Lady Song broke into a nervous smile.
"Esteemed Shuiran Palace Master, surely there is some mistake? Said child is not here."
Jiang Muchen arched his eyebrows and gave Lady Song a quizzical smile.
"Maybe I should rephrase my intention," he said. "I am here to take away the baby that Longjing Palace Master brought back a few days ago."
When the knowledge set in, Lady Song could not help but shake from fright.
"Shuiran Palace Master, this... you are referring to my grandson, the heir of Longjing Palace."
She shook her head in bewilderment.
"I am opposed to handing over my grandson."
Jiang Muchen stabbed his staff on the ground, startling all those who watched the altercation.
"Your grandson he might be, but he is not the heir of Longjing Palace."
"He is," Lady Song insisted. For the first time in her life, she, an omega, spoke against an alpha. It was a debilitating event, but she had to deal with it. The baby must not land in Jiang Muchen's hands!
Not as long as she, Lady Song, was still breathing and conscious!
Jiang Muchen took a step closer to Lady Song, prompting the latter to take a step back.
"Excuse my lack of courtesy, Lady Song. Today, I must go back with the baby in my arms."
"Guards!!!" Lady Song shouted. "Protect the palace!!!"
She then turned around and ran inside the palace.
Outside, Jiang Muchen had begun to fight with all the guards of Longjing Palace.
As one of the guardians of the five elements, his strength was not to be looked down upon. But still, he came alone. It would take him time to defeat all the guards. By then, Lady Song and her precious grandson would be far, far away, out of his reach.
The will of man and the will of heaven rarely fell in tune.
Lady Song had just taken the baby out of his crib when Jiang Muchen walked through the door.
He extended an arm toward Lady Song.
"Lady Song, please allow me to maintain the good relationship between the two palaces."
Lady Song trembled from head to toe.
"Shuiran Palace Master, I don't understand," she said. "Why? At first, you said that you wanted the late former crown prince's son, but this baby is clearly my son's, Zhang Fengxi's heir! Why must you attempt to kidnap him???"
Jiang Muchen's gaze cooled down when he heard the name of the nemesis who murdered Xie Jianyu in cold blood.
"Do you know, Lady Song?" he asked with an ominous tone. "Do you know who gave birth to that child in your arms?"
"I-I don't know!" Lady Song snapped. She hugged the baby even closer to her chest.
"It was the former crown prince, Xie Jianyu," Jiang Muchen told her.
Lady Song and her maids shrieked from fear when a ball of flame shot past them and burned the paper door behind them.
"And do you know who killed the former crown prince?" Jiang Muchen inched forward, the burning flame behind Lady Song and her maids highlighting the menace in his eyes.
Lady Song shook her head fervently, her eyes as round as the moon.
"Your son did."
Another ball of flame landed near the curtain. Fire quickly spread, but the smoke only attacked Lady Song's maids.
"Please," Lady Song wept. "You are mistaken. The crown prince was an alpha. All palace masters are! He could not possibly be an omega. He could not possibly give birth to my grandson!!!"
Jiang Muchen scoffed.
"Hand the baby over. Come on," he said.
"Or else, what?" a cold voice came from behind Jiang Muchen. When he turned around to look at the speaker, he was greeted with a punch across his cheek. The strength of the punch sent Jiang Muchen flying toward a mighty pillar.
Lady Song almost crumbled to the floor from elation.
"Fengxi!!!" she shouted as she rushed toward her son.
"Mother, is he alright?"
"He is! He is! Look!"
Lady Song tapped at the baby's cheek gently. He awoke and began to cry right away.
Zhang Fengxi heaved a sigh of relief.
"Get out of here, Mother," he said as he pointed his spear at the man who dared to invade his palace in his absence.
"I must teach the Shuiran Palace Master some manners."