《Allure of the World》


 Chapter 1

    In the dark prison, there was a soft white curtain.


    The prison door opened, and someone came in slowly with steady steps.


    Lan Ling raised her head. These familiar footsteps, he still came. She thought that she would never see him again in this life.


    She slowly walked out of the curtain. Walking was very hard for her. The long chains on her feet swayed. The sharp barbs on the chains pierced her ankles. The blood on her inner pants had congealed into hard lines. With every steps she took, more blood oozed out from her legs.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Lan Ling asked softly, her long eyelashes trembled.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to see you.¡± He said with a deep voice, while reaching out and pulling her.


    She was a step away from him. After being pulled by him, the hook on her ankle pierced into her flesh and pulled out large chunk of flesh.


    She bit her lip, sweating profusely. He suddenly tore off her white robe, revealing a touch of pink inner garment.


    Ling Feng looked down at her and her slightly bulging stomach.


    Lan Ling¡¯s hoarse voice cut through the night. Her face was pale, and she clenched her lips. There was fresh blood on her feet.


    Ling Feng looked Lan Ling up and down, stared at her slightly bulging belly, and said coldly: ¡°He won¡¯t come to save you, I have already spread the news that you are pregnant with his evil seed, and your punishment tomorrow has also been announced, but he still did not come, are you disappointed?¡±


    ¡°Who is Your Majesty talking about, and why would he come to save me?¡± Lan Ling asked faintly.


    Ling Feng squeezed her chin. He squeezed hard and a cracking voice could be heard.


    Lan Ling chuckled, tears forming in her eyes.


    He raised his eyebrows and smiled, and forcefully tore off her inner garment, leaving her naked in front of him.


    She instinctively covered her stomach and pushed him with both hands. He got angry, so he tightened the chain in his hand, and watched her bend down in pain.


    His smile grew colder, he picked her up, and threw her onto the bed.


    She scratched and kicked desperately, blood dripping from her feet. He held her hands, hung the ankle chain at the end of the bed, leaned in to her, and looked at her big tears, ¡°Your body is mine. I may not love you, but you can¡¯t love others. How did he do you?¡±


    His tone was light, the corners of his mouth smirked, but his eyes were as cold as ice.


    She was dirty, but he wanted her madly.


    For a moment, Lan Ling felt that he still loved her a little, because he hated her. And when there was hate, there was love, ¡°Ling Feng, I only love you, I never betrayed you, this child is yours, why don¡¯t you believe me?¡±


    ¡°Zhen don¡¯t want a child of unknown origins. Zhen doesn¡¯t lack children. Ling Chen has admitted it, what else do you have to argue!¡±


    Zhen: How an emperor addresses himself


    Lan Ling closed her eyes, Ling Chen once said that he liked her, that¡¯s all.


    ¡°Ling Feng, have you ever loved me? Even a little?¡±


    Ling Feng was silent.


    How long will it be before dawn? Tearing out the heart? As soon as the blade fell, it would completely cut off her love in the human world.


    The barbs of the anklet were tearing on her flesh, and Lan Ling¡¯s face had turned pale, but she only smiled at him. When she really couldn¡¯t take it any longer, she screamed out to ease the pain.


    ¡°You can feel pain too?¡± Ling Feng¡¯s fingers slowly slid while making small circles.


    Blood was dripping down, and Lan Ling bit her lip until it was broken.


    She couldn¡¯t stop her eyes from trembling and wanted to step back, but her waist was wrapped tightly in his palm, unable to move.


    ¡°Apart from Zhen, no one can see your body. Everyone knows this thing, why don¡¯t you understand? Ling Chen attacked twice and exchanged moves countless times with me just to get you, but you still won¡¯t admit it? If he knew that you¡¯re catering to Zhen wishes under Zhen like this, what will he do?¡±


    He looked anxious. He put his hands on her shoulders, full of hatred, and got away from her.


    He paused, looked back at her, finally had nothing to say to her, and hurried out of the cell.


    The one he loved had always been the empress, her half-sister Lan Yu.


    Lan Ling looked at her naked body. She didn¡¯t want to appear in front of everyone in such a mess tomorrow, so she tore the curtain and made it looked like clothes, then draped it over her body.


    She was only nineteen years old, an age when she was supposed to bloom like a flower, but her heart had been riddled with holes.


    Lan Ling leaned against the wall. Her eyes were blank. If she could start all over again, would she still love him so desperately?


    Lan Ling was the daughter of a general¡¯s concubine, not even a concubine. She is the child of her father, Lan Jingtian, and a woman outside. Her mother is the daughter of the Qing Yi Hall¡¯s head. After giving birth to her out of wedlock, she died soon after. She lived in her grandfather¡¯s house in Moshan until she was thirteen years old.


    When she was thirteen years old, she learned that her father was the famous Grand Marshal Lan Jingtian of Daxing Kingdom.


    And in that year, she was taken to the Marshal¡¯s Mansion. The thirteen-year-old girl met the nineteen-year-old Third Prince Ling Feng for the first time. A girl who grew up in the mountains since she was a child fell in love at first sight with this gentle like orchid man.


    In the winter of that year, Ling Feng was trapped in the Floating City by the Fourth Prince, Ling Chen.


    At that time, Lan Ling loved him very much. Although Ling Chen had always shown his love to her, she finally chose Ling Feng and rejected the big and tall Ling Chen who was indulging in joy all day long.


    Lan Ling returned to Moshan to ask for her grandfather¡¯s help, who sent fifty thousand troops to support Ling Feng.


    Grandpa¡¯s condition was that Ling Feng would marry Lan Ling as a prince consort, and when he gained power, the empress position would be given to Lan Ling. Ling Feng agreed.


    Grandpa led her uncle and Lan Ling to relieve the siege of the Floating City and drove Ling Chen out of Jiangbei.


    The emperor died soon after, and Ling Feng ascended the throne as the emperor and changed the country¡¯s name to Daxing.


    Ling Feng became the emperor and did not fulfill her promise to give her the empress position. The position was vacant for half a year, before it was finally given to Lan Ling¡¯s sister, Lan Yu. Lan Yu was the one he loved.


    He had become the emperor and had the ability to give the best to his beloved.


    And Lan Ling became Imperial Concubine Lan.


    Now, this imperial concubine was going to be executed by tearing out her heart. This punishment was very mysterious.


    When women of the imperial harem were given death punishment, they were usually given a 3 feet white silk or a bowl of poison. But this imperial concubine had to be tortured like this in front of tens of millions of people. One can only sigh that accompanying one¡¯s sovereign can be like accompanying a tiger.


    And the criminal charge was the fornication with a foreign enemy which was really unforgivable.


    In fact, only Empress Lan Yu and a few confidantes of the Emperor knew which crime Lan Ling had committed to make the Emperor put Lan Ling to death.


    When the punishment of tearing out the heart was carried out, the chest had to be exposed. This kind of punishment was meant to be insulting to women.


    The next day, it snowed. Lan Ling stood in the prison cart, barefoot and with dark red feet. She was draped in a white curtain. Her face was pale, her lips were blue and purple. She was trembling, but her eyes were still clear.


    She looked up, and when the snowflakes fell on her face, they instantly melted into water.


    On the city wall, wearing the bright yellow brocade fur cloak, the one standing there like a jade tree facing the wind is the Emperor Ling Feng. Standing next to him, the beautiful woman in the dark red fox fur cloak was his empress and her sister, Lan Yu.

 Chapter 2

    They looked down at her as if she was an ant.


    She remembered that she had led her grandfather¡¯s 50,000 direct subordinate army and rushed into the Floating City, holding a homemade bomb in her hand, and waving the Qiushui sword to rush to his side. At that time, he had laughed and hugged her, ¡°Ling¡¯er, it¡¯s really you, only you can save me!¡±


    His big hands had grabbed her waist and lifted her high. Could it had been that doting look on his face was fake?


    She remembered that he had become the emperor and quickly brought her into the palace. At that time, he had slept in her Lingyun Palace almost every night and Lingyun Palace had gotten the best of everything.


    Later, Lan Yu had told her that the emperor had done it on purpose, and it had had nothing to do with love. In return for her 50,000 troops, she became the target in the harem.


    She once thought of marrying a hero and going through life hand in hand with him, but the world was so complicated that she was trapped in it. Now, she was dying and losing her hearts.


    There was a slight commotion in front, and a black rider came galloping. He immediately came to the front of the prison car and slashed the lock with a swing of his sword.


    The surrounding guards rushed up and quickly formed an encirclement.


    Lan Ling looked up and saw that the person who came was Ling Chen, the Fourth Prince. Ling Chen and Ling Feng had similar eyebrows, but his was thick and tough, which was different from Ling Feng¡¯s feminine ones.


    According to her impression, Ling Chen was unrestrained and always acted frivolously. Once, when her horse was injured and fell, Ling Chen even saved her. He always was full of laughter and talked humorously, one could never tell if it was a joke or a truth. She didn¡¯t like Ling Chen. At that time, she only had Ling Feng in her eyes.


    Ling Chen was surrounded, and Lan Ling looked at him in surprise, ¡°Your Royal Highness An Wang, why are you here?¡±


    An Wang:  Ling Chen¡¯s title, which means King An. The sons of a Chinese emperor were titled kings.


    Ling Feng¡¯s face was gloomy, and he leaned over to look at them, ¡°You¡¯re really affectionate. You actually come. You¡¯re brave enough to rush here alone. Do you think because you¡¯re a prince, I don¡¯t dare to do anything to you? Ling Chen, it¡¯s my world now! Anyway, if you bring back all your people and surrender, I¡¯ll let this woman go!¡±


    Ling Chen grinned, the left corner of his mouth was lifted slightly, ¡°Ling Feng, I can¡¯t tolerate this. It¡¯s a pity for this little beauty. I like her, but it has nothing to do with her. And for the child in her belly, it has nothing to do with me! I, Ling Chen, have no shortage of women, and I don¡¯t want to take the blame! However, I really want to have something to do with her!¡±


    Ling Feng snorted coldly and helped Lan Yu down from the city wall.


    ¡°Yu¡¯er, it¡¯s bloody here. You¡¯re pregnant with a child, you should stand farther away.¡± Ling Feng said to Lan Yu in a warm voice. Lan Yu¡¯s body was weak and delicate. She held Ling Feng¡¯s arm, ¡°She is my sister after all, I will send her off.¡±


    The guards surrounded Ling Chen. Without any order, no one dared to hurt Ling Chen, after all, he was a prince.


    Ling Feng walked down the stairs slowly and looked at Ling Chen, ¡°It¡¯s great that you are here. It doesn¡¯t matter whose child is in her stomach, I just wanted you to come!¡±


    So, even if it¡¯s your own flesh and blood, you won¡¯t let it live? ¡°Ling Chen asked him with a smile.


    ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t let it live. I know you like her, and that¡¯s enough. I didn¡¯t expect you to come. Since you¡¯re here, don¡¯t think about going back! Archer, get ready.¡± Ling Feng instructed faintly.


    When Lan Ling heard this, her tears dripped. It turned out that her innocence was meaningless.


    ¡°Your Royal Highness An Wang, if you¡¯re really here to help me, just go!¡± Lan Ling felt sad, she really didn¡¯t want to implicate him. At the beginning, she and her grandfather helped her father to lead an army and drove him out of Jiangbei.


    Ling Chen leapt, stuffed his black cloak into the prison cart and wrapped it around Lan Ling.


    ¡°If we can start all over again, I won¡¯t let you fall in love with this beast!¡± Ling Chen whispered into Lan Ling¡¯s ear. His voice was low and full of pain, unlike his usually immature appearance.


    Lan Ling¡¯s heart was depressed, and when she looked up, Ling Chen had already jumped to the side, waving his sword, and entangled with the guards.


    Ling Feng waved his hand, and the rain of arrows surrounded Ling Chen.


    Lan Ling was taken out of the prison cart and tied to a large pillar. The executioner held a short knife, and it felt chilling.


    Just waiting for the noon to come, and the tearing out heart punishment would be executed.


    Lan Yu walked slowly and approached her. She whispered in a voice that no one else could hear: ¡°Lan Ling, you look very ugly today. You are also very dirty. After a while, you will expose your chest and breasts. Weren¡¯t you very smart? Didn¡¯t you help brother Ling Feng make bombs? Didn¡¯t you have a magic weapon? Didn¡¯t you help him take over the world? So what? He still loves me. What about you? He only used you!¡±


    Snowflakes fell on Lan Ling¡¯s body. Her feet were numb from the pain. Stepping on the snow with bare feet, the dull, numb pain made her feet tense, and her ankles hurt even more, as if they were about to break.


    Although her heart was dead, the fear of death still made her nervous, and she closed her eyes.


    Yes, she was scared too.


    ¡°Lan Yu, I admit that I¡¯m defeated. I lost because I regarded you as my relative, and him as my beloved. Over the years, I have suppressed my nature, changed myself for you all, and lost myself! You¡¯ve framed me, my grandfather will not let you go!¡± Lan Ling gritted her teeth.


    Lan Yu chuckled, ¡°Your death is imminent, but you still adhered to a false belief! Just like your stupid mother, your mother can¡¯t win against my mother, and you can¡¯t win against me! Qing Yi Hall only listens to your grandfather¡¯s orders. Do you really think that the emperor will let your grandfather live?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lan Ling was stunned.


    ¡°The emperor wants Qing Yi Tang, so Qing Yi Tang must listen to the emperor. A few days ago, the emperor asked your grandfather to make meritorious deeds by killing the Feicheng rebels in exchange for your pardon. Your grandfather really killed the rebels. Just yesterday, when the emperor celebrated for him, your grandfather, your two uncles, and his confidants, all died of poisoning!¡±


    Lan Yu spoke softly, her face as gentle as water.


    Lan Ling¡¯s heart was so dull that she couldn¡¯t breathe. Snowflakes fell coldly on her skin.


    ¡± Empress niang niang, the time has come.¡± The executioner beside her reminded Lan Yu.


    Niang niang: a term of address for women in the imperial harem


    Lan Yu¡¯s hand gently stroked Lan Ling¡¯s hair, ¡°Let¡¯s go, maybe you can meet them on Huangquan Road.¡±


    Huangquan Road: the road to the underworld


    ¡°Ling Feng! Is what she said true? My grandfather and uncles have already been killed by you?¡± Lan Ling couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Ling Feng glanced at Lan Yu lightly.


    ¡°Why? They had always helped you!¡± Lan Ling shed tears of blood, her body trembling all over.


    ¡°What I want is an obedient Qing Yi Tang.¡± Ling Feng showed disgust and stopped looking at her.


    ¡°Ling Feng, I only fell in love with you, and it caused my family to suffer this disaster! You are so ungrateful! I¡¯m curse you, you will never be happy!¡±


    She heard the exclamations from the people around her, while looking at Ling Feng¡¯s cold and complicated eyes, and saw that Ling Chen was desperately rushing towards her, but he couldn¡¯t get rid of the arrow rain in the sky and the swords of the surrounding guards. He was covered in blood. A long knife slashed towards his face!


    At this point, he could no longer walk, but his eyes kept looking at her. There was no more smile on his face. Lan Ling couldn¡¯t breathe.


    Lan Yu withdrew. She bowed her head and sobbed in Ling Feng¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Yu¡¯er, you are too kind, don¡¯t be sad, she deserves it.¡± Ling Feng comforted Lan Yu in a low voice.


    Lan Ling¡¯s beautiful big eyes stared blankly ahead. Along with another exclamation from the people, she felt a chill in her chest. The executioner ripped off the clothes on her chest, revealing a piece of snow-white. He tilted his neck and took a sip of wine, then sprayed it onto her chest. It was a palpitating coolness.


    ¡°Execution!¡± In the cold snowy winter, there was a loud shout.


    At that moment, she finally knew how a real heartbreak feels like.