Compendio de hombres apuestos en el mundo de las artes marciales

Capítulo 78

Duan Chen slowly tightened his grip on the wooden box. For some reason, he remembered the feeling of holding that jade pendant in his hand at the beginning. It was delicate and smooth, soothing to the heart, just like the feeling that person gave off: clear, gentle, and unhurried.

Zhan Yun got up early and casually asked a question as he left through the side gate, only to learn that Duan Chen had left the mansion before dawn. Zhao Ting and Zhou Yufei had gone to the palace to meet the emperor, so he had nothing to do. He ate some breakfast at a random shop and then strolled towards the west of the city. Reaching a street, he saw Duan Chen, unusually dressed in plain white, holding something in her hand. While people bustled around her, she stood there blankly, standing out conspicuously.

I walked up to her quickly and saw that she was holding a narrow wooden box in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. Her clothes were covered in mud and her shoes were dirty. She looked disheveled and her eyes were glazed over, as if she hadn't woken up yet.

However, Zhan Yun quickly noticed something was wrong. His eyes were red and swollen, his lips were bitten, and what was with the handkerchief on his left hand—it was stained with blood? Zhan Yun reached out and took the other's wrist, folding the paper without even looking at it, and handed it to Duan Chen. While untying the handkerchief wrapped around his palm, he softly asked, "How did this happen? So careless..."

Duan Chen, still somewhat dazed, stared blankly at Zhan Yun, holding the wooden box and the piece of paper in his other hand, seemingly unaware of what he was asking.

Zhan Yun untied the handkerchief and saw the cut across his palm. He frowned slightly, took Duan Chen's wrist, and led him a few steps to the side of the road. After looking around, he led Duan Chen into a porridge shop next door.

He ordered two bowls of porridge and some rice, and asked the waiter for a bowl of water. Zhan Yun took out a snow-white satin handkerchief from his pocket, dipped it in water, and began to clean her wound. A long, thin cut had appeared on her once fair and delicate palm, almost entirely covered in blood. Zhan Yun frowned as he carefully wiped away the bloodstains, his large hand slightly tightening. Why was her hand so cold…?

Feeling the warmth emanating from the other's palm, Duan Chen's fair hand trembled slightly, and he instinctively tried to pull it back. Zhan Yun, however, held it firmly, not even raising her eyes, and softly said, "Don't move, it'll be over soon."

Duan Chen calmed down slightly, pursing his lips as he looked at the man who was bending down to clean his wounds. With his handsome features and gentle demeanor, he was exceptional in both appearance and family background. Why would such a person treat him like this…? His phoenix eyes lowered, concealing a faint mist of tears. If only that incident hadn't happened back then… As Duan Chen thought about it, a smile gradually crept onto his lips. If only that incident hadn't happened, it would probably be even more impossible…

After retying his handkerchief, Zhan Yun raised his eyes to look at the beauty, and saw her with a helpless, bitter smile. His heart stirred, and he asked softly, "Chen'er, what's wrong?"

Duan Chen withdrew his hand and gently shook his head. Zhan Yun didn't insist, and pushed the porridge that the waiter had just brought forward forward: "Haven't you had breakfast yet? The porridge at this shop is pretty good, try it." As he spoke, he took a small dish, poured some rice vinegar, scooped a small spoonful of chopped coriander, picked up a soft white bun, and handed it over along with chopsticks.

Duan Chen thanked him, ate a couple of bites, then looked up at the person opposite him and asked softly, "Why aren't you eating?"

Zhan Yun smiled slightly, took a pair of chopsticks from the bamboo tube beside him, picked up a steamed bun, and took a bite. He ate slowly with Duan Chen.

"Zhao Ting and Yiran went to the palace to meet His Majesty early this morning. First, they wanted to explain the matter of Qisheng Sect to His Majesty. Second, I gave them two pills that I bought from Yidu Tower last night and asked them to find the Imperial Hospital to see if they could identify the ingredients." Zhan Yun said gently, while picking up a steamed bun and putting it in Duan Chen's bowl. "Try this one, it's filled with beef and bamboo shoots."

Duan Chen drank a few mouthfuls of porridge without raising his eyes, his voice flat and devoid of emotion: "Have those three jade flutes also been handed over to His Majesty for inspection?"

Zhan Yun's crescent-shaped eyes revealed a faint smile: "Chen'er, do you believe me?"

Duan Chen looked up and put down his chopsticks: "Does whether I believe you or not have anything to do with this matter?"

Zhan Yun kept looking into her eyes, but the smile on his lips was somewhat helpless. He recalled the anxiety and tossing and turning in his heart for half the night last night, and his clear voice was tinged with bitterness: "Chen'er, in your heart, what kind of person am I?" The words that were about to come to his tongue lingered, and he finally asked the question in a roundabout way. Zhan Yun's mouth was dry, and he forced down the turbulent emotions in his heart. For a moment, his breathing was a little unsteady.

Duan Chen was still preoccupied with the matter of the Seven Flourishing Sect when Zhan Yun suddenly changed the subject and asked such a question. She was slightly taken aback, her pink lips parted slightly, but she didn't know how to respond. Staring blankly at the slightly bitter smile of the person across the table, Duan Chen remained silent for a long time before whispering, "You, you are very good."

The simple phrase, "You're very good," evoked bittersweet feelings in Zhan Yun. Gazing into those clear, cold phoenix eyes, Zhan Yun sighed inwardly, thinking to himself that love was truly agonizing. He wanted to be close, yet feared offending the beauty; he should keep his distance, yet couldn't bear to. He knew the person before him was unmoved and oblivious to romance, yet he had already fallen for her willingly, deserving of this heart-wrenching torment.

Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Duan Chen frowned and asked tentatively, "Are you angry?"

Zhan Yun took a deep breath, regained her usual calm demeanor, and replied softly, "No."

Duan Chen gazed at him quietly for a moment, then lowered his eyes, his voice soft and slightly trembling, yet every word sounded precious to Zhan Yun, like heavenly music: "I don't dislike you. Over the years, I've traveled all over the country and met many people. You're very good, and you're good to me too. I know your feelings, but..."

"Just what?" Zhan Yun was dumbfounded. His crescent-shaped eyes shone brightly, like the bright moon in the sky, unintentionally spilling moonlight onto the ground, gentle enough to make one's heart flutter.

Duan Chen pursed his lips slightly, and his gaze toward Zhan Yun returned to its usual coldness: "However, in this life, I cannot form a bond with anyone."

"I've been wandering alone for a long time. Although life is hard, I've gotten used to it. I can't possibly live like an ordinary woman, sitting at home all day, taking care of my husband and children, doing needlework and gardening until the end of my life." Duan Chen only told half the truth. The other half was because, given her family background, this was the only way she could live. That kind of life as an ordinary woman was not something she could aspire to.

Zhan Yun initially frowned, but gradually his lips curved into a smile. By the time Duan Chen finished speaking, his eyes were practically crinkling with laughter, his expression serene and composed, like a gentle spring breeze. Zhan Yun gazed steadily into the beauty's eyes and said softly, word by word, "In my family, from my grandfather's generation onward, there has never been a tradition of wives sitting at home, devoted to their husbands and children, doing needlework and gardening. Servants do the cooking and needlework, and the husband tends the flowers and plants. As for your mention of a life of hardship while traveling the world, I hold no official position, nor do I manage any business. My father and elder brother oversee the manor, and I myself do not mind a life of poverty..."

Zhan Yun paused slightly, his voice lowered, and his eyes showed an unprecedented seriousness and solemnity. "As long as you are willing, I will follow you to travel the world and roam the ends of the earth."

Duan Chen was speechless after hearing his long string of words. He opened his mouth several times, but did not know how to refute. When he heard the last sentence, his fair cheeks gradually flushed red, his phoenix eyes panicked and did not know where to look, his long eyelashes trembled slightly, and a look of embarrassment and annoyance gradually appeared between his brows.

Seeing her expression, Zhan Yun's heart stirred. He gently took her injured hand and whispered, "Don't reject me right away. I'm willing to wait." Zhan Yun understood Duan Chen's temperament and knew that as long as she didn't reject him immediately, it would be considered that she had accepted him to some extent.

Duan Chen was speechless, choked by his words, and with his hand firmly held, she was momentarily at a loss. She gently tried to pull away, but realized that Zhan Yun's grip, though seemingly gentle, was very firm without causing injury. She raised her phoenix eyes and glanced at the person across the table: "Let go..." Seeing the other's sincere expression, yet his hand remaining unmoved, Duan Chen lowered her voice and said, "Someone's watching..."

Duan Chen was genuinely anxious, and the last syllable of his sentence rose slightly, sounding like he was being coquettish, carrying a hint of charm he had never shown before. Zhan Yun smiled, took some copper coins from his waist and placed them on the table, then took Duan Chen's wrist and stood up, walking calmly out, completely ignoring the commotion around them.

As they left the porridge shop, Zhan Yun smiled faintly. Afraid that the beauty might really get angry with him, he released her hand when he had the chance and quickly changed the subject: "When Zhao Ting went to the palace, he only took two jade flutes."

Duan Chen's fair earlobes were burning red, and his wrist, which had been held by someone, was still a little hot. He had intended to walk away and ignore them, but upon hearing this, he slowed down and listened quietly to Zhan Yun continue to explain.

Zhan Yun glanced at her with a smile, the delicate, slightly cool touch still lingering in her closed palm: "The one he brought to the palace to show the Emperor was the one in green and the one in white. The yellow one is still with me."

“Zhao Ting and I discussed this back in Kushui Town. We knew we had to tell His Majesty about Yu Sheng’s matter. Only then would the court focus on eradicating the Seven Sheng Sect. As you probably guessed, Jin Xiaobai and Zhao Lin gave away the pills they made to many court officials. The Seven Sheng Sect is already deeply entangled with several factions in the court. The fact that they harmed innocent people alone probably won’t attract His Majesty’s attention. In addition, with the resistance from some people in the court, the people sent to various places will only do a perfunctory job.”

“There has only ever been one thing that could attract the royal family’s keen attention.” Zhan Yun looked at the road ahead, his crescent-shaped eyes clouded with gloom. “Imperial power. Only when imperial power is threatened will His Majesty be determined to eradicate the Seven Sheng Sect. Presenting the Jade Sheng and the treasure map inside to His Majesty, along with the Seven Sheng Sect’s actions in recent years, will surely enrage His Majesty. Only then can the matter of annihilating the Seven Sheng Sect be implemented in the shortest possible time.”

Duan Chen listened quietly, then, connecting the dots, suddenly turned his head in surprise: "The treasure map inside that yellow jade flute..." If what he said is true, then the jade flute would have been left behind... Could it be...?

Zhan Yun nodded slightly: "I discussed this matter with Zhao Ting for a long time, and he finally agreed with my opinion. If we hand over both treasure maps to His Majesty, while the court spares no effort to eradicate the Seven Sheng Sect, it will inevitably search everywhere for the whereabouts of the other jade flutes. Once all seven jade flutes are gathered, the court will definitely send people to search for the treasure. At that time, the competition among various forces will inevitably cause chaos, and that treasure may not necessarily be a blessing for our Great Song Dynasty."

Duan Chen frowned at Zhan Yun: "You destroyed that drawing?"

Zhan Yun smiled faintly and nodded: "Burn it."

"You left Yusheng here to lure the Seven Sheng Sect people here?" Duan Chen had considered how to deal with those few Yusheng, but he had to admit that Zhan Yun's approach was the best possible strategy.

A faint smile appeared in Zhan Yun's eyes as he half-jokingly sighed, "The days ahead may not be too easy. I'll have to be constantly on guard against the Seven Life Sect coming to my door. Will Chen'er despise me because of this?"

Duan Chen gave him a cold look but didn't say anything.

Zhan Yun chuckled softly, raised her hand to hold Duan Chen's sleeve, her crescent-shaped eyes filled with laughter, warm and serene like the West Lake on a spring afternoon: "I know Chen'er won't look down on me, so I don't mind Chen'er's family background or experiences. I don't ask for much in my life, I only wish to accompany you, travel the world together, solve cases and help people, that would be enough for this life."

Author's Note: There will be an update tomorrow at 9 AM.

The next chapter will reveal why this volume is called "Xi Shi's Breasts".

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Chapter Seven: Xi Shi's Breasts • Top Secret List...