Upon hearing Minister Zhao’s words, Grand Marshal Luo sat down and fell silent.

The dark prison cell, the overturned food, the dead rats—they formed a terrifying picture.

Minister Zhao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, ordered someone to summon Lin Teng, and hurriedly left the prison.

Luo Sheng was waiting outside the prison. Upon seeing Minister Zhao emerge, she rushed forward, choking with emotion: “Minister Zhao, how is my father? I want to go in and see him, but these people are blocking me and won’t allow it.”

Minister Zhao was currently burning with anxiety and said hurriedly: “Miss Luo, the prison cells aren’t a place anyone can enter freely. Especially after this kind of incident occurred, entry is even more restricted. Otherwise, when the investigation begins, it will be even more troublesome. Don’t you agree?”

Luo Sheng reluctantly nodded and asked urgently: “Then how is my father? Is he all right?”

“The Grand Marshal is not seriously harmed.”

“Really?”

“Would I deceive a young lady like you?”

Luo Sheng retreated two steps, her face revealing a relieved smile, though tears still hung at the corners of her eyes.

Minister Zhao sighed inwardly, gave Minister Qian a meaningful look, offered a few more instructions, and hurriedly left.

Seeing Luo Sheng standing motionless at the prison entrance, Minister Qian coughed: “Miss Luo, don’t stand here. They’ll probably need to question you shortly.”

Luo Sheng wiped the corners of her eyes and nodded slightly.

Soon Lin Teng rushed over. Meeting Luo Sheng head-on, he paused mid-step: “Miss Luo, please don’t leave the ministry for now.”

Luo Sheng nodded: “All right.”

Only then did Lin Teng walk past her and quickly enter the prison.

Luo Sheng turned her head, taking a deep look at that figure disappearing into the prison entrance, then straightened her spine and strode forward.

Lin Teng walked to the cell holding Grand Marshal Luo. The bailiffs guarding this place all saluted him.

Grand Marshal Luo looked outward, his expression grave.

“Nothing here has been disturbed?” Lin Teng asked.

A bailiff familiar with his investigative habits quickly said: “Rest assured, Lord Lin, nothing has been touched.”

“Open the cell door.”

A jailer stepped forward and tremblingly opened the cell door.

Lin Teng strode inside and cupped his fists toward Grand Marshal Luo: “Grand Marshal, this subordinate has been ordered to investigate the poisoning of your food.”

Grand Marshal Luo nodded.

Lin Teng walked several steps around the cell and crouched down to examine the dead rats.

“Grand Marshal, what did these rats eat?”

“The soup.”

Lin Teng was silent for a moment before asking: “All this food was delivered by Miss Luo, correct?”

“Correct.”

“The food Miss Luo sends is very delicious.” Lin Teng said this softly while looking at Grand Marshal Luo.

Grand Marshal Luo met his gaze expressionlessly, then heard the young man with deep eyes ask: “How could the Grand Marshal bear to have his food stolen by rats?”

Grand Marshal Luo laughed coldly: “What does Lord Lin mean by this?”

“Grand Marshal, please don’t misunderstand. I’m merely clarifying all possible scenarios I can think of.”

“I was distracted while eating my meat bun, and unexpectedly that plumpest rat knocked over the soup jar. No matter how reluctant I was, I had no choice. I could hardly snatch the soup back from the rats’ mouths, could I?” Grand Marshal Luo pointed at a jailer as he spoke. “He saw it too at the time, and even said the rats here dare to eat people.”

Lin Teng looked toward that jailer.

The jailer quickly said: “This lowly one saw it. These rats, drawn by the fragrance, weren’t afraid of people at all. They couldn’t be driven away…”

Lin Teng set aside this question and asked Grand Marshal Luo again: “Did the Grand Marshal notice anything unusual?”

“Unusual?” Grand Marshal Luo frowned tightly, his expression suddenly changing as if remembering something. “The food box delivered today was lighter than usual. Does that count as unusual?”

“Lighter?”

Grand Marshal Luo nodded: “The assorted braised platter that was always in the food box previously wasn’t there today. The food box was missing one layer.”

Lin Teng’s expression grew grave.

Youjian Tavern had opened in summer, and during hot weather people preferred eating braised cold dishes. One could say Youjian Tavern’s reputation was built on its braised dishes.

When Miss Luo brought food to her father, braised dishes would certainly not be absent. If they had been present the previous days but absent today, there was only one possibility: someone had opened the food box midway during its delivery to the prison.

Lin Teng’s gaze swept across the bailiffs and settled on the head jailer.

Meeting that sharp gaze, the head jailer collapsed to the ground, shouting: “Lord Lin, please investigate clearly! This lowly one merely couldn’t resist secretly eating the braised dishes, but absolutely did not poison Grand Marshal Luo!”

The bailiffs guarding this place began discussing in low voices.

Lin Teng asked coldly: “Where is the empty plate?”

“It, it was casually discarded by this lowly one.” The head jailer’s cold sweat streamed down.

“Go find it.”

…

Luo Sheng also didn’t escape being questioned.

“When Miss Luo delivered food to the Grand Marshal, did the food box pass through anyone else’s hands?”

Facing the stern-faced young man, Luo Sheng’s tone was steady: “No.”

“Please think carefully, Miss Luo.”

Luo Sheng shook her head: “Truly, no. These past few days the tavern has been quite leisurely. The food I prepared for Father was all made by the cook under my supervision, then packed into the box. I carried it all the way here myself. After delivering it, I handed it to the head jailer—beyond that, I don’t know.”

At this moment, a bailiff approached and whispered a few sentences in Lin Teng’s ear.

Lin Teng nodded with tightly furrowed brows and said to Luo Sheng: “Miss Luo, please return for now. If there’s anything further, we’ll ask you to come again.”

Luo Sheng nodded slightly and called out “Young Master Lin.”

Lin Teng’s tone softened: “Does Miss Luo have something else?”

Luo Sheng pressed her lips together and said solemnly: “Please protect my father well and clarify the truth soon.”

Lin Teng nodded: “It is my duty. I will do my utmost, but starting tomorrow, Miss Luo need not bring meals anymore.”

Luo Sheng lowered her eyes without speaking.

Lin Teng wanted to offer some words of comfort but ultimately said nothing: “I’ll have a subordinate escort Miss Luo out.”

“All right.”

After Luo Sheng departed, Lin Teng immediately reported the preliminary findings to Minister Zhao.

With this information, Minister Zhao hurried into the palace for an imperial audience.

The atmosphere in the palace had been somewhat subdued these past few days. Even the Emperor’s pleasure of watching song and dance performances with Noble Consort had diminished.

Emperor Yong’an received Minister Zhao in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. After hearing the report, his expression immediately darkened.

“You can’t even watch one person properly—what use are you all?”

Minister Zhao knelt down: “This subject is at fault!”

“Go investigate! Find out clearly who tried to harm Luo Chi and report everything to me!”

Minister Zhao had reported to Emperor Yong’an, completing one task. Receiving these words, he quickly departed.

Emperor Yong’an stood up and paced back and forth in the hall with his hands behind his back.

Ever since Luo Chi was assassinated in spring, that old matter buried deep in memory had been dredged up again, making him inexplicably uneasy. That was why he had dispatched Prince Kaiyang to investigate.

And now, Luo Chi had committed an offense and entered the Ministry of Justice prison, yet there were still people who wanted his life?

It seemed these matters involving Prince Zhennan’s manor were far more complex than imagined…

Countless thoughts churned in Emperor Yong’an’s mind, his expression growing increasingly grave.

Someone wanted Luo Chi dead—he would see just what sort of divine being it was.

Luo Sheng, departing from the Ministry of Justice, went straight back to the Luo Manor. Beneath her grave expression lay a settled heart.

Time—finally, she had gained some.