Feng Ran instinctively tried to break free, but found herself unable to. In the end, she gave up.
The door was kicked open with a 'bang' by Xuanyuan Heng.
Feng Ran was thrown directly onto the bed.
The man's long fingers traced her face, his eyes filled with a bloodthirsty glint.
Feng Ran shivered all over, terrified.
Xuanyuan Heng's gaze fell on her knees, which he had noticed seemed injured earlier. Blood had seeped through her clothes.
However, his hands reached for his outer robe and tore it open.
His eyes fell upon her pale skin, and the light in them intensified. Feng Ran instinctively retreated.
"Heh," she heard Xuanyuan Heng sneer, his eyes full of contempt.
Soon, a嬷嬷 from the manor entered with a set of clothes. Her gaze fell upon Feng Ran, her eyes filled with disgust, disdain, and even contempt.
Despite this, Feng Ran seemed accustomed to it and paid no mind to the嬷嬷's gaze.
The嬷嬷 approached Xuanyuan Heng and bowed, "Your Highness, the clothes have arrived."
As Xuanyuan Heng took the clothes and was about to help Feng Ran dress, the嬷嬷 anxiously exclaimed, "Your Highness, this must not be! Your Highness's body is precious. How could such a lowly woman be worthy of Your Highness's service?"
Xuanyuan Heng's brow furrowed. Just as the嬷嬷, acting on her own initiative, reached out to touch Feng Ran, she was dragged away.
Feng Ran did not wish to concern herself with the matters before her.
However, while she hesitated, Xuanyuan Heng had already draped the clothes over her.
His gaze finally settled on her knees. Seeing the injury, he knew that if it were not treated quickly, her legs might be ruined.
When his hand touched her knee, Feng Ran let out a muffled groan of pain.
His surprised gaze fell upon her. In all the times he had seen her, this was the first time he had heard her make such a sound.
Xuanyuan Heng looked at the person before him with a playful expression, but Feng Ran quickly composed herself, biting her lip and enduring.
It wasn't that it didn't hurt, but she understood that she had no right to cry out in pain. Even if she did, no one would pity her, so why embarrass herself?
Feng Ran's endurance made Xuanyuan Heng's mood exceptionally foul. His hand fell on her injured knee and then squeezed it forcefully.
Pain, a searing pain, assailed her. Feng Ran's back was covered in cold sweat.
Her eyes, which had been tightly shut, now opened.
The imperial physician arrived.
It was initially thought that the regent was injured, as the people sent from the regent's manor to the palace to fetch the imperial physician had been in such a frantic rush that it led everyone to believe something had happened to the regent.
Upon entering and seeing Feng Ran, the imperial physician first froze, then lowered his head and entered.
Feng Ran, the regent's consort, had long since been divorced and personally sent by the regent to a place of ill repute like Spring Charm Pavilion. In recent years, many noble families had sent their daughters to the regent's manor, hoping they could catch the regent's eye.
However, the regent had never shown interest in anyone.
Seeing Feng Ran now, the imperial physician seemed to understand something.
When the imperial physician began treating Feng Ran's knee, any time Feng Ran so much as furrowed her brow, Xuanyuan Heng would glare furiously at the physician, as if he would kill him on the spot.
The imperial physician was truly drenched in cold sweat; it was too terrifying.
Finally, Feng Ran's knee was treated. After the imperial physician gave some advice on precautions, he left.
Feng Ran did not wish to remain in Xuanyuan Heng's manor. She just wanted to leave.
She still needed to find Du Rong. She had fulfilled Du Rong's request, so she intended to get what she deserved.
"Regent, thank you for saving my life. I am no longer in any discomfort. I will leave now."
Feng Ran hesitated for a moment before speaking again, "If I stay here, I am afraid I will dirty the manor."
"If that were the case, then I would truly deserve to die."
Xuanyuan Heng's already decent mood soured completely upon hearing these words.
He suddenly recalled the events at Spring Charm Pavilion. Was she so eager to return because of Du Rong?
"Feng Ran, you're in such a hurry to go back, are you trying to cling to someone?"
"Feng Ran, can you not live without a man?"
"Feng Ran, I never imagined you would become so depraved."
Feng Ran was slightly taken aback. She looked at the person before her in surprise. She truly never expected such humiliating words to come from Xuanyuan Heng's mouth.
She laughed, a laugh filled with profound sorrow and desolation.
What was she still hoping for?
Xuanyuan Heng hated her to the bone. Was it not to be expected that he would treat her this way?
In Xuanyuan Heng's eyes, her existence was merely an eyesore.
"Yes." Feng Ran nodded, raising her eyes to look at the already furious Xuanyuan Heng, and said coldly, "Your Highness is naturally above all, with nothing to worry about."
"But I am different. If I want to avoid being mocked and humiliated in Spring Charm Pavilion, I must appease those people."
"When Your Highness sent me there in the first place, you should have known this."
As she uttered words that slandered herself, a desolate smile played on Feng Ran's lips.
"Feng Ran." A cold voice echoed in Feng Ran's ears.
"Are you truly so shameless?"
As Xuanyuan Heng spoke these words, his eyes were filled with icy coldness, as if he wanted to strangle the person before him alive.
Feng Ran's eyes were filled with pain. Shameless? Was she?
Yes, in a place like that, she could only survive this way, couldn't she?
And wasn't this the outcome he had always wanted to see?
His objective had been achieved, shouldn't he be happy?
"Your Highness, there is nothing more for us to say."
"I must return immediately."
Seeing Feng Ran so eager to leave his side, Xuanyuan Heng's expression turned extremely grim.
Feng Ran looked at the man before her, who seemed like a madman, and felt fear in her heart.
As Feng Ran rose to leave, Xuanyuan Heng grabbed her by the neck, leaving her unable to move.
She widened her eyes, looking at the man before her. He wanted to kill her.
At this moment, his eyes were filled with murderous intent as he looked at her.
"Feng Ran, are you in such a hurry to see Du Rong that you must go back now?"
"Feng Ran, I am happy that Du Rong can no longer give you what you desire."
"I told you, anyone who gets involved with you will not have a good end."
"Feng Ran, remember, Du Rong is dead, and you are the cause of his death."
Xuanyuan Heng looked at Feng Ran's disbelieving eyes, her shocked and stunned expression, and said coldly, "Feng Ran, remember, Du Rong is dead, and the Du family is gone. And you are the executioner."
Feng Ran, who had been clamoring to leave moments before, was now filled with shock, bewilderment, and disbelief.
Suddenly, she looked at the man before her in fear.
In her eyes, Xuanyuan Heng was like a demon.