Luo Sheng thought of Wei Han.

Cold, perceptive, dangerous—if not for the fact that she had spent a few days with him and knew this man ate quite a lot, this would be the complete impression Wei Han had left on Luo Sheng.

No wonder the renowned Prince Kaiyang would appear at the abandoned Prince Zhennan’s manor. It turned out he bore an imperial mandate to capture all the survivors of Prince Zhennan’s manor in one sweep.

Luo Sheng’s heart turned ice-cold, but thinking of Yun Dong mentioning that Prince Zhennan’s manor had some who slipped through the net, a thread of hope arose.

Did this mean that besides Xiu Yue and her younger brother, someone else had also escaped from Prince Zhennan’s manor that day?

Luo Sheng calmed her emotions and asked without revealing anything: “Since Father was responsible for leading troops to besiege Prince Zhennan’s manor, why were there still people who slipped through the net?”

“Every princely manor has manor guards, and Prince Zhennan’s manor guards were particularly elite and formidable. With so many people in the manor under siege, it was inevitable that some would escape by luck. As long as Adoptive Father captured Prince Zhennan and his wife along with their youngest son, the mission was complete. As for some unimportant people who escaped, well, they escaped…”

Youngest son?

Hearing these two words, Luo Sheng’s heartbeat stopped for an instant, her mind going blank for a moment.

Didn’t Xiu Yue say that Bao’er had escaped? Why would Yun Dong say this?

“Were the manor’s masters all captured?”

Yun Dong nodded.

“Prince Zhennan’s youngest son should have been very young at the time, right? Could he also have… also been killed?”

Seeing Luo Sheng’s hesitant tone and expression of unbearable sympathy, Yun Dong couldn’t help but find it amusing.

When Third Miss acted like this, she actually had a bit of the demeanor a girl her age should have—it really made one unaccustomed to it.

Yun Dong’s tone was indifferent as he answered Luo Sheng’s question: “When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact. People from Prince Zhennan’s manor escaped the princely manor holding Prince Zhennan’s youngest son. Fortunately, Adoptive Father discovered them in time. During the struggle between Adoptive Father’s men and Prince Zhennan’s manor people, Prince Zhennan’s youngest son was dropped and died…”

Luo Sheng felt the hot blood flowing through her body instantly freeze into ice, even her fingertips were ice-cold.

After despair, nothing is more cruel than being given hope only to have it severed.

No matter how strong her self-control, at this moment she couldn’t completely control her emotions. Her eyes gradually filled with moisture.

“Third Miss?” Yun Dong noticed Luo Sheng’s unusual state.

Was Third Miss—crying?

Luo Sheng blinked, forcing back the mist, and said softly: “It sounds quite pitiful.”

Yun Dong’s expression was somewhat strange.

When had Third Miss become so sentimental?

It might be an act!

Then the purpose of this act was—Yun Dong immediately became alert.

When a woman pretended to be fragile and kind before a man, the purpose was quite obvious.

Yun Dong imperceptibly moved farther from Luo Sheng.

Luo Sheng suppressed the knife-like heartache and returned to an expressionless face: “If Fifth Brother learns more details in the future, remember to tell me. I encountered an assassination on my journey back to the capital and need to hear more stories to calm my nerves.”

Yun Dong’s mouth twitched.

He had been overthinking!

The Imperial Prison was damp and dark. Upon entering, the brilliant sunshine was shut out, leaving only a chilling grimness.

Screams occasionally came from the dim depths ahead.

“Third Miss, this way.”

Luo Sheng followed Yun Dong forward and saw through the bars a man whose hands were bound by iron manacles.

Although disheveled long hair covered most of his face, one could still see the man was very young and very handsome.

Among the men Luo Sheng had encountered since waking, only Su Yao and Prince Kaiyang could compare with the man before her eyes.

Su Yao possessed the gentle beauty of an orchid and jade tree. Prince Kaiyang was like snow on a mountain, the moon among clouds—making people keep their distance. The man before her eyes had another kind of temperament.

Those eyes were long and narrow with slightly upturned corners. Hearing the commotion, he glanced over. Even in his bedraggled state, he couldn’t conceal the natural rakishness emanating from his bones.

Luo Sheng had to admit that Miss Luo had good reason to snatch such a man home from the street.

And this child—she recognized him.

This was the grandson of Prince Zhennan’s manor’s second steward, whose exceptional looks had even earned praise from her mother consort.

“Unlock it. I’ll go in and speak a few words with him.” Luo Sheng spoke, her clear and cold voice particularly distinct in the dim prison cell.

“This—” The jailer couldn’t help but look toward Yun Dong.

“Big Brother sent Third Miss over.” Yun Dong said.

This place was under Pingli’s jurisdiction. If something really happened, it would be Pingli who would bear the responsibility. He had no need to make himself unpopular.

The jailer silently unlocked it and carefully reminded: “Miss, please don’t get too close to the prisoner.”

Luo Sheng glanced at the jailer and said indifferently: “Enough fussing. You go out.”

The jailer didn’t move for a moment.

Luo Sheng raised an eyebrow: “What, I want to say a few words to my male companion, and you want to eavesdrop?”

“This lowly one wouldn’t dare—”

“If you don’t dare, then get lost!” Luo Sheng’s expression turned cold.

The jailer didn’t dare offend the Grand Marshal’s beloved daughter and hurriedly bowed his head and withdrew.

“Fifth Brother, please help me keep watch so no one eavesdrops.”

Yun Dong hesitated for a moment and nodded slightly.

He knew this was also sending him away, but Third Miss could do whatever she wanted. This was the Jinlin Guards’ Imperial Prison—no matter how much Third Miss made a fuss, she couldn’t cause any real trouble.

Soon only Luo Sheng and Si Nan remained in the cell.

Luo Sheng walked toward Si Nan step by step, stopping only when less than a foot away.

This distance—she couldn’t get any closer.

Si Nan looked at her, his eyes showing undisguised disgust and hatred.

“I heard you’re from Prince Zhennan’s manor, which was exterminated twelve years ago.” Luo Sheng’s voice was very low, yet it struck Si Nan’s ears like thunder.

Light appeared in those beautiful eyes of his as he looked at Luo Sheng and sneered coldly: “So what if I am? Does Miss Luo regret inviting the wolf into her home? Too bad you were too stupid—you can’t blame anyone else.”

He wanted to thank this fool before his eyes for giving him the opportunity to avenge his family and Prince Zhennan’s manor.

“Grand Marshal Luo was among those who besieged and killed Prince Zhennan’s manor, but the one who truly caused Prince Zhennan’s manor to fall to such a fate was Prince Pingnan’s manor.” Luo Sheng’s tone sounded very calm.

Si Nan laughed, fine fragments of light in his long narrow eyes: “Too bad Prince Pingnan’s manor’s young princess doesn’t keep male companions. Doing my small part to kill off the villain who besieged Prince Zhennan’s manor isn’t bad either.”

Luo Sheng lowered her eyes and sighed, saying softly: “But Grand Marshal Luo has awakened.”

Si Nan’s expression changed abruptly, his voice hoarse and weak: “You’re lying!”

He had personally thrust the dagger into that person’s chest—how could he be fine?

“I never lie.” Luo Sheng looked steadily at Si Nan and called out a name: “A’Li.”

Si Nan’s whole body shook as he blurted out: “What did you say?”

Luo Sheng looked at Si Nan with pity and nostalgia in her eyes, saying lowly: “I called you A’Li.”

She murmured: “Green, green the grass by the riverside, long, long the road of longing thoughts. The distant road cannot be contemplated, yet in my dreams last night I saw you… A guest came from afar, leaving me a pair of carp. I called my servant to cook the carp, and within them found a silk letter. Kneeling, I read the silk letter—what did it say? Above it said to take care of yourself and eat well, below it said to always remember each other.”

Si Nan’s expression changed continuously before he finally asked in a trembling voice: “How do you know this?”

He once had a childhood name called A’Li. In his youth, he once accompanied his father into the manor and encountered the princess consort. Seeing his good looks, the princess consort gave him a name—Yunu. From then on, no one called him A’Li anymore.

Over time, not only did others forget, but even he himself had almost forgotten the name A’Li.

This was absolutely not something the Jinlin Guards could have discovered!