Chapter 6: Encountering an Enemy

Qiu Heng was sensitive to smells; before she could even see the person clearly, she caught the scent of alcohol.

The Old Madam’s face darkened. "Third, what kind of drunken madness are you throwing early in the morning?"

Third Master Qiu turned a deaf ear to the Old Madam’s words. He stared fixedly at Qiu Heng, tears streaming down his face. "Heng'er—"

Qiu Heng glanced at the Old Madam.

The Old Madam kept a straight face. "Greet your father."

Qiu Heng lowered her head and bowed. "Father."

Third Master Qiu took a few steps forward, grabbed Qiu Heng’s arm with trembling hands, and burst into loud sobs. "Heng'er, Daddy has failed you—"

Qiu Heng tensed her body, momentarily unsure of what expression to wear.

There were three male elders who had influenced her most deeply. Her foster father was honest and taciturn, the true father in her heart; her teacher possessed a heart for the world, whom she respected and admired; Uncle Fu taught her martial arts, strict yet not lacking in kindness.

This was the first time she had seen a male elder, let alone her biological father, wailing like this in front of a junior.

The composed young girl, the disheveled, wailing middle-aged man, and the Old Madam—who had always held a sense of disdain for the granddaughter who had been brought back—all felt inexplicably embarrassed. The Old Madam barked, "Enough! Aren't you afraid of being a laughingstock in front of your daughter?"

The sobbing stopped abruptly. Third Master Qiu withdrew his hands, his eyes never leaving Qiu Heng. "Heng'er, are you eating and sleeping well? Daddy had matters to attend to yesterday and didn't go to see you..."

The Old Madam’s mouth twitched sharply. "Since you’ve seen her, go attend to your business. There will be plenty of time to talk later; I am taking Heng'er out for a while."

"Where is Mother taking Heng'er?"

The Old Madam glanced at Qiu Heng. "It is thanks to the Marchioness of Changchun that Heng'er was found. We must pay a visit to express our gratitude."

"It should be done, it should be done." Third Master Qiu nodded repeatedly, his eyes still fixed on Qiu Heng. "Heng'er, when you return from your outing with Grandmother, Daddy will come to see you again."

"Thank you for your concern, Father."

On the way to the Changchun Marquis’s Mansion, the Old Madam instructed, "When you see the Marchioness of Changchun, answer only what is asked. Do not be meddlesome, and do not remain silent."

Qiu Heng agreed, wondering if the Marchioness of Changchun was the same lady she had met when she went to see Brother Bai.

When they met, her suspicion was confirmed.

The Marchioness of Changchun looked at Qiu Heng with a gentle smile. "It is good that you are home. It was merely a small favor; the Old Madam need not take it to heart."

"To this girl, the Marchioness’s small favor is a kindness akin to a rebirth."

Until they left the Changchun Marquis’s Mansion, the Marchioness never mentioned her nephew, and Qiu Heng did not ask.

Inside the carriage, the Old Madam probed, "The Marchioness of Changchun said she met you while visiting her nephew. Do you know her nephew?"

"Who is the Marchioness of Changchun’s nephew?"

"The Marchioness of Changchun’s nephew—" The Old Madam paused. "Is Ling Yun, the Heir of Prince Kang."

The Heir of Prince Kang—Qiu Heng searched through the books she had read. The only record regarding the Heir of Prince Kang was a single mention of his frail health.

Could Ling Yun, the Heir of Prince Kang, be the Brother Bai she knew?

The image of the young man surfaced in Qiu Heng’s mind.

Four years ago, she and Yunxiang had encountered two lost youths—a master and his servant—in the mountains; the master was Brother Bai. They had escorted the two back to a Taoist temple and had kept in touch ever since.

Not long ago, Brother Bai had bid farewell to her and Yunxiang, saying that once his health improved, he would return home to the capital.

Thinking of this, Qiu Heng said, "Your granddaughter has always lived in a mountain village; I do not know any princes or heirs."

The Old Madam was not surprised by this answer, secretly thinking she had overthought it.

How could a country girl possibly know the Heir of a Prince? Being found by the Marchioness of Changchun was already a stroke of immense fortune.

However, for the Yongqing Earl’s Mansion, it was a headache. A grown person like this could not be hidden away, and if she couldn't hold her own in public in the future, it would be the Qiu family’s face that was lost.

"When we get back—" The carriage lurched violently, and the Old Madam was thrown to one side.

The carriage overturned on the side of the road. When the Old Madam was helped out by Qiu Heng, she was still dazed.

The nannies and maids who had accompanied the Old Madam rushed over, while more attendants blocked those passing by on horseback.

"Is this how you ride? My carriage overturned just to avoid you!"

The brocade-clad youth at the lead sat steadily on his horse, raising his eyebrows indifferently at the remark.

The servant behind him spoke arrogantly, "You chose to dodge; it’s not like our young master hit your carriage. Are you trying to extort us by blocking our way? Do you know who our young master is?"

Sensing that the youth’s identity was extraordinary, the attendants of the Yongqing Earl’s Mansion looked toward the Old Madam.

The Old Madam, having recovered from her dizziness, looked coldly at the brocade-clad youth. "May I ask which mansion the young master is from?"

The servant lifted his chin. "Our young master is the son of Commander Han!"

Though there were many powerful figures in the capital, the most prominent ones were few. The Old Madam immediately realized, "So it is the son of Commander-in-Chief Han—"

A sudden sharp pain in her arm; the hand that had been supporting her tightened its grip.

The Old Madam glared at Qiu Heng from the corner of her eye, only to see her staring fixedly at the brocade-clad youth, tears welling up in her eyes.

The Old Madam felt a blockage in her chest: *She’s scared to tears already? Truly, she has no class!*

At this moment, Qiu Heng had only one thought: *It’s him. The one who hit Father to death.*

A surge of killing intent welled up, but with a light blink, it was suppressed, leaving only the tears.

In those ten years of seeing human lives treated like blades of grass, she had long since learned to restrain her emotions in order to survive and return home.

Since returning, she often fell into nightmares after falling asleep, dreaming of corpses covering the ground, where people were worth less than dogs. When she woke up, she could still calmly do what needed to be done.

And what was more terrifying than the nightmares was that they were not dreams; they were the reality that would occur after the Great Xia fell into the hands of foreign tribes.

Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guard, Han Wu—one of the five villains she was entrusted to eliminate. If she might be allowed a bit of selfishness, she would start with this villain.

The brocade-clad youth’s gaze fell upon the teary-eyed young girl, and he suddenly grew interested in the Old Madam’s background. "Who are you—"

The servant was secretly surprised: In the past, once they revealed the young master’s identity, people wouldn't dare to block them, and the young master would simply ride off. Today was a rarity.

By now, the Old Madam already regretted blocking them, but she had to state her family name. "I am the wife of the Earl of Yongqing. I assume Young Master Han has matters to attend to, so I won't delay you further."

"So it is the Countess." The brocade-clad youth lost interest instantly and cupped his hands perfunctorily. "Farewell."

Though the young lady was beautiful, it was a pity she was of noble birth; it wouldn't be worth the effort to bring her into his home.

The Old Madam boarded the carriage under the gaze of countless onlookers and lectured, "It was fine when you were in the countryside, but once you enter the Earl’s Mansion, you must have the bearing of a noble lady. Staring at a strange man and crying over a small matter—it invites ridicule."

Qiu Heng deftly changed the subject. "Your granddaughter was just curious why that Young Master Han is so arrogant."

The Old Madam was amused by this naive question. "Do you know that his father has controlled the Imperial Guard for twenty years and is deeply trusted by the Emperor? A word from such a close minister in front of the Emperor is like a mountain pressing down on others."

Qiu Heng wore an expression of being taught. "No wonder."

Controlling the Imperial Guard for twenty years, abusing power for personal gain, neglecting training, and crumbling at the first blow when the Qi army attacked—leading to the fall of the capital and countless Xia people plunged into misery.

In front of the hanging flower gate, Third Master Qiu was waiting expectantly. As soon as he saw the carriage, he hurried up to meet them. "Mother is back."

The Old Madam raised her eyebrows in surprise.

*The Third one isn't drinking today.*

After accompanying the Old Madam back to Qiansong Hall, Qiu Heng took her leave, and Third Master Qiu followed her. "I’ll walk Heng'er back to her room."

"Go ahead." The Old Madam suppressed the lecture she had prepared for Qiu Heng.

When father and daughter were alone, Third Master Qiu became awkward. He placed the bag he was carrying on the table. "Buy whatever you like, Heng'er. If you run out of money, just tell Daddy."

After Third Master Qiu left, Qiu Heng opened the bag; it was filled with loose silver.

Fangzhou lifted it with one hand and blurted out, "Seven jin and four liang."

Seven jin and four liang of loose silver—had he emptied his wine money?

As Qiu Heng thought this, she finally felt a bit more grounded in her new identity, which had felt as fleeting as a dream.

In Qiansong Hall, the Old Madam complained to the Earl of Yongqing, "I said the Sixth girl was hard-fated. On the way back from the Changchun Marquis’s Mansion today, the carriage overturned..."

"That young master of the Han family is famous for riding fast horses; it’s no surprise to run into him, as many have suffered at his hands."

"The Earl is quite magnanimous toward the Sixth girl."

The Earl of Yongqing sipped his tea with a smile.

Why wouldn't he be magnanimous when he had gained a granddaughter of striking beauty at the prime of her youth for nothing?

As the couple spoke, a servant reported, "Old Master, Lord Xue from the Imperial City Bureau is here to visit."

The Earl of Yongqing’s expression changed abruptly, and he hurried to the front hall.

The man in the hall was drinking tea—no, he should be called a youth.

The youth in crimson robes sat in a casual posture, as if he were in his own home. His demeanor was also casual; hearing footsteps, he cast a light glance at the Earl who had hurried in, revealing not a hint of sharpness.

The Earl of Yongqing, however, felt his heart tighten and asked about the purpose of his visit in a roundabout way.

The youth smiled, not beating around the bush. "I heard the Earl has found the granddaughter who went missing for many years, and I would like to see her."

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(End of chapter)