Wei Qiang could see very clearly that the two bracelets were identical in every way.

It was already difficult enough to gather seven colors of gemstones to make gold-inlaid treasure bracelets. Even with the same style, the details and craftsmanship couldn’t possibly be exactly the same.

In other words, the bracelet Miss Luo wore on her hand and Yu Niang’s bracelet were clearly a pair.

But he remembered that the other bracelet was in Wei Wen’s hands.

And the true owner of the bracelets was Luo’er.

Luo’er was dead—he had buried her with his own hands. All the ornaments Luo’er commonly wore in life and her frequently used items had been buried with her.

This pair of gold bracelets inlaid with seven treasures was just an ordinary item among the chests upon chests of jewelry that came as her dowry.

He called it ordinary because Prince Zhennan’s Manor had given Luo’er such abundant dowry that even such rare bracelets became inconspicuous among it all—though of course the bracelets themselves weren’t ordinary.

He hadn’t even paid them any attention originally.

To him, with Luo’er’s death, all these things had become unimportant—out of sight, out of mind.

But several years later, his birth mother cleared out Luo’er’s dowry and opened the storehouse.

It was then that his younger sister took a fancy to this pair of gold bracelets inlaid with seven treasures at first sight.

If they had been jewelry Luo’er habitually wore, he naturally couldn’t have let his younger sister take them. But they were just one item among the numerous pieces of jewelry in the dowry, and after his younger sister pleaded again and again, he had nodded in agreement.

He just hadn’t expected that Yu Niang would also take a fancy to this pair of bracelets.

That was the first time Yu Niang had asked him for something, so naturally he couldn’t refuse.

The final result was that his younger sister and Yu Niang each received one bracelet.

How did his younger sister’s bracelet end up in Miss Luo’s hands?

Wei Qiang stared at the bracelet on Concubine Yu’s hand, lost in thought.

Concubine Yu lowered her eyes, her thick lashes trembling lightly as she tried to withdraw her hand.

Wei Qiang gripped tighter, saying gently, “Yu Niang seems to have lost weight again.”

Yu Niang stopped moving and smiled with lowered eyes, “This happens to me every summer. It’s nothing serious.”

Wei Qiang pulled Yu Niang into his embrace, saying softly, “You still need to take care of your health. Don’t make me worry.”

Yu Niang nestled in Wei Qiang’s arms, obediently responding, “I understand.”

With no one else attending them in the room, after this quiet moment, Wei Qiang released his hold, “I’m going to the Crown Princess’s quarters. I’ll come again tomorrow night.”

Yu Niang bent her knees slightly, “Respectfully seeing off Your Highness.”

She wanted to escort Wei Qiang to the door, but he stopped her, “The night wind is cool, and you’re frail. There’s no need to see me out.”

These words naturally made the palace maids attending Concubine Yu secretly envious.

The Crown Prince truly doted on Concubine Yu.

Concubine Yu turned a blind eye to the envy in the palace maids’ eyes. As soon as the Crown Prince left, she turned and entered the inner chamber.

In the inner chamber, a solitary lamp emitted a faint glow.

Concubine Yu sat heavily on the bed, one hand resting on the bracelet on her other wrist.

She gripped the bracelet tighter and tighter, terror flashing through her eyes.

Why had the Crown Prince stared at the bracelet?

She couldn’t have been mistaken—just now the Crown Prince wasn’t looking at how much thinner her wrist had become, but at this gold bracelet inlaid with seven treasures!

This was the County Princess’s bracelet, the thing she had endured humiliation and survived to protect.

Concubine Yu sank into distant memories.

It was before the dowry was to be carried to Prince Pingnan’s Manor.

Jewelry boxes stood open one after another as she led people in careful organization.

This pair of gold bracelets inlaid with seven treasures hadn’t originally been among these pieces of jewelry—the County Princess had given them to her separately, asking her to put them in.

When the County Princess gave her the bracelets, she had asked if she could distinguish the difference between the two.

She had looked for a long time but couldn’t say, until finally the County Princess pointed it out.

The County Princess had pointed to one bracelet and said to her, “Zhaohua, you must remember well—this bracelet is more important than all the dowry put together.”

The four of them were already the County Princess’s trusted confidants, so it wasn’t strange for the County Princess to entrust her with important matters. At the time she had asked, “Is it that valuable? This servant cannot tell.”

The County Princess had said softly, “This bracelet can trade for an empire. You are the head maid managing my clothes and jewelry—you must guard it well for me.”

She had been shocked and couldn’t help asking, “County Princess, if the bracelet is so important, why don’t you wear it?”

The County Princess had smiled, “Hidden among the masses, it’s safer.”

She hadn’t understood the meaning then, only knew the importance of this bracelet.

Until later, when that disaster occurred at the manor and news came of the County Princess’s death.

She and Shufeng had been utterly despairing and crashed into pillars together.

Shufeng died, while she was rescued.

Having died once, the bracelet the County Princess had instructed her to guard well made her calm down.

The County Princess had said this bracelet could trade for an empire…

She dared not die. She had to guard this gold bracelet inlaid with seven treasures for the County Princess.

Perhaps someone had escaped from the manor that night, perhaps the Prince had other arrangements…

If she guarded this bracelet well, perhaps she could wait for the day when someone would come to trade for this Great Zhou empire, to seek justice for Prince Zhennan’s Manor, for her County Princess!

Zhaohua stroked the gold bracelet as tears streamed down her face.

County Princess, this servant is so very tired. If your spirit watches over us from heaven, please let that day come quickly.

Then this servant could escape that disgusting man, escape this disgusting shell of a body, and come to see you.

It was so good at your side—there was Jiangxue who was more dashing and capable than any man, there was the clever and competent Shufeng who never forgot what she saw or heard, and there was Xiu Yue who cooked such wonderful food.

Zhaohua lay down and pulled the brocade quilt over her head.

The thin, clinging quilt revealed a frail, slender form beneath it.

Luo Sheng didn’t sleep well that night.

Too many things had happened that day, each one enough to keep her tossing and turning.

What she most wanted to know now was exactly who the Crown Prince’s favored concubine was.

The night deepened, and the chirping of insects outside the window had long since ceased.

Luo Sheng tossed and turned in bed like a pancake being flipped countless times before finally falling asleep without realizing it.

When she woke again, the sky was already bright.

Kou’er reported that Prince Kaiyang had come to visit and was currently drinking tea with the Grand Commander in the front courtyard.

Luo Sheng finished tidying herself up, ate a bowl of millet porridge in an unhurried manner, then sent Kou’er to the front courtyard to invite him over.

Wei Han had already drunk a cup of tea in the front hall by this time.

This tea drinking was not relaxing.

From the beginning until now, Grand Commander Luo had been looking at him with deep, focused eyes, wearing an expression that suggested he had something to say.

Aside from showing some emotion at Youjian Tavern, Wei Han still had considerable composure.

Since Grand Commander Luo didn’t speak, he didn’t ask.

Grand Commander Luo held his teacup, secretly annoyed.

Why wasn’t Prince Kaiyang asking anything? Did he think he’d invited him over just to drink tea?

Grand Commander Luo took a gulp of tea and coughed, “Is Your Highness a regular customer at Youjian Tavern?”

“I suppose so.” Wei Han said coolly.

“Do regular customers get complimentary dishes?”

Wei Han was silent for a moment, his tone even cooler, “I don’t know about other regular customers. This prince does not.”

This time it was Grand Commander Luo who fell silent, swallowing back all the words he’d planned to use to probe the relationship between Prince Kaiyang and his daughter.

“Then yesterday—”

“Yesterday I was the only customer, which is why I received complimentary dishes from Miss Luo.”

“I see.” Grand Commander Luo’s feelings were somewhat complicated for a moment.

He had thought his daughter and Prince Kaiyang had privately pledged themselves to each other…

Grand Commander Luo drank his tea with some regret.

Just then Kou’er arrived, properly curtsied to the two men, and said, “Grand Commander, the young lady says if you’ve finished chatting with His Highness, please send him to her quarters.”

Hmm?

Grand Commander Luo looked sternly at Wei Han.

Hadn’t he just said it was simply the relationship between a customer and a tavern proprietor?