Chapter 103 The Crown Prince is Angry
When Princess Kang returned to her residence, she saw Ling Yun standing in the main courtyard of Jiayi County.
"What are you doing here, Yun'er?"
Ling Yun's face turned pale: "I heard that Aheng was in danger, so I came to see her."
Princess Consort Kang frowned: "You don't look well. Did you run back?"
Ling Yun remained silent.
Princess Consort Kang was a little angry: "Yun'er, you've been weak since you were a child. It's been so hard to get you back to health. How can you not take care of yourself?"
That girl makes Yun'er care so much?
"Mother, don't worry, I know my own body."
Princess Kang knew her son was a man of his own mind, so she didn't say anything more in front of the servants and asked, "Where are the county princess and the others?"
A maidservant replied, "Reporting to the Princess Consort, the County Princess and Miss Qiu are taking a bath."
Princess Kang instructed her maid, "Once they've finished packing, have them come to my place."
"yes."
Before leaving, Princess Kang glanced at Ling Yun.
Ling Yun stood still: "Son will wait here. I will go to Mother's place with Jia Yi and the others later."
Princess Consort Kang nodded and walked away.
Ling Yun stood quietly under the crabapple tree in the courtyard, while the maids standing at the door openly admired the prince's good looks.
That's the good thing about the Crown Prince; he's gentle and reserved, and he never minds if they glance at him a few more times.
A maidservant came out of the room and curtsied to Ling Yun: "Young Master, the County Princess and Miss Qiu have finished preparing. Please come in."
Ling Yun nodded slightly and strode inside.
"Big Brother." Upon seeing Ling Yun, Princess Jiayi and Qiu Heng greeted him in unison.
Ling Yun stared intently at Qiu Heng, his voice slightly deep: "Aheng, come with me."
Qiu Heng glanced at the Princess of Jiayi.
The county magistrate of Chiayi gave her a sympathetic look and mouthed silently, "Go."
My older brother seems angry.
During the years Qiu Heng spent with Ling Yun, she had never seen him so serious. She silently followed him to the west room.
"Brother Ling—"
"Aheng, do you still remember that I am your older brother?"
"So...you're angry?"
"Shouldn't I be angry? There were so many people there, and you, a helpless little girl, dared to run over and lure the bear away. Didn't you think about what if you were caught? Or what if Lord Xue and the others hadn't arrived in time when the black bear crashed into the tree? What would you have done then?"
Qiu Heng listened obediently, looking very well-behaved.
Seeing this, Ling Yun became even angrier, angry at her, but even angrier at herself.
"Aheng, don't play innocent with me. You always rush to the front when something happens, have you ever thought about how heartbroken the people who care about you will be if something goes wrong?"
When he met her, she was already lively and mischievous; her supposed obedience was just a facade.
"Brother Ling, I was wrong." Qiu Heng readily admitted her mistake.
"Aheng!" Ling Yun emphasized, speaking seriously, "You're making me worry."
Qiu Heng was stunned.
Having known him for so long, Brother Ling has always been reserved and indifferent, rarely expressing his emotions so directly.
Moved, but also puzzled and curious to see another side of Ling Yun, Qiu Heng's tone became serious: "Brother Ling, I'm not just showing off. At that time, Princess Rongning and her guards were on the verge of death. Buying more time to hold out until reinforcements arrived was the best outcome."
What if we can't hold on?
"No, there are plenty of people in the woods. It won't take long to get there. It's worth the risk to save three lives."
"What if something happens? You know, black bears can run faster than people."
“I used to run wild all over the mountains and fields since I was a child. I could run faster than most people. That black bear even got injured.”
"Even so, it was still too risky. Ah Heng, there were many people who were more suitable to save people than you at that time."
Qiu Heng paused for a moment, then calmly said, "Brother Ling, it's not necessarily true that those who are more capable are more willing to save people."
If those who are capable are willing to do more, the Great Xia Dynasty wouldn't have headed down that hellish path. And she, a carefree country girl, wouldn't have had to bear such burdens.
"Brother Ling wouldn't want anything to happen to Princess Rongning either, would he?"
“Of course I don’t want that.” Ling Yun and Qiu Heng looked at each other and said, word by word, “But I don’t want anything to happen to you either.”
Such direct concern made Qiu Heng a little embarrassed, and she lowered her eyes slightly: "Then I will think things through more in the future, so as not to worry my elder brother."
Ling Yun smiled and said, "Aheng, don't forget what you said today. Your mother is waiting for you to come over. Let's go."
On the way to Princess Kang's residence, Princess Jiayi quietly asked Qiuheng, "What did my elder brother say?"
Qiu Heng glanced at Ling Yun, who had regained his composure, and whispered, "You're calling me a show-off."
Princess Jiayi smiled and said, "Brother, you are truly worried."
Ling Yun could only pretend not to hear their whispers and quicken his pace.
Princess Consort Kang was drinking tea and waiting. When she heard that the three princes had arrived, she hurriedly invited them in.
"Mother (adoptive mother)." The three greeted her in unison.
Princess Kang's gaze fell on Qiu Heng's face: "Is Aheng alright?"
“I’m sorry to have worried my godmother. Ah Heng is fine.”
Come sit next to me.
Qiu Heng walked over.
Princess Kang carefully examined the girl who had changed into a casual dress, still finding it hard to believe.
How could such a delicate young girl do something so astonishing?
"Aheng is truly remarkable," Princess Kang praised with a smile.
No matter how unbelievable it may seem, everyone knows that this girl saved Princess Rongning, which brings honor to the Kang Prince's Mansion.
For the first time, Princess Kang had the thought that having such an adopted daughter wouldn't be bad. But when she caught a glimpse of her son beside her, her vigilance returned.
If Yun'er showed less concern for this girl, she would be more satisfied with this adopted daughter.
"Princess Fu is very grateful for your help in saving Princess Rongning and wants to thank you in person. You and Jiayi, please come with me now."
Princess Fu—Qiu Heng thought to herself, feeling a sense of anticipation for her upcoming interactions with Princess Fu.
According to the book, Xue Han's fate was to be executed for killing Prince Fu. However, she could not find an answer in the old records regarding Xue Han's motive for killing Prince Fu.
Let her find out the answer herself.
"Yun'er, go and see your father. Princess Rongning has encountered danger in the forest, and His Majesty will surely inquire about it," Princess Kang instructed, before taking Qiuheng and Princess Jiayi to Princess Fu's place.
When Princess Fu heard that Princess Kang had arrived, she went to the door to greet her personally. After exchanging greetings, she took Qiu Heng's hand and asked, "Aheng, may I call you that?"
Qiu Heng curtsied: "It is my honor."
"Come, come, have a seat."
After entering the house, Princess Fu invited everyone to sit down, still holding Qiu Heng's hand tightly: "Aheng, I'm so grateful to you for saving Rong Ning today. I have three sons, but Rong Ning is my only precious daughter. If something had happened to her, I really don't know how I would have lived..."
After hearing Princess Fu's words of gratitude, Qiu Heng politely replied, "Princess, you don't need to take it to heart. We just happened to be there."
Princess Fu was even more impressed by Qiu Heng's lack of self-promotion.
She asked carefully and found that there were many people in the forest at the time, but only Qiu rushed over immediately after hearing the bear's roar.
"You're such a good girl." Princess Fu smiled gratefully at Princess Kang. "It's all thanks to Princess Kang for bringing Aheng with her this time. I didn't understand why Princess Kang suddenly took in a goddaughter, but now I see that Princess Kang has good judgment."
Princess Consort Kang smiled and said, "Not at all, Your Highness is too kind."
While things were peaceful and drizzling here, a storm was brewing on Emperor Jingping's side.
"You've managed to hunt a black bear and let it escape, even wandering into a young woman's playground! You're really something!"
Emperor Jingping berated the young noblemen who participated in the hunt, and then he berated the commanders of the Three Military Offices: "How did you protect yourselves? This time a black bear broke into the noble lady's playground, will it break into my territory next time?"
"Your Majesty, please forgive me."
Looking at the people kneeling on the ground, Emperor Jingping sneered, "I heard that Rong Ning was spared from harm thanks to Miss Qiu Liu. You people are not even as good as a little girl!"
"We are ashamed."
"Go and invite Miss Qiu Liu here. I want to see her."
The eunuch who received the imperial edict left in a hurry. After inquiring, he learned that Qiu Heng had gone to the residence of the Princess Consort of Fu with the Princess Consort of Kang County, and he rushed over there.
"Oral message: Summon Miss Qiu to an audience—"
Princess Kang was in a good mood after hearing Princess Fu's words of gratitude, but she couldn't help but feel anxious after the eunuch conveyed the imperial edict.
Without the rest of the Qiu family present, Qiu Heng gains face, but she also has to bear the consequences of her actions.
"Be careful what you say before His Majesty," Princess Consort Kang quietly advised.
Qiu Heng nodded and followed the eunuch away.
"Autumn Sixth Sister has arrived—"
As the eunuch loudly proclaimed the order, both those who had been scolded and those who hadn't all stared intently in that direction.
Qiu Heng walked step by step toward Emperor Jingping amidst the great attention of the crowd.
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