After reading through the registry, Luo Sheng put it away and walked out.

In the courtyard, the persimmon tree quietly bloomed with pale yellow flowers. Shi Yan stood by the stone steps, even more upright than the persimmon tree.

Shi Yan, meanwhile, was bored and teasing Da Bai.

Such excitement as the top scholar parading through the streets only happened once every three years. Others could go watch, but they could not.

Their most important task was to protect Miss Luo.

Da Bai had no fondness for Shi Yan. Although both served him, this person was far less considerate than the one who had served him the longest.

Da Bai was just preparing to nip Shi Yan when he saw Luo Sheng.

Oh no, the she-devil was coming!

The great white goose tucked in his wings, ready at any moment to flee back to his safe little nest.

Luo Sheng walked over to the stone seat by the persimmon tree and sat down, calling out to Shi Yan.

Shi Yan hurried over. “What are Miss Luo’s orders?”

Da Bai relaxed.

As long as she wasn’t looking for him, all was well.

“Your prince… approximately when will he return?” Thinking of her newly acquired registry, Luo Sheng became particularly concerned about when Wei Han would return to the capital.

Prince Kaiyang had been following the assassin organization lead all along. The assassins at the Qianjin Workshop had also been completely wiped out by Prince Kaiyang. The registry would only be reasonable and effective in Prince Kaiyang’s hands.

Hearing Luo Sheng’s words, Shi Yan’s heart leaped with joy.

Miss Luo was thinking about the master!

From this perspective, the master still had a chance. This was love growing over time!

“Miss, you can rest assured. Our master will definitely return early. He’s not accustomed to being away from you—from the tavern you run.”

“Approximately when?”

Shi Yan smiled sheepishly. “He didn’t tell this humble servant…”

It was normal for the master not to tell him, but why hadn’t he told Miss Luo either?

Luo Sheng immediately lost interest in the little guard and walked toward the main hall.

With Hong Dou and the others absent, the main hall seemed somewhat empty.

The sounds of drums, gongs, and firecrackers drifted in faintly, proclaiming the excitement outside.

Luo Sheng held her clear tea and took a sip, her mood quite good.

As long as one worked hard, everything would gradually improve.

The streets were packed with crowds, unbearably congested. In the urgency to secure advantageous positions, some people even had their shoes trampled off.

Those who had spent heavily to reserve private rooms on the second floors of teahouses and restaurants along the top scholar’s parade route could watch the excitement much more comfortably.

Outside a private room in a certain teahouse, Wei Feng leaned against the railing looking out, his expression somewhat impatient. “Hasn’t he reached here yet? What a waste of time.”

Wei Wen said indifferently, “If Second Brother finds watching the excitement tedious, why not stay home and keep Sister-in-law company?”

Wei Feng’s mouth twitched.

It was precisely because staying at the prince’s manor facing that woman was even more tedious that he had escaped.

It was strange—were all women like this? Not saying what was on her mind, always looking at him with teary eyes as if he had beaten her.

He didn’t have that kind of idle energy.

Observing her elder brother’s gloomy expression, Wei Wen pursed her lips and lowered her gaze to play with her jade pendant, saying nothing more.

She knew Second Brother and the new sister-in-law wouldn’t get along.

With Wang Shi’s family background, what did it matter if she had exceptional beauty? She could never shed her petty habits.

On this point, she and Second Brother were in agreement.

One could only say Mother Consort had been mistaken.

“They’re coming!” Wei Feng suddenly shouted excitedly.

Wei Wen looked up and glanced outside.

She actually had no interest in the new top scholar, but when everyone else watched such excitement, if she alone didn’t participate, it would inevitably feel out of place when the noble ladies gathered to discuss it later.

Fortunately, she didn’t need to squeeze around like those commoners. She only needed to sit here and catch a glimpse of what the top scholar looked like—that would be enough.

Wei Wen glanced out casually, but saw the procession with its thunderous firecrackers was still some distance away.

She couldn’t help but frown. “It’s still far off. You can’t even see what the person looks like clearly. Why is Second Brother in such a rush?”

Of course Wei Feng was in a rush.

What he saw wasn’t any top scholar, but that youth called Fuxue!

Heaven knew that since he had seen that youth once at Youjian Tavern, he had been haunted by him ever since, yet catching even one glimpse was harder than ascending to heaven.

Even when he was lucky enough to see him, he could only watch from afar.

There was no help for it—Miss Luo alone was not easy to deal with.

He hadn’t expected that while purely running out to watch the excitement to avoid that annoying woman at home, he would actually see Fuxue!

Wei Feng looked carefully.

It was indeed Fuxue.

And he wasn’t together with Miss Luo!

Wei Feng immediately strode away.

“Second Brother, where are you going?” Seeing her brother run out without a word, Wei Wen called out.

“Nature calls!” Wei Feng couldn’t be bothered to turn back. Dropping this sentence, he hurriedly ran out.

Through the open door came the sound of someone rushing down the stairs.

Wei Wen pursed her lips, instinctively feeling something was off.

He hadn’t eaten anything bad, yet could be this urgent?

Could it be he saw someone?

Wei Wen thought this while subconsciously looking outside.

Just at that moment, the procession with its clamorous drums and gongs approached.

On a tall horse, wearing a hat adorned with red flowers and dressed in red robes, the youth was extraordinarily handsome. His eyes and brows were serene, like magnolia flowers quietly blooming in spring, completely undisturbed by the worldly excitement.

In this moment, Wei Wen experienced what it meant to have her heart flutter.

As the procession drew nearer, the surging crowds on both sides of the street erupted in waves of cheers. Countless flowers and silk handkerchiefs were thrown toward the top scholar.

Wei Wen stared fixedly at the red-robed youth who made her heart race. Watching him ride past the teahouse through waves of flowers, she subconsciously raised her hand and threw the jade pendant she had been playing with.

Only after throwing the jade pendant did Wei Wen wake as if from a dream, unable to help covering her mouth in alarm.

Although the jade pendant she threw was small, it was unlike flowers and handkerchiefs—it would hurt if it hit someone.

What if it hit the top scholar’s head—this thought made Wei Wen break out in a cold sweat.

Under the gaze of thousands, Su Yao slowly rode forward on his horse. The flowers that occasionally struck his shoulders and robe always made him want to frown.

Fortunately, his face remained impassive.

Just then, an object flew swiftly toward him.

Su Yao sensed danger and reflexively reached out to catch it.

The object in his grasp was cool and smooth—a small jade rabbit pendant.

Su Yao subconsciously looked up.

At the teahouse he was passing, a lavishly dressed young woman stared at him blankly.

This type of young lady, Su Yao had seen too many of.

He slightly curved his lips, withdrew his gaze, and continued forward.

The exceptionally handsome top scholar rode far away. Gradually even the festive sounds of drums and gongs faded, yet Wei Wen didn’t come back to her senses for a long time.

She was still immersed in that smile when the top scholar curved his lips.

He hadn’t been annoyed, and had even accepted her jade ornament…

Wei Wen’s heart bloomed with several parts sweetness, several parts melancholy.

She had once thought no man could catch her eye, but now she realized she had been wrong.

She’d heard the new top scholar was from Jinsha and was named Su Yao.

Wei Wen slowly returned to the private room, resting her chin in her hand and falling into contemplation, having long forgotten about her brother who had yet to return despite claiming nature called.

At this moment, Prince Pingnan’s heir Wei Feng was squeezing through the crowd, finally managing to squeeze in front of Fuxue.

Getting close, only then did he discover Luo Chen and the other two.

Wei Feng nimbly dodged behind a burly man. As the top scholar’s procession drew near, he finally waited for his opportunity.