"Wet your pants? Hehe, I don't mind, little one, come here." Bai Wushang smiled innocently.
"Lord Wushang... my child is still very young and shy, it's better if he doesn't go over there, or he'll start crying and offend you, and that would be a big mistake." Murong Wei explained again.
"Cry? Hehe, a child who doesn't cry isn't a child, I like children crying, come here." Bai Wushang was very patient. "
Lord Wushang! Actually... Lord Wushang, Prime Minister Ning is still waiting downstairs!" Murong Wei had to change the subject, Ning Ran had been left out for a long time, why hadn't he said a word?
Xiao Ye was being held tightly, he had received his mother's warning, and dared not speak.
Bai Wushang then glanced at Ning Ran, seeing that he was also smiling at him patiently and gently, but he still ignored him, lazily changed his sitting posture, looked at Xiao Ye, and said, "How old are you?"
"Ten years old!" Xiao Ye quickly answered.
"Ten years old? Ten years old and still so small?" Bai Wushang asked suspiciously.
“My mother said my father is a dwarf, it’s not my fault,” Xiao Ye quickly replied.
Bai Wushang’s lips twitched slightly. He glanced at Murong Wei out of the corner of his eye and asked, “Then what’s your name?”
“Ye Wuming, my mother calls me Xiao Ye,” Xiao Ye answered truthfully. He quite liked this Lord Wushang; he was handsome, had a good temper, and most importantly, was incredibly wealthy.
“Your father’s surname is Ye?” Bai Wushang raised an eyebrow and asked. Ning Ran, who was below, was puzzled. When did this guy, who was only interested in women, start caring about a child?
“Yes,” Xiao Ye nodded obediently.
“Where is he from?” Bai Wushang asked again.
“Xuanyuan. When I was born, my father and mother encountered bandits on their way to Han Kingdom. We fell off a cliff and were rescued, but we were separated from my father. Waaah, Xiao Ye still doesn’t know where my father is or whether he’s alive or dead.” As Xiao Ye spoke, tears welled up in his eyes. Even though he liked this guy, he still had his principles.
Suddenly, Bai Wushang soared into the air and landed right next to them.
Murong Wei instinctively leaned back. Although the elephant's back was broad and thick, there was only one saddle. Although he was sitting opposite her with Xiao Ye in between, they were actually very close. Her head was almost touching his, and she could easily feel his presence—a faint, pleasant fragrance. She didn't know what kind of fragrance it was. What was this notorious lecherous playboy up to?
She suddenly realized that this guy was a thousand times more troublesome than Ning Ran below!
"You really can cry so easily. My lady, I've brought you some candy. Don't cry, don't cry." Bai Wushang gently wiped away Xiao Ye's tears while magically producing several exquisite candies.
"Waaaaah..." Xiao Ye suddenly burst into tears, throwing herself into Bai Wushang's arms, wiping her tears and snot all over him, crying and shouting, "My lord, please help us! Prime Minister Ning is bullying us! Prime Minister Ning is bullying women and children!"
"Don't cry, don't cry!" Bai Wushang looked heartbroken, but kept pushing Xiao Ye away. This golden robe of his had only been delivered yesterday!
"Lord Wushang, please help us! Lord Wushang is a benefactor to the people and the country, he is the second parent to the people of Han Kingdom! Waaaah... Please, Lord Wushang, save us!" Xiao Ye cried uncontrollably, rubbing against him.
"Ning Ran! He's just a child!" Finally, Bai Wushang couldn't hold back any longer and shouted sharply downwards.
"I've been here all along, Lord Wushang. I just reminded you that this is a wanted criminal appointed by the King. Since you like this child so much, why don't you take him back to the capital and plead with the King?" Ning Ran had waited so long just to say this.
Clearly, Bai Wushang had been outmaneuvered by Ning Ran! Murong Wei couldn't help but secretly rejoice.
"Hehe, that's exactly what I've been waiting for!" Bai Wushang immediately clapped his hands in delight, completely unpredictable.
Murong Wei's lips twitched, hesitant to speak. Did this guy even know why Ning Ran wanted to arrest him and his child?
"Hehe, then I'll trouble you, Lord Wushang. I'll go ahead and report this to the King." Ning Ran smiled, his gentle and refined smile seemingly unchanged regardless of victory or defeat. He turned and rode away, and soon the archers in front of him withdrew.
At this moment, Murong Wei was still stiffly leaning back on the elephant's back, and Xiao Ye was still clinging to Bai Wushang. From a distance, they looked like a family of three.
Bai Wushang didn't speak, staring intently at Murong Wei's face. Murong Wei, stiffly leaning back with her eyes downcast, still held Xiao Ye tightly, not daring to look at him. She had never liked such close contact with men, except for her son.
This stalemate lasted for a long time. Suddenly, Bai Wushang leaned forward.
"Thank you for saving my life, sir!" Murong Wei blurted out, releasing her hands and bowing in front of her.
"You're welcome..." Bai Wushang smiled, his eyes narrowing. In that instant, he lifted Xiao Ye and landed back on his giant elephant's back, and the herd set off.
He crossed his legs, his arms outstretched on the armrests, looking incredibly lazy, while Xiao Ye sat beneath his arms, startled by how enormous the elephant truly was! A sudden, overwhelming feeling of looking down upon all living beings washed over him, even his mother was among them. The colossus took a step, swaying unexpectedly, and he instinctively threw himself into Bai Wushang's arms, hugging him tightly.
"You still haven't answered my question? Am I that handsome, my lord?" Bai Wushang embraced Xiao Ye generously, glancing sideways at the pale-faced Murong Wei, and asked earnestly.
"My lord... a devilish figure, an ethereal face, handsome from head to toe." Murong Wei answered readily. Why should she be embarrassed by such a shameless person?
"Haha, your son looks more like you, such a sweet mouth." Bai Wushang laughed loudly, his clear, unrestrained laughter echoing across the now empty grassland.
Murong Wei only felt that his words were strange, but she didn't care to think about it further.
"Where did you get such great power to provoke Ning Ran into mobilizing the archers?" Bai Wushang was happy, finally getting to the point.
Murong Wei shook her head helplessly, looking hesitant.
Xiao Ye once again acted as a timely help, leaning close to Bai Wushang's ear and whispering something.
Bai Wushang's expression grew increasingly grim, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions, until finally his handsome brows furrowed. He looked at Murong Wei incredulously for a few moments, muttering to himself, "Is that so..."
Xiao Ye nodded earnestly.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of this, sir! Come with me!" Bai Wushang said seriously.
"Thank you for your kindness, sir!" Xiao Ye and Murong Wei responded almost in unison, perfectly in sync. Murong Wei wondered to herself, Xiao Ye wouldn't be foolish enough to tell this guy the truth, but what exactly had he fabricated...?
The elephant herd began to run, their speed no less than that of horses, rumbling southwards, leaving a trail of golden splendor in the billowing dust—Bai Wushang's style, high-profile and extravagant!
Murong Wei had given up on escaping. With protection, she could live a life of luxury without fear of wolves or tigers—why not? She could escape once she reached the capital.
Meanwhile, Xiao Ye, who had been excited, was now drowsy and almost asleep, his mouth full of candy. His little face was nestled in Bai Wushang's warm embrace, the first time he'd been so close to a grown man, feeling his unique scent… In his hazy state, he seemed to dream of his father. Was this what his father felt like?
"Little Ye, do you want a father?" Bai Wushang gently patted him, asking softly.
"Yes… My mother is so good… skilled in both literature and martial arts… highly skilled in medicine… not easily angered… has a large fortune… and a kind heart. Her only flaw is that she's a little stingy… I really want…" Xiao Ye said, and then fell asleep.
"Is that so?" Bai Wushang smiled, his narrow eyes slightly narrowed, toying with two delicate candies in his hand...
...
Murong Wei wondered if Bai Wushang had slept well during the day. That night, they traveled all night, finally arriving at a bustling county town to rest around noon the next day.
The elephant herd stopped outside the town, and they switched to a carriage. Now, Murong Wei was finally on equal footing with this guy.
The carriage wasn't large, just enough for three people without being crowded. Bai Wushang sat in the middle, with Xiao Ye and Murong Wei on either side. Murong Wei kept gesturing to Xiao Ye, but the brat didn't even glance at her, happily chatting with Bai Wushang.
"My lord, I've heard that the Vast City stretches for thousands of miles along the coastline, with no civilians inside, only guards and maids, and rare treasures. Is the legend true?" Xiao Ye wanted to ask this question the moment he saw Bai Wushang.
"What do you think?" Bai Wushang looked at him with a smile.
"It must be false, right?" Xiao Ye feigned disappointment.
Bai Wushang laughed, offering no comment, and said, "Xiao Ye, what's your mother's name? You haven't told me yet!" As he spoke, he glanced at Murong Wei out of the corner of his eye. The little boy hadn't seen her winking and making faces, but he had.
"My humble name is Murong Wei," Murong Wei quickly replied, seizing
the opportunity to say, "Xiao Ye, come here and let Mommy hold you. You've been up all night; you need to get some sleep." "I'm not tired. Talking with Lord Wushang won't tire me out. Lord Wushang is our savior!" Xiao Ye said innocently. Since meeting Bai Wushang, all his former maturity had vanished.
"Hehe, come on over. You're your mother's precious treasure. If you get tired, I can't bear the responsibility!" Bai Wushang said, lazily leaning back on the high pillow, glancing thoughtfully at Murong Wei. "Murong Wei?"
Only then did the little boy obediently sit down beside Murong Wei, snuggling affectionately into her arms.
"The surname Murong isn't common, and it's rare even in the Han Kingdom. Do you know about the Murong General's Mansion in the capital?" Bai Wushang asked earnestly.
"Of course I've heard of it. The fourth young lady of the Murong General's Mansion, Murong Zi, was married off to the Xuanyuan Qi King's Mansion, becoming the Qi King's concubine. This was a cause for celebration throughout the entire Han Kingdom," Murong Wei said with a faint smile. Back then, Murong Lan impersonated her for the marriage alliance. She didn't personally go to the capital to witness it, but she heard from those who returned that on that day, the entire capital was deserted, red silk stretched along the entire Longkong Street, and the procession, dowry, maids, servants, and horses were countless. The King himself escorted her on foot to the southwest gate. A
marriage alliance meant long-term peace, and the entire Han Kingdom was grateful to the Murong family and to this fourth young lady.
"Your husband's surname is Ye?" Bai Wushang asked again, seemingly genuinely curious.
"Yes, my husband is also from Xuanyuan. There are quite a few people with the Ye surname in Xuanyuan," Murong Wei said. Heaven knows how many people with the Ye surname there are in Xuanyuan!
"This, I don't know. This is the first time I've heard of this surname. Why is Ye'er called Wuming (meaningless)? If he has a name, why is it Wuming (meaningless)?" Bai Wushang asked earnestly.
"He was separated from his father right after birth and has never seen him since. The child's name must be chosen by his father, so for now, we'll call him Wuming (
meaningless)." Murong Wei replied, holding Xiao Ye. "I see, how pitiful..." Bai Wushang looked at Xiao Ye with great sympathy and said, "My lord, I'll give you a name, okay?"
"Mother said that the name must be given by Father." Xiao Ye said tactfully but resolutely, implying earnestly.
Bai Wushang didn't seem to understand his true meaning. He lifted his robe, placed one hand on his thigh, leaned down, and said, "Child, let's discuss it, how about a temporary one?"
"Temporary..." Xiao Ye hesitated. He thought to himself, a temporary father wouldn't be bad.
At this moment, Murong Wei's face darkened. If this guy weren't Bai Wushang, if he weren't their savior, she would have slapped him away long ago. Did he have to get so close? Couldn't he have some self-respect? His head was almost touching her chest!
"Of course it's fine, my lord. How can you refuse, Ye'er? Hurry up and thank him!" Murong Wei had no choice but to agree.
As soon as she agreed, Bai Wushang immediately stepped back, squinting his narrow eyes at her, and laughed, "Ye... Yelang?"
Murong Wei clearly felt Xiao Ye's hand stiffen. Before she could speak, Bai Wushang denied it himself, "Yelang is arrogant, no good, no good, Ye... chamber pot?"
Murong Wei and Xiao Ye's faces turned pale.
"Haha, just kidding, just kidding. Ye... Ye..." As Bai Wushang spoke, he became really serious, looking at Xiao Ye, his handsome brows slightly furrowed.
Is it true that every man looks good when he's serious? Murong Wei suddenly had a strange feeling that the man in front of her was the father of her child, and was racking his brains to name the child.
"Since he's your treasure, let's name him Ye Bao, okay?" Bai Wushang asked. Murong Wei met his earnest gaze, her face inexplicably flushed, and she instinctively looked away. "Okay, Your Excellency decides."
"Little Ye, do you like it?" Bai Wushang then looked at Little Ye, as if this was a very important matter.
"Ye Bao..." Little Ye hesitated. " It's
temporary. Once you find your father, we'll have him give you a better name, okay?" Bai Wushang said.
Little Ye then looked up and smiled, saying, "Thank you, Your Excellency Wushang!"
"Hehe, it's nothing, it's nothing. In the future, when you mention your name, just say it was bestowed upon you by me, Your Excellency. No one in this world will dare to bully you!" Bai Wushang laughed loudly, extremely arrogant. But he had the capital to be arrogant. Not only in the Han Kingdom, but throughout the entire Divine Continent, no one didn't know his name, and no one knew how much wealth he possessed. Perhaps he could sell an entire country, perhaps he could rival the treasury of the Xuanyuan Kingdom! "
Alas, alas... "
Bai Wushang had barely finished speaking these extremely arrogant words when a sharp, piercing sound came from behind. An arrow pierced through the carriage window and struck Murong Wei's shoulder!
It was so sudden and unexpected that it was impossible to defend against!
"Mother!" Xiao Ye shouted, trying to get up, but Murong Wei pressed her down into her arms. The once arrogant Bai Wushang was now so shocked that he didn't know what to do, repeatedly shouting, "Save the Emperor! Save the Emperor! Someone come quickly, save the Emperor!" He
even... he even hid under the warm couch, leaving Xiao Ye dumbfounded.
"Assassins! Protect the master!"
"Assassins! Quickly protect the master!"
Outside the carriage, there was a commotion and chaos. Several whooshing sounds could be heard—a rain of arrows. They were quickly blocked by the shield wall, followed by a series of cracking sounds.
"Don't be afraid, master. Judging from the sound, the servants outside have held their ground," Murong Wei said earnestly, pressing her right shoulder tightly against a vein.
"Whoosh..."
Murong Wei turned her ears sharply, instantly discerning the direction. She pushed Xiao Ye aside, one hand still on her shoulder, and with the other, pulled Bai Wushang up. Still sitting on the couch, she leaned back and kicked over the heated couch. Her timing was so precise that several arrows struck the couch floor.
However, with her kick, the couch floor fell, and the rear wall of the carriage collapsed, revealing everything outside clearly.
Bai Wushang trembled and hid behind Murong Wei, while Xiao Ye picked up the arrow and stood shoulder to shoulder with Murong Wei, watching everything in front of them warily, completely losing her usual playful demeanor.
Before them…
how to describe it? A wall, a wall of black-clad, masked archers stacked upon each other, a thousand arrows aimed at them, and now, there was no more movement behind them.
“Mother, you really shouldn’t have kicked down that back wall!” Ye Bao was serious.
“Indeed!” Murong Wei was serious too.
“Mother, what do we do?” Ye Bao asked.
“Of the thirty-six stratagems, surrender is the best!” Murong Wei said, grabbing Bai Wushang from behind her back and pulling him to the front with surprising strength.
Little Ye jumped off the carriage, raising her little hands high above her head as if afraid the other side hadn’t seen her clearly, and shouted, “Don’t shoot arrows, we surrender, we surrender!”
“Murong Wei, you… I saved you for nothing!” Bai Wushang seemed to have finally come to his senses, trembling and angry, completely losing his composure, but even so, Murong Wei still thought he was handsome from the bottom of her heart.
“Lord Wushang, we, a widow and her son, never offend anyone. These people are clearly after you. You saw that although they were ready to fire, they haven't made a move yet, clearly not wanting to harm the innocent. Considering Ye Bao's young age, please offer yourself.” Murong Wei said helplessly, as if she were the one being forced.
“You! You! You shameless woman! No wonder your husband divorced you. You deserve to be a discarded wife!” Bai Wushang seemed to be so angry that his nostrils were practically flaring, his handsome face very close to hers. A discarded
wife?!
Murong Wei was stunned for a moment, then glared at Ye Bao. What exactly did this brat say to her on the elephant's back?
She didn't care about that now; she'd settle the score with him later! She shoved Bai Wushang aside, dragged him forward, and shouted, "The person you're going to kill is here! Get your master out here!"
As soon as she finished speaking, a figure in green leaped over the wall of people and descended from the sky. It was a woman wielding a sword, remarkably beautiful, especially her large, bright, and captivating eyes.
"Heh, what's your relationship with this corrupt official?" the woman asked with a cold laugh.
"Nothing, just hitched a ride with him on the road," Murong Wei quickly replied, gesturing for Ye Bao to step behind her.
"Is that so? We won't kill the innocent. Bring the corrupt official here, and you can leave," the woman said, her tone righteous. "
Did you hear that? I wasn't wrong, was I?" Murong Wei whispered in Bai Wushang's ear, pressing him forward step by step. Ye Bao followed behind them, still on guard.
"You abandoned woman! You, you, you'll regret this!" Bai Wushang gritted his teeth, stopping in his tracks, but every time he stopped, Murong Wei kicked him hard.
"Abandoned woman! I'm warning you, if you dare to..."
Bai Wushang hadn't finished speaking when Murong Wei's hand gripping his neck tightened suddenly. She said coldly, "Let me tell you the truth, I'm not married yet! I don't qualify as a 'woman'! And I haven't been abandoned!"
"You even have a son, and you're still not married? You don't need to explain, your son has told me everything!" Bai Wushang sneered.
"You're about to die, yet you still spout so much nonsense. I'll capture that woman later, so don't get in the way!" Murong Wei said softly, her tone abruptly changing.
"You..." Bai Wushang was stunned, his words drawn out, looking incredulous.
"I'm not as heartless as you think. You saved us, this is how we repay you." As she spoke, the two of them were already in front of the woman in green.
"Hehe, thank you for sparing my life, young lady. This scoundrel is yours now." Murong Wei said, taking Bai Wushang away. The woman in green stepped forward, placing one hand on Bai Wushang's shoulder and reaching for his hand with the other. Just then, Murong Wei's hand loosened, and she vanished into thin air. At the same time, Xiao Ye also disappeared. The woman in green was shocked and quickly grabbed Bai Wushang, becoming alert. Archers surrounded them. Bai Wushang roared, "You abandoned woman! You lied to me!"
The woman in green did not fire an arrow. After a long while, when Murong Wei and Ye Bao did not reappear, she breathed a sigh of relief. She dismissed all the archers and, without allowing her servants to interfere, personally tied up Bai Wushang and carried him to the carriage ahead. She did not say a word to Bai Wushang, and Bai Wushang remained silent, his head bowed. It was unclear what grudge the two held.
"Get in, behave yourself." Reaching the carriage, she snapped, forcefully shoving Bai Wushang inside before following. But as soon as she entered, darkness enveloped her. She tried to struggle, to scream, but her head was covered by a black cloth, her body tightly bound, and her mouth gagged.
Bai Wushang, lying to the side, stared in disbelief as Murong Wei stood behind the woman, firmly holding her, while Ye Bao knelt, binding her legs!
"You…you…" he stammered, speechless with shock.
"I said I'd save you. Luckily, they didn't shoot!" Murong Wei said with a smile, her eyes sparkling in the dim light of the carriage, incredibly beautiful. Bai Wushang stared, mesmerized, unable to look away.
Soon, Ye Bao had bound the woman in green from her feet to her waist, securing her firmly before Murong Wei released her.
"Help!" the woman cried out, the sound nearly piercing her eardrums.
Ye Bao hid beside Bai Wushang, sighed deeply, and exclaimed, "A woman's scream is definitely a deadly weapon!"
At the scream, all the archers outside swarmed around. Murong Wei boldly lifted the carriage curtain, pushed the woman in green out, and coldly said, "Shoot as you please!"
The archers in front were all at full draw, but no one dared to move. "You! What do you want!" the woman cried out in exasperation, unable to even stomp her foot. "Put down all the bows and arrows, and set them all on fire!" Murong Wei said. "
Don't even think about it! " the woman turned her head away, glaring at her.
"I didn't ask you!" Murong Wei said, tearing off the carriage curtain, crumpling it into a ball, and stuffing it into the woman's mouth. She kicked the woman off the carriage, jumped down herself, and then coldly said to the crowd, "I'll count to ten. If you don't do as I say, I'll cut off her ear!" With that, she pulled out a dagger hidden at her foot and accurately placed it against the woman's ear. Her sharp expression, accentuated by the half-gold mask, made her appear noble and unapproachable!
Bai Wushang stared at her straight, slender back, stunned for the second time by these ruthless words.
"Hey, you weren't really scared by my mommy, were you? She's just a bit sharp-tongued, but she has a good heart!" Ye Bao sidled up, smiling.
Bai Wushang finally recovered, exaggeratedly patting his chest, and said, "I was almost scared to death by her! How did you all just disappear into thin air, and how did you get here?"
"Hehe, it's a secret, I won't tell you. Let's go, it's stuffy in the carriage!" Ye Bao said, pulling him along with unexpected strength.
Outside, the leader of the archery team finally gave the order. These men in black were well-trained, and soon they had piled up a mountain of arrows and swiftly lit a fire.
"Release our men and bring them here!" Murong Wei said again.
"Heh, these are just cowards raised by those who are afraid of death. They're nothing but cowards, some dead, some running away. They don't care about their master's life anymore!" the leader said disdainfully.
Murong Wei finally looked at Bai Wushang, who was leaning lazily against the carriage as if it were none of her business. She shrugged helplessly and shook her head…
In the desolate wilderness, the sun was already blazing, and now the raging fire beside them made the surrounding air even more stifling. Ye Bao and Bai Wushang were both languidly lounging in the carriage, especially Lord Wushang, whose lazy posture and half-closed eyes made him appear to be asleep from a distance.
His guards had all fled, and shaking off these men in black and safely reaching the county town would not be easy.
Murong Wei was skilled in ninjutsu, but lacked martial arts skills, and she didn't have any bombs with her. She could barely manage with Ye'er, but with the defenseless Lord Wushang, it would be a different story.
At this moment, she stood under the scorching sun, her sleeves rolled up high, fanning herself while surveying the group of men in black before her. The bound woman in green lay on the ground, unable to move or speak, and could only glare at her.
Murong Wei pondered for a long time, finally giving up. Pointing at the leader, she said, "Make them take off all their clothes!"
"What?" the leader exclaimed in shock!
"Take off all their outer garments, throw them in the fire, leaving only their undergarments!" Murong Wei added.
"Are you crazy!" the leader cursed angrily.
Bai Wushang immediately opened his eyes and looked over, his face filled with horror.
"Well... my mother is rather... open-minded," Ye Bao explained awkwardly.
"Is that why your father divorced her?" Bai Wushang asked seriously.
"No, they... how should I put it... my mother has a rather strong personality, and in some things she's rather... well, anyway, my father abandoned my mother, and she's free now!" Ye Bao explained.
"Free now... you still haven't told me why she was divorced?" Bai Wushang asked again, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"Oh dear, I was too young then to remember clearly, but my mother was so pitiful. She was kind-hearted, but she didn't know how to express herself or how to please others, which is why she ended up like this." Ye Bao said, letting out a long sigh of helplessness, her innocent face clouded with sorrow.
"I see... so she's a discarded woman." Bai Wushang muttered to himself, looking outside. Under Murong Wei's repeated threats, all the men in black had stripped down to their underpants, throwing all their clothes into the fire to burn them to ashes. The woman was truly shameless, not avoiding them at all, and staring at them.
The group of adults all covered their bodies with their arms, hiding in twos and threes in the nearby bushes. In the end, no one dared to care about the life or death of the woman in green.
Murong Wei smiled coldly, picked up the woman in green, and strode towards the carriage.
Bai Wushang quickly straightened up, but she casually tossed the woman in green inside, leaped onto the carriage, turned it around, and galloped towards the county town. Her movements were swift and decisive, far beyond mere "handsome."
The woman looked at Bai Wushang, her watery eyes filled with tears, utterly sorrowful.
Bai Wushang smiled at her, got out, and said, "You abandoned woman, why did you bring her along?"
Murong Wei didn't answer him.
"Hey, where do you plan to take her?" Bai Wushang asked again.
Murong Wei still ignored him.
"Madam Murong… what will you do with her?" Bai Wushang asked patiently.
"Send her to the authorities. Assassinating you is such a serious matter; how can it not be done? Besides, taking her hostage will prevent those people from chasing after us again. They are all top-notch assassins; even if we reach the county town, the county magistrate might not be able to protect you," Murong Wei said seriously.
Bai Wushang nodded earnestly, giving a thumbs-up, and said, "You're so thoughtful. You're really beautiful when you're focused."
Murong Wei was taken aback, finally snapping out of her battle-like state. Seeing Bai Wushang's intense gaze, she felt uneasy.
"You flatter me, sir," she smiled politely.
"You saved my life, and I've been thinking about how to repay you!" Bai Wushang said, leaning lazily against the doorframe, his earlier fear long gone.
"You also saved my son and my life, sir. It was only right that I did it," Murong Wei quickly replied.
"So, if I hadn't saved you, you would have saved me this time?" Bai Wushang stroked his chin, looking at her thoughtfully.
"Of course not, sir. You were just frightened. You should go back to the carriage and rest. We'll be in the county town soon," Murong Wei advised. She really disliked talking to this cunning fellow.
"Hehe, I was feeling tired, but this fright has woken me up. Forsaken woman, why don't you keep me company for a while?" Bai Wushang said.
"My lord, my name is Murong Wei," Murong Wei corrected. She had actually been too focused on the previous conversation to hear him.
"Why did your son call you a forsaken woman, while you said you were unmarried? And how did you get this son? Didn't you say before that you were separated from your husband?" Bai Wushang asked with a smile.
Murong Wei's hand froze. After a long while, a solemn expression appeared on her face. She said, "The child is young and doesn't understand. The past is too painful to recall. Please don't ask, my lord."
"You have a story to tell... My lord, I'll give you the first line of a couplet. If you can come up with the second line, I'll pretend I didn't hear anything, how about it?" Bai Wushang raised an eyebrow and asked.
"Please, my lord," Murong Wei replied without hesitation. She was known as an encyclopedic killer; couplets, poetry, calligraphy, and painting were all classical arts that were no challenge for her.
“Listen carefully, I’ll only say it once, with sighs and sobs choking me out,” Bai Wushang said.
“Tears fall like drops of water in the Xiang River, flowing into the sea,” Murong Wei blurted out, steered her horse with great focus.
“Go and wine, one move, one sip,” Bai Wushang offered another couplet.
“Sitting by the water clock, reading the classics, five watches of the night,” Murong Wei replied easily.
“The sky is the chessboard, the stars are the pieces, who can play?” Bai Wushang asked again.
“The earth is the pipa, the road is the strings, who dares to play?” Murong Wei countered.
Bai Wushang smiled and continued, “A few proud bones, supporting heaven and earth.”
“Two hungry bellies, encompassing the past and present,” Murong Wei said calmly, then suddenly stopped her horse with a “whoosh…”!
Ye Bao, who was staring at the woman in green in the carriage, almost tumbled out.
Murong Wei stiffened, slowly turning her head. She saw Bai Wushang leaning lazily to the side, toying with a sharp arrow in his hand, his narrow eyes slightly narrowed, watching her with amusement.
This couplet was Ning Ran's masterpiece; all of his men's weapons, whether swords or arrows, bore this couplet. Given Bai Wushang's level of dislike for Ning Ran, how could he possibly use his own couplet to test her?
"You…" Murong Wei looked at the arrow in his hand, then at his nonchalant face, her heart breaking, utterly disappointed in herself.
"Hehe, my lord, I forgot to tell you, those people are after you and Ye Bao, not me. We agreed to leave this to the King, so let's not trouble the magistrate." Bai Wushang's tone was conciliatory and gentle.
Murong Wei looked at him, unsure what to say.
"Perhaps, Ning Ran is also after me... Hmm… This matter is conclusive; we must report it to the King!" Bai Wushang muttered to himself.
"Boring!" Murong Wei finally snapped out of her daze, rolled her eyes at him, turned around, and continued driving.
He had arranged all of this. She wondered how someone who amassed such rare treasures could be so ignorant of martial arts.
But, to fabricate evidence of Ning Ran's assassination attempt, a token gesture would have sufficed; was it really necessary to go through all this trouble?
"Truly skilled in both literature and martial arts, how can we abandon him?" Bai Wushang jumped off the carriage, sighing as he drove away.
Murong Wei looked on with suspicion, not understanding what he was talking about. Meanwhile, the carriage slowly entered the county town.
On a bustling street, in front of an inn, a woman wearing a half-mask walked briskly. Behind her, a toddler of about five or six years old walked quickly, his hands behind his back, slightly hunched over, looking like a little old man, but no longer strolling leisurely, but keeping up briskly.
“Mommy, so we were tricked by that man?”
“…”
“Mommy, this is the first time you’ve been fooled.”
“…”
“Mommy, I think that man is quite nice, why don’t we all follow him from now on?”
“!!!”
“Mommy, that sister is so pitiful, Ye Bao let her go.”
“Is Ye Bao a nice name?” Murong Wei finally stopped, asking unhappily. Normally, this brat would have already devised several plans to overturn the verdict and bring Bai Wushang back to justice, but now, he’d even let that woman in green go.
“It’s better than Wuming,” Ye Bao replied, suddenly becoming serious.
Seeing her son's rare serious expression, Murong Wei's heart tightened. She gripped the gold purse hidden in her sleeve, smiled, and said, "Then from now on, I'll call you Ye Bao."
"Do you really not want to find my father anymore?" Ye Bao asked, each word distinct. The unwavering determination hidden in his handsome brows made Murong Wei involuntarily step back.
She had never told him that she didn't even know who his father was. It was Murong Zi who was framed by Murong Lan back then, and now it was Murong Wei standing before her. But even Murong Zi might not know who that man was.
Perhaps he had already died at Murong Lan's hands; why bother pursuing it further?
"You said that you and Father were in love and chose to elope. Murong Lan interfered, leading to our family's destruction. Why haven't you looked for Father yet?" Ye Bao questioned loudly. He was only five years old, but hot tears welled in his eyes, stubbornly refusing to fall.
Murong Wei looked at her son, remaining silent for a long time. For some reason, she suddenly felt that Ye Bao was a stranger to her. It seemed that this son she had painstakingly protected, raised, and disciplined wasn't her biological child. What if one day, when he grew up and learned everything, he wouldn't recognize her?
"Mother, answer me!" Ye Bao cried out.
Murong Wei sighed deeply and said, "Because… he's dead."
Perhaps this was cruel to a five-year-old child, but temporary cruelty was better than a lifetime of pain. Thinking of this, she clutched the gold-threaded purse in her sleeve. She had hidden it for five years, along with the pen she had brought from her past life, never letting anyone see it.
If he wanted a father, she was willing to find one for him.
Ye Bao froze, looking at his mother with tearful eyes, unusually quiet. Just as Murong Wei was about to speak, he suddenly burst into tears.
Murong Wei panicked. This child had always been easy to care for, rarely crying like this except when hungry. She rushed forward, only to see Bai Wushang, who had been missing for some time, stride in from outside, dressed in understated white robes.
"What's wrong? Who bullied you? Didn't they announce their name?" Bai Wushang said, picking up Ye Bao and carefully wiping his tears, gently comforting him, "Don't cry, Ye Bao. Tell me who bullied you, and I'll deal with them myself!"
His words only made Ye Bao cry louder, burying his face in his arms, tears and snot streaming down his face again.
"Want to cry? Wait, I'll find a bunch of people to cry with you. What's bothering you? We'll all cry our hearts out together!" Bai Wushang said, carrying little Ye Bao outside.
Murong Wei quickly chased after him, but Bai Wushang walked faster and faster, stumbling at every step, heading towards the county government office.
She chased after them all the way to the yamen gate, only to hear a deafening wail from afar. Murong Wei entered with a pounding heart, only to find the entire yamen, including the county magistrate, weeping uncontrollably while holding their wives. Bai Wushang, holding Ye Bao, sat languidly on the high throne, casually tapping the table. Ye Bao had long since stopped crying, watching the people below with excited smiles. Beside them stood a beautiful woman in green, holding a sword; her eyes were bright and clear, and she was Bai Wushang's personal maid, Yinling.
Murong Wei stood outside the hall, gazing at the figures in the hall, somewhat lost in thought. She didn't know why, but she increasingly felt the two looked like father and son, and increasingly felt Bai Wushang doted on Ye Bao, bordering on unruly. However, she knew Ye Bao couldn't be this man's child, nor could he ever become his child!
At this moment, Ye Bao looked over, the mischievous smile on his innocent face gradually fading as he stared directly at Murong Wei. Bai Wushang also looked over, his eyes growing increasingly playful.
Finally, he grew impatient, waved his hand, and said, "Disperse, disperse, prepare the banquet."
"Yes!" The county magistrate immediately beamed with joy, bowing and leading his entourage away.
Murong Wei then went inside, saying softly, "Ye'er, come here."
Ye Bao obediently slid down from Bai Wushang's arms and walked to Murong Wei. Murong Wei sighed helplessly, took out a silk handkerchief, and knelt down to wipe his face. Mother and son were perfectly in sync, neither breaking the tranquility. Finally, Ye Bao's little hands tightly embraced Murong Wei's neck, and he whispered something in her ear. Murong Wei's previously somber eyes immediately lit up with a smile.
"Hehe, what are you saying?" Bai Wushang leaned closer, but the mother and son remained silent, completely ignoring him.
"Come on, let's go to the backyard, I'm starving, sir." Bai Wushang said, walking away dejectedly...
When Murong Wei and Ye Bao arrived at the backyard, Bai Wushang was already eating. The magistrate was nowhere to be seen. A table laden with delicacies and wine, mostly seafood, was occupied, yet he sat alone, with Yinling serving him.
"Ye Bao, come sit here." Bai Wushang patted the seat beside him, smiling. Ye Bao didn't stand on ceremony, already ravenously hungry.
Murong Wei, however, stood motionless.
"Aren't you hungry?" Bai Wushang asked, pointing to another seat.
"This humble woman wouldn't dare," Murong Wei replied. She had no regard for social hierarchy, but she found it strange. Did this man seem like such an approachable person? He hadn't even asked the county magistrate to accompany him, so why was he willing to eat at the same table with them, even though they weren't very familiar with each other?
"Are you afraid I'll poison you, sir?" Bai Wushang asked with a smile.
"Mother, this lobster is so delicious, and this huge oyster, and that fried cod fillet! We can't get this in Beicheng!" Ye Bao said shamelessly, devouring the food.
Murong Wei rolled her eyes at him, then looked at Bai Wushang, her amusement deepening in her eyes.
Bai Wushang was suspicious, scratching his face, then his ear, then his arm. Why did this woman's gaze suddenly make him so incredibly itchy?
Only Ye Bao ate without a care in the world, as if she had been tortured by her mother for a very long time. She ate lobster in one hand and oyster in the other, not even worrying about getting diarrhea from eating so much.
Yin Ling hurriedly took out a towel soaked in cold well water and applied it to Bai Wushang's neck and arms, while Murong Wei watched him intently, a mysterious glint in her eyes. Large patches of redness covered Bai Wushang's neck, arms, and below his ears, as if something dirty had crawled over them. Several areas were swollen and incredibly itchy. His long, smooth hands were pressed tightly against the table, clearly trying to endure and control himself.
However, the cold compress didn't seem to work quickly; the redness and swelling showed no signs of subsiding and even seemed to be getting worse. Yin Ling was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
"You two can eat slowly," Bai Wushang finally stood up, said calmly, and turned to leave.
"Yes," Murong Wei finally replied, and Ye Bao looked up. Bai Wushang was already far away, fleeing in a disheveled state.
"Mother, what's wrong? Aren't you going to save him?" Ye Bao asked curiously. Lord Wu Shang's appearance suggested he already had an ailment, not that the food was poisonous.
"Don't be like him. Keep eating." Murong Wei glared at him, lazily sat down, scooped a bowl of clear soup, and slowly drank it.
"Is he also allergic to seafood? Is it serious?" Ye Bao asked. He had been allergic to sea things since childhood, but only mildly; eating too much would trigger an unbearable itching all over his body.
"You could call it an allergy, but all the food on this table is his allergen. His condition is incurable." Murong Wei said calmly.
"He won't die, will he?" Little Ye looked exaggeratedly horrified.
"If it's a major outbreak, it's very possible. Why are you so close to him? He's not a good person. What did you tell him about Prime Minister Ning?" Murong Wei asked.
"I told him you're outstanding in singing and dancing, and Prime Minister Ning has taken a liking to you and wants to abduct you to the palace." Little Ye said.
"Really?" Murong Wei asked suspiciously. "
Really, really." Ye Bao nodded emphatically.
"Why don't you just say that your lively and adorable nature caught the eye of Prime Minister Ning, who wants to abduct you to the palace?" Murong Wei glared at him, finally getting up and quickly chasing after Bai Wushang.
"Sigh... Weiwei, you're such a sharp-tongued girl, but soft-hearted." Ye Bao mimicked Aunt Li's frequent sighs, continuing to bury herself in her delicious food...
Murong Wei had reached the door and gently knocked, saying, "Lord Wushang, are you alright?"
After a while, no one answered, and Murong Wei was slightly alarmed. She knocked again, saying, "Lord Wushang..."
Finally, the door opened, and Yin Ling, looking extremely anxious, held a prescription, saying, "The county government can't use this prescription. Take this to get the medicine and have your son come over quickly to help. Our people will be here later."
Murong Wei took the prescription, glanced at it briefly, and her brows furrowed. She said, "Let me go in and take a look first. This prescription is useless."
"What do you know? Go now!" Yin Ling said angrily.
"My mother is a doctor. She said this prescription is useless and should be thrown away." Ye Bao appeared out of nowhere, scratching his face. His once fair and delicate face was now swollen and red like a pig's head. His once beautiful, narrow eyes were now double-lidded, and his little hands were also covered in red and swollen patches, somewhat resembling Bai Wushang.
He tiptoed, snatched the prescription, glanced at it, and sighed helplessly, "Mother, this can't be thrown away. I'll go get the medicine; it'll be useful for me."
"You brat! I told you not to be greedy, but you didn't listen! You'll have a scar on your face; how will you ever get a wife!" Murong Wei scolded angrily, but Ye Bao had already run far away. He only had a mild seafood allergy; he didn't care about any medicine. When he was craving something, he didn't care about the physical pain.
Yin Ling stared in disbelief, while Murong Wei had already passed her and rushed inside.
Murong Wei barged in, through the outer hall, around the screen… then she abruptly stopped, turned around, covered her eyes, and shuddered, her heart, liver, spleen, and lungs trembling.
The sequence of actions was wrong!
She should have covered her eyes first, then stopped, then turned around. That guy was soaking naked in the bathtub. Although there was a curtain between them, the wind from her sudden intrusion had lifted the veil, and she froze for a moment. The alluring sight before her, even for someone as skilled in seduction as herself and not so "pure," made her mind go haywire, her heart pounding.
Although he possessed extraordinary charisma, in the land of many handsome men, Bai Wushang's appearance wasn't particularly outstanding. She hadn't expected such a body, such skin, hidden beneath those wide robes. Murong Wei couldn't find any words to describe it. In that brief glance, in that fleeting moment, she only had one impression: beautiful… more beautiful than a woman!
"Who goes there?" Bai Wushang suddenly shouted sharply, his usual playful demeanor completely gone.
"I am Murong Wei. Put your clothes on, let me take a look." Murong Wei calmed down and said calmly.
"Get out." Bai Wushang said coldly.
"If I'm not mistaken, this illness of yours didn't just appear overnight, but has been present since childhood. When it flares up, the itching is unbearable, but when it's not flaring up, you're no different from a normal person." Murong Wei said seriously. Urticaria is an extremely common skin disease in modern times, but it seems quite rare on this continent.
Inside the curtain, it was quiet, without a sound.
Murong Wei continued, "You should be soaking in hot water now while Yinling fetches the medicine. Although the medicine can relieve the itching, I advise you not to soak in water right now. Too cold or too hot will worsen the condition. To be precise, cold and heat are also allergens."
Inside the curtain, it was still quiet. Bai Wushang didn't know if he was still there, or if he was still listening.
Murong Wei frowned, her expression serious. "Is it itchier now than before? When we were attacked on the road, I noticed it when I pinched you. Excessive scratching left obvious scratch marks on your skin, a sign of an attack. The seafood was your real allergy medication, and Yinling applied a cold compress. Now you're soaking in hot soup, with all sorts of stimulation. If you don't want your skin to be ruined, get up quickly and let me see you." As soon as she finished
speaking, Murong Wei finally heard the water. A moment later, Bai Wushang spoke, "Come in."
Murong Wei breathed a sigh of relief and lifted the curtain. She saw Bai Wushang lying weakly on the warm couch, wearing only a white undergarment. His neck and face were flushed. Even in his disheveled state, his long, captivating eyes still held a hint of amusement, and a smile played on his lips as he said, "I didn't expect you to know so much." It was
as if he wasn't the one who had just harshly reprimanded her.
"I only know a little bit." Murong Wei sat down and quietly took his pulse, then examined several red and swollen areas. She was extremely puzzled. "My lord, are you no longer itchy?"
In his condition, he should be unbearably itchy, rolling on the ground scratching and clawing. How could he bear it?
"It's alright... Is there any way to help?" Bai Wushang asked, still smiling.
Yinling, who had been listening intently, quickly spoke up. "The imperial physicians of Xuanyuan have seen him before. They said it was an allergy to pollen, but not to seafood. They prescribed medicine for you to soak in whenever you have an attack, and it's been effective!"
"It's been misdiagnosed. This isn't a pollen allergy; it's called urticaria. Because you've never encountered a real allergen, there hasn't been a major outbreak. You probably haven't eaten seafood since you were a child, right? Even if you have, it's only been one or two kinds, and you only ate a little, right?" Murong Wei asked again, wondering to herself, how could this guy, the city lord of the vast coastal city, have never eaten seafood?
Bai Wushang nodded but didn't speak.
“Seafood is your real allergy medicine. You just ate those lobsters and oysters, didn’t you?” Murong Wei asked again.
Bai Wushang nodded again, his usual smile gone. Veins on his forehead gradually appeared, and he was enduring extreme pain. Yinling panicked and hugged Murong Wei, saying urgently, “Madam, do you have a way? Is there any cure for this illness? Please think of something! Master always endures it, but this time it’s so serious…”
Before she could finish speaking, her master didn’t even have time to glare at her. He suddenly rolled over, curled up with his back to Murong Wei, and hugged himself tightly with both hands. His back was already soaked with sweat.
“Although it’s a minor illness, in severe cases it can lead to difficulty breathing and suffocation. Yinling, go and get some anesthetic powder and change the water in a bucket.” Murong Wei said seriously, taking out a set of silver needles that she always carried.
“You’re really a doctor!” Yinling exclaimed in surprise. Not daring to delay, she hurried away.
Bai Wushang could no longer play the hero. He curled up on the warm couch, his hands tightly clasped together, trying to control himself.
Murong Wei secretly admired him, approached, and whispered, "Don't move, relax, it'll be fine in a bit."
However, Bai Wushang's body remained tense, his thin undershirt already soaked, the perfect curves of his back faintly visible.
Murong Wei frowned, not caring about modesty, and fortunately, she was strong enough to pull him up and quickly unbutton his shirt.
"You... what do you want to do?" Bai Wushang managed to speak, his body stiff as a stone.
"How can I use the needles if you don't take off your shirt? Relax, or I won't be able to insert the needles," Murong Wei said, having already removed his shirt. His refined physique, his well-defined chest, even flushed red, still gave the impression of snow-white skin. Murong Wei tried hard not to notice these things, straightening Bai Wushang's curled-up body and turning him over.
However, he still couldn't let go; only by remaining tense, only by holding his hands tightly together, could he prevent himself from completely collapsing from the unbearable itching.
Murong Wei found the acupoint, but she couldn't insert the silver needle into it no matter what she did. A dark look flashed in her eyes, and she suddenly raised her hand and slashed hard at his neck!
When Yinling returned, Bai Wushang was already unconscious in the warm water. All the maids and servants who had accompanied him were there, waiting outside. A maid in green, carrying a sword, was gentle and composed, personally guarding the door – it was Abao.
“You’ve finally arrived! How is it inside?” Yinling asked anxiously.
“Who is this woman?” Abao asked in a low voice.
“I don’t know, she just looks familiar. She’s wearing half a mask, so I can’t see clearly. She was rescued by Master Ning, she’s quite capable.” Yinling said, quickly pushing open the door.
Through the curtain, she could vaguely see her master lying motionless in the large wooden tub, while Murong Wei was using needles beside him. Everything seemed calm.
“Madam Murong, the anesthetic you requested.” Yinling whispered.
“Bring it in and put it aside,” Murong Wei said calmly, completely focused.
“This servant will stay here. Madam Murong, please give your orders. This servant will stand guard outside the door,” Yinling said, carefully placing the porcelain bottle on the high platform outside the curtain. Her mistress must be naked; she dared not go in.
Murong Wei didn't speak, her attention entirely focused on the silver needles on Bai Wushang's back. She had only used the needles to calm him down, but she hadn't expected to discover something new. Half of the silver needles were still stuck in the acupoints, while the other half were still in her hand. Without exception, the needle tips were all black—this was a slow-acting poison!
It seemed she had misdiagnosed him. It wasn't urticaria, but a poison similar to urticaria that had accumulated in his body over time, perhaps even since childhood. Once stimulated, it would erupt!
It was fortunate that there was seafood today; otherwise, the longer the poison accumulated, the more it would grow. Once stimulated, even modern medicine might not be able to save his life!
Who on earth could poison him so silently? This guy clearly didn't know.
Bai Wushang lay unconscious, his head tilted back. The redness and swelling around his ears and neck had subsided, but some areas on his arms remained. His face was unusually pale, his eyes tightly closed, and the beauty mark under his right eye added a touch of melancholy to his quiet face. This was the first time Murong Wei had seen him so still, and she felt a strange tightness in her chest, finding his quiet face deeply sorrowful.
"This time, I truly saved your life, repaying your life-saving grace," she said softly, taking out the anesthetic powder to examine him carefully.
If it weren't for urticaria, temporarily numbing his itching wouldn't have helped. The person who administered this slow-acting poison must be someone close to him; she couldn't be careless until he regained consciousness.
As Murong Wei pondered, Ye Bao suddenly appeared behind her, whispering, "His face and body skin are different colors!"
Murong Wei jumped in surprise, instinctively dodging and throwing a punch. Ye Bao quickly dodged, patting his chest in alarm, exclaiming, "Murdering your own son!"
Murong Wei breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing him, realizing her own nervousness.
"Mother, this prescription really works! I'm fine now!" Ye Bao smiled as he circled the bathtub, carefully examining Bai Wushang's body.
"Stop looking! Go get me some medicine!" Murong Wei urged.
"Mother, really, this guy has two skin colors!" Ye Bao said earnestly.
"Who doesn't have a different skin color for their face and body, especially ancient people who never basked in the sun!" Murong Wei said casually, quickly writing down a prescription. She wasn't quite sure what kind of poison it was, so she could only temporarily use medicine to clear it. Completely eliminating a slow-acting poison would take longer than the time it took to administer the medicine.
"Ancient people?" Ye Bao looked suspicious. What did that mean?
"Hurry up and go. This is no simple matter. I'll tell you in a bit." Murong Wei said seriously.
Ye Bao was taken aback, but didn't ask any more questions. She nodded, took the prescription, and left in a hurry.
At this moment, Bai Wushang woke up groggily. He looked down, and the pain in his neck immediately came, spreading from his neck to the back of his head. This woman was really heavy-handed!
"You woke up so quickly. Not bad." Murong Wei said with a smile.
Bai Wushang glanced at her, rubbed his temples. The itching had subsided, and apart from feeling weak and the pain in his neck, he felt nothing else.
Murong Wei walked behind him and said calmly, "It will hurt a little. Bear with it."
As soon as she finished speaking, Bai Wushang's handsome face twisted instantly. This was not a little pain, it was excruciating pain!
"What did you do to me?" Bai Wushang turned around abruptly and shouted.
"Just acupuncture." Murong Wei said calmly.
"Liar!" Bai Wushang said coldly. How could acupuncture hurt so much? However, when he saw Murong Wei's outstretched hand full of silver needles with blackened tips, he fell silent.
"An unexpected discovery. Like that imperial physician from Xuanyuan, I misdiagnosed you. You have a chronic, deadly poison in your body. The high iodine content in seafood is an irritant. You should thank the county magistrate. If it weren't for that delicious meal today, this unexpected discovery wouldn't have happened." Murong Wei said, stuffing the silver needles into his hand and walking towards the curtain, her back to him.
Soon, Bai Wushang finished dressing and coughed a few times to indicate that she was done.
Murong Wei turned around and saw him again, dressed in his glittering golden robes, sitting to the side, looking her up and down. Was this guy really as carefree, heartless, and unrestrained as he seemed?
She couldn't be bothered with that. She didn't want to get involved with anyone from the court. Once she reached the capital, she would escape.
As she poured the anesthetic powder into the water, she said, "I've had Ye Bao fetch some herbs. Figure out how to brew them yourself. Boil the first and last parts of the herbs down to one bowl of water, morning and evening. This should temporarily force out some of the poison. But as for forcing it all out, I can't do that. You'll have to find someone more skilled."
"Aren't you an abandoned woman? How do you know medicine? And so well?" Bai Wushang asked, raising an eyebrow.
Murong Wei paused, then said, "Can't an abandoned woman know medicine? My family has practiced medicine for generations. I learned from my father before I got married."
"Didn't you say you weren't married yet and didn't deserve the title of 'wife'?" Bai Wushang asked again, rubbing his chin with a playful expression.
"Just saying that out of anger. This is my private matter. You should mind your own business, sir. Only someone close to you could administer a slow-acting poison. Besides, you just escaped death, so don't speak so rudely!" Murong Wei kindly reminded him.
"Heh, there are quite a few people who want my life, sir. I'm used to it!" Bai Wushang seemed unsurprised by the matter.
"Then I'd better stay away from you as soon as possible." Murong Wei thought to herself, sitting down beside him. She needed to rest after such a long period of intense concentration.
Bai Wushang also sat down, watching her thoughtfully.
Murong Wei turned her head away, ignoring him, and dozed off. She seemed to want to discuss things again when Ye Bao returned, and it would be best to escape as soon as possible.
"Hey, abandoned wife." Bai Wushang called out. She really was heartless. She had just saved him, and she had no gratitude at all.
Murong Xin utterly disliked the term "abandoned woman," considering it a profound insult and denial to any woman. She remained silent, her face cold.
However, Bai Wushang quickly appeared behind her, whispering, "Abandoned woman, can we discuss something?"
Murong Wei turned, almost nose-to-nose with him, and said unhappily, "I have a name, Murong Wei, thank you."
"I don't like being called by my full name." Bai Wushang's long, captivating eyes narrowed slightly, his smile incredibly handsome.
"Can't you just call me Weiwei?" Murong Wei blurted out, immediately feeling embarrassed. She shifted her position, saying calmly, "That's what the neighbors call me. Since you're an official, it's more reassuring to call me by my full name."
"Weiwei…Weiwei…that sounds much more intimate." Bai Wushang rubbed his chin, muttering to himself.
"Weiwei, go and brew that medicine."
"Weiwei, come here, I have a secret to tell you."
"Weiwei...Weiwei...Weiwei, where are you?"
"Weiwei, how about I take you to the temple fair?"
"Weiwei, go and sell something for me."
"Weiwei, shall we take Ye Bao to the mountains?"
...
After that day, they continued south. Bai Wushang seemed to have gotten addicted to calling her name; his voice could often be heard in the caravan, affectionately calling her name. Even Ye Bao was almost jealous.
At this moment, everyone was resting at an inn. Murong Wei personally brewed medicine and brought it to Bai Wushang. From that day on, everything around him, big or small, seemed to fall on her shoulders, leaving Yinling and Bao'er with little opportunity to interfere.
Inside the room, Bai Wushang was lazily leaning against the couch reading, while Yinling and Bao'er were dragged away by Xiao Ye to teach him martial arts.
Murong Wei placed the medicine soup down and turned to leave, but Bai Wushang lazily called out, "Weiwei..."
"This humble woman is here." Murong Wei turned and bowed.
"Why such a grand gesture? You and the lord are becoming increasingly polite." Bai Wushang said with a smile.
"It's not politeness, it's just proper etiquette." Murong Wei replied calmly.
She hadn't even discussed it with Xiao Ye yet, and this guy was already on guard, as if he knew she would run away. Except when she was sleeping at night, she couldn't leave his sight most of the time, while Xiao Ye was obsessed with martial arts and was often not by her side.
All the way south, she personally prepared two bowls of medicine every day, and everyone except Xiao Ye treated it as medicine for urticaria.
Bai Wushang stood up and slowly walked towards her, personally helping her up. He said earnestly, "You've had a hard time these past few days."
This guy's seriousness always sent chills down one's spine. Murong Wei subtly pushed his hand away, taking a few steps back, and said, "This humble woman has never served anyone before. Perhaps you should have two personal maids serve you, lest I fail to serve you properly and offend you."
"Didn't you say that someone who can administer slow-acting poison must be someone close to you? Until the real culprit is found, you are the only person I can trust. So, you'll have to endure this for a while longer," Bai Wushang said helplessly.
"I heard that Abao and Yinling have been with you since childhood, so they must be reliable. Why should you be suspicious? If they find out, wouldn't it hurt their unwavering loyalty?" Murong Wei countered.
A faint sadness flashed in Bai Wushang's eyes. He smiled and said, "Since you discovered this, you have to take responsibility. I'll escort you to the capital and make sure you don't end up in the palace. How about you stay by my side?"
"No!" Murong Wei blurted out.
Bai Wushang raised an eyebrow and said, "Don't tell me you don't like me either? You despise me?"
His words were ambiguous, as if she wanted to marry him, not become his maid. Of course, he hadn't clearly stated "stay by my side," which she interpreted as "maid.
" "This humble woman wouldn't dare, but this humble woman still needs to find her husband! This humble woman and her husband had some minor disagreements that led to our separation, but we truly love each other. Ye Bao is ignorant and talks nonsense, so this humble woman still needs to take him to find his father!" Murong Wei said sincerely.
"Is there any news about his father?" Bai Wushang was serious as well, a cold smile hidden in his narrow eyes. That day, he clearly heard her tell Ye Bao outside the door that his father was dead!
This mother and son both loved to lie, but they just didn't coordinate well and lacked a bit of tacit understanding.
"Not yet. In this vast sea of people, even if I search to the ends of the earth, I will find the child's father." Murong Wei was very firm.
"Good! Loyal and unwavering, a good woman. I've decided, I'll help you find him! His father's name is Ye something?" Bai Wushang was also firm, bringing over tea.
"Ye... Ye Aniu!" Murong Wei answered.
Bai Wushang almost spat out a mouthful of tea, barely managing to hold it in, but choked and coughed repeatedly.
Murong Wei remained calm and said, "My lord is busy with many affairs of state, searching for rare treasures for the King. If my affairs were to cause delays, I could not bear the responsibility. Rather than letting me live in fear every day, it would be better if you, my lord, went all the way to save me and had Prime Minister Ning release me, so I could take my child and search for him myself. Besides, my child's father and I are deeply in love and have a deep understanding... we are perfectly in sync, and we will surely be able to meet again soon."
Bai Wushang coughed for a long time before finally stopping. He glanced at her and pointed to a seat to the side, indicating that she should sit down.
“Weiwei…” He was very disappointed. He paused, then said, “I can find any treasure that exists in this world, let alone a man. Don’t you trust me at all?”
“No, I just don’t want to cause trouble for you…”
“I told you, if it’s not troublesome, it’s not troublesome. Besides, I’m covered in poison and I’m counting on you to cure me. I don’t trust anyone else, so I only trust you. Are you really so unwilling to save my life?” Bai Wushang spoke earnestly, sighing repeatedly. For some reason, Murong Wei suddenly thought of Ye Bao, who always pretended to be mature. How similar they were!
Murong Wei smiled, maintaining a slight smile. She was certain that arguing with this guy was futile. It was better to spend more time thinking about how to escape. After passing this post station, she would know the gates of the royal city.
“Isn’t that right?” Bai Wushang asked again.
"My lord, I was wrong. Please drink your medicine first; it will be less effective if it gets cold. I will do my utmost to protect you, even unto death," Murong Wei said earnestly, personally bringing the medicine to Bai Wushang.
"That's right, my lord, I really like you," Bai Wushang said with a smile, always so unserious.
Just then, suddenly, a figure leaped through the air from outside the door, a sharp sword aimed straight at Murong Wei. Murong Wei frowned and dodged to the side, but the sword turned and thrust towards Bai Wushang.
"Ye'er, don't be rude!" Murong Wei exclaimed in shock and anger. Although Bai Wushang was usually unpretentious, he was still a high-ranking official. The principle of serving the emperor was like serving a tiger, and this applied to all those in power. Ye Bao was too presumptuous!
However, Bai Wushang was not angry. He let Ye Bao's sharp sword pierce his body, then with a gentle push of two fingers, he easily deflected the sword. With his other hand, he put his arm around Ye Bao's waist, pulled him into his embrace, and said with a smile, "You little rascal, you've improved quite a bit!"
"Hehe, Lord Wushang, when will you personally teach me martial arts? Yinling and Sister Abao both say your martial arts are unparalleled, especially your..." Ye Bao said, leaning close to his ear and whispering the word "hidden weapons."
"Hehe, I only accept female disciples, so you're out of luck in this lifetime," Bai Wushang said with a look of regret.
"Then you teach my mother, and my mother will teach me!" Ye Bao said eagerly.
Murong Wei glared at him again. She had always wanted to learn martial arts. She had a good foundation and had hired several masters over the years, but she had never met one who satisfied her. The fists and feet she knew were nothing more than amateurish skills in the eyes of true masters.
"Alright, I was just discussing it with your mother. You two stay by my side, I'll find your father for you, and your mother will help me detoxify. What do you think?" Bai Wushang asked with a smile.
A complicated look flashed across Ye Bao's eyes. He glanced at his mother, nodded obediently, and said in a childish voice, "Okay!"