The woman was slender, yet possessed a face of delicate beauty. Hearing the words, she rose from the bamboo couch where she had been reclining and went out to greet him.

Wei Qiang quickly entered. Seeing the woman, a hint of warmth appeared in his eyes. He reached out to encircle her waist and asked, “What are you doing cooped up alone in the room?”

The woman replied properly, “Reporting to Your Highness, this concubine was reading.”

“What were you reading?” Wei Qiang held her hand as they walked inside.

The woman’s hand was slightly cool, soothing his irritable mood that had persisted since leaving Prince Pingnan’s manor.

He disliked going to Prince Pingnan’s manor—not only to avoid suspicion, and not only because of the rift with his birth parents, but mainly because returning there always reminded him of Luo’er’s death.

Luo’er’s death was a threshold he could never cross in this lifetime. Just thinking of it pierced his heart with pain.

Wei Qiang sat down on the bamboo couch, picked up the book scroll that had been lying face-down, and casually remarked, “Why are you reading this kind of unofficial history from previous dynasties?”

“Just passing time out of boredom,” the woman replied respectfully, eyes downcast.

She had thick, lustrous black hair, with heavy bangs cut straight across her eyebrows, concealing her dark brows and detracting somewhat from her beauty.

Compared to the dignified and imposing Crown Princess, or those clever and quick-witted palace maids, she—always showing a compliant face before the Crown Prince—seemed rather dull.

Yet Wei Qiang had never felt impatient with her.

When his heart was troubled, even just coming to sit here would make him feel comfortable.

This was one of Luo’er’s four most beloved personal maids. Looking at her was as if Luo’er were still here, as if her voice would suddenly ring out in this empty room calling “Young Master.”

How helpless it all was.

He had known Luo’er since childhood. Though Prince Pingnan’s manor and Prince Zhennan’s manor were not in the same city, they were not far apart, so they had opportunities to meet every year.

They grew up year by year. He called her Little Sister Luo, and after their engagement was arranged, he called her Luo’er. But her form of address for him never changed.

She would only call him “Young Master” in that cool, distant tone.

He had hoped that after marriage she would call him Brother Qiang, or husband.

Wei Qiang closed his eyes, feeling a dull pain in his heart.

The woman suddenly raised her eyes to look at the man with closed eyes, then lowered her butterfly-wing lashes again.

She knew this man was thinking of the Princess again.

As if he were worthy!

The mocking smile at the corner of the woman’s mouth quickly vanished, and she resumed her compliant, gentle appearance.

“If you find it boring, go out and walk around more.”

“This concubine doesn’t much like moving about.”

Wei Qiang, hearing this, felt no displeasure and said warmly, “Then I’ll have the palace attendants send over some story books for you to read.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Wei Qiang glanced at the palace maids serving in the room and said indifferently, “You may all withdraw.”

The two palace maids hesitated slightly, then curtsied and withdrew.

After retreating to the veranda, gazing at the bright daylight, one palace maid sighed softly, “Lady Yu is truly favored.”

It was still broad daylight, yet the Crown Prince was so attached to Lady Yu. Even the Crown Princess couldn’t compare in this regard.

The other palace maid smiled, “Lady Yu being favored is a good thing. Alright, let’s not discuss this anymore—it wouldn’t be good if someone heard us.”

The veranda fell quiet, and inside the room it was even quieter.

Wei Qiang lay down, resting his head on the woman’s lap and closing his eyes. “Massage my forehead for me.”

The woman’s cool fingertips settled on the man’s forehead, gently kneading.

Her hands gradually moved down, settling at the corners of the man’s eyes.

Time had indeed left faint traces at the corners of this man’s eyes.

Unlike her Princess, who would forever remain seventeen years old.

The woman’s lashes trembled, then it was as if no such thought had ever arisen. Her slender fingers slowly moved back to his forehead.

Wei Qiang suddenly opened his eyes. “What are you thinking about?”

“This concubine wasn’t thinking of anything.”

Another stretch of silence.

“Yu Niang, bear me a daughter.”

The woman’s whole body trembled. After a long while, she replied calmly, “Thank you for Your Highness’s favor.”

…

In the carriage returning to the manor, Luo Yue kept glancing at Luo Sheng, who sat with her eyes closed as if dozing.

Luo Sheng opened her eyes and looked at her. “Is something the matter?”

Luo Yue bit her lip. Seeing that Luo Sheng was about to close her eyes again, she gathered her courage and said, “Third Sister, thank you for today—”

Luo Sheng smiled dismissively. “I thought you had something important to say. If you’re going to thank me, just thank me—why be so hesitant?”

Luo Yue’s face flushed.

Having quarreled so unpleasantly in the past, it was indeed embarrassing for her to lower her head and apologize now.

Seeing the two reconciling, Luo Qing was secretly pleased. Thinking of Luo Sheng’s different behavior at Prince Pingnan’s manor, she spoke up to advise, “Third Sister, if you want to inquire about a certain man in the future, you might as well quietly send servants to investigate.”

Luo Sheng looked at Luo Qing with surprise.

How did the topic suddenly jump to this?

While she was still puzzled, Luo Qing continued carefully, “Third Sister, asking publicly will invite gossip and affect your reputation—”

Luo Sheng laughed. “Second Sister, you jest. What reputation do I have? Besides, what would I want such an inconvenient thing as reputation for?”

Luo Qing was left speechless.

She had simply noticed that Third Sister’s conduct at Prince Pingnan’s manor was very different from before, and thought perhaps she could salvage the situation…

The carriage soon stopped in front of the Luo manor. The three sisters alighted one after another.

“Sheng’er, come with me.” Grand Commandant Luo dropped this statement and walked toward his study with his hands clasped behind his back.

Luo Sheng nodded slightly to Luo Qing and the others, then lifted her feet to follow.

Luo Yue stared at Luo Sheng’s retreating figure for a long while, until Luo Qing called out softly and she came back to herself.

“What are you thinking about, Fourth Sister?”

Luo Yue twisted her handkerchief and said softly, “I suddenly feel that Third Sister is actually quite good. Second Sister, look at Miss Chen the Second—who would have thought that’s how legitimate daughters treat concubine-born daughters in other families. In the past, Third Sister at most just gave a lash or two with her whip—”

Luo Qing interrupted Luo Yue’s words with a rueful smile. “Fourth Sister, the Chen manor is an exception. You mustn’t take that as normal.”

Third Sister was already very different from others—Fourth Sister mustn’t be led astray as well.

“However—” Luo Qing smiled with pursed lips. “Third Sister truly has grown up.”

People probably all need to experience setbacks before they mature. She didn’t know what Third Sister had experienced in Jinsha, but the change since her return was truly remarkable.

Grand Commandant Luo, entering his study, didn’t feel his beloved daughter had changed at all.

After all, she had just asked him about Academician Lin’s grandson—typical of his daughter’s style.

Grand Commandant Luo sat down in his grand master’s chair and pointed to a chair beside him. “Sheng’er, sit.”

Luo Sheng sat down, her manner calm.

Grand Commandant Luo surely wouldn’t ask much about the minor matter of Academician Lin’s grandson. Calling her to the study was probably to ask about Prince Kaiyang.

Indeed, Grand Commandant Luo asked about Wei Han. “Sheng’er, when did you give that jeweled dagger to Prince Kaiyang?”

“On the road back to the capital.” Luo Sheng made no attempt to hide this.

Grand Commandant Luo was quite gratified. “So it was then. I didn’t expect Sheng’er had learned to apologize and make amends.”

Luo Sheng replied casually, “Uh, your daughter asked Prince Kaiyang to look after me on the road, so I gave him the dagger as a thank-you gift.”

Grand Commandant Luo blinked. “It wasn’t to apologize for what happened before, but as a thank-you gift for looking after you?”

Luo Sheng frowned in puzzlement.

Was there any difference?

Grand Commandant Luo slowly shook his head and sighed.

Accepting both money and a dagger just for looking after a young lady—Prince Kaiyang really was inadequate.