Chapter 190 Heading Home
"Big brother, what's wrong with Ah Heng?"
"It's not clear yet, but it should be alright," Lingyun comforted her sister.
If it were truly important, Xue Han shouldn't have abandoned Aheng without hesitation to chase after the spy.
Thinking this, Ling Yun paused.
That was when Xue Han truly cared about Aheng. But what if he didn't care about Aheng that much?
Ling Yun quickened his pace and ordered, "Go to the city and fetch a doctor."
Not long after Qiu Heng was settled, Princess Kang and Lady Changchun arrived.
"I heard that Ah Heng was kidnapped by bad guys. How is she?"
Ling Yun, who had been watching over Qiu Heng, stood up: "She's still unconscious."
Princess Kang glanced at the girl lying on the bed with her eyes closed and asked in a deep voice, "What exactly happened?"
Princess Jiayi said, "We were planning to go to the hot springs, but we heard that Aheng had gone there first, so we went to find her. Before we even got close, we saw the maid guarding the wooden house kidnap Aheng and take her deep into the mountains."
"A maidservant?" Princess Consort Kang was shocked.
"The real maid was knocked unconscious; the maid was a villain in disguise." Ling Yun felt guilty and angry.
The maid was from the Prince's mansion, and Aheng had come with them, yet this happened.
"Why did the villains kidnap Ah Heng?"
Suddenly, no one spoke.
Princess Kang called out, "Jiayi?"
Princess Jiayi blinked: "My daughter doesn't know. Those wicked people won't let us get close."
Princess Consort Kang then looked at her two nieces, Caiyue and Caixing.
The two sisters shook their heads in unison.
Princess Consort Kang looked at Ling Yun one last time: "Yun'er, I heard that you carried Aheng back with you."
The son was in poor health, yet he still carried the girl back on his back himself.
Ling Yun could only say, "The villain wanted to summon Xue Han, the Imperial Envoy, but I don't know what conditions he wanted to discuss."
Princess Kang took a deep breath: "I knew it—"
She subconsciously looked at Qiu Heng, but the words of her criticism stuck in her throat.
"Aheng, you're awake." Ling Yun and the others gathered around.
Princess Consort Kang and Lady Changchun exchanged a glance, both looking helpless.
What kind of spell has this troublemaking girl cast on those kids?
The burning pain had drained her energy, and the inhalation of the incredibly potent sleeping potion had left Qiu Heng feeling weak and limp, her mind reeling. She blurted out, "Where's Xue Han?"
The room fell silent, and Princess Kang silently tugged at the corners of her mouth.
"He went to chase after the bad guys." Ling Yun didn't really want to mention Xue Han. "How are you? Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
This brought this undeserved disaster upon Aheng, and then he abandoned her, oh, and before that he even left Aheng alone in the Prime Minister's residence to keep an eye on the treacherous prime minister...
"No."
"How could you be unconscious?" Feng Caixing asked, still worried.
Qiu Heng couldn't possibly say that she had also inhaled the sleeping potion without taking the antidote beforehand, so she casually said, "I was scared unconscious."
Feng Caixing: "..." She didn't believe it. How could Aheng, who sneaked into the treacherous prime minister's study at night, have been frightened into fainting? It must be an excuse she made up so as not to worry them!
Qiu Heng fully regained her senses and realized something was wrong: "Hasn't the culprit been caught?"
How could the person who kidnapped her have escaped when they fell into a coma before she did?
"The person who disguised herself as a maid and held you hostage was shot dead by her accomplices, and Xue Han went after her."
"You have companions too." Qiu Heng wasn't surprised, but she didn't regret what she had done.
Once Xue Han arrives and learns of the villains' purpose in taking action, it will be the most opportune time to act. We can't just wait for those three Qi men to be brought here.
"Aheng, you should rest for a while. Once you've recovered enough, we'll head back to the city," Princess Consort Kang said.
Qiu Heng looked at Princess Consort Kang and said, "I'm so sorry for spoiling my godmother's mood."
“This is not your fault. It is also due to the mismanagement of the Prince’s Mansion that the villains took advantage of the situation. For safety’s sake, we should go back to the city first.” In front of Qiu Heng, Princess Kang spoke very politely. “You should also stop bothering A-Heng and let her calm down.”
After returning to her room, Princess Kang sat down in a chair and gave the Lady of Changchun a wry smile: "See? So much trouble!"
Lady Changchun's expression was quite interesting: "My sister has indeed had a tough time..."
The search yielded no results, and Xue Han returned just in time to find the families of the Prince Kang's Mansion and the Marquis of Changchun's Mansion preparing to return to the city.
"Your Highness."
Ling Yun's expression was indifferent: "Has Lord Xue caught the person?"
Xue Han shook his head and asked Qiu Heng, "Has Aheng woken up?"
"woke up."
"I want to see Ah Heng and ask her about the details of her being kidnapped by bad guys."
"Lord Xue rushed back just to ask this?" Ling Yun frowned.
Why don't you ask how Ah Heng is doing?
A girl's voice came from behind: "Xue Han, have you caught them yet?"
Ling Yun turned to look at Qiu Heng, who was walking quickly towards him, feeling utterly helpless.
That silly girl.
"Brother Ling, I want to talk to Xue Han."
"Don't delay too long, we're about to leave."
"knew."
Qiu Heng led Xue Han to an old tree.
"When did you wake up?" With no one else around, Xue Han no longer hid his worry.
"I was unconscious for about half an hour before I woke up."
"Aphrodisiac incense?"
Qiu Heng nodded: "Mm."
Xue Han sighed: "Aheng, what kind of method is this that hurts the enemy a thousand while also hurting yourself eight hundred?"
"It's not really self-inflicted harm, I only did this because you came..."
When she didn't need him, Xue Han would come to her rescue time and time again, persistent and unwavering. This time, she fainted in relief, and the result was—
Qiu Heng glanced at Xue Han, both amused and exasperated.
Xue Han keenly understood Qiu Heng's meaning and immediately felt embarrassed: "I didn't expect there to be accomplices."
He admitted that he forgot everything for a moment, only fearing that something might happen to Ah Heng.
"Aheng, how did you end up in the hands of villains?"
"I had just recovered from an attack, and I was weak and slow to react—" Meeting Xue Han's ambiguous gaze, Qiu Heng readily admitted, "I was indeed not as quick to react as usual, and I was also trying to figure out what the other party's purpose was."
"Don't put yourself in danger again." Xue Han raised his hand and stroked Qiu Heng's hair.
Qiu Heng originally intended to hide, but for some reason, she thought of the scene on the day it snowed and forgot to hide.
The two looked at each other for a moment, then, remembering that there were many other people nearby, they both looked away.
"Aheng, I need to go back right away. At least one of those three Qi people has a questionable identity."
If they were ordinary spies, they would have already fallen into the hands of the Imperial City Guard, and no one would be sent to rescue them.
"Go quickly, important business is more important. I'll go back to the city with Brother Ling and the others now."
Ling Yun and the others remained where they were, and saw the boy standing under the tree raise his hand to stroke the girl's hair, and the girl did not dodge away.
The old tree in the dead of winter was left with only bare branches, but the presence of a young couple made the scene vivid and bright.
Ling Yun smiled.
Qiu Heng approached and said, "Brother Ling, let's go."
Ling Yun nodded and looked at Xue Han.
Xue Han politely cupped his hands in farewell: "Your Highness, I shall take my leave now."
"Please take care, Lord Xue."
Xue Han rode back to the Imperial City Guard, and the Prince's carriage carrying Qiu Heng also entered the city, heading directly to the Yongqing Earl's Mansion.
(End of this chapter)
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