Chapter 149 I'll Marry You
Qiu Heng realized that Xue Han had already suspected her, and a new question arose: As the Imperial Envoy, why hadn't Xue Han taken any action when he suspected her of having a problem?
Did they secretly send someone to keep an eye on her, or were they being so lenient with her that they let her run wild?
Regardless, Xue Han was indeed very good to her, even though he suspected her and still owed the Prime Minister's mansion a favor because of her.
Thinking back to the autumn hunt when she used a dream as an excuse to reveal part of the truth, and how the two of them worked together to save the crown prince, for a moment, Qiu Heng really wanted to tell the whole truth.
But she didn't dare to take the risk.
Saving the crown prince is one thing, eliminating the treacherous minister is another.
Having dealt with Xue Han so many times, she was certain of his character. More importantly, the fact that Xue Han had rescued the Crown Prince from the fire was a recorded fact in the books, which gave her no qualms about revealing the Crown Prince's peril to Xue Han.
However, Fang Xiang and Xue Quan had intertwined interests and a deep relationship. Xue Han's transformation from a starving beggar to a promising young official in the Imperial City, adorned in purple robes, was inseparable from Xue Quan's guidance.
Only Xue Han himself knew how much gratitude he owed her. Ultimately, as the adopted son of Xue Quan, one of the Five Thieves, Xue Han was her adversary.
She walked on a perilous and arduous path to save Xia, as if walking on thin ice, and dared not trust anyone.
Even Xue Han.
“Hidden truth—” Qiu Heng smiled bitterly, “If we’re talking about hidden truths, the longer I stay in the Yongqing Marquis’s mansion, the clearer I’ll see my grandfather’s greed. If it’s not the Prime Minister’s mansion, it would be some other mansion. After all that struggle, what difference does it make?”
Xue Han didn't want her to discover that he suspected her, and she felt the same way, not wanting Xue Han to know that she knew about his suspicions.
"That Third Young Master Fang is frail and sickly; he might not make it any day. When that happens, his wives and concubines will all be living their own lives behind closed doors. Thinking about it, it's quite carefree, and he won't have to worry about being sold off to someone by his grandfather for profit—"
Xue Han felt a pang of pain upon hearing this and blurted out, "I'll marry you."
Qiu Heng slightly raised her eyelids, utterly astonished.
The words had already been spoken and could not be taken back. Xue Han looked at Qiu Heng and said in a firm tone that he was not joking: "I, Xue Han, am willing to marry Qiu Heng."
Qiu Heng's cheeks gradually warmed up.
Xue Han was talking nonsense, suspecting her of being a spy while saying he wanted to marry her.
But why did her heart suddenly flutter?
A bitter feeling filled my chest, and a voice said: The survival of the nation is imminent, what time do you have to think about anything else?
But Qiu Heng looked at the boy so close to her and was unwilling to say a word of rejection to him.
Instead, Xue Han changed his tone: "You'll just need to wait a bit."
He spoke those words to Aheng today out of impulse. He is not yet able to break free from his adoptive father's control and give her a stable and worry-free life.
But he doesn't regret this unexpected impulse.
He feared that she might again degrade herself for some other purpose, and he was not as lucky as this time to stop her in time.
Let her know that he is willing to marry her. Even if she wants to do something in the future, she can weigh his status as the Imperial Envoy and the adopted son of the Hidden Prime Minister. Wouldn't it be more worthwhile to marry him?
By then, Ah Heng will be by his side, and he will protect her well, preventing her from doing anything that could harm the Great Xia Dynasty.
If Ah Heng is indeed a spy, and is eventually exposed, she will face certain death. This is the price he should pay for his inability to control his own heart and for making a mistake.
Hearing Xue Han's words, Qiu Heng felt inexplicably relieved.
She was too greedy; she couldn't bear to refuse, nor could she agree.
"Sixth Miss Qiu".
"Um?"
"May I call you Aheng?"
Qiu Heng lowered her eyes slightly: "Lord Xue can call me whatever he likes."
"Then don't call me Lord Xue anymore, call me Xue Han."
"Xue Han," Qiu Heng softly called out the name. "It's quite a coincidence that we both have adoptive fathers. My adoptive parents treated me very well. Before the Yongqing Marquis's mansion sent people to look for me, I never thought I was adopted. Back then, I grew up in the countryside, free and happy... What about you?"
"I?"
"Well, how have you been since you were adopted by Eunuch Xue?"
“My adoptive father—” Countless images flashed through Xue Han’s mind.
He was whipped while practicing martial arts, disciplined with a ruler while studying, and scolded for failing to perform his duties... But no matter what, he was reborn after being adopted and became who he is today.
His adoptive father gave him the opportunity to see the wider world.
“I am different from you. I am an adopted son. My adoptive father was more strict than loving... I was originally a beggar, and I owe everything I have today to my adoptive father.”
“That’s such a heavy debt of gratitude—” Qiu Heng said slowly, her voice tinged with a sigh.
As expected, Xue Quan held a special place in Xue Han's heart.
"Xue Han, I'm going back."
Qiu Heng did not ask Xue Han why he wanted to marry her.
When he said those words himself, it couldn't have been entirely out of guilt; there must have been some affection involved, more or less.
For her at this moment, asking for an answer was meaningless and would only add to her troubles.
"I send you."
"No need, it's not far."
Xue Han called out to the girl who was about to turn around: "Aheng, stay away from the Prime Minister's residence from now on."
“That might not work.” Qiu Heng said calmly. “The First Madam of the Prime Minister’s residence really likes the pastries made by Fangzhou, and she will probably invite me over. If I refuse, I will offend her. I can only wait until she gets tired of them.”
"Then be careful," Xue Han said, watching Qiu Heng walk away.
What is Ah Heng's purpose in approaching the Prime Minister's residence?
Xue Han reached into his money bag and touched the copper coins, remembering Qiu Heng's words that day: "They don't bounce as much as stone chips."
The boy bent down, picked up a stone shard, and threw it onto the lake.
The stone bounced further and further away until it finally sank into the lake.
Qiu Heng walked along the bustling street, her thoughts still lingering by Qinglian Lake.
Should Xue Han have gone back by now? Or should he stay there and let his worries go to waste?
Qiu Heng curved her lips into a smile.
Knowing that he was also annoyed, I felt much better because his involvement had caused the plan to fall through.
A vendor selling candied hawthorns walked past, calling out his wares. Qiu Heng paused and called out to him, "Young man, I'll have a skewer of candied hawthorns."
While paying, Qiu Heng glanced at the street corner, took the candied hawthorn, and took a small bite.
The bright red fruit, coated in sugar, was both sour and sweet, and Qiu Heng sighed in acknowledgment.
She was overthinking things; the Xue Han she knew was someone who would secretly send people to keep an eye on him.
Does he want to marry her so that it will be convenient for him to keep an eye on her?
Qiu Heng took another bite of the candied hawthorn, not annoyed at having discovered the spy.
She got herself involved in the spying, so how could she be angry?
Upon returning to the Earl's residence, Qiu Heng was summoned by the old lady.
"How is it?" The old lady stared intently at her granddaughter.
"Oh, thank you, but Lord Xue told me not to worry about it."
Don't take it to heart?
The old lady frowned: "Didn't he say when he would come to the Earl's mansion to propose marriage?"
Qiu Heng paused for a moment, then honestly shook her head: "No."
The old lady was puzzled.
Xue Han told her personally that he was sincere towards Aheng and decisively resolved Aheng's troubles, but he didn't mention when he would propose marriage.
What's wrong with young people these days?
I didn't originally intend to digress about the plot, but after reading many comments, I'll say a few words. Qiu Heng's actions are consistent with her character. For example, Qiu Fu was originally a concubine, but Madam Yang, heartbroken over her son's death, tortured Qiu Fu to death. She also knew how to escape after obtaining the evidence. Qiu Heng's actions naturally reflect that she had considered these issues and was confident she could avoid them; she knew better than anyone that there were many more things to do. Of course, she might have wondered what if? But even with absolute certainty, nothing is absolute, and that's another topic altogether. The current plot hasn't explained how she avoided Madam Yang's torment after Fang Gongzi's death, but that doesn't mean she had no way to deal with it. After all, this is a serialized story, so it might require more patience. If you're impatient or don't like a certain part of the plot, you can skip ahead.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
