Yun Wenfang had rushed back at full speed. Ever since hearing the news of Xiao Jingxi’s marriage proposal to the Ren family, traveling seemed to have become his most important task. As for all those matters that had suddenly emerged during this time to entangle his steps, he had cast them all aside. He hadn’t forgotten that his original intention in interfering with these affairs was to have sufficient bargaining chips to marry Ren Yaoqi. Now that the woman he cared about was about to be taken by another, what did he care about those other matters?
When Yun Wenfang returned to Yunyang City, he was already exhausted. His pair of bright eyes was reddened by the wind, his face had grown some stubble from neglecting grooming, and his expression was so gloomy it could stop children from crying at night. The guards at Yunyang City’s gates didn’t even recognize this famous Second Young Master of the Yun family at first glance.
After entering the city, Yun Wenfang didn’t return to the Yun residence. He rode directly to the Ren family in Baoping Alley. However, when he reached the intersection, one lane away from Ren Yaoqi’s front door, he was stopped by someone.
The one blocking his path was a man dressed entirely in black with ordinary features. Others might not recognize this man, who rarely appeared in public, but Yun Wenfang knew who he was – this was one of Yanbei’s top experts, named Xiao Hua. Xiao Hua had once been the chief commander of the Yanbei Prince’s Manor’s shadow guards. Although he later stopped doing shadow guard work and gradually moved to handle more public affairs, his martial skills had only improved since his shadow guard days. Yun Wenfang also knew that Xiao Hua was one of Second Master Xiao Jingxi’s direct subordinates.
The moment he saw Xiao Hua, Yun Wenfang understood everything. His already reddened eyes instantly flashed with a sinister and almost crazed malice, causing even Xiao Hua, who hadn’t originally taken Yun Wenfang’s martial abilities seriously, to become alert.
“Second Young Master Yun, please return.” Xiao Hua was still relatively polite to members of the Yun family. Thinking it would be best to avoid violence if possible, he said this courteously after Yun Wenfang reined in his horse, planning to try diplomacy before force. If Yun Wenfang were sensible enough to leave, that would be ideal. Otherwise, he would inevitably have to beat Yun Wenfang unconscious and send him back to the Yun residence. After all, his master had said to stop any irrelevant people at all costs.
Xiao Hua had originally been somewhat puzzled about what kind of irrelevant person would require him to personally guard this small alley. Could it be that the eunuch beside his master had taken a dislike to him and spoken ill of him? However, the moment he saw Yun Wenfang, Xiao Hua immediately understood who his master had meant by “irrelevant person.”
Yun Wenfang stared intently at Xiao Hua for a long while. Just when Xiao Hua expected Yun Wenfang to immediately lunge at him – and was expressionlessly lamenting to himself that he would likely miss today’s lunch, having heard that today’s menu included his favorite twice-cooked pork, which would probably be snatched up by that simpleton Mu Hu – Yun Wenfang suddenly turned his horse around without a word and left.
Xiao Hua watched Yun Wenfang’s figure disappear at the alley entrance, maintained his expert demeanor by standing in place for a while longer, then expressionlessly returned to his previous hiding spot to continue his guard duty. The twice-cooked pork was still his! Xiao Hua breathed a sigh of relief when no one was watching.
Yun Wenfang’s original purpose in coming to the Ren family was merely to confirm one thing, but the moment he saw Xiao Hua, he no longer needed anyone to confirm anything. Xiao Jingxi’s top lackey personally guarding the Ren family’s door already explained many things. His martial arts were inferior to Xiao Hua’s, so naturally, there was no need to deliver himself up for humiliation. Moreover, no matter how superb Xiao Hua’s martial arts were, he was still just a lackey.