It was a dagger that looked extremely valuable at first glance, the gemstones on it dazzling to the eyes.

Luo Sheng narrowed her eyes.

This dagger looked somewhat familiar.

Zhu Hanshuang suddenly cried out: “This dagger—”

She slowly turned to look at Luo Sheng and completed her sentence: “It seems to be Miss Luo’s!”

The crowd stirred. Someone said quietly: “I, I think I’ve seen Miss Luo take out this dagger before.”

“I’ve seen it too…”

The ladies looked at Luo Sheng with guarded, fearful expressions, as if looking at an evil spirit returned from hell.

A figure stumbled forward.

“Is… is it my elder sister who had an accident?” Miss Chen Er rushed close and, upon seeing Chen Ruoning’s corpse beneath the peony flowers, couldn’t control her tears.

A noble lady who had recovered her senses stepped forward to support her, advising: “Miss Chen Er, please accept my condolences.”

Miss Chen Er cried in collapse: “Elder Sister is dead, what should I do, what should I do—”

Her words were incoherent, but those present understood the reason for Miss Chen Er’s breakdown.

If they were full sisters from the same mother, when the elder sister had an accident while attending a banquet together, the younger sister would at most receive some punishment upon returning. But Miss Chen Er was a concubine-born daughter.

With Miss Chen, the legitimate eldest daughter, dying tragically while Miss Chen Er remained unharmed, it went without saying what kind of storm she would face upon return.

Watching Miss Chen Er, who had somewhat lost her rationality, the ladies felt sympathy but more so fear.

Their gazes toward Luo Sheng didn’t conceal this in the slightest.

So Miss Luo wasn’t just arrogant and domineering—she could also kill.

She dared to kill even the Elder’s family’s daughter—what wouldn’t she dare do?

Heavens, being together with such a person was too frightening.

The ladies unconsciously retreated, waves of fear washing over them as they began racking their brains trying to recall if they had offended Miss Luo in any way.

Zhu Hanshuang’s eyes reddened as she pointed at Luo Sheng: “You’re the murderer! You killed Miss Chen!”

The young lady who had become the center of attention remained calm, asking without the slightest ripple: “The evidence?”

“Evidence?” Zhu Hanshuang sounded as if she’d heard the greatest joke, saying loudly: “The dagger in Miss Chen’s body is the evidence! Miss Luo, you need not argue further—I’ve seen with my own eyes that dagger of yours encrusted with gemstones!”

Not only seen it, but it had been brandished at her before.

“What nonsense are you all spouting!”

Luo Yue, having changed clothes, rushed over and stood in front of Luo Sheng, her almond eyes wide as she questioned Zhu Hanshuang: “Based on just one dagger you can say the person was killed by my Third Sister? Are you saying only my Third Sister has such a dagger?”

Zhu Hanshuang sneered coldly: “Among noble ladies who constantly play with a gem-encrusted dagger, besides your Third Sister I truly can’t think of anyone else. Even if there were, others wouldn’t dare raise their hand to slap Miss Chen, much less dare to kill.”

“You—”

Luo Qing pulled Luo Yue back and said with furrowed brows to Zhu Hanshuang: “Miss Zhu, don’t speak too absolutely. One may know a person’s face but not their heart—how can you be certain that someone who appears gentle and kind wouldn’t kill? My Third Sister did have an unpleasant encounter with Miss Chen, but would such a small unpleasantness warrant killing someone? Over all these years, have any of you ladies heard of my Third Sister killing anyone?”

The ladies looked at each other.

That was indeed not the case. Those Miss Luo found displeasing were generally just whipped once—there had never been any killing.

“Just because there wasn’t before doesn’t mean Miss Chen wasn’t killed by her. Perhaps the two happened to meet and had another argument, Miss Luo lost her head in rage and drew her blade against Miss Chen—otherwise how do you explain this dagger?” Zhu Hanshuang’s lips curled mockingly. “Should we not suspect Miss Luo who has such a dagger, and instead suspect others? Miss Luo Er, protecting your own family isn’t done this way.”

Luo Qing was left unable to refute and cast a worried glance at Luo Sheng.

At this moment, a cry of alarm suddenly rang out: “Ah, someone’s dead—”

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound, which came from the bamboo grove.

The bamboo grove was some distance from here. If someone was enjoying themselves over there, they probably didn’t yet know about the commotion here.

Wei Wen’s expression changed sharply, and she immediately ordered several serving maids to go investigate the situation.

Each of the ladies present looked tense, no longer in the mood for discussion.

If someone had also been killed at the bamboo grove, that would be too terrifying.

The scene fell silent for a moment, with only the breeze carrying the rich fragrance of peony flowers, along with a faint scent of blood.

Soon the several serving maids returned, supporting two noble ladies.

The two noble ladies were clearly badly frightened, their faces pale and eyes vacant.

“What happened over there?” Wei Wen asked hurriedly.

One noble lady murmured: “There’s a dead person, there’s a dead person…”

Her position wasn’t very good—she immediately came face to face with Miss Chen, whose expression was twisted and whose abdomen was pierced with a dagger.

“Ah—” The noble lady’s emotions completely collapsed, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted.

Wei Wen paused silently, then gestured for one of the serving maids who had gone to the bamboo grove to report.

The serving maid’s face was equally pale, but not daring to show the delicacy of the young ladies, she said trembling: “Reporting to the County Princess, the deceased is Luqin.”

“Luqin?” Wei Wen was startled and looked toward Luo Sheng.

Luo Yue burst out angrily: “Why is the County Princess looking at my Third Sister?”

Wei Wen’s tone betrayed neither sorrow nor joy as she said word by word: “Luqin is the serving maid who nearly knocked the fruit plate onto Miss Luo Er.”

“What?” The ladies’ expressions as they looked at Luo Sheng became even more terrified.

She killed Miss Chen who had bullied Miss Luo Si, and also killed the serving maid who had caused the incident—was Miss Luo a killing demon?

Zhu Hanshuang voiced what all the ladies were thinking: “Luo Sheng, you’re too terrifying! When princes break the law, they’re punished the same as commoners—even if you’re the Grand Commander’s daughter, don’t think you can escape responsibility!”

Luo Sheng looked at Zhu Hanshuang’s commotion with an indifferent expression. After she finished speaking, she asked unhurriedly: “Miss Zhu is so eager to convict me?”

This question was sharp. Zhu Hanshuang hurriedly said: “It’s not that I want to convict you, but that you committed a crime—”

Luo Sheng raised her eyebrows: “Is Miss Zhu from the Ministry of Justice, or from Shuntian Prefecture? Or perhaps from the Court of Judicial Review?”

Zhu Hanshuang couldn’t respond.

“None of them, right?” Luo Sheng laughed lightly, then her expression turned cold. “If you’re none of them, then shut your mouth—it’s not your turn to convict me!”

“You—” Zhu Hanshuang was infuriated.

Luo Sheng paid her no more attention and instead looked at Wei Wen: “This is the Prince’s manor. As the host, does the County Princess at such a time simply allow a young lady to randomly convict people, rather than requesting someone in authority to come?”

Wei Wen was momentarily choked by the question. After recovering, she said: “Of course not. I’ll immediately have someone send word to Father Prince and Mother Consort.”

A dead serving maid could still be handled, but the incident also involved Miss Chen, Elder Chen’s granddaughter—this was beyond what she could contain, perhaps even beyond what Prince Pingnan’s manor could contain.

Summoning those who should be summoned and finding the true culprit was the urgent priority.

News of the noble lady’s accident quickly spread everywhere.

At that time, Wei Han was still sitting and drinking.

He wasn’t fond of alcohol and had actually only sipped lightly at three or two cups. The pot of wine at hand was still half full.

Those who knew Prince Kaiyang’s temperament didn’t dare approach to urge him to drink more.

However—many people began to wonder in their hearts: In the past at such occasions, wouldn’t Prince Kaiyang have left long ago?