Ordre du Lotus Rouge

Chapitre 12

Qi Mo quickly withdrew his hand and stood up, saying in a low voice with a smile, "It's late, Miss Wanwan, you should go back and rest early."

Wanwan's expression changed slightly, and she sneered, "Boss Qi, I really doubt whether you're even a man."

Qi Mo smiled slightly, stroked his chin, and said leisurely, "I am naturally a genuine man, but..." He dragged out his words, glanced at the back hall, and continued with a low laugh, "...I'm just a little picky."

Wanwan's face flushed red, she snorted heavily, and got up to leave, but then she heard Qi Mo call out behind her with a smile, "Miss Wanwan, please wait, I have something to ask you."

She stopped and turned around, her anger still lingering, and asked, "What, does Chief Qi have any further instructions?"

Qi Mo lowered his eyes and smiled, then slowly asked, "I heard you mention during the day that Sima Liuyun is Miss Yun's fiancé. What's the story behind that?"

Wanwan's eyes lit up, and her anger instantly turned into a cunning look. She whispered, "So this is what Chief Qi is asking about. But Miss Yun has strictly forbidden Wanwan from mentioning this matter, so Wanwan dares not gossip unless... someone is willing to pay a high price."

Qi Mo's eyes held a half-smile as he said, "Then Miss Wanwan might as well name a price."

Wanwan's eyes flickered as she stole a glance at Qi Mo's expression, then pondered, "If it weren't for one hundred... cough, one hundred and ninety gold, Wanwan wouldn't have said it."

Qi Mo raised his eyebrows and said, "One hundred and fifty gold coins."

Wanwan licked her lips and whispered, "Add this pile of straw on the ground as well."

Qi Mo smiled and said, "Deal."

The next morning, Yun Ran got up and went out of the back hall, where she saw Qi Mo and Wanwan already waiting in the front hall. When Qi Mo saw her come out, he greeted her with a smile, "Good morning, Miss Yun."

Seeing that his expression was rather unnatural and his gaze was somewhat uncertain, Yun Ran was already secretly puzzled. Then, seeing Wanwan looking all lovey-dovey and happily counting a stack of silver notes in her hand, she frowned and asked, "Where did you steal these silver notes?"

Upon hearing this, Wanwan looked aggrieved and said coquettishly, "What do you mean by stolen? This 150 gold coins is the hard-earned money that Wanwan earned last night through her own skills in a transaction with Boss Qi."

When Wanwan secretly got up and went to the front hall last night, Yunran had already noticed. Now, hearing what she said, she immediately understood. She glanced at Qi Mo and thought to herself: One hundred and fifty gold coins to buy sex, this man is quite willing to spend it.

She immediately thought of how Qi Mo had tricked her into assassinating Su Yunjin, nearly killing her, and all he had promised her was 120 gold coins. She felt a surge of anger and glared at him fiercely.

Qi Mo knew that Yun Ran had misunderstood, so he hurriedly said, "Actually, Wanwan and I last night..." Before he could finish speaking, he heard Wanwan cough beside him and wink at him. Only then did he remember that he had promised Wanwan last night that he must not tell Yun Ran about her leaking secret, so he could only smile bitterly and stop talking.

Seeing the two exchanging glances, Yun Ran grew even more impatient and said indifferently, "You two don't need to explain your actions last night to me, and I have no interest in knowing. The rain has stopped, we can set off now." With that, she took the reins and led the way out of the temple.

Wanwan looked smug. As she passed Qi Mo, she whispered with a smile, "Boss Qi is so picky, Wanwan will hold a grudge. Remember not to offend women easily in the future." She turned and gave him a flirtatious wink before giggling and following closely behind Yun Ran.

After the rain, the sun shone brightly, and the three rode swiftly, feeling a refreshing breeze on their faces, which filled them with a sense of exhilaration. Passing through a town ahead, the three dismounted, found an inn, quickly ate lunch, and then prepared to continue their journey.

Suddenly, a man outside the door asked the waiter, "Brother waiter, may I ask how many days' journey it is from here to Sichuan?"

Yun Ran found the voice somewhat familiar. She glanced outside and saw a man dressed in black with a tall, straight back, but he was completely unfamiliar to her; she had never seen him before. A slight unease stirred within her. Looking up, she saw Qi Mo also staring at the man's back with a thoughtful expression. She couldn't help but ask, "Does Chief Qi know that person outside?"

Qi Mo shook his head and hesitated, "I don't recognize him, but his voice sounds somewhat familiar..."

He and Yun Ran exchanged a glance, and suddenly they both whispered in unison, "It's him." They both realized they had never seen this man before, but they had overheard him talking for a while through the curtains on Consort Wang's large bed in Lanxiang Pavilion. This man, surnamed Ling, was the mysterious man who had made the deal with Commander Zheng that day.

Yun Ran thought that this person might be closely related to the murder of Tian'er. She raised her eyebrows and was about to get up, but Qi Mo stopped her with his hand.

Qi Mo said in a deep voice, "Since this person has been colluding with Wen Huaifeng for a long time, he may have some kind of conspiracy when he goes to Sichuan. We must not alert him."

After asking for directions, the man in black turned around with an indifferent expression. He lightly pressed his palm on the horse's back and then leaped off the horse, demonstrating his exceptional skill.

The waiter walked into the inn, muttering to himself, "Why are all the people asking for directions these past few days going to Sichuan, and they all seem to be in such a hurry?"

Qi Mo beckoned the waiter over, slipped a silver ingot into his hand, and asked, "Besides that customer from earlier, who else has asked you about the road to Sichuan?"

The waiter was delighted to have made a small fortune out of nowhere and quickly replied, "There's another group of gentlemen, all of them are from the same trade. There are dozens of them. Judging from their accents, they're from the capital. They say they're going to Sichuan to do business. Hehe, but looking at their demeanor, they seem like officials from the capital."

Yun Ran's heart stirred. She suddenly realized that the group of masked men in black who assassinated Sima Liuyun that day were all eunuchs of the imperial court. Now these people happened to be heading to Sichuan at this time. Could it be that their purpose was related to Sima Liuyun?

Thinking of this, she frowned slightly and asked Wanwan in a low voice, "Is the one who wants to harm Sima Liuyun someone from the imperial court?"

Wanwan coughed and said, "Didn't I say I wouldn't tell you..." She was halfway through her sentence when she saw the growing coldness in Yun Ran's eyes, so she quickly changed her words and said, "But it's not that I can't tell you first, as long as... you can afford the price."

Yun Ran asked coldly, "How much?"

Wanwan blinked, silently calculated, and said, "Two hundred gold coins!"

Without hesitation, Yun Ran replied, "Okay, go ahead."

Wanwan was overjoyed and laughed, "Miss Yun is such a straightforward person. Alright, I'll tell you, that person is..."

A short while later, the three of them left the inn, led their horses out of town, and headed towards the main road.

Qi Mo watched as Wanwan led the horse ahead, her eyes shining brightly as she happily counted a stack of silver notes. He couldn't help but shake his head and said to Yun Ran, "Why aren't you bargaining?"

Yun Ran was slightly taken aback and asked, "What price are you going to negotiate?"

Qi Mo sighed, "Two hundred gold coins for a single piece of information from Sima Liuyun, doesn't Miss Yun think that's a bit too expensive?"

Yun Ran glanced at him and said indifferently, "Chief Qi spent 150 gold coins in one night of debauchery. If Yun Ran can save Young Master Sima's life for 200 gold coins, I don't think it's expensive at all." After saying that, she ignored him and rode off.

Qi Mo stroked his chin and said with a wry smile, "Being ripped off so badly and not even feeling it's expensive, no wonder she's the third young lady of Yun Family Fortress."

☆、The Sentiment of an Old Sword

The three men rode their horses at breakneck speed, traveling day and night. Thanks to the swiftness of their mounts, they arrived in the Sichuan region in less than three days.

Yun Ran said to Wan Wan, "Once we enter Lezhou City, we will return the horses to Chief Qi and then part ways with him."

Qi Mo raised an eyebrow slightly and said, "Miss Yun, my matter is not urgent, but your mission is quite risky. Would you like me to lend you a hand?"

Yun Ran glanced at him, recalling that his martial arts skills and intelligence were unparalleled, and was quite tempted, but after a moment's thought, she thanked him and said, "I appreciate Chief Qi's kindness, but I won't trouble myself."

Qi Mo raised his eyes and smiled faintly, "Are you afraid I'll take this opportunity to kill Sima Liuyun?"

Wanwan laughed from the side, "That's hard to say. Young Master Sima's life is worth eight thousand gold pieces!"

Seeing that Yun Ran remained silent with her eyelashes lowered, Qi Mo said calmly, "Since that's the case, I won't interfere any further."

The three entered Lezhou City, and Qi Mo bid farewell to Yun Ran and Wanwan. He led his horse over, thought for a moment, and then walked to Yun Ran's side, bowing his head and smiling softly, "If Miss Yun needs any help, just go to Ruyi Restaurant in the west of the city and give this to the manager." As he spoke, he stuffed a black token into her hand.

Yun Ran was taken aback. Seeing Qi Mo's gentle gaze and slight smile, she turned and rode away.

Wanwan glanced at the token in her hand and clicked her tongue, saying, "They even gave you the token of the Absolute Killing Sect. It seems that Chief Qi really cares about you."

Seeing that Yun Ran ignored her and walked straight ahead, she quickly followed, muttering to herself, "Such a stubborn temper, and not gentle at all, I really don't know what she saw in her?"

Yunran and Wanwan checked into an inn. Unsure if Sima Liuyun had returned to Sichuan, she decided to go out and find out. Wanwan, intrigued, volunteered to go with her. The two left the inn, inquired about the location of the Sima family residence, and set off in search of it.

As the two walked, they suddenly saw a figure flash ahead and disappear into a large house by the roadside. Wanwan exclaimed, "Isn't that the person we met on the road?" Yunran had already recognized him; it was the man surnamed Ling. Seeing his suspicious behavior, she became suspicious and said to Wanwan, "I'll go and see. You go and gather information near the Sima family, then return to the inn and wait for me." With that, she hurried towards the large house.

Yun Ran walked to the front of the house and saw that the gate was closed. She stood outside the wall and listened for a moment. Seeing that no one was around, she leaped up the wall.

The courtyard was indeed empty. Yun Ran leaped down from the wall, using her lightness skill to silently move like a shadow towards the nearest house. Just then, she suddenly felt someone lightly pat her shoulder from behind. Startled, Yun Ran quickly leaped forward several feet, turning around to see the person behind her with a look of surprise and delight, nodding slightly in acknowledgment. It was none other than Sima Liuyun, whom she had come to Sichuan to find.

Yun Ran was both surprised and delighted, but she couldn't understand why Sima Liuyun would appear here, and a question appeared in her eyes. Sima Liuyun smiled slightly and pointed to a house in the front row. Yun Ran nodded, and the two of them moved quickly and quietly flew away, crouching down and hiding outside the window.

The man surnamed Ling's voice came from inside: "My master will arrive soon and has specially ordered me to come and make contact with you."

After a long while, a man's voice, seemingly casual, gave a low "hmm".

To Yun Ran, the sound was like a thunderclap. Her heart trembled, and she instinctively reached for the window to see what was happening. Sima Liuyun quickly and gently pressed her down. He noticed that Yun Ran's pale face was slightly flushed, and her expression was quite different from usual, which surprised him.

Yun Ran had lost her composure for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure, gave Sima Liuyun an apologetic smile, and continued to listen attentively. The man surnamed Ling then said, "If there is anything I can do to assist you in your plans, please do not hesitate to give the order."

Another man said slowly, his voice tinged with amusement, "The matter has been arranged and will be completed in a few days. I dare not trouble Brother Ling. Once your master arrives, I will send someone to invite him."

Sima Liuyun and Yun Ran exchanged a glance, then darted away from the house, leaped over the wall, and ran for a while before stopping. They both asked simultaneously, "You..."

The two stopped speaking at the same time, smiled at each other, and Yun Ran asked first, "Have you already returned to the Sima family?"

Sima Liuyun's eyes darkened, and he slowly shook his head.

Yun Ran laughed and said, "It's best that you didn't go back. Do you know that someone in your mansion is waiting to take your life?"

Sima Liuyun was slightly startled and asked, "How did you know?" After a moment's thought, he understood and felt a surge of gratitude. He said in a low voice, "Miss Luo came to Lezhou to remind me to be wary of this matter?"

Yun Ran smiled and said, "Young Master Sima seems to have already noticed something, and he can probably guess the identity of the person who harmed you."

Sima Liuyun's expression shifted, his brows furrowed slightly, and he hesitated before asking, "My elder brother, Sima Chenfeng?"

He felt a pang of sadness as he uttered his brother's name. In truth, he had already harbored suspicions when he learned of the hefty reward offered for his life. Although Sima Chenfeng was his father's adopted son, he had always been kind and protective of him. While their relationship had grown somewhat distant over the years, their brotherly bond remained. In his heart, he was utterly unwilling to admit that the person who wanted to harm him was none other than his respected elder brother.

However, Sima Liuyun was a meticulous man. After returning to Lezhou yesterday, he did not go directly to his residence. He secretly observed and discovered that all the servants and guards inside and outside the mansion had been replaced by Sima Chenfeng's confidants. Sensing something was amiss, he concealed his whereabouts and stayed outside for the night. This morning, when he went to investigate again, he saw Sima Chenfeng welcoming a strange man into the mansion. He felt that the man's appearance was suspicious, so he followed him after he left the mansion, all the way to the mansion he had just seen. Unexpectedly, he ran into Yun Ran there.

After listening to his words, Yun Ran's expression shifted slightly, and she asked, "Does Young Master Sima know the man's identity?"

Sima Liuyun shook his head. Recalling Yunran's strange behavior earlier, he asked, "Could it be that Miss Luo knows that man?"

A hint of confusion flashed across Yun Ran's eyes. She hadn't seen that person for many years, so how could she recognize his voice based on just a few words? There are many people in the world with similar voices; perhaps it was just the man's casual tone that gave her this illusion.

Thinking of this, he lowered his eyes and gave a self-deprecating smile, replying lightly, "I don't know him."

The two walked to the inn where Yun Ran was staying. As soon as they opened the door, they heard Wanwan giggle and say, "Don't worry, your young master Sima hasn't returned to the manor yet..."

She looked up and saw Sima Liuyun following Yun Ran into the room. Then she saw Yun Ran glaring at her with cold eyes. She immediately changed the subject and smiled at Sima Liuyun, "Oh, what wind blew Young Master Sima here?"

At this moment, Wanwan had changed back into women's clothing. Sima Liuyun was taken aback before recognizing her and said happily, "So Brother Wu has also come to Lezhou." As soon as he spoke, he saw Wanwan covering her mouth and giggling. He then realized that the person in front of him was a girl, and it was inappropriate for him to still call her "Brother Wu." He couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

Wanwan smiled and said, "Wanwan was disguised as a man before. Wu Ming was an alias. Please forgive me, Young Master Sima, for any deception."

Sima Liuyun smiled and said, "I am grateful to you for helping me out of a predicament at Anping Inn that day, so how could I blame you?"

Wanwan was taken aback upon hearing this, then remembered that Sima Liuyun had mistakenly thought that she was the one who had knocked away the flying knife and killed the assassin. She couldn't help but glance at Yunran and said with a smile, "It was just a small matter. I didn't expect Young Master Sima to still take it to heart. I'm quite ashamed."

Before Sima Liuyun could speak, Wanwan continued, "However, if Young Master Sima feels indebted, there is a way to repay Wanwan." She smiled shyly at Sima Liuyun and lowered her eyes, saying, "Recently, Wanwan urgently needs five hundred taels of gold. I've heard that the Sima family is a wealthy family in Sichuan. I wonder if you could lend me some..."

Before she could finish speaking, Yun Ran let out a loud snort from the side. Although Sima Liuyun was somewhat surprised, he still said in a clear voice, "I happen to have some silver notes on me. If you have any difficulties, please feel free to ask me." As he spoke, he reached into his robe to take out the silver notes for Wanwan.

Yun Ran was annoyed and said, "Young Master Sima, don't listen to her..."

Wanwan, who was standing nearby, said quietly, "I've heard that Young Master Sima has a long-lost fiancée named Yun Ran."

Yun Ran was startled. She saw Sima Liuyun's expression change, and he asked Wanwan, "Indeed, does Miss Wanwan know about her?"

Seeing Yun Ran's ashen face and her staring intently at her, Wanwan felt a surge of pride and chuckled, "I don't know, but I make a living by selling information, so I can find out where this Miss Yun is for you, young master."

Sima Liuyun was disappointed. He had sent people everywhere to inquire over the past year, but had not obtained any news about Miss Yun. Hearing Wanwan's words, he nodded and replied, "Thank you, Miss. If you can find out any news about her, I will reward you handsomely."

Wanwan glanced at Yunran, winked and smiled, "Actually, Wanwan is a little curious. I heard that you've never even seen your fiancée's face, so why are you so devoted to her and have been searching for her so desperately? What if you find her and discover that she's incredibly ugly and has a strange personality? Would you still marry her?"

Sima Liuyun remained silent for a long time before saying in a low voice, "We were betrothed since childhood, and her brother and I are sworn brothers. I will do my best to find her and take good care of her for the rest of her life." He suddenly smiled faintly and said, "Her brother has mentioned many times that his sister is both beautiful and gentle, truly a rare and wonderful woman in the world."

He couldn't reveal that Miss Yun's temperament wasn't as gentle as her brother had described; a year ago, she had written him a letter requesting the annulment of their engagement. However, now that she had suffered a great misfortune and was wandering alone, if she wished after he found her, he would naturally still marry her.

Thinking of this, Sima Liuyun glanced at Yun Ran and saw that her gaze was fixed on the window, lost in thought. He couldn't help but feel a little melancholy. As for why he felt this slight sense of loss, even he himself didn't quite understand.