Chapter 244 Dream
Compared to the lively atmosphere after Qiu Heng returned home, Xue Han's situation was much quieter, with only Xue Quan present.
Xue Quan looked his adopted son up and down and said indifferently, "Your trip to Xijiang was quite remarkable."
Xue Han lowered his eyes: "It's all due to the circumstances, which has implicated you."
"You know that much," Xue Quan said, pursing his lips. "The older you get, the more trouble you cause."
Thinking back to those days at Dali Temple, Xue Quan was furious.
His memories of his early years as a junior eunuch were hazy. As the emperor's closest eunuch, he had lived a life of luxury and privilege all these years, and it was only thanks to his unfortunate adopted son that he had the opportunity to be sent to the Dali Temple.
"Your task has been taken over. Don't even think about asking the Emperor for a job until the trouble in Xijiang is resolved."
"I am already content that my child is free. Thank you for your hard work in helping me."
"I didn't do anything." Xue Quan gave Xue Han a deep look. "You guys are lucky to have met those passionate students."
As for why news from the court spread so quickly among the common people, and who posted the hemp paper, further investigation is of no use.
"I won't ask about anything else. Have you and Qiuheng done anything inappropriate these days?"
Xue Quan made Xue Han fall silent.
Xue Quan was shocked: "Have you two secretly pledged your lives to each other?"
Although Han'er is currently without a job, she can find another one after this turmoil passes. As for Qiu Liu, that girl has clearly fallen out of favor with the Emperor, and we must not let her drag Han'er down with her.
"Hao and I have gone through life and death together and returned to the capital. Whether we have secretly pledged our lives to each other or not makes no difference in the eyes of the world, does it?"
Xue Quan opened his mouth, his face extremely ugly.
Yes, a young couple who live and die together, spending every day together, what's even more terrifying is that everyone in the capital knows they've lived and died together, so even if they're completely innocent, they can't really be innocent.
Xue Quansheng felt a bitter taste in his mouth, and coldly warned: "His Majesty is temporarily not pursuing you because of the students' petition. Behave yourself during this period and do not attract any attention."
"I understand."
"besides!"
"Please speak."
"You mustn't call her Aheng. You're married, yet you call her so intimately. Aren't you afraid people will laugh at you?"
Watching his adoptive father's retreating figure as he turned away, Xue Han smiled.
He never expected that a trip to Xijiang would make him and Aheng a couple in the eyes of the world, and his adoptive father's opposition would not be so easy to overcome.
The next morning, Qiuxuan came over.
Qiuxuan got married at the end of spring, and now it's been more than nine months, and she's over three months pregnant.
She wasn't even showing yet, but as soon as she arrived, the old lady said to her, "It's freezing cold, what are you doing running around like this while you're pregnant?"
Qiu Xuan blushed instantly: "Sixth Sister has come back from the brink of death. I won't feel at ease unless I see her with my own eyes."
Just then, Qiuheng came in.
"Grandmother, Second Aunt, Second Sister," Qiu Heng greeted them, placing the food box on the table. "These are some new snacks Fangzhou learned to make; please try them."
Upon hearing that it was Fangzhou who made it, the old lady laughed and said, "When you first went to Xijiang, I heard that Fangzhou often went to the food stalls and eateries outside. You've really learned a lot from them."
Qiu Xuan looked at Qiu Heng, her eyes stinging: "Sixth Sister has lost a lot of weight."
"My second sister has also lost weight. Is it because she's having morning sickness and can't eat?"
"I'm much better lately." It was inevitably awkward to talk about these things with her unmarried younger sister, and Qiu Xuan blushed again.
The old lady glanced at Qiu Heng and said, "You think you know everything?"
I don't know what's going on between her and that Xue guy. She's not shy, and there's been no talk of marriage proposals.
Qiu Fu came in at this moment, and as soon as she saw Qiu Xuan, she asked, "Second Sister, I heard you're pregnant!"
The old lady: "..."
Knowing that Qiu Xuan, still a new bride, was uncomfortable talking about these things, the old lady changed the subject: "Where is Ying'er?"
Qiu Fu frowned: "I came here as soon as I received the message. Fifth Sister hasn't arrived yet? Isn't she usually the fastest runner?"
A while later, Qiu Ying arrived, looking listless.
"Could it be that you are ill?" The old lady examined Qiu Ying's complexion.
The old lady didn't like to cause trouble, so she exempted her grandchildren from paying their respects early in the morning once the cold winter months began.
Wasn't this girl lively and energetic during our family reunion dinner last night?
Qiu Ying glanced quickly at Qiu Heng, then lowered her eyes and said, "She just didn't sleep well. She was probably too excited when Sixth Sister came back."
"It's good that you're not sick." The old lady's attention returned to Qiuxuan. "Don't pretend to be strong and virtuous. Take care of yourself if you need to. Don't suffer unnecessary grievances..."
"Grandmother, don't worry, my mother-in-law and husband treat me very well."
After Qiu Xuan finished lunch and took her leave, the three Qiu Heng sisters also left Qian Song Tang and headed towards their residence. Qiu Fu asked Qiu Ying, "Fifth Sister, what's wrong?"
“It’s alright—” Qiu Ying hesitated for a moment, then changed her mind, “Why don’t we go and tell Sixth Sister?”
She's not the type to keep things to herself; if she doesn't speak up, she'll only suffer.
Upon arriving at Lengxiang Residence, Qiuying drank a few sips of hot tea and, under the watchful eyes of Qiuheng and Qiufu, spoke up: "I had nightmares all night last night."
Qiu Fu chuckled: "I thought you were just saying it casually because you didn't want Grandma to worry, but it turns out you really didn't sleep well. You just had a nightmare, why are you so absent-minded?"
Qiu Ying bit her lip, her eyes revealing lingering fear: "But that nightmare was too real. My heart was pounding when I woke up, and I'm still feeling lingering fear."
"What dream did Fifth Sister have? Tell me and it will be over." Qiu Heng poured tea for Qiu Ying.
"I told you, don't laugh at me, and don't be angry."
Qiu Fu looked impatient: "What do you mean by laughing and getting angry at the same time? It's a dream, not real."
Qiu Ying took a deep breath and looked at Qiu Fu: "Fourth Sister, I dreamt that you didn't hide outside, but actually went into the Prime Minister's mansion to become a concubine for Young Master Fang. But as soon as Young Master Fang died, you..."
"Just what?"
"That's it! The Prime Minister's family's official explanation is the same as that of the young lady surnamed Liu: she died for love of the Third Young Master Fang!"
"Bullshit!" Even though she knew it was a dream, Qiu Fu's face still turned dark with anger. "Am I that cheap to die for a sickly man who forced me to be his concubine? Fifth Sister, what kind of ridiculous dream are you having?"
Qiu Ying said awkwardly, "I told you not to be angry."
For some reason, Qiu Fu felt a little flustered, as if this dream had really happened.
Yes, if she hadn't escaped with the help of Sixth Sister, wouldn't the ending have been just like Fifth Sister's dream?
As Qiu Fu thought this, her face turned pale.
"What else did Fifth Sister dream about?"
"I also dreamed of my second sister... The Marquis of Xiping's family came to propose marriage. My family didn't find anything wrong with Zhao Si, so we married my second sister off to him. Later, news came that my second sister had accidentally fallen into the water and died."
Qiu Ying's face was even paler than Qiu Fu's: "After I woke up from the dream, I thought about it for a long time. Zhao Si and my cousin were having an affair and she was pregnant. If my second sister hadn't known and had married into the family, my cousin wouldn't have been forced to have an abortion by the Lady of Xiping Marquis, and the child would have been born secretly. My second sister would have found out sooner or later, or perhaps Zhao Si was unwilling for my cousin and the child to remain without a proper status. In any case, my second sister's falling into the water in the dream was most likely not an accident, but a murder!"
“If Second Sister really marries into the Xiping Marquis’s mansion, this dream will probably come true… Do you remember, Zhao Si took his anger out on Second Sister because the Xiping Marquis’s wife had an abortion for his cousin. Last year on Qixi Festival, he pushed Second Sister into the water and then tried to kill her at Ganquan Temple…” Qiu Fu murmured, her face growing increasingly pale.
"I also dreamt of my third sister." Mentioning Qiu Yun, Qiu Ying calmed down a bit. "Just like in reality, she married that vice-minister as his second wife, except for one thing—"
Qiu Fu asked, "How is it different?"
Qiu Ying didn't need to recall; the situation in her dream was exceptionally clear: "In the dream, didn't Fourth Sister commit suicide for love? The Prime Minister's Mansion was dissatisfied with the Earl's Mansion, believing that Third Young Master Fang's death was due to Fourth Sister's bad luck. Grandfather sought other connections and married Third Sister off to that Vice Minister as his second wife."
Qiu Fu sneered: "I thought it was different, but it turns out there's no difference."
Her father and grandfather were not the same.
Qiu Heng, who had been listening quietly, suddenly asked, "What about Fifth Sister? Did she dream about herself?"
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