As the candlelight flickered slightly, light and shadow swept across the book.

Luo Sheng casually set down the book and rose to walk toward the window.

The gauze-covered window showed only vague shadows, nothing clear.

She stood there briefly, then reached out to push open the window.

The evening breeze immediately rushed in, stirring her loose black hair and the sleeves and hem of her matching black garments.

Outside the window stood a young man.

He had changed into black clothing, nearly merging with the night, making his face appear as pale as cold jade.

Across the window, their eyes met for an instant before the man spoke, “I found her.”

“Please wait a moment, Your Highness.” After saying this, Luo Sheng walked to the east room.

Wei Han stood outside the window, surveying the interior.

A pair of candlesticks on the table illuminated the room brightly.

Inside was a common study arrangement, neat and elegant, with a zither placed in one corner.

Could Miss Luo play the zither?

Wei Han unconsciously formed this question.

He had seen those hands wielding a ladle and drawing a bow, but found it somewhat hard to imagine slender hands playing the zither.

Of course, being far away, he hadn’t noticed the layer of dust on the instrument.

Luo Sheng went to the east room and saw Hong Dou already asleep on the daybed in the outer chamber.

“Hong Dou.” She called out softly.

Hong Dou’s eyelashes trembled as she struggled to open her eyes, “Miss?”

“Continue sleeping. I’m going out to handle something.”

“Then this servant will accompany you.” Hong Dou’s head felt heavy as she prepared to get up.

“No need. Prince Kaiyang will accompany me.” After giving these instructions, Luo Sheng turned and returned to the west room.

Hong Dou closed her eyes again, then moments later sat bolt upright.

Prince Kaiyang was accompanying Miss to handle business?

The little maid got up from the daybed, slipped on her shoes, and ran to the west room.

The west room was empty with no one in sight, only the open book resting quietly by the bed.

Hong Dou circled the room several times before plopping down to stare blankly.

These days, not only did one have to guard against kitchen ladies, but also against wild men from outside?

Maintaining her position as head maid was too difficult.

As for her own Miss going out with a man at night—that didn’t matter. Miss wouldn’t come out at a disadvantage anyway.

Hong Dou felt melancholy for a while, but drowsiness overtook her. Rubbing her eyes, she went back to sleep.

Since Miss had her reasons for not bringing her along, she wouldn’t worry needlessly.

Luo Sheng followed Wei Han and successfully left the separate residence.

Compared to daytime, the grassland at night was somewhat heart-stopping. That boundless, open darkness bred an indescribable fear, pressing upon the hearts of those within it.

Luo Sheng didn’t feel this way.

She only felt urgency to see Zhaohua.

Before them was a dense forest. In the night, branches stretched horizontally, appearing from afar like blurred, misshapen human figures.

The wind blew, carrying a chill.

“Is it in the forest?” Luo Sheng asked.

Her emotionless voice carried through the night with the illusion of not being her own voice.

Wei Han nodded slightly, his eyes revealing some worry.

“Then please take me there.”

“Alright.”

The two walked side by side into the dense forest.

Compared to the rustling outside, the forest seemed even quieter and darker.

Because of that rain, the forest floor was still somewhat damp and soft. Stepping on it made one’s heart feel even more hollow and unsettled.

Luo Sheng stepped down and her body swayed slightly.

A large hand firmly grasped hers, steadying her.

“Thank you.” Luo Sheng’s hollow voice expressed thanks as she withdrew her hand.

Wei Han quietly clenched his fist, as if trying to capture the trace of coldness left in his palm.

Miss Luo’s hand was too cold—so cold he didn’t want to let go.

Walking deep into the forest, Wei Han stopped before a tree.

By the moonlight, Luo Sheng saw that the soil’s color there was distinctly different from elsewhere.

Her heart felt as if gripped tightly by an invisible hand, so painful in that instant that breathing became difficult.

Her complexion grew even paler, yet her expression showed little change. She reached out to steady herself against the tree and asked the man beside her, “Is Selected Attendant Yu here?”

Wei Han was silent for a moment, then nodded, “Yes.”

Luo Sheng slowly crouched down and reached out to dig at the soil.

That large hand extended and pressed down on hers.

Luo Sheng looked at him silently.

“Let me.” Wei Han produced a flower hoe from somewhere.

Luo Sheng reached out to take the flower hoe and began digging without a word.

Wei Han produced another flower hoe and joined in.

Because it had only recently rained and the earth had been disturbed before, the soil was very loose. Before long, they touched something.

Luo Sheng’s movements stopped as she stared blankly at that spot.

What was faintly exposed was a straw mat.

In this moment, she nearly broke into tears.

Her Zhaohua, who had submitted to a wolf for twelve years, had come to such an end.

Wrapped in straw mat burial, without even a thin coffin.

Wei Qiang!

She bit her lip, tasting blood.

Wei Han didn’t stop digging and soon revealed the corpse wrapped in the mat.

Luo Sheng took a deep breath and reached out to pull back the straw mat.

Disheveled long hair, a frightening face.

Luo Sheng jerked her hand back, staring at that face with a moment of shock.

This wasn’t Zhaohua!

In that moment, wild joy surged through her heart. She couldn’t help but look at the man beside her.

He had made a mistake—this wasn’t Zhaohua!

This was Zhaohua’s personal maid, Qing’er.

Perhaps Grand Commander Luo had also made a mistake. Her Zhaohua hadn’t died…

Wei Han lowered his eyes and picked up the flower hoe to continue digging.

Before long, the pit widened and deepened, revealing another bundle of straw mat pressed beneath.

Luo Sheng stumbled back a step.

Another corpse wrapped in straw mat appeared before her.

Luo Sheng clenched her fists tightly, staring at the hand protruding from the straw mat.

The exquisite and magnificent gold bracelet on the wrist was heartbreakingly familiar.

That was her gold bracelet inlaid with seven treasures, paired with the one Zhaohua had desperately guarded for twelve years.

She reached out, trembling as she pulled back the mat.

She was no longer that young princess sheltered from wind and rain by her parents, living in carefree nobility. She no longer had the privilege to avoid difficult things.

She could only face them.

The familiar face came into view—not grotesquely twisted as she’d imagined, even bearing a hint of a smile at the corner of the mouth.

Luo Sheng gazed at that face, momentarily forgetting to react.

Wei Han reminded her softly, “Miss Luo, we shouldn’t linger here.”

Luo Sheng came back to herself, her voice hoarse, “I need to confirm how she died.”

Wei Han silently pointed to the corpse’s neck.

Luo Sheng looked over and saw the shocking purple-blue marks.

Zhaohua had been strangled to death!

Luo Sheng’s eyes contracted as she couldn’t control the fury and pain that showed.

That fury came like an overwhelming tide, and pain also came like an overwhelming tide. Two giant waves roared as they mercilessly submerged her, utterly disregarding whether her slender frame could bear it.

A tear finally fell, landing on the cold straw mat covered in soil.

Then came a second tear, a third tear…

Luo Sheng thought in a daze that she seemed to be crying.

A breeze swept through the quiet forest. Autumn leaves rustled and drifted down.

Yet the forest seemed even quieter—so quiet that Wei Han could hear the sound of the young lady’s tears falling.

Those tears seemed not to fall on damp, decaying soil, but to strike his heart.

Miss Luo was crying.

Miss Luo looked… very sad.

Wei Han silently extended his hand and gently drew the weeping young lady into his embrace.