Chapter 8: 008 Don't Even Think About It

Murong Bo looked at the child, while Murong Wei looked at him, the wariness in her eyes growing ever more intense.

"Can you tell Father what is going on? Who is that man, that he taught you to hide it so well, and why does he still not dare to show his face?" Murong Bo’s tone remained calm, yet Murong Wei could hear the monstrous rage hidden beneath that calmness.

In ten days, Xuanyuan would come to claim his bride. This matter did not just involve the entire Murong household; it involved both Xuanyuan and the Han Kingdom.

Xuanyuan was the hegemon of this continent, while the Han Kingdom was merely a small nation bordering the East Sea. With such a disparity in power, if not handled correctly, any minor incident could become the fuse for war!

If that happened, General Murong would be a sinner of the Han Kingdom!

She did not understand the grand trends of the world, but she understood this much logic. Yet, what did this have to do with her, and what did it have to do with her child?

"It was Big Sister! It was Big Sister who harmed me." Murong Wei spoke without hesitation, the words tumbling out.

"What!" Murong Bo’s rage finally erupted.

"Ten months ago, I went north with Big Sister to escape the summer heat. The Eldest Miss hired someone to harm me, to force me. I don't know who that person is either. I was scared, Father, Si'er was scared. Si'er didn't dare to speak, and Si'er didn't know I would conceive a child. I didn't dare to get rid of the baby, so I claimed to be ill and hid here." As she spoke, Murong Wei burst into loud sobs, pitifully pulling at Murong Bo’s hand as he reached toward the child.

"Lan'er? Impossible. Lan'er has always treated you so well." Murong Bo did not believe it at all. Having been away for years, how could he know the affairs of the household?

"Father, the wet nurse knows! The old nurse who served me knows!" Murong Wei choked out, still clutching Murong Bo’s hand tightly. His hand was nearly pinching the child’s neck, yet the child, unaware of the approaching danger, slept peacefully as if no one were there.

"This matter can be investigated slowly, but this child—he cannot stay! Tell me, who is his father?" Murong Bo suddenly barked, his voice sharp. The sudden volume startled the baby, who began to wail, the sound deafening.

"Don't even think about it!" Murong Wei could no longer keep up the act. Her tear-filled eyes turned fierce, and with a sudden surge of strength, she snapped Murong Bo’s wrist with raw force.

Murong Bo stumbled back repeatedly. To a general, this bit of pain was nothing, but he lowered his hand, looking utterly shocked. He said coldly, "Si'er, where did you learn martial arts!"

The young ladies of the Murong household all learned martial arts, except for Si'er. Since childhood, she had only studied the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting; she knew the *Admonitions for Women* and the *Classic for Women*. All the education she received followed the rules of the Xuanyuan imperial court. Even every step she took and every word she spoke had been taught by the Xuanyuan matrons. Her life's mission was to be the side consort of Prince Qi without making a single mistake or providing any leverage against her.

Yet, she had actually done something like this. She actually knew martial arts, and her grip strength was no less than a man's!

"I am keeping this child, and no one is allowed to touch a single hair on his head!" Murong Wei picked up the child and slowly stepped off the bed. Even though her body was aching and sore, she gritted her teeth and stood up.

Murong Bo was completely unfamiliar with the daughter before him, feeling at a loss for a moment.

Just then, the door was kicked open. It was Murong Lan who entered. As soon as she stepped inside, she knelt heavily and crawled toward Murong Bo, crying, "Father, please calm your anger. It is this daughter's fault. It is because I failed to discipline my younger sister that she has committed this monstrous crime today. Please, Father, spare my sister and punish me instead!"

The Second Madam followed, kneeling beside Murong Bo and weeping, "Master, please calm your anger. Do not ruin your health; your health is what matters most. It is this concubine who failed to discipline the children. Master, if you want to beat or punish someone, take it out on me."

"A mere concubine, a daughter of a secondary wife—what right do you have to speak of 'discipline' to me? Murong Lan, ten months ago at the northern summer villa, you had people violate me. I have been in this detached courtyard for seven months, and no one has ever come to see me. Yet, it just so happens that at this very moment, Father goes off to war. Why is it such a coincidence? Just bring that old nurse here and ask her, and you will know." Murong Wei spoke sharply. If she did not strike first, she feared she would be met with a web of calculated traps.

"You!" The Second Madam was so angered by these words she nearly fainted, but she couldn't help but glance at her daughter. Murong Lan, however, was stunned. She had felt something was wrong earlier; she didn't even know how she had fainted, but now, she was certain: this Murong Zi was absolutely not the timid, cowardly Murong Zi of the past.

In her plan, Murong Zi would never have resisted. She wouldn't even be able to say the word "violate," let alone dare to expose the matter!

Murong Bo had remained silent, but now he looked at Murong Lan.

"Fourth Sister, why are you slandering me? At the summer villa, all the servants know that you stayed behind closed doors all day. No matter how much your sisters invited you, you wouldn't leave your room. I only stayed for three days before returning to the manor, a fact Father also knows. Why are you protecting that man and framing me? Fourth Sister, for the sake of a man, it is one thing to disregard the bond between sisters, but how can you disregard the lives of hundreds in the Murong household? Do you know that you are the future side consort of Prince Qi!" Murong Lan hit the crucial point, covering her face and weeping, though a cold glint flashed in her eyes.

"Bring Nurse Gui in!" Murong Bo commanded coldly.

A moment later, Nurse Gui was trembling as she knelt before him. Murong Wei furrowed her brows; her mind was no longer on arguing with these people, but on how to escape.

While coaxing the child, Murong Wei retreated and sat down. She had to conserve her strength; no one knew what would happen next.

Just as Murong Lan was about to speak, Murong Bo waved his hand to interrupt, asking coldly, "Who is that man?"

That was the question he cared about most. That man had to die!

"M-Master, this servant... this servant doesn't know. This servant knows nothing." The old nurse was trembling so hard she couldn't speak clearly.

"Nurse, Fourth Sister is framing me. You must make things clear today!" Murong Lan snatched the words away.

"Y-y-yes, E-Eldest Miss, this servant doesn't know, this servant knows nothing. The Fourth Miss didn't say... say anything, and this servant didn't dare to ask... nor did I dare to speak." As the old nurse spoke, she prostrated herself on the ground, not daring to look up again.

"Si'er, tell Father, who is that man? How did you meet him? Did he teach you your martial arts?" Murong Bo asked, trying to maintain his patience.

"Father, if you trust your daughter, you should ask Big Sister. I said it already: I was violated. As for who it was, only Big Sister knows in this world! Even if you kill me today, I don't know who that man is!" Murong Wei said, choking back tears. She had found the crux of the matter: the man was what Murong Bo cared about most.

"Fourth Sister, I have always treated you well. Why are you framing me like this? If I were the one who orchestrated it, why would you protect this child? Why would you give birth to him?" Murong Lan countered.

"This is a life, too. How could you expect me to bring myself to end it?" Murong Wei retorted.

"If you couldn't bring yourself to end it, then how could you bring yourself to break your father's hand!" Suddenly, Murong Bo flew into a rage, his patience seemingly exhausted.

Murong Wei stood up abruptly, finally seeing Murong Bo’s stance clearly. Silently, she took out a bomb hidden in the child’s swaddling clothes. She always liked to keep a few miniature bombs in her toolkit; they were incredibly useful.

"What! Master, your hand!" The Second Madam was shocked and rushed forward, but before she could touch Murong Bo, he waved her away. "Everyone out! Without my order, no one is allowed to leave this courtyard!"

No one dared to speak again and they retreated one by one. Murong Wei clearly saw the cold sneer on Murong Lan’s lips. She wanted nothing more than to smash the bomb in her hand against her forehead, but in the end, she held back. She had to calculate everything clearly: the blast radius, her own stamina, the child’s ability to withstand the shock, and her escape route. The east side was the only path she knew!

The door slowly closed, and the room fell into a suffocating silence. Murong Bo slowly drew his sword and pointed it at the child in Murong Wei’s arms, his voice nearly heartless. "Si'er, you are my daughter after all. Put the child down and tell me who his father is. I guarantee that no one will ever mention today's events again. In ten days, you will still go to the Prince Qi mansion in Xuanyuan as a bride, living a life without strife, free from all want."

"Don't even think about it..." Murong Wei said coldly. Holding the wailing child tightly with one hand, she suddenly raised her other hand high. The small black ball she held was something Murong Bo had never seen before!