Chapter 132 Us

Chapter 132: Us

After pouring out her life story, Fang Zhou had no strength left to hide her emotions. She hugged Qiu Heng and sobbed her heart out.

"How could they be so evil? Just because her young master liked my grandfather's pastries, and my grandfather refused to become their personal pastry chef, they destroyed him and destroyed my family..."

Qiu Heng let Fang Zhou cry in her arms, gently patting her back.

She still remembered the first time she saw Fang Zhou.

A little girl with messy hair knelt on the ground, her nose red from crying, her face flushed, looking like a chubby baby from a New Year picture.

She had never seen such a plump little girl—what good food did she eat to get so chubby?

Her family must have loved her dearly, so why was she kneeling alone, begging someone to buy her?

How pitiful.

Feeling sorry for her, little A Heng gave up on buying a donkey and took the chubby girl home.

Now they had both grown up, and she too had lost her parents, who'd saved up to buy her a donkey to cheer her up.

Fang Zhou's grandfather had died because of nanny Su, just because the prime minister's son liked his pastries and wanted to eat them anytime, forcing him to work for them.

Her father was killed by Han Ziheng, the son of Han Wu, the Palace Commander. There wasn't even a reason—Master Han, all dressed up and out for a joyride, was in a hurry to get back to the city and ran someone over.

Her enemy and Fang Zhou's were different people.

But really, they were the same.

"Fang Zhou, what do you plan to do?"

Fang Zhou stopped crying, her eyes fierce. "I want revenge. I want to kill nanny Su!"

Going to the authorities was useless; her grandfather had already tried that.

Qiu Heng shook her head.

"You don't agree with my revenge, miss?" Fang Zhou wiped her tears. "I won't be as reckless as I was today. I'll be very careful, and I won't get you involved..."

"I mean, killing nanny Su won't solve anything. Years ago, because the prime minister's son wanted to eat your grandfather's pastries, a nanny from the prime minister's mansion destroyed your family. In the future, over a dish or a piece of clothing, who knows how many more people will suffer."

Fang Zhou listened and nodded unconsciously.

"It's not just nanny Su—it could be nanny Zhang or nanny Li. They use the prime minister's power to treat commoners like ants. The rot is in the prime minister's house itself."

"Then... what should I do?"

"Do you remember Han Ziheng?"

"How could I forget? That playboy killed my husband!" Fang Zhou's eyes reddened again, her fists clenched tightly.

You also went to the authorities, and it was useless.

"But I didn't kill him."

Fang Zhou's pupils contracted.

The young woman, about her age, spoke so calmly, her expression indifferent, yet the words hit her like a thunderbolt.

She remembered—you didn't kill Han Ziheng; you killed Han Ziheng's father, Han Wu!

That was the secret between them, never said out loud but always understood.

"Miss, are you saying I shouldn't kill nanny Su, but... but the Chancellor?"

Just saying it made it hard for Fang Zhou to breathe.

He was the all-powerful Chancellor—how could an orphan like me kill him?

"Not you." Qiu Heng paused, saying each word slowly and deliberately. "It's us."

Just like I joined hands with Zhi Lan by the Xiangsha River to take care of Han Wu, and worked with Tao Da and the others to get rid of Yuan Chenghai.

Now, it's Chancellor Fang's turn.

Hearing Qiu Heng's words, Fang Zhou shook her head. "I can't drag you into this, miss."

Qiu Heng smiled. "You're not dragging me into this—I've been in it all along. Fang Zhou, I'm not doing this just to help you get revenge. Don't feel guilty."

Fang Zhou was quiet for a long time, then asked hesitantly, "Miss, so Yuan Chenghai—"

"I killed him too."

Fang Zhou's breath caught, and she stared at Qiu Heng in shock.

The young woman's face was both familiar and strange.

She reached out and gently touched Qiu Heng's cheek. The soft warmth of her skin made her relax without thinking.

It was you!

But how did you do it?

"Fang Zhou, I can't promise I'll succeed, but I'll give it everything I've got. We can't rush, can't act impulsively—take it slow."

Fang Zhou nodded firmly. "I understand. Can't rush, can't act impulsively—take it slow."

They looked at each other and smiled.

The next day, the weather cleared. Before leaving, Qiu Heng went to the Thousand Pines Hall to inform the old lady, but didn't see her.

"Sixth Miss, the old lady is unwell and resting."

It seemed she was truly angry.

Without any awkwardness at being turned away, Qiu Heng boarded the carriage waiting outside the second gate.

"What did the Sixth Miss say?" the old lady, who had avoided meeting her, asked Chun Cao after Qiu Heng left.

"The Sixth Miss said she won't disturb you tomorrow and asks you to rest well and take care of your health."

The old lady's heart ached. "That unfilial wretched girl!"

At the prime minister's estate, several young women sat in a garden pavilion. Their initial excitement had faded into fatigue.

The fatigue of waiting for someone who never came.

Among them, Cheng Susu was the most anxious. "Rui'er, is Qiu Liu not coming?"

This is the Prime Minister's residence, where there's no princess, county lady, or Imperial City Commissioner to protect that wretch Qiu Liu.

She was really afraid Qiu Liu wouldn't come.

"Not come? Would she dare?" Fang Rui fanned herself lazily with a round silk fan, looking calm on the surface but seething inside.

Yesterday, she sent invitations to several friends, asking them to come early, but even after lunch, Qiu Heng still hadn't shown up.

Now, instead of seeing Qiu Liu make a fool of herself, they were the ones who looked foolish for waiting around.

"Miss, Sixth Miss Qiu has arrived," a maid came up and reported to Fang Rui.

"Where is she?"

"She's been taken to Nanny Su's place."

Nanny Su, her face still bearing wounds, had stopped her duties to wait specifically for Qiu Heng.

"Sixth Miss Qiu, you're finally here. Any later, and the wound on my face would've festered."

Qiu Heng examined Nanny Su's face closely, her expression strange. "You haven't put any medicine on at all? Good thing it's cooler now, or your face really would rot."

To humiliate her, they were really going all out.

Nanny Su's face darkened. She wanted to say it wasn't that serious—a few scratches, if treated early, would've healed by the time this girl came twice, and then she wouldn't have been able to explain to her masters.

And now this girl was cursing her face to rot!

"Then I'll start putting on the medicine."

Nanny Su watched coldly as Qiu Heng moved calmly and gently, completely baffled.

Did this Sixth Miss Qiu have no pride as a noble lady?

"Ouch, that hurts!" Nanny Su waved her hand, slapping Qiu Heng's hand away and knocking the medicine bottle to the floor.

Knowing Nanny Su was deliberately making a scene, Qiu Heng bent down to pick up the rolling porcelain bottle, smiling brightly. "It's not broken. The ointment's still good."

Nanny Su's punch landed on cotton, and she suddenly didn't know what to do.

She even hesitated to let Qiu Heng keep applying the medicine—what if this girl pressed hard on her wound? She'd be the one in pain!

"Sixth Miss Qiu really knows when to bend and when to stand tall."

Qiu Heng turned around to face Fang Rui and the others standing in the doorway.

"Miss Fang, have you come to supervise me applying medicine?"

"Sixth Miss Qiu, you're overthinking it. I'm not that bored. You're, after all, a noble lady from the Earl's residence, visiting my Prime Minister's home. I had to at least come say hi."

"Oh." Qiu Heng nodded, then smiled at Nanny Su. "Nanny Su, come closer. I'll continue applying the medicine."

Nanny Su instinctively took a step back.