The Liu Residence.
After Liu Wan coaxed the child to sleep, she tossed and turned in the moonlight spilling into the room, her heart deeply unsettled.
It was not because Second Master Xie had brought gifts that day.
Rather, it was because Wanwan's inner voice had mentioned sensing spiritual power in him.
Second Master Xie had managed the Xie family's businesses for years. No matter what merits he earned or how he shipped those goods back to Southern Yue to wreak havoc there,
the very fact that he had run those businesses and harmed so many common people made his crimes unforgivable.
Now, his identity as Southern Yue's Second Imperial Prince made even His Majesty considerably wary of him.
A man like that had status, spiritual power, and cunning. She worried that Xia Siheng would suffer if he went up against him.
Just as that thought crossed her mind, a tall, dark silhouette fell across the window.
She looked over with wide eyes and saw Xia Siheng dressed entirely in black, signaling for her to stay quiet.
She draped a cloak over herself, carefully climbed out of bed, and opened the door to step outside.
Xia Siheng waited outside. When she emerged, he smiled faintly and proudly lifted the beggar's chicken and two jars of wine in his hands.
He carried Liu Wan up onto the roof. Once they were seated securely, he unwrapped the chicken from its lotus leaves.
The steaming aroma trapped inside instantly wafted out.
"This one's for you!" He tore off a drumstick, wrapped a lotus leaf around the part she would hold, and handed it to Liu Wan.
Liu Wan had not wanted to eat anything greasy at night, but the moment she saw the beggar's chicken, her stomach betrayed her with a growl.
Xia