Chapter 18: Feng Xue’s Reappearance
“What are you doing here?” Sure enough, it was actually Feng Xue. The speck of white among the crowd was very conspicuous, not to add that charming aura surrounding his face. If it wasn’t Feng Xue, then who could it be? And adding onto his unique physical features, the person in question had fully recovered his spiritual prowess. The enchanting and beguiling aura floating around him was even stronger, and you could tell from everyone else’s infatuated and interested gazes, that he most likely appeared as a beautiful fairy, one that had descended from the immortal realm, gracing mortals with his appearance.
“Master, please accept Feng Xue. Feng Xue is willing to be a slave for life, serving you as Master to repay Master’s life-saving grace.”
After catching sight of Qianhe Liyou’s figure, he had been initially startled, but firmly went on with his request.
Among the large crowd and hall, Feng Xue’s words had created a large disturbance, speculation instantly turning the wheels in everyone’s minds. Most of them conjectured that this was another karmic consequence of a love affair instigated by the Empress. However, this time, their Empress had actually been a good person and had saved this beauty.
Qianhe Liyou was not a person who was easily irritated, but she felt extremely provoked by the little fox demon in front of her, feeling exactly like she had on that day when they met. She shifted her body slightly, flashing in front of Feng Xue in a mere second, and leaned forward, close to Feng Xue’s face. With an extremely dangerous and icy tone, she spoke: “You think that it’s so easy to become my slave? I granted you freedom, but you actually threw it away. Are you really so lowly in morals that you have to be a slave?!”
Feng Xue had long turned pale, desperation etched into his face as he heard Qianhe Liyou’s ruthless words but he stubbornly went on: “A life-saving grace should be returned with one’s full devotion. No matter what insults or words you say to me, I will not leave.”
Feng Xue lowered his head, kneeling on the ground, his face grim and a deathly white as he said these words. Everyone present was stirred by his pitiful appearance but recognized their ruler’s cold-heartedness.
“Not leaving? Fine, do you know what duties you must carry out as a slave?”
Of course, Feng Xue had no idea as to what Qianhe Liyou was referring to. After carefully putting some thought to it, he hesitated before asking, “What do you want me to do?”
“The first thing a slave must be able to do is to obey their Master’s commands without resistance. Can you do this?” This little fox demon still hadn’t learned a lesson after experiencing such depraved and harsh matters for so many years. If he wanted to follow after her, did he actually think well of her? Absolutely ridiculous.
“I can! As long as it is within my capabilities, I will do it!” Hearing Qianhe Liyou’s words, Feng Xue felt secretly hopeful, his face flushing with blatant joy, transforming his expression.
Qianhe Liyou smiled. This was not a normal smile, and not an obvious one at that. Nonetheless, an undetectable trace of emotion flicker in her dark, abyss-like eyes, but the smile did not reach her eyes. Rather, it was a joyless smile that was not full of warmth, but rather sinister implications.
“Fine. Then remove your clothes, just like that day….” Since Feng Xue had been kneeling on the ground this entire time, Qianhe Liyou had to bend down slightly when she said this.
Qianhe Liyou’s tone had gone octaves deeper, clearly enunciating each word clearly, her low tone making Feng Xue uncontrollably start to shiver!
“Why, are you scared? The servants here are all a Master’s private property. Maybe after some time, I can grant you to accompany me, just like the things you did before, or I can give you to someone. A slave is merely just an object to their Master, not even seen as a human. How do you think I will deal with you?”
Sometimes, she really could not fathom why a human thought the way it did. They didn’t want their freedom and actually were willing to become a slave. No matter what dynasty or time period it was, a slave’s status was not worth even human life, and what she had just said was merely the tip of the iceberg. This little fox demon had been entirely too naive!
“You…really would do this?” Feng Xue’s voice trembled, slightly raising his head to look at Qianhe Liyou, a lingering glitter of hope visible in his striking gray eyes.
“Didn’t you already know that I, as the Empress, was already this type of person?” Qianhe Liyou retorted with a rhetorical question, her expression frosty.
The small fire of hope in Feng Xue’s eyes died out, little by little, and in the end, only slightly warm ashes remained. He hung his head, and responded in a low voice that was so low and quiet, that it could not be lowered anymore: “If this is what you want then, I, I can do it!”
He was already considered as soiled, his innocence long sullied from spending two years at the brothel. If it hadn’t been for Qianhe Liyou’s intervention, he would have been still stuck in that place, humiliated and defiled, a fate worse than a dog. Now, it was only simply a matter of taking off his clothes, it was just that. He could tolerate that! He promised that as long as this person could save Xiao Jin, he was willing to do anything!
Feng Xue’s hands shook as he untied the belt from his outer robes and started to slip out of his outer robes, one from one, top to bottom. Everyone around him held his breath, carefully watching his movements!
‘Empress…” Long Xizhao wanted to interject, but as soon as she had opened her mouth, Qianhe Liyou’s gaze swept from top to bottom, a cold chill washing over her entire body. She promptly closed her mouth in fear!
Qianhe Liyou apathetically watched Feng Xue in front of him. His outer robes had long fallen to the ground, leaving behind the inner pure white unlined garments. Feng Xue’s hands moved to remove his inner garments, his hands trembling violently as he went to untie the small string that held his last piece of respect together.
This was nothing, really nothing. Wasn’t it just taking off his clothes? His body had already been seen and based on by so many people, this was considered nothing….Feng Xue silently comforted himself in his heart, closed his eyes tightly, forcing his pale fingers to move, untying the drawstring…
“Enough. Dress yourself. Feng Ying, this person will be handed over to you in the future. In the future, I don’t need a cleaning attendant to look after my palace, just let this person do it.” Qianhe Liyou was so vexed, extremely irked at the man who was stubborn to the point of being an idiot who blindly followed whatever others asked him. She was also displeased at herself for becoming soft-hearted at the last moment.
“Yes, Your Majesty!” Watching the Empress leave in a fit of icy anger, Feng Ying curiously examined the man who was still kneeling on the ground, feeling at a loss, what a curious man…..
“This Young Master, please come with this servant.” Feng Ying’s attitude was very respectful. Although the Empress had treated this man poorly and his attitude had been unfriendly, based on her many years of experience, she feared that this Young Master’s origins were not ordinary and his position in the Empress’ heart was clearly quite high. Although the Empress had ordered her to arrange for the Young Master as the Qin Palace’s cleaning attendant, she planned on handling the matter carefully.
“My name is Feng Xue, it’s fine if you just call me by name. I’m merely a slave, you do not need to be so courteous.” Feng Xue’s face was still colorless, but his elated expression was obvious to any onlooker. In the end, she had let him stay and hadn’t asked him to do those things…Feng Xue had an inkling of premonition that he had just been resurrected from the dead, his sense of frailty increasing. His body still felt very weak, but nonetheless, he tightly clutched his clothes, which were still in disarray…
Of course, he did not want to suffer under this kind of treatment. What indifference, what numbness, these were all merely lies and nonsense to comfort him. How could he truly not care? When Qianhe Liyou had stated that kind of request, his heart had almost been shattered into a million pieces. He didn’t want to believe that his benefactor would treat him as such…He had truly believed in her, so he had come here with the intent to serve as repayment…fortunately, she didn’t let him down.
“Young Master Feng Xue, please come with this servant.” Feng Ying did not refute Feng Xue’s words just now, electing instead to keep her words to a minimum. She arranged for Feng Xue to be settled into a small room with good furnishings and a decent environment. After she explained some basic palace rules and know-hows, she left Feng Xue to adjust to his new lodgings.
“Empress, that Young Master, does Your Majesty really intend on making him a cleaning attendant for Qin Palace?” Murong Xuanhe had been serving the Empress for the past few days. During these few days, he had felt that the Empress’ mood seemed off and unhappy. He had thought it might be related to that Young Master from a few days ago, so he had carefully brought up this matter.
“Meddlesome!” When was it his turn to meddle and worry about her affairs? Qianhe Liyou threw a displeased look at Murong Xuanhe, her tone unfriendly as she lashed out.
In this life Qianhe Liyou had become an Empress of a flourishing and large empire. Apart from this life, she had been a zombie who had cultivated arduously for thousands of years. Whether it was the demon realm or the immortal realm, no one in her previous life had been her opponent. Her spiritual prowess was leagues above ordinary cultivators, and these thousands of years spent of spiritual refinement and training had made her an uncontrollable presence. She was indifferent by nature and had none of that so-called desire for extreme power that came when one rose in strength. If it weren’t for this soul of hers that had been transported into this Empress, she would not have wanted to become an empress. Just because she was indifferent by nature did not mean she had no character or personality. She had lived for tens of thousands of years without restraint. Her stubbornness, indifference and domineering nature had long become an irreversible and immutable part of her, an integral facet ingrained into her natural temperament. What was impossible or possible for her, whether she should or should not do something, this was not something she would allow others to interfere with…
Murong Xuanhe, after being scolded, he nursed a wounded look on his naive face, he was merely concerned for her….
“An guifei, you are dismissed. Zhen no longer needs you to wait here anymore.”
“….Yes.” Murong Xuanhe’s ‘Yes’ seemed to almost be accompanied by some unsaid tears. He did not want to leave, but he knew he didn’t even have the qualifications to retort back…
TN: Early release today! Hope you guys enjoy and stay safe! ❤
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