“The young master came first. After arriving, he gave you a lecture—”

Luo Sheng’s eyebrows rose slightly: “Wasn’t it a scolding?”

Hong Dou paused.

Luo Sheng said expressionlessly: “From now on, don’t hide anything when speaking to me.”

She needed accurate information, not misleading words that had been embellished.

Hong Dou responded affirmatively and spoke articulately: “The young master came running to scold you, then left. Then the two cousin misses came. What the eldest cousin miss said was similar to the young master. The second cousin miss advised you to calm down and tried to mediate…”

Luo Sheng’s pale white fingertips lightly tapped the table: “So you’re saying the second cousin miss treated me well?”

“Yes, among all your cousins, the one most friendly to you is the second cousin miss. Not like the eldest cousin miss who confronts you at every turn…”

Luo Sheng listened quietly, falling into contemplation.

To reach the point of murder, there must certainly be a motive.

Over these three days, the masters of the Sheng residence had come to visit her one after another. By not speaking much, listening more, and observing more, she had formed some impressions of everyone.

Her grandmother felt helpless disappointment toward her. First Aunt and Second Aunt inwardly despised her but had to put on concerned attitudes. First Uncle was somewhat frightened. Second Uncle wasn’t at the residence.

Luo Sheng thought that these elders of the Sheng residence probably didn’t want to see anything happen to her.

Miss Luo’s father held a high position with great authority. He had sent his trouble-making daughter to her maternal family to avoid the storm. If something truly happened, the Sheng family would have difficulty explaining.

For outsiders to sneak into Miss Luo’s boudoir in broad daylight to strike without anyone knowing would also not be easy.

In that case, the peers of the Sheng residence became highly suspect.

Her blood brother Luo Chen who both despised and defended her, the eldest young miss Sheng Jiayu who cursed at her and wouldn’t even deign to call her “Cousin Sister,” the second young miss Sheng Jialan who appeared friendly, and the four male cousins with whom she had little interaction—

Who wanted to harm Miss Luo?

Luo Sheng looked again at the white silk hanging from the roof beam.

It had to be said, this murder method was rather crude.

The motive might have existed for some time, but the trigger that prompted the perpetrator to act hastily was most likely three days ago.

That day, Miss Luo had expressed her thoughts about Second Young Master Su to her grandmother, and then came the deadly disaster…

There was very likely a connection between these two events!

Luo Sheng had a vague guess about the suspect, but another doubt arose: After Miss Luo fell asleep and was hung from the beam, didn’t she wake up and struggle at all?

Her gaze slowly swept over the furnishings in the room, landing on the blue and white porcelain tea set with colorful plum patterns beside her hand, now missing one teacup.

The missing teacup had just been shattered by her. The shattered porcelain all over the floor hadn’t been cleaned up yet.

“When my brother and the others came, did they drink tea?”

Hong Dou didn’t understand why the topic had jumped here, but remembering Luo Sheng’s instruction to speak frankly, she recalled briefly: “The young master ran off after scolding. However, when the eldest cousin miss was arguing with you, the second cousin miss poured a cup of tea to advise you to calm down.”

“I drank it?”

“You drank it—” Hong Dou belatedly realized. “Miss, do you think there was a problem with the tea?”

Luo Sheng said nothing.

Even if there was a problem with the tea, it couldn’t be investigated now.

Hong Dou was still in shock: “If there was a problem with the tea, doesn’t that mean the second cousin miss has a problem… Where would she get the courage to harm you, Miss!”

The little maid jumped up and walked outside with killing intent: “This servant will go settle accounts with her!”

“Stop.” A light voice came from behind.

Hong Dou turned around, puzzled: “Miss?”

When had her miss become someone who would swallow her anger? Usually, anyone who made Miss unhappy would be dealt with on the spot.

“Don’t alert the enemy. Besides, these are just guesses.”

This murder plot seemed full of flaws to her. Such speculation was enough for her to take the next step.

She couldn’t remain trapped in the Sheng family of Jinsha. She needed to go see Prince Zhennan’s residence.

To see what had become of the home that had been surrounded by sounds of slaughter that night.

Luo Sheng was anxious but knew she couldn’t rush. First properly resolving the mess left by Miss Luo was the right approach.

Moreover—Luo Sheng lightly stroked her wrist.

The young girl’s wrist was white as frost, at the best age of life.

She had died unwillingly. Being reborn through Miss Luo’s body, she owed Miss Luo a debt.

Repay kindness when kindness is given, revenge when wronged—this was her consistent principle.

Seeing Luo Sheng silent, Hong Dou grew anxious: “Miss, are we just going to let this go?”

Luo Sheng withdrew from her thoughts and smiled faintly: “Of course we won’t let this go. We can’t alert the enemy, but we can lure the snake out of its hole.”

“Lure the snake out?” Hong Dou blinked, her eyes bright. “How do we lure the snake out?”

At this moment, a voice came from outside the door: “Cousin Miss, Sister Shuangye from First Madam’s room has come.”

Luo Sheng nodded slightly at Hong Dou. Hong Dou immediately called out: “Tell her to come in.”

Luo Sheng pressed her forehead.

She had meant for Hong Dou to tidy up the room—for instance, at least take down the white silk hanging from the beam first…

A maid in a bean-green vest walked in. Seeing the eerie white silk before her eyes, she let out a scream and nearly collapsed to the floor.

Hong Dou put her hands on her hips and scolded: “What are you wailing about? What if you frighten our miss?”

Shuangye looked at Luo Sheng seated by the table, then at the hanging white silk, her lips trembling.

Who was frightening whom? The cousin miss was truly too terrifying.

“What is it?” Luo Sheng asked.

Shuangye collected herself and said with lowered eyes: “The masters of the residence will dine together tonight. First Madam ordered this servant to inform Cousin Miss.”

“Understood.”

Shuangye curtsied to Luo Sheng. After returning, she vividly described what she saw upon entering Luo Sheng’s room: “A white silk ribbon was hanging right before this servant’s eyes. It frightened this servant’s heart nearly out of her chest.”

First Madam’s expression looked somewhat unpleasant: “What is she trying to cause trouble about now?”

Fortunately, this cousin miss wouldn’t come to tonight’s family banquet, so it wouldn’t disturb her children.

Every five days, the different branches of the Sheng residence gathered for a family banquet. Luo Sheng was a guest, and although she had only attended once out of courtesy, First Madam, who was in charge of household management, still sent someone to invite her each time.

First Madam’s anxious heart relaxed slightly as she instructed Shuangye: “Go tell the two young masters to stay far away from Cousin Miss from now on.”

Despite all precautions, who would have thought the old madam had plans to marry Cousin Miss to one of her sons? Had she known this earlier, the matter discussed at the Su family today might as well have succeeded.

Soon the sun set in the west. Luo Sheng brought Hong Dou to Funing Hall.

Jinsha County was located in the south. Although it was early spring, the Sheng residence was lush with vegetation everywhere, with spring flowers in full bloom.

Luo Sheng walked through flowers and past willows, meeting four men face-to-face.

She stopped, her gaze sweeping over the faces of the four.

The one with an upright bearing like a green pine was the eldest male cousin. The one with peach-blossom eyes holding a folding fan was the second male cousin. The one with thick eyebrows and big eyes was the third male cousin. The one still carrying childishness was the fourth male cousin.

These four had come together to see her once after she woke. Though they came and went hurriedly as if completing a task, she remembered them.

After waking to find everything turned upside down, she had to carefully commit everything she heard and saw to memory.

Luo Sheng bowed slightly, performing the courtesy between peers toward the four.

The four men stood frozen in place the moment they saw Luo Sheng. Only when she performed her courtesy did they wake as from a dream.

Coming to their senses, the three older male cousins hurriedly returned Luo Sheng’s courtesy, saying in unison: “I have urgent business outside and won’t accompany Cousin Sister.”

As the words fell, the three turned and ran. Sheng Sanlang didn’t forget to grab his younger brother who hadn’t yet reacted.

Hong Dou’s mouth dropped open: “What are those cousin young masters doing?”

Luo Sheng was unconcerned: “No need to pay attention. Let’s go.”

Those who would flee in panic upon seeing her probably lacked the courage to kill. Moreover, Miss Luo hadn’t shown interest in pursuing her male cousins, so they had no reason to act.

The four men who had run in one breath to the main gate were gasping for breath, their souls barely settled.

“Three elder brothers, is it really necessary to be so frightened?” Sheng Silang looked completely puzzled.

The peach-blossom-eyed Sheng Erlang tapped Sheng Silang’s head with his gold-inlaid folding fan: “You foolish boy, what do you understand? If Cousin Luo latches onto you, it’ll be a life of darkness!”