Shocking Mountain Moon

Chapter 74 Xue Han's Suspicion

The girl's wet long hair fell on her shoulders and arms, brushed across the boy's cheek, and rubbed his chin.

At that moment, Xue Han's mind went blank and his hands were stiff and he didn't know what to do.

The only thing that didn't listen was his heart. It was like thunder and drumbeats, ringing uncontrollably in his ears and in the ears of the girl in his arms.

Xue Han pushed Qiu Heng away in panic and turned his back.

Qiu Heng took a step back and looked at the young man's thin back.

Looking only at his back, he looked like a thin bamboo that could be easily broken, with none of the majesty of an imperial envoy.

Is he... shy?

The intimate contact just now flashed through Qiu Heng's mind. She was confused for a moment and bit her lip to calm down little by little.

"Lord Xue--" She spoke first, breaking the panicking atmosphere.

The boy froze and slowly turned around.

Perhaps it was because of the darkness of night that his eyes turned dark and therefore appeared calm.

The kind of calmness with turbulent undercurrents and no ripples on the surface.

"Sorry--" As soon as Xue Han opened his mouth, he realized that his emotions were not so easy to hide.

Qiu Heng instinctively felt that it would be dangerous to continue like this.

She didn't know what the danger was. Neither in the fifteen years when she grew up in the countryside nor in the ten years when she witnessed countless tragedies, she had never been in such a strange atmosphere.

But she knew that if she let things go, things would happen that were beyond her control. And for her, who was shouldering a heavy responsibility, being out of control was the biggest danger.

"Master Xue——"

"Miss Qiu Liu——"

The two of them spoke at the same time and stopped at the same time.

"Master Xue, please speak."

"It's very late. I'll take you back."

"Thank you." Qiu Heng breathed a sigh of relief and raised her hand to tidy up her scattered black hair.

Xue Han immediately looked away, his face turning red.

He shouldn't think about it, that's not what a gentleman does. Although he is not a gentleman, he still has the moral integrity. But for her, at this moment, he can't control his strange heart.

As soon as he saw her long hair, he couldn't help but think of her in his arms.

Her hair was wet and cold, and her clothes were chilled by the autumn wind, but despite the cold, he could still feel a warmth that did not belong to him.

That was from another younger body that was completely different from his.

Although he was ashamed to admit it, he already knew what he really wanted to do: not to push her away, but to hug her tightly.

This discovery made him unable to face her calmly, and he even wanted to run away.

He is such a frivolous person.

The moon was full, and the two walked down the street in silence.

The prosperous capital city is usually very lively at this time, but tonight it is deserted. Occasionally, passers-by would catch a glimpse of Qiu Heng with her long hair from afar, but before they could get closer to see her clearly, they would either cover their mouths or scream and then cover their mouths and run away.

Passing by the tall banyan tree, Qiu Heng stopped and said, "Master Xue, please send me here."

"Miss Qiuliu, take care."

Qiu Heng nodded, thinking of something: "Don't forget to have someone come here to get some snacks tomorrow."

"it is good."

Qiu Heng said nothing else and turned to walk towards the Yongqing Marquis' Mansion hidden in the night.

Xue Han stood quietly under the banyan tree for a long time before turning around and leaving.

After returning to his residence, Xue Han lay on the bed, unable to sleep.

The night was very long, so long that he thought too much before dawn.

Hu Si saw Xue Han with blue eyes and was surprised: "My Lord, where have you been?"

These big dark circles are so scary!
"Nothing." Although Xue Han hadn't slept all night, he was in good spirits. He just told Hu Si, "Go to Yongqing Marquis's Mansion around noon. Miss Qiu Liu said she would send some snacks for us. Wait under the banyan tree."

Hu Si's eyes lit up immediately: "Snacks? What snacks?" Xue Han ignored him and strode out.

He went to Yuan's house.

In the past two days, officials from various offices in Yuan's house have been coming in and out. Xue Han, as the imperial envoy, has been here before, so his arrival this time was not surprising.

He went to Hui Niang first.

Hui Niang looked a little nervous, twisting her handkerchief in her hands and saying nothing.

"Don't be nervous." Xue Han said gently, "Someone has already asked what should be asked, so I won't ask anymore. Are the pills, ointments, powder and perfume pills that Madam Hui usually takes still there?"

Hui Niang was stunned for a moment, then quickly said, "Yes."

"Then bring me some to take away."

Hui Niang hesitated for a moment and said, "These things have been taken away by messengers before."

The coroner determined that Yuan Chenghai died of poisoning, so the things in Yuan’s house naturally had to be inspected.

"We are from different government offices." Xue Han explained calmly.

Hui Niang suppressed her dissatisfaction, collected all the odds and ends, and gave them to Xue Han.

Li Niang was not as patient as Hui Niang and started to cry: "One after another, will it ever end? If you have the ability, please find the person who harmed our master quickly. You only know how to torment women. Master, if you were still here, how could I endure this kind of humiliation——"

Hu Si grabbed Li Niang's wrist without any hesitation: "You are right. If your master were still here, there wouldn't be so many people coming. But your master is gone, and you are still under suspicion. If you don't know what's good for you, I don't mind taking you to the Imperial City Office."

Li Niang stopped crying and dared not make a fuss anymore.

After packing up his things, Xue Han went to Nie Si Niang.

Hearing his request, Nie Si Niang couldn't help but look at Nie San Niang.

Xue Han also looked over there.

"I'll give it to you, my Lord."

Nie Sanniang was sorting out the things Xue Han needed for Nie Si Niang. When her fingertips brushed over the box of incense pills, she couldn't help but pause.

This is the incense pill sent by Miss Qiu Liu.

There was a secret message asking her to use the fragrant pills in the pink purse first. Once the thief Yuan died, she was sure that the problem was with the fragrant pills.

But she still had many questions.

If the incense pills were poisonous, why were she and her sister safe and sound despite being surrounded by the fragrant mist all day long?
How did Brother Que exchange Miss Qiuliu's incense pills?

Could it be that Miss Qiu Liu knows the Que brothers?

Now, she faced an even bigger problem: This imperial envoy came specifically to collect items used by the women in Yuan's house, could it be that he had found something? Would giving the incense pill to him expose the Que brothers?

The difficult decision made Nie Sanniang feel as if a huge rock was pressing on her heart, and her palms were full of cold sweat.

The woman's white fingers passed over the box containing the incense pills and returned.

As if she had not struggled violently, Nie Sanniang calmly opened the box, took out some incense pills and wrapped them up.

Brother Que said to follow the plan and not act on one's own initiative. She should trust Brother Que, because Brother Que had secretly killed Yuan Zegou!

"Sir, everything is here." Nie Sanniang presented the things she had sorted out.

Xue Han reached out and took it: "Thank you."

After Xue Han and his men left, Nie Sanniang's legs went limp and she fell into a chair.

"Sister, what's wrong?" asked Nie Si Niang, who had no idea what the incense pills meant and had no idea of the existence of magpies.

Nie Sanniang looked pale and shook her head: "It's okay."

It's okay, Brother Magpie will be fine.

On the way, Hu Si was also puzzled: "Sir, these have been checked, what are you still doing here?"

"Nothing, just remember to get some snacks."

"I'll go right away." Hu Si left happily.

Xue Han lowered his eyes and looked at the things he got from Yuan's house with mixed feelings.

He was going to confirm a guess.

(End of this chapter)