Just based on how Commander Luo had protected Bao’er back then, along with their interactions these past days, Luo Sheng didn’t believe the women’s disappearances were his private doing.

She believed the true mastermind behind this was the person sitting on the dragon throne.

These women’s birth dates and times were too sensitive to her, forcing her to investigate the reasons behind that person’s actions.

And to learn the reasons, she could probably only question Commander Luo.

Looking at his daughter’s expectant eyes, Commander Luo silently accepted the wine cup and drained it in one gulp.

The burning liquor scorched down his throat, as if lighting a fire in his internal organs, making him extremely uncomfortable.

He heavily set the wine cup down on the table and continued his silence.

Luo Sheng understood Commander Luo’s current inner struggle and broke the stalemate: “In my heart, Father has always been an indomitable great hero. I don’t believe Father did this for personal desires.”

Commander Luo looked at Luo Sheng in shock: “Sheng’er—”

He was the head of the Jinlin Guard, the plague god in most officials’ eyes, the demon in common people’s hearts.

He was confident that in his children’s eyes he was a loving father, but he had never imagined that in that bold, trouble-making little girl’s heart, he was an indomitable great hero.

This discovery made this middle-aged man who had experienced so much involuntarily moisten his eyes.

“Did the Emperor order Father to do this?” Luo Sheng pretended not to notice Commander Luo’s reaction. Though phrased as a question, her tone was certain.

This made Commander Luo breathe a sigh of relief.

Being caught by his daughter about to cry would be too embarrassing.

Commander Luo squeezed out a sentence: “Sheng’er, don’t ask too much about court matters.”

“I don’t care about the court. What I care about is Father.” The young woman’s gaze was burning as she stared intently at Commander Luo.

Under the gaze of those clear, pure eyes, Commander Luo’s heart couldn’t help but tighten.

Of course he could say nothing, but how could he bear to disappoint his daughter, to let her think he was someone who committed every evil?

After an unknown length of silence, Commander Luo sighed: “It was indeed the Emperor’s order.”

The young woman who had been watching him suddenly brightened, her eyes flashing with dazzling brilliance: “I knew Father wouldn’t do such a thing.”

Commander Luo smiled bitterly: “But I was the one who carried it out.”

Luo Sheng was silent for a moment, then asked: “Why did the Emperor do this?”

Commander Luo reached out and patted Luo Sheng’s shoulder: “Silly girl, when the Emperor arranges something, would he explain his reasons?”

“Father doesn’t know either?”

Commander Luo shook his head.

Heaven knew how shocked he had been upon hearing the Emperor’s order—he had momentarily wondered if the Emperor was possessed.

Luo Sheng picked up the wine pot and refilled the empty cup, frowning: “There’s no smoke without fire. The Emperor couldn’t have done this without reason. Father, has anything special happened recently?”

Commander Luo rubbed his temples in distress and sighed: “Too many special things have happened recently. The princes’ rebellion, the Noble Consort’s premature birth—each one is a major event.”

“Anything else?”

The princes’ rebellion and the Noble Consort’s premature birth were indeed earth-shattering events, but in Luo Sheng’s view, they were hard to connect with the women’s disappearances.

“Other things—” Commander Luo frowned in thought, then suddenly raised his eyebrows. “Not long ago the National Master emerged from seclusion. That should also count as a special event.”

Luo Sheng’s heart stirred.

Regarding the Great Zhou’s National Master, she had heard of him even when she was Princess Qingyang.

In the rumors, he was a divine figure who could summon wind and rain, with an ageless face and profound Daoist arts, heavily relied upon by the imperial family.

Women with identical birth dates and times, and the mystically powerful National Master—these could be connected.

Luo Sheng was grateful that Miss Luo had a straightforward nature and could ask whatever came to mind.

She showed a disgusted, shocked expression: “Father, could it be that the National Master deceived the Emperor into taking these women’s blood to refine pills that could grant immortality?”

Commander Luo touched his nose, his expression somewhat strange: “This guess has some merit, but—”

He hesitated, then said: “But the Emperor didn’t order me to take those women’s blood.”

Luo Sheng asked softly: “Then how were those women handled?”

Commander Luo was silent for a long while before saying: “They were killed.”

Though she had been mentally prepared for this answer, Luo Sheng still couldn’t help but clench her fists.

After a good while, Luo Sheng spoke: “Lin Teng said the several missing women had identical birth dates and times, and there are at least one hundred and six such women in the capital. Does Father plan to obediently kill all one hundred and six women as ordered?”

Commander Luo was exceptionally shocked: “Lin Teng told you this too?”

Luo Sheng blinked, feeling that Commander Luo’s focus was somewhat off.

Commander Luo was indeed extremely shocked.

He knew that young man Lin Teng—very serious in his work, very clear about separating public and private matters. He hadn’t expected him to tell Sheng’er such important information!

This must mean he cherishes Sheng’er, right?

Commander Luo felt as if an unexpected windfall had fallen on his head, and even his recent troubles seemed less oppressive.

“Father.” Luo Sheng called out.

Commander Luo came back from his sudden joy, and the weight of reality darkened his expression.

Luo Sheng persisted in asking: “Will all these women be killed?”

Commander Luo looked at her, his tone helpless: “Sheng’er has grown up now and should understand the principle that when the sovereign orders a subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die—let alone when simply following orders.”

Luo Sheng bit her lip and asked word by word: “What if next time the Emperor orders Father to kill his daughter?”

Commander Luo’s expression changed abruptly: “Don’t speak nonsense!”

Luo Sheng’s tone was calm: “These women’s fatal disaster was most likely caused by the National Master saying something to the Emperor. This time they want to kill women born in the year of Bingyin on the seventh day of the seventh month at the hour of Mao. Next time it might be women born in the year of Wuchen on the seventh day of the seventh month at the hour of Mao. Once the blade begins to target the innocent, it could fall upon anyone’s head—”

“Sheng’er, stop talking!” Commander Luo’s face turned ashen. He roughly tousled Luo Sheng’s hair. “It won’t happen. Young ladies shouldn’t think so much.”

Luo Sheng’s lips moved. She wanted to say they were over a hundred innocent women, but these words circled on her tongue tip without emerging.

As Commander Luo had said, when the sovereign orders a subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die. If she continued, it would only make Commander Luo more pained.

She only hoped Commander Luo would take her words to heart, so that when the time came to make a choice in the future, he would realize that serving such a foolish ruler wasn’t worth it.

At this moment, Kou’er’s voice came from outside the door: “Miss, when Accountant Zhu was checking the books, he discovered a small problem and wishes to report it to you.”

Luo Sheng’s eyes flashed slightly.

Zhu Wu had returned!

Zhu Wu returning at this time was undoubtedly rare good news.

Though urgent in her heart, Luo Sheng’s face showed nothing: “Father, if you don’t eat the food soon it will get cold. Please eat first while I go chat with the accountant.”

After Luo Sheng left, Commander Luo didn’t pick up his chopsticks.

Facing the delicious food and wine, for the first time he had no appetite. He kept replaying Luo Sheng’s words in his mind: What if next time the Emperor orders Father to kill his daughter?

Once the blade begins to target the innocent, it could fall upon anyone’s head.