Chapter 112 His Red Bean Cake

Hearing Ling Yun's words, Emperor Jingping breathed a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness, at least there's one less person causing trouble.

Emperor Jingping raised his hand to rub his temples and sighed, "Enough, I won't interfere in such private matters between children."

Upon hearing Emperor Jingping's words, Lin Chengfeng, who had been kneeling upright, swayed, his entire body drenched in cold sweat as if he had been pulled out of the water.

Qiu Heng loosened her clenched fist, revealing a purple mark on her palm.

Xue Han maintained a ramrod-straight kneeling posture, his face showing no superfluous expression.

Cui Er glanced furtively at Qiu Heng, then at his father whose face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and belatedly realized: Had he acted impulsively? Would he get a beating from his father later?

"I am tired, my beloved consort, please accompany me back to the palace." Although the matter of the wooden doll did not ultimately involve Consort Qiu, it did affect Emperor Jingping's mood for leisure.

Seeing Emperor Jingping get up to leave, Qiu Heng called out, "Your Majesty."

Emperor Jingping turned to look at her: "Is there anything else, Miss Qiu?"

Isn't this girl a little too bold?

Well, she was much thicker-skinned than the average woman, showing no shame whatsoever for the three men expressing their affection in front of everyone.

"None of the concubines in the harem are like this"—this thought flashed through Emperor Jingping's mind for no apparent reason, and he quickly put it aside.

Thankfully, that didn't happen!

"I humbly request Your Majesty to return my wooden doll."

Emperor Jingping had forgotten about this matter. Upon hearing this, he glanced at the wooden doll held in the eunuch's hand and waved his hand dismissively, "Give the wooden doll back to Miss Qiu Liu."

Seeing this wooden doll reminds me of Qiu Meiren, what bad luck!

The eunuch walked over and handed the wooden doll to Qiu Heng: "Sixth Miss Qiu, please keep it safe."

"Thank you, sir." Qiu Heng held the wooden doll in her hand and stood up only after Emperor Jingping had walked away.

A cold, sharp voice rang in his ears: "Xue Han, come with me!"

Xue Han silently stood up, nodded slightly to Qiu Heng, and walked towards Xue Quan.

Qiu Heng stared at the boy's tall and straight back, her mind wavering slightly.

If the situation continues as it was just now, the Lin and Qiu families will face catastrophic disaster. Only if she admits to the matter can things turn around.

When she stepped forward, she was prepared to be betrothed to Lin Chengfeng.

Lin Chengfeng kept Qiu Meiren's wooden doll close to his body, showing that he hadn't let go of Qiu Meiren yet. He agreed with her after this ordeal that being a fake couple wouldn't interfere with her plans.

This was the best option she could have, but she never expected Xue Han to do this.

He brought about a better outcome for the crisis.

Judging from Xue Quan's attitude, Xue Han is likely to be blamed.

Just as Qiu Heng was thinking this, a scream rang out.

Deputy Commander Cui grabbed Cui Er by the ear and dragged him out: "You scoundrel, how dare you spout nonsense in front of the Emperor!"

"Ouch! Ouch! Father, please let go!"

As Qiu Heng watched Cui Er being dragged away, a crack appeared in her calm expression.

Although Xue Han's actions were unexpected, his repeated assistance had prepared her mentally. What was the deal with Cui Er?

"Ouch, Father, be gentle, be gentle!" Even after being dragged a long way, Cui Er's cries of pain continued.

"Aheng," Ling Yun said calmly, "go back with your elder brother."

Qiu Heng nodded and looked at Lin Chengfeng, who was still kneeling on the ground.

It's less like kneeling and more like slumping.

The young man, who had been full of energy on the first day of the hunt, now had eyes full of lingering fear and bewilderment.

"Chief Lin."

Lin Chengfeng's eyelids twitched as he looked at the girl who had called out to him softly.

"I'll be going now, I'll come find you later." Qiu Heng said goodbye and left with Ling Yun.

With so many people present, the act had to be carried out completely to avoid being accused of deceiving the emperor.

Lin Chengfeng understood Qiu Heng's meaning and felt even more ashamed. Only after the people in the pavilion gradually dispersed did he slowly get up and straighten his torn armor.

Because the concubines weren't involved, the lively scene in the pavilion didn't require them to keep quiet, and the news quickly spread after everyone left.

Xue Han was led into a room, and once the door closed, Xue Quan shouted sternly, "Kneel down!"

Xue Han lifted his robe and knelt down.

A pair of feet stopped in front of him, and a cold voice came from above: "You're really something, learning to keep things from me!"

"Father, please calm down."

"Calm down?" Xue Quan was even angrier, raising his foot to kick Xue Han in the chest. "What did you tell me? You said you had no feelings for that girl! And what happened? You went straight to the Emperor and confessed your feelings!"

Xue Han swayed slightly, but remained kneeling upright.

"Do you think you've grown wings?" Xue Quan sneered. "How did you become the Imperial City Envoy? You should know that without your father, you are nothing!"

“Your child will always remember this.”

"If you remember this so well, why have you learned to outwardly comply while inwardly contradicting it?"

Xue Han remained silent.

"Speak!" Xue Quan shouted.

Xue Han slowly raised his eyes: "Father, do you want to hear your son's true feelings?"

"nature."

"I think there's something fishy about the wooden doll incident. Perhaps Miss Qiu had no other choice but to do it."

Xue Quan's expression changed drastically: "You bastard, do you know what you're saying?"

If Qiu Liu was forced to do this, then who is the wooden doll?

When it comes to matters concerning the Emperor's reputation, all speculation must remain buried in one's heart.

“I only tell my father what I think, and I won’t tell anyone else.”

Xue Quan's anger subsided, clearly pleased by these words.

"That's how it is, what's it to you?"

"Your son—" Xue Han remained silent for a long time before saying, word by word, "Your son feels guilty towards Miss Qiu Liu."

Xue Quan was taken aback: "What do you mean?"

"Ten years ago, on the Lantern Festival, the day I met my father, I met a girl..." Xue Han said softly, as if he had returned to ten years ago.

The streets were bustling and lively during the Lantern Festival. He huddled in a corner, silently watching a father and daughter.

The father was still young. He bought some snacks from a street vendor, put the little girl off his shoulders, and used the snacks to cheer her up.

He thought of how his parents had loved him so dearly when they were still alive, and his gaze lingered there, unwilling to look away. Perhaps that's why the little girl noticed him, let go of her father's hand, and ran to him with the pastries in her arms.

"Brother is eating red bean cake."

The little girl, who had stuffed the red bean cake into his hand, gave him a sweet smile and ran back, but separated from her father by the crowd.

He watched helplessly as a man picked her up and ran away. He threw down his snacks and gave chase, but the crowd was dense and the scene was chaotic.

He ran and ran, and then he bumped into someone.

That person was his adoptive father, Xue Quan.

He struggled and resisted, determined to chase after the little girl who had fallen into the hands of human traffickers, but he was firmly restrained by Xue Quan's men and taken to a private house.

Xue Quan said, "This is my residence outside the palace. Study hard in both literature and martial arts, and you will have a bright future."

From then on, he had a new life, which was perhaps much more splendid and brilliant than being a beggar on the streets.

But he knew that the little girl had also started a new life, destined to be mired in the mire.

From then on, he never ate red bean cake again.