Chapter 118 Star-Picking Tower

The next day, Qiu Heng went to see Qiu Meiren and saw Biyu waiting outside.

"Sixth Miss Qiu." Upon seeing Qiu Heng again, Biyu felt genuine fear and bowed respectfully.

Qiu Heng nodded slightly and went inside.

The palace maid, unaware of what Biyu had done wrong, teased with a smile: "Biyu, why do I feel that you treat the Sixth Miss with more respect than you treat the Beauty?"

Biyu's expression changed slightly: "No way!"

The palace maid looked at Biyu in surprise: "Just kidding, why are you reacting so strongly?"

"Let's not talk about the nobles anymore," Biyu said dismissively.

"Sixth Sister is here." Qiu Meiren smiled when she saw Qiu Heng enter.

Qiu Heng saw fresh fruit and pastries laid out on the table and heard Qiu Meiren say, "Sixth Sister, try some of the palace pastries. Zheng Yu, you may leave."

Qiu Heng did not refuse, and casually picked up a pastry to taste, but couldn't help but take another look.

The pastries, shaped like chrysanthemums, were exquisite, but it was the taste that caught Qiuheng's attention.

The chrysanthemum pastry gave her a familiar feeling, similar to the ones Fangzhou had made a long time ago.

Yes, her family's Fangzhou makes it even tastier.

"Is Sixth Sister still eating well?"

Qiu Heng laughed and said, "How could I not like the desserts made by the imperial chef? I only get to eat them because of you, sister."

"It's all thanks to Sixth Sister." Qiu Meiren suddenly bowed deeply to Qiu Heng.

Qiu Heng paused for a moment, then helped Qiu Meiren up: "Sister, there's no need for that."

Qiu Meiren held Qiu Heng's hand tightly, her bloodshot eyes showing she hadn't slept well the night before: "I only survived this ordeal thanks to Sixth Sister. Without Sixth Sister, my life would be nothing, and the trouble it caused to the Qiu and Lin families would be something I could never atone for even if I died ten thousand times."

She hated her grandfather and parents, but she also had her loving grandmother and innocent younger siblings.

Chengfeng was the person she cherished most in her heart. She hoped that he could find a good match again and have many children and grandchildren, instead of having his future and life ruined because of her.

"Sister, don't take all the blame. You didn't do anything wrong."

If secretly glancing at your beloved is a sin, punishable by death, then this world must be wrong.

"But Consort Yu is incredibly powerful and unpredictable, so you should avoid appearing in front of her as much as possible in the future."

“I know.” Qiu Meiren brought up Biyu herself. “I didn’t touch Biyu because I was afraid of arousing Consort Yu’s suspicion. Biyu knows the danger involved and won’t reveal what’s been exposed.”

After bidding farewell to Qiu Meiren, it was Zheng Yu who saw Qiu Heng off.

"Eunuch Zheng, where does the Crown Prince live?" Qiu Heng asked casually as they walked along the road.

"His Highness the Crown Prince lives in the southeast courtyard," Zheng Yu said, pointing casually with a puzzled look in his eyes.

Qiu Heng smiled and explained, "I ran into His Highness the Crown Prince when I left the palace yesterday, and I was just curious to ask him."

Zheng Yu smiled as she mentioned the Crown Prince: "His Highness the Crown Prince is kind to people, but he is, after all, the heir apparent. If you encounter him again in the future, Miss, please be careful with your words and actions."

"Thank you for your advice, Eunuch Zheng. Please stay a while, Eunuch Zheng. I come here every day and I know this route by heart."

"Sixth Miss, please take care."

After parting ways with Zheng Yu, Qiu Heng quickly surveyed her surroundings, made a plan, and sneaked away from others to the Crown Prince's residence.

Zhaixing Tower—Qiu Heng looked up at the tower that was taller than the other buildings.

According to the book, when the fire spread, the Crown Prince was trapped in the Star-Picking Tower, not his bedroom, which delayed the rescue. By the time Xue Han carried him out, he was already gone. Xue Han was disfigured while saving the Crown Prince.

This fire was not just a simple fire, but a crossroads in the fate of the Great Xia Dynasty.

The fire is scheduled to break out tomorrow night.

"Sixth Miss Qiu?" came a voice filled with doubt.

Qiu Heng turned around, showing no embarrassment at being caught, and calmly bowed to the Crown Prince: "This humble woman, Qiu Heng, greets Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"Miss Qiu, there's no need for such formalities. What brings you here?"

Qiu Heng, without blushing or panting, said, "This humble woman got lost and doesn't know how she ended up here."

"So that's how it is." The Crown Prince instructed the palace servants around him, "Escort Miss Qiu out."

"Thank you, Your Highness. I will take my leave now."

After Qiu Heng walked away with the palace servants, the eunuch couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, could it be that Miss Qiu Liu deliberately came to your residence in order to bump into you?"

"Don't make wild guesses."

"What a coincidence! She met you yesterday, and today she's showing up at your residence. In my opinion, she's up to no good, plotting something—"

"What are you trying to achieve?"

Sensing the prince's cold tone, the eunuch awkwardly shut his mouth.

The Crown Prince looked at the eunuch with displeasure: "Leaving aside what Miss Qiu Liu is like, Liu Qi, in your heart am I the kind of person who can't take his eyes off a young woman?"

The eunuch quickly bowed his head: "It was this servant who spoke out of turn. Please forgive me, Your Highness."

"Don't gossip about young girls anymore."

"yes."

The crown prince warned the eunuch, but doubts remained in his heart.

Although he did not agree with the eunuch's words, he did feel that Miss Qiu was a bit strange.

The way she looked at him was not the way a noblewoman would look at a crown prince. Yet, upon closer examination, it was difficult to discern the truth.

Qiu Heng waited until the afternoon before going to find Xue Han.

The matter concerning Consort Yu can be investigated slowly, but the matter concerning the Crown Prince cannot wait. And the matter concerning the Crown Prince cannot be revealed too early; today is the most opportune time.

"Sixth Miss Qiu, what happened?" Hu Si asked in surprise as he watched Qiu Heng running towards him, lifting the hem of her skirt.

In his memory, Hongdougao had always been calm and composed, and he had never seen her so flustered.

"I'm looking for Lord Xue. Could you please, Commander Hu, call him out?"

"Okay, okay, don't worry, don't worry, I'll go and call our adults right away."

Hu Si rushed to find Xue Han, and as soon as he saw him, he shouted, "Sir, something terrible has happened!"

"What's wrong?" Xue Han asked casually.

"It seems something has happened to Miss Qiu Liu—"

Before Hu Si could finish speaking, the boy who had just been calm rushed out from beside him.

"Sir, you're in too much of a hurry." Hu Si touched his face and quickly went out as well.

Qiu Heng stood under a tree by the roadside and saw the boy running towards her in a hurry.

"Lord Xue," she called out.

Xue Han composed himself and quickly went to Qiu Heng's side, looking her up and down: "What happened?"

A hand reached out and grabbed the boy's sleeve: "Lord Xue—"

Xue Hanxin's heart sank.

The hand seemed to be gripping not his sleeve, but his heart. He heard himself speaking, his voice trembling with fear: "Sixth Miss Qiu, don't be afraid. Tell me what's wrong."

"Let's talk by the lake," Qiu Heng said, her voice betraying her fear.

Xue Han's heart sank further, but his tone remained even calmer: "Okay, don't rush."

Hu Si ran out and watched the two walk away together, caught in a dilemma: should he follow them?

The small lake in the mountains was like a bright mirror, shimmering with sparkling light. Several small animals, which were leisurely drinking water, heard the noise and fled.

Qiu Heng stood by the lake, her face pale.

"Is it a recurrence of an old ailment?"

The clear lake water before him reminded Xue Han that Qiu Liu had been struck by lightning and suffered a strange illness.