Ordre du Lotus Rouge

Chapitre 36

Qi Mo saw her cherry lips slightly pursed, her eyelashes trembling, and her stubborn expression revealing a hint of grievance. He felt both love and pity for her, so he reached out and hugged her, gently kissing her cheek, and softly asked, "Ranran, are you being affectionate with me?"

Yun Ran blushed, spat, and tried to break free from his embrace. Qi Mo, however, had already pulled her close, holding her tightly in his arms. He lowered his head and rubbed his chin against her hair, chuckling softly, "Little wildcat."

Yun Ran struggled for a few moments, but after a few gentle caresses and kisses from him, she lost all her strength and lay motionless against his chest. Qi Mo whispered hoarsely in her ear, "Ah, not a little wildcat, but a little fox spirit." Yun Ran blushed as she was held tightly in his arms, unable to move her arms. In her embarrassment and anger, she opened her mouth and bit his shoulder.

Qi Mo cried out in pain, and Yun Ran quickly let go. She looked at his face and saw that Qi Mo had a smile in his eyes. Their eyes met, and there was no sign of pain on his face. He had obviously been lying to her again.

Before she could react, Qi Mo laughed and said, "Alright, you little vixen, you dare to bite people. How should I punish you, hmm?" His eyes flickered as if he was thinking, and he said leisurely, "I have to bite back... Where should I bite?" As he spoke, he loosened his arm slightly and looked down at Yun Ran.

When Yun Ran saw his gaze linger on her chest and then freeze, she blushed and spat softly, "You dare!"

Qi Mo's eyes gleamed with a sly glint as he chuckled, "Why wouldn't I dare?" He lowered his head, gently taking Yun Ran's lips into his mouth, his tongue slowly nibbling at them inch by inch. Only after hearing Yun Ran's soft moan did he slowly move his face away, gazing at her intently for a moment before sighing softly, "It's just that I can't bear to." He then kissed her lips again, tenderly sucking and caressing them.

Yun Ran felt completely intoxicated, a sweet and joyful feeling spreading through her heart, a sensation she had never experienced before. Before she knew it, her arms were wrapped around Qi Mo's waist, her red lips parted slightly, and she tilted her head back, closing her eyes to meet his embrace.

Their breathing quickened, and before they knew it, they had fallen to the ground, embracing each other. Qi Mo's fingers slipped inside Yun Ran's clothes, gently gliding across her back and resting on her chest. Yun Ran stopped his hand, her voice trembling, "No, I have to go back."

Qi Mo stopped what he was doing, turning his head to gently kiss her earlobe, licking and teasing it lightly. Yun Ran blushed crimson, her heart stirred with desire, and she couldn't help but kiss him back. They entwined for a while, their clothes now disheveled. In her passionate reverie, Yun Ran felt Qi Mo lift her up, pressing her against his warm chest, and murmured, "Not here, or let's go back to Baiguquan..."

Qi Mo gazed at her silently for a moment, then kissed her soft, rosy lips, his voice low and husky: "I can't wait." He then carried her toward a nearby stone cave.

Inside the dark and silent stone cave, the sounds of panting filled the air. Yun Ran lowered her eyelashes, her cheeks burning, and was pushed against the corner of the stone wall by Qi Mo. As he kissed her deeply and repeatedly, her delicate kisses fell on her exposed breasts, she had no choice but to reach out and hold his neck, trying her best to suppress the low moans that were about to escape her lips.

Qi Mo's eyes were deep and dark. He glanced at her intently before burying his face in his hands again. After a short while, Yun Ran trembled and finally couldn't help but let out a soft moan. Qi Mo looked up and chuckled, asking in a hoarse voice, "Want it?" Yun Ran was overcome with shame, biting her lip without answering, only clinging to his neck and pressing her entire body tightly against his. Qi Mo chuckled, suddenly lifting her up and covering her burning hot breasts with his, slowly caressing her before gradually penetrating her.

Although Yun Ran had been intimate with him before, she still felt uncomfortable. The two remained locked in a stalemate for a long time. Qi Mo, despite his profound inner strength, was also sweating profusely with anxiety. He held Yun Ran and kept kissing and teasing her gently, while whispering softly in her ear, before finally allowing her to make her move.

Yun Ran narrowed her eyes, only to feel that after Qi Mo cautiously tested her, he gradually became unrestrained. Her whole body swayed with his thrusts, and every touch was exquisite, making her either tremble and moan uncontrollably, or lose herself in a trance, her soul absent. She couldn't help but wrap her legs around his waist tighter and tighter...

After an unknown amount of time, the two calmed down. Qi Mo sat on the ground covered with a long robe, held Yun Ran in his arms, gently wiped her body clean with a handkerchief, kissed her on the cheek, and smiled as he lowered his head: "If you didn't have profound martial arts skills, it would be really difficult to satisfy my Ranran."

Yun Ran nestled softly against Qi Mo's chest, her face still flushed. Hearing this, she scolded, "Why didn't you say you were so eager, insisting on doing it here..." Her gaze fell on the back of Qi Mo's hand, where she saw several bloody marks. She exclaimed in surprise, "How..."

Qi Mo said casually, "Who told my Ranran to be so pure and innocent, not wanting to be on the ground..." As he spoke, he looked at Yun Ran with an ambiguous smile and was about to remove his hand.

Yun Ran took his hand, and after a moment's thought, she realized that it was from when he had used the back of his hand to protect her back during their intimate moment, and it had been scratched by the stone wall. She felt both heartache and guilt. She held his hand to her cheek, her eyes as gentle as water as she looked at him, her eyes full of tenderness.

Qi Mo's expression shifted, and he pulled her close, saying softly with a smile, "When you accepted my ring, you promised to be my wife. Even though the ring is lost now, you can't go back on your word."

Yun Ran leaned against him and softly hummed in agreement. She looked up and said softly, "But if we can't find that ring, are you really not angry with me at all?"

Qi Mo heard the soft, gentle tone in her voice, yet it also carried a hint of unease. He knew she was still troubled by the lost ring, which showed that he held a very important place in her heart. The corners of his lips involuntarily curved upwards as he slowly said, "Yes, I'm older than you, so I'm your good older brother. I should be more accommodating to you and not hold it against you." He looked at Yun Ran with a smile and added, "Come on, call me good older brother obediently, and I won't be angry with you at all."

Yun Ran blushed slightly and hesitated for a long time before whispering a few words in his ear. Qi Mo smiled smugly, hugged her in his arms and kissed her affectionately for a while before reluctantly letting go of her.

The two dressed themselves properly. Qi Mo glanced down, picked up something from the ground, handed it to Yun Ran, and raised an eyebrow, saying, "Your jade pendant, you must keep it safe."

Yun Ran saw that what he was holding was the koi jade pendant that Wen Huaifeng had given her. This treasured item, which she had cherished for years, was now meaningless to her. So she said indifferently, "It's nothing important." She took the jade pendant and was about to throw it out of the cave when Qi Mo snatched it away and put it in his pocket.

Yun Ran was slightly taken aback. She saw Qi Mo's eyes shining brightly as he looked at her and smiled, "This jade pendant is of good quality. Since Ran Ran doesn't want it anymore, let's not waste it. I'll sell it for a good price later, and I'll give you half the money."

Yun Ran recalled the day when the two of them split the reward money for the Langhuan Jade Disc in Qingping. Each had their own thoughts and were wary of the other. She never imagined that they would be together like this today. She couldn't help but smile at him and walked out hand in hand with Qi Mo.

The two used their lightness skills and returned to the Sima family residence in less than half an hour.

Sima Liuyun had received a message from the Absolute Killing Sect early in the morning. Seeing Yun Ran and Qi Mo return together was not unexpected. He glanced at their tightly clasped hands and then looked away, asking in a deep voice, "Why are you back so late? Did you encounter any danger last night?"

Yun Ran's face flushed, she shook her head, glanced at Qi Mo, and bit her lip, saying, "Brother Sima, there's something..."

Sima Liuyun smiled slightly and said, "What a coincidence, I also have something to tell you."

Qi Mo smiled and said, "Since you two have something to discuss, I'd better excuse myself..."

Sima Liuyun said calmly, "No need. This matter is also related to Sect Leader Qi. Please come to the study to discuss it in detail."

Qi Mo and Yun Ran exchanged a glance, and seeing that Sima Liuyun had already led the way, they joined hands and followed him to the study.

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Yun Ran's heart was already firmly set on Qi Mo, so she no longer wanted to hide it from Sima Liuyun. After following him into the study, she stammered, "Brother Sima, I'm sorry, although we made a six-month agreement, Qi Mo and I..."

Sima Liuyun calmly replied, "Ranmei, you don't need to feel guilty about this. You already mentioned breaking off the engagement to me, but I was just too persistent. From now on, you don't need to keep that six-month agreement in mind anymore."

Yun Ran felt a sense of relief. She felt Qi Mo gently squeeze her hand. Turning to look at him, she saw his face full of smiles, his smugness overflowing. Her cheeks flushed, and she frowned slightly at him.

Seeing the two's intimate behavior, Sima Liuyun said, "I originally had a prejudice against Abbot Qi, but now it seems that you two are in love. If I were to make a fuss, it would be beneath me. Besides... the matter between me and Wanwan at Kongtong Sect has already spread throughout the martial arts world. In a way, I was the one who broke the agreement first."

Seeing his somber expression when he mentioned Wanwan, Yunran couldn't help but ask, "Brother Sima, what are your plans for Wanwan?"

Sima Liuyun's eyes showed a hint of confusion, and he hesitated for a moment before answering. Then, he thought of the sad and lingering look in Wanwan's eyes when she raised her knife to commit suicide, and his heart suddenly ached. He said in a deep voice, "No matter what, she has suffered so much. I will definitely treat her well from now on."

Hearing his words, Yun Ran knew he had already decided to marry Wanwan. As the head of the Sima family, he would inevitably face pressure from various factions, and his future was destined to be fraught with difficulties. However, she had always acted freely and unrestrainedly, and her thoughts and actions were often considered astonishing by the world. Since she regarded Sima Liuyun as a confidant, she was not too worried about this and said cheerfully, "If you need my help in this matter in the future, Brother Sima, just send a message."

Sima Liuyun smiled and agreed. After a moment's thought, he turned around and took out a very small brocade box from a hidden compartment in the bookcase. He placed it on the table and said, "Ranmei, although our engagement has been dissolved, please accept the contents of this brocade box."

Yun Ran paused slightly, then stepped forward and lifted the box lid. Inside lay a jade stone the size of a goose egg, its brilliance dazzling and pleasing to the eye. Its preciousness and magnificence seemed no less than the Langhuan Jade Disc that she and Qi Mo had stolen from the Marquis of Changle's residence. Qi Mo stepped forward and glanced at it, his expression shifting slightly. He exclaimed in surprise, "Could this be the legendary Yiguang Jade, the foremost of the Sima family's three treasures?"

Sima Liuyun nodded and said, "That's right. This was the betrothal gift when my Sima family and the Yun family agreed to the marriage." Seeing that Qi Mo and Yun Ran both had strange expressions, he smiled and said, "Please don't misunderstand. I specially ordered someone to bring this jade to give to Ran-mei in accordance with ancestral teachings. I have no other intentions."

Yun Ran was even more surprised, and then she heard Sima Liuyun say, "Our engagement was actually decided by our ancestors five generations ago. According to the ancestral teachings of my Sima family, in my generation, no matter who marries, they must be related to the Yun family and be given the Yi Guang Jade as a gift. I am the only son of the Sima family, and Uncle Yun only has one daughter, so... this engagement was arranged when we were young."

Yun Ran suddenly realized that her father had always treated her like a precious treasure, granting her every wish. However, when it came to her engagement to Sima Liuyun, no matter how much she pleaded and cried, her father had always been heartless and refused. This angered her, leading her to secretly associate with Wang Renyuan. Now, she understood that it was because the Yun family had a tradition of arranged marriages between two families, and her father…

Her heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly thought: Wen Huaifeng once said that this Yi Guang Bao Yu was a token for the Sima family to retrieve the Imperial Seal of the State. Why did the Sima family ancestors establish an ancestral precept to marry into the Yun family five generations later, and specify that this Yi Guang Bao Yu should be given as a gift?

Hearing Qi Moci say, "The engagement has already been settled, so it's inconvenient for Ranran to accept the betrothal gifts again."

Sima Liuyun replied, "The ancestral precepts also mention that if the descendants of both families are male, they should still become sworn brothers and give this precious jade to each other. Yunyi and I have long been sworn brothers. Although the two families cannot become related by marriage, this precious jade should still be entrusted to Ranmei for safekeeping."

Qi Mo found the Sima family's ancestral precept extremely strange. He turned to look at Yun Ran and saw her standing there blankly, her expression complex, as if she was deep in thought.

Yun Ran heard Sima Liuyun's words clearly, and a multitude of thoughts raced through her mind. The Yun Family Fortress wielded immense power in Ji Province, with connections to both the legitimate and criminal worlds. Yet, her father remained keen on secretly cultivating relationships with high-ranking officials, ultimately incurring the court's displeasure. Furthermore, in recent years, her father had frequently left the fortress with her two elder brothers, disappearing for months at a time, their whereabouts shrouded in mystery. On her sixteenth birthday, he even brought up her marriage to Sima Liuyun again, his eagerness palpable. Could it be…?

Qi Mo gently took her hand, only to find it icy cold to the touch. Worried, he asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

Yun Ran's expression was somber as she softly said, "Could it be that the descendants of the Wu family are not from the Sima family, but rather..."

Seeing Sima Liuyun and Qi Mo looking at her with confusion in their eyes, she composed herself and explained in detail what Wen Huaifeng had said the night before.

Both men were greatly surprised upon hearing this hidden matter from the previous dynasty. Sima Liuyun lowered his head and pondered for a moment before saying softly, "Our ancestors became friends through martial arts. My father also mentioned to me that the Yun family's ancestors provided considerable assistance to the Sima family in establishing itself in Sichuan, which is why our friendship has remained strong for generations. I speculate that this precious jade, Yiguang, may have been kept by our Sima family on behalf of the Yun family, and will be returned to its rightful owner when the time is right."

Qi Mo's eyes flickered slightly as he said, "That's right. At that time, the Crown Prince of the Wu Clan was alone in the martial world and was being pursued by the imperial court. Carrying this Yi Guang Jade would have been more harmful than beneficial. But why did it take five generations for his descendants to retrieve the jade?"

Sima Liuyun pondered and said, "The Crown Prince of the Wu Clan is obsessed with martial arts and should have no ambition to dominate the world again. However, as a descendant of the royal family, he cannot remain inactive. Therefore, he should establish a five-generation agreement. Firstly, the Wu Clan can accumulate strength over the years. Secondly, after a hundred years, the court's desire to hunt him down has faded. Even if the descendants of the Wu Clan retrieve the token, they do not need to worry about their identities being exposed. If they have no intention of restoring the country, they can choose to continue living a peaceful life."

Qi Mo nodded and said, "Yun Family Fortress has been stable in strength for several years and has the potential to become a separatist regime. In recent years, Lord Yun has been contacting various forces and seems to have some ambition. Unfortunately, he acted too hastily and was disliked by the court before he could take action, which ultimately led to his death."

Yun Ran felt a pang of sadness and whispered, "Father is naturally arrogant and has always wanted to do something great. Knowing that he is a descendant of the Wu royal family, he must have long harbored the desire to restore the country. But he has never revealed a word about this to me, and he refuses to let me learn martial arts. I think he planned from the beginning to keep me out of it."

Sima Liuyun's eyes dimmed as he recalled his last meeting with Yun Yi, when Yun Yi had earnestly asked him to take good care of Yun Ran for the rest of her life. At that time, the Yun family father and son were probably already plotting their rebellion. Yun Yi was a man of detached and carefree nature, yet his vision was extremely profound and insightful. He must have already foreseen the outcome of their scheme, but he had no choice but to assist his father in acting against his will. Those words he spoke then were a way of entrusting his younger sister to him.

Yun Ran had already thought of the day when her father was imprisoned and she went to visit him. He only told her about Song San. If she had been able to secretly contact the troops she had gathered at that time and take the opportunity to break into the prison, wouldn't there still be a glimmer of hope?

She immediately realized that if that were the case, she would also be implicated. Her father would rather be executed by the court than reveal the secret of the Wu family's descendants and put her in danger, all out of his desire to protect his beloved daughter.

Thinking of this, she was overcome with grief, and tears welled up in her eyes. She choked out, "Father always thought of me, but I... I am a disobedient daughter."

Qi Mo reached out and put his arm around her waist, gently stroking her back to comfort her. Sima Liuyun said, "Ranmei, since this Yiguang Jade was originally your family heirloom, it should be returned to you in its original form."

Yun Ran nodded sadly and put away the brocade box. Qi Mo, however, seemed to be deep in thought, a cold smile on his lips, and slowly said, "Wen Huaifeng's eagerness to obtain the Imperial Seal is not as simple as presenting a treasure to the court. There must be some other reason behind it."

Yun Ran said in a low voice, "Lord Huo must know a lot about the Imperial Seal of the State. I promised to go to Muying Tower to see him after I went down the mountain. Now we have already wasted a lot of time, so why don't we go to Muying Tower and ask him for clarification?"

Qi Mo nodded in agreement, and then he and Yun Ran bid farewell to Sima Liuyun and left.

After seeing the two off, Sima Liuyun pondered for a while before walking through the inner courtyard into the bedroom. He saw the curtains drawn low, and Wanwan's slender figure sitting by the bed, knees drawn up to her chest, staring blankly out the window. Lost in thought, she didn't even notice Sima Liuyun approaching until he coughed lightly, startling her awake. She nodded and greeted him, "Young Master Sima," before turning back to her room in silence.

Sima Liuyun said gently, "Just now, Sister Ran returned with Sect Leader Qi, and we discussed the annulment of the engagement."

Wanwan frowned slightly and did not respond.

Sima Liuyun added, "Your injuries have almost fully healed recently. In two more days, we can set off together to return to Sichuan."

Wanwan trembled and bit her lip.

Sima Liuyun looked at her pale profile and felt a pang of pity. He slowly reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, saying softly, "Don't overthink things. Just focus on getting better. Leave the rest to me."

He got up and walked outside, but then he heard Wanwan whisper behind him, "Sima Liuyun, do you really want to marry me?"

Sima Liuyun stopped in his tracks, hesitated for a moment, and then turned around to look at Wanwan.

Wanwan stared intently at him and said, "You think I'm at my wit's end, that I can't live without you?" Seeing Sima Liuyun open his mouth to speak, she shook her head and sighed, "Sima Liuyun, you're showing me the courtesy of a friend, but I, Su Wan, may not be worthy of your treatment. Do you know that I approached you in the first place to kill you? What kind of person am I? How much do you really know?"

Sima Liuyun was stunned. Wanwan had already turned her head away, and said in a choked voice, holding back tears, "You can go out now. I'm tired and want to rest for a while."

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The night was deep and all was quiet except for the faint sound of footsteps outside the door. Wanwan knew that those were the secret guards that Sima Liuyun had sent to protect her day and night to guard against Su Rang. She turned over and turned inside, hugging the embroidered quilt. She recalled her conversation with Sima Liuyun during the day, and her eyes became even more deep and dark.

Several guards patrolling outside the door were alerted by a sharp, whistling sound as something cut through the air. They quickly exchanged a hand signal, and two of them rushed out to investigate. Suddenly, Wanwan screamed from inside the room, managing only to utter a single word, "Help..." before her voice trailed off.

The guards broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly pushed open the door to the room, only to find the window wide open and Wanwan, who was inside the brocade curtains, nowhere to be found.

One of the guards exclaimed, "Oh no! We've fallen for the thieves' diversionary tactic!" Another guard said in a deep voice, "The thieves have just kidnapped Miss Wanwan and can't get too far. Go and report to the head of the family immediately. The rest of you, follow me and give chase!" The guards responded and left, disappearing into the distance in no time.

Wanwan quietly emerged from under the bed. She had already changed into a servant's outfit that she had stolen a few days ago. She packed her clothes into a small bag and carried it with her. She slipped out of the room, glanced at the courtyard, a faint smile appeared on her lips, and sighed softly, "Sima Liuyun, it's best if we never see each other again." Then she leaped over the courtyard wall and disappeared into the night.

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After Qi Mo accompanied Yun Ran out of the city, he noticed her somber expression and knew she was grieving over her past. He became extra careful, holding her close and telling her amusing stories to cheer her up. He even whispered sweet nothings in her ear, showering her with tenderness. Finally, Yun Ran, unable to bear his persistence any longer, gave him a reproachful glare and said, "Are you treating me like a little bean to be pampered?"

Qi Mo smiled and said, "I don't need to use all my skills to deal with Xiao Dou. I only use them on my dear wife."

Yun Ran lightly spat, "Shameless, who is your wife?" Qi Mo looked at her but smiled without saying a word. Yun Ran looked up and saw his smiling face. Her heart skipped a beat, and she turned her head away with a blush, but the corners of her lips unconsciously curved slightly.

Seeing that her brow had relaxed, Qi Mo felt relieved. He chatted with her for a while and then headed towards Hengyang, where Muying Tower was located.

Hengyang is adjacent to Youzhou and is famous for Luwang Mountain. Muying Tower is located on Luwang Mountain.

That evening, the two arrived at the foot of Mount Luwang and followed the winding mountain path upwards. They did not see any envoys from the Twilight Shadow Pavilion along the way, which made them feel suspicious. Suddenly, they saw a figure flicker among the shadows of the trees ahead. Qi Mo whispered, "Be careful." He moved forward, but Yun Ran had already taken the lead and darted towards the dark figure like lightning.

Qi Mo hurriedly followed, and when he and Yun Ran approached, they were both shocked. They saw a man in a blue robe with a rope around his neck, hanging high on a tree. His body swayed slightly in the wind, stiff and rigid, and he had been dead for some time.

Qi Mo flung out the iron caltrops, severing the ropes, and the corpse plummeted to the ground. Yun Ran leaped forward and saw that the corpse's face was unusually red, as if it had suffered severe internal injuries. Sensing something amiss, she reached out to unbutton the corpse's clothes to examine it, but Qi Mo stopped her, saying, "Let me do it." As he spoke, he wrapped a piece of cloth around his hand and stepped forward to pull open the deceased's clothes to examine him carefully.

Yun Ran caught a glimpse of phosphorescence on the man's body, realizing his clothes were stained with deadly poison. Her eyes flashed, and she murmured, "This method of using corpses to set up the scene..."