Aquí hay amor por trescientos taeles

Capítulo 34

Yun Ran was startled and shouted, "Who goes there!" Seeing the figure leap over the wall, she reached for the Broken Scale Sword at her waist and immediately gave chase.

The man possessed exceptional lightness skills, and in the blink of an eye, he was already dozens of feet away. Fortunately, his white shirt was extremely conspicuous at night, making him difficult to lose track of.

Watching the man leap and bound from behind, Yun Ran grew increasingly suspicious as she chased after him, and couldn't help but call out, "Wen Huaifeng?"

The man in white ahead chuckled, stopped, and slowly turned around. His starry eyes held a hint of amusement as he looked at her from afar. It was indeed Wen Huaifeng.

Yun Ran gripped the hilt of her sword, her eyes wary as she approached, carefully scanning her surroundings. Wen Huaifeng smiled and said, "Don't worry, I won't ambush you here."

He took two steps forward and saw Yun Ran holding her sword across her chest, her face full of vigilance. He shook his head helplessly and sighed, "Now that I know you are Ran'er, how can I bear to hurt you again?"

Yun Ran gave a slight cold laugh. Wen Huaifeng looked at her intently and said gently, "The matter of having someone secretly throw hidden weapons at Shuangquan Manor that day was arranged long ago. I did not expect you to show up suddenly. Moreover, you changed your appearance. I was on guard against Junior Brother Huo and failed to recognize you in time. It is understandable that you have some resentment towards me because of this."

Yun Ran snorted and said, "Lord Wen's visit so late at night, if it's just to explain this matter to me, there's no need to waste your breath. Please forgive me, Yun Ran, for not being able to keep you company." She was worried that Wen Huaifeng was plotting against Sima Liuyun again, so she left after giving her instructions.

Wen Huaifeng raised an eyebrow and said, "You don't need to worry about Sima Liuyun. I haven't sent anyone to cause him any trouble." He smiled slightly, "It won't be easy to capture him now."

Yun Ran knew that what he said was true. Ever since Sima Liuyun was captured after falling into a trap, the Sima family had sent many experts to guard him closely, and with the protection of the Sima family's Nebula Sword Formation, it was now extremely difficult for the Dragon Guards to get close to him.

Wen Huaifeng said calmly, "Ran'er, the matter I want to discuss with you today is also related to him... Do you want to know why I insisted on making things difficult for Sima Liuyun that day?"

Yun Ran had already turned to leave, but upon hearing his words, she stopped and turned back to look at him with a questioning look in her eyes.

Wen Huaifeng pointed to the roadside, and he and Yun Ran found a large rock to sit on before slowly saying, "It has been over a hundred years since our dynasty's founding emperor led his troops to conquer the capital and seize the throne. But did you know that the former dynasty's Crown Prince Wu did not die on the day the city fell? Instead, he escaped the capital with the Imperial Seal of the State, escorted by several skilled imperial guards, and his whereabouts remain unknown to this day. For over a hundred years, the court has been sending people to search for the remnants of the previous dynasty, but has not obtained even a trace of the Wu family's descendants..."

Yun Ran was taken aback, wondering why he had suddenly brought up the affairs of the previous dynasty. She noticed Wen Huaifeng's eyes flicker as he looked at her, hesitant to speak. A thought flashed through her mind, and she exclaimed, "Could it be the Sima family..."

Wen Huaifeng nodded and said, "The members of the Wu royal family are mostly skilled in martial arts and indifferent to politics. The former crown prince was even a martial arts fanatic. I guess that after he escaped from the capital, he went into hiding in the martial arts world and never thought about restoring the country. That's how he was able to keep his tracks completely. Later, he even founded the Sima family and occupied a place in the martial arts world."

Yun Ran was speechless with astonishment. In an instant, she realized that if Sima Liuyun was indeed a descendant of the former dynasty's royal family, and his identity were discovered by the court, it would be a disaster that would lead to the extermination of his entire clan. She immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

Seeing her expression change suddenly, Wen Huaifeng knew what she was worried about and said, "No one else in the court knows about this matter yet. The reason I secretly ordered Sima Liuyun to be arrested earlier was for this reason."

Yun Ran was full of suspicion and whispered, "Why don't you report this to the imperial court and try to gain credit for it?"

Wen Huaifeng lowered his eyes and said calmly, "This matter also involves my sect. I was raised by my master since I was a child. Although he has passed away, I am unwilling to let the Jade Sword Sect be destroyed because of this."

Yun Ran was startled again and asked, "Jade Sword Sect?"

Wen Huaifeng hummed in agreement and said, "When the former crown prince broke through the encirclement, he only had one minister by his side. Knowing that the court would surely launch a massive manhunt, and that fleeing with the Imperial Seal would only increase the risk, he entrusted the seal to this minister for safekeeping, agreeing that if he could evade capture, he would send someone to retrieve the seal. This minister accepted the order and later managed to escape, but he never received any news from the crown prince. He was originally the head of the inner guard, and his swordsmanship was unparalleled in the world. In his old age, feeling that there was no hope of restoring the country, he took on disciples and instructed them to continue guarding the Imperial Seal, waiting for the descendants of the Wu clan. Ran'er, I'm sure you can guess that this minister is the founder of our Jade Sword Sect."

Yun Ran recalled that Huo Qingfeng had mentioned that he was ordered by his master to establish the Twilight Shadow Pavilion to guard an important thing, which coincided with what Wen Huaifeng had said. However, she still had some doubts in her heart and frowned, saying, "How do you know that the Sima family is a descendant of the Wu clan?"

Wen Huaifeng said, "Back then, the Crown Prince of the Wu Clan made an agreement with our ancestor that when he sent someone to retrieve the Imperial Seal, he would present the Yi Guang Jade as proof. Many years ago, my master learned by chance that this Yi Guang Jade was the heirloom of the Sima family in Sichuan. Therefore, it is not difficult to guess that the Sima family in Sichuan is most likely a descendant of the Crown Prince of the Wu Clan."

His eyes flickered as he looked at Yun Ran and continued, "Times have changed. The existence of the Wu family descendants is no longer a threat to the court. However, the Imperial Seal of the State is scattered abroad, which is a major concern for the current imperial family. My secret capture of Sima Liuyun was to obtain the Yi Guang Jade from him, and then use it to obtain the Imperial Seal of the State and present it to the court. Since the Sima family has no intention of seizing the throne again, the Imperial Seal of the State is just a burden to the Jade Sword Sect. Now that you have become the leader of the Jade Sword Sect and are on good terms with Sima Liuyun, I have come to you tonight to discuss this. If you can persuade Sima Liuyun to hand over the seal, I will return to the court and no longer get involved in the affairs of the martial world. In this way, we can avoid conflict and achieve two goals at once. Wouldn't that be better?"

Yun Ran frowned and remained silent, seemingly deep in thought. Wen Huaifeng said, "I know this matter is difficult to decide in a short time. Go back and think about it. I will wait for your reply at Baiquepo, five miles to the south, at noon tomorrow."

He stood up with a smile, about to leave, when he suddenly heard Yun Ran say in a deep voice, "No need, I will never cooperate with you."

Wen Huaifeng was slightly taken aback. He looked up and saw Yun Ran looking at him calmly, saying, "Yun Ran doesn't know what Lord Wen's purpose is in wanting the Imperial Seal, but you instigated the Sima Liuyun brothers to turn against each other and even killed your senior brother He Chun. With such scheming, it's hard to believe that you still have any intention of protecting the Jade Sword Sect. If you think that Yun Ran will not be able to distinguish right from wrong because of past feelings and will be manipulated by you in everything, I'm afraid you will be disappointed this time."

Wen Huaifeng frowned and said in a low voice, "Ran'er, aren't you afraid that if the imperial court finds out about this, it will bring annihilation upon the Sima family and the Jade Sword Sect?"

Yun Ran said coldly, "I'm afraid you have already made plans in mind, and you don't want the court to know about this matter. Otherwise, why would you go to all this trouble and do so many things in secret?"

A sharp glint flashed in Wen Huaifeng's eyes. Yun Ran, wary of his sudden attack, slightly retracted her fingers, touching the hilt of the Broken Scale Sword at her waist. She was confident that her skill and swordsmanship had improved over the past few months, and with the Broken Scale Sword protecting her, even if she couldn't defeat Wen Huaifeng in a fight, she wouldn't have to worry about escaping.

Unexpectedly, Wen Huaifeng looked at her quietly for a moment, his expression softening, and said gently, "Since that's the case, you should go back. If you change your mind, come back to me." After saying that, he smiled at her and then left.

When Yun Ran saw that he left so easily and didn't make things difficult for her, she was a little stunned. Although she knew that this man was full of scheming and unscrupulous, she felt that his words and actions seemed to show a hint of protection for her, which made her quite at a loss.

She shook her head and was about to turn back when she suddenly heard a deep voice call out, "Is that Miss Yun?"

Yun Ran recognized the unfamiliar voice and looked closely. She saw a man in black rushing towards her. He stopped about ten feet away, took out a black token from his robes, held it in his palm, and bowed to her, saying, "I have come to deliver a message to you on the orders of the sect leader."

Yun Ran recognized the token as the one Qi Mo held—the Killing Token—and nodded, asking, "Where is your sect leader now?"

The man hesitated for a moment, then said, "We encountered government troops at Baique Slope. Our sect leader was injured and cannot return in time..."

Yun Ran's heart tightened, and she quickly asked, "Is he injured? How badly is he injured?"

The man then took out a letter from his pocket and presented it, saying, "The sect leader was afraid that Miss Yun would worry, so he specially ordered me to deliver this letter first. You will know the details once you read it."

Judging from his tone, Yun Ran guessed that Qi Mo was seriously injured, and she was secretly worried. She nodded and reached out to take the letter.

The moment her fingers touched the envelope, the man swiftly grabbed her right hand. Yun Ran felt a slight pain in her palm, and with a start, she unleashed a burst of strength, shaking his hand away. She then drew her Broken Scale Sword with her left hand and swung it. The man in black, already prepared, nimbly retreated more than ten feet away, shouting, "Success!"

Suddenly, a figure darted out of the woods. This person stood under the moonlight, his brows furrowed with murderous intent, his gaze icy, and he was looking at her with a slight, cold smile. It was A Luo.

Yun Ran's expression changed slightly. She looked down and saw a small hole in her palm, from which a few drops of blood seeped out. The spot where she was pricked felt faintly numb. She took a deep breath and felt her internal energy stagnate, as if she had been poisoned by the Drunken Tendon Powder. She knew something was wrong. A Luo's face was cold. Holding two swords, she moved swiftly and attacked her.

Yun Ran thrust out her sword with a swift, elusive motion, silently severing A Luo's left-hand sword and then rapidly slashing downwards. A Luo felt a chill creep towards her, but before she could even see her opponent's movements, the sword was already at her abdomen. She hurriedly raised her right-hand sword to block in front of her abdomen, but it was instantly severed by the Broken Scale Sword as well. Yun Ran's sword strike was unimpeded, and it seemed she was about to end A Luo's life when suddenly she felt her hand go limp, and she could no longer muster any strength. The Broken Scale Sword slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground.

The man in black, who had been waiting for an opportunity, exclaimed with delight upon seeing the situation, "She's finished." He then moved forward.

A Luo reached out to stop her, coldly saying, "Beware of a trap, stay away from her." She picked up the broken half of the sword tip from the ground, her eyes turning cold, and flung it towards Yun Ran's heart.

Yun Ran could barely stand, her legs weak, and she was unable to dodge. The sword tip flew like a rainbow, but a soft sound was heard as something flew out from the side and struck her, deflecting her by the side.

A'Luo leaped up, picked up the Broken Scale Sword, held it to her chest, and said in a deep voice, "Who is it!"

A cold laugh came from the shadows, and a white shadow flashed by. Wen Huaifeng had already flown out and stood in front of Yun Ran, looking at the two of them indifferently.

A Luo pursed her lips, nimbly leaped forward, bypassing Wen Huaifeng, and with her Broken Scale Sword in hand, she aimed straight for Yun Ran. At the same time, the man in black also lashed out with a soft whip, which wrapped around Wen Huaifeng's waist from below.

Wen Huaifeng's expression turned cold. He reached out and grabbed the whip in his palm. Without turning around, he swung his Zijing soft sword backward and placed it on top of A Luo's longsword.

A Luo was jolted, injured by the internal force transmitted through Wen Huaifeng's sword. Blood flowed from the corner of her mouth. The man in black was exerting his strength to snatch back the long whip when Wen Huaifeng sneered and suddenly flicked his hand, releasing the whip, which then lashed back towards the man in black.

The man exclaimed in surprise. Fortunately, he reacted quickly, his body lightly leaping upwards to avoid the whip. He then swung the soft whip again, this time wrapping it around A'Luo's waist and pulling her back. The two worked in perfect harmony. A'Luo twisted her body in mid-air, freeing herself from the whip's entanglement, and without pausing, she and the man in black sped away into the distance.

Wen Huaifeng stopped chasing and turned to look at Yun Ran. He saw that her face was pale, and cold sweat was beading on her forehead. She seemed to be unable to stand steadily, so he quickly stepped forward to support her and asked, "How are you?"

Yun Ran was completely exhausted and leaned against Wen Huaifeng's chest, whispering, "I feel like I've been poisoned by a drug called 'Drunken Tendon Powder'."

Wen Huaifeng frowned and said, "Let's find a place to rest first, and then try to detoxify." With that, he picked up Yun Ran and strode into the forest.

The poison Yun Ran was poisoned with was extremely potent. Before long, she felt dizzy and disoriented. She felt Wen Huaifeng carrying her for a while, then her body sank and she was put down.

Wen Huaifeng gently pressed her Shen Ting acupoint, then put a pill in her mouth and said, "This medicine is quite effective in inhibiting common toxicity. Take it first."

Yun Ran swallowed it as instructed. After a while, she felt her mind clear up a bit and her body was no longer as weak as before. Wen Huaifeng held her hand and channeled some internal energy into her palm, asking in a low voice, "Do you feel better?" Yun Ran nodded, and seeing Wen Huaifeng reach out to touch her ankle, she quickly said, "No need!"

Wen Huaifeng smiled faintly, but ignored her. He grabbed her ankle, removed her shoes and socks, held her foot in his palm, and slowly channeled his inner force into her body through her Yongquan acupoint.

Yun Ran felt a strange sensation in her heart. Wen Huaifeng looked down and saw the slender, white feet in his palm, the rounded and beautiful ankle bones, and the plump and smooth toes. He looked at Yun Ran and said with a deep smile, "So even Ran'er's feet are so beautiful."

Yun Ran blushed and tried to pull her foot back, but Wen Huaifeng held it tightly, refusing to let go. He said softly, "My Ran'er has grown up, and now you're afraid of me?" As he spoke, he slowly leaned forward, his deep gaze fixed on her.

☆, Chapter 55 (Latest)

Seeing his deep, calm eyes approaching inch by inch, Yun Ran felt a sudden, inexplicable panic. She reached out and placed her hand against his chest, but Wen Huaifeng gently took it. She heard him whisper, "Ran'er, if the imperial envoy sent to Yun Family Fort that day hadn't been me, or if I had known your identity sooner, would things be different between us now?"

When Yun Ran heard him mention the Yun Family Fortress, she felt a pang of sorrow and said in a low voice, "It's too late to undo what's done. There's no point in thinking about it anymore." With that, she silently withdrew her hand and moved back.

Wen Huaifeng stared at her for a long time, his eyes showing tenderness. Suddenly, he reached out and hugged her waist, whispering, "But I just can't bear to let go."

Yun Ran frowned, trying to struggle, but the poison from the Drunken Tendon Powder hadn't dissipated from her body, leaving her powerless to resist. He pulled her to his chest, and suddenly everything went dark before her eyes. Wen Huaifeng had already lowered his face and was kissing her lips. She quickly turned her head away, her voice hoarse as she stammered, "You...you..."

Seeing the slight blush on her face, Wen Huaifeng smiled gently and placed a kiss lightly on her cheek. He whispered softly, "I know Ran'er has always thought of me. I knew that from the moment we first met, you didn't draw your sword to hurt me."

Yun Ran felt weak and limp, leaning against Wen Huaifeng's chest, surrounded by his warm breath. She could faintly hear his soft pleading voice in her ear: "I have caused my Ran'er so much suffering, and I deeply regret it. Ran'er, would you be willing to give me another chance, so that I can pamper you and take good care of you from now on, and never let you suffer any more grievances..." For some reason, she was suddenly touched by her own feelings, and two lines of tears slowly flowed down her cheeks.

She closed her eyes, silent, only feeling Wen Huaifeng gently kiss away the tears from the corners of her eyes and lashes, whispering something in her ear. In a daze, Qi Mo's smiling eyes flashed through her mind, and the soft whispers in her ear seemed to transform into Qi Mo's clear and pleasant voice: "Since you accepted what I gave you, you must agree to be my wife, and you are not allowed to think of anyone else..."

She suddenly realized what was happening, and struggled to lean back, trying to avoid Wen Huaifeng's advances, and cried out, "Let me go!"

Wen Huaifeng paused, and Yun Ran broke free from his embrace, but felt increasingly weak, and dizzy, she fell backward. Wen Huaifeng reached out and encircled her waist, falling to the ground with her in his arms. He saw her beautiful eyes slightly lowered, her voice barely audible, still murmuring, "No... Qi..."

His eyes darkened, and he slowly said, "I will be good to you from now on." He lowered his head and kissed her soft lips, and Yun Ran's indistinct whisper came to an abrupt end.

Under the moonlight, the deep forest seemed even more tranquil. Wen Huaifeng gently kissed and licked Yun Ran's body, feeling a surge of passion, when he suddenly heard a soft sound about ten feet behind him and felt a slight chill on the back of his head. Without thinking, he immediately rolled to the side, and a sharp sword silently grazed past his cheek.

Wen Huaifeng broke out in a cold sweat. Looking up, he saw Qi Mo covered in blood, his eyes blazing with murderous intent. Qi Mo swung his sword again, aiming for Wen Huaifeng's chest. Wen Huaifeng hurriedly swung his hand, his Purple Thorn Soft Sword flashing out like a shadow to meet Qi Mo's blade. Qi Mo slightly retracted his sword tip, and several iron caltrops shot out from his sleeve. The two were neck and neck. Wen Huaifeng couldn't dodge in time, and with a muffled groan, he had been struck by two hidden weapons in his right arm and ribs.

He gritted his teeth and endured the pain, swinging his Purple Thorn Soft Sword to deflect the remaining iron caltrops. One of them was sliced in half by his sword, and with its momentum still intact, it flew straight towards Yun Ran beside him.

Qi Mo's expression changed, and he leaped forward, landing beside Yun Ran and knocking away half of the iron caltrop. Taking this brief respite, Wen Huaifeng sprang up from the ground and darted out of the forest like an arrow.

Qi Mo suppressed his anger and looked down at Yun Ran. Seeing her lying on the ground, her robes undone and her body exposed, his eyes grew even darker. He heard Shen Ye's voice faintly coming from outside the woods: "The Boss?" He quickly bent down to cover Yun Ran with her clothes, held her in his arms, and replied, "I'm here."

After a moment, Shen Ye arrived silently. He glanced at Yun Ran, his eyes showing joy, and said, "Miss Yun is indeed here. Boss, the rest of the men have been dealt with by the brothers."

Qi Mo nodded and said in a deep voice, "Clean up the mess and try not to leave any trace. I'll take her back to Baiguquan first. If Xie Feng has any news, tell him to come see me." With that, he didn't stop and carried Yun Ran out of the forest.

Yun Ran curled up in Qi Mo's arms, her mind sometimes clear and sometimes confused. Suddenly, she smelled a bloody odor. Opening her eyes, she saw that Qi Mo's clothes were covered in blood and exclaimed in surprise, "You...you're injured?"

Qi Mo heard her hoarse voice, glanced down at her, remained silent for a moment, and then said in a low voice, "It's not me, it's the blood from those people outside the forest."

Yun Ran asked blankly, "Those outside the forest?" She was exhausted and unable to think. Hearing that Qi Mo was unharmed, she felt relieved and fell into a deep sleep on his chest.

After an unknown amount of time, Yun Ran felt a bone-chilling cold and immediately woke up. Opening her eyes, she found herself being embraced from behind by Qi Mo, the two of them submerged in a spring. She was practicing her martial arts with the Broken Scale Sword, and the flow of her internal energy was already resisting the cold, so she didn't find it particularly unbearable. Qi Mo held her hands, continuously channeling his internal energy into her body.

Yun Ran silently circulated her internal energy, feeling a smooth and effortless sensation, concluding that the poison in her body had dissipated. As her mind returned, she instantly recalled her encounter with Wen Huaifeng in the forest, her heart trembled, and her face turned deathly pale.

Qi Mo sensed the fluctuations in her internal energy and asked in a deep voice beside her neck, "Awake?" He turned her around, stared at her face for a moment, and said calmly, "The effects of the medicine have worn off. Let's get ashore." With that, he carried Yun Ran and leaped ashore from the water, then strode into a thatched hut by the spring.

A fire was lit in the stove, filling the room with warmth. Qi Mo carried Yun Ran to the bedside, removed her wet clothes, and then took a cloth to wipe her body. Yun Ran's face flushed, and she said softly, "I can do it myself." Qi Mo ignored her and continued to wipe her body clean, then took off his own clothes and dried himself.

Yun Ran hurriedly pulled the quilt over her head to cover herself. She saw Qi Mo throw his wet clothes aside, then lift the quilt and sit on the bed.

Yun Ran gasped, but Qi Mo had already turned and pulled her into his arms, saying in a low voice, "Don't move." He pulled her into the blankets and lay down. Yun Ran nestled in Qi Mo's arms, her naked body pressed against his, truly daring not to move at all. After a moment, feeling her body gradually warming, she whispered, "Wen Huaifeng and I..."

Qi Mo interrupted her, saying in a deep voice, "He was disrespectful to you while you were poisoned, and I'm determined not to let him get away with this!"

Seeing his gloomy face and tightly pursed lips, Yun Ran thought of how she had almost been harassed and teased by Wen Huaifeng in the forest, and felt ashamed and angry.

Qi Mo seemed to know what she was thinking, and his tone softened as he gently comforted her, "You were drugged by him. Wen Huaifeng is cunning and hard to guard against."

Yun Ran recalled the situation at the time and knew that the Drunken Tendon Powder could only make people lose all their strength, but it did not have the effect of confusing their minds. She blurted out, "It was A Luo. She also put a sleeping potion in the hidden weapon that attacked me."

A cold glint flashed in Qi Mo's eyes as he slowly said, "I sent people to search all the places A Luo could go, but we couldn't find her anywhere. I never expected that she would..." He frowned slightly and looked at Yun Ran, saying, "I checked the wound on your palm; it's just the poison from the Drunken Tendon Powder."

Yun Ran was stunned for a moment. Seeing that she hadn't realized what was going on, Qi Mo felt a pang of frustration and said calmly, "You still trust Wen Huaifeng so much?"

Yun Ran frowned and said softly, remembering the antidote pill that Wen Huaifeng had fed her, "It was him? But why..." Before she could finish her sentence, she had already vaguely figured out the answer.

Wen Huaifeng tricked her into taking a sleeping potion and then led her into that forest, where he had people guarding the area. It was clear that he had planned this all along, intending to take advantage of her. Thinking of how Wen Huaifeng's tender words and actions, such as rescuing her and confessing his love in the forest, were all feigned, Yun Ran felt a chill of fear and lowered her eyelashes, remaining silent.

The two remained silent for a long while, when Qi Mo snorted. Yun Ran looked up and saw his gaze fixed on her neck, his expression quite unpleasant. She asked, "What's wrong?" She reached out and touched her neck, only to find it empty. The black gold ring that Qi Mo had given her was nowhere to be seen, and her heart tightened immediately.