Xuan Yuan Heng's tenderness was something Feng Ran was experiencing, and her whole body was trembling.
She even wondered what this man wanted.
It was truly terrifying.
At this moment, she felt as if she were bound by something invisible, with no chance to escape.
She even felt that Xuan Yuan Heng's current tenderness was somehow wrong.
Xuan Yuan Heng's smiling face only made her more frightened.
It was even more frightening than the torment she had endured over the years.
"Regent, I will obey." Feng Ran finally resigned herself to fate.
Yes, all she could do now was comply.
If she just complied, everything would be fine.
If she complied, she would suffer less.
No matter what Xuan Yuan Heng was plotting, she just had to do her part.
Xuan Yuan Heng smiled in satisfaction, his cold fingers touching her face and gently sliding across it. The bone-chilling touch made Feng Ran tremble involuntarily.
A sense of dread washed over her.
Xuan Yuan Heng naturally saw the terror and fear in Feng Ran's eyes, and he was very pleased.
He said softly, "Isn't this good? It would have been better if you had been like this from the start."
His gaze fell upon Feng Ran, his hand almost touching her, but then he seemed to remember something and did not land on her.
As he turned to leave, he seemed to recall something and said with a smile, "By the way, I remember when you asked this king to help you deal with the Lan family, you owed this king a favor."
A favor?
Yes, of course, she owed him.
"Regent, you can now ask me to do whatever you wish."
Xuan Yuan Heng let out a cold scoff. "What this king wants you to do?"
"Do you truly mean that whatever this king asks, you will do?"
With that, Xuan Yuan Heng left.
The events of that day were a disaster for Feng Ran.
But Feng Ran remembered Xuan Yuan Heng's words, telling her to dress herself up each day and help him dress.
She looked at the person in the mirror, the same familiar face. Her hand moved to her eyebrows, gently tracing them. She even wished she could disfigure her face.
She thought, if her face were ruined, would Xuan Yuan Heng let her go?
If that were the case, then her face could be ruined.
But she couldn't do it.
She clearly remembered Xuan Yuan Heng saying, "Feng Ran, if you disfigure your face, this king will not kill you, but he will ascend to Feng Jin."
"Feng Ran, if you want Feng Jin to be killed, then do as you wish."
And Lan Lan was still waiting for her. Lan Lan had many things she needed to do.
All she could do now was to obey obediently, to do nothing, and to not interfere.
She shouldn't even do anything drastic.
She shouldn't do anything that would anger Xuan Yuan Heng.
Feng Ran stood up and walked out without looking back.
She approached Xuan Yuan Heng, bowed, and then stood before him.
Xuan Yuan Heng narrowed his dark eyes, his gaze filled with bloodlust and amusement as he looked at Feng Ran. "Do it."
"What? Are you waiting for this king to serve you?"
Feng Ran walked to Xuan Yuan Heng silently and obediently helped him dress, even her movements were cautious.
After finishing everything, Feng Ran stepped back, wanting to leave, but was immediately pulled into Xuan Yuan Heng's embrace. He breathed hot air into her ear and said coldly, "Feng Ran, accompany this king out."
Feng Ran did not respond, clearly wanting to say nothing.
"Feng Ran, Lan Xian is still alive," Xuan Yuan Heng said. "Lan Xian has become a favored concubine by the Emperor, and she has invited you to the palace. It seems your future days will be difficult."
Feng Ran was surprised at first, why was Lan Xian still alive and a favored concubine? It all seemed rather fantastical.
But she didn't ask any more questions, because she knew better than anyone that Xuan Yuan Heng wouldn't joke about such things.
However, she had to admit that Lan Xian was truly skilled. In such a short time, she had managed to become a favored concubine of the Emperor. It seemed she must have had a benefactor, otherwise, it wouldn't have happened this way.
What was Xuan Yuan Heng's intention in taking her there? Was he planning to stand by and watch? Or just watch the show? Or perhaps he already knew about all of this.
But now he was asking her to face Lan Xian and deal with her, and she didn't know anything, nor was she clear.
In fact, she had never imagined that Lan Xian would be so capable.
It seemed she had underestimated Lan Xian from the very beginning.
Feng Ran's gaze fell upon Xuan Yuan Heng, wondering how he would react if Lan Xian truly attacked her. Would he protect her?
All of this was an unknown. She didn't know how things would unfold.
Things had already happened, and she no longer had any chance to escape.
She looked at Xuan Yuan Heng and thought that Xuan Yuan Heng had once said he wouldn't let her die. So, even if something happened later, her life would still be preserved.
With this realization, Feng Ran's heart suddenly brightened.
No matter what happened, as long as she was alive, that was what mattered.
Inside the imperial palace.
Feng Ran looked at Lan Xian's lofty demeanor, surrounded by many servants. This was completely different from the Lan Xian she knew before, the one who had tearfully begged her for her life.
Now, looking at Lan Xian, she had already become someone of high status.
This realization felt incredibly absurd.
But everything before her was the truth, and she had nothing more to say.
"Your Highness, who is this person? How dare she be so bold as to not kneel and pay respects to you?"
Lan Xian glanced at the speaker and reprimanded, "Is it your place to speak here?"
After speaking, Lan Xian's triumphant gaze fell on Feng Ran, and she said with a pleased smile, "Indeed, Feng Ran, what he said is correct. Now that I am a noble concubine and you are the Regent's Consort, you should kneel to me."
Feng Ran listened to Lan Xian's words, her hands clenched tightly.
At this moment, Xuan Yuan Heng appeared. He stood beside Feng Ran, shielding her in his embrace, and said to Lan Xian with bloodlust, "This king does not need to kneel even to the Emperor. The Emperor needs to curry favor with this king and show him courtesy."
"Then why should the Regent's Consort bow to you, a mere noble concubine?"