Shi Yan moved against the crowd like a nimble fish, quickly weaving his way through.

There was no need to run back to Prince Kaiyang’s manor now—going straight to the tavern would be better.

From a distance, he could see the green wine banner fluttering in the wind and snow, and a solitary figure standing beneath a green umbrella.

Seeing this, Shi Yan hastened his pace, sliding across the thickening snow to stop before Wei Han.

Wei Han lowered his brows, looking at him.

Shi Yan exhaled a puff of white breath: “Master, disaster has struck!”

“What is it?” Wei Han asked with an unchanged expression, though his heart involuntarily tensed.

“Miss Luo went to a male companion establishment!” Shi Yan dropped the bombshell directly.

Wei Han’s hand tightened around the umbrella handle.

When he had just gone inside and didn’t see Miss Luo, the female proprietor hadn’t said this—she had said Miss Luo went to watch the commotion.

The hall had been empty, with only the scent of roasted sweet potatoes.

Only then did he come out, planning to check in the direction of Marquis Changchun’s manor as well.

“The male companion establishment across from Qianjin Workshop?” Wei Han frowned, asking, though his feet had already unconsciously begun moving in that direction.

“Yes, Young Master Xu was sold into the male companion establishment…” Shi Yan caught his breath and explained the whole story.

Wei Han listened silently, allowing quite a bit of snow to rustle down onto his green umbrella.

“Miss Luo saw those men drag Young Master Xu into the male companion establishment, so she walked in. She must want to buy Young Master Xu as a male companion.” As Shi Yan spoke, he felt somewhat worried for his master.

Although Xu Xi was an incompetent wastrel, he couldn’t help being young. Who knew—maybe Miss Luo liked exactly that type.

Though Master was excellent in every way, he was nearly twenty-one after all.

Miss Luo currently had two male companions—one was Mingzhu, one was Fuxue.

Mingzhu was older and clearly not favored by Miss Luo, unlike Fuxue who still had opportunities to go out walking the big white dog.

Wei Han didn’t know he was being secretly compared by his young guard to Miss Luo’s male companions, and that he was on the losing side.

Having filled his belly with nothing but the smell of roasted sweet potatoes, his mood was already poor. Now his thin lips pressed into a line as he said lightly: “Miss Luo won’t buy Xu Xi as a male companion.”

Shi Yan grew anxious: “This subordinate saw with his own eyes that Miss Luo went to the male companion establishment.”

“Even so, she won’t buy Xu Xi as a male companion.” Wei Han’s tone was certain, and he felt displeased by the young guard’s tactlessness.

The time Miss Luo had carried Xu Xi to the Grand Marshal’s manor, he had carefully investigated afterward.

Hong Dou had clearly said Miss Luo didn’t fancy someone like Xu Xi.

Thinking of Hong Dou’s exact words, Wei Han unconsciously lifted the corners of his lips slightly and said lightly: “Just because she buys him means he’ll be a male companion? At most he’ll be a shop assistant.”

Hearing this, Shi Yan felt inexplicably indignant.

What was wrong with being a shop assistant?

Being a shop assistant at the tavern was much more comfortable than being a male companion.

Wei Han glanced sideways at Shi Yan.

He always felt this lad needed to regularly scrub chamber pots to stabilize his emotions, or he’d start acting crazy.

“But our tavern doesn’t lack shop assistants. Why would Miss Luo buy a wastrel to be a shop assistant?” Shi Yan rubbed his chin. “I still feel Miss Luo treats Young Master Xu differently.”

Wei Han fell silent, quietly quickening his pace.

The umbrella had accumulated quite a bit of snow, becoming heavy—just like his suddenly heavy mood.

Miss Luo’s treatment of Xu Xi was indeed different…

Wei Han turned the umbrella handle, and the snow on the umbrella shook off, covering Shi Yan’s face.

Shi Yan wiped his face and sighed pitifully.

Master was taking out his anger on him.

At this moment, Luo Sheng was blocked by two refined-looking young men.

Though they had seen all kinds of customers, they had never seen a female patron come to their door, especially not a young maiden.

“Miss, did you perhaps come to the wrong place?”

Hong Dou, walking beside Luo Sheng, spat: “Our miss isn’t blind—how could she come to the wrong place?”

“Then we apologize, but we don’t receive female patrons here.”

Luo Sheng raised an eyebrow: “Is it written here that female patrons aren’t allowed?”

One young man said with a slightly flushed face: “Not exactly, but it’s an unwritten rule—”

Luo Sheng frowned: “Since it’s unwritten, it doesn’t count as a rule to me.”

Seeing her step across the threshold, the two young men didn’t know what to do.

Several burly men came over to block them.

Hong Dou’s eyes widened: “Do you know who our miss is?”

One burly man smiled politely: “Big sister, you’d better persuade your young miss to go back quickly, or she’ll be punished.”

The higher the status, the worse it would be. If they knew the establishment let her in, wouldn’t they smash the place?

As for a young lady who dared to visit a male companion establishment—how far was she from being drowned in a pig basket?

Hong Dou’s face turned cold: “Stop trying to get familiar—who are you calling ‘big sister’? Our miss is Miss Luo, and she has plenty of silver. Hurry up and move aside!”

The burly man was startled and asked in surprise: “That Miss Luo?”

The one who kept several male companions and dared to flirt with Prince Kaiyang?

Hong Dou lifted her chin.

The burly man smiled and stepped back: “If it’s Miss Luo, then please go in.”

Hong Dou snorted lightly and helped Luo Sheng enter.

Behind them, the crowd of onlookers cast contemptuous looks at the burly man.

What happened to not allowing female patrons? Where was their integrity?

Luo Sheng entered through the door, looking straight ahead as she walked inside.

Hong Dou glanced around and found those shocked or curious young men barely passable, then immediately lost interest. She tossed out a piece of broken silver, directing the guide: “Take our miss to see the Young Master Xu who’s being sold to your establishment.”

Having received the silver, the guide very diligently led the two of them over.

When Luo Sheng arrived, both parties were negotiating the price.

“Five hundred taels is too high—that price won’t do.” A man in a long robe kept shaking his head.

“Five hundred taels isn’t high at all. Look at this face, this skin—most rare of all is the status. In all of the capital, no, in all of Great Zhou, this is absolutely a first.”

The man smiled: “It’s precisely because of the status that I’m willing to offer three hundred taels. Otherwise, buying good raw material would cost at most fifty taels. How about this—three hundred taels for the deal, plus another twenty taels of silver as hardship money for you brothers. What do you say?”

The leader hesitated.

At this moment, Xu Xi noticed Luo Sheng’s arrival and struggled to make noise.

Both parties looked toward Luo Sheng, and the atmosphere fell silent.

Luo Sheng smiled and waved her hand: “Please continue. After you’ve settled on a price, I’ll negotiate with this manager.”

Both parties relaxed.

How understanding.

Wait—where did this young lady come from?

The guide quickly reported Luo Sheng’s identity.

The manager temporarily suppressed his surprise and doubt, finished the sale contract, and bought the person for three hundred twenty taels of silver.

The leader collected the silver and smiled, waving: “Brothers, let’s go drink.”

The manager came before Luo Sheng and asked with a smile: “What would Miss Luo like to discuss?”

Luo Sheng pointed at the young man bound tightly: “I intend to buy him.”

The manager quite appreciated Luo Sheng’s earlier action of not interfering with the business transaction and asked with a chuckle: “How much is Miss Luo offering?”

Luo Sheng held up one hand.

The manager instinctively frowned: “Five hundred taels?”

Luo Sheng shook her head.

The manager became so excited his lips trembled, nearly squealing aloud.

Could it be five thousand taels?

Luo Sheng’s vermillion lips parted lightly, uttering a few words: “Fifty taels.”

What if he thought himself too valuable and her nephew became inflated with pride?