Feng Ran knelt in the snow for an entire night, her knees already red and swollen to the point that even standing up was difficult.
Having not eaten for a day and a night, Feng Ran fainted.
A basin of water was directly thrown onto her, chilling her to the bone.
Feng Ran, who had fainted, was awakened by the cold.
She struggled to get up, her breaths faint. Her face was pale, her lips white, and her body trembled.
Red Yi, however, began to feel afraid. She hated Feng Ran and only found joy in tormenting her. But if anything happened to Feng Ran under her care, she wouldn't be able to bear the consequences.
She quickly stepped forward to check Feng Ran's breathing. There was still a faint breath; she was alive.
As long as she was alive, it was fine.
Originally, the plan was to torment her today, but it seemed impossible now.
She could only call for a physician to treat her first.
Besides, there would be plenty of days to torment her in the future; there was no need to rush.
She had also prepared a great deal for Feng Ran, and she hoped Feng Ran could endure the days ahead.
Under Red Yi's torment, Feng Ran was left with only half a life.
Feng Ran was even somewhat surprised that she herself didn't know how she had managed to hold on.
One year later.
In the most bustling Spring Full Fortune pavilion in the capital, a courtesan arrived.
"Feng Ran?"
"Yes."
"Could it be the eldest daughter of the Feng family, who has been missing for a long time?"
A scantily clad woman said with astonishment. She was Sheng Yi, the person in charge of Spring Full Fortune.
"How could the eldest daughter of the Feng family have fallen into such a state? Rumor has it that the King of Xuan Yuan doted on the eldest daughter of the Feng family?"
Feng Ran's eyes were filled with a dead silence, without any ripples.
Doted on? Kept as a pet?
If Yu Wan Yan were still alive, she would likely still be kept as a pet. Perhaps she would still be the eldest daughter of the Feng family.
"Many people have said that I resemble the eldest daughter of the Feng family, but I am not the eldest daughter of the Feng family," Feng Ran said calmly, unwilling to admit it.
Sheng Yi frowned slightly but said no more: "Go and get dressed up properly."
She looked at Feng Ran and said coldly, "It was my mistake. Feng Ran, how could the eldest daughter of the Feng family end up in such a place of ill repute?"
Sheng Yi said indifferently, "Since Red Yi sent you here, you should already know and have learned what you need to."
"Whether it was voluntary or not, now that you are here, put away those unrealistic thoughts. Just do your duty."
"Although this place is known for its ill repute, it also has rules. The higher-ups have instructed that you are only to perform and not to sell your body."
"Of course, as for what will happen in the future, we can only wait for further instructions from above."
After speaking, Sheng Yi narrowed her eyes and sized up Feng Ran: "Feng Ran, I don't know why Red Yi sent you here, but since you are in Spring Full Fortune, you must abide by the rules here. If you break the rules, you will be punished severely."
Feng Ran replied calmly, "One year. I am already familiar with everything."
"If you obey obediently, you will naturally be fine." She was like a puppet, devoid of any vitality.
As if there was no one or nothing in the world worth her lingering on.
Sheng Yi was quite satisfied with Feng Ran's answer and compliance. The new girl Red Yi had sent seemed to have been trained well.
This was the first time she was truly satisfied with someone Red Yi had sent.
Sheng Yi looked at Feng Ran: "From now on, you will call me Aunt Sheng." She glanced at Feng Ran, then at her attendant: "Pear Blossom, take the newcomer to rest."
She looked at Feng Ran: "Tomorrow night, you will officially receive guests."
After speaking, Sheng Yi left.
When Pear Blossom saw Feng Ran, her eyes were filled with jealousy, and she was sarcastic and mocking towards her. But Feng Ran seemed accustomed to it, always remaining calm.
Feng Ran had been in Spring Full Fortune for half a year.
Nights were her busiest times.
Feng Ran had just finished playing the zither; she was already numb.
It was somewhat ironic that she used to play the zither for Xuan Yuan Heng, but now she played it all day for a living, to survive.
Her hands had long since calloused from playing, yet she still had to continue.
This was her fate.
At this moment, with a rare chance to breathe, she sat by the window, watching the people coming and going on the street, sighing inwardly.
In the past, she always thought that a place like Spring Full Fortune was so dirty.
But these days, such a place wasn't that dirty. There were good people and bad people.
Feng Ran, just do your duty every day.
This was Xuan Yuan Heng's intention.
She lived her days cautiously, always on guard.
Just scraping by.
Feng Ran, you are no longer the eldest daughter of the Feng family, nor the young lady who acted recklessly. Your beauty is long gone, and your proud zither skills have become a means of survival, a joke.
Now, you are merely a woman of ill repute.
Feng Ran truly listened obediently.
Her hand touched the horrific scar on her forehead.
On her wrist, there was also a twisted scar.
Every month, she had to wait for Red Yi to bring the antidote.
She had been poisoned by a蛊 (gu) by Red Yi. Red Yi said it was Xuan Yuan Heng's command.
When the蛊 (gu) poison acted up, the suffocating pain made her wish for death.
"Feng Ran, Room Heaven 1." The door was pushed open from the outside. The person's face was displeased: "Feng Ran, do you think that just because you have the same name as the eldest daughter of the Feng family, Feng Ran, you are the eldest daughter of the Feng family? Putting on airs like this?"
"Even if you are the eldest daughter of the Feng family, in a place like this, you are nothing."
Feng Ran did not pay attention to the man's troublesome demeanor.
"Room Heaven 1, that has nothing to do with me," Feng Ran said calmly. She was just following Sheng Yi's instructions.
The man, however, slapped Feng Ran across the face when she refused him, looking at her with contempt and saying: "Sister Qing Han asked you to go, so you go. Can you afford to offend Sister Qing Han?"
"Or do you think you don't have to listen to Sister Qing Han's words?"
Should she go just because Sister Qing Han asked her to?
They were all in the same situation, so why should she listen to Sister Qing Han? Why was Sister Qing Han superior to her?
Feng Ran disdained to argue with the person in front of her and remained as she was, not intending to get up.
The man reached out, squeezed Feng Ran's arm forcefully, and said coldly, "Get going quickly."
In the end, Feng Ran had no choice but to pick up her zither and follow.
If she didn't go, she would likely be troubled endlessly.
It had been like this all these days.
The corridor was crowded. Feng Ran tried her best to avoid people, walking quickly with her head down.
But at this moment, her path ahead was blocked by a man.
Feng Ran lowered her head, not daring to look up, and even less daring to look at the man in front of her. At this moment, she only prayed that no unexpected event would occur.
In Spring Full Fortune, she had seen too many unpleasant things, and she was afraid. She pulled her hair back, revealing the ugly scar on her forehead.
Indeed, it was effective. Those men were terrified when they saw it.
Sometimes, she felt that this ugly scar was a blessing in disguise, or perhaps a curse.