Chapter 416 Dead Ghost, Darling, Good Brother

Wei Ting reached out and touched the baby's little face.

Ji Qingwu's heart tightened, fearing that Wei Ting would wake the child again.

She took a breath, couldn't help but look up and glare at him, her eyes filled with reproach.

When Wei Ting met her gaze, he paused slightly, seemingly surprised.

Seeing Wei Ting suddenly fall silent at this crucial moment, Hu Lie asked anxiously, "What is my elder brother's biggest crime? Why are you keeping me in suspense!"

Wei Ting slowly glanced at Ji Qingwu before speaking, "It's treason."

Ji Qingwu, holding the child, turned slightly to the side, her face tightening under Wei Ting's gaze.

Hu Lie and Hu Chen were immediately filled with disbelief and shouted, "Impossible!"

Wei Ting said, "The letters between your elder brother and Yuwen Tianqing have all been found, and the evidence is conclusive."

Hu Feng said, "Apart from me, none of my brothers and family members know about this."

With a swift movement, Wei Ting placed his large hand on the baby's swaddling clothes.

“This child is your blood relative. You have committed such a heinous crime, and the child cannot live.”

Hu Feng's eyes were bloodshot from the pressure, and he said in a hoarse voice, "Please, General, spare the innocent child! The child has done nothing wrong!"

Hu Chen started cursing, while Hu Lie pounded on the iron gate with his fists and head.

The commotion seemed to threaten to overturn the dungeon.

The child in Ji Qingwu's arms started whimpering again, as if he was about to burst into tears at any moment.

"Quiet down, everyone."

A woman's voice, though stern, couldn't suppress her emotions, and it immediately drew everyone's attention.

Ji Qingwu held back for a long time, but finally couldn't help but speak up.

As a mother, she cannot bear to see anyone wake up the baby she has finally managed to soothe to sleep, and she cannot bear to see anyone use the child as bait to threaten others.

Moreover, this poor child was not born to Qi Peiyao and has suffered a lot since birth.

However, Ji Qingwu could not expose him on the spot, lest he ruin Wei Ting's plans and be detrimental to Bei Li.

She could only try to help Wei Ting resolve the matter as soon as possible and get him back to the Northern Army.

So Ji Qingwu whispered, "General, this child may not be the head of the household."

Upon hearing this voice, Wei Ting's expression froze for a brief moment.

He slowly turned his head and looked at the pale, flat face in front of him, a strange feeling rising in his heart.

Wei Ting believed he was hallucinating.

The voice and tone seemed strangely familiar to him.

However, Wei Ting quickly shook his head.

Ji Qingwu should have stayed at the Ji family home in Lin'an, but Ji Bolian kept him locked up at home and forbade him to go out.

How could she possibly be in Black Wind Stronghold? It's just that her voice sounds similar.

After convincing himself, Wei Ting frowned.

Why do you say that?

Ji Qingwu held the child upright in her arms, watching him warily, wary that he might snatch the child away.

She said gently, "General, you may not know this, but the child's father is one of these three brothers. The child's bloodline is similar to theirs, so we cannot determine his father's identity yet."

A clear look of confusion appeared between Wei Ting's brows.

What does it mean that the child's father is one of these three brothers?

A soldier stepped forward and whispered a few words in Wei Ting's ear, and Wei Ting's expression changed repeatedly.

No wonder it's a den of bandits; they're even capable of sharing wives.

Wei Ting thought about it again and realized that the midwife was kind and clever. She didn't expose him and saved the child.

Hu Feng also realized what was happening.

Ji Qingwu was trying to absolve himself of any connection with the child. He looked at Ji Qingwu gratefully, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Ji Qingwu looked at him and said, "Boss, this child is still young and needs your care. A child without a father will be very pitiful."

Hu Lie and Hu Chen both calmed down when they thought about this scene.

Hu Feng's fingers, gripping the railing so tightly, turned pale. They were not worth dying for, but how could they be at peace if they left this widow and her child to be bullied?

Seeing that the fire was almost done, Ji Qingwu added another handful of firewood.

"Madam is very capable. She can live a wonderful life even without you. But you don't want your children to grow up and be following someone else around, calling him 'Dad,' do you?"

The three Hu brothers were completely unable to calm down.

Hu Feng was even more determined; he always wanted a child of his own and Yao'er's, so that he could have an indelible bond with Qi Peiyao.

Ji Qingwu curved her lips into a smile, then continued, "And you want to call other men too—"

"devil."

"darling."

"Good brother."

The three Hu brothers all looked extremely grim.

Ji Qingwu guessed the terms of address used between them in bed perfectly.

Wei Ting's expression also became inscrutable. He rubbed his chin with his index finger, wondering why this village woman knew such private matters.

But compared to Wei Ting's numerous threats, Ji Qingwu's words were clearly more effective.

Under the tense gazes of Hu Lie and Hu Chen, Hu Feng took the initiative to say, "General Wei, whatever you want to ask, I will tell you."

His tone was even somewhat urgent, as if he was afraid that Qi Peiyao would abandon them in the blink of an eye and find someone else to be her lover.

Wei Ting was surprised by this sudden change.

But they quickly accepted it; the three brothers' obsessive love for the woman overshadowed everything else.

Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Ji Qingwu said in a low voice, "General, I can't hear the rest. I'll take the child and leave now."

Wei Ting glanced at her for a while, but couldn't recognize a trace of her.

"Take her outside and keep an eye on her."

Ji Qingwu slumped his shoulders helplessly.

*

Ji Qingwu was locked in a thatched hut closest to the dungeon.

Soldiers guarded the entrance. Wei Ting was talking to the three Hu brothers, but an hour had passed and the conversation was still unresolved.

The baby fell asleep again after being placed on the wooden bed. Fortunately, Chunhua had already fed the baby before they arrived.

Ji Qingwu pouted slightly; she couldn't escape the fate of coaxing children no matter where she went.

Just then, a slight sound came from the roof tiles.

This slight resonance can only be detected in a quiet room.

Ji Qingwu looked up at the source of the commotion. The tiles and straw had been moved aside, revealing Sihai's face.

"Miss Ji," Si Hai called softly.

Ji Qingwu glanced at the doorway; the guards hadn't noticed yet.

She tiptoed off the bed, walked to the rafters, and whispered, "Sihai, have you found Lanling?"

Sihai shook his head, his tone tinged with anxiety: "No, I've searched the whole village, but I haven't seen Lanling anywhere."

Lanling has disappeared, and even the secret guards, who are skilled at searching for clues, have not been able to find her.

There are only two possibilities: either Lanling was taken away by a master, or she deliberately concealed her whereabouts.

Si Hai said, "Miss Ji, I will search within a radius of three miles."

Ji Qingwu stood up abruptly and said firmly, "Sihai, there's no need to go anymore. Lanling should be fine."

It was they who were in trouble.

Ji Qingwu almost forgot Lanling's true identity.