Xuan Yuanheng's eyes were filled with a crimson glow; he even felt the person before him had gone mad.
How could she dare to take such a reckless action with so many people present?
He wondered, when he wasn't around, was she like this with Li Yuncheng, with Ling Chiyuan, or even with Xu Yunqing?
Was she so shameless?
Willing to do anything to achieve her goals?
Was she so devoid of shame?
Feng Ran looked up and met Xuan Yuanheng's bloodthirsty gaze. Despite his furious eyes, she smiled, even laughed aloud.
Heh, all of this was his doing.
Yet, now he acted as if everything were her own volition.
Xuan Yuanheng truly possessed an incredible talent for shifting blame.
Just as Feng Ran's hand moved towards her clothes again, Xuan Yuanheng took off his outer robe and wrapped it around Feng Ran, even tying it for her with care.
She looked up at Xuan Yuanheng, unable to comprehend his actions. Wasn't what just happened exactly what he wanted to see?
Xuan Yuanheng wanted to push Feng Ran away, but remembering their current location, he sighed helplessly and pulled Feng Ran into his embrace.
"Regent, this is tacit approval, isn't it?"
Xuan Yuanheng was so enraged he wanted to destroy the person before him. How could she be so lowly to do such a thing?
"Feng Ran, where is the proud you from before? How have you become so debased?"
"This is an imperial banquet, are you not ashamed?"
"Feng Ran, are you that impatient?"
Feng Ran's lips curled into a smile, a smile that was somewhat unsettling.
At this moment, her smile was exceptionally mournful, causing onlookers a pang of heartache.
"Regent, isn't this exactly what you wanted to see?"
"Haven't you brought about my current state?" Feng Ran spoke these words calmly. Perhaps she had never imagined she would utter such demeaning words.
Yet, at this moment, she appeared exceptionally sinister, her eyes filled with bloodlust and coldness.
A self-mocking smile played on her lips, unyielding.
Xuan Yuanheng could grasp anything and everything. To curry favor with him, people would do anything.
He had always believed that whatever he wished to know in this world, he would surely find out. No one could defy him.
But later, with Feng Ran, he gradually realized that not everything went smoothly.
Feng Ran defied him multiple times; before him, she was a hard nut to crack.
Xuan Yuanheng pinched Feng Ran's chin and questioned her coldly, "Feng Ran, are you so debased? How could you do such a thing in front of so many people?"
"Feng Ran, this King truly underestimated you."
Hearing Xuan Yuanheng's humiliating words, the Feng Ran of the past might have been filled with shame. He even thought Feng Ran would bow her head, beg for his mercy.
But what had just happened told him otherwise; no, it wasn't like that, everything was completely different from what he had imagined.
Not only did Feng Ran not beg him, but she looked at him with icy eyes.
He saw the hatred for him in Feng Ran's eyes.
Since when did she hate him so much?
Xuan Yuanheng quickly suppressed his surprise and shock, his cold gaze falling upon her. He loosened the outer robe that was tied, even attempting to take it away. Feng Ran clung tightly to the robe.
However, Xuan Yuanheng reached out to snatch the robe away, and Feng Ran became afraid. She clutched the robe tightly, her entire being trembling with fear, her eyes filled with wariness.
Xuan Yuanheng observed Feng Ran's reaction. He chuckled, even loudly, and said coldly, "Feng Ran, were you so full of backbone just now? What happened? Did your backbone suddenly disappear?"
Feng Ran paid no attention to Xuan Yuanheng's questioning. Her hand remained tightly clenched. After a long while, she finally spoke, pleadingly, "Regent, please, spare me. Just now, I was foolish and made such a mistake."
"It is I who deserve a thousand deaths."
"It is I who should not have tested the Regent's patience."
Feng Ran continued to beg. Initially, Feng Ran had intended to go all out, but remembering her promise to Lanlan, and the hardships she had endured to reach this point, how could she give up so easily?
She recalled the time at Chunmanyuan when she had to humble herself for money.
Thinking of the money she had left at Chunmanyuan, Feng Ran's heart ached so intensely that she could barely breathe.
That was money she had earned by kneeling and begging. But now? All her efforts were in vain.
Feng Ran's eyes were filled with a murderous glint.
She loathed the person before her, even more so the people around them, yet she could do nothing.
She had to humbly lower her head, to grovel before Xuan Yuanheng, begging for his forgiveness.
Xuan Yuanheng laughed at Feng Ran's pleas, a triumphant laugh.
Indeed, he had overestimated her. She was still that base person.
Xuan Yuanheng pinched her chin and said sinisterly, "Tidy yourself up. This time, this King will let you off for now."
Feng Ran looked at the person before her, puzzled. She had begged Xuan Yuanheng for mercy, but she knew clearly that no matter what she said or how she pleaded, it would be futile.
Her gaze fell on Xuan Yuanheng. She hadn't intended to ask, but for some reason, at this moment, she couldn't help but ask, "Why... are you forgiving me?"
"I did something so embarrassing for you. According to your character, you would have already ruined me."
"No, you would have directly taken my life."
"But you didn't. Why is that?"
She thought long and hard but could not fathom why he would spare her.
She stood there, watching Xuan Yuanheng, unsure of what was happening.
At that moment, Xuan Yuanheng's cold voice echoed in her ears again, "Feng Ran, as this King said, the Emperor's family banquet, while called a family banquet, is a way for him to place women by my side. To plant his people around me. Tell me, how can we let the Emperor have his way?"
"So, you should know what to do next."
Xuan Yuanheng spoke coldly, his eyes filled with threats. The hand holding Feng Ran's chin tightened its grip.
"Hurry up. This King can wait, but those at the banquet cannot."
"Oh, right, I won't do anything to you now. But if you mess this up, this King will not spare your life."
Suddenly, Feng Ran's face turned extremely grim.
So, this was what he had planned for her.