Luo Sheng gently pressed her lips together.

Of course she knew Miss Luo and Madam Luo were completely different people. After all, looking across the entire capital, there was only one unmarried noble young lady who openly kept male companions.

Princesses keeping male companions were another matter.

“How am I different from my mother?” Seeing First Concubine’s gaze grow distant as if lost in memories, Luo Sheng asked.

“Madam was very gentle, dignified, considerate…” First Concubine murmured, then catching sight of the young woman’s calm face, suddenly reacted, “Unlike Miss who is so lively… uh, lively…”

Luo Sheng could clearly sense First Concubine desperately searching for Miss Luo’s good points, finally squeezing out the word “lively” twice.

“My father… was he good to my mother?”

First Concubine started, as if she hadn’t expected Luo Sheng to ask this question.

“Why isn’t First Concubine speaking?”

First Concubine rubbed her teacup, her expression gradually growing solemn: “Why is Miss suddenly asking about these things?”

Luo Sheng casually set down her teacup on the small table, slightly lifting her chin: “I’m curious. I’ve already come of age, and who knows when I might marry, yet I have no impression whatsoever of my own mother. Isn’t that rather tragic?”

Hearing the words “marry” from Luo Sheng’s mouth, First Concubine nearly lost her seat.

Miss was already thinking about marriage? That should be somewhat difficult…

Perhaps the pressure was too great, which was why she had so many questions.

However, Miss wanting to understand Madam was a good thing.

First Concubine sighed softly in her heart.

When Madam passed, Miss had been so small.

She would never forget how Madam looked on her deathbed.

At that time, Master had been half-kneeling before Madam’s sickbed, his eyes red and streaming with tears. She herself had been holding Miss’s hand, standing to the side, trembling all over.

Madam could no longer speak then, her gaze passing over them to stare fixedly at Miss.

She had pushed the three-year-old Miss before Madam, telling Miss to call out “Mother.”

Miss seemed frightened and cried without making a sound.

Madam just kept watching Miss like that.

Both she and Master knew that Madam couldn’t bear to leave Miss behind, and wouldn’t be resigned without hearing the word “Mother” once.

“Sheng’er, call her Mother! Call her!” Master urged with reddened eyes.

Miss pressed her lips even more tightly together.

Master, helpless, pointed to the heavens and swore before Madam: “Madam, rest assured, I will give our Sheng’er all my love, including your share. I will not remarry…”

Madam looked at Master and struggled to curve her lips in a smile.

Just at that moment, Miss softly called out “Mother.” Madam’s smile froze on her lips, and she closed her eyes forever.

Those truly had been days shrouded in dark clouds.

First Concubine returned to herself, her eyes holding tenderness as she looked at Luo Sheng: “Master was very good to Madam. Love me, love my dog—Master is especially good to Miss.”

“What about my younger brother?” Luo Sheng took in the subtle changes in First Concubine’s expression, saying without emotion, “Younger brother is Father’s only son. Surely he wouldn’t treat me even better than younger brother?”

First Concubine’s eyelashes trembled lightly, revealing a faint smile: “Master is of course also good to the Young Master. It’s just that the Young Master was frail from birth and was sent south to recuperate when very young. Father and son spent little time together, which is different from Miss who grew up by Master’s side.”

“Did my mother have difficult labor giving birth to my younger brother?”

First Concubine silently took a sip of tea.

“First Concubine?” It wasn’t that Luo Sheng lacked patience to wait, but sometimes pressing a bit might produce better results.

First Concubine came back to herself, set down the teacup, and said hesitantly: “Actually… Miss should have had two younger brothers. Madam gave birth to twins at that time.”

Luo Sheng was shocked.

Twins?

She had been Miss Luo for so long, yet had never heard of this. Even Hong Dou seemed unaware.

“Luo Chen has a twin brother?”

First Concubine’s face showed sorrow: “The Young Master actually had a twin younger brother, but his body was even weaker than the Young Master’s. Not long after being born, he passed away. Madam was overcome with grief and departed before completing her month of confinement…”

“How did I not know…” Luo Sheng murmured.

First Concubine smiled bitterly: “Such a small child dying young couldn’t be entered into the clan records and didn’t even have a name. Who would bring it up to make people sad? After all these years, naturally no one mentions such things unprompted.”

If Miss hadn’t asked about this, she wouldn’t have brought it up either. This was Master’s forbidden topic.

“Do I look like my mother?”

Hearing this, First Concubine’s eyes reddened as she nodded forcefully: “Yes, Miss resembles Madam by at least eighty percent. The remaining twenty percent takes after Master, which is why Miss is so beautiful.”

“That’s wonderful. Looking at myself, I can imagine what my mother looked like.”

First Concubine nodded with gratification.

Luo Sheng picked up her tea: “First Concubine, you may return.”

First Concubine rose and took her leave.

Luo Sheng walked to her vanity and slowly sat down.

The mirror reflected the young woman’s outstanding features.

She raised her hand, her fingertips sweeping across the contours of her face, then brushing over her brows and eyes.

So Miss Luo resembled Madam Luo by eighty percent.

Then what about Luo Chen?

The young man was also handsome, but with that kind of refined, delicate elegance—not Miss Luo’s radiance like the proud sun.

Between the siblings, there was almost no resemblance.

As for Grand Commander Luo, he was the type with dignified features and a tall, imposing build—also completely different from Luo Chen.

As for Xiao Qi—Luo Sheng thought of the dark-faced youth.

Based on skin tone alone, the difference seemed even greater, whether compared to the Prince Father, Mother Consort, or Grand Commander Luo.

And now that she knew what Madam Luo looked like, naturally he didn’t resemble Madam Luo either.

The scales in Luo Sheng’s heart had begun to tip.

However, to be cautious, she needed to consult the divine physician.

The next morning, Xiu Yue went to the tavern to begin preparing dishes needed for the evening service.

Though Luo Sheng was anxious, she didn’t want to appear too abnormal, so she still waited until afternoon before leisurely going to the tavern.

Several freshly prepared dishes were packed into a food box. Zhuang Han lifted the heavy food box, preparing to deliver it across the street, when Luo Sheng spoke: “Today I’ll deliver it to the divine physician myself.”

Zhuang Han instinctively said: “Proprietor, the food box is rather heavy.”

Luo Sheng had already taken the food box and carried it easily as she walked out.

Zhuang Han stood stunned, then thinking of how his brother had mentioned the proprietor once hijacking Xiao Qi, immediately felt relieved.

After all, this was the proprietor who had counter-robbed Brother Du and the others—ordinary young ladies couldn’t compare.

As soon as the gatekeeper boy saw Luo Sheng, without a word of nonsense he stepped aside, asking with a cheerful smile: “Miss Luo, are you here to see the divine physician?”

“Yes, I’ve come to deliver a meal to the divine physician.”

“Just give the food box to this one.”

Luo Sheng held the food box without moving: “I’ll deliver it directly to the divine physician. I happen to have a few words to say to him.”

The gatekeeper boy hesitated, then compromised: “Then please follow this one.”

Before long, Luo Sheng saw Divine Physician Li beside a small medicinal garden.

“Little Miss, how is it that you’re personally delivering the meal today?”

Luo Sheng smiled: “Distant relatives aren’t as good as close neighbors—”

Divine Physician Li unceremoniously interrupted Luo Sheng: “If you have something to say, say it.”

What was this little slip of a girl going on about distant relatives and close neighbors? Did she think him senile?