Chapter 17: Finding Someone

The sound of "A-Heng" left Qiu Heng momentarily dazed.

Her relationship with Brother Bai was not as simple as just knowing each other in their youth.

She was a country girl who learned to read, and it was Brother Bai who had been her mentor. She had fallen in love with reading, and those books were also lent to her by Brother Bai.

From their first meeting in the mountains at age eleven to this reunion in the capital, four years seemed short, yet it was a crucial period in her life.

This life also included the rich and heavy ten years she had experienced in the Great Xia of the future.

After losing her adoptive parents, Brother Bai was one of the most important people to her; the other was Fangzhou.

As for the members of the Qiu family, whether they treated her well or poorly, they had left little mark on her heart for the time being.

But now, Brother Bai was no longer the Brother Bai from the mountain temple who taught her to read; he was Ling Yun, the Heir to Prince Kang. And she was neither the carefree country girl A-Heng, nor the "Sixth Miss Qiu" in the eyes of the capital's elite.

She was a blade, an arrow, determined to do everything in her power to eliminate the demons plaguing Great Xia. Since she had accepted a commission, she would fulfill her duty—it was also her own willing choice.

As for what the outcome would be for doing this in the current Great Xia, she had known it all along. Once, she had worried about implicating her adoptive parents or causing them grief, but those concerns were gone now.

"Heir Ling," Qiu Heng curtsied.

Ling Yun’s eyes darkened. "A-Heng, are you blaming me for hiding my identity all this time?"

"No. Heir Ling is a member of the imperial clan; it is only right not to reveal your identity while traveling." Qiu Heng still felt a sense of closeness toward Ling Yun, so she asked her question directly: "With such a prestigious family background, why did you go to recuperate in a place so far from the capital?"

Ling Yun offered a helpless smile. "My health was poor from birth. It gradually improved as I grew, but at fifteen, I was struck by chronic headaches. Perhaps it was the climate; staying in the south eased the pain, so I eventually chose Suiyun County, where I felt comfortable, to recuperate."

"Now that you have returned to the capital, Heir Ling, does that mean your headaches have healed?"

"Yes. The headaches came without warning, and they vanished just as suddenly."

"That is good to hear. Congratulations, Heir Ling." Qiu Heng was genuinely happy for him.

Ling Yun wanted to say that he was still used to the young girl calling him "Brother Bai," but he understood that given their current statuses, that was unrealistic. He remained silent for a moment before saying, "A-Heng... you have changed a lot."

"When a family suffers a tragedy, people change."

Ling Yun’s eyes filled with self-reproach. "I am sorry. If I had returned to the capital sooner—"

Qiu Heng shook her head. "Even if you had been here, Heir Ling, the tragedy would still have occurred. I am very happy to see you again, but in the future, please do not call me A-Heng. Call me Sixth Miss Qiu."

Ling Yun was silent for a long time before saying, "When there are outsiders present, I will remember."

"Then I shall head over to the County Princess." Qiu Heng curtsied and walked forward.

Ling Yun called out to her, saying earnestly, "A-Heng, if you ever encounter difficulties and need help, you must tell me."

Hearing this, Qiu Heng suddenly thought of someone else.

Not long ago, she had heard the exact same words from Xue Han, the Imperial City Envoy.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Qiu Heng said, "There is actually one thing I would like to ask for your help with, Heir Ling."

A smile appeared in Ling Yun’s eyes. "Tell me."

"If it is convenient for you, could you help me inquire if there is a Daoist in the capital with the Daoist name 'Changqing'?"

When she first met her Master, he had already been the Imperial Preceptor for a long time. At this point in time, he should have already begun to make a name for himself. Since Heir Ling lived in a temple in Suiyun County and was a follower of Daoism, perhaps he had heard of her Master’s name.

"I wonder how old this Daoist is, and what he looks like?"

Qiu Heng thought for a moment, unsure. "He might be seventy years old, of medium build, and very thin."

When she fell into the deep pool and surfaced from Que Lake, she was nearly killed by the Imperial Guards. It was her Master who saw through her origins and introduced her to the Emperor, allowing her to reside in the palace from then on.

She had asked her Master his age, and he said he was a hundred. So, he should be around seventy now.

This was why she speculated that her Master would not be unknown at this time. They say that one should make a name for oneself early; surely a seventy-year-old Master wouldn't still be obscure.

In fact, at seventy, it was already quite late for him to be the Imperial Preceptor.

"At that age, and with a known Daoist name, it shouldn't be difficult to find him."

"The Daoist name might be different."

Her Master had experienced the fall of the city and the flight to the south, with most of the territory lost; it was possible he had changed his name.

"That is no matter. There are not many Daoists of that age. I will inquire based on his age first, and then we can confirm."

"Thank you, Heir Ling."

"When did you meet this Daoist, A-Heng?" Ling Yun hesitated for a moment before asking.

He was not a particularly curious person, but he felt that A-Heng had become distant toward him, and he couldn't help but use this question to judge whether his intuition was correct.

Qiu Heng curled her lips. "I knew him before I met you, Heir Ling. At that time, the Daoist was traveling through Suiyun County and taught me how to make incense sachets."

"Is it the butterfly one you are wearing?" Ling Yun’s eyes fell with delight upon the ornament hanging from the girl’s waist.

This joy stemmed from the discovery that A-Heng still felt close to him.

"Yes, this is the incense sachet." Qiu Heng took off the butterfly incense plaque and handed it to Ling Yun to look at.

"Great art looks simple; it is elegant and popular. These incense sachets will surely become the rage in the capital soon."

And A-Heng’s reputation would spread along with them.

Ling Yun watched Qiu Heng walk away, his mood becoming complex.

The maid led Qiu Heng back to the banquet area, quietly observing the calm young girl.

When the Heir and Sixth Miss Qiu were talking earlier, she had stepped aside, but she had heard that "A-Heng" clearly at the beginning.

She hadn't expected the Heir and Sixth Miss Qiu to be old acquaintances.

Of course, she wouldn't go gossiping to the Princess Consort; talkative servants might gain a moment's favor, but they rarely ended well.

"Sixth Miss Qiu is back."

Someone shouted in the lively atmosphere, and Qiu Heng was soon surrounded.

On the way back after the banquet, looking at Qiu Heng’s unruffled expression, Qiu Fu said sourly, "Sixth Sister is quite the star today. If one didn't know better, they would think you were the one celebrating your birthday."

Qiu Xuan’s mouth twitched.

It wasn't like that when they were at the Prince’s mansion, where she kept saying "my sixth sister" every other word.

Qiu Heng didn't care about Qiu Fu’s sour remarks; she took a red bean cake out of her pouch and began to eat.

She hadn't eaten much at the birthday banquet, and she was still hungry.

"Is that a red bean cake Sixth Sister is eating?" Qiu Ying thought of the flatbread and subconsciously swallowed, asking a question she already knew the answer to.

Qiu Heng nodded. "Yes, Fangzhou made it."

"Fangzhou made it... heh heh, it must be delicious..."

Qiu Heng nodded again. "It is indeed very delicious."

There were only two pieces in her pouch, not enough to share, so she had to eat them herself.

Qiu Ying waited in vain for a polite offer from Qiu Heng and eventually looked away with difficulty.

The sweet scent of the red bean cake kept drifting toward them.

Qiu Fu’s face turned faintly dark: The dead girl must be doing this on purpose!

In the following days, invitations flew into the Yongqing Earl’s mansion like snowflakes, all inviting Qiu Heng to be a guest.

And among them, Qiu Heng discovered one that was different.