Ordre du Lotus Rouge

Chapitre 6

Yun Ran remained indifferent and said calmly, "Since that dagger was left behind, it's not hard to guess who the murderer is. If you truly cared for her, you should have sought justice for her."

Wang Meiren smiled sneer: "In this capital, power is justice. How can I seek justice? Report it to the authorities? The life of a mere courtesan is nothing but a blade of grass in the eyes of officials. Who would offend the powerful in the capital for such a trivial matter? Besides, although Qin Luo is not favored by Marquis Chang Le, he is still his own son. I'm afraid that even if I use all the power of Lanxiang Pavilion, I might not be able to defeat a single finger of Marquis Chang Le."

Yun Ran's lips curled into a sarcastic smile as she said, "So you listened to Qi Mo's words and planned to send Tian'er's corpse and that dagger to the Marquis of Chang Le's residence. This way, you could both curry favor with the Marquis of Chang Le and distract him from this matter, making it easier for Qi Mo and me to steal the treasure from the Marquis's residence tonight, is that right?"

After a moment of silence, Wang Meiren said, "Now that I have cooperated with you two, I will do my best to do anything that benefits your actions."

Yun Ran smiled faintly and said, "Manager Wang is indeed well-versed in business. I admire you. However, I still need to make some preparations for tonight's events. If Manager Wang has nothing else to say, please leave."

Wang Meiren gave her a deep look before walking towards the door. He stopped abruptly at the door and whispered, "I've heard that 'Rouge Blood One-Point Kill' charges a hundred gold coins for a single order. He's willing to take on any dangerous order as long as you can afford the gold. I wonder if the rumors are true?"

Yun Ran's eyes flashed, and she asked, "Why did Manager Wang suddenly ask about this?"

Wang Meiren turned to look at her: "I have a friend who is willing to offer ten thousand taels of gold for the life of Qin Luo, the young master of the Marquis of Chang Le's mansion. I wonder if you, Yi Dian Sha, dare to take this offer?"

Yun Ran remained calm and slowly said, "Ten thousand gold coins is indeed a good price worth the risk. However, assassinating Qin Luo tonight will inevitably increase the risk of the treasure theft. Will Sect Leader Qi agree to that?"

Wang Meiren smiled at her and said softly, "It's best to keep this from Sect Leader Qi. After it's done, someone will contact Miss Yun and deliver the reward in full."

Yun Ran shook her head slightly, a hint of murderous intent flashing in her eyes: "Miss Tian'er died because of me. I will not charge you a single penny for this job. I will complete it for Manager Wang for free."

☆, Night Raid on the Marquis's Residence

As night fell, the gates of the Marquis of Changle's mansion were tightly closed, and four giant gauze lanterns hung high on the pillars, appearing as solemn and peaceful as ever from the outside.

Inside the Marquis's residence, the guards performed their duties, patrolling back and forth and exchanging signals from time to time to ensure that nothing went wrong.

A stray cat meowed twice in the distance. A guard patrolling the northeast corner suddenly felt something strange behind him, then felt a tightness around his neck as a hard object was strangling him. Before losing consciousness, he vaguely heard a strange voice whisper: "The goods are in hand. Get out of here quickly."

Marquis Changle, Qin Changling, was a low-key and aloof old man who rarely left his home. He disliked socializing with the powerful and influential people in the capital, and found everything except treasures utterly uninteresting, including his unfilial son.

Qin Luo stood with his head bowed before his father, all his sharpness gone. A few feet behind him, on the ground, Tian'er's corpse lay side by side with the dagger.

Marquis Chang Le folded the letter in his hand and put it back in the envelope, his voice indifferent: "What's the deal with this woman?"

Qin Luo lowered his head and stammered, "I... I don't know either. I was just playing around and didn't kill her."

Marquis Chang Le slowly rose and walked to Qin Luo's side. Although Qin Luo dared not look up, he could feel his father's piercing gaze fixed on his face. Qin Changling's voice was slightly hoarse: "Under the emperor's nose, you actually dared to commit murder so blatantly. Your audacity is growing."

Qin Luo's face grew even paler. She wanted to explain, but then seemed to remember something. She pursed her lips, lowered her head again, and ultimately remained silent.

Marquis Chang Le stared at the secret letter in his hand, personally sent by Consort Wang, and said calmly, "This time, it's fortunate that Lanxiang Pavilion didn't pursue the matter. I'll have someone prepare a generous gift and send it over to settle this matter as soon as possible." He paused, then slowly said, word by word, "Since you are the heir of the Marquis Chang Le's mansion, you should remember your status before acting. I don't want this to happen again."

Qin Luo remained silent for a moment, a hint of hatred flashing in his lowered dark eyes, but his tone was very respectful as he said softly, "Your son will remember your teachings, Father."

Just then, a man in black hurriedly entered the room. Marquis Chang Le said to Qin Luo, "You may leave now. Go back and think carefully about what I said."

Qin Luo responded softly, and as she left, she brushed past the man in black. Their eyes met briefly, but both remained expressionless before turning their gazes away.

The man in black strode forward and whispered, "Reporting to the Marquis, a thief has just infiltrated the Marquis's residence, and one of the guards was attacked."

Marquis Chang Le frowned and asked, "Have you captured him?"

The man in black slowly shook his head, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "The guard has now been revived. According to him, the thief said 'I've got the stuff' before he left. Could it be..."

Marquis Chang Le's expression changed, and his voice became even lower and hoarse: "Let's go to the secret room and take a look." After saying that, he got up and walked towards the secret room with a sullen face, accompanied by the man in black.

The secret chamber was brightly lit, and the treasures that Marquis Chang Le had kept were all displayed in their original places, untouched. Marquis Chang Le picked up the Langhuan Jade Disc and examined it for a long time, a shadow of gloom flashing in his eyes. He carefully placed the jade disc back in its original place, his face somber, and slowly walked out of the secret chamber.

The man in black stood guard outside the secret chamber with a cold expression and lowered eyes. Marquis Chang Le glanced around at the shadows and said in a deep voice, "Ling Shang, the thief is still nearby."

“My lord, there is no need to worry.” The man in black named Ling Shang said confidently, “I was just afraid that someone was deliberately creating a diversion. I have already ordered a thorough search of the entire mansion. Even if the thief has extraordinary abilities, he will have no chance to follow you here now.”

Marquis Changle knew that Ling Shang was reliable and dependable, so upon hearing his words, he nodded and no longer had any doubts.

Night had fallen, and the lights throughout the Marquis's residence gradually went out, plunging the place into silence. A gentle breeze rustled the shadows of the trees, and two dark figures silently slipped into the inner courtyard of the Marquis's residence. Yun Ran stood quietly in the courtyard, concentrating intently. A faint fragrance wafted to her nose. She nodded slightly and gestured to Qi Mo. The two of them, one in front of the other, quietly followed the fragrance.

Qi Mo gazed thoughtfully at Yun Ran's slender figure ahead. He never expected that the perfumed powder that Miss Yun had been accustomed to using since childhood would now be used as a guide.

"This fragrance is called Night's Delight. Its scent becomes more pronounced as the night deepens. Yun Ran has been accustomed to this fragrance since childhood, so she won't lose track of him." He recalled that when Yun Ran mentioned this fragrance, her expression showed a slight melancholy, as if she was remembering the past at Yun Family Fort. Now, this young lady who has grown up in luxury has become a thief who breaks into the Marquis's mansion at night. It's truly a cruel twist of fate.

He had Consort Wang slip the Night's Delight into a letter addressed to Marquis Chang Le. When Marquis Chang Le opened the letter, he was already covered in the fragrance. Since Lanxiang Pavilion was a brothel, anything sent from there carrying a hint of perfume wouldn't arouse suspicion.

Marquis Chang Le has always valued treasures as much as his own life. I wonder how he would feel if he lost the Langhuan Jade Disc this time.

Qi Mo curled his lips slightly, a hint of sarcasm appearing on his handsome face. He turned his head and glanced in the direction of the main residence of Marquis Chang Le, his eyes filled with coldness.

The two walked to a corner of the courtyard, where a large stone wall blocked their way. Yun Ran stopped and turned back to say softly, "The scent ends here."

Qi Mo stepped forward and took a few glances. He groped around in the corner of the stone wall for a moment, then gently pressed it. With a muffled thud, the bluestone slab in front of the stone wall slowly cracked open to both sides, revealing a row of stone steps leading straight down into the ground.

Yun Ran looked at the entrance to the secret chamber and whispered, "The guards will be able to patrol here in about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Let's split up. You go into the secret chamber to steal the treasure, and I'll set a fire to distract them."

Qi Mo glanced at her, a hint of suspicion in his eyes. Yun Ran nodded to him, then darted into the shadows. Qi Mo smiled, shook his head helplessly, and could only descend the steps into the secret chamber.

Inside the secret chamber, a perpetually burning glass lamp illuminated the room. Scattered among the shelves on one side of the wall were several exquisite jade artifacts, each one delicate and translucent, likely cherished possessions of the Marquis of Chang Le. On the other side stood a box about half a person's height, its surface seemingly cast in gold. Knowing the chamber was riddled with traps, Qi Mo didn't look too closely, his gaze fixed on the location of the Langhuan Jade Disc. But when his eyes fell upon a jade sculpture of a human figure in the corner, he was captivated.

The jade sculpture was life-size, made of a rare and exquisite jade, translucent and warm to the touch. The figure carved from it was an unparalleled beauty. She was graceful and elegant, holding a jade plate in her hands, standing quietly, lifelike, with an air of melancholy in her eyes, her expression incredibly vivid.

He couldn't help but walk closer, and his gaze immediately fell on the jade plate in the hands of the jade-carved beauty. He saw that what was on the plate was smooth and lustrous, with a dazzling luster, and it was the very same Langhuan jade disc.

Just then, a loud gong sounded from inside the Marquis's residence, and someone could be faintly heard shouting, "Fire!"

Qi Mo smiled slightly, knowing that Yun Ran had set the fire. He stepped forward, took the jade disc, carefully put it into his pocket, and slipped out of the secret chamber.

Qin Luo was asleep in the middle of the night when he suddenly heard someone shout "Fire!" He got up and saw a red glow outside the window. Seeing that the fire was quite large, he was startled and hurriedly got up and went out of the room. Seeing that all the servants in the mansion had gotten up and were rushing to put out the fire with wooden buckets, basins and other utensils, he thought for a moment and then ran towards the residence of the Marquis of Chang Le.

Upon reaching the courtyard's central patio, Qin Luo saw a man in black rushing towards her. Assuming it was a guard from the manor, she called out loudly, "Where is the old Marquis now? He wasn't startled, was he?"

The man kept his head down and didn't answer. Qin Luo was getting impatient and was about to reprimand him when the man suddenly rushed in front of her.

Qin Luo suddenly felt a flash of purple energy in front of him, and a chill swept over his face. He immediately bent his knees slightly and leaned back to dodge. A sword light just grazed his face, making a sharp hissing sound.

Seeing that his sword missed, the man did not hesitate. He turned his hand and the sword, like a serpent, twisted in the air and plunged into the man's chest.

Qin Luo was filled with shock and anger. Without thinking, she slapped the ground with her palm, and her body slid back several feet to avoid the thunderous blow. However, the sword energy ripped a long seam in her clothes.

Qin Luo leaped to his feet and stared intently. The man in black before him was slender, his face covered by a black cloth, except for a pair of deep, bright, and cold eyes. He was slightly taken aback, feeling a strange sense of familiarity with those eyes. He instinctively shouted angrily, "Who are you? How dare you attempt to assassinate me, the young master! Don't you have a death wish?"

The man sneered and brandished his soft sword, instantly illuminating the darkness with a purple light.

Qin Luo was secretly horrified, knowing that the other party was holding a rare divine weapon. Seeing that the person had already attacked with the sword, she dared not directly meet the attack. In a flash, she quickly darted to the side.

The man moved with incredible speed, like a shadow clinging to Qin Luo's bones, never leaving his side. The tip of his sword was aimed directly at Qin Luo's heart, its momentum ruthless, aiming to kill him with a single blow.

Just as the sword was about to pierce Qin Luo's back, in a flash, something was thrown from the shadows with a whooshing sound, flying between the two. A crisp clang rang out, and an iron caltrop was sliced in two in mid-air, falling to the ground. The black-clad man's soft sword was blocked by the hidden weapon, and his attack slowed slightly. Several people then leaped out from the shadows and blocked the black-clad assassin.

Seeing that it was the manor's secret guards who had arrived, Qin Luo hurriedly shouted, "Quickly seize the assassin, dead or alive!"

The guards responded and charged forward to fight the man.

The assassin in black was Yun Ran. After setting the fire, she took advantage of the chaos to head towards Qin Luo's residence, intending to assassinate him. However, she happened to encounter him on the way and decided to launch a surprise attack with her Purple Thorn Soft Sword. Unexpectedly, Qin Luo's martial arts skills were excellent, and she missed her first strike.

Seeing the guards appear, she knew the situation was unfavorable. She used her purple thorn soft sword to strike repeatedly, injuring several guards. However, someone had already given a warning signal, and in the blink of an eye, several more guards arrived and surrounded her.

Qin Luo's eyes were sinister as he sneered, "Let's see how capable you are to escape the hidden net of my Chang Le Marquis's guards."

A cold glint flashed in Yun Ran's eyes when she suddenly heard someone shout from afar, "Help! There's an assassin!"

Qin Luo and the guards paled when they heard the shouts coming from the residence of Marquis Chang Le. Taking advantage of the moment, Yun Ran drew a circle with her sword in front of her, forcing the guards back a few steps. At the same time, she darted out of the circle and leaped into the shadows.

Yun Ran ran swiftly through the darkness for a while, and seeing that no one was chasing her anymore, she turned and rushed towards the mansion wall. She could vaguely see a figure in front of her, blocking her way.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she stopped to look. It was Qi Mo. She quickly asked in a low voice, "Did you succeed?"

Qi Mo raised an eyebrow slightly, but did not answer. He reached out, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her along as they ran.

Once they reached the foot of the mansion wall, the two used their lightness skills to leap over and head towards Lanxiang Pavilion.

As Yun Ran followed Qi Mo, leaping across the eaves in the darkness, her wrist throbbed with pain from where it had been gripped. Seeing that he remained silent, she couldn't help but ask, "Did something go wrong along the way? Or is the jade disc not in that secret chamber?"

Qi Mo suddenly stopped and turned to stare at her intently.

Seeing his gloomy expression, Yun Ran was even more surprised and suspicious, but then she heard him say in a deep voice, "Why did you go to assassinate Qin Luo without informing me?"

Yun Ran's heart skipped a beat, and she asked, "Was it you who caused a commotion at the Marquis of Chang Le's residence just now, giving me a chance to escape?"

Qi Mo snorted, not answering but saying, "Do you know how much trouble your rash actions will cause? If Qin Luo is stabbed to death by you, how can we easily escape tonight?"

Yun Ran lowered her eyelashes, concealing the cold glint in her eyes, and whispered, "This man deserves to die."

Qi Mo said calmly, "What for? The bounty? Or for Tian'er?"

Yun Ran looked up at him, remaining silent.

Qi Mo frowned and looked at her slowly, saying, "You've only known Tian'er for a few days, yet you risked your life for her. You should know that as an assassin, being swayed by emotions for anyone or anything is a major taboo, and could bring you death at any time."

Yun Ran smiled faintly and said in a low voice, "Although I am an assassin, I do not believe I can be as cold-blooded and ruthless as Sect Master Qi. There are some things that I know are impossible, but I still want to try them."

☆、Following you like a shadow

Qi Mo looked at Yun Ran, his gaze deep and unfathomable. He suddenly smiled and said, "Miss Yun is loyal and righteous, which I greatly admire. However," he raised his long eyebrows slightly, his smile playful, "Miss Yun, are you so certain that Tian'er was killed by Qin Luo?"

Yun Ran's expression shifted, and the question that had vaguely flashed through her mind suddenly became clear: Qin Luo was of noble status, and forcibly taking a courtesan like Tian'er was not a big deal in his eyes, so why did he need to kill her to silence her? Even if he killed Tian'er, why did he leave behind the dagger engraved with his name?

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Could it be that someone deliberately framed Qin Luo?"

Qi Mo looked at her slightly parted red lips, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes: "Miss Yun, do you still remember what happened in Consort Wang's room at Lanxiang Pavilion that day?"

Yun Ran blushed, then realized something, her eyes darkening: "During their conversation that day, they mentioned that the young marquis would personally visit Lanxiang Pavilion in three days. Tian'er's murder happened exactly three days ago... Could this be related to Wen Huaifeng?"

Seeing the uncertain look on her face, Qi Mo smiled slightly and said calmly, "Miss Yun has always been quick-witted. I thought you should have suspected something about this long ago."

Yun Ran lowered her eyes and remained silent. Qi Mo was right. When she saw Tian'er's death that day, she was filled with indignation and sadness, which made her lose her composure and assume that Qin Luo was the murderer.

She turned her head slightly and glanced at Qi Mo. She saw that he seemed to have a faint smile on his face, but his gaze remained calm and profound, making it difficult to see into his heart.

Qi Mo saw Yun Ran ponder for a moment, then glance at him indifferently before leaping forward, instantly appearing dozens of feet ahead. He was slightly taken aback. In the still night, only a faint, lingering fragrance remained, seemingly clinging to her alluring scent.

The Chang Le Marquis's Residence.

Ling Shang entered the room with a calm expression.

There were no lights on in the room, and in the darkness, a figure could be vaguely seen sitting at the table.

Ling Shang's lips twitched slightly. She turned around, closed the door, walked to the table, and said softly, "You've come."