Chapter 115 Baozi's Perilous Encounter
After drinking for a while, I was still worried about the steamed buns in the room, even though they were surrounded by incense smoke.
When I returned to Tongmeng Pavilion, it was already dark. Candles were lit in the room. I pushed open the door and entered. I didn't see any incense smoke. Instead, Baozi was hanging precariously on the edge of the bed, about to fall. My heart jumped into my throat. I rushed forward to pick Baozi up.
Baozi's little hand slipped, and he fell down as if performing a stunt. My eyes widened, and I almost pounced on him to hug him.
"Eek... Chirp chirp..." I was scooped up in my arms, and Baozi was having a blast, drooling all over my face.
I was so scared that I sat down on the ground, trembling uncontrollably.
"Baozi, baozi..." I raised my hand and stroked his little head. Only when I felt that he was safe and sound did I feel relieved.
"Mom...Mom..." The little dumpling opened its mouth, blowing bubbles, and babbled.
Although his speech was unclear, I could still hear him clearly. I hugged him with delight, "What did you just say? Say it again! Baozi, say it again!" I think my eyes must have been sparkling.
"Chirp...ya...woo..." Baozi didn't give me any face at all, just chattering incoherently.
Holding the steamed bun, I stood up, still shaken by what had just happened. "Xiangwu! Xiangwu! Xiangwu!"
I called out several times, but no one answered.
Holding Baozi, I walked to the edge of the bed, and couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. There was an extremely sharp hairpin on the bed. What if Baozi accidentally picked it up and hurt himself...
I simply can't imagine it.
Just as he was filled with fear, the door was suddenly pushed open, and Xiangwu helped Cao Cao walk in through the doorway.
"Where did the lady go?" Cao Cao asked me calmly.
I didn't look at him, I just stared straight at Xiangwu.
Xiangwu's cheeks were flushed as she supported Cao Cao, her eyes fixed on no one else.
With a "crack," I threw the hairpin in my hand to the ground, and it broke in two.
Xiangwu was startled and quickly looked at me.
Cao Cao frowned slightly. "What's wrong?"
"I don't need her anymore, let her go," I said coldly. Xiangwu was a maid who knew when to advance and retreat; even Madam Ding praised her for being clever. It was impossible for her not to notice that her hairpin had fallen onto my bed. Besides, that hairpin was very valuable; I had seen Madam Ding wear it before, and it belonged to Madam Ding. But Madam Ding had no reason to be so stupid as to use her own hairpin to harm Baozi, to be so foolish as to let us catch her red-handed.
The only possibility is that Xiangwu is not actually Madam Ding's person, but is acting on the orders of the other ladies to play a double agent here and frame someone. If putting down Madam Ding's hairpin hurts Baozi, it can eliminate Baozi as a threat and frame Madam Ding. If it doesn't hurt Baozi, she can still exonerate herself completely.
But with so many ladies in the manor, I hardly know anyone except for Madam Ding and Madam Yin. Heaven knows who the real culprit is. The safest option is to abandon Xiangwu.
I cannot allow Baozi to be in any unknown danger.
Cao Cao glanced at Xiangwu, nodded, and said without asking any questions, "Someone, send her out of the mansion."
Xiangwu was startled and immediately knelt down, crying, "Prime Minister! Prime Minister!"
Two guards entered the room and dragged away the incense smoke cleanly and efficiently.
I heard the cries for help growing fainter and fainter, and suddenly felt a little tired. I've only been in the manor for a few days, and those ladies and gentlemen can't stand it anymore and are already going to make a move?
Cao Cao felt a lightness in his hand; he had already taken the steamed bun into his arms.
I looked at him and asked, "Aren't you going to ask why?"
"I believe you," Cao Cao said, chuckling as he looked down at the steamed bun without raising his head.
Trust me?
“I believe you about everything except the ‘escape’ part.” He looked up, smiled at me, and added.
A bead of cold sweat slid down my forehead, and I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Chirp... Waaah..." Baozi struggled in Cao Cao's arms, lying on its back.
Seeing Cao Cao's clumsy way of holding the steamed bun, I couldn't help but laugh, "That's not how you hold him, it's so uncomfortable for him to be held like that."
"Oh? Not like this? It's all the same." Cao Cao switched hands, precariously holding the bun between his arms.
I rushed over and adjusted his position. "Like this, like this... um, right... be gentle, be gentle... he's your son, not your enemy..."
"Why are there so many rules for holding a baby!" Cao Cao frowned. His hands, used to holding a sword, suddenly felt out of place holding a baby.
Seeing Cao Cao's slightly awkward expression, I couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"What are you laughing at?" Cao Cao looked at me suspiciously and said irritably, "Hurry up and help."
"You have so many sons, yet you can't even hold a son properly." I rolled my eyes at him.
Cao Cao slightly raised his lips, then suddenly leaned closer to me, his thin lips gently brushing against my ear, "I don't just hold anyone's son..."
I pushed him away, "Whose son? Aren't they all your sons!"
"You're jealous," Cao said, drawing a conclusion with a smug look on his face.
"I didn't," I said, three words, resolute and unwavering.
Cao Cao laughed, a rare laugh from him, his eyes and brows brimming with joy.
“Pervert…” Baozi’s round eyes stared for a long time before he suddenly spoke.
"Huh?" Cao Cao looked down at the steamed bun in confusion, studied it for a while, then looked up at me. "What is this little thing saying?"
I broke out in a cold sweat and quickly covered Baozi's mouth with my hand, laughing awkwardly, "Ha...ha...you misheard, how could someone so small possibly talk..."
While laughing it off, I glared at Baozi, who was innocently blowing bubbles. This little guy seemed to be not only a little crab that could blow bubbles, but also a little parrot that could mimic speech...
I need to be more careful with my words from now on... It was just a casual remark I made once... and he actually remembered it... Sigh.
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