“Cousin is inside. What happened at home?”

Luo Yue couldn’t spare time to answer Sheng Sanlang’s question and hurriedly ran inside.

“Third Sister—” The young lady’s urgent shout echoed through the main hall.

Luo Sheng heard the shout and walked from the back courtyard into the main hall.

Luo Yue seemed to have found her savior and directly threw herself forward. “Third Sister, something terrible has happened at home!”

Luo Sheng patted Luo Yue’s hand, her tone calm. “No matter how serious it is, explain it slowly and clearly.”

Luo Yue steadied herself and said chokingly, “Suddenly many soldiers and officers came and took Father away. Seeing the situation wasn’t right, I quietly slipped out through the back door to find Third Sister…”

She had never encountered such a scene before and never imagined that one day soldiers and officers would surround the Grand Commander’s manor.

Even now, Luo Yue’s whole body was still trembling, her fingertips especially cold.

“Did they say why Father was taken away?” Luo Sheng’s face remained calm.

Faced with this sudden change, it wasn’t that she wasn’t panicked inside. But since there were already others more panicked than her, she wasn’t allowed to panic.

Luo Yue shook her head wildly. “I don’t know. By the time Eldest Sister and I got the news and rushed over, Father was being taken away. We had no idea what had happened.”

“What about Father? Did Father say anything?”

“Father…” Luo Yue’s mind suddenly went blank.

That scene was too frightening. For a moment, she couldn’t quite remember.

“Don’t be anxious. Being anxious won’t solve any problems.”

Luo Yue stared blankly at Luo Sheng.

The other’s calm gaze made her heart, which had nearly leapt out of her chest, slowly settle down, as if it had found something to rely on.

“Father just said for us not to be afraid and to take care of ourselves…” As Luo Yue said this, tears rolled down from the corners of her eyes.

Wasn’t Father the Commander of the Jinlin Guard? Usually he was the one arresting others and throwing them in prison. Why would he be taken away by soldiers and officers today?

Luo Sheng frowned deeply.

From what Grand Commander Luo said when he was taken away, no useful information could be analyzed.

“Return to the manor first.” She quickly made a decision and instructed Sheng Sanlang, “Cousin, please stay and look after things at the tavern.”

If the Grand Commander’s manor truly faced disaster, there was no need to drag Sheng Sanlang into it.

How could Sheng Sanlang agree to that? “I’ll accompany Cousin back together.”

Luo Sheng lowered her voice. “I must also trouble Cousin to look after Luo Chen.”

Sheng Sanlang hesitated for a moment.

The young man’s voice rang out. “Elder Sister, I’ll return to the manor with you.”

Luo Sheng frowned at the approaching young man. Naturally she was unwilling to bring him into the vortex.

Luo Chen’s face was solemn. “When the family encounters trouble, how can there be any logic in having the elder sisters step forward while I hide? Does Elder Sister want a younger brother who only knows to hide when trouble comes?”

Luo Sheng swallowed her refusal and nodded slightly. “Alright then, let’s go back together.”

Sheng Sanlang followed toward the entrance.

“Cousin, you should still stay at the tavern.”

Sheng Sanlang raised his hand and patted Luo Sheng’s shoulder, his tone firm. “Let’s go back together. Am I not also an older brother just because I’m a cousin?”

If it weren’t for his status as cousin, could he have become a server and eaten his fill every day?

One couldn’t enjoy the benefits but then hide when trouble came.

That wouldn’t be something a human being would do.

Hearing Sheng Sanlang say this, Luo Sheng had no choice but to stop persuading him.

“Miss—” Xiu Yue hurried from the back into the main hall.

Luo Sheng said calmly, “The tavern opens as usual.”

Xiu Yue nodded forcefully.

The group left the tavern and hurried toward the Grand Commander’s manor.

At the teahouse diagonally across, the Wei Feng siblings took all of this in and couldn’t help but exchange glances.

“It looks like something happened at the Grand Commander’s manor.”

“Why do you say that?”

Wei Wen said lightly, “The young lady who just ran into You Jian Tavern is the fourth young lady of the Grand Commander’s manor.”

“Is that so?” Wei Feng stared in the direction of the tavern, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

When Luo Sheng rushed back, she saw that the entrance to the Grand Commander’s manor was already surrounded by people watching the excitement.

Seeing this scene, Luo Yue was quite at a loss. “Third Sister—”

“Don’t be afraid.” Luo Sheng strode forward.

“Miss Luo has arrived!” Someone in the crowd of spectators shouted, and immediately a path opened up.

Luo Sheng walked straight ahead without looking sideways, turning a deaf ear to those gossiping voices.

“The young lady has returned!” The servants in the manor also shouted when they saw Luo Sheng walk in.

Such commotion would normally invite rebuke, but at this moment no one had time to manage discipline.

A group of concubines clutching tear-soaked handkerchiefs ran over, surrounding Luo Sheng while crying.

“Sob sob sob, Miss has finally returned. The master has been arrested. What are we to do?”

“Miss, will we all be arrested and beheaded? The good rouge I just bought from Hua Xiang Rong isn’t even used up yet…”

“Miss—”

“Enough, all of you stop bothering the young lady.” The First Concubine scolded the sobbing concubines with a stern face.

The crying stopped immediately, and the concubines looked at Luo Sheng with tears in their eyes.

Luo Sheng looked at the First Concubine. “Does First Concubine know the reason Father was taken away?”

The First Concubine shook her head, her gaze turning toward a certain spot.

Luo Sheng looked over and saw Luo Ying and Luo Qing standing there, with a tall figure with his back to her, seemingly comforting the two.

That was sworn brother Pingli.

“Third Sister has returned.” Luo Ying walked quickly toward them.

Luo Qing also lifted her skirts and followed.

Pingli turned around, his gaze meeting Luo Sheng’s across the two sisters.

Luo Sheng walked over expressionlessly.

“Third Sister—” The two sisters called to her with reddened eyes.

Luo Sheng nodded in response, looked at Pingli and called out “Big Brother.”

Pingli’s tone was as gentle as always. “Third Miss need not be afraid. I will find a way to save sworn father.”

Luo Sheng raised her chin slightly and asked, “What exactly happened to my father?”

Pingli’s face showed difficulty.

Luo Sheng turned and walked away.

“Where is Third Miss going?”

Luo Sheng didn’t stop walking and said coldly, “Since Big Brother won’t say, then I’ll go out and inquire.”

At a time like this, still playing mysterious—he was either stupid or malicious, and the person before her was nine times out of ten the latter.

Pingli chased after her and blocked Luo Sheng’s path. “Third Miss, don’t be impulsive. Listen to me explain clearly.”

“Big Brother, speak. I’m listening.”

“Sworn father—” Pingli’s expression shifted, as if he found it difficult to speak.

Luo Sheng looked at him calmly.

Luo Qing couldn’t help but plead, “Big Brother, please tell us quickly.”

Earlier she and Eldest Sister had asked about Father’s situation, and sworn brother said not to have them worry about these matters, that he would handle everything.

But how could they not worry? He was their father.

“Officials from the south accused sworn father, saying that back then Prince Zhennan’s youngest son didn’t actually die but was released by sworn father…”

“Prince Zhennan’s manor?” Luo Ying and the others looked completely bewildered.

Luo Sheng’s heart suddenly sank. She controlled the urge to look at Luo Chen with all her might and asked, “An accusation must have evidence, right? Surely they can’t convict Father based on just a few words?”

Xiao Qi was at the tavern, and Luo Chen was by her side. If the investigation truly reached them, it wouldn’t be just Grand Commander Luo who was taken away.

Pingli smiled bitterly. “Naturally they have solid evidence.”

“What evidence?”

“Prince Zhennan’s youngest son and the guard who rescued him have already been captured and are being escorted to the capital.”