To Hold One's Joy Chapter 48-1

Chapter 48-1: Trivial Matter

Even with just one prior encounter, she could still recognize his face instantly, despite the twelve years that had passed, leaving their marks on him. That fateful night, when she stumbled in front of Zhennang Wang Palace, she looked up and saw this face. As it turned out, this man was Miss Luo's father, who had led the siege and annihilation of Zhennan Wang Palace.

At this moment, Luo Sheng felt Heaven was playing a cruel joke on her.

The middle-aged man on the bed was now asleep, his face pale and his brows tightly furrowed. He didn't display the coldness she had seen during that dreadful night; instead, he appeared vulnerable and helpless, just like any other sick patient. This man, known as Commander Luo and feared for commanding the Jinlin Guard, was not just Miss Luo's father but also her sworn enemy.

Yet, fate had led her to become Miss Luo herself.

Luo Sheng knew Heaven could be merciless in inflicting suffering upon a person, but she did not expect reality to be even crueler.

A tear rolled quietly from the corner of her eye.

As Luo Ying, Luo Qing, and Luo Yue entered the room and saw Luo Sheng crying, they exchanged looks of astonishment. Despite having been sisters with Luo Sheng for more than ten years, they could hardly recall a time when she shed tears. Even when she offended Kaiyang Wang and was sent away from the Capital by Father, she didn't cry but merely made a fuss.

Luo Sheng had always been the one to make others cry, but today she unexpectedly shed tears when she saw Father lying on the sick bed. The unexpected sight left the three sisters speechless, and the room fell into an even deeper silence until Sheng Sanlang walked in with a sullen face.

Luo Ying and her other two sisters heard the footsteps and turned their attention to Sheng Sanlang in unison.

Sheng Sanlang walked slowly into the room. Worried that the three girls might start making wild guesses like the concubines outside, he spoke first: "I am Sheng Sanlang, Luo Sheng's third Biaoge."

The three sisters together saluted him, saying, "Greetings, Biaoge." Being concubine-born, Luo Sheng's Biaoge was naturally their Biaoge as well[1].

Sheng Sanlang hurriedly returned the salute and added, "I'll look at Gufu." The young man wasn't accustomed to being surrounded by girls, so he tried to Luo Sheng's side before finally feeling more at ease.

"Gufu seems—" Sheng Sanlang looked at the pale Commander Luo and wanted to say a few words, but his attention was diverted when he noticed the tears in the corner of Luo Sheng's eyes. "Biaomei, you're crying."

Crying in front of a few people who could be considered strangers was not something Princess Qingyang's pride would allow. Shedding silent tears was her limit. She regained her composure and wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

Sheng Sanlang was a little panicked as he tried to comfort Luo Sheng, saying, "Biaomei, don't worry. Heaven favors the righteous; Gufu will definitely get better."

"Heaven favors the righteous?" Luo Sheng pinched her snow-white handkerchief and frowned slightly. Commander Luo was assassinated, and his life was in danger. Instead of believing in heavenly favor for the righteous, she believed that good and evil would eventually receive their just consequences.

"Yes, Biaomei. He will get better, especially for you and Biaodi," Sheng Sanlang awkwardly offered comforting words.

Luo Sheng completely regained her composure. Yes, Commander Luo must get better. The Luo Family wasn't a century-old prominent family, and the clan had no outstanding descendants. It could be said that the prosperity of the Luo Family relied solely on Commander Luo's shoulders.

As a powerful courtier, Commander Luo supported the entire Luo Family with his strength. But his position as Commander of the Jinlin Guards had also made him many enemies. If this pillar of strength were to fall, it was not difficult to imagine the fate that would await the four Misses, including her and Luo Chen, who was still a half-grown child.

While the current Emperor deeply favored Luo Commander, the looming question was - how long would this favor last once he passed away?

[1] The title "Mother" is exclusively reserved for father's official wife. Concubine-born children, on the other hand, address their birth mother as "姨娘" (yíniáng), which translates to "concubine". Therefore, the official wife's family is considered as relatives of these concubine-born children as well. CMIIW