Chapter 249 Roasted Duck
He had been traveling while recovering from his injuries, which was understandable during extraordinary times. But now that he was back in the bustling and familiar capital, he simply couldn't bring himself to sneak into Aheng's carriage.
Qiu Heng didn't think that much about it, and realized she wouldn't really care: "It's snowing."
"I'll take the umbrella and meet you at the teahouse." Xue Han helped Qiu Heng close the car window curtains and nodded slightly to Uncle Zhang. "The roads are slippery because of the snow, Uncle Zhang, please drive carefully."
Watching the carriage depart, Xue Han took the bamboo umbrella handed to him by the gatekeeper, opened it, and walked towards Songfeng Residence.
Qiu Heng rode in a carriage and soon arrived at Songfeng Residence. She asked the waiter for a private room on the second floor facing the street, and waited for Xue Han with a teacup in hand.
After drinking a cup of tea, Xue Han arrived.
Looking at Xue Han, who was folding up his green umbrella and exuding a chill, Qiu Heng smiled and said, "No wonder you don't take a carriage. Walking is not much slower than taking a carriage."
The waiter who served the tea walked past Xue Han and left the private room.
Xue Han brushed the snow off his clothes and sat down opposite Qiu Heng. After thinking for a moment, he said, "It has nothing to do with how fast or slow we travel. It's not appropriate to ride in the same carriage if we're not married."
Qiu Heng's expression turned strange for a moment, and she took a big gulp of tea.
It turns out she's just too careless about details...
"Don't drink so fast." Xue Han tried his best to appear calm and collected, but the words "marriage" were like sparks, igniting the heat in his heart.
The heat gradually spread from the base of her ears to her neck, and the blush disappeared into her collar.
Xue Han quickly changed the subject: "Is there something urgent that you wanted to see me, Ah Heng?"
"It's not urgent, but I learned something when I went to the Prince Kang's residence, and I wanted to talk to you about it."
"What news?"
"During our absence from the capital, Fang Rui entered the palace and became a maidservant of Consort Yu."
Xue Han raised an eyebrow and told Qiu Heng the new information he had obtained: "I had someone keep an eye on the people going out of Consort Yu's palace, and I found that a eunuch in charge of purchasing goes to Taoranlou to buy roasted duck at the beginning of each month."
"Taoranlou?" Qiu Heng looked out the window.
They sat in a private room facing the street, across from Taoranlou Restaurant.
Compared to the unassuming Songfengju, Taoranlou was much more grand and was a favorite haunt of the wealthy in Beijing.
As the Lunar New Year approaches, there are many gatherings of relatives and friends. Guests come and go at the entrance of Taoranlou Restaurant, all dressed smartly.
What day of the month?
"It's not fixed, but it won't go past the eighth day of the month."
Qiu Heng's gaze lingered across the street as she rested her chin on her hand: "Speaking of which, I've never tried Tao Ran Lou's roasted duck."
Surely it's not because roasted duck is so delicious that Consort Yu would feel uncomfortable if she didn't eat it at least once a month?
"Waiter—" Xue Han called out loudly.
The waiter gently pushed the door open and entered: "What can I do for you, esteemed guest?"
Xue Han handed over a silver ingot: "Go to Taoranlou and buy a roasted duck. We'll wait to eat it."
The guy was stunned.
Come to Songfengju for tea, and ask the staff at Songfengju to go to Taoranlou to buy roasted duck.
Is this person here to cause trouble?
Xue Han said calmly, "The rest of the money is yours."
The waiter quickly put the silver away: "Please wait a moment, esteemed guests, I will bring it up as soon as I have made the purchase!"
The waiter returned sooner than expected, his tone brimming with the joy of unexpected windfall: "Please enjoy the roasted duck from Taoranlou, esteemed guests."
Upon opening the food box and taking out the roasted duck, the waiter respectfully asked, "Would you like the roasted duck cut up?"
Xue Han said, "No need, you can go now."
The waiter quietly closed the door and left.
Qiu Heng examined the whole roasted duck: "Judging from the color of the roasting, it should taste good."
Xue Han said as he separated the duck with his chopsticks, "Taoranlou's roasted duck is stuffed with some ingredients and roasted together, and the taste is indeed good."
As he disassembled the roasted duck, the ingredients hidden inside were revealed: mushrooms, lotus seeds, chestnuts, diced bamboo shoots, ham...
The various ingredients are grilled to release their aromas, creating an enticing flavor.
"That's quite a lot," Qiu Heng remarked.
"Try it and see how it is."
Qiu Heng picked up a chestnut, ate it, and nodded, "Sweet, soft, and delicious."
The two ate in silence for a while, then Qiu Heng wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and took a sip of tea.
"Xue Han, don't you think it's convenient to hide something in a roasted duck that's stuffed with stuffing?"
Xue Han's gaze fell on the scattered duck meat, and he said calmly, "It is very convenient. The situation in the palace is difficult to fathom. I am no longer in the position of Imperial City Envoy, and it is not appropriate to use the Imperial City Guard for investigations outside the palace. If we want to find out anything through the connection with Consort Yu, we will probably have to start with this roasted duck."
Qiu Heng tapped the duck's head with her chopsticks: "Did you rob the duck?"
"That's the intention. What we need to confirm first is whether Consort Yu is a spy. Just keeping an eye on her like this is too passive. It would be better to be more decisive and see if there's something else going on with the roasted duck that Consort Yu eats every month."
Qiu Heng thought for a moment and nodded: "When there's no progress, stirring up trouble might not be a bad thing. Let's do it and rob this duck."
With another tap on the duck's head, a hole silently appeared in it.
Qiu Heng paused for a moment, then said, "This duck head is really crispy... Do you want some?"
"Eat." Xue Han picked up the duck's head and threw the duck's rear end onto the table.
Qiu Heng: "..." She didn't have a hobby of slapping ducks' butts, so there was no need to be so wary.
"Xue Han, you won't have any work for the time being, will you?"
"Probably not. My adoptive father wouldn't arrange a job for me when Xijiang and Daxia are at war."
"Then after the New Year, come with me to that mountain hermitage. I want to see if that Taoist Master Changqing is the master I'm looking for."
"Okay." Xue Han picked up the teapot and refilled Qiu Heng's tea.
Qiu Heng held the teacup, the hot tea transferring its heat to her fingertips through the cup.
After eating the roasted duck, drinking tea is just right.
Qiu Heng took a sip of tea when she suddenly heard Xue Han say, "Aheng, when spring comes, I want to ask a matchmaker to go to the Yongqing Marquis's mansion to propose marriage."
Qiu Heng nearly spat out her tea and coughed up tears.
Seeing her reaction, Xue Han's confidence plummeted: "Was it too fast?"
It can't be that I don't like him enough.
After his trip to Xijiang, Xue Han was no longer worried about Qiu Heng's feelings for him.
There was no need for doubt or repeated confirmation; Aheng's feelings for him were just as his feelings for Aheng were.
Qiu Heng paused for a moment, then said, both amused and exasperated, "We were having tea, and you suddenly brought this up."
Xue Han lowered his eyes: "Aheng doesn't want to get engaged?"
"Your adoptive father is willing?"
"If you're willing, I'll talk to your adoptive father."
Judging from his adoptive father's attitude that day, he wasn't as forceful anymore.
"We have a lot to do right now, let's postpone the marriage for later. There's no need to add any more obstacles or complications," Qiu Heng said gently.
She was still waiting for Xue Quan to deliver the medicine to Emperor Jingping. If Emperor Jingping took the "miracle drug" and died, Xue Quan's life would probably be in danger, and Xue Han might blame her for standing by and watching.
If you become husband and wife, rather than harboring resentment and drifting apart, it's better to maintain the status quo, making it easier to move forward or backward.
Xue Han's gaze deepened as he looked into Qiu Heng's eyes: "Does Aheng only marry me because she wants peace and tranquility?"
(End of this chapter)
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