Luo Sheng’s face darkened, not concealing her irritation in the slightest: “The young princess from Prince Pingnan’s residence came to smash up the tavern.”

Luo Yue immediately widened her eyes: “Third Sister, is the tavern alright?”

“It’s fine. I beat up the young princess.”

The three sisters’ faces changed instantly, asking in unison: “Then are you alright?”

Luo Sheng sighed, her face full of melancholy: “How could I be alright? After I hit the young princess, officers from the Five Cities Military Commission came and wanted to take away whoever had struck her.”

The three sisters’ hearts jumped with fear. Luo Yue couldn’t wait to ask: “Then Third Sister, how did you escape?”

“Seeing the situation was bad, I had already sent someone quietly to the Jinlin Guard office early on to find Elder Brother.”

Hearing this, the three sisters all breathed sighs of relief together.

Fortunately they had their sworn brother to help.

Then they saw Luo Sheng’s face turn cold as she said icily: “Who knew Elder Brother was good-looking but useless—the trouble was already resolved by the time he leisurely arrived.”

Luo Yue’s lips twitched as she reminded: “Third Sister, I don’t think ‘good-looking but useless’ should be used that way…”

Luo Sheng glanced at her coolly: “Anyway, he’s useless.”

Luo Yue: “…” Fine, she wouldn’t argue with Third Sister. If she said their sworn brother was useless, then useless it was. Actually, she also thought he wasn’t very useful.

Luo Ying gave Luo Qing a subtle glance and asked: “Third Sister, then how was the trouble resolved?”

“The Crown Prince happened to come by and disciplined his unruly cousin. Otherwise I would have been taken away by the officers.” Luo Sheng still looked displeased. “When Father hadn’t gotten into trouble, the Jinlin Guard’s intelligence network was quite good. Who knew that now with Elder Brother in charge, even when I sent someone to find him they could be delayed. I don’t know if Elder Brother is particularly useless or particularly uncaring.”

“Third Sister—” Luo Yue called out.

Luo Sheng understood.

So even Luo Yue knew about the unusual relationship between Luo Qing and Pingli.

Come to think of it, these three sisters had been close since childhood. Sharing girlish secrets was normal.

As for Miss Luo—even if Miss Luo had good relationships with her sisters, she probably couldn’t share such secrets. Generally, men that Miss Luo took an interest in, she simply seized directly.

“Third Sister, don’t be angry anymore. Elder Brother… might have been delayed by something…” Luo Qing spoke up, her face somewhat flushed.

Luo Sheng snorted with laughter: “That’s what Elder Brother said too when he arrived.”

Luo Qing’s face turned red at once, unable to say another word.

Luo Sheng leaned against the warming cage, rubbing the space between her brows: “Elder Sister, you all should go back. I’m planning to rest.”

“Then Third Sister, rest well. If it really doesn’t work out, don’t go to the tavern tomorrow.” Luo Ying suggested gently.

Luo Sheng smiled dismissively: “I still have to go to the tavern. Elder Brother can’t be delayed by something every time trouble arises, right? If that’s truly the case, I’ll have to question Elder Brother’s filial devotion to Father.”

Watching the three sisters leave, Luo Sheng lazily called out: “Kou’er, help me wash up.”

The three sisters who had left Leisurely Cloud Courtyard walked forward in silence, as if none of them were in the mood to talk for the moment.

When they were almost at the fork in the path, Luo Ying slowed her pace and looked at Luo Qing: “Before coming out, Lu E made some white fungus and red date soup. Second Sister, Fourth Sister, would you like to come sit at my place?”

Luo Yue nodded with a smile: “Sure!”

Although Elder Sister was looking at Second Sister when she spoke, she also wanted to drink white fungus and red date soup.

Luo Qing was silent for a moment, then nodded lightly.

The three sisters went together to Colorful Splendor Courtyard.

Delicate small bowls, rich red date fragrance.

Apart from Luo Yue eating happily, neither Luo Ying nor Luo Qing touched the sweet soup placed before them.

“Elder Sister, Second Sister, if you don’t eat soon it will get cold.”

Luo Ying held the warm celadon bowl and spoke: “Second Sister, regarding you and Elder Brother, shouldn’t you think it over carefully?”

Luo Qing’s hand tightened on her spoon, her cheeks flushing: “Why would Elder Sister say that… is it because of Third Sister’s words?”

In the past, Luo Ying might have been more subtle, but experiencing the broken engagement had changed her considerably.

Hearing Luo Qing ask this, she simply nodded: “Yes, I think Third Sister’s words have some truth to them.”

“Third Sister has always had prejudices against Elder Brother—” Luo Qing couldn’t help but object.

Not just toward Elder Brother—Third Sister had never shown a pleasant face toward their other sworn brothers either.

Luo Ying shook her head: “This is different. Our family is suffering disaster. Even if Elder Brother can’t help in rescuing Father, taking good care of us is his duty. But Elder Brother clearly hasn’t done well. Second Sister, do you really think he was delayed by something?”

What was Pingli’s status? He was an adopted sworn son taken in by Father, previously just an orphan wandering the streets. It wouldn’t be excessive to say Father had given him a new life.

Yet when Third Sister encountered trouble, Sworn Brother’s performance was far from satisfactory.

She wouldn’t say her heart was cold, but as the eldest sister, she needed to remind Second Sister.

Women were like this—when deeply involved, their eyes only wanted to see what they wished to see, while their hearts were blind.

Wasn’t she exactly like that?

And because of this, she didn’t want her sister to suffer the same loss.

Luo Qing fell silent at Luo Ying’s question, her fingertips rubbing against the soup bowl.

Luo Yue wiped the corner of her mouth, her expression becoming serious: “Second Sister, I think Elder Sister is right. Although Third Sister acts differently from us, she’s still very reliable at critical moments. Look at how Elder Sister’s broken engagement was thanks to Third Sister standing up for her…”

Luo Qing’s lowered eyelids trembled.

She wanted to object but didn’t know how to. Her heart felt bitter and astringent.

Was Elder Sister saying Sworn Brother had divided loyalties toward Father?

But Elder Brother had always been gentle and considerate—she simply couldn’t believe it…

Luo Qing gripped her spoon forcefully and bit her lip: “I’ll go ask Elder Brother tomorrow.”

Luo Yue set down her soup bowl and said hurriedly: “Second Sister, you mustn’t go ask.”

Luo Qing looked at her.

“Think about it, Second Sister. If Elder Sister’s suspicions are correct, going to ask will only alert Elder Brother and get you nothing. If we’re being overly suspicious, going to ask will needlessly affect your relationship. So either way, running to ask would be bad.” Luo Yue seemed to blurt this out without careful thought, yet it hit the nail on the head.

“Then what should I do…” Luo Qing’s face gradually turned pale.

She had thought she was more rational than Fourth Sister, stronger than Elder Sister, but when it really came to herself, she discovered she was inferior to anyone.

Tears obscured the light in her eyes. That path she had decided long ago to walk down seemed to become dark, and she didn’t know whether she should continue forward.

Luo Ying grasped Luo Qing’s hand: “Second Sister, why don’t you calm down and observe more? You don’t need to force yourself to make any decision right now. It’s also possible we’re being overly suspicious.”

“I… I’ll observe more…” Luo Qing murmured, her eyes full of struggle.

The next day, the tavern opened as usual.

“Xiu Gu, aren’t the people from Noble Consort Xiao supposed to come pick up the beggar’s chicken today?”

“Yes.”

“Then make a plate of date cakes to send along as well.”

Xiu Yue looked deeply at Luo Sheng and nodded: “Alright.”

Before long, a seemingly ordinary blue-curtained palanquin stopped not far from the tavern, and a middle-aged woman entered.

Luo Sheng looked at the person walking in, the corners of her lips curving slightly upward.