Even if Liu Yuan didn't speak, Luo Hao knew what she wanted.
"This child cannot be kept," Luo Hao said.
The national diviner's prophecies always came true, and people regarded him as a god. If in the future this child of his caused great casualties in Ruoqiang, Luo Hao would never be able to atone for his sin.
"Brother Hao, I don't expect you to keep her. I only beg you to give me a month. Just let her stay with me for a month," Liu Yuan pleaded.
"Brother Hao, I've never asked you for anything. Only this time, I hope you can agree to me. I've endured so much pain during this pregnancy. I don't care. Just this one - month time, please let me fulfill the mother - daughter bond with her. Brother Hao, she's also your daughter. Okay?"
Luo Hao was silent for a long time.
Then, he nodded.
A month later, it would be the day when the envoys from Loulan would visit. As long as he got rid of this child before then, everything would be fine, right?
Liu Yuan let out a sigh of relief. She picked up her daughter from beside her and presented the baby to Luo Hao.
"Brother Hao, sister also gave birth to a daughter, right?"
Luo Hao nodded.
"Brother Hao, may I know if that child has a name?"
"Feiyan."
"Luo Feiyan. It's such a nice name," Liu Yuan said, lowering her head.
"Sir, please give our child a name too."
Luo Hao looked down. The child was sleeping soundly. Her face was gently covered by a silk handkerchief, and he could faintly see a slight smile on her lips. She had no idea about her current situation.
No one noticed that if you ignored the Loulan mark on the child's back, she looked very much like Feiyan. They were so similar as infants. If they grew up, it would be even harder to tell them apart.
"A child who won't live in this world for long doesn't need a name," Luo Hao said.
He stretched out his right hand and couldn't help touching the tightly - clenched little hands. As if sensing her father's approach, the little child suddenly tightened her hands and grabbed Luo Hao's finger.
The warmth from the baby's palm came, and Luo Hao was startled.
This was his daughter. Even if she was really a demon girl, how could such a little child be a demon girl?
"The autumn wind is desolate, and the fallen leaves rustle endlessly. Let her single - character name be Qiu," Luo Hao said.
"Luo Qiu. Thank you, Marquis. At least our daughter has a name," Liu Yuan said.
Luo Hao stayed in Liu Yuan's room for a long time. After he left, he immediately returned to the main courtyard to see Ye Qingluan.
No one saw that the delicate woman on the bed looked at the baby beside her and showed a strange smile.
Child, don't blame me.
If you have to blame someone, blame your inhumane father.
For the so - called righteousness, he wants to sacrifice you.
And that hypocritical mistress of the marquis's mansion. If it weren't for her meddling, the position of the mistress of this marquis's mansion should have been mine.
That woman thought that giving me the status of a concubine would satisfy me. She was wrong. I, Liu Yuan, have been delicate and charming since childhood and have been pursued by many young masters. I don't want to share my husband with anyone.
If there were no Ye Qingluan, then Brother Hao would only have me, Liu Yuan, by his side.
Liu Yuan was lost in thought. It was not until the baby under her let out a cry that she came to her senses. Looking at the bluish - purple marks on the child's hands, Liu Yuan laughed eerily.
"It's just the difference between the red lotus mark and the Loulan mark. I don't believe that the child I, Liu Yuan, gave birth to is inferior to Ye Qingluan's child."
They were of the same zodiac sign and were born on the same day. This child in Liu Yuan's womb was obtained by a mage extracting spiritual energy from Ye Qingluan's fetus with great effort. That's why the two children looked so alike when they were born.
At this time, a woman walked out from the secret compartment behind Liu Yuan's bed. This woman was Liu Yuan's personal maid. Although she was called a personal maid, there were many shady things between them. Many things that Liu Yuan did were instigated by this woman.
"Have you taken care of it?"
"Yes, Concubine Liu. You did a great job this time. Your acting was very convincing. Just wait. In the future, you'll rise to power and become the mistress of this marquis's mansion."
Liu Yuan lifted the silk handkerchief. There was nothing on the baby's forehead.
"Concubine Liu, here you are."
This woman's name was Qiu Ying.
Liu Yuan's hand trembled slightly. She was hesitating whether to take the thin needle that Qiu Ying was handing over.
"The child is so young. She will feel pain."
"Concubine Liu, you've come this far with great difficulty. You can't let all your efforts go to waste because of a moment of soft - heartedness. You have to think clearly. Do you want the position of the mistress of this marquis's mansion or not?"
"I—"
"The marquis was so excited about the child Ye Qingluan gave birth to, but for the child you gave birth to with all your efforts, he didn't even take a look at it and just gave her the name Luo Qiu. You have to think clearly. How long are you going to endure this unfair treatment?"
Liu Yuan closed her eyes and took the needle.
Seeing this, Qiu Ying handed over the red liquid.
"Concubine Liu, your embroidery skills are the best in Ruoqiang. Now it's time to test you. Your hand mustn't shake."
"What's this red liquid?"
"It's the blood of a strange beast. Its coloring effect is very good, and it definitely won't wear off or fade later."
Concubine Liu took the needle and took a deep breath.
Outside, gongs and drums were roaring. The people of the Luo family were celebrating the birth of the chosen girl in the Luo family.
In the side courtyard, fine sweat oozed from Liu Yuan's forehead.
At this time, everyone was gathered in the main courtyard, and no one noticed what was happening in the side courtyard.
When the firecrackers ended, the baby's crying also stopped at that moment.
A bright red lotus, vivid and lifelike, was printed between the baby's eyebrows.
Only at the end, there was still a blood bead, indicating that this red lotus was made by piercing the baby's forehead with a thin needle and smearing it with cinnabar blood.
"No wonder you're the only heir of the embroidery maid of the Liu family. Concubine Liu's embroidery skills are so good that even the woman in the main courtyard probably can't tell the difference," Qiu Ying said.
Liu Yuan put down the thin needle.
"That woman just has a more prominent family background. In other aspects, how can she be better than me?"
This child had become a pawn of hers since the moment she got pregnant.
She had long heard of the national diviner's prophecy, so the child in her womb was initially aimed at this prophecy.
Although this child was her and Luo Hao's own flesh and blood, it had absorbed the spiritual energy of Ye Qingluan's fetus, which was why it looked exactly the same as Ye Qingluan's child.
The child's own spiritual energy had been disturbed, and her body might be a bit weak in the future.
"The red lotus on her forehead is easy to carve, but what about the Loulan mark on the child's body?"
"Leave this to me. I have a way to cover it up for her, but this method is extremely extreme and has a big drawback."
"What's the drawback? As long as it doesn't endanger her life, it can be carried out."
"This child cannot cultivate spiritual power or mental power before the age of twenty."