Ch 330: Waiting For A Fish To Bite?

Baek Ho-heon was startled. He could tell that someone was crouching by the lakeside beyond the garden? Was his older sister really this amazing? He unconsciously turned his head, sending a look of admiration. Baek Hak-yeom chuckled.

At the sound, the person crouching by the lakeside was startled. They heard a man’s voice.

“Who’s there in the garden?”

Baek Ho-heon initially trembled, then made a sound of understanding. He recognized the voice as his father, Baek Heung-eon.

However, that didn’t mean his apprehension disappeared. For some reason he couldn’t understand, even though Baek Heung-eon was his father, he couldn’t get close to him. He even feared him more often. It wasn’t a fear accompanied by respect or reverence, but a deep-seated terror, like facing a heinous criminal, a constant fear of losing his life.

Baek Hak-yeom could only shake her head, watching the boy’s face turn pale and cold sweat bead on his forehead. Baek Heung-eon, Baek Heung-eon. A father-son relationship to this extent… I don’t know if you’re truly foolish or just pretending to be.

“Father, what’s gotten into you that you’re not sleeping at night and are crouching by the lakeside? Are you waiting for fish, perhaps?”

She pulled Baek Ho-heon’s small hand and strode towards the lakeside.

Baek Heung-eon was stunned. He hadn’t expected it to be Baek Hak-yeom. For a moment, he didn’t know how to respond. But seeing his son and daughter walk towards him hand-in-hand, he suddenly felt a sense of relief somewhere in his heart.

What was there to not answer? Wasn’t he waiting for her? And so he stood up, staring down at Baek Hak-yeom below, and said,

“I wasn’t waiting for fish, this father was waiting for you.”

Baek Heung-eon finished speaking and pointed to the artificial lake beside him.

“I was only waiting for you to throw me in, to secretly retrieve me, and bring me back to my room. And to make me believe everything that happened last night was a dream.”

Baek Ho-heon didn’t understand, but Baek Hak-yeom did. Her father, unable to bear the mental stimulation any longer, wanted to have a settlement with her. But was having a settlement at this moment truly right? Pointing to Baek Ho-heon, she asked her father before her.

“Is this the appropriate way to ask?”

Baek Heung-eon was about to say what wouldn’t be appropriate, but he suddenly understood his daughter’s intentions. The other party wasn’t afraid of him seeking a settlement; they were even more determined to have one. There was a high chance they wanted to settle an old matter from over a decade ago.

However, Baek Ho-heon was standing there. Should he make Baek Ho-heon hear what he did back then? Should he let his young son know that he strangled his own legitimate son to death? Both the murdered son and this son were his sons. If this came to light, how would this child view him? Although an illegitimate son, he was still a blood relative of the Baek family. He couldn’t risk everyone turning their backs on him.

And so, Baek Heung-eon, his face hardened, ordered Baek Ho-heon.

“Go back first. Your father has something to say to your sister.”

But Baek Ho-heon shook his head.

“I came with my second sister, and if she doesn’t leave, neither will I. We are all your children, Father, so if you have something to say to her, you don’t need to avoid me. Or, could it be that I am not your child?”

It was an openly defiant attitude towards his father. Baek Hak-yeom nodded repeatedly at his words.

“He doesn’t bow to power, he’s truly a good child.”

Baek Heung-eon was astonished. What did not bowing to power have to do with this situation? Didn’t he even read books? But on second thought, he really hadn’t read any. But he couldn’t point that out. If he did, Baek Hak-yeom might counterattack by saying he never gave her any books to read.

At that moment, Baek Ho-heon’s voice was heard again.

“Father, what do you mean, you’re waiting for my sister to throw you? Throw you where? Are you talking about the lake? Why would my second sister throw you into the lake? Did you do something seriously wrong? Is it related to the lake water? Or is it because you threw the second sister into the lake before, and she’s seeking revenge? Father, what’s going on?”

This child was the embodiment of curiosity. Questions poured out, but Baek Heung-eon couldn’t give a satisfactory answer to any of them.

How did this world work? Baek Hak-yeom alone was already difficult enough. Baek Jin-jin was also an eyesore. But he never expected that his young son, who was always kind and sensible, would change his personality.

Seeing his son and daughter standing hand-in-hand before him, he was furious.

“Baek Hak-yeom, just how much do you intend to ruin the Baek family children? Having ruined your fourth younger sister, you now reach out to your young younger brother. How could you?”

“Hm?”

Baek Hak-yeom found his words amusing.

“I ruined my siblings? Father, that’s truly ingenious logic. Children growing up badly is the fault of the father. If you feel your children have grown up badly, you should first reflect on yourself as a father. Could it be that I taught them, not you? I’m not that free.

Besides, in my opinion, Heon and Jinjin are both good children. Tell me what’s lacking in them? If you feel ashamed that the fourth is doing business outside, you should go to Ninth Prince Your Majesty to settle that debt, not me. Since His Majesty nodded to Jinjin’s wish to do business, go to Sinwangbu and ask them directly why they ruined their daughter.”

Baek Heung-eon was speechless again at Baek Hak-yeom’s words. If he had the courage to go to Sinwangbu, would he be venting his anger at a young girl here?

He had lost face tonight in the most humiliating way possible. His son was still watching beside him. But Baek Hak-yeom showed no mercy. He didn’t know how to settle this situation.

Baek Hak-yeom, on the other hand, didn’t even think about settling anything. It’s your mess, what’s it got to do with me?

Besides, she wasn’t one to refuse sightseeing. She blinked, her gaze lingering on him, and began to pursue the conversation.

“Tell me. What exactly were you doing crouching here? Father, could it be that you have taken a fancy to a certain maid in the household and were trying to take her away? As an elder, you could just say something if you liked someone! Why would you need to crouch here in the middle of the night to stop her from leaving? How many people would laugh if this were known. And as Mun Gukgong, too. Doing something like this… tsk tsk, how ridiculous.”

Baek Ho-heon echoed his sister, saying,

“Father, how could you do this? You were my role model. I always looked up to you. But I never knew you were such a lecher. There are so many Lee Nang in the household, are they still not enough? At your age, even if you don’t think about your health, you should think about those maids. Even though they are servants, you should still respect them. You are their father’s age, and yet, Father…”

“Shut your mouth!”

Baek Heung-eon was beside himself. He wanted to jump into the lake.

“You disobedient child, daring to speak to your father like that! Do you think you can get away with it just because the Hong family is supporting you? This is Baek family territory, not Hong family!”

Baek Ho-heon involuntarily flinched. As a young child, he was still afraid.

However, Baek Hak-yeom was not the least bit afraid of Baek Heung-eon. Not only that, she continued to defy her father.

“Oh my, Father, you’re getting bolder and bolder. What do you want to do with Hoheon? Do you want to strangle him and throw him in the water to wait for him to die?”

A sharp glint appeared in her eyes as she said this. A chilling coldness in her eyes flashed directly at Baek Heung-eon. It was a look capable of killing a person, a look burning with endless revenge. Baek Heung-eon had no doubt: if he said one more word, this daughter would not hesitate to reveal what happened, use the same method to throw him in the water, and wait for him to die.

He had witnessed Baek Hak-yeom’s ability on the night of the palace banquet. The dignified Raya’s Daeguksa Temple’s most reputable poisoner was killed so easily under her hands. It wasn’t because of her renowned medical and poison skills. It was because she was fearless, and because the entire royal family stood behind her.

So what was he to her? Absolutely not a father. On the contrary, he was an enemy, an enemy she deeply hated.

Baek Heung-eon had long tasted the hardships of dealing with this daughter. It was a fatal disaster for him. The reason he was crouching here tonight was because he could no longer bear being thrown into the well every day. Moreover, the hand that threw him was so rough, it was like a joke, hitting him against the well wall, leaving his face full of wounds.

He thought. If I’m going to fall into the water anyway, it’s better to choose the place myself, and this is better than a small well entrance.

But what he hadn’t expected was that no one came looking for him even after the time had passed. Just as he was congratulating himself that tonight would pass like this, he encountered Baek Hak-yeom.

“What exactly do you want?”

Baek Heung-eon glared at his daughter and asked through gritted teeth.

“I don’t know who’s nonsense you’ve been listening to, causing you to constantly antagonize me. But I am your father. Don’t forget that. Ruining me won’t benefit you. Do you think the daughter of a guilty subject can cross the threshold of the royal family?”

Baek Hak-yeom scoffed lightly.

“Father, are you worried about me? I’m truly sorry. If Mun Gukgongbu collapses someday, Father Emperor and Queen Mother have already discussed and told me what I should do. Father Emperor said that even if Mun Gukgongbu colludes with the enemy and rebels, it won’t be linked to me in any way. They’ll investigate what needs investigating and destroy the family if they need to. In any case, I, Baek Hak-yeom, have received the Glass Seal, so theoretically speaking, I am no longer a member of the Baek family. So even if you want to turn the heavens upside down, it won’t affect me, Angel Princess. Do you understand, Father?”

Baek Heung-eon’s heart immediately grew heavy.

That’s right. His opponent was now the Angel Princess. Mun Gukgongbu wasn’t properly serving her. Wasn’t him antagonizing her like this the same as walking towards his own death?

He didn’t want to say anything more, and turned to walk towards the Jukjeokwon. His back looked pathetic, even Baek Ho-heon commented.

“Sister, Father is really old.”

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