As a close attendant to the Crown Prince, quick-wittedness was essential. Dou Ren quickly reacted: Right, this was a wine shop—there was nothing strange about hearing chicken clucks, duck quacks, or goose honks.

Chickens, ducks, and geese were only fresh when freshly slaughtered.

Thinking this, he instinctively turned back to look, only to see a big white goose half as tall as a person charging toward him.

Dou Ren’s eyes went straight, and an ominous premonition arose: “This goose—”

It doesn’t look like the kind slaughtered for meat.

Xiu Yue said coolly: “It bites people.”

In that instant, Dou Ren had only one thought: I cannot be trapped in the kitchen!

He took off running.

However, as a trusted aide of the Crown Prince, he was accustomed to comfort—how could he run fast? Soon Big White caught up with Dou Ren and pecked toward his crotch.

Dou Ren instinctively protected his lower region, then realized: He didn’t have…

Just as he prepared to protect elsewhere, sharp pain came from the root of his thigh.

Dou Ren screamed miserably and rushed toward the door connecting the rear courtyard to the main hall.

Big White pursued relentlessly from behind.

Xu Xi, hiding in the side room, heard Dou Ren’s miserable screams and secretly wondered: Strange, why don’t I hear Big White’s honking sounds?

The youth curiously looked out the window and saw Big White was currently twisting Dou Ren’s buttocks without releasing its grip—naturally it couldn’t honk.

Luo Sheng, hearing the commotion, looked toward the doorway.

Wei Qiang also cast his gaze over, his face darkening somewhat.

He naturally heard Dou Ren’s miserable screams.

What was happening?

Dou Ren going to probe the wine shop’s cook had been today’s purpose—could he not even accomplish this small matter?

Hong Dou quickly walked over, lifted the door curtain to look, and couldn’t help widening her eyes: “Eh? Why did you run into our rear courtyard?”

How could Dou Ren rushing over have time to respond? He cried out miserably: “Quickly get this goose away!”

The door leading to the rear courtyard had a small threshold. In his panicked escape, Dou Ren forgot about this and was tripped by the threshold, falling directly into the main hall in a face-plant position.

Big White took advantage and jumped onto Dou Ren’s back, twisting chaotically.

Dou Ren screamed continuously, feeling he would die here.

Wei Qiang stood up: “Miss Luo, where did this goose come from? Quickly have someone remove it.”

Luo Sheng smiled slightly: “The wine shop’s ingredients are expensive—we raised it to guard the home and courtyard. Your Highness may not know, but this goose is excellent at fighting. When fierce, almost no one can control it.”

Watching the attendant being wildly twisted by the big white goose, Wei Qiang felt he had lost great face.

This was his close attendant—being bitten into this state by a goose was truly humiliating. Fortunately, he had come early today and no other wine customers had seen it.

Just as he was thinking this, Minister Zhao leisurely walked in.

The old minister was shocked upon entering.

Miss Luo’s Big White had bitten someone again?

“Oh my, it’s Your Highness!” Seeing clearly who was in the main hall, Minister Zhao was even more shocked.

The one Big White was biting was—

“Eunuch Dou?” The old minister’s voice changed tone from excessive shock.

Minister Qian, who walked in next, was also shocked: “What happened to Eunuch Dou?”

Wei Qiang’s face darkened, his vision repeatedly going black.

Why did he always make a fool of himself every time he came to the wine shop?

Dou Ren was his person—if Dou Ren was humiliated, how could his face have any glory?

Following closely, Wine Offerer Lin entered, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review entered, and Imperial Physician Yuan Yang, whose finances had recently become more comfortable, also entered…

Luo Sheng, seeing it was about enough, gave Hong Dou a meaningful glance.

Hong Dou acted as if suddenly awakening from a dream, pattering to the doorway and shouting loudly: “Fuxue, quickly come take Big White away!”

Before long, a jade-snow youth hurried over and led away the victorious Big White.

For a moment, the main hall fell into an eerie silence, with only Dou Ren’s cries of pain.

“Still not getting up!”

Dou Ren recovered somewhat, courageously climbed up, and looking at Wei Qiang nearly cried: “Your Highness—”

With things having become such a mess, Wei Qiang momentarily lost his other thoughts. His gaze swept across Minister Zhao and the others’ faces as he forced a smile: “I didn’t expect to cause such a joke. I hope the honorable ministers will give this prince some face and not spread this around.”

Minister Zhao and the others said in unison: “Your Highness can rest assured—this subject is not a gossip.”

Wei Qiang’s mood eased slightly as he looked deeply at Luo Sheng.

Luo Sheng said considerately: “Your Highness should remember to remind those around you in the future not to randomly go to our rear courtyard.”

“Many thanks for Miss Luo’s reminder. I won’t disturb you today—I’ll come again another day.”

“Your Highness won’t eat or drink?”

Wei Qiang’s lips twitched.

After all this, what was there to eat? Should he let the civil and military officials arriving later all see Dou Ren in this miserable state?

“I’ll come eat next time.”

Watching Wei Qiang hastily leave with Dou Ren, Luo Sheng curved the corners of her lips.

Minister Zhao, feeling quite familiar with Miss Luo, curiously inquired: “Miss Luo, how did Eunuch Dou provoke Big White?”

That goose was so fierce—if it bit people without reason, the safety of those who frequently came to drink would be very difficult to guarantee.

“Eunuch Dou didn’t have anyone from the wine shop lead him and went to the rear courtyard alone, where Big White saw him. As you honorable ministers know, for geese, guarding the home and courtyard is their duty.”

Everyone’s lips twitched in unison.

It wasn’t false that geese could guard homes and courtyards, but when did it become their duty?

A goose’s duty was clearly to lay eggs and be slaughtered for meat.

Luo Sheng reminded with a beaming smile: “In the future, you honorable ministers must not go to the back alone, otherwise—”

Thinking of Dou Ren’s miserable state, Minister Zhao and the others shivered together, repeatedly saying they wouldn’t dare.

After the small disturbance passed, Luo Sheng lifted her foot and went to the back.

The youth was still splitting firewood by the wall.

Luo Sheng called Xu Xi over for questioning.

“That honorable sir said he was going to the kitchen to request hot water. I asked him why he didn’t have a shop attendant fetch it, and he started using his status to pressure people. I felt this person was somewhat shifty, so I lured Big White over.”

Luo Sheng nodded with a smile: “Well done. Later have Xiu Gu pan-fry meat pies for you to eat.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Xi’s mood soared, instantly feeling the she-devil was much more agreeable.

Luo Sheng entered the kitchen and asked Xiu Yue: “What did Dou Ren say?”

She had actually seen Dou Ren slip into the rear courtyard with her own eyes, but wanted to see what the other party was actually trying to do.

“He requested hot water. Before he could say much, Big White charged over.”

Luo Sheng pondered for a moment, then said coldly: “Looking at it this way, Dou Ren’s target was you.”

Xiu Yue’s entire body shook as she realized: “Could he have discovered this servant’s identity?”

Luo Sheng slowly nodded: “There’s that possibility.”

Wei Qiang had ulterior motives toward Miss Luo, and Dou Ren had become suspicious of Xiu Yue—the threat from the other party was growing ever greater.

Xiu Yue obviously thought of these things as well and said in a low voice: “On Noble Consort Xiao’s side—”

“No matter how urgent some matters are, one must still wait. I believe Noble Consort Xiao is not a foolish person.”

Xiu Yue nodded.

Since the Princess said so, she felt reassured.

As Minister Zhao and the others left, news that Eunuch Dou, the Crown Prince’s trusted attendant, had been twisted by the big white goose raised at the wine shop spread rapidly.

Gossips?

No such thing—they had merely shared some gossip with only their most trusted people. Who would have thought it would spread?

Although Wei Qiang lived in the palace, there was still a large group of Eastern Palace officials. As the news spread, how could they not know?

The dignified Crown Prince, upon first hearing this news, nearly dropped his teacup.