearranged the wine barrel, quickly stripped off her black clothing, even took off her shoes, and stuffed everything into Xiu Yue’s arms.

“Take these to the kitchen and burn them. I’ll explain in detail later.” Luo Sheng tidied her hair and clothing, put on the embroidered shoes she had previously removed and hidden, took the wine jar from Xiu Yue’s hands, and walked out openly.

The commotion from Prince Pingnan’s assassination had already reached here. She couldn’t be absent for long.

And choosing to emerge from the wine barrel in front of Xiu Yue was intentional on her part.

Her identity—it was time for Xiu Yue to know.

It could only be said everything happened coincidentally, with Xiu Yue entering the wine cellar at exactly this moment.

She had lifted a crack in the barrel lid and saw Xiu Yue, so she simply came out directly.

Of course, besides Xiu Yue, no one else could enter the wine cellar. From the very beginning, she had instructed the tavern staff that only Xiu Yue was permitted in and out of the wine cellar.

The reason was also simple—the wine-making area, besides her, only Xiu Yue who participated in wine-making could enter.

The wine sold to patrons was all taken out in advance and placed in the kitchen. If it wasn’t enough, Xiu Yue would go to the wine cellar to fetch more.

Luo Sheng walked out of the wine cellar carrying the wine jar. Seeing Zhuang Han standing in the courtyard looking toward the main hall, she asked blandly: “What are you looking at?”

Zhuang Han looked startled: “Boss, I wasn’t slacking off. The beans are almost ground!”

“Are customers causing trouble?”

“No, it seems something happened outside.”

Luo Sheng walked past Zhuang Han into the main hall, casually placing the wine jar on a table while surveying the hall.

The main hall was already empty, leaving only tables of messy cups and plates.

No—at the window table, there was still one person.

He wore blue robes, drinking alone, seemingly completely unaffected by the commotion outside.

As if sensing something, the man suddenly raised his eyes to look over.

The instant their gazes collided, Luo Sheng’s heart jumped.

Those calm, profound eyes seemed to see through everything without batting an eye.

“Did something happen outside?” Luo Sheng walked over with an unchanged expression.

In competing for composure, she was confident she yielded to no one.

Wei Han glanced toward the entrance and said calmly: “It seems there are evildoers causing chaos.”

Luo Sheng had already walked near: “I also came out after hearing the commotion. Why doesn’t Your Highness go out to take a look?”

Wei Han set down his wine cup and stood up.

The two were somewhat close—a faint wine fragrance instantly surrounded Luo Sheng.

Luo Sheng didn’t retreat due to the overly close distance, but rather looked at him questioningly.

The man close at hand smiled slightly: “The excitement can’t compare to this tavern’s fine wine and delicacies in attracting me.”

Luo Sheng couldn’t tell if this reason was true or false.

She impassively glanced at the man with a smile playing at his lips, then lifted her foot to walk outside.

“Miss Luo.” Behind her rang the man’s calling voice.

Deep and clear.

Luo Sheng stopped and looked back at him.

“Your pearl hairpin is crooked.” He raised his hand, straightening the sole pearl hairpin from among the young woman’s cloud-thick hair.

Luo Sheng looked at him calmly, her heart sinking.