Chapter 104 Autumn Maiden is the Most Eye-Catching Star
Xue Han clenched his fists, his heart filled with turmoil.
She said, thankfully he arrived in time...
"Lord Xue, thank you for saving Aheng." The Princess of Jiayi County curtsied to Xue Han.
"Of course." Xue Han nodded slightly, having regained his composure.
"Sixth Miss Qiu—" a female voice rang out.
Qiu Heng tidied her slightly disheveled hair and looked at the person who had spoken.
Princess Rongning walked over step by step, and when she got close, she bowed deeply: "Thank you for saving me."
Princess Rongning felt somewhat embarrassed after saying this.
Just before this happened, she still looked down on Qiu Liu, believing that the other party was someone who wanted to climb the social ladder.
She knew there were many people in the forest and could hear the guards' screams, but the first to arrive was none other than Qiu Liu.
At that time, she was in imminent danger and had no time to think. But when she saw Qiu Liu lure the bear away, the impact on her was no less than when she suddenly encountered a black bear going berserk and attacking her.
How could someone so preoccupied with personal gain possibly achieve such a level of success?
She was judging others by her own petty standards.
Princess Rongning felt ashamed and embarrassed, waiting for Qiuheng's response.
Qiu Heng was well aware of Princess Rongning's previous attitude, but she didn't take it to heart.
What she has to do is like climbing a steep mountain peak, fraught with difficulties and dangers, and she is destined to do many unconventional things. If she cares too much about what others think, then she won't have to do anything at all.
“I would have saved anyone else too,” Qiu Heng said calmly.
Feng Caixing chuckled: "Aheng, what you said is the same as what Lord Xue said to Cheng Susu."
What was meant as an unintentional remark caused Qiu Heng and Xue Han to exchange a glance.
Princess Rongning glared at Feng Caixing and scolded, "Caixing, what are you saying!"
This is not comparing her to Cheng Susu.
She misunderstood Qiu Liu and didn't know her well enough. Cheng Susu was deliberately making things difficult for her and bullying her.
How can these be the same?
After the initial awkwardness subsided, Princess Rongning, not one to mince words, looked at Qiu Heng earnestly and said, "Sixth Miss Qiu, I misunderstood you before, and I apologize to you."
"Your Highness is too kind. That bear—"
“They were surrounded and killed.” Princess Rongning still felt lingering fear when she mentioned the black bear, and was therefore even more grateful for Qiuheng’s rescue.
"Let's leave here first," said the Princess of Jiayi.
As the group walked out, many people stood outside the forest. There were noble ladies who had left the forest after hearing the screams and the bear's roar, men who had chased after the black bear, and many more guards who had rushed over after hearing about the incident.
As Qiu Heng and the others appeared, countless gazes fell upon her.
"See that? That girl in the cherry-red riding outfit is Miss Qiu Liu."
"It doesn't seem like it. She looks so delicate and weak, how could she dare to lure away a black bear?"
"How did you survive being pawed by a black bear?"
"I don't know, I can't imagine."
Among them was a noblewoman from the same Yuan Tuan Society as Feng Caixing, who, driven by curiosity, boldly waved: "Caixing, Caixing—"
Upon hearing the shouts, Feng Caixing said to the Princess of Jiayi and the others, "You all go back first, I'll go over there."
"You should go back early too. There's been too much trouble today, so don't cause any more problems," Feng Caiyue advised.
"I know." Feng Caixing walked over quickly and asked the noblewoman, "What's wrong?"
The women immediately surrounded Feng Caixing: "Caixing, quickly tell us how Miss Qiu escaped from the black bear's paw!"
Feng Caixing was thrilled that Qiu Heng had escaped from Xiong Kou's clutches and was eager to announce it over a loudspeaker. Hearing this was exactly what he wanted to hear.
"Aheng climbed up a tree and escaped the black bear's attack."
"Wow, Qiu Liu can climb trees?"
"Of course he will. Ah Heng has lived in the countryside in the south for so many years, climbing trees is an essential skill for him."
"So, people who live in the south all know how to climb trees!"
"I guess so. You guys forgot, Ah Heng can swim too."
"Yes, yes, I remember now. During the Qixi Festival, didn't Miss Qiu Liu go into the water and rescue her sister?"
"Sixth Miss Qiu knows so many things."
"I've heard that black bears can climb trees too."
Upon hearing this, Feng Caixing became even more smug: "That's why Aheng is so clever; she specifically chose a thin tree to climb. The black bear wasn't stupid either; seeing that the tree was too thin, it dared not climb it and kept ramming into it..."
The women listened to the thrilling story and gasped in surprise from time to time.
"Just as the tree was knocked down, the guards and Lord Xue arrived..." Feng Caixing finally finished speaking.
Gasps rose and fell: "That was too close!"
Feng Caixing smiled: "That's right. What did Ah Heng say when she almost fell off her horse? It was a blessing from heaven!"
The noble ladies nodded in unison: "That's true."
As soon as Feng Caixing left, these noble ladies, who had obtained firsthand gossip, were quickly surrounded by acquaintances. More and more people learned the details of how Qiu Liu lured away the black bear and how she escaped.
Cui Er listened silently, then regretted it.
With Qiu Liu's courage and character, she is the perfect wife for him. He shouldn't have given up so easily; he should ask his parents to propose marriage for him again!
Princess Rongning had just parted ways with Qiuheng and the others when she encountered Princess Fu, who had rushed over upon hearing the news.
"Rong Ning, are you alright?" Princess Fu, who had been walking all the way, was panting and her eyes were red. Tears fell as soon as she saw her daughter.
Princess Fu was accompanied by Princess Kang and several noble ladies.
Whether the ladies' anxiety was genuine or feigned, and whatever they thought, upon hearing the news of Princess Rongning's peril, they could not possibly remain uninvolved, even while having tea and chatting with Princess Fu.
"Mother, I'm fine. It's just that one of the guards was seriously injured and the other was slightly injured." In front of her mother, Princess Rongning's tense emotions relaxed, and she shed tears.
"It's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright." Princess Fu hugged Princess Rongning tightly, her hands still icy cold.
Heaven knows how she felt upon hearing that her daughter was in danger. She never wanted to experience that feeling again. When she got back, she went to temples and Taoist monasteries to burn incense and thank the gods and Buddhas for protecting Rong Ning.
"Mother, it was Miss Qiu who saved me."
Princess Fu was taken aback and couldn't help but look at Princess Kang.
Princess Kang was stunned.
Qiu Liu, the sixth young lady? Her adopted daughter?
A pair of hands gripped Princess Kang's hands tightly: "Princess, please take me to see Miss Qiu."
The Princess Consort looked at the Princess Consort of Fu's eager eyes as if she were in a dream.
Her adopted daughter, whom she had always looked down upon, became Princess Rongning's savior.
It should be noted that among the imperial family of this generation, the one closest to the current emperor is Prince Fu.
After calming herself down, Princess Consort Kang said politely, "There's no need for Your Highness to go over. Rong Ning has been so frightened, Your Highness should take her back to settle in first, and I'll take Aheng over later."
Princess Fu, being a doting mother, didn't insist after hearing what Princess Kang said: "I'm really ashamed. I should have gone to thank that child in person. I'll wait for Princess Kang to bring Miss Qiu over."
After parting ways with Princess Fu, Princess Kang immediately rushed back to see Qiu Heng.
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