The Lantern Festival wasn’t just held on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month—lantern viewing began on the eighth day and continued until the seventeenth.

Luo Sheng caressed the exquisite gold-embossed invitation and sent someone to reply to the Princess’s residence.

Facing such a willful princess, naturally it was best to avoid offending her.

When the moon rose above the willow branches, the flower lanterns were bright as day.

Luo Sheng met with Princess Changle and leisurely strolled along the ten-mile-long street with its myriad colorful lanterns.

Like most women, they wore white silk jackets and embroidered skirts, walking among the emerald shadows and crimson fragrances, attracting no particular notice for the moment.

“Has A’Sheng heard about last night’s incident?” Princess Changle suddenly turned her head to ask.

Luo Sheng showed a puzzled expression. “Last night?”

Princess Changle adopted a casual conversational tone. “Noble Consort Xiao was frightened at Xuande Tower and gave birth prematurely.”

“Oh, that matter—I’ve heard some things about it.” Luo Sheng appeared uninterested.

Princess Changle’s eyes flickered slightly as she laughed. “I thought you would be curious.”

Luo Sheng continued walking forward, avoiding a little girl bouncing toward them carrying a flower lantern. “Didn’t they say it was caused by two minor consorts? Such things happening in the palace aren’t unusual.”

Princess Changle’s lips curved upward. “True. Let’s not discuss that anymore. A’Sheng, this is our first time viewing lanterns together since I returned to the capital. Let me give you a flower lantern.”

She stopped and pointed at the lantern stall before them with a smile. “Which one does A’Sheng like?”

Luo Sheng casually glanced over—rabbit lanterns, fairy lanterns, lotus lanterns… made of paper, gauze, colored glass, truly everything one could want.

Amid the clamor, Princess Changle’s light voice came through. “A’Sheng, what do you think of that peacock lantern? I remember you used to love peacocks most of all.”

Luo Sheng looked toward the peacock lantern.

The peacock’s head and body were made of colored glass, while the fanned tail used silk gauze, appearing lifelike.

Luo Sheng nodded agreeably. “It’s quite beautiful.”

Princess Changle’s eyes darkened slightly, though her lips remained curved. She instructed the maidservant following behind them, “Buy that peacock lantern for A’Sheng.”

The maidservant immediately complied, stepped forward to negotiate with the vendor, and soon handed the peacock lantern to Luo Sheng.

Luo Sheng accepted the lantern and said offhandedly, “Let me also give Your Highness a lantern. Which one does Your Highness like?”

“That jade rabbit lantern then.” Princess Changle said casually.

The two carried their flower lanterns, wandering through the sea of lights.

After viewing the brilliant fireworks, Princess Changle yawned. “I’m somewhat tired. A’Sheng, let’s go back.”

“Alright.”

The two turned side by side and walked toward the entrance of the long street.

Two carriages waited there, having been there for quite some time.

Luo Sheng bid Princess Changle farewell and boarded her carriage carrying the flower lantern.

Princess Changle, who had also boarded her carriage, let her expression turn cold as she gave the maidservant an instruction. The maidservant spoke a few words to the driver in a low voice, and after traveling some distance, the carriage turned around.

The street was still crowded with people, bustling and lively.

Princess Changle stood in the shadows, her voice so soft it would scatter with the wind. “It seems you were right…”

The man also standing in the darkness smiled. “Did Your Highness test it out?”

Princess Changle pressed her lips together, her eyes holding the deep night, the brilliance of ten thousand lanterns unable to illuminate their depths. “After returning to the capital, I always felt something was off about A’Sheng, but never thought about it carefully. Now it appears she has lost her memory.”

She stared at the strikingly handsome man and asked coldly, “Su Yao, how did you figure it out?”

Su Yao gazed at the brightness beyond the shadows, saying lightly, “Perhaps intuition. After Miss Luo’s incident in Jinsha, the feeling she gave me seemed like she had become a different person…”

Princess Changle listened in silence.

Su Yao gazed intently at Princess Changle, the curve of his lips appearing somewhat eerie in the darkness. “There’s a question I’ve pondered for a long time without knowing the answer. I’d like to ask Your Highness for guidance.”

“Speak.” Having confirmed her friend’s amnesia, Princess Changle was not in a good mood, and her tone carried some impatience.

Su Yao didn’t mind, asking the question word by word. “Is someone who has lost their memory and no longer has their past self still the same person?”

Princess Changle’s heart trembled as she stared fixedly at the man before her.

Standing in the darkness, his face was white as jade, his eyes clear and cold. The meaningful smile at the corner of his mouth gave him something those beautiful young men lacked, beyond his outstanding handsomeness.

This was the quality that Princess Changle couldn’t help but be drawn to.

This was truly an interesting person, far more interesting than A’Sheng now.

Thinking of Luo Sheng, Princess Changle’s eyes grew cold, that sentence she’d just heard swirling in her mind: Is someone who has lost their memory and no longer has their past self still the same person?

If A’Sheng was no longer the A’Sheng who shared memories with her, was she still A’Sheng?

Not her A’Sheng—Princess Changle pressed her lips together, killing intent flashing in her eyes.

Su Yao caught that trace of murderous intent and smiled with satisfaction.

Princess Changle suddenly glanced at him.

Su Yao resumed his calm demeanor, meeting Princess Changle’s gaze.

Princess Changle looked at Su Yao for a long while, then suddenly laughed. “Su Yao, has A’Sheng offended you?”

“What does Your Highness mean by this question?”

Princess Changle raised her hand to smooth her hair, saying unhurriedly, “I feel that you want to use this palace’s hand to take A’Sheng’s life.”

How she treated A’Sheng was one thing; being used as someone’s blade was another matter entirely.

Of course, she didn’t dislike this man who was sugar-coated poison.

She had said long ago—they were the same type of person.

Who doesn’t like themselves?

Princess Changle looked at Su Yao, her gaze gentle as bright moonlight.

Such a gaze made Su Yao smile involuntarily.

Amid the clamor of lights and fire, his indifferent voice seemed to carry some magical quality. “Your Highness is truly ice-sharp and clever.”

Princess Changle laughed, and when she’d laughed enough, she asked with a sidelong glance, “Why?”

Without waiting for Su Yao to answer, she continued, “Surely not just because A’Sheng took a fancy to you?”

Su Yao asked with a light laugh, “Isn’t that enough?”

He could never forget the way that girl had stared at him, and her bewilderment upon discovering he was different from what she’d imagined.

Princess Changle also laughed. “Indeed, that’s enough.”

To want someone dead—where was the need for so many reasons?

If one wanted to do it, then do it.

Fireworks bloomed in midair, fiery trees and silver flowers interweaving with starlight into a tapestry, breathtakingly beautiful.

Both Princess Changle and Su Yao looked up to admire them, like a perfectly matched pair of kindred spirits.

Luo Sheng returned to Xianyun Courtyard with Kou’er. Hong Dou, who had remained at home, came out to meet them with a stern face, saying resentfully, “Miss has returned.”

Tonight when Miss went out with Princess Changle, she hadn’t brought her but took Kou’er instead!

Thinking of how she’d lost to that little hoof who had always been inferior to her, Hong Dou’s heart was about to break. She glared fiercely at Kou’er, then froze, pointing at the flower lantern in Kou’er’s hand. “Kou’er, why did you bring back a peacock lantern?”

Hearing something off in Hong Dou’s tone, Luo Sheng stopped.

Kou’er was somewhat puzzled. “What’s wrong with the peacock lantern? Princess Changle gave it to our Miss.”

Upon hearing this, Hong Dou’s confusion was resolved. “So it was given by someone else. I was wondering—Miss clearly dislikes peacocks most of all, so why would she bring back a peacock lantern?”