Chapter 29: The fake's eyes were filled with giant pythons as they stared at their prey...
Dong Heng's heart tightened, realizing that he seemed to have said something wrong.
The two didn't chat for long before Fang Yilan said goodbye, saying that she had been running around for too long and wanted to go take a bath to relax.
Fang Yilan quickly left the stables and quickly found Zhao Huaixu, who was huddled in his room. Without further ado, she led him towards her private room. "Your injuries haven't healed yet, so you can't just go soak in the hot springs. It's boring staying in the room alone. Why don't you stay with me? We can chat and kill some time."
Zhao Huaixu naturally had no objection and obediently let Fang Yilan lead the way.
Fang Yilan gently pushed open the door and looked inside. The room was well decorated. Outside the exquisitely carved window lattices, green bamboos swayed, setting off the antique furniture in the room. Every detail revealed elegance and interest.
The two walked side by side towards the private courtyard, but their eyes suddenly fixed on the bed in the bedroom.
A strange man lay there, his white shirt half-open, his shoulders exposed, looking particularly striking. A jade feather pendant dangled from his earlobe, swaying gently with his slight movements. His eyes were bloodshot.
"General, save me." The man suddenly spoke, his voice deliberately low, but it was like sandpaper rubbing against rough wooden boards, harsh and unbearable.
Fang Yilan got goosebumps when she heard this, and her brows were furrowed, as if she had seen something filthy.
A poor performance and a low-quality fake, no matter how hard you try to imitate, are nothing but a poor imitation.
Fang Yilan's first reaction was to look sideways at Zhao Huaixu. He still looked as gentle as jade, with a calm expression. He just stood quietly by the side, patiently waiting for her reaction.
Fortunately, I brought Zhao Huaixu with me, otherwise I would not be able to wash myself clean even if I jumped into the Yellow River.
Fang Yilan hurriedly called the guards and threw the man out without untying the hemp rope. Then he took Zhao Huaixu to find the owner of the manor and asked to change to another room.
The owner of the manor asked kindly, as if he didn't know what was going on. "General, what's wrong with that room? If there's anything wrong, I hope you'll forgive me."
Fang Yilan was clearly furious and rebuked them harshly, "How could anyone get into such a precious place? Is this how you do things at your villa? If His Majesty were to encounter such an absurd incident here, what would be your punishment? I will report this matter to the court truthfully!"
The owner of the manor did not expect Fang Yilan to be so irritated. He was immediately frightened and broke out in a cold sweat. He quickly bowed and apologized, saying tremblingly, "General, please calm down. It was our negligence in management that caused us to make a big mistake. I hope that the general will be magnanimous and forgive us."
To express his apology, the owner of the manor quickly ordered his servants to bring many exquisite cakes and fine wines.
...
Fang Yilan lay lazily by the hot spring pool, with mist swirling around her.
In her hands, she held a plate of peeled grapes, each one plump and translucent, like a round piece of purple jade. She comfortably picked one up, gently biting it, the sweet juice blooming freely across her taste buds. After a few more, her cheeks were bulging with contentment.
She couldn't help but sigh in her heart, there is probably no greater joy in life than this, with beautiful scenery, exquisite food at hand, and of course, this pleasing beauty.
If it weren't for this terrible thing that ruined our mood!
Zhao Huaixu acted as if nothing had happened. He knelt by the pool and served Fang Yilan attentively. He held a small knife in his hand, lowered his eyes, peeled the apricots, and then cut them into slices of even thickness, and placed them neatly on a plate.
Fang Yilan raised her eyes and fixed them on Zhao Huaixu's handsome face, but her thoughts drifted back to a few months ago.
"Were you scared at that time?"
"What?"
"When I was sent to my bed."
Zhao Huaixu felt that the words Fang Yilan uttered were entering his blood along the steaming mist and his skin. His whole body felt like it was being bitten by thousands of insects. Otherwise, why would he feel so itchy and numb?
"Alan, are you feeling sorry for me?" Zhao Huaixu lowered his head, his thick eyelashes covering his eyelids. He slowly lifted up her black hair that was wet on her cheeks and hooked it behind her ears. His big palm almost covered half of Fang Yilan's cheek.
Fang Yilan felt the warmth from his palm and secretly vowed that she would never lose momentum this time. She picked up a round and plump grape from the fruit bowl and stuffed it into his mouth, thinking that she could push his head back as it kept coming closer.
Not only did Zhao Huaixu not retreat, but he came forward openly and gently took the grape flesh she gave him. He did not swallow it, but held it on his lips. His body seemed to be attracted by a magnet, and he continued to move closer to Fang Yilan.
Finally, Fang Yilan couldn't stand the brothel-like behavior of this man and was defeated. She stepped back in fear and her heel hit the raised stone at the bottom of the pool. She suddenly lost her balance and fell backward uncontrollably.
Zhao Huaixu subconsciously reached out to grab her wrist, but was dragged into the pool by Fang Yilan.
With a loud "splash", the water splashed high into the air and turned into a large curtain of water that splashed all around, wetting the surrounding ground as well.
Zhao Huaixu sat in the pool in a state of disarray, looking somewhat bewildered. His coat had long been soaked through, half floating on the surface. His once neatly tied long hair had become a mess, with a few wet strands sticking to his cheeks, making him look ridiculous.
The indoor heating was burning brightly, and he was wearing thin clothes, especially a white shirt that was semi-transparent and stuck to his body.
Fang Yilan was suddenly gushed by the pool water, and her head was confused. She didn't know if it was because she had been soaking in hot water for too long. It was difficult to tell whether her mind had become clearer or more dizzy.
I just suddenly figured it out in my mind.
Do you feel sorry for him? Yes, I do.
She thought again of the complex emotions that arose in her heart when she saw the fake. It was anger, a rage that burned her heart.
In his heart, Zhao Huaixu was never a male favorite who attracted her only by his good looks.
Well, it cannot be denied that beauty is indeed one of the things that attracts her.
But only when he, only when Zhao Huaixu wagged his tail like a puppy and begged for her love, would she feel suffocated as if her heart was being gripped and a kind of joy with a hint of malice.
Only he could see his fragility and embarrassment.
She didn't like others treating Zhao Huaixu as an inferior object and trampling on his dignity at will. She felt that he was humble and cheap. He was the one she cared for and pampered with all her heart, so why was he treated so rudely by those people?
Perhaps the shock of falling into the water had not yet dissipated, or perhaps the pent-up emotions in her heart burst forth, and she threw all her rationality to the wind.
She looked at the shadow cast in front of her. It was Zhao Huaixu who was about to pull her up.
Fang Yilan suddenly pounced on him, her movements eager and impulsive. She hooked her arms around Zhao Huaixu's neck, pulled him down, and kissed him, pushing him back a few steps and forcing him to lean against the edge of the pool.
Two soft pieces collided together.
Never mind. I’m really attracted to her and I can’t fool myself. Since I like her, I’ll just kiss her first and worry about other things later.
Zhao Huaixu was visibly stunned by Fang Yilan's bold move, but the next moment, his helplessness turned into a raging fire. He grabbed Fang Yilan's waist, pressing her even closer, leaving no gaps. His other hand clasped the back of Fang Yilan's head, fingers weaving into her hair, practically lifting her up by the waist, domineeringly seizing the initiative.
Their noses collided and then moved away. Zhao Huaixu pried open her teeth, biting and grinding. The rich aroma of grapes entwined on the tip of his tongue, filling the air.
Fang Yilan wanted to retreat, but Zhao Huaixu refused to let her go easily. His lips and tongue swept across her teeth and entangled the root of her tongue, as if he wanted to tear her bones apart and eat her.
Her breathing became increasingly disordered, nearly suffocating. She opened her eyes only to discover that Zhao Huaixu had been kissing her with his eyes open. His eyes, usually as gentle as ink, were now like the moon reflected in a cold pond, filled with the greed of a giant python gazing at its prey.
"My lord, the man has been caught."
"Send it here."
In the darkness of the night, Fei Rong was knocked unconscious from behind and taken away. When he slowly regained consciousness, he felt his body jolting and shaking. He looked around. The carriage, adorned with brocade quilts and embroidered mattresses, exuded an air of luxury. His eyes lit up instantly. He lifted the curtain and saw only a burly groom outside, steering a horse.
Fei Rong cleared his throat and asked, "Master, may I ask where we are going?"
The groom's profile was hidden in the night, and his expression could not be seen clearly. One could only vaguely see the corners of his mouth curled up: "I will take you to the place you have always dreamed of."
Fei Rong was delighted. He had acted so respectable during the day, but he hadn't really developed any lewd intentions. He just couldn't understand why a great general would be so afraid of a male favorite and go through so much trouble to pick him up. The carriage stopped at the back door of Luxin's largest red building, and the aroma of perfume and powder filled his face, a strong, sweet aroma.
This place was renowned in Luxin, a popular destination for officials from the capital seeking pleasure. The owner, known for his low-key and secretive approach, was well-versed in the preferences of these dignitaries: a place that could satisfy their desires for indulgence while ensuring safety, making it their preferred choice for private entertainment.
Fei Rong was held hostage by two big men, one on each side, and taken to the room on the top floor of the Red Mansion. When he pushed the door open, the scene before him made him fall into an ice cellar.
Inside the room, a man in a black robe sat at the front of the table. His face was hidden in the shadows and could not be seen clearly. Only the pine green color of his earrings flashed an eerie green light in the dim light, like cold and eerie scales, which was intimidating.
Fei Rong's face instantly turned pale as paper. Without a second thought, he turned around and tried to escape. However, the door behind him had already been firmly locked from the outside. No matter how hard he pulled, the door wouldn't budge.
"You...how dare you do this! If General Fang finds out, she will definitely discover your true identity." Fei Rong banged on the door frantically, making a banging sound, while shouting at the top of his lungs, trying to use Fang Yilan's name to intimidate the man in front of him.
"Heh." The man chuckled at his words, a gentle smile on his face, but the laughter sounded like the shrill cry of a ghost.
Before Fei Rong could recover from the creepy laughter, he felt a huge force hitting his chest. He flew backwards uncontrollably and fell heavily to the ground. His internal organs seemed to have shifted, and a stream of fishy and sweet blood instantly gushed out of his mouth.
A large, cold hand gripped his neck tightly. Fei Rong's eyes widened in horror, and he desperately pried the hand apart with both hands, trying to break free from the fatal restraint. However, the strength of the hand was so astonishing that his struggle seemed futile.
"I've learned very well, thanks to you." The man leaned down, got close to Fei Rong's ear, and spoke word by word. The voice seemed to come from the Nine Nether Hell, cold and piercing, drilling straight into Fei Rong's ears, making his soul tremble uncontrollably.
The pain of suffocation had barely subsided when a heart-wrenching scream erupted from the depths of his throat. The earring, along with a large chunk of flesh from its earlobe, was torn off. A large section of his right ear was ripped off, hanging limply on the side of his cheek. The once intact ear was now reduced to a bloody mess, with the broken flesh and dripping blood mingling on the ground.
The earring fell to the side and turned into a pile of powder at the man's feet the next moment.
"I was wrong, sir, please let me go, I won't dare to do it again!" Fei Rong burst into tears and collapsed on the ground like a puddle of mud, his body shaking violently with fear.
The man washed his hands indifferently, crushed Fei Rong's right hand as if it were nothing, and walked straight out of the room.
“Ah!!! ——” The voice was sharp and desperate.
Several burly men rushed into the room, dragged Fei Rong up like a dead dog, and forced him to use his still intact left hand to press his fingerprint on the contract of sale. Then he was sent to a good wing room, where he fell into an endless quagmire of pain, with no hope of escape.
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The author has something to say: Yu You: The status of the queen, the mentality of the mistress, and the behavior of a brothel.
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