Madam Yang, wife of Marquis Changchun, was drenched from head to face with soup water streaming down her cheeks, washing away the cosmetics on her face.

The sweet soup was only warm, not enough to scald anyone seriously, but embarrassment was unavoidable.

Especially in such an occasion—it could be said she was extremely embarrassed.

The matrons were already so shocked they couldn’t speak.

Luo Sheng’s face darkened as she coldly rebuked, “Can’t even hold a bowl of soup steady—is this a maid from the prince’s residence?”

The maid serving the soup was already scared out of her wits and fell to her knees with a thud, begging forgiveness. “This servant deserves death, this servant deserves death.”

She had only intended to spill some sweet soup on Miss Luo, but how was Miss Luo’s reaction so quick? She directly knocked her hand aside, and then the entire bowl of soup ended up on Madam of Marquis Changchun’s face…

Thinking of the consequences, the maid’s body swayed unsteadily.

Wei Wen watched coldly from the side, forcefully tightening her grip on the handkerchief in her hand.

She had signaled the maid to pretend to accidentally spill some soup on Luo Sheng. Luo Sheng would then have no choice but to leave her seat to change clothes, and at that point would naturally go to the garden.

Who could have expected Luo Sheng’s reaction to be so quick, with Madam of Marquis Changchun sitting nearby becoming collateral damage.

“Get out and accept your punishment.” The Princess Consort of Pingnan’s tone was light, but inwardly she was furious.

At her birthday banquet, a maid had clumsily overturned soup and splashed it on a guest’s face—this was utterly humiliating for the prince’s residence.

The maid looked desperately at Wei Wen but didn’t even dare beg for mercy before being dragged away.

The Princess Consort of Pingnan smiled apologetically at Madam Yang, wife of Marquis Changchun. “This is all due to my lax supervision causing such an incident. I truly apologize.”

Madam Yang was too busy wiping her face to have leisure to respond to the princess consort’s words.

The Princess Consort of Pingnan swept a glance at Wei Wen. “Wen’er, help Madam Yang go change clothes.”

As the host family allowing a guest to suffer such embarrassment at the banquet, even though the Princess Consort of Pingnan’s status was far more noble than Madam Yang’s, she had no choice but to have her daughter personally attend to the matter.

Only this way could the Prince’s Residence of Pingnan receive less criticism behind people’s backs.

Though unwilling in her heart, Wei Wen had no choice. She walked before Madam Yang and curtsied. “Madam Yang, let me accompany you to change.”

Madam Yang, in her disheveled state, had no time for courtesy and hurriedly followed Wei Wen away.

Luo Sheng rose gracefully. “My two sisters are still in the garden. I should go there as well.”

The Princess Consort of Pingnan smiled with difficulty and casually pointed out a maid to escort Luo Sheng over.

Staring at the young lady’s departing willowy figure, the princess consort’s eyes turned cold.

If the maid hadn’t truly made a mistake, she would even suspect this girl had come specifically to make trouble for her.

Walking out the door, Luo Sheng squinted her eyes against the bright sunshine.

Twelve years had passed, yet the Princess Consort of Pingnan had changed remarkably little—clearly she had lived comfortably these years.

How could she not be comfortable? Her eldest son had been adopted by the emperor to become crown prince, while her second son would inherit the princely title in the future. Even if according to propriety she and her eldest son were no longer mother and son, the mother-son bond of many years couldn’t be severed.

When the crown prince ascended the throne in the future, the Prince’s Residence of Pingnan would only become more illustrious and secure.

Living comfortably, she had the leisure to care about the question of whether she was old.

Luo Sheng curved her lips into a mocking arc.

“Miss Luo, please go this way.”

Luo Sheng glanced at the maid and said indifferently, “No rush to go over. I’ll stroll around as I please.”

Even if there was no opportunity to see Wei Qiang, familiarizing herself with the Prince’s Residence of Pingnan first wouldn’t make this trip in vain.

“But—” The maid was anxious and didn’t know what to do.

Luo Sheng’s face turned cold. “What, the prince’s residence doesn’t allow people to stroll around?”

The maid felt like rolling her eyes.

Wandering around the prince’s residence like it was a public street wasn’t appropriate to begin with—how did it become so self-righteous when it came from this Miss Luo’s mouth?

But she was just a maid. She couldn’t forcibly stop the Grand Marshal’s daughter unless the other party disregarded propriety and tried to barge into the front where the male guests were.

“Miss Luo, ahead are all male guests—distinguished nobles and important ministers have come, as well as the crown prince.” The maid steeled herself to remind her.

Luo Sheng smiled. “I know. My father is also up ahead. I didn’t say I was going there—I’m just casually walking around, admiring the scenery of the prince’s residence.”

Hearing her say this, the maid couldn’t say more.

This Miss Luo dared to beat even daughters of the Minister’s residence. If she truly became angry, how could a mere serving maid withstand it?

Without anyone chattering in her ear, Luo Sheng strolled leisurely as if in her own family garden, secretly memorizing what she saw in her heart.

She couldn’t deal with these people for now, but more understanding was always good.

Male voices suddenly came.

The maid’s expression changed. Just as she was about to speak, a hand covered her mouth and a strong force pulled her behind nearby flowering shrubs.

“Elder Brother, Mother Consort has been looking forward to seeing you for so long. Let’s go over quickly.”

Recognizing this voice, the maid was immediately too frightened to struggle anymore.

A pleasant male voice came. “Wei Feng, how many times have I told you not to call me Elder Brother? You should call me Your Highness, lest others hear and misunderstand.”

Luo Sheng’s gaze tightened as she pushed aside the dense flower branches to create a gap.

Not far away stood two men. Their builds were similar—one still showed youthful inexperience while the other already possessed a man’s maturity.

Luo Sheng’s gaze fell directly on the slightly older man.

Wei Qiang was the same age as her and should now be twenty-nine years old.

Twenty-nine years old—for a man in a high position, this was almost the most charismatic age.

His gaze had become deeper, his temperament more reserved, his every gesture more elegant and confident.

Unlike the heir of Prince Pingnan from twelve years ago, who would show boyish awkwardness and nervousness in her presence, who had that endearing clumsiness that made one smile.

Thinking of these things, Luo Sheng smiled self-mockingly.

Perhaps that awkward and clumsy youth from twelve years ago had never existed.

One only became awkward and clumsy in front of someone they cared about.

But if he truly cared, how could Wei Qiang have presented the so-called evidence of the Prince’s Residence of Zhennan’s treason? How could he have killed her so mercilessly?

Luo Sheng truly hated him.

Even though her face appeared completely calm, fire blazed in her eyes.

Tender flower petals were crushed, the flower juice staining her jade-like fingertips red.

The conversation continued.

“Understood, Your Highness.” Wei Feng replied reluctantly.

Wei Qiang’s face was stern. “Also, from now on, persuade Auntie more often not to keep an nephew like me so close to her heart.”

“Your Highness!”

“What?”

“Today is Mother Consort’s birthday—”

Wei Qiang smiled. “That’s why I came.”

The implication being there was no need to come at other times.

Listening, Luo Sheng felt something strange rising in her heart.

The Wei Qiang of twelve years ago was several years younger than the current Wei Feng. He had never concealed his filial affection when mentioning the Princess Consort of Pingnan, never been this cold.

Was this to avoid making the emperor uncomfortable in his heart, deliberately distancing himself from the Prince’s Residence of Pingnan on the surface?

Wei Qiang’s appearance had quite an impact on Luo Sheng. She stared fixedly at that person, wildly speculating.

Wei Feng smiled bitterly. “Your Highness, are you still blaming Father Prince—”

Wei Qiang’s face suddenly turned cold, his voice seeming to freeze into ice. “How could that be? I’m grateful to Uncle Prince for giving me my current position—it’s not too late to thank him. Wei Feng, you’re not a child anymore. Don’t say whatever comes to mind—”

A scream suddenly rang out, interrupting their conversation.