Had this man discovered something?

This thought flashed through her mind, but Luo Sheng’s expression showed no change whatsoever—only a slight flicker in her eyes betrayed a hint of annoyance.

She raised her hand to remove the pearl hairpin from her hair and casually tossed it on the table, saying blandly: “If it’s crooked, then I don’t want it.”

At this moment, Sheng Sanlang burst in from outside: “Cousin, Prince Pingnan has been assassinated—”

The rest of his words came to an abrupt halt upon seeing Luo Sheng and Wei Han standing so close together.

The shock from Prince Pingnan’s assassination was instantly suppressed by the fire of gossip.

Why were Cousin and Prince Kaiyang standing so close?

Hiss—could they be preparing to embrace?

Luo Sheng’s lips pressed tight.

Prince Pingnan being assassinated—if someone else had run back to report the news, it wouldn’t be strange, but why was Cousin in such a frantic rush?

Having eaten so much pork knuckle and braised beef, he still showed no intelligence.

The emotions arising from her worry about Wei Han detecting something were thus secretly redirected as annoyance toward Sheng Sanlang.

Luo Sheng strode outside: “Let’s go take a look.”

Sheng Sanlang vaguely sensed Cousin was angry. Pondering that he might have interrupted Cousin’s good fortune, he immediately smiled sheepishly at Wei Han and ran out after her.

“Cousin, wait for me—”

Wei Han remained where he was, his gaze falling on the pearl hairpin casually thrown on the table.

The pearl hairpin was pale pink, so pale it was nearly white, just like Miss Luo’s usual simple and plain clothing.

Even more like her attitude toward him—cold and distant.

Wei Han picked up the pearl hairpin, stared at it for a moment, tucked it into his robe, and walked outside.

Outside was already in complete chaos. A squad of soldiers from the Western City Military Commissioner’s office responsible for patrol hurried over, while the Qilin Guards who had been secretly guarding the tavern under Grand Marshal Luo’s orders also quietly returned to the Grand Marshal’s manor to report.

Minister Zhao had rushed over with the Lin Teng brothers at the first opportunity and was currently staring blankly at a pool of blood on the ground.

It’s over, it’s over—the Ministry of Justice had landed in big trouble.

He turned his head in confusion, looking at Lin Teng who was conversing with a young man.

Fortunately he’d brought Lin Teng—he’d leave the big matter for this lad to worry about.

What? Have him worry?

Even if he worried, it wouldn’t help. Wasn’t being Lin Teng’s good superior enough?

Touching his protruding belly, Minister Zhao sighed deeply.

The wine and food he liked were so expensive, the duties he was responsible for so headache-inducing—life was truly difficult.

“You lost him after chasing to the alley entrance?” Lin Teng asked the young man.

The young man had ordinary features but extremely sharp eyes—he was precisely the shadow guard of Prince Pingnan who had pursued Luo Sheng.

“Can you take me to have a look?”

The shadow guard nodded.

A low voice came: “Something happened to my Third Brother?”

Wei Han’s appearance brought a moment of silence to the scene. Even Lin Teng, who had been about to go examine the scene with the shadow guard, stopped.

“An evildoer was hiding in that large tree and used bow and arrow to assassinate Prince Pingnan.” Minister Zhao hurriedly informed Wei Han of what he had learned.

Wei Han walked forward two more steps, using the lantern’s illumination to examine the pool of blood on the ground.

Luo Sheng said nothing, also staring at that pool of blood.

She heard the man who had just helped straighten her pearl hairpin ask: “Where is my Third Brother? How is he?”

“His Highness was sent back to the Prince’s Manor.”

“Is he alive?”

Minister Zhao shook his head: “Hard to say. When he was taken away, he still had breath.”

Luo Sheng’s expression remained unchanged, but her heart had already surged with tremendous waves.

Still had breath?

She was confident she hadn’t missed—one arrow had embedded precisely in Prince Pingnan’s back heart. By the time the guards reacted and took him away, how could he still have breath?

“Minister Zhao, accompany this Prince to Prince Pingnan’s Manor to take a look.” Wei Han said blandly.

Minister Zhao was startled: “But here—”

Wei Han’s tone remained bland: “Since the evildoer has already fled, leave it to the Military Commissioner’s people to search. Capturing criminals isn’t the Ministry of Justice’s responsibility in the first place. Minister Zhao might as well come with me to check on Prince Pingnan’s injuries and inquire about the situation with Princess Pingnan.”

Upon hearing this, Minister Zhao realized he was right—the Ministry of Justice adjudicated cases, they didn’t chase criminals. Why was he taking on someone else’s duties?

Of course, he wasn’t skilled at adjudicating cases either, but he had Lin Teng.

Taking Lin Teng on a trip to Prince Pingnan’s Manor to inquire about the situation with Princess Pingnan and the others was the proper business.

Minister Zhao immediately called out to Lin Teng: “Lin Teng, come with me to Prince Pingnan’s Manor.”

Lin Teng responded affirmatively and walked behind Minister Zhao.

Wei Han turned and came before Luo Sheng.

“Miss Luo.”

Luo Sheng suppressed the turmoil in her heart and looked up at him.

The night shrouded his blue robes, making his features increasingly distinct.

“Today’s incident with an evildoer committing violence is just an accident. Miss Luo need not worry too much. Return to the manor early.”

The night wind carried these words to Luo Sheng’s ears. She could hear the intent to comfort within them.

Because of that speculation, she even heard another layer of meaning.

But she found it difficult to be comforted.

If Prince Pingnan hadn’t died, what did all her planning up to now amount to?

Wei Han nodded slightly to Luo Sheng as a farewell.

Luo Sheng watched the group walk farther and farther away. That blue figure nearly merged with the night, yet was most vivid in her eyes.

“Miss?” Having watched enough excitement, Hong Dou saw Luo Sheng standing motionless and called out.

They were still hungry.

Just thinking this, Hong Dou suddenly jumped up: “This is bad!”

Everyone at the tavern looked at her in unison.

Hong Dou stamped her feet anxiously: “Those patrons ran out to watch the excitement—they haven’t settled their bills yet!”

So many dining and dashing—how much money would they lose!

The female manager relaxed upon hearing this: “No need to worry about that. I’ve memorized it all in my head. Every single person who came to eat—not one will escape.”

If a manager couldn’t even do this much, what right did she have to enjoy the tavern’s good treatment of room and board?

“That’s good then.” Hong Dou breathed a sigh of relief.

Kou’er shook her head: “Using watching the excitement as a pretext to dine and dash—this batch of diners has poor character.”

“That’s true.” Shi Yan took the opportunity to speak up for his master: “Our master is different. He always pays a sum of silver in advance to be deducted gradually.”

Luo Sheng ignored these voices and walked step by step toward the tavern.

Xiu Yue, who never came out of the back kitchen, was standing quietly at the tavern entrance.

As Luo Sheng walked over, she gently grasped her sleeve.

“The one who had the incident was Prince Pingnan?”

Luo Sheng’s steps paused as she looked at Xiu Yue.

“Miss, was it Prince Pingnan who had the incident?”

Luo Sheng was silent for a moment, her tone calm: “The one who had the incident was Prince Pingnan, but whether he’s truly harmed, we don’t know yet.”

“Then, then—” Xiu Yue opened her mouth wanting to say something, but Hong Dou and the others walking over afterward made her swallow her questions and silently release her hand.

What she most wanted to know was only one question: Was it Miss Luo who assassinated Prince Pingnan?

Unfortunately, even until returning to the Grand Marshal’s Manor, Xiu Yue hadn’t found an opportunity to inquire.

Grand Marshal Luo was waiting at the main gate.

“Why is Father here?”

“I heard something happened near the tavern.” Grand Marshal Luo looked Luo Sheng over. Seeing her pale complexion, he couldn’t help but feel distressed. “Sheng’er, don’t be afraid. At the foot of the Son of Heaven, an evildoer who dares commit such an act will certainly be caught.”

Luo Sheng grabbed Grand Marshal Luo’s sleeve, tears brimming in her eyes: “Father, your daughter is truly frightened. Please go inquire about Prince Pingnan’s actual condition…”

It wasn’t until the next morning that Luo Sheng finally received reliable information from Grand Marshal Luo.

Because Prince Pingnan’s heart was positioned to the right, he hadn’t lost his life but was hanging by a thread. Before dawn, the Prince Pingnan’s heir had personally gone to request Physician Li.