Arrancando flores y sonriendo

Capítulo 72

Xiao Feng's eyes flickered, as if she had something to say. Seeing Huai Yuan's resolute attitude, she didn't say anything and obediently went to the guest room to sleep—I don't believe she could actually sleep!

"Take it out." As usual, Huaiyuan came to my room and brought me the medicine to apply.

"No need! I'm all better now, really!" I took off my socks, revealing my snow-white feet, my ten toes flexibly curling and stretching out in front of him: "Look, there's not even a scar left."

"Hmph." Huaiyuan breathed out through his nose so I could hear it, his large hand gently gripping the arch of my foot, his eyes squinting as he carefully searched for the wound.

"How about it? Aren't my feet cute?" I tilted my head proudly and looked at him. "Compared to those so-called golden lotuses that are bound and deformed, aren't natural feet prettier?! I really don't know what you ancient people were thinking. Why do you have to make perfectly good feet look beautiful when they're crippled? That's really perverted...!"

I kept grumbling, oblivious to how ambiguous the topic was. Until Huaiyuan's slender index finger suddenly changed from a grip to a gentle kneading, slowly creeping from my toes up my instep, then meandering to my delicate, white ankle. His warm breath caressed my sensitive soles. The moment I looked up, a dark figure pressed down on me, pressing his lips tightly against mine—my cheeks flushed, my mind reeling—so, discussing women's feet with an ancient man was such a dangerous thing?!

Huaiyuan kissed me passionately for a long time, so long that I thought I was going to suffocate. He finally released me, slightly out of breath, and gently pressed his forehead against mine. Suddenly, he blurted out, "I've made up my mind! I'll give them a maximum of five more days. After that, it's over!"

"What decision? Are you waiting for someone? Who's coming? And what are they coming for?!" I was completely confused.

"Go to sleep." Huh? Huaiyuan just casually uttered those two words and left me like that?! How inexplicable!

It kept me tossing and turning all night, and I finally managed to fall asleep at dawn. In the morning, with huge dark circles under my eyes, I couldn't wait to run to the study to hear Xiaofeng's explanation.

A pale, red sun hung low on the horizon, its weak rays falling on me. A gust of wind, instead of bringing warmth, sent a chill through me. The pale sunlight coldly shone on the carved window frame of the study, casting dappled shadows. I shivered, a flicker of unease crossing my heart. I hurried inside, letting out a sigh of relief—Huaiyuan and Xiaofeng were already there waiting for me.

"Didn't you sleep well last night?" Huaiyuan looked at my panda eyes with displeasure, his brows furrowing.

"It's alright, let's begin." I crossed my arms and looked down at Xiao Feng with a sidelong glance: "Or, do I have to call you Shen Yunxian before you'll tell the truth?!"

"No need, it's my fault for apologizing to Sister Qingyang." Xiao Feng knelt on the ground, her voice surprisingly firm: "Today I will tell Hero Jiang everything I know. Kill me or torture me, it's all up to you."

"Get up and speak! I hate people who kneel down all the time!" I frowned and pulled her up—whether she was Xiao Feng or Shen Yunxian, I didn't like people kneeling to talk to me.

"The Wuji Sect is divided into two halls. The Shadow Hall is in charge of information gathering, and its leader is Yu Yanzi Li Yanluo. The Azure Phoenix Hall is responsible for carrying out various tasks within the sect and punishing those who violate the sect rules. Its leader is the Cold-Hearted Fairy." Xiao Feng lowered her head and slowly began to speak.

"The Cold-Hearted Fairy? So, she's a woman too? What's her name? Surely she has a name?" I interrupted Xiaofeng—this Lu Jianfeng is shameless, relying on his handsome face to make a living off women? I can tell with my own eyes—a man like that would never be a match for Huaiyuan, no matter how many lifetimes he lived!

"I don't know. She acts very mysteriously; apart from the sect leader, no one has ever seen her true face." Xiao Feng shook her head blankly.

"What about Ye Da? What's his relationship with you?" Huaiyuan asked coldly—oh right, I almost forgot about him.

“Master Ye is the head of the incense shop under Qingfeng Hall, Qingmuxiang,” Xiaofeng replied with her eyes lowered.

"Go on," Huaiyuan said, a slight smirk playing on his lips, revealing an "I knew it" expression.

"As you can see, I am just a lowly maid in the Wuji Sect. I used to serve Miss Yanluo. One day, Miss Yanluo suddenly announced that she was going to enter the brothel. She even sent me, Luxiu, Hongxiu, and me to the brothel. Miss Yanluo is the head of the Shadow Hall, and our main task is to collect information from all sides." Xiao Feng said calmly, as if she were talking about someone else's affairs.

"She wants you to sell yourself, so you do it?" I was a little surprised—weren't women in ancient times supposed to be extremely chaste and virtuous?

“She is a young lady, and besides, she herself has entered a brothel. What can we maids say?” Xiao Feng replied calmly. “Later, the ‘Heartless Decree’ appeared in the martial arts world. I received orders from the hall master to approach you under a pretext. My original purpose was to find out the whereabouts of the great hero Jiang behind you.”

"Wait a minute, the Heartless Decree has already appeared, how do you know it's definitely related to me?" I was a little confused—although it was indeed related to me, there were so many people at the scene of the crime that day!

"A simple check will tell you that," Huaiyuan replied casually. "They must have thoroughly investigated the backgrounds of all fifty-odd people who were there that day. You're the only one whose origins are unclear!"

“I was conflicted. On one hand, Miss had been kind to me, and on the other hand, I had grown increasingly fond of you. I truly didn’t want to betray you. But then I discovered that Sister Qingyang was actually a woman. When I ran out of the manor in a fit of anger, I unexpectedly encountered the sect leader and immediately reported that Sister Qingyang didn’t know the way. However, I still concealed your relationship with Hero Jiang.” Xiao Feng nodded, agreeing with Huaiyuan’s analysis: “But when I saw the painting you drew for me that day, I regretted it! But then the sect leader came to live in the manor, and I was terrified, not knowing what he would do to me! That day, when you asked me to deliver the letter to Hero Jiang, I met the sect leader on the way. He read the letter and told me to deliver it anyway. When Sister Qingyang returned, her expression changed drastically. I didn’t dare ask you, but I knew in my heart that there must have been a mistake with the letter! But the next day, when I mustered the courage to tell you the truth, you were already gone! You all know what happened after that.”

"Alright, what's going on between you and Wan Chongshan?" Huaiyuan asked, rubbing his forehead. This matter has now been resolved, and there's really no point in pursuing it any further.

"Wan Chongshan is ostensibly a palace guard, but in reality, he's a trusted confidant of Prince Yun, Zhao Kai. The sect leader, in order to strengthen his own power, has some dealings with Prince Yun. This Wan Chongshan is the middleman." — No wonder I saw Lu Jianfeng at Prince Kang's residence that day, and no wonder he went to the Jin camp to inform them on behalf of Prince Yun!

"This time, the Qin Shi Huang treasure map was actually a major plot orchestrated by the two families after the news came from the Prince of Yun's mansion." Xiao Feng said, then smiled bitterly, "Who knew that man proposes, God disposes. Although we conspired to commit the Sunjiawan massacre, we didn't get the treasure as we hoped. Ye Da even exposed his identity by killing Ye San's leader with the 'hitting the cow from across the mountain' technique and was punished by the head of the punishment hall. Wuji Sect actually lost more than it gained!"

"What do you mean? Is there no treasure map at all?" I hurriedly asked—I've suffered a lot because of that lousy map!

"The treasure map has been found, but it's only half of it." Xiao Feng glanced at me and smiled faintly. "The two families were only friends for mutual benefit. Now they are even more suspicious of each other, each believing that the other has hidden the other half of the map and kept it for themselves. So, a disagreement led to tonight's fierce battle."

"I think it's more than that," Huaiyuan laughed contemptuously. "Perhaps it was because Miss Li tried to use her beauty to steal the map from Wan Chongshan but failed, and instead exposed her target, which led to this chaotic battle?"

Xiao Feng nodded calmly, "Our young lady has long been in love with the sect leader. It would not be surprising if she were to risk her life for him, let alone just stealing the map."

"Alright, you can go now." Huaiyuan was silent for a moment, then looked up and instructed Xiaofeng—perhaps he was assuming there was some credibility in what Xiaofeng said?

"Sister Qingyang, I'm sorry." Xiaofeng didn't move. Her expression was pale, and a strange smile appeared on her face. She stared straight at me, her eyes darting around, her voice soft and dreamlike: "If only you were really a man, how wonderful that would be?"

My face flushed red, and I spat at her: "What are you saying?"

"Xiao Feng!" Huai Yuan's expression suddenly changed drastically. He rushed forward, catching her as she slid down, and used his other hand to press several pressure points on her body. "Damn it! I didn't expect that!"

"Xiaofeng, what's wrong? Are you sick?" I looked at her blankly—her pretty face had gradually turned bluish-purple, and blood was seeping from the corner of her bright red lips.

"It's no use, Master Jiang, don't waste your energy. This kind of poison will surely kill you if you don't take the antidote." Xiao Feng gently shook her head, refusing Huai Yuan's offer to transfer her inner energy to her, and reached out to me—I squatted down and took her slender body from Huai Yuan's arms, holding her tightly in my embrace. Tears welled up in my eyes, "Xiao Feng, Xiao Feng!"

“Sister Qingyang, you don’t need to cry. I…I’m sorry…I betrayed you.” Xiaofeng’s expression was very calm. She gasped for breath and struggled to say, “Sister Qingyang…you see…I’m a…very bad woman…I told you the secret of the sect…and betrayed…Miss…I was unjust to you…and disloyal to…Miss…I should…die…”

"Xiaofeng, stop talking! I've never blamed you, really!" I cried and shook my head, my hands trembling as I wiped the blood that was overflowing from the corner of her mouth—why couldn't I wipe that blood away no matter how hard I tried?

"Sister Qingyang, thank you for still... being willing... to call me Xiaofeng... You know? When I'm... Xiaofeng... that's when I'm truly... happy..." Xiaofeng's voice grew weaker, and she looked at me, a smile blooming on her lips: "I really want to... stay with you... and paint..."

"Xiaofeng, Xiaofeng!" I cried out in anguish, "Why?! I was only angry that she lied to me, that she betrayed me, but I didn't want her to die! Why did she have to die?!"

"This isn't your fault; it's my oversight." Huaiyuan shook his head slightly, hugged me tightly, took Xiaofeng from my hands, and handed her to a servant in the manor.

"Why be so cruel? What did Xiaofeng do wrong? Why must you take her life?" I sobbed uncontrollably—if I had known that keeping her alive would cost her her life, I would never have held her hand!

"Jianfeng, when did you become so cruel?!" Huaiyuan's dark eyes were deep, and he sighed sadly, his expression quite complicated.

"What deep-seated hatred does he have for you? Is it all because of Lu Rumei?" I asked through gritted teeth, my eyes wide with tears in my eyes.

"It's all Xiaofeng's fate, not your fault. Don't think too much about it." Huaiyuan sighed, hugged me tenderly, gently tapped my body with his finger, and said softly, "You're tired, go to sleep for a while!"

"No! I want to find Lu..." I protested, tears still welling in my eyes, my eyelids drooping listlessly. My voice trailed off, and finally, I sank into darkness...