Chapter 271 I was just kidding.
Qiu Heng has never understood the meaning of "plans are no match for changes" more than she does now.
She believed in Xue Han.
Even if they don't have a chance to communicate, I believe that once Xue Han learns that she is imprisoned, he will definitely do his best to rescue her. I also believe that Xue Han will investigate the shady dealings between Consort Yu and Taoran Tower.
But when she discovered that Consort Yu was her adoptive parents' lost daughter, she couldn't wait any longer.
She now needs to know whether Consort Yu is a spy or not, and only Xue Han, who intercepted the roasted duck, can give her the answer.
"Eunuch Xue."
Xue Quan, who had been stunned, suddenly snapped back to his senses and quickly looked around like a thief.
Thankfully, he always met with Qiu Heng alone, and no one else heard.
"You, you really have—" Xue Quan stammered, a rare occurrence, unable to finish his sentence.
Qiu Heng nodded seriously: "Yes."
Xue Quan took a step back, still incredulous: "You wouldn't be deliberately trying to fool me just to see Xue Han, would you?"
"Eunuch Xue, do you think any unmarried woman would try to fool someone with something like this?"
Xue Quan felt as if he had been struck by lightning, making him dizzy and disoriented. He could only manage to utter "You wait here" before quickly walking away.
"Summon Xue Han to see me."
Xue Quan waited in the guard room outside the inner prison, pacing back and forth every now and then, and sitting down every now and then. He had never felt that waiting for someone was so unbearable.
Finally, there was movement at the door, and Xue Han rushed over.
"Father--"
"You may all step back."
As soon as the door closed and there was no one else in the room, Xue Quan rushed over and slapped Xue Han.
"You bastard, how could you do such a thing!"
Xue Han knew that he must have something important to tell him when he was called over, but he didn't expect to be slapped as soon as he arrived.
"What do you mean by that, Father?"
"You have the nerve to ask? I have no nerve to say it!" Xue Quan gritted his teeth, thinking of Qiu Heng in prison who threatened to spread the news of his premarital pregnancy everywhere, and felt like vomiting blood. "Come with me."
Filled with doubt, Xue Han could only silently follow Xue Quan. Seeing that they were heading towards the inner prison, he was overjoyed: "Father, are you taking me to see Aheng?"
Why did he change his mind when his adoptive father had previously made him promise not to see Aheng?
Xue Quan stopped abruptly. If his gaze could materialize, it could have slashed Xue Han's face twice: "Shut up and follow me!"
After walking for a while in the dim and eerie passageway, we arrived at the place where Qiu Heng was imprisoned.
"Go in." Suppressing his anger, Xue Quan forced out these words and sent the jailer away.
Xue Han strode inside and saw Qiu Heng sitting on the ground with her head down.
In the dimly lit cell, her expression was inscrutable, conveying a sense of insurmountable distance.
This feeling made Xue Han's heart tighten, and he stepped forward: "Aheng".
Qiu Heng looked up and stood up, her gaze falling on Xue Han's cheek. She couldn't help but feel guilty: "Did you get hit?"
"No, how could that be?" Xue Han blurted out in denial, then, meeting the girl's knowing gaze, he coughed lightly. "Aheng, do you know why my adoptive father suddenly brought me to see you?"
"I forced him to do it."
Xue Han looked surprised.
Aside from being utterly loyal to the current emperor, his adoptive father was utterly cold and unfriendly to everyone else.
"Well, I said I'm pregnant with your child."
Xue Han was struck dumb: "I'm pregnant with my... child?"
How did this happen?!
Xue Han panicked immediately and desperately tried to recall the situation when Xi Jiang was injured and unconscious.
He shouldn't be able to do that—his gaze involuntarily drifted down, landing on Qiu Heng's lower abdomen.
Qiuheng: ?
She lied to Xue Quan, so why does Xue Han seem to believe her?
"I lied to him." Qiu Heng looked at Xue Han suspiciously. "Why are you looking at my stomach?"
Xue Han paused for a moment, then said with a complicated expression, "Aheng, it's better not to tell this kind of lie, it's not good for you..."
He deserved that slap.
"As long as the goal is achieved, that's fine. I noticed your adoptive father seemed particularly afraid of being found out. Xue Han, I'm in a hurry to see you because I just unexpectedly discovered that Consort Yu is my adoptive parents' long-lost daughter..."
Given that Qiu Heng had tricked Xue Quan into believing he would become her grandfather, Xue Han didn't find it surprising that Consort Yu was the daughter of Qiu Heng's adoptive parents.
"Did you get any roasted duck yesterday?" Qiu Heng asked in a low voice.
Xue Han quickly realized that Qiu Heng was eager to know whether Consort Yu had any problems.
He paused for a moment, then made no attempt to hide anything: "We found a pill in the roasted duck. I had Uncle Xu examine it; it's an antidote..."
Qiu Heng had only a sliver of hope left, so hearing this result was entirely within her expectations.
"So, Consort Yu was controlled by drugs in her behavior?"
Xue Han nodded: "Early this morning, a palace maid named Qingdai from Yuchen Palace went to Taoran Tower. By watching her, we caught a big fish... Ah Heng, you can stay here for a few days. Once we catch that big fish, you can leave."
Since the antidote pills are needed monthly, the person who possesses them is the most crucial. Only by getting hands on that person can we have leverage to negotiate with Consort Yu.
Qiu Heng nodded slightly and fell silent.
"Aheng, are you troubled by Consort Yu's background?"
Qiu Heng readily admitted, "Yes. My adoptive parents treated me with immeasurable kindness, and Consort Yu is their biological daughter. My adoptive mother longed for us to meet and recognize each other before she passed away. Xue Han—"
Xue Han gazed quietly at the pale-faced girl and encouraged her to continue.
"I'm a little scared." In front of Xue Han, Qiu Heng did not hide her vulnerability at this moment. "I'm afraid that I will draw my sword against Baozhu, the sister my foster mother loves so much, and it will be a fight to the death."
It seems that Heaven felt that the burden she carried was not heavy enough, and made her face such a difficult problem.
"Aheng." Xue Han raised his hand and gently stroked the girl's cheek.
Her cheeks felt cool, a coolness that pained him.
"Don't be afraid." Xue Han pulled Qiu Heng into his arms and gently hugged her. "Didn't you say that Consort Yu should have some memory of what happened before she got lost? And as a spy, she has always been controlled by others. There might be an opportunity to turn her against us."
Qiu Heng wrapped her arms around Xue Han's waist and leaned against his chest.
His heartbeat was so strong that it put her at ease.
"I hope so."
A heavy coughing sound came from behind.
Xue Han released Qiu Heng, turned around, and saw a face as black as the bottom of a pot.
"Han'er, you should go now." Xue Quan said sternly, urging her to leave.
"Aheng, put your safety first," Xue Han instructed before leaving.
Xue Quan didn't leave with Xue Han; he looked at Qiu Heng with a complicated expression.
They hugged, and they hugged each other without any regard for anyone else!
It's clear that such intimacy has become commonplace, so Qiuheng's claim of pregnancy is probably true...
What to do? He longed for a continuation of the family line, but these two scoundrels weren't married yet, and he didn't want such shameless daughters-in-law!
But the child is innocent; maybe it's even a grandchild...
Xue Quan was in a state of great inner turmoil when he heard Qiu Heng apologize.
"What are you apologizing for?" Xue Quan asked irritably.
Qiu Heng remained calm: "It was just a lie I told Eunuch Xue about you becoming a grandfather."
(End of this chapter)
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