Aquí hay amor por trescientos taeles

Capítulo 4

Yun Ran was overwhelmed with emotion. Sima Liuyun had already received her letter demanding the annulment of the engagement, yet he had disregarded past grievances and come to her rescue. He was truly a gentleman. Unfortunately…

Luo Qi stared at Yun Ran for a long time before asking, "Miss Yun seems to be from Jizhou as well. Do you know the whereabouts of that Miss Yun the Third?"

Yun Ran lowered her eyes and said softly, "Yun Ran has heard that Miss Yun San has long since died, and since then, there has been no such person in the world."

Luo Qi nodded, then suddenly asked, "Miss Yun, you're all alone wandering the martial world. What are your plans for the future?"

Yun Ran felt a pang of sadness and remained silent for a moment. Then Luo Qi smiled and said, "Back then, Sect Leader Qi suggested that Miss Yun join his Absolute Kill Sect, but Miss Yun flatly refused. Now, if I, Luo, also wish to invite Miss Yun to cooperate with my Myriad Valley Manor, I wonder what Miss Yun's thoughts are?"

Upon hearing this, Yun Ran's expression shifted. She looked up and saw Luo Qi smiling at her, his gaze revealing a certainty. He slowly continued, "Although Miss Yun already has a fortune, if you only spend and don't earn, no matter how much money you have, it will eventually run out. The guests who come to my Wanhe Manor are all those who can afford high prices. I, Luo, will be responsible for taking orders and connecting them. After the job is done, the reward will be split 50/50 with you. Most importantly, Miss Yun will always remain free."

Yun Ran pondered for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "Yun Ran is just a lowly cell phone user, why does Seventh Master value me so much?"

Luo Qi chuckled and raised his eyebrows, saying, "Miss Yun, why should you belittle yourself? The moment I saw you at Zuiyue Tower, I knew you were born for this. If you are willing, you will surely have a place in the martial world in the future."

☆、Reunion with Fragrant Breeze

As night deepened, the streets of Hanchuan, paved with bluestone slabs, were shrouded in darkness, with only the occasional howl of wild cats emanating from the narrow alleys, sending chills down one's spine.

In the dead of night, a sudden rustling sound of clothes being tossed in the wind arose from the eaves of the Yuelai Inn in the city. A dark figure emerged from the shadows, landing silently and skillfully among the tiles, leaping to the top of the No. 1 room of the Heavenly Palace. With a light touch of the eaves, the figure dangled upside down to the window lattice, peering quietly inside.

The pedestrian that night was slender and graceful; she was a woman, her entire body wrapped in black, her head also covered with a black cloth, leaving only her eyes, mouth, and nose exposed.

Her eyes were sharp as she stared into the room for a moment. Seeing that it was dark, she moistened her finger with saliva and gently poked a small hole in the window paper. Then she took out a thin tube from her bosom and blew a cloud of colorless smoke into the room.

A moment later, the night traveler gently pushed open the window and slipped into the room like a nimble cat.

Knowing that she would fall into a deep sleep for several hours after inhaling the Youhuan Fragrance, unless she took her own secret antidote, she had no more worries. She took out a tinderbox and lit it. By the light, she saw that the curtains in front of the bed in the corner of the room were lowered and a man's long robe was draped on the chair next to the bed.

Inside the curtained room, the cotton quilt was piled high, and a figure could be vaguely seen lying on the bed.

He Chun, the eldest disciple of the Jade Sword Sect, is wanted by the martial arts world for 200 gold coins.

That night, the traveler's eyes flashed with murderous intent. He drew his sword and darted to the bedside.

A flash of cold light, and the curtains were lifted. The traveler froze, standing motionless before the bed, head bowed, staring intently at the person on it, his chest heaving rapidly, his eyes blazing with barely suppressed anger.

He Chun lay on his back, his eyes wide open, staring blankly at her. There was a trace of rouge on his throat, and his whole body was cold and stiff.

He has been dead for a long time.

The next day.

In the Forget-Return Pavilion in Hanchuan City, a group of chivalrous heroes sat around a table, engrossed in conversation.

Just last night, He Chun, the eldest disciple of the Jade Sword Sect, died suddenly in the city. The news has spread throughout Hanchuan, and these chivalrous figures of the martial arts world are discussing the matter among themselves.

One person said, "I heard that the Jade Sword Sect's leader, Long Yanzi, passed away suddenly seven days ago. He Chun, as the Jade Sword Sect's eldest disciple, was the only candidate to succeed him as leader. His sudden assassination is quite intriguing."

Someone then laughed and said, "He Chun is an honest and upright man. I have never heard of him making any enemies. Yet recently someone offered two hundred gold coins to put him on the Jianghu bounty list... The reason is self-evident. It must be because of his succession as the sect leader."

Another person whispered, "With He Chun dead, Huo Qingfeng is the only one left in the Jade Sword Sect with the strength to take over as sect leader."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed slightly, and someone hurriedly shouted, "Silence! Beware of what you say!"

Huo Qingfeng, the master of Twilight Shadow Pavilion, is a cold and ruthless man with superb swordsmanship. In recent years, he has become extremely famous in the martial arts world, and these chivalrous figures in the martial arts world dare not offend him.

The man who had spoken out of turn quickly uttered the name "Huo Qingfeng" and then felt a chill run down his spine. He cleared his throat and changed the subject with an embarrassed smile: "Speaking of which, He Chun was killed by a sword to the throat. Who is this person who can take the life of the Jade Sword Sect's top disciple in a single move?"

Someone interjected, "Don't you know? When He Chun died, there was nothing unusual about his body except for a small bloodstain on his throat, which was naturally the work of 'The Bloodstain Killer'."

The man asked in surprise, "'Crimson Blood One-Point Kill'? Is that the mysterious assassin who's been making waves lately, stealing most of the business from the Absolute Kill Sect?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a gust of wind rush towards his face, and something flew straight into his mouth. He felt a sharp pain in his tongue and quickly lowered his head to spit out the foreign object. With a soft "ding," a steel ball covered with sharp spikes rolled to the ground along with his mouthful of blood.

The group of martial arts heroes recognized the steel ball as one of the unique hidden weapons of the Absolute Killing Sect—the Soul-Destroying Pearl. They were terrified. After waiting for a while and seeing no further movement around them, they hurriedly helped the man downstairs and dispersed.

Behind the beaded curtain hanging low in the private room next door, A'Luo, her face ashen, suddenly stood up, pushed aside the curtain, and strode out.

Xie Feng stuck out his tongue and chuckled quietly, "A Luo's temper is getting worse and worse."

Shen Ye said calmly, "This time, 'Crimson Blood One-Point Kill' once again seized the initiative, how could she not be angry?"

Xie Feng squinted and said, "They stole seven of our deals in just two months. Not to mention A Luo, even I think this 'Rouge Blood One-Point Kill' is somewhat hateful. How can the boss be so calm?"

Shen Ye suddenly smiled and said slowly, "If we were truly patient, the chief wouldn't have split up with us and gone to the capital alone to take that order."

※※※※

Meanwhile, Yun Ran, dressed in men's clothing, was riding a horse at breakneck speed, traveling day and night, heading towards the capital.

According to Luo Qi, the buyer offered 100,000 gold coins for this deal, and if it is delayed because of He Chun's matter, it would truly be a loss.

However, thinking that the Absolute Kill Sect had returned empty-handed again, Yun Ran couldn't help but smile slyly. She used the bounty for assassinating He Chun to buy this magnificent steed, and calculated that it would arrive in the capital in less than three days.

She was determined to win this deal.

Three days later, Yun Ran arrived in the capital city, looking travel-worn. Without a moment's delay, she inquired about the location of Lanxiang Pavilion and headed straight for this most famous brothel in the capital.

Since the meeting was arranged in a brothel, Yun Ran had already tied up her hair and wrapped her arms around her waist, ready to go. Although her brocade robe was slightly dusty, it could not hide her stunning beauty and charm, making her look like a handsome young gentleman.

As soon as he stepped inside, a maidservant came forward, smiling obsequiously, and asked, "Young master, do you know any girls?"

Yun Ran nodded and said, "I'm looking for Lady Wang."

The girl was taken aback, then smiled and said, "Lady Wang?"

Yun Ran took out the jade token that Luo Qi had given her, placed it in the maid's hand, and said, "That's right. Please pass on the message that the guest who came all the way from Yanzhou is surnamed Luo."

Upon seeing the jade token, the girl smiled slightly and said, "Young Master Luo, please follow me."

She led Yun Ran through the long hall and garden, into a large room at the back, and said with a smile, "This is the residence of Consort Wang. Young Master Luo, please wait here for a moment." With that, she curtsied and turned to leave.

Yun Ran looked around and saw that the room was simply and elegantly furnished with tables and chairs. However, the large yellow pear wood bed against the wall was much larger than a normal bed, and thick embroidered curtains hung low in front of the bed, adding a touch of ambiguity to the room.

Remembering the purpose of the large bed, she blushed slightly. Just as she was about to sit down at the table, she suddenly heard someone clapping three times softly not far from the door. A moment later, three more claps echoed from nearby.

Yun Ran sensed something was amiss, so she quickly held her breath and quietly floated to the door, listening to the sounds outside.

A hoarse voice rang out softly: "Brother Ling, how is the matter entrusted to you by Lord Wen progressing?"

When Yun Ran heard the man mention Lord Wen, her heart skipped a beat, and she unconsciously clenched her fists slightly.

After a moment, the other person gave a soft "hmm" and said, "It's not appropriate to discuss this in detail here, Commander Zheng. Please, let's talk in private."

Hearing the footsteps of the two people walking straight towards the door, Yun Ran quickly thought of something, darted to the bedside, lifted the curtain, and slipped inside.

As soon as she jumped onto the edge of the bed, she sensed something was wrong. Before she could react, someone grabbed her right wrist. In shock, she was about to kick out when the person leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Don't make a sound. I'll let you go after they leave."

Yun Ran recognized the voice immediately. She looked up and saw that the man had handsome eyebrows, bright eyes, a straight nose, and slightly pursed thin lips. He was indeed Qi Mo, the leader of the Absolute Killing Sect.

Qi Mo met her gaze and, startled, recognized her. A smile appeared in his eyes as he softly said, "How come it's you?" Hearing the noise, he knew the person had arrived at the door, so he reached out and put his arm around Yun Ran's slender waist, pulling her down onto the bed.

Just as the two settled down, the door creaked open, and two people entered the room. Yun Ran dared not struggle and could only let Qi Mo hold her. She saw his eyes flicker as he looked at her with a smile, a playful expression in them, and she felt increasingly annoyed.

Commander Zheng closed the door and asked, "Now Brother Ling can speak with peace of mind, right?"

The man surnamed Ling chuckled and said, "Please ask Commander Zheng to convey to Lord Wen that everything is going smoothly and that the young marquis will personally come to Lanxiang Pavilion in three days."

Commander Zheng chuckled and said, "Very good. I will go back and report to the lord now."

The man surnamed Ling coughed lightly, and Commander Zheng chuckled, "Don't worry, since the lord has already promised you, he won't shortchange you. Here is a thousand taels of gold, Brother Ling, please take a look."

A rustling sound was heard; it was Brother Ling counting the silver notes one by one. Yun Ran grew impatient and thought to herself that if Lady Wang returned to her room at this moment, she might have no choice but to kill the two of them to silence them.

Qi Mo saw the murderous intent in her eyes and knew what she was thinking. He gently squeezed her waist with his hand and shook his head slightly, signaling her not to act rashly. Suddenly, he saw a blush flash across Yun Ran's pale face and she glared at him hatefully.

Qi Mo was taken aback. He saw that her almond-shaped eyes were filled with anger and her cheeks were slightly flushed, which was different from her usual calm and composed demeanor. His heart stirred slightly, and he smiled and pulled her closer to him.

Hearing the two outside the tent finish their discussion, they hurriedly pushed open the door and left. In no time, their footsteps faded into the distance.

Yun Ran tried to break free from Qi Mo's embrace, but felt his fingers tighten on her pulse point. He chuckled softly, "It's been a year since we last met. Miss Yun's skills have improved quite a bit. I never imagined that you were the famous 'Rouge Blood One-Point Killer'."

Yun Ran was taken aback when he revealed her identity so readily.

Qi Mo's gaze was deep and unfathomable, a half-smile playing on his lips as he looked at her and slowly said, "Miss Yun has been causing me trouble at every turn. Now that you've delivered yourself to my doorstep, tell me, how should I punish you?"

Yun Ran felt a chill run down her spine. She knew Qi Mo was always ruthless, and now that he knew she was targeting his Absolute Killing Sect, she wondered how he would deal with her. But then she saw Qi Mo quickly lean in and give her a light peck on the lips before letting go and sitting up on the bed with a low laugh.

Yun Ran blushed slightly and quickly sat up. Qi Mo laughed and said, "Miss Yun, I have offended you in the past, but you have recently taken away a lot of business from my Absolute Killing Sect. It's time to vent my anger. From now on, let's not bother each other."

Yun Ran was quite surprised, but also secretly relieved. Just as she was about to reply, she suddenly heard a light footstep outside the door.

Qi Mo turned his gaze toward the door, a mysterious smile playing on his lips, and said in a low voice, "Perhaps Miss Yun will consider cooperating with me in the future; who knows?"

☆, Proposal for Cooperation

Just then, a person pushed open the door and slowly walked in.

Qi Mo leaped out of the tent and lazily asked, "Why did it take you so long to arrive? You've kept our guest waiting here."

Upon seeing Qi Mo, the man exclaimed in surprise, "So you've arrived... Huh? Where's that Young Master Luo from Yanzhou? You didn't kill him, did you?"

Qi Mo smiled faintly: "Since you are Lady Wang's guest, how could I be so rash?"

As the two chatted and laughed, Yun Ran lifted the curtain, jumped down, and carefully examined the person opposite her. She saw that the person was dressed in a yellow robe, with narrow, smiling eyes, red lips, and white teeth; he was a young man with exceptionally handsome features.

When the man saw Yun Ran leap out of the bed, he was slightly taken aback. His smile suddenly turned ambiguous, and his gaze shifted between her and Qi Mo, while he chuckled softly.

Qi Mo laughed and said, "Don't get the wrong idea. This Miss Yun and I only stayed on the bed for a short while, and nothing happened."

The man chuckled slyly, "Sect Leader Qi only stayed for a short while, yet he already knows everyone's surname. He truly has extraordinary abilities."

Seeing the slight displeasure in Yun Ran's eyes, Qi Mo smiled and said, "This Miss Yun is quite capable. If you continue to talk nonsense and anger her, I won't be able to help you."

The man smiled and stopped joking. He turned his gaze to Yun Ran, nodded and smiled, "Since you possess the token of Master Luo of Yanzhou, you must be the one who has come to accept this order? I have been preoccupied with trivial matters and have kept you waiting. Please forgive me."

Yun Ran was taken aback upon hearing this and couldn't help but ask, "Is this young master Lady Wang?" She saw that this man had beautiful features and an extraordinary appearance, but it was rather strange that a man was being called a beauty.

The man smiled slightly and said, "Indeed, my surname is Wang and my given name is Meiren. I am the owner of this Lanxiang Pavilion."

Qi Mo laughed from the side, "Lanxiang Pavilion is famous throughout the capital for its beauty, but very few people know that the owner behind it started out in the bounty business. The purpose of building Lanxiang Pavilion, Brother Beauty, is also to cover up the truth and facilitate the transmission of information."

Yun Ran frowned slightly, glanced at Qi Mo, and slowly said, "Seventh Master Luo received the young master's invitation and ordered me to come here overnight, but I don't know why Sect Master Qi is also here? Could it be that Young Master Wang suddenly changed his mind and wants to ask the Absolute Killing Sect to complete this mission for you?"