The scream was a woman’s voice, carrying terror, and this immediately made Wei Qiang and Wei Feng’s expressions tense.

Though their earlier conversation hadn’t contained anything too improper, it would still sound bad if overheard by others. Especially with Wei Qiang’s sensitive status, it would more easily invite criticism.

Wei Qiang was just about to demand an explanation when a cold, impatient female voice rang out: “I merely asked you to take me to find Prince Kaiyang, yet you, a mere maid, keep hesitating and obstructing. Could it be that because you’re from the Prince’s Residence of Pingnan, you don’t take me seriously?”

Wei Qiang and Wei Feng couldn’t help but exchange glances.

Which young lady was so arrogant as to threaten a prince’s residence serving maid to take her to meet a man?

To meet Prince Kaiyang, no less!

Wei Qiang strode over with large steps, Wei Feng following closely behind.

“Who is it?” Rounding the flowering shrubs, a graceful figure in pale green came into view as Wei Qiang asked coldly.

He wanted to see just what kind of woman this was.

The young lady turned around, a small green-patterned snake in her hand flicking its tongue and twisting about.

The steady and dignified Crown Prince’s gaze went blank for a moment.

Of course he didn’t care about a small snake, but a young lady calmly holding a snake and playing with it—this impact was rather significant.

Wei Feng’s eyes were equally wide.

No help for it—he had never seen such a young lady either.

Wait, he meant he’d never seen a young lady playing with a snake, but he recognized this young lady before his eyes!

Wasn’t this the beloved daughter of Grand Marshal Luo?

The slow-thinking young prince finally reacted.

After a brief freeze, it was Luo Sheng who slightly bent her knees in greeting: “Your Highness Crown Prince, Young Prince.”

After speaking, she looked at the two with puzzled eyes, her meaning quite obvious: What are you doing here?

The corner of Wei Qiang’s mouth twitched slightly as he said coolly, “Ah, so it’s Miss Luo.”

He had met the Grand Marshal’s beloved daughter few times, but his impression was quite deep.

For no other reason than her molesting men and keeping male favorites—there truly weren’t many women like this.

Wei Qiang’s gaze silently swept over the small green-patterned snake on the young lady’s fair fingertips, adding another item: She also plays with snakes!

Speaking of girls who weren’t afraid of snakes, he actually knew one other person…

Wei Qiang’s lips pressed tight, coldness surfacing in his eyes.

How could the woman before him be worthy of comparison to her?

Wei Feng on the side couldn’t help but ask, “What is Miss Luo doing?”

As he spoke, his gaze kept glancing at the small green-patterned snake.

Truthfully, he wasn’t afraid of snakes, but seeing a young lady nonchalantly handling a snake made his heart inexplicably tighten.

Was the food at the birthday banquet not good, or was the scenery of the prince’s residence not beautiful enough—what exactly was Miss Luo trying to pull?

Hearing Wei Feng’s question, Luo Sheng smiled with raised lips, her finger wrapped with the small snake pointing at the serving maid. “I was just about to tell the young prince—your residence’s serving maid is quite lacking in manners. A guest made one small request, yet she kept hesitating and obstructing. I had no choice but to let this little snake play with her.”

Wei Qiang and Wei Feng’s attention had originally been drawn to Luo Sheng. Only now did they have leisure to examine the unfortunate serving maid.

The maid wearing the prince’s residence uniform had collapsed on the ground, still maintaining her terrified expression even now, her delicate face deathly pale.

Meeting Wei Qiang and Wei Feng’s gazes, the maid suddenly snapped awake and immediately prostrated herself to beg forgiveness: “This servant has disturbed Your Highness Crown Prince and the young prince—this servant deserves death!”

She pressed her forehead to the ground, her whole body trembling, clearly still not recovered from her fright.

Wei Qiang naturally wouldn’t waste words with a maid. He withdrew his gaze to look at Luo Sheng, saying gently, “Today is the princess consort’s birthday banquet. Miss Luo should go over earlier.”

No matter how much he disdained this woman in his heart, he had no need to make an enemy of Grand Marshal Luo.

Luo Sheng met Wei Qiang’s gaze, sneering coldly in her heart.

The Wei Qiang of the past had also been gentle, but unfortunately she had been blind, thinking he was only gentle toward his childhood sweetheart fiancée. She hadn’t realized he could speak gently and softly even to women he clearly detested.

She really wanted to throw the small snake onto this hypocritical face.

Luo Sheng’s fingertips moved.

Wei Qiang inexplicably felt his scalp tingle and stepped back half a pace.

Luo Sheng smiled slightly. “I’ve already come from the princess consort. Are Your Highness Crown Prince and the young prince heading there?”

“Mm.” Wei Qiang felt somewhat annoyed at his earlier loss of composure and responded faintly.

Wei Feng couldn’t help but remind her, “Miss Luo, you should still release that snake to avoid frightening others.”

Luo Sheng raised her brows, revealing a look of sudden realization. “So the young prince is afraid of snakes.”

The corner of Wei Feng’s mouth couldn’t help but twitch as anger rose in his heart.

Who said he was afraid of snakes!

This Miss Luo truly had no manners, saying whatever came to mind.

Wei Qiang knew this younger brother’s temperament was somewhat impulsive and spoke at the appropriate moment. “Wei Feng, let’s go.”

Wei Feng suppressed his anger and nodded, saying to Luo Sheng with a stiff face, “Since Miss Luo has come from the princess consort, you should go to my sister’s side earlier. They may all be waiting anxiously.”

“Alright.” Luo Sheng agreed readily, as if she hadn’t noticed the other party’s displeasure at all.

When they had walked far away, Wei Feng cursed in a low voice with a cold face, “Truly lacking manners!”

Wei Qiang smiled. “Why bother arguing with a young girl?”

“Your Highness, didn’t you hear? She threatened the serving maid to take her to see Uncle Prince.”

“So what? Didn’t she fail to see him?” Wei Qiang’s expression returned to indifference. “Even if she had seen him, what could she do to Uncle Prince?”

Wei Feng nodded. “That’s true. With Uncle Prince’s martial skills, of course a woman couldn’t do anything to him, unless he himself was willing—”

The rest of the words abruptly stopped. Wei Feng’s face looked strange.

Wei Qiang glanced at him.

Wei Feng slowly drew a breath and said in an incredibly disbelieving tone, “Your Highness, do you remember the incident when Miss Luo pulled off Uncle Prince’s belt on the street?”

“Mm.”

“How do you think Miss Luo managed to do that?”

Wei Qiang didn’t make a sound.

After a moment of silence, Wei Feng stammered out, “Could, could it be that Uncle Prince was actually willing?”

Wei Qiang’s gaze flashed as he said, “Don’t guess randomly. Perhaps it was momentary carelessness.”

“Momentary carelessness?” Wei Feng shook his head.

If it were him, perhaps he might be momentarily careless, but Uncle Prince had licked blood from blades—how could he make such a mistake?

Saying he was willing seemed more reliable instead.

However, the possibility of Uncle Prince taking a liking to Miss Luo was even more difficult to believe.

Wei Feng was deeply puzzled.

Wei Qiang, thinking of this almost impossible possibility, felt his thoughts stir slightly, then strode forward with large steps.

Luo Sheng still stood in place. Seeing those two had already walked out of sight, she tossed the small snake into the flower bushes and said indifferently, “Why are you still kneeling? Get up.”

The freed small snake quickly scurried away.

The serving maid climbed up with a pale face, her legs so weak she could barely stand.

At first she had been frightened by the snake that suddenly crawled onto her skirt hem, then later it was the terror of facing the crown prince and young prince.

The moment she cried out, she had despaired.

Being discovered eavesdropping on the crown prince and young prince’s conversation—only a dead end awaited her.

Who would have thought Miss Luo would nonchalantly catch that small snake and easily extricate herself?

“Getting frightened and screaming over a single snake—truly lacking manners.” Luo Sheng kept a stern face, her chin slightly raised. “Lead the way.”