In the blink of an eye, it was the birthday of Third Miss Chen from the Minister of Rites’ manor. Wen Manor had received the invitation several days earlier, inviting the Wen sisters to a small gathering.

“Second Sister truly won’t go?” Even until the moment of departure, Wen Chan couldn’t help but ask.

Wen Hao smiled and gave her elder sister a gentle push. “If Elder Sister doesn’t leave now, you’ll be late. The matter with Prince Jing’s Manor happened not long ago—if younger sister goes, she’ll only hear idle gossip.”

“Then Elder Sister will go first. I’ll bring Second Sister pastries from Wanji Shop when I return.”

Once Wen Chan left, Wen Hao withdrew her smile, lowering her eyes to conceal the coldness within them.

In her previous life, she also hadn’t attended Third Miss Chen’s birthday banquet.

Though this invitation mentioned her, it truly only wanted to invite Elder Sister. After all, Third Miss Chen valued proper deportment above all else and couldn’t stand her, this wild girl who climbed walls at the drop of a hat.

She wasn’t one to invite ridicule, so naturally she wouldn’t join in that liveliness.

“Ah Hao, since your foot has healed nicely, accompany Mother to Treasure Pavilion for a stroll. It’s been some time since we’ve been there—they’ve probably acquired many new items.”

Wen Hao looked toward Lin Shi, who spoke these words, her heart warming.

In her previous life, after Elder Sister departed, Mother had said the same thing.

She claimed to want her company at Treasure Pavilion, but actually worried she might feel dejected about not attending Third Miss Chen’s birthday banquet.

Living this life over, she didn’t care at all about hearing idle gossip. Originally, going to the Chen family with Elder Sister would have been fine, but this trip to Treasure Pavilion was absolutely necessary.

She had contemplated this—the person who had designs on her in her previous life very likely saw her during this visit to Treasure Pavilion.

During the year since Grandfather’s passing, she had either stayed at Wen Manor or at the General’s Manor, never venturing out. Even when she accidentally fell from the wall into Prince Jing’s Manor, Elder Sister quickly accompanied her back to the General’s Manor.

The day of Third Miss Chen’s birthday was the only time she had lingered outside for any length of time.

After that, Father brought Chang Shi back to the manor, Grandmother died from a rage-induced attack, and she had to observe mourning for Grandmother while heartbroken over Mother’s situation—she never went out again. Until Elder Sister married, the only stranger she encountered was Elder Sister’s husband.

Wen Hao didn’t want to lose the clue to finding that person.

For someone who could make Father do something like selling his daughter, that person’s status must be extraordinary. Rather than passively waiting to be targeted by him someday, better to proactively learn his identity.

“Wonderful, daughter was just thinking of going out for a stroll.”

Seeing Wen Hao agree, Lin Shi hastily prepared herself and departed in good spirits.

Changchun Street was bustling with people coming and going, extraordinarily lively.

Lin Shi took Wen Hao down from the carriage and entered Treasure Pavilion.

“Madam Lin, it’s been so long since you’ve visited! Please, come inside quickly.” Upon seeing Lin Shi, the female shopkeeper’s face filled with smiles, her eyes lighting up.

Lin Shi was both a regular customer and a major patron of Treasure Pavilion.

Old General Lin had once followed the founding Emperor in conquering the realm and was enfeoffed as Duke Dingguo. Having risen from a mountain bandit, he was quite skilled at accumulating wealth—calling the Lin family enormously wealthy was no exaggeration.

Lin Shi was an only daughter with two beautiful daughters of her own. If she weren’t a regular customer at the capital’s most famous silver shop, that would be the strange thing.

However, since Old General Lin’s passing, Lin Shi hadn’t set foot here for over a year.

The mother and daughter unsurprisingly received meticulous hospitality.

The long display table was filled with hairpins and jewelry, the gold glittering enough to dazzle the eyes.

“Madam, look at this pair of jade bracelets—translucent and verdant green with excellent water quality. They would best complement Second Miss’s complexion.”

Lin Shi glanced at them and said indifferently, “Not as good as the pair I bought for the sisters two years ago.”

The female shopkeeper hastily pushed a box before Lin Shi. “Then please look at this pure gold butterfly hairpin with red gemstones. The rubies themselves are nothing to Madam, but the craftsmanship of this butterfly is exquisitely detailed, absolutely lifelike…”

“Mother!” Wen Hao spoke up at the right moment. “It seems very lively outside. I’d like to go look.”

“Are you finding it boring?” Lin Shi smiled and squeezed Wen Hao’s hand. “Go ahead, but wear your veiled hat properly.”

Wen Hao donned her veiled hat and left Treasure Pavilion with Baozhu.

Not far from Treasure Pavilion, a crowd had gathered, with gong sounds and cheers occasionally ringing out.

Wen Hao steadied herself and walked over.

The crowd was watching a young man performing with a blade.

The youth appeared to be around fourteen or fifteen years old, agile in form, flipping and spinning. Remarkably, he had delicate, handsome features, unlike the common street performers.

Wen Hao stared fixedly at the youth, somewhat distracted.

She couldn’t recall why, in her previous life at this moment, she had watched someone perform martial arts for so long.

Surely it couldn’t be because this youth was good-looking? She wasn’t that kind of person.

“Excellent!”

Amid the cheers, the youth finished his routine. The old man beside him turned over the gong in his hand and circled the crowd collecting rewards.

Copper coins struck the gong with clanging sounds. Before the old man could reach Wen Hao’s side, exclamations arose from the crowd.

“It’s actually a gold leaf!”

“Someone gave a gold leaf as a reward!”

People normally used copper coins for everyday transactions—even silver was rarely seen, let alone gold leaves.

Driven by curiosity, people pushed toward that direction, wanting to see if it was truly a gold leaf.

Wen Hao knew that she would soon have her veiled hat knocked off in this sudden crush of people.

“Miss, be careful!” Baozhu blocked the people pushing toward Wen Hao, protecting her as they moved outward.

Wen Hao turned around.

Just then, someone hurried past her, bumping into the veiled hat.

The veiled hat fell to the ground and was soon trampled.

Baozhu pulled Wen Hao away from the crowd, looking anxious. “Miss, you weren’t stepped on, were you?”

“I’m fine.” Wen Hao raised her hand to tuck the slightly disheveled strands of hair behind her ear.

“Miss, let’s return to Treasure Pavilion.”

“No, let’s watch a bit more.” Wen Hao’s gaze fell on that spot, her feet remaining still.

In her previous life, she had quickly returned to Treasure Pavilion. If she chose to linger this time, might there be a different outcome?

The old man and youth selling their performance received the gold leaf and quickly departed. The crowd gradually dispersed. What had been surging with people a moment ago suddenly became cold and deserted, with only a veiled hat lying forlornly on the ground.

“Miss, this servant will go retrieve the veiled hat.”

Wen Hao didn’t immediately nod.

Could the calamity from her previous life have originated from this abandoned veiled hat?

While she hesitated, she saw a young man in fine brocade walking toward that spot.

He bent down, picked up the veiled hat, and walked toward Wen Hao.

Wen Hao bit her lip tightly, suppressing her overly rapid breathing from extreme shock.

One step, two steps, three steps…

Baozhu rushed forward.

The two guards following the brocade-clad young man immediately stepped forward, blocking Baozhu’s approach.

“That’s our miss’s veiled hat!” Baozhu said indignantly.

The brocade-clad young man glanced at Wen Hao and handed the veiled hat to Baozhu, laughing lightly. “Returning it to your miss. Be careful not to drop it again.”

Baozhu took the veiled hat and ran back to Wen Hao’s side.

Wen Hao turned around expressionlessly and walked quickly toward Treasure Pavilion.

The brocade-clad young man watched that retreating figure disappear at the entrance to Treasure Pavilion and smiled coldly. “Quite proud, isn’t she. Wang Gui, find out later which family’s daughter she is.”

“Yes.”

Wen Hao entered Treasure Pavilion, her tightly clenched palms already covered in cold sweat.

Though spring was gradually warming, she felt as if she had plunged into an ice cave, cold from the tips of her hair to the depths of her heart.

It was the Crown Prince—that person was actually the Crown Prince!