Chapter 23: Apology

Just as Feng Caixing turned around, he caught sight of the incoming leather ball. His expression changed drastically, and he only had time to shout, "Watch out—!"

Amidst the cry, the ball landed on the young girl's raised foot, bouncing up and down several times due to the momentum.

Before the crowd could even recover, the girl flicked her toes with force. The ball shot back, passing precisely through the wind eye of the net.

After a moment of dead silence, a wave of cheers and gasps erupted.

To those who loved *cuju*, this scene was too exhilarating to resist cheering for.

And in the capital of Great Xia, who could not love *cuju*?

"Miss Qiu Liu, you are actually a *cuju* expert!" Feng Caixing nearly lunged onto Qiu Heng.

Compared to the refined elegance of incense burning or flower arranging, she preferred *cuju* much more.

Knowing she had become the center of attention, Qiu Heng pursed her lips and smiled. "There isn't much to do in the countryside, so I just played around with a group of companions since I was a child."

This was no lie. If one were to say that refined pursuits like burning incense or tasting tea were luxuries that ordinary people lacked the money and time to enjoy, *cuju* could be played by anyone with limbs; the only difference was one's skill level.

Qiu Heng's original skill was decent, and ten years of rigorous martial arts training had naturally improved her *cuju* techniques as well.

Furthermore, demonstrating such superb skill might allow her to meet new people and open up new possibilities.

Qiu Heng could not guarantee which people would assist in her schemes, but she would do her utmost to seize every opportunity.

For herself, and for Great Xia, she would fight for a glimmer of survival.

At that moment, several youths approached, one of whom was the dandy who had kicked the ball toward Qiu Heng.

"Are you Miss Qiu Liu?"

Qiu Heng looked over. "I am."

"My apologies for just now." The dandy smiled crookedly, devoid of any sincerity. "I didn't expect Miss Qiu Liu to know how to play *cuju*. Do you want to have a match with me?"

Qiu Heng's gaze drifted past him.

A hand rested on the dandy's shoulder. The owner of the hand met her eyes and gave a slight nod.

"Who is it!" The dandy turned around irritably, only to see a cold, indifferent face.

"Lord... Lord Xue?" He wanted to call out Xue Han's name, but the reputation of the Imperial City Bureau and the eunuch behind it were well known, even to a dandy who lived only for pleasure.

"Does Lord Xue have business with me?" The dandy shrugged, yet he could not break free from the grip.

Xue Han lowered his hand. "I just saw you deliberately kick the ball toward Miss Qiu Liu. Were you trying to vent your anger for your friend, Han Ziheng?"

The moment these words were spoken, the scene fell silent.

The crowd looked at the expressionless youth in crimson robes and thought: *Is this Imperial Envoy being a bit too direct?*

The dandy's expression shifted. "Who said it was deliberate? We were playing *cuju*; isn't it common to accidentally kick the ball away?"

"Accidentally kicking the ball is common, but that doesn't mean you didn't do it on purpose."

"You—on what grounds do you say that?"

Xue Han's tone was flat. "I saw it."

"Seeing it isn't evidence!" The dandy's fear of the Imperial City Bureau was momentarily eclipsed by anger. He pointed at Qiu Heng, flashing a practiced, frivolous smile. "Why is Lord Xue protecting Miss Qiu Liu so much? Are you trying to play the hero saving the beauty, or what—"

His words caught in his throat as his collar was seized.

Xue Han's gaze swept over the crowd before landing on the dandy's face. "As everyone knows, the killer who ran over Miss Qiu Liu's foster father was discovered by chance by the Imperial City Bureau, which led to Han Ziheng's case. By causing trouble for Miss Qiu Liu, you are slapping the face of the Imperial City Bureau and crossing me, Xue Han."

The dandy had never been so humiliated in public. He reached out to push the hand gripping his collar. "Let go! Even the Imperial City Bureau can't be unreasonable! I already said it wasn't intentional, and it has nothing to do with Han Ziheng!"

"Reasonable? It just so happens the Emperor is present. Let us go and reason before him. We shall see if His Majesty believes you were unintentional, or if he views your actions as an attempt to harm the plaintiff out of a desire to avenge Han Ziheng." The youth's tone was unhurried, but his movements were forceful as he dragged the dandy toward the imperial pavilion.

This immediately terrified the dandy's companions who had intended to support him.

Usually, when they fought or caused trouble, they didn't report it to the authorities. Was this kid going too far by involving the Emperor for such a thing?

The dandy was also terrified, crying out repeatedly, "I was wrong, I was wrong!"

Xue Han stopped and gave the dandy a shove. "Then apologize."

The dandy stumbled. Before he could steady himself, he cupped his hands in apology. "This junior spoke without thinking; please do not take offense, Lord Xue."

Xue Han raised an eyebrow. "You should apologize to Miss Qiu Liu."

The dandy paused, then turned to Qiu Heng and gave a deep bow. "It was my desire to avenge my friend. I was wrong. Please forgive me, Miss Qiu Liu."

Xue Han sneered. "If you apologize, then apologize. Why must you demand forgiveness? Such greed—"

The dandy's face contorted with indignation.

*That's just polite etiquette, how is it greed!*

But he could only swallow his pride and apologize again.

"Miss Qiu Liu, I was wrong."

The girl maintained an appearance of being well-behaved and harmless. "Then do not do that again in the future."

The dandy froze, feeling a strange complexity in his heart.

One of his companions quietly tugged at his sleeve.

Coming back to his senses, the dandy looked at Xue Han and forced a smile. "If Lord Xue has no other business, we shall take our leave."

Seeing Xue Han nod, the group lost all interest in continuing the game and only stopped once they were far away.

"That Xue fellow goes too far!"

"An adopted son of a eunuch, truly a dog relying on its master's power!"

"Most Imperial Envoys are eunuchs, but he certainly seems to enjoy the position."

"But he can actually report things to the Emperor..."

That one sentence silenced the dandies.

Xue Han remained in place. "Miss Qiu Liu, please step aside for a moment. I have something to ask."

Because he was so open and had watched the spectacle from beginning to end, the crowd did not suspect anything else. Some who had a good impression of Qiu Heng even felt a pang of anxiety for her.

"What does Lord Xue wish to ask?" Qiu Heng asked, stopping in an open space a short distance from the crowd.

"Actually, it is not a question, but rather a desire to give Miss Qiu Liu some mental preparation. Han Ziheng's case is nearing its conclusion. The Emperor... is a man who values old sentiments."

Qiu Heng lowered her head slightly and said after a long pause, "Thank you for informing me, Lord Xue."

"Also, please be more careful in the future. If you find that Han Ziheng intends to seek revenge, send word to me."

Qiu Heng fell silent for a moment, then looked into Xue Han's eyes. "Lord Xue is far too considerate. I know not how to repay you."

The youth's eyes were dark and deep, like the night in the mountains, making them impossible to read.

"Miss Qiu Liu need not feel burdened." Xue Han's tone paused, sounding somewhat more sincere. "I simply enjoy intervening in injustices... well... pitying the poor and protecting the weak."

Qiu Heng: "..."

This excuse was even less convincing than the dandy's claim of wanting to be a hero saving a beauty.

She chose to believe him.

After all, she could not peel back his heart to see his true intentions.

"Then, I shall head back."

Xue Han watched the girl walk back, where she was quickly surrounded by a group of girls. He lowered his eyes slightly and walked toward the pavilion where Emperor Jingping was located.

(End of Chapter)