The man’s eyes were purely black, yet in this moment, they were tinged with a trace of different emotion.

Luo Sheng’s heart felt as if it had been lightly pricked—not painful, but stirring a sudden urge to retreat.

She took a step back and said calmly, “The persimmon tree isn’t much to look at. Why don’t we go sit in the main hall instead?”

Wei Han came back to his senses under her cool gaze and nodded. “Alright.”

The hand suspended above the young woman’s head lowered, and his heart felt inexplicably empty.

Luo Sheng walked toward the main hall first. Wei Han followed behind, silently watching her back and falling into thought.

He felt that when he was with Miss Luo, he became somewhat strange.

Luo Sheng didn’t look back. She lifted the thick cotton door curtain and stepped into the main hall.

The cotton curtain swayed slightly. After a while, it was lifted again, and Wei Han, having regained his composure, walked in.

Shi Yan looked at one, then the other, his eyes flickering.

His master and Miss Luo seemed to have had an awkward moment—something felt off.

“Master, it’s still early before opening. Would you like to drink something first?”

“No need. I still have matters to handle.” Wei Han looked toward Luo Sheng. “Miss Luo, I’ll take my leave now. I’ll come again later.”

“Take care, Your Highness.”

Wei Han walked two steps toward the door, then called Shi Yan over. “See me out.”

Shi Yan responded, tossed the white hand towel from his shoulder onto a table, and bounced after him.

“Master, do you have something you want to ask?”

Whatever he knew about Miss Luo, he could tell his master everything.

As long as his master dared to ask, he dared to speak.

Wei Han walked forward at a leisurely pace.

The accumulated snow on the bluestone road had been shoveled to both sides, piled under the trees.

Few pedestrians walked the streets.

Wei Han glanced at Shi Yan and voiced the doubt circling in his mind. “Do you think about seeing a certain friend every single day?”

Shi Yan shook his head. “No, unless that friend treats me to wine at Youjian Tavern every day.”

What kind of friend wouldn’t become tiresome to see every day?

Wei Han frowned upon hearing this.

Could it be that he wanted to see Miss Luo every day because their meeting place was at Youjian Tavern?

Shi Yan suddenly realized. “Master, is the friend you’re talking about Miss Luo?”

Wei Han nodded.

Shi Yan stroked his chin and asked cautiously, “Master, do you consider Miss Luo a friend?”

Wei Han looked at his young guard with the gaze one would give a fool. “What about it?”

In others’ eyes, couldn’t he and Miss Luo be considered friends?

“Just friends?” Shi Yan raised his voice, as if understanding why his master never got anywhere.

He could hardly believe it—his master, who went to Miss Luo’s side every day, wholeheartedly considered Miss Luo just a friend!

“A good friend.” Thinking of how many times they’d looked at the persimmon tree together these past days, Wei Han’s lips curved slightly.

Shi Yan took a deep breath and asked with utmost seriousness, “Master, have you never considered that you’re attracted to Miss Luo?”

Attracted?

Wei Han suddenly stopped in his tracks. His heart, which had just calmed down, began beating urgently.

Attracted?

“I mean the kind of attraction between men and women—the kind where you want to marry her and bring her home.” Shi Yan was frustrated beyond measure, nearly ready to kneel down.

He had thought his master was just somewhat slow, not knowing how to win the heart of the girl he liked. It turned out his master didn’t even realize he had fallen for her!

Wei Han was completely stunned.

Marry Miss Luo and bring her home?

The first thing he’d see every morning would be Miss Luo, and the last thing he’d see before sleeping would also be Miss Luo…

Just thinking this way made his heart soar.

Wei Han looked deeply at Shi Yan.

That look made Shi Yan’s heart turn cold.

Could it be that he’d misunderstood all along—that his master had no intention of marrying Miss Luo at all, and was just toying with her?

At this possibility, the young guard’s expression grew serious.

He couldn’t stand by and watch his master go down the wrong path!

“Master, what… exactly are you thinking?”

“I haven’t decided yet. No need to see me further—go back and wipe the tables.”

Shi Yan fell silent for a moment, then spoke unwillingly. “But—”

Wei Han frowned. “Should I have Shi Yi come instead?”

Shi Yan immediately shut his mouth.

Wei Han strode forward, his calm exterior concealing a roiling heart.

Miss Luo clearly didn’t wish to be close to him, and he hadn’t yet figured out what to do about it.

He needed to return to the manor and think quietly.

While Wei Han returned to the prince’s manor to calm himself, everything at Qianjin Workshop proceeded according to plan.

As evening approached, gambling fever was at its peak. The excited gamblers didn’t notice at all that the gambling house had been surrounded.

“Who are you people?” The people from Qianjin Workshop sensed something was wrong and demanded sternly.

“Official business.” A young man dressed no differently from ordinary gamblers flashed an official token and shouted, “Seize them!”

Immediately, a dozen men drew their weapons and restrained those beside them.

The gambling house erupted in chaos.

The young man called out loudly, “The authorities are apprehending criminals. Unrelated persons stay where you are and don’t move, or else blades have no eyes—if you lose your life, you can only blame yourself.”

Hearing this shout, the gamblers were too frightened to move.

Those who had been targeted tried to resist, but these officers were all skilled fighters chosen from hundreds, and they had the advantage in numbers. Before long, the resistors were defeated.

Steward Zhu mixed among the gamblers, his face displaying the same panic and confusion as theirs.

Watching a team of officers lead people away, someone approached Steward Zhu and asked, “Steward Zhu, what should we do?”

“Immediately go notify the proprietor.”

The proprietor of Qianjin Workshop rushed over upon receiving the news. Looking at the empty gambling house, his face darkened. “Brother, what exactly happened?”

“I’m not clear either. Those officers disguised as gamblers suddenly seized people…”

“Who were all taken away?”

Steward Zhu looked embarrassed as he presented a list.

The proprietor of Qianjin Workshop scanned the list, then looked at Steward Zhu with suspicion. “Brother, more than half of these people were close to you. You don’t know what crimes they committed?”

“I truly don’t know.”

“Fine, I’ll go make some inquiries.”

The proprietor of Qianjin Workshop left the gambling house and hurried to a certain place.

Qianjin Workshop was an established gambling house in the capital, and being located in West City where nobles gathered, the proprietor of Qianjin Workshop was actually just pushed forward to manage it—naturally, there was another patron behind him.

That patron, upon hearing the proprietor’s report, immediately used his connections to investigate everywhere, and the trail led to Prince Kaiyang.

“Close the gambling house until after the Lantern Festival. Have that sworn brother of yours leave immediately.”

Although they hadn’t discovered exactly what taboo the arrested people had violated, to be safe, it was better to dismiss anyone who might be implicated, lest they bring disaster to the gambling house.

Steward Zhu, learning he’d been dismissed, bowed deeply to the proprietor of Qianjin Workshop and silently left Qianjin Workshop.

Snow began falling from the sky again. Few pedestrians walked the streets.

Steward Zhu slowly walked toward the city gate, not daring to show the slightest hint of urgency on his face. Passing Qingxing Street, he glimpsed from afar a blue wine banner with several large characters written on it: Youjian Tavern.

He instinctively paused, gazing at the wine sign in the wind and snow, and suddenly remembered that invitation.