Princess Changle finally couldn’t help but ask Luo Sheng in a low voice, “A’Sheng, is this really just an ordinary wine shop?”

She would believe it if someone said it was a male brothel masquerading as a wine shop.

“The one coming is Prince Kaiyang.” Luo Sheng directly revealed the identity of the young man in crimson robes.

Princess Changle froze.

She knew Prince Kaiyang—he was her uncle.

However, this young prince-uncle had gone to the northern territories early on, so she had no real impression of him.

This was Prince-Uncle Kaiyang?

Princess Changle frowned as she watched the young man walking closer and closer, feeling somewhat doubtful.

“I’ve come late today.” Wei Han greeted Luo Sheng.

Luo Sheng smiled. “It’s still early before closing. The seat Your Highness usually takes is still empty.”

Wei Han couldn’t help but frown.

Even when he didn’t come, it seemed no one sat in his usual seat. The key point was that, judging from Miss Luo’s tone, today she wouldn’t be cooking dishes for him in the kitchen, nor would she be dining with him.

Realizing this serious problem, Wei Han finally divided some of his attention to Princess Changle.

Luo Sheng took the opportunity to ask, “Has Your Highness met Her Highness the Princess who just returned to the capital?”

“No.” Wei Han looked at Princess Changle, his tone serious. “You are Changle?”

Princess Changle blinked.

Prince-Uncle Kaiyang was so young—what was he being so serious for?

The gleam that had lit up in Princess Changle’s eyes when she saw the handsome youth in crimson robes enter quietly extinguished.

Not only was he her uncle, he was also a boring uncle, so there was nothing worth paying attention to.

After all, no matter how good-looking he was, she couldn’t possibly snatch up her own uncle to be a male favorite.

Looking at it this way, that Su Yao was still more interesting.

New top scholar, the princess’s fiancé—either point made her find him intriguing.

“It’s been so many years since I’ve seen Prince-Uncle that I couldn’t even recognize you.”

Wei Han nodded. “You were still young then.”

The corner of Princess Changle’s mouth twitched. She turned her head and urged Luo Sheng, “A’Sheng, didn’t you say you wanted me to taste the wine shop’s food and wine?”

Beautiful men were certainly pleasing to the eye, but if they put on airs as elder relatives, she didn’t want to look at them even once more.

When Wei Han heard the words “A’Sheng,” he couldn’t help but frown.

He called Miss Luo “Miss Luo,” yet Princess Changle called Miss Luo “A’Sheng”—the difference in intimacy was all too obvious.

The Prince who had arrived in high spirits had his good mood diminished by a fair amount. With a stern face, he went to the window seat.

Princess Changle looked at that retreating figure with surprise, thinking to herself that the wine guests who came to the wine shop A’Sheng opened were truly strange and peculiar. If she sat a while longer, perhaps she could see more beautiful men.

After Kou’er brought up the food and wine, Princess Changle’s train of thought was immediately cast beyond the ninth heaven.

After devouring the meal like a whirlwind, Princess Changle looked completely satisfied. “A’Sheng, these two years I wasn’t in the capital, you’ve been living the life of an immortal.”

Luo Sheng smiled. “It’s been quite good.”

Miss Luo had indeed lived too comfortably—what a pity she was Princess Qingyang.

“Why don’t I see Mingzhu, whom I gave you?”

Eating fine food while appreciating beautiful scenery, and having clever and handsome people serving you—that would be even better.

Wei Han set his wine cup down on the table surface with a thud, his expression growing even colder.

It seemed he needed to find an opportunity to advise Miss Luo that she should keep her distance from bad friends like Princess Changle.

He just didn’t know if Miss Luo would listen to advice—thinking of this point, Wei Han silently picked up his wine cup and drained it in one gulp.

“Mingzhu is at the Grand Commander’s estate.”

Princess Changle smiled charmingly. “Did you find him disagreeable? I said I’d let you pick a fresh one from Luqi and Duyou, but you still didn’t want one—”

The sound of a wine cup lightly striking the table surface rang out, interrupting the two young ladies’ idle chat.

Wei Han said with a stern face, “It’s getting late. The Princess should return.”

Princess Changle raised an eyebrow.

How had he started managing her affairs?

“If Imperial Brother knew you were still out drinking at this hour, he would worry.” The young man with the cold, stern expression spoke words of concern, yet his tone didn’t have a trace of fluctuation.

What Princess Changle heard was only a warning. She asked back with dissatisfaction, “If no one tells Father Emperor, how would he know?”

She had vowed never to marry. Finding the palace too restrictive, she had long ago begged Father Emperor to build her a princess estate. Her comings and goings were incomparably free—which blind fool would dare run before Father Emperor and spout nonsense?

Wei Han smiled. “I will tell Imperial Brother.”

“You—”

Wei Han’s expression grew more serious. “I am your prince-uncle. Having encountered you, how could I not intervene?”

Princess Changle rose angrily. “A’Sheng, I’ll return to my estate first. I’ll come find you another time.”

With such an annoying elder watching over her, it wasn’t pleasant at all.

Tomorrow morning, first thing, she would go to the palace and complain to Father Emperor!

Princess Changle secretly made up her mind and swept away.

Luo Sheng smiled. “Your Highness seems to have offended the Princess.”

Wei Han remained calm and composed. “I’m her uncle—it doesn’t matter.”

“That’s good then. Has Your Highness finished eating?”

“Not yet.”

Luo Sheng swept a glance at the empty plates and bowls on the table and helplessly curved the corners of her lips.

This person was blatantly lying, yet somehow she detected a few notes of grievance?

Wei Han’s peripheral vision swept over Lin Teng, who was obviously eavesdropping with perked ears. He abandoned the thought of inviting Luo Sheng to dine together and settled for second best. “Miss Luo, let’s go look at the persimmon tree.”

At this moment, he suddenly understood the inconvenience of the wine shop—it was too difficult to be alone with Miss Luo.

Luo Sheng nodded.

Seeing the two head toward the back, Lin Shu waved his hand before Lin Teng’s eyes. “Elder Brother, come back to your senses.”

Lin Teng coughed awkwardly. “Second Brother, don’t speak nonsense.”

Lin Shu smiled. “I just told you to come back to your senses. What did I say?”

Elder Brother being so incoherent was rather strange.

Lin Teng explained with complete seriousness, “I’m just curious what’s peculiar about the persimmon tree.”

An utterly ordinary persimmon tree—was it worth Miss Luo and Prince Kaiyang going to look at?

This reminded him again of that big tree at the street corner from which he’d felt out a green snake.

The persimmon tree in the back courtyard was already laden with bright red fruits. The persimmons bathed in starlight were like small red lanterns—quite pleasing to the eye.

“Miss Luo, can we eat the persimmons yet?”

He’d been watching for so long, waiting for so long—it should be time to harvest, shouldn’t it?

“We should wait until after Frost’s Descent. The persimmons taste best then.”

Wei Han touched his nose tip.

Is that so? Then he’d wait a bit longer.

“Miss Luo.”

“Mm?”

The two gazed at each other in the night, both their eyes filled with bright moonlight.

“After Frost’s Descent, let’s come look at the persimmon tree again.”

Luo Sheng smiled. “The persimmon tree isn’t going anywhere. We can look whenever we think of it.”

The wind blew, and the persimmon tree shook its increasingly sparse branches and leaves, appearing rather desolate.

The next day, Princess Changle ran to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to complain.

“Father Emperor, yesterday I encountered Prince-Uncle Kaiyang, and Prince-Uncle Kaiyang opened his mouth and scolded me—”

Emperor Yong’an coolly interrupted Princess Changle’s words. “Your prince-uncle has already told me. Changle, you were running around everywhere at night?”

Princess Changle’s lips trembled.

Prince Kaiyang actually complained first?

Where was his dignity as an elder!

Princess Changle was just getting angry when she heard Emperor Yong’an say, “Also, don’t throw tantrums in front of your prince-uncle from now on.”