Chapter 119 Encountering the Crown Prince

"cough--"

Hearing the reminder, Qiu Heng looked up and saw the Crown Prince with a jade crown on his head.

"This humble woman greets Your Highness the Crown Prince."

The Crown Prince scrutinized Qiu Heng with curiosity in his eyes: "Are you Miss Qiu Liu?"

"This humble woman is indeed so."

"No need for formalities. I greatly admire Miss Qiu for single-handedly luring the bear to save Rong Ning."

"Your Highness is too kind."

Before the Crown Prince could say anything more, a eunuch whispered a reminder: "Your Highness—"

The Crown Prince could only put on a serious expression and said indifferently, "Sixth Miss Qiu, please go and attend to your business."

"This humble woman takes her leave."

The Crown Prince stepped inside, a eunuch walking beside him whispering, "Your Highness, that Miss Qiu Liu is too prominent; she's even attracted three men to fight over her—"

The Crown Prince frowned: "I see that Miss Qiu's eyes are clear and upright, and her actions are admirable. Don't gossip."

The eunuch wanted to say something more, but seeing the Crown Prince's expression darken slightly, he wisely refrained from speaking: "Yes."

Qiu Heng returned to her residence and called Fang Zhou: "Make some red bean cakes."

Fangzhou chuckled and said, "I haven't made this since I came here. I guessed that you would like to eat it, so I soaked some red beans yesterday."

Qiu Heng didn't hide it from Fang Zhou: "Make some more, I'll send them to Lord Xue."

Fangzhou's smile faltered: "You're even sending red bean cakes to Lord Xue? His adoptive father is so mean and rude, it makes me angry just thinking about him."

"It's not good to ask someone for help empty-handed."

Upon hearing that he was asking Xue Han for help, Fangzhou nodded and went into the kitchen.

Qiu Heng carried hot red bean cakes to find Xue Han, but encountered Fang Rui and several noble ladies on the way.

"Who is Miss Qiu preparing to send food to this time?" Cheng Susu glanced at the food box in Qiu Heng's hand and asked with a mocking smile.

Qiu Heng smiled and said, "Miss Cheng, are you so concerned about who I'm sending food to because you're feeling down because you can't eat?"

"What a joke! What haven't I eaten? Why would I care about your coarse food?" Cheng Susu raised an eyebrow and sneered. "I'm just curious, which man is Miss Qiu planning to win over with these shabby dishes? Chief Lin, Young Master Cui, or Lord Xue?"

Upon hearing this, the other noble ladies covered their mouths and chuckled.

“Sixth Miss Qiu doesn’t need to please anyone.” A voice suddenly rang out.

The women looked over at the sound and saw Xue Han walking over in a black hunting outfit.

"Lord Xue." The women bowed, suppressing their embarrassment.

Xue Han held an official position and had powerful backing, so Cheng Susu, though unwilling, had no choice but to curtsy and say, "Lord Xue."

Xue Han looked at her indifferently and finished speaking: "So that Miss Cheng knows that Miss Qiu Liu doesn't need to please me. It is I who am trying to win Miss Qiu Liu's heart."

Cheng Susu's face turned ugly after being rebuked, and she snorted coldly: "Why is Lord Xue saying such things to a young lady like me?"

Xue Han stared at her for a moment and said calmly, "I don't like talking to girls I'm not familiar with, but Miss Cheng is talking nonsense to Miss Qiu Liu, which is hindering my pursuit of her."

“You guys are really—” Cheng Susu pointed her finger at Xue Han.

Xue Han's eyes turned cold: "How about it?"

"Susu," Fang Rui called out.

Cheng Susu returned to Fang Rui's side with a sullen face.

Xue Han smiled at Qiu Heng: "Sixth Miss Qiu, let's go."

"good."

Staring intently at the backs of the two figures walking away side by side, Cheng Susu was furious: "How can there be such shameless people!"

"Alright, Susu." Fang Rui watched Qiu Heng's departing figure, her voice cold. "Xue Han has always acted recklessly. There's no need to provoke him and make things difficult for yourself."

"Of course I know. I'm just angry at Qiu Liu. How dare she, a wild girl from the countryside, be so high and mighty and overshadow us, making us look so mediocre?"

These words made the women's faces turn somewhat unpleasant.

The noble ladies who played with Fang Rui and Cheng Susu were all proud and arrogant. They disdained those from much lower social classes and inevitably felt disgusted when they were treated as inferior.

"Alright, you said it yourself, she's just a wild girl from the countryside. So what if she attracts men to fight over her? Take Xue Han for example, when it comes to marriage, the first thing he can't get past is his adoptive father."

Fang Rui brushed off non-existent dust from her dress and stepped forward: "It's only in this vast and open place that she has the opportunity to show off. Once we return to the capital and lock her up in her house, she'll still be just a dusty sparrow."

Cheng Susu felt a little better: "Rui'er is right, I'm just angry that she cheated and beat me that day."

"What's the rush? There will always be a chance to get it back. There's plenty of time."

Qiu Heng and Xue Han stopped in an open area.

"I was very rude just now, and I hope Miss Qiu will forgive me." Without Cheng Susu and the others around, Xue Han lost his composure, and his ears burned as he thought about the words he had said.

"Lord Xue stood up for me, so I should be thanking Lord Xue." Qiu Heng curtsied and handed over the food box. "I brought red bean cakes for Lord Xue."

Xue Han unconsciously curved his lips into a smile: "Is Miss Qiu here to see me?"

Qiu Heng readily admitted, "Yes, I didn't expect to run into you on the way."

Xue Han took the food box: "Did Miss Qiu want to see me about something?"

Or are you just here to deliver some snacks?

"I would like to ask Lord Xue for a favor." Qiu Heng was thick-skinned and did not blush as she had said yesterday that there was no need to trouble Lord Xue.

She was mistaken. When needed, she should have sought help from Xue Han and anyone else who could. If she failed, most of the people she frequently encountered would have died.

"Please speak, Miss Qiu Liu."

"How much does Lord Xue know about Consort Yu?" Qiu Heng asked in a low voice.

“Consort Yu—” Xue Han slowly shook his head, “I don’t know much about the concubines in the harem.”

That's not a place where the Imperial City Guard should interfere.

But when Qiu Heng asked, he tried to say a few more words: "Consort Yu was born a commoner. She was met by the Emperor during his travels. Once she entered the palace, she received immense favor, and her favor has remained undiminished for many years."

Why does His Majesty favor Consort Yu so much?

Xue Han was stumped by this question. After thinking for a long time, he hesitated and said, "Consort Yu is exceptionally beautiful."

"Is it just because she's beautiful?" Qiu Heng pondered.

"Oh, of course not everyone is only interested in good looks. Perhaps His Majesty is like that—" Xue Han couldn't continue.

Qiu Heng glanced at him with amusement.

Xue Han dares to say anything.

"Does Lord Xue know what grudge Consort Yu has against the Lin family?"

"The Lin family?" Xue Han was taken aback, his expression turning serious. "Did Miss Qiu suspect that Consort Yu had a conflict with the Lin family, which is why she used the wooden doll to frame Consort Qiu and Lin Chengfeng?"

"It's just a guess, that's why I came to ask Lord Xue," Qiu Heng said frankly.

Xue Han's gaze towards Qiu Heng deepened.

Consort Yu was the most favored concubine in the harem, and Consort Qiu had recently gained favor. Even he would only think of the wooden doll incident as a matter of concubines vying for favor. It was truly difficult for ordinary people to come up with such an unconventional guess as Sixth Miss Qiu's.

"Let me check."

"Thank you, Lord Xue. I await your news."

"If Cheng Susu and the others cause trouble for Miss Qiu again—"

Qiu Heng waved her hand dismissively, saying, "Lord Xue need not trouble himself with this."

Xue Han smiled and said, "Okay, I understand."