Chapter 110 His Red Bean Cake

Chapter 110: His Red Bean Cake

Upon hearing Ling Yun's words, Emperor Jingping let out a sigh of relief.

Good, good, one less troublemaker.

Emperor Jingping raised a hand to rub his temples and sighed, "Enough. I shall not interfere in such personal romantic affairs."

As soon as the emperor spoke these words, Lin Chengfeng, who had been kneeling ramrod straight, swayed slightly. Cold sweat drenched his entire body as if he'd been dragged from a river.

Qiu Heng loosened her tightly clenched hand. Her palm was marked with deep bruises.

Xue Han remained kneeling stiffly, his face a mask, betraying no emotion.

Cui Er stole a glance at Qiu Heng, then at his father whose face was as dark as a pot bottom. It finally dawned on him: Had he been too impulsive? Was he in for a beating from his father?

"I am weary. Beloved Consort, accompany me back to the palace." Although the matter of the wooden doll ultimately did not implicate Beauty Qiu, it had still spoiled his fun.

Seeing the emperor rise to leave, Qiu Heng called out, "Your Majesty."

Emperor Jingping turned his head to look at her. "Does Sixth Miss Qiu have further business?"

Was this girl a bit too bold?

Hmm, she also had a thicker skin than ordinary women, without a hint of shame despite three men publicly declaring their admiration for her.

None of the ladies in the rear palace were like this—this thought flashed through Emperor Jingping's mind inexplicably, and he hurriedly dismissed it.

Thank goodness there were none like this!

"I beg Your Majesty to return this subject's wooden doll."

Emperor Jingping had nearly forgotten about it. Hearing this, he glanced at the wooden doll being held by the eunuch and waved dismissively. "Return the wooden doll to Sixth Miss Qiu."

The sight of this doll reminded him of Beauty Qiu—how unlucky!

The eunuch walked over and handed the wooden doll to Qiu Heng. "Sixth Miss Qiu, please keep it safe."

"Thank you, sir." Qiu Heng took the wooden doll in her hands and stood up only after Emperor Jingping had walked far away.

A cold, sharp shout rang in her ears: "Xue Han, come with me!"

Xue Han silently rose, gave Qiu Heng a slight nod, and walked toward Xue Quan.

Qiu Heng stared at the young man's straight back, her thoughts in turmoil.

Had she allowed the earlier situation to unfold, the Lin and Qiu families would have faced catastrophe. Only if she stepped forward and acknowledged the matter was there a chance for a turnaround.

And by stepping forward, she had prepared herself to be betrothed to Lin Chengfeng.

Lin Chengfeng had kept Beauty Qiu's wooden doll close to his body, showing he had not yet let go of her. If they got through this and agreed to be a false couple, it would not hinder her plans.

This was already the best choice she could make. Little did she expect Xue Han to act as he did.

He had steered the crisis toward a better resolution.

Judging by Xue Quan's attitude, Xue Han was probably in for a scolding.

As Qiu Heng was thinking this, a cry of pain rang out.

Deputy Commander Cui was dragging Cui Er out by the ear. "You wretched thing, daring to spout nonsense before His Majesty!"

"It hurts, it hurts! Father, please let go!"

Watching Cui Er being dragged away, a crack appeared in Qiu Heng's calm expression.

While Xue Han's actions had surprised her, his repeated assistance had somewhat prepared her mentally. But what was Cui Er's deal?

"Ouch, Father, gently, gently!" Cui Er's cries of pain continued to echo even after he was dragged far away.

"A Heng." Ling Yun spoke calmly. "Come with your big brother."

Qiu Heng nodded and looked toward Lin Chengfeng, who was still kneeling on the ground.

He was less kneeling and more slumped.

The young man who had been full of energy on the first day of the hunt now had eyes filled with lingering fear and confusion.

"Captain Lin."

Lin Chengfeng's eyelids twitched as he looked at the young woman who had softly called him.

"I'll leave first and come find you later." After bidding farewell, Qiu Heng left with Ling Yun.

With so many people present, the performance had to be convincing to avoid anyone accusing them of deceiving the sovereign.

Lin Chengfeng understood Qiu Heng's meaning and felt even more ashamed. Only after the people in the grand pavilion had gradually dispersed did he slowly rise, straightening his disheveled armor.

The commotion in the grand pavilion, having not implicated any imperial consorts, wasn't a forbidden topic. As these people dispersed, news of it quickly spread.

Meanwhile, Xue Han was taken into a room. Once the door closed, Xue Quan snapped, "Kneel!"

Xue Han lifted the hem of his robe and knelt down.

A pair of feet stopped before him, and a cold voice came from above. "You are truly something, learning to keep things from me!"

"Father, please calm your anger."

"Calm my anger?" Xue Quan grew even angrier and kicked Xue Han in the chest. "What did you tell me? That you had no interest in that girl! And then? You directly went before His Majesty to declare your feelings!"

Xue Han's body swayed, but he remained kneeling upright.

"Do you think your wings have hardened?" Xue Quan sneered. "How did you become the Imperial City Commissioner? You must know that without me, you are nothing!"

"This child has always remembered."

"If you remember, why have you learned to feign compliance while acting contrary?"

Xue Han remained silent.

"Speak!" Xue Quan shouted.

Xue Han slowly raised his eyes. "Does Father wish to hear this child's true thoughts?"

"Naturally."

"This child believes the matter of the wooden doll is suspicious. Sixth Miss Qiu may have had no choice but to act as she did."

Xue Quan's face changed dramatically. "You wretch, do you know what you are saying?"

If Sixth Miss Qiu had no choice but to act, then who was responsible for the wooden doll?

When it comes to the Emperor's dignity, any speculation has to stay buried.

"I'm just telling you what I think, Father. I won't say a word to anyone else."

Xue Quan's anger eased slightly, clearly pleased by these words.

"Even so, what does it have to do with you?"

"I—" Xue Han fell silent for a long moment before uttering each word deliberately, "I feel guilty about Sixth Miss Qiu."

Xue Quan was startled. "What do you mean?"

"On the Lantern Festival ten years ago, the day I met you, Father, I came across a little girl..." Xue Han spoke softly, as if transported back a decade.

The Lantern Festival streets were bustling and full of life. He huddled in a corner, silently watching a father and his daughter.

The father was still young. He bought some sweets from a street vendor, set the little girl down from his shoulders, and handed her the treats to make her happy.

He thought of the time when his own parents were still alive, when he too had been cherished like that. He couldn't tear his eyes away. Perhaps because of this, the little girl noticed him. Letting go of her father's hand, she ran over and held out the sweets to him.

"Here, have some red bean cake, big brother."

The little girl stuffed the red bean cake into his hand, gave him a sweet smile, and then turned to run back. But she was separated from her father by the crowd.

He watched helplessly as a man snatched her up and ran. He dropped the cake and took off after them, but the crowd was too thick and the noise too chaotic.

He ran desperately, desperately, until he collided with someone.

That person was his adoptive father, Xue Quan.

He struggled and resisted, desperate to chase after the little girl who had fallen into the hands of human traffickers. But Xue Quan's men held him firmly and took him to a civilian residence.

Xue Quan said, "This is my residence outside the palace. Study hard, practice martial arts diligently, and you'll have a bright future ahead."

From then on, he had a new life, perhaps far more splendid and promising than that of a street urchin.

But he knew that the little girl also had a new life, one destined to be mired in the mud.

From that day on, he never ate red bean cake again.