"It is better for you to never come back, understand?" Yue Ran spoke in a casual tone as if she were talking about the weather.

    If Xia Zhan cannot even win the battle, then what is the use of him? It was better to disappear than to waste air.

    She, Yue Ran, will never keep a useless person around.

    Xia Zhan could only reply helplessly in a doting tone, "Yes, I understand, Ran Ran."

    Yue Ran smiled. She smiled so beautifully that Xia Zhan was caught in a trance. Her lips were like the sweetest fruit, just waiting for someone to take a bite.

    She looked so unguarded as she was wrapped in his arms, her head rubbing against his clothes like a little kitten in need of spoiling.

    So cute.

    His heart has long softened into a mess.

    …

    Following Yue Ran''s words, Xia Zhan went into battle after battle.

    Yue Ran kept the progress of the female protagonist, who was now "Yue Ran," as everyone in the capital knows, in the system''s live broadcast.

    Xue Lu was still living strongly, but not as strong as the original owner did. Sure enough, those that the Lord God likes are not good things!

    Since the Lord God wanted her to suffer this kind of dirty thing, she will let the Lord God''s favorite suffer it in her stead. After all, she was not a good person, so doing this was just a natural thing.

    "How long does Master think the female protagonist can last?" Ruan Ruan asked in Yue Ran''s sea of consciousness.

    "Who knows, but it was better to die early so that I can get the title of an empress to play around freely," Yue Ran said while eating the cold bite-sized food on the plate.

    …

    A few months have passed, and Xia Zhan has returned triumphantly to the capital. He had occupied the other neighboring countries'' territories in just a short while. His reputation and achievements gained after these battles increased, and he was now even more popular with the ladies in the capital than in the past.

    What everyone did not know was that the mighty and dignified general that was praised by all was now kneeling down on one knee in front of Yue Ran, who was embraced intimately by Ming Ze.

    "You did a very good job, A Zhan," Yue Ran said in a casual tone, but Xia Zhan''s heart still skipped a beat. "As a reward..."

    Yue Ran''s charming face suddenly leaned forward, and Xia Zhan held his breath.

    Her pupils resembled a pair of lustrous pearls. They were as clear and limpid as ever before.

    Then Yue Ran suddenly laughed.

    Xia Zhan was rarely at a loss, but he always found himself at a loss in front of the person who had firmly held his heart in her hands. Even his thoughts were controlled by her.

    It was like walking on the edge of a jagged cliff where a single mistake would lead to a horrid death, but the scenery was so beautiful, he was unable to look away.

    Yue Ran sat back in a composed manner, and Ming Ze''s hands snaked their way around her waist again. Smiling, she said, "You are still so silly."

    Xia Zhan smiled with some difficulty as he watched just how used Yue Ran was to be with Ming Ze.

    He felt even more at a loss.

    "As a reward for your hard work, you can stay the night with me," Yue Ran said nonchalantly.

    He watched her subconsciously fiddle with her earrings. The motion resembled the innocent activity of pushing a swing, seemingly lovely and ingenious.

    "Do you like it?"

    She smiled mysteriously, causing Xia Zhan''s heart to tighten.

    "Like," he replied in a heartbeat.

    Yue Ran is so pretty.

    That was his first thought.

    …

    One night, Ruan Ruan suddenly informed Yue Ran that the female protagonist had died and she had completed all the mission plot nodes.

    Yue Ran was currently lying down beside the emperor.

    She lazily traced Rong Yu''s handsome features with her fingertips.

    Seeing how Rong Yu''s eyelashes trembled as if he would wake up anytime soon, Yue Ran suddenly pressed hard on his ear.

    The emperor instantly opened his eyes.

    "Brother Yu, let''s hold my coronation ceremony soon," Yue Ran suddenly said, which fully woke him up.

    "Really, Ran Ran?" he asked. "You did not lie to me, right?"

    "Why should I lie to you?" She blinked her innocent eyes at the man.

    Rong Yu let out a bright smile. It was as if a noble and clean jade shone even more. Very handsome.

    He looked so handsome that Yue Ran could not help but give him a kiss. But before she could separate, Rong Yu had entangled their tongues.

    "My empress," he whispered pantingly. His voice was hoarse and sexy.

    "My emperor," Yue Ran said with a charming smile. There was a hook at the end of her tone, which made the man feel even hotter and harder.

    "My Ran Ran..."

    …

    With Xia Zhan, the highest-standing general, and Ming Ze, who was now the current Prime Minister, as her backers, Yue Ran easily took the position of an empress, despite her controversial reputation and name. The empress position was one that many noble young ladies in the capital coveted.

    Yue Ran was the only one in the emperor''s harem that should have accommodated three thousand beauties.

    And what the world did not know was that the emperor was just one of the men in Yue Ran''s harem. As for who would spend the night with her, it all depends on her mood. sea??h thё NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    …

    The 15th day of the first lunar month was the first full moon after the new year.

    On that night, the moonlight was hazy, and lanterns were hung along all the streets. Many men and women walked closely together, stopping from time to time to admire street performances, giving the night a charming quality.

    "Husband, come and buy me this mask." Yue Ran pointed to a white fox mask that she thought was pleasing to the eye.

    As for who the "husband" was among the three men, does it make any difference? They were just the same in front of her eyes.

    "Don''t always squeeze through people," Rong Yu frowned and said. "What will I do if you fall or get lost in the crowd?"

    "Yes, it is dangerous if you get separated from us," Xia Zhan said.

    "Okay, I will buy my beloved wife the white fox mask that you want." Ming Ze immediately took out his wallet to assume the role of the "husband" of Yue Ran.

    The other two men, who were busy nagging Yue Ran, did not react in time and shot Ming Ze with an eye knife in turn.

    Yue Ran only laughed.

    The bright red dress on Yue Ran was slim and graceful. She was holding a candied hawthorn stick in her hand as she stood there against the wind, smiling at the three from within the crowd. Suddenly, neither the lanterns nor the moonlight shone as brightly as her lovable smile.

    Several noble young men passing by foolishly bumped into a stall while looking at her in a daze. Peals of laughter followed their gaffe.

    Placing the white fox mask on her face, the four followed the stream of people, admired the bright lanterns, watched performances, and ate sticky rice dumplings.

    "What did you wish for?" Rong Yu asked softly to the girl beside him, his empress.

    An eye-catching, flaming red river lantern slowly drifted to the distant horizon.

    "I thought you would know," Yue Ran said smilingly. There was undisguised affection in her eyes as she faced him, which made his heart pound louder and louder.

    The girl standing by the river turned her head. Her face was much more delicate under the lantern lights, and the expression in her luminous eyes was incredibly soft at that moment. They briefly captured the night scene like round liquid mirrors.

    They captured his figure as well.

    Overcome by an inexplicable impulse, he squatted down, allowing the corner of his robe to sink into the ice-cold water, and gave Yue Ran a tender kiss.

    "Ran Ran, will you stay by my side forever?" he asked.

    "Um," Yue Ran answered vaguely.

    "Ran Ran will definitely stay by my side, right?" Ming Ze asked.

    "Hmm." Yue Ran let out a hum.

    "Ran Ran will also stay with me, right?" Xia Zhan asked the last question.

    "Hmm." Yue Ran let out another vague hum. She did not say if it were a yes or a no, but the three men took it as her acquiescence.

    On that day, Rong Yu and Ming Ze''s favorability values turned into a full one hundred.

    …

    The next day, Yue Ran''s palace caught fire, and only a black corpse inside her bedroom was found lying on the charred bed.

    When Rong Yu heard of it, he suddenly broke the brush on his hand.

    He reached out to touch the tears running down his face.

    "What... what did you say? Say it again!" he roared at the eunuch who delivered the news.

    Rong Yu looked at the bloody wound in his palm and laughed self-deprecatingly as it dripped onto the paper. In the end, Yue Ran still left him.

    He was so numb that he could not feel the pain.

    Sleep did not come to him that night.

    Since then, Yue Ran has never appeared before him.

    She no longer went to the place they used to meet. She was no longer in his life.