The youth who spent all day chopping firewood had grown much taller and more solid, looking full of spirit and vigor.

In his bright black eyes was an anticipation he wanted to conceal but couldn’t.

Who wouldn’t want to see the excitement of the once-every-three-years top scholar riding through the streets on horseback?

Three years ago, it was his elder sister who took him to watch. But after listening to a few of her nagging remarks, he’d burrowed into the crowd and run away.

Elder Sister had pointed at the top scholar riding on his tall horse and told him to study hard—how could he not be annoyed?

Annoyed as he was, the excitement was still worth seeing. He didn’t want to stay in the courtyard chopping firewood while everyone else went to watch the festivities.

Meeting the youth’s expectant gaze, Luo Sheng’s heart rarely softened.

Although her little nephew still needed discipline, it wasn’t something that could be accomplished overnight. Occasionally giving him a sweet treat was still necessary.

She wasn’t a cold and heartless young aunt either.

“Go ahead.” Luo Sheng nodded.

Xu Xi looked utterly surprised.

The female demon actually agreed!

Trying more often really did pay off—if it succeeded, that was a gain.

And if it didn’t—well, if it didn’t work, it didn’t matter. He’d just continue chopping firewood. There was no loss.

“Go together with Luo Chen and Xiao Qi.” Luo Sheng added another sentence.

Xu Xi couldn’t help but glance at Luo Chen and Xiao Qi, thinking to himself that going with two kids would be very boring.

Meeting his gaze, Luo Chen frowned in disgust.

Go together with the fool who almost got sold to a male brothel?

Only Xiao Qi remained oblivious, showing Xu Xi a friendly smile.

Seeing that all three youths remained silent, Luo Sheng furrowed her brow: “What, you don’t want to go anymore?”

“Want to go!” Xiao Qi and Xu Xi said in unison.

Luo Chen pressed his lips together reservedly.

He hadn’t wanted to go in the first place—he was only accompanying Xiao Qi.

“Then go.” Luo Sheng said calmly.

Xu Xi sensed the female demon’s unpredictable moods and didn’t dare be picky anymore, quickly walking over.

The door curtain leading to the courtyard had long since been replaced with a sky-blue brocade curtain that was lifted during the day as the weather grew warmer.

Through the doorway, Xiao Qi caught sight of Fuxue standing in the courtyard, his eyes hiding longing.

Xiao Qi was warm-hearted and couldn’t help saying: “Master, how about… we bring Fuxue along?”

Luo Sheng turned her head to glance.

Fuxue’s face suddenly reddened, and he stammered: “M-Miss, may I go?”

He was Miss’s person—going out alone casually didn’t seem quite right. But he really wanted to go watch!

Luo Sheng was silent for a moment, but finally nodded: “Then go together with Xiao Qi and the others.”

Fuxue, Luo Chen, and Xiao Qi were all similar in age—right at the time when they were curious and loved excitement.

Fuxue’s eyes suddenly brightened: “Thank you, Miss!”

The youth headed toward the main hall with Da Bai.

Luo Sheng reminded him calmly: “Don’t bring Da Bai.”

Xu Xi, who held a grudge against Da Bai, immediately chimed in: “Exactly. What if you take him out and he bites someone? Wouldn’t that be troublesome?”

Fuxue patted Da Bai apologetically: “Da Bai, you stay and behave yourself. Don’t make Miss angry. I’ll be back very soon.”

Da Bai: “Honk?”

It wasn’t until all four youths had left together that the white goose finally understood: it had been abandoned.

“Honk honk!” The white goose angrily called out and chased after Fuxue, but its neck was grabbed and it was lifted up.

Da Bai stiffly turned its head to look at Luo Sheng.

“Back to the courtyard.” The female demon was expressionless.

Da Bai actually couldn’t understand—after all, it was just a goose. Even if it was a goose that had lived for over ten years, it couldn’t become a spirit.

But it had experience!

Every time it came to the main hall, things went badly. Running back to its familiar nest meant safety. Even the dumbest goose knew what to do.

Under the female demon’s gaze, Da Bai fled into the courtyard, leaving only a single feather drifting down to land at Luo Sheng’s feet.

Luo Sheng picked up the goose feather and idly played with it.

Hong Dou and Kou’er left hand-in-hand, but were quickly separated by the surging crowd.

“Kou’er, you must follow me closely, or if human traffickers snatch you away, that would be terrible!” Hong Dou shouted, pushing aside the people blocking between them.

Someone delicate and fragile like Kou’er was troublesome to bring out.

Soon people blocked between them again.

Kou’er’s expression remained calm.

She wasn’t afraid at all. She wasn’t the Kou’er of before. Now there were countless of her subordinates mixed into the crowd—maybe if Hong Dou encountered trouble, she’d be the one who’d need to help!

Just as Kou’er was feeling proud, she suddenly felt someone tug at her sleeve.

Could there really be human traffickers who had noticed her beauty like a flower?

Kou’er’s first reaction was still somewhat nervous—after all, she hadn’t adapted to her identity as Intelligence Bureau Commander for very long yet.

“Who is it?” She turned her head to see a small beggar child.

Kou’er relaxed and asked in a low voice: “What is it?”

The small beggar leaned close to Kou’er and spoke a few words softly.

Kou’er’s expression changed slightly. She nodded at the small beggar, then shouted across the crowd to Hong Dou: “Hong Dou, I’m feeling a bit unwell. I’m heading back to the tavern first!”

“Hey—” Hong Dou wanted to call Kou’er back, but in the blink of an eye, Kou’er’s figure had vanished.

“Troublesome little hoof.” Hong Dou muttered, but wasn’t too worried.

She had good eyesight and had seen that small beggar.

That’s right—Kou’er was now the Beggar Gang’s leader. If she encountered trouble, the beggar children would help.

Hong Dou felt reassured and happily went off to watch the excitement.

Kou’er, meanwhile, jogged back to the tavern: “Miss—”

“What’s wrong?” Luo Sheng, who had been sitting by the persimmon tree in the courtyard reading, set down her book scroll and looked over.

Kou’er quickly walked to Luo Sheng’s side and whispered in her ear: “Miss, there’s movement on Zhu Wu’s end. Just now a small beggar saw someone enter Zhu Wu’s residence…”

Luo Sheng raised her eyebrows.

After waiting so long, finally there was movement.

It must be said that Zhu Wu was really patient—he’d been at Youjian Tavern for several months before finally showing his fox’s tail.

Choosing to make contact on the day of the top scholar’s parade was also a clever move. On this day the streets were packed with people and deafening with noise, making it convenient to hide one’s tracks.

“Just one person?” Luo Sheng confirmed again.

Kou’er nodded: “Yes, a middle-aged man.”

“Have your people keep close watch on Zhu Wu’s residence.”

After instructing Kou’er, Luo Sheng immediately called for Shi Yan: “Take your second brother and infiltrate Zhu Wu’s residence. You absolutely must not alert them…”

When Wei Han left, he’d taken Shi Huo and Shi Yi with him, sending the second of the four brothers, Shi Yan—the one with the best martial arts skills—to help at the tavern. In reality, he’d left this person for Luo Sheng’s use.

Luo Sheng did indeed lack trustworthy experts she could employ.

Although Kou’er had built up the information network splendidly, she couldn’t pick out anyone with good martial arts skills from those beggar children. Their main function was as eyes and ears, not for fighting.

The Jinlin Guard did have those with outstanding martial arts skills, but Luo Sheng didn’t dare use them.

Some of the things she needed to do had to be concealed from Grand Marshal Luo—how could she use Grand Marshal Luo’s people?

Instead, she had Kou’er spend heavily to win over a few martial artists from the jianghu, who were barely usable.

Seeing Shi Yan leave, Luo Sheng quickly walked into the wine cellar.

After the assassins hiding in Qianjin Lane were captured in one sweep, Zhu Wu had come to seek refuge at Youjian Tavern and was originally arranged to stay in a guest room. Later, Zhu Wu said he’d rented a house near the tavern and moved out.

The residence Zhu Wu had rented was precisely the one that Luo Sheng had quietly purchased and dug a tunnel under back then.