Chapter 18: Why is he like this?

The post only listed the time and location; the signature was not a name, but a jackdaw.

Qiu Heng knew where the post came from—Lord Xue Han.

With the permission of the Earl of Yongqing, Qiu Heng now only needed to ask for instructions before going out, but she still chose to climb over the wall.

She had used the Earl of Yongqing to resolve the issue of being confined to Lengxiang Residence so that she could enter and exit those official households, preparing for her future actions. However, going out openly on a regular basis was still too much trouble; maids, servant women, and coachmen could not be spared, making it far less convenient than simply climbing over a wall.

The meeting place was a teahouse. When Qiu Heng arrived, Xue Han was already waiting there.

He was also alone, without any attendants.

"Lord Xue," Qiu Heng removed her veiled hat and greeted him politely.

"Please sit, Miss Qiu Liu," the young man's voice was clear and bright in the elegant room filled with curling tea fragrance, showing none of the imposing aura of the Imperial City Envoy that made the officials wary.

Qiu Heng sat down as instructed, her tone nervous yet expectant: "Lord Xue, is there news regarding the killer?"

Xue Han looked at the anxious young girl and waited a moment before speaking: "The person's identity has been discovered."

"Who is he?"

"The person comes from a noble background. Miss Qiu Liu, please consider carefully—do you truly wish to know?"

Hearing this, Qiu Heng fell silent.

To an outsider, her silence might look like hesitation, but in reality, she was astonished.

In her estimation, once Han Wu's leverage was seized by Xue Quan, no matter how it was used, she would inevitably learn the identity of the true culprit. After all, she was the victim, the "blade" used to kill with borrowed strength.

Yet, Xue Han had given her the choice.

Could it be that the notorious Imperial City Envoy, Lord Xue, was actually a kind-hearted gentleman who pitied the poor and protected the weak?

"I want to know. Please tell me, Lord Xue."

"Han Ziheng, the son of the Commander of the Palace Guards, Han Wu."

Upon hearing this, the girl's eyelashes trembled, and her eyes flashed with realization and fury: "I have seen this person. That day, when I went out with my grandmother..."

"What are your plans, Miss Qiu Liu?"

"I am going to report this to the authorities," the girl said, word by word.

A look of genuine surprise surfaced on the cold-tempered youth's face, lending a touch of liveliness to his indifferent features: "Report to the authorities? Miss Qiu Liu, you are currently a noble lady of an Earl's estate. Coming forward to file a complaint might invite much criticism."

"I do not care about that. I only want to seek justice for my foster father." Qiu Heng stood up and gave Xue Han a deep bow. "Thank you, Lord Xue, for uncovering the truth for me. If there is an opportunity in the future, I shall repay your great kindness."

She turned and took one step, then two—

A voice came from behind: "Miss Qiu Liu, please stay."

Qiu Heng turned around and quietly watched the youth who had called her back.

This Lord Xue was truly young—so young that it made her judgment lose its footing.

And soon, Qiu Heng realized she had misjudged again.

"If Miss Qiu Liu insists on reporting this to the authorities, I will go and speak to your grandfather."

Qiu Heng looked bewildered: "Grandfather will not agree."

"He will agree. Miss Qiu Liu, please wait a little longer."

Soon, the Earl of Yongqing met with Xue Han.

"The foster father of my sixth granddaughter was killed in a collision by the son of Commander Han?" After hearing Xue Han's words, the Earl's head buzzed as if it had been trampled by a giant elephant.

Enduring the headache, he took a deep breath: "How could Lord Xue—"

Xue Han smiled: "When I previously took the liberty of visiting your esteemed residence, I saw that your granddaughter was quiet and composed, with hands as soft as tender plants, unlike a girl from a farming family. I was still uneasy, so I sent men to investigate the south. To my surprise, this investigation yielded unexpected results."

The Earl's heart tightened.

The Imperial City Bureau—no, Xue Han's foster father, the eunuch Xue Quan—intended to use this matter to make a point?

"Now that you are aware, My Lord, will you stand up for your granddaughter?"

"For example—" the Earl asked tentatively.

"For example, reporting it to the authorities so the criminal can be punished by the law."

The Earl's expression changed drastically: "That won't do, that won't do. She is just a young girl; how can she be embroiled in a legal dispute?"

"My father believes that the reputation of loyalty and filial piety far outweighs all else."

As expected, Eunuch Xue was using this as an excuse!

The Earl broke into a cold sweat: "Lord Xue, that Commander Han is truly not someone the House of Yongqing can afford to offend."

Xue Han sneered: "Does My Lord fear offending the Han family, who killed his granddaughter's foster father, but does not fear offending the Imperial City Bureau, who is willing to seek justice for her?"

The Earl felt like crying.

He didn't dare offend either of them. When gods fight, it is the mortals who suffer!

Xue Han changed his tone: "Perhaps My Lord is unaware, but Miss Qiu Liu is acting out of pure filial piety to seek justice for her foster father."

The Earl froze.

This meant letting the sixth granddaughter step forward herself. At that time, they could claim she was just an uneducated girl raised in the countryside who acted on her own impulse... While such an excuse would still greatly offend the Han family, it was at least better than him stepping forward personally.

But it was only "better"; offending Han Wu would make life difficult in the future.

"What do you think, My Lord?"

The youth asking the question was calm, yet the Earl couldn't help but shudder.

It was these young people, who had not yet reached adulthood but already held power, who were the most terrifying. They often thought less and acted more, daring to do anything.

Knowing he had done enough, Xue Han casually tossed out the bait: "The matter My Lord is concerned about is also of great interest to my father."

The Earl's eyes suddenly lit up.

What he had been yearning for was to pass down his title!

To that end, he had been catering to Fang Xiang for a long time. If he could use this incident to establish a connection with Xue Quan, the powerful eunuch by the Emperor's side, his hopes would be much greater.

Furthermore, Fang Xiang had a decent relationship with Eunuch Xue; pleasing both sides would not conflict.

Moved by Xue Han's words, the Earl immediately called for Qiu Heng.

"Are you saying you want me to report it to the authorities myself?"

"Heng'er, without your foster parents, there would be no you. We cannot let people gossip that you are ungrateful. The opposing party is of noble status, and for the sake of the entire Earl's estate, Grandfather cannot easily step forward. If you are afraid—"

Qiu Heng's eyes reddened: "Granddaughter is not afraid!"

What would have been "acting first and reporting later" became the Earl proactively telling her to report it. This way, she wouldn't have to endure the wrath of her elders.

In Xue Han's eyes, she was like thousands of other unmarried girls; her grandfather held absolute authority, and his actions could be seen as being extremely considerate of her.

Why... was Xue Han doing this?

"Go then," the Earl waved his hand, wanting nothing more than to cry along with her.

He was terrified; he was being driven to death by that boy Xue Han!

Soon, a shocking piece of news broke out in the capital: a young girl had actually sued Han Ziheng, the son of Commander Han, and this young girl was none other than the granddaughter recently recovered by the Earl of Yongqing.

The Earl of Yongqing rushed to the magistrate's office in a panic to take his granddaughter back, but the Imperial City Bureau stepped in to provide the information gathered from the southern investigation.

Tsk, the Imperial City Bureau truly used any means necessary to get things done, even tricking a young girl into hiding the truth from her family to sue the son of a high-ranking official with real power.

The Prefect of Jingtian looked down at the girl with swollen, tearful eyes and the profligate son who flatly denied everything, and sighed heavily in his heart.

What a headache.

"Testimony from only a few people is not enough to reach a verdict; further investigation is required..."

Qiu Heng raised her hand to wipe her tears and said loudly: "I also have physical evidence."

(End of Chapter)