Chapter 291 Miracle Drug

Chapter 291: Miraculous Medicine

Xue Han was not alone; Xue Quan came out with him.

Xue Quan spotted the young girl waiting outside and twisted his lips in anger.

So that's why this brat hurried out after a few whispered words from his subordinate—he had a date with Qiu Heng.

Coming to the government office gate to wait for a man—what a shameless wretched girl.

"Are you looking for Xue Han, County Princess Suiyun?" Xue Quan spoke first, neither warmly nor coldly.

Qiu Heng gave Xue Quan a long, hard look.

Judging by Xue Quan's demeanor, Emperor Jingping was indeed fine.

Xue Quan frowned under Qiu Heng's gaze.

What mischief was this girl plotting again?

"There's a noodle shop with great food. I'd like to take Xue Han there to try it."

"Noodles?" Xue Quan curled his lip. "Xue Han has been busy lately."

"Not busy."

Xue Quan turned his head to look at Xue Han.

Xue Han cleared his throat lightly. "I haven't been very busy these past two days."

Xue Quan felt anger surge in his chest.

This shameless fool, blinded by lust!

"Eunuch Xue, if you're not busy, would you like to join us?"

Xue Quan turned to look at Qiu Heng in utter disbelief.

Had he heard correctly?

"Eunuch Xue?"

"No need. Go ahead and eat." Xue Quan forced out the words through gritted teeth and stormed off.

How could there be a woman like this? Not only did she approach him without a matchmaker or any formal arrangement to invite his son to dinner, but she also included him?

He heard a sigh behind him: "What a pity."

Xue Quan paused mid-step, then quickened his pace with a dark expression.

Xue Han walked beside Qiu Heng and said helplessly, "My foster father seems pretty angry at you."

"I genuinely intended to invite Eunuch Xue." Qiu Heng's eyes were still fixed on his hurriedly departing figure.

Her many questions mostly revolved around Xue Quan, but unfortunately she rarely had a chance to talk to him.

The corner of Xue Han's mouth twitched.

He had always worried that A Heng would be at a disadvantage when dealing with his foster father, but now it seemed he had worried too much.

In the noodle shop, Qiu Heng ordered a bowl of fish ball noodles and ate slowly.

"Is it good?"

Xue Han had already finished his bowl and wiped the corner of his mouth. "Delicious. This noodle shop is in a remote location and newly opened. It was not easy for Fang Zhou to find it."

Qiu Heng smiled. "Before going to Western Jiang, Fang Zhou said she wanted to learn to make new pastries and would make them for me when I returned. From then on, she developed a hobby of scouring every street and alley for tasty treats."

Fang Zhou aspired to be the best pastry chef and also wanted to take on an apprentice with good character and skill. When she grew old, she would let the apprentice take over and make pastries for her.

"What pastry do you like best, A Heng?"

Qiu Heng thought for a moment and said, "The one I like best is still red bean cake."

Red bean cake had changed her fate and also changed Xue Han's fate. To her, it was no longer an ordinary pastry.

Leaving the noodle shop, Qiu Heng dodged some children chasing each other, and asked in a seemingly casual tone, "How is His Majesty's health?"

Xue Han's heart stirred, and a thoughtful look entered his eyes as he looked at Qiu Heng.

This was the second time A Heng had asked about His Majesty's health.

He had actually long sensed that A Heng had something on her mind. Could this matter be related to His Majesty?

Thinking these things, Xue Han's expression remained unchanged. "His Majesty's health should be much better by now."

Qiu Heng paused in her step, unable to hide the surprise in her eyes.

"During His Majesty's recovery, I haven't seen him much, but my foster father has been worried sick about His Majesty's health. Yet he was in a good mood today, so I suppose His Majesty has recovered."

Qiu Heng pursed her lips tightly.

Not only did he not die, but he actually recovered?

Even though she had been trying to mentally prepare herself since yesterday, Qiu Heng still felt a momentary impulse to kill the emperor.

A hand landed on her shoulder.

"A Heng, if you have anything on your mind, you can tell me. We'll face it together."

Qiu Heng looked up and met Xue Han's gaze.

Those eyes were clear and honest, full of sincerity.

Qiu Heng's heart felt bitter.

At this point, with Xue Quan getting involved, it was impossible for her to bypass Xue Han, who was Xue Quan's foster son.

She could pretend to know nothing and wait for Xue Quan to send Emperor Jingping to his grave, but she was unwilling to use Xue Han to harm Xue Quan.

"Xue Han, do you remember during the autumn hunt when I dreamed that something happened to the Crown Prince?"

"Of course I remember." Xue Han's expression changed slightly. "Did you have another dream like that, A Heng?"

"Mn, this time I dreamed about His Majesty." Qiu Heng paused before continuing, "I dreamed that His Majesty passed away at this time, Eunuch Xue also died, and you—"

"Did I die too?" Xue Han asked calmly, but his heart ached.

With A Heng here, he didn't want to die at all.

"You killed Prince Fu, and then you were shot to death by a hail of arrows."

She had only two choices: either to deceive Xue Han with lies in order to push Xue Quan onto his original path, or to confess part of the truth to Xue Han and join forces.

She chose the latter.

During the autumn hunt, despite all the secrets between her and Xue Han, he was still willing to believe in her so-called dreams. Now that they had been through so much, she should trust him.

Xue Han was stunned: "Why would I kill Prince Fu?"

Qiu Heng shook her head: "I don't know. That's how it was in the dream."

"Speaking of which, when we previously sent someone to investigate Master Miaoqing's past at Lingwei Temple, the place where he lived before coming to the capital was the location of Princess Consort Fu's family's hometown..."

Xue Han didn't bring up Master Miaoqing on a whim. Recently, Taoist priests from various temples had been coming and going in the palace, and Master Miaoqing had also entered the palace yesterday. And in A Heng's dream, at this point the emperor died, her foster father died, Prince Fu died, and Xue Han also died. All these events were like scattered pearls, lacking a thread to string them into a necklace.

"It seems that Prince Fu and Master Miaoqing might have known each other long ago." Qiu Heng tugged at Xue Han's sleeve. "Xue Han, why don't you ask Eunuch Xue about why the emperor has improved?"

Going directly to ask was not a bad idea.

Simple and effective, but it depended on who was doing the asking. If just anyone asked, they would probably be killed by Xue Quan...

So, it still required Xue Han.

The next day, Xue Han found an opportunity to probe Xue Quan.

"Father has been in a very good mood these past two days."

Xue Quan, flattered by the remark, couldn't help the corners of his mouth turning up: "The emperor has been ill for a long time, and now he has greatly improved. Naturally, I am happy."

"The emperor is blessed with immense fortune; he will surely improve."

Hearing this, Xue Quan felt an itch to say more but ultimately said nothing more than "Mm."

Xue Han feigned curiosity: "I heard that Master Mingwei of Yuzhao Temple has started an alchemy furnace for the emperor. Could the emperor's improvement be related to that—"

"Bullshit!"

Xue Quan cursed, and meeting Xue Han's puzzled gaze, the frustration of hiding his success suddenly became unbearable.

"Where did you hear that?"

Xue Han looked innocent: "I happened to overhear two junior eunuchs talking."

Xue Quan sneered: "With the Honored Consort's funeral keeping us busy these days and the emperor being ill, these little brats have gotten too full of themselves."

Thinking there was nothing to hide from his adopted son, Xue Quan snorted lightly: "The emperor's improvement is indeed due to taking a miraculous pill, but it has nothing to do with Master Mingwei. I obtained the fine medicine and presented it to the emperor."

Xue Han's face changed: "Father, when it comes to the emperor's health, foreign substances cannot be taken rashly—"

"What do you mean, rashly?" Xue Quan took a porcelain bottle from his bosom. "This elixir was refined by Master Miaoqing. It is far superior to the pills that Master Mingwei refines."