Zhu Hanshuang had been frequenting Youjian Tavern these past few days, and her eyes always stuck to Prince Kaiyang—Luo Sheng could see this clearly.

Including how, after returning from the south, the other party had intensified her targeting of her with each encounter, which was also related to Miss Luo having pulled off Prince Kaiyang’s waist sash.

That Second Miss Zhu had feelings for Prince Kaiyang couldn’t be more obvious.

She originally hadn’t given it much thought—who had feelings for whom, who was interested in whom, these were each person’s choice and freedom.

But what she hadn’t expected was that Zhu Hanshuang would actually harm someone’s life out of jealousy.

If this matter was indeed instigated by Zhu Hanshuang, then she couldn’t just laugh it off as a young lady not knowing better.

“What about Xiao Qi?” Although Wei Han felt Luo Sheng was looking at him somewhat strangely, he didn’t think much of it and asked the question he was most concerned about right now.

“He says Xiao Qi is hidden on an unmanned boat moored at the shore,” Shi Yan replied.

“Have him lead the way.” Wei Han stepped onto the covered boat where Shi Yan was, then turned and extended his hand toward Luo Sheng.

Luo Sheng ignored that hand and steadily boarded the boat.

Wei Han withdrew his hand without changing expression and looked toward the middle-aged man in the covered section.

The middle-aged man showed no visible external injuries, but his complexion was pale as a ghost, as if he’d been fished out of icy water in the dead of winter.

Luo Sheng couldn’t help but glance at Shi Yan.

She still remembered how honest and obedient Prince Kaiyang’s personal guard had been at Beihe Hunting Ground—when everyone gathered to eat together, not even the fragrant, oil-dripping roasted venison could make his eyes wander.

Turns out he wasn’t honest, just low-key.

“Where is the boat located?” Wei Han asked.

The middle-aged man moved his eyelids and raised his hand with difficulty, pointing: “Right at the shore opposite this reed marsh.”

Looking into the distance, they could vaguely make out shadows of boats at the shore.

Shi Yan steered the boat in that direction.

“You’re a stable hand at Duke Anguo’s household?”

The middle-aged man nodded.

Wei Han chuckled lightly: “Even a stable hand needs to hide poison in his teeth?”

If even the stable hands at Duke Anguo’s household had half the capability of death warriors, then Duke Anguo’s household was quite something.

He said “half a death warrior” because Wei Han had discovered this person’s resistance to interrogation was somewhat shorter compared to real death warriors—more like someone who’d been eliminated for not making the grade, or someone who’d left that lifestyle long ago and grown rusty in his skills.

“What were you doing before you became a stable hand?”

The middle-aged man’s lips moved but he made no sound.

Wei Han looked at him, his tone indifferent: “I advise you not to ask for trouble.”

The middle-aged man’s expression changed immediately, one eyebrow twitching involuntarily.

Finally, he spoke: “Before, I was a wandering knight-errant—”

Wei Han scoffed: “Wandering knight-errants aren’t like you. It seems the interrogation just now wasn’t enough.”

The middle-aged man’s expression changed several times. Under the other’s mocking gaze, he finally conceded defeat and said with difficulty: “I was once an assassin. Eight years ago, while carrying out a mission, I was severely injured and saved by people from Duke Anguo’s household. Later, I never went back, and instead entered Duke Anguo’s household as a stable hand.”

“Was the person who ordered you to abduct Xiao Qi and kill the cook the same person who saved you back then?” Luo Sheng suddenly asked.

The middle-aged man denied it without hesitation: “No!”

Luo Sheng and Wei Han exchanged a glance.

They could clearly see this person’s protectiveness toward his savior.

“Then who was it?” Luo Sheng pressed.

The middle-aged man lowered his eyelids and uttered a few words: “Duke Anguo’s household’s second young lady.”

Luo Sheng gave a cold laugh: “Just as I thought—it’s her.”

Wei Han couldn’t help but look at her, thinking to himself that Miss Luo was remarkably perceptive to have guessed it was Duke Anguo’s household’s second young lady so early.

Duke Anguo’s household’s second young lady?

Wei Han tried hard to recall, and a certain scene flashed through his mind.

He remembered now—that day after finishing their meal and leaving the tavern, they’d encountered a girl who asked him where to buy hibiscus flowers.

That girl had introduced herself, saying she was the second young lady of Duke Anguo’s household.

He’d felt at the time that Second Miss Zhu’s words and behavior were somewhat odd…

“Has Your Highness also guessed it?”

Wei Han hesitated.

He actually hadn’t guessed it.

Even if a girl’s words and behavior were odd, one wouldn’t immediately think she would take someone’s life.

However, Miss Luo had thought of it early on. If he denied it… he’d seem rather dull.

Luo Sheng took Wei Han’s hesitation as tacit agreement, pursed her lips, and asked the middle-aged man: “Where is Second Miss Zhu? At the Duke’s residence waiting for your news?”

The middle-aged man nodded.

Luo Sheng sneered: “This being the case, the person who saved you at Duke Anguo’s household must have an extraordinary status.”

Taking in all the subtle changes in the middle-aged man’s expression, Luo Sheng curved her lips: “Could it be Duke Anguo or Duke Anguo’s wife?”

If the person who saved the middle-aged man was merely a servant at Duke Anguo’s household, it wouldn’t be difficult for a somewhat respectable servant in the residence to arrange a horse-tending position for him, but for Second Miss Zhu to notice a stable hand and know of his skills, the person who saved him likely had no simple identity.

The middle-aged man didn’t answer Luo Sheng’s question.

Luo Sheng smiled indifferently: “It doesn’t matter if you don’t say. Right now, what’s most important is Xiao Qi’s safety.”

As they spoke, the boat had already reached the shore.

Several boats, large and small, were moored at the shore. By the dim lamplight, they could see these were all abandoned boats, some with hulls already rotting.

“Which one?” Wei Han asked.

The middle-aged man extended his hand and pointed: “That largest covered boat.”

“Watch him.” Wei Han instructed Shi Yan and got off the boat.

Luo Sheng lifted her skirt and silently followed.

Wei Han glanced at her.

“I’m going too.”

Wei Han nodded and said in a low voice: “Watch your step—it’s slippery.”

The shore was damp and muddy. Stepping on it gave a soft, sinking feeling that made one’s heart rise and fall.

Wei Han carried an oil lamp, illuminating the boat’s hull.

The hull was mottled, and a damp, rotting smell rushed toward them.

According to what the middle-aged man said, Xiao Qi was in the covered cabin.

Wei Han didn’t rush to board but carefully examined it by the lamplight. When his gaze fell on a certain spot on the boat’s deck, his eyes tightened.

Based on experience, those were dried bloodstains.

“Wait here for me.” Wei Han dropped this line and quickly entered the covered cabin.

The covered cabin had no accumulated debris, making it seem particularly empty.

Rope lay scattered on the deck, along with a pool of blood.

Wei Han picked up the rope and looked at it, then withdrew.

“Xiao Qi isn’t inside?” Though Luo Sheng waited outside and hadn’t seen all this, she instinctively sensed something was wrong.

Wei Han shook his head: “Xiao Qi isn’t there. Inside there’s cut rope and bloodstains.”

Luo Sheng’s expression changed immediately. She took the oil lamp from Wei Han’s hand and entered the covered cabin to check.

The pool of blood on the deck was particularly shocking.

The hand holding the oil lamp trembled. Luo Sheng quickly returned and grabbed the middle-aged man by the collar, demanding: “Where is Xiao Qi? Didn’t you say you hid him here? Why is there only blood inside now and no person?”

The middle-aged man couldn’t hide his shock: “Impossible! From beginning to end, I was the only one who arranged all this. I was the one who fed Xiao Qi sleeping medicine, tied him up, and hid him here…”

Listening to these words, Luo Sheng suddenly released the hand gripping his collar and reached into his chest.