What surprised Grand Governor Luo was that the Prince of Pingnan’s heir looked at him with remarkably calm eyes, without the wariness he had expected. Yet the reason for the Crown Prince’s deposition was related to him.

Wei Feng truly harbored little hatred toward Grand Governor Luo.

Deep in his heart, he had long been hoping for his elder brother’s downfall—now it had simply come to pass.

Watching that drunkard who only knew to lock himself in his room and throw drunken tantrums, he felt nothing but satisfaction.

The Prince of Pingnan’s estate had fallen into decline along with the Crown Prince’s deposition, but what did he need overwhelming wealth and nobility for? He didn’t want to touch women with even a single finger, would never have descendants in this lifetime—as long as he had enough to eat and drink, that was sufficient.

Grand Governor Luo spoke: “Heir Apparent, I wonder if the young princess has been found?”

Wei Feng couldn’t fathom Grand Governor Luo’s intent in asking this, and replied impassively: “No.”

Grand Governor Luo revealed a regretful expression: “His Majesty is quite worried about the young princess’s disappearance.”

Wei Feng’s heart jumped, his eyes fixing unblinkingly on Grand Governor Luo.

Grand Governor Luo’s words had hidden meaning—what exactly did he mean?

“The Heir Apparent should bring more personnel to expand the search area and find the young princess as soon as possible, lest His Majesty continue to worry over this matter.” Grand Governor Luo met Wei Feng’s gaze, his tone profoundly meaningful.

Wei Feng’s expression changed slightly as he vaguely grasped something.

Seeing the other party’s thoughtful appearance, Grand Governor Luo set down his cold tea on the table and stood up: “This Luo wishes the Heir Apparent success in all matters. I take my leave.”

Grand Governor Luo quickly departed, leaving only Wei Feng alone, frowning in contemplation.

The servant waiting outside, seeing Wei Feng delay in emerging, walked in softly: “Heir Apparent?”

Wei Feng snapped back to awareness, his expression growing even more grim: “Return to the estate.”

The servant was startled: “Aren’t we continuing to search for the princess?”

“Too much talk!” Wei Feng coldly swept a glance at the servant and strode out quickly.

Having just weathered the storm of the Crown Prince’s deposition, and now with the young princess missing, the Prince of Pingnan’s estate—where visitors were few and far between—could not hide its desolate state in this late autumn season.

Wei Feng swept a glance at the coldly imposing stone lions before the estate’s main gate before walking inside.

“Grand Governor Luo said this?” After forcing herself through illness to hear the news Wei Feng brought back, the Princess Consort of Pingnan fell into deep thought, then her face drained completely of color.

“Is this His Majesty’s meaning?” The Princess Consort of Pingnan stared intently at her son, asking in a trembling voice.

Wei Feng nodded silently.

The Princess Consort of Pingnan’s hand supporting herself on the beauty couch trembled continuously. She wanted to drink some tea to calm her shock, but couldn’t hold the teacup steady.

Perhaps it wasn’t the meaning she thought—no, it definitely wasn’t the meaning she thought.

The Princess Consort of Pingnan looked toward Wei Feng, opening her mouth with difficulty: “Feng’er, what do you think?”

With her husband barely clinging to life and her eldest son drinking daily, only at this moment did the Princess Consort of Pingnan realize with alarm that she could only rely on this son.

After a long while, Wei Feng squeezed out a sentence: “I guess His Majesty’s meaning is to quickly suppress the matter of younger sister’s disappearance, lest people continue to gossip.”

The Princess Consort of Pingnan listened silently, weeping in a daze.

After an unknown length of time, she said softly: “Feng’er, your sister is gone. The murderer must be Princess Changle.”

Wei Feng clenched his fist forcefully.

Having heard Grand Governor Luo’s profoundly meaningful words, he had vaguely guessed something, only he dared not believe it.

His sister and Princess Changle were cousins—not just any random person. How could Princess Changle bring herself to do it!

The Princess Consort of Pingnan had already sorted through her thoughts: “His Majesty knows that the one who killed Wen’er was Princess Changle, which is why he hinted through Grand Governor Luo for us to suppress the matter of Wen’er’s disappearance. What he worries about has never been the missing Wen’er, but rather Princess Changle’s reputation…”

Wei Feng listened silently as the Princess Consort of Pingnan finished speaking, then asked: “Mother Consort, what do you plan to do?”

The Princess Consort of Pingnan, tears hanging at the corners of her eyes, smiled bitterly: “What else can we do? Find a maid with a similar build to Wen’er, say she’s been found, silence the maid after a day or two, then spread the news that Wen’er couldn’t bear the damage to her reputation and took her own life…”

She had lost her daughter, yet could only bury a maid as her daughter, while her daughter’s remains could never be recovered.

Such hatred—she hated so much she wished she could grind Princess Changle’s bones to dust and curse that wretch to never find release even in eternity.

“Go then, handle the matter quickly.” The Princess Consort of Pingnan suppressed her towering hatred and urged calmly.

Wei Feng slowly nodded and walked out in silence.

Dusk gathered, lanterns first lit.

A freshly minted piece of news spread through the streets and alleys with lightning speed.

The young princess of the Prince of Pingnan’s estate had been found!

The young princess was truly pitiful—disheveled hair, looking utterly wretched, who knew what torment she had suffered.

What vexed people was that the Prince of Pingnan’s estate didn’t reveal a single word, quickly bringing the young princess back to the estate, after which the vermilion lacquered gates remained tightly closed.

Overwhelming rumors spread like wildfire.

Some said the young princess had been kidnapped by human traffickers and sold to the Jinshui River; others said the young princess had mistaken another man for the zhuangyuan scholar that day and ended up being violated by that man…

Every kind of ugly speculation existed, the young princess’s reputation utterly destroyed.

Those who had previously sighed over the perfect match between the zhuangyuan scholar and the young princess all cast sympathetic glances toward Su Yao.

People close to Su Yao couldn’t help but say: “Compiler Su, with such a thing happening to the young princess, actually your marriage—”

Su Yao said earnestly: “Rumors cannot be trusted. I will await the estate’s statement.”

“What if the estate plays deaf and mute?”

Such words no one would have dared speak before, but now who still feared offending the Prince of Pingnan’s estate?

Su Yao smiled and said solemnly: “Then I will believe the young princess is innocent and marry her as scheduled.”

Once these words spread, they immediately drew countless people’s praise for the zhuangyuan scholar.

In Xianyun Courtyard, Hong Dou spat out a melon seed shell and curled her lip: “Miss, that Su Yao is being praised again.”

Luo Sheng gave a dismissive laugh, too lazy to comment.

Kou’er was quite interested in this topic, smiling with pursed lips: “Su Yao really is quite something—no matter what happens, he gets praised every time.”

Hong Dou spat: “Something my ass. I’ve told you before, he’s just a jinx. The young princess will definitely be cursed to death by him.”

Even their miss, someone with such great fortune and destiny, had nearly been cursed to death by that jinx—could the young princess escape?

Bah, bah, bah, truly a great jinx.

The very day after Hong Dou’s bah-ing, news emerged that the young princess of the Prince of Pingnan’s estate had hanged herself.

Hearing the news, Hong Dou slapped Kou’er’s shoulder hard: “How about that, didn’t I predict it!”

Kou’er shrieked in pain: “Hong Dou, are you trying to slap me to death to permanently secure your position as first maid?”

Luo Sheng ignored the two maids’ playful fighting, her mind conjuring the image of that youth as elegant and refined as a magnolia.

Miss Luo, who had made a fuss about marrying Su Yao, was dead; Miss Qian, who had pursued Su Yao all the way to the Su estate after encountering him on the road, was dead; the young princess Wei Wen, who was betrothed to Su Yao, was also dead.

Once, twice, three times.

Princess Changle had probably encountered an evenly matched opponent this time.