The lead soldier was dumbfounded, his mouth hanging open, unable to speak.

Wei Wen was stunned by the slap. Coming to her senses, she raised her hand to retaliate. “You dare to hit me!”

Her wrist was deftly caught by a hand. Luo Sheng’s smile grew even more casual. “When it comes to fighting, Commandery Princess couldn’t even beat one of my fingers. Why humiliate yourself?”

“You—” Wei Wen’s face turned livid with rage. Through gritted teeth, she said, “Luo Sheng, I absolutely won’t let you off today!”

A low voice sounded. “What’s all this commotion?”

A man with handsome features strode over.

Wei Wen’s expression changed slightly. “Your Highness?”

Wei Qiang had come to You Jian Wine House several times. The lead soldier specifically responsible for security in this area naturally recognized him and immediately prepared to bow.

Wei Qiang signaled the lead soldier not to reveal his identity, saying coolly, “The young ladies had a bit of unpleasantness—no need to trouble you with management.”

Seeing the Crown Prince step forward to take over the matter, the lead soldier was naturally only too happy to comply. He hastily led his squad of soldiers away.

Only then did several Jinlin Guards arrive belatedly.

When those watching the excitement saw the Jinlin Guard uniforms, they immediately retreated far away.

Watching excitement also depended on the situation. If it might invite trouble, better not to watch.

This was experience accumulated over many years.

“Third Miss, are you alright?” Pingli’s face showed urgency. Upon arriving, he seemed to only then notice Wei Qiang was also present and hastily prepared to bow.

Wei Qiang waved his hand. “No need for formalities. There’s nothing more to this matter. You may disperse.”

“Yes.” Pingli agreed, instinctively glancing at Luo Sheng.

Luo Sheng suddenly reached out and grabbed his sleeve.

In that instant, Pingli immediately tensed up completely.

Wei Qiang narrowed his eyes slightly, displeasure hidden in their depths.

In his heart, he already regarded the young woman before him as his possession, so naturally he couldn’t bear to see her being so familiar with other men.

Luo Sheng didn’t care what Wei Qiang thought. Clutching Pingli’s sleeve without letting go, she said, “Big Brother, I was almost taken away by the authorities just now.”

That aggrieved yet trusting appearance made Wei Qiang’s eyes grow even colder.

Pingli forcibly restrained the impulse to shake off that slender jade hand, dry-laughing as he comforted her. “Everything’s fine now.”

“Why did Big Brother arrive so late?” Luo Sheng asked matter-of-factly.

Pingli was stumped by the question.

Normal people didn’t interrogate others in front of so many people.

However, his adoptive father’s beloved daughter had never been normal.

Suppressing his embarrassment, Pingli hastily explained, “I just happened to be busy with urgent matters. Only when I saw the person Third Miss sent to report did I learn something happened at the wine house…”

“What was Big Brother busy with? Rescuing my father?”

Pingli was stumped again.

Honestly, why did the Crown Prince appear at this time?

It would have been better to let the Five Cities Military Commission take Third Miss away, then he could go retrieve her.

Seeing Pingli choked speechless, Luo Sheng sneered inwardly.

She slapped Wei Wen precisely to see how long Wei Qiang would hide in the crowd playing the coward.

Based on her understanding of this man, as long as he stepped forward, he would suppress the matter.

In other words, Wei Wen had been slapped for nothing.

If she didn’t slap her when she could, it would be a wasted opportunity.

Taking a step back, even if Wei Qiang intended to play coward to the end, she could still call out to him.

Back when Wei Qiang asked her to help summon a divine physician for Prince Pingnan, he had promised her a favor in front of Prince Kaiyang.

Given this man’s callousness, if she made a request like beating the young commandery princess into a pig’s head, he might even think it was a bargain.

Having the authorities actually take her away was naturally impossible.

Doing something she couldn’t handle for momentary satisfaction didn’t align with her principles.

“Miss Luo, let’s go inside to talk.” Wei Qiang spoke up.

Those who had retreated far away due to the Jinlin Guards’ arrival were still looking this way. He didn’t want any gossip spreading because he came to You Jian Wine House.

Thinking of this, Wei Qiang felt somewhat more displeased with Wei Wen.

Today he couldn’t resist coming to see how Miss Luo was doing since her father’s imprisonment. He hadn’t wanted to attract attention, yet Wei Wen had run over to cause trouble.

Luo Sheng reluctantly nodded and said to Pingli with some displeasure, “Big Brother can go back now.”

Pingli’s face showed remorse. “Third Miss, this time I didn’t do well enough—”

Luo Sheng looked at him coldly. “Does Big Brother want there to be a next time?”

Pingli was speechless.

Previously, Third Miss was merely willful. Now she was sharp-tongued and willful—increasingly difficult to deal with.

Watching Pingli leave with several subordinates, Luo Sheng walked expressionlessly into the wine house.

Inside the main hall, the fragrance of wine and food wafted through the air. The windows were bright and tables clean, just like always.

“Your Highness, please sit. A wine house that could be smashed at any moment has nothing proper to offer—I can only invite you to drink a cup of tea.”

Wei Qiang smelled the fragrance of wine and meat, looked at the clear tea Kou’er presented, and his mood immediately worsened.

His nose was still functioning—yet Miss Luo was perfunctorily treating him this way.

This temperament truly hadn’t changed one bit.

His sharp eyes turned toward Wei Wen. “Wei Wen, what are you causing trouble here for?”

The bright red handprint on Wei Wen’s face remained. Hearing Wei Qiang’s words, it felt as if an even louder slap had landed.

“Your Highness, she just hit me.” Looking at Wei Qiang, Wei Wen was on the verge of tears.

Was Big Brother bewitched? Seeing the people she brought beaten and rolling all over the ground, and her slapped by that wench surnamed Luo—not only did he not stand up for her, but why was he speaking in favor of that wench surnamed Luo?

Seeing Wei Wen like this, Wei Qiang’s heart softened somewhat.

Unlike his occasionally rash younger brother, this younger sister had always been quite sensible. He just didn’t know why she had lost her head and run over to trouble Miss Luo.

Before closing the net, he didn’t want any disturbances to startle the prey he had his eye on.

Not even blood-related younger sisters were exceptions.

“What did you bring so many people to the wine house for?”

Wei Wen pressed her lips together. “Second Brother got food poisoning here. I came to seek an explanation—”

She couldn’t continue.

Any perceptive person knew this was merely an excuse to cause trouble. If Big Brother’s heart was on her side, that would be one thing, but if his heart was on Luo Sheng’s side, no amount of excuses would be anything but self-humiliation.

Wei Wen was actually someone with a sense of propriety. She came to trouble Luo Sheng today only because she felt the other party had lost her backing and could be troubled.

Before her elder brother who was the Crown Prince, she was still that obedient and lovely younger sister.

“If someone gets food poisoning, see a physician. What does it have to do with the wine house? Don’t be so rash and willful in the future!”

“Understood.” Wei Wen lowered her eyes submissively, responding softly.

Wei Qiang sighed. “Apologize to Miss Luo, then you can go back.”

“Your Highness?” Wei Wen was shocked.

Wei Qiang looked at her with a somber expression.

Wei Wen quietly drew a breath. Her hands tucked in her sleeves clenched tightly, yet trembled so much she could barely hold on.

At this moment, she understood what it meant to feel stifled, what it meant to be fuming with rage.

The people she brought had been beaten, she had been slapped, yet in the end, she still had to apologize.

Had Big Brother, like Second Brother, developed problems with his brain?

However, regardless of what she thought in her heart, Wei Wen still lowered her head toward the young woman seated upright at the table. “Miss Luo, I was rash today.”