Ye Lan walked over quickly, a dangerous light flashing in her phoenix eyes.
The wounds on her body were faintly seeping blood, staining the white bandages red, but it did not diminish her majesty in the slightest.
The Imperial Guard member immediately let go and stepped back, but their eyes were still full of confusion: “Master, she is inciting everyone to be disrespectful to you…”
“Mu Xi’s words are my words.” Ye Lan interrupted her, her voice low and firm, “She is my wife, no one is allowed to touch her.”
This sentence was like a bomb, exploding in the Mine Cave.
Everyone held their breath, their eyes moving back and forth between Ye Lan and Mu Xi.
A strange sense of tension filled the air.
The corners of Mu Xi’s mouth rose slightly, a hint of pride flashing in her eyes.
She knew Ye Lan would do this; this was exactly the effect she wanted.
Ye Lan had always liked the feeling of being above everyone, enjoying the pleasure of being feared.
And now, what Mu Xi wanted to do was to completely destroy all of this, to let those who were once regarded as lowly by Ye Lan break her dignity with their own hands.
Ye Lan looked into Mu Xi’s eyes and read her intention from those beautiful eyes.
In an instant, her heart felt like it was being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, and pain spread throughout her body.
She knew what Mu Xi wanted.
She wanted complete humiliation, a lashing of her soul.
Ye Lan’s throat moved slightly, a battle raging within her.
She could refuse, she could order the Escort Team to take Mu Xi away, she could stop this humiliation in a thousand ways but she didn’t.
“You heard her.” Ye Lan slowly knelt down, her knees touching the cold ground, “Do as Mu Xi said.”
The Mine Cave was deathly silent, as if even the sound of breathing had disappeared.
No one could believe their eyes.
The high and mighty queen, the Ye Lan who made everyone tremble with fear, was actually kneeling on the ground, waiting to be slapped.
“What, are you all deaf?” Mu Xi sneered, her gaze sweeping over everyone, “Line up, one slap per person. Whoever doesn’t do it, I guarantee they won’t live past tonight.”
Under Mu Xi’s threat, the Miners began to slowly form a line.
The first Miner walked forward, his hand trembling as he raised and lowered it, his eyes full of fear.
“Strike!” Mu Xi ordered sharply.
“Slap!”
With a crisp sound, a red palm print immediately appeared on Ye Lan’s face.
She did not dodge, just looked straight ahead, the light in her eyes gradually dimming.
The second person stepped forward.
This time the slap was heavier.
Ye Lan’s head was knocked to one side, and a trace of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.
She silently turned her head back, continued to kneel, and waited for the next person.
Mu Xi stood to the side while Li Xin was carried on a stretcher by Little An; the three of them watched all of this with cold eyes.
Li Xin’s eyes flickered with a complex light, containing both hatred for Ye Lan and a hint of unspeakable pity.
Little An stared closely at the side of Mu Xi’s face, her eyes full of admiration and hidden love.
One after another, Miners, Security Guards, Maids, handymen… everyone stepped forward and gave Ye Lan a slap.
Some people struck lightly, while others vented their long-accumulated resentment.
Ye Lan’s face soon became swollen, but she never let out a groan, silently enduring it all.
Every time a slap fell, Mu Xi’s heart trembled.
She thought seeing Ye Lan humiliated would make her feel pleasure, but in reality, her heart felt like it was being pricked by countless fine needles, painful and chaotic.
She hated Ye Lan, hated her past imprisonment and control, but seeing that once high-and-mighty woman so lowly, a trace of inexplicable emotion welled up in her heart.
Finally, it was Little An’s turn.
She walked forward, her eyes flickering with complex light.
As a former Butler, she had both respect and resentment for Ye Lan.
She raised her hand and slapped down with all her might.
“Slap!”
This slap was heavier than any before it. Ye Lan’s head jerked to the side, and the blood at the corner of her mouth became more obvious.
But she still made no sound, just silently turned her head back, the light in her eyes having completely disappeared, leaving only a deathly stillness.
Next was Li Xin.
Little An helped her up, supporting her as she walked to Ye Lan.
Li Xin’s legs were covered in scars; every step was an ordeal, but her eyes burned with the fire of hatred.
“This slap is for my legs.” Li Xin raised her hand and slapped Ye Lan’s already heavily swollen face hard, “This slap is for those videos you forced me to watch.”
Ye Lan closed her eyes, letting Li Xin’s slap fall on her face.
She knew Li Xin hated her, and she knew how deep that hatred was.
But for Mu Xi, she was willing to endure everything.
Finally, it was Mu Xi’s turn.
Everyone’s eyes gathered on this petite silver-haired girl, waiting for her action.
Mu Xi slowly walked to Ye Lan, looking down at this once high-and-mighty woman.
Ye Lan looked up, an expression mixed with anticipation and fear appearing on her swollen face.
She knew Mu Xi’s slap would hurt more than any previous one, not because of the force, but because it came from the person she loved the most.
But Mu Xi did not act immediately.
She leaned down, her slender fingers gently stroking Ye Lan’s swollen cheek, and then, under everyone’s surprised gaze, she lightly imprinted a kiss on that red and swollen face.
Tears instantly welled up in Ye Lan’s eyes, and her heart beat violently.
This kiss was like a ray of light, shining into her dark world.
Did Mu Xi forgive her?
Did Mu Xi still love her?
A glimmer of hope rose in her heart.
“You don’t really think I’d like you, do you?” Mu Xi’s voice was bone-chillingly cold, forming a sharp contrast with the tenderness from a moment ago.
Next second, her hand slapped the other side of Ye Lan’s face hard.
The force was so great that Ye Lan fell backward.
“This slap is to remind you to never have any illusions about me.” Mu Xi’s voice echoed in the Mine Cave, “For every day you imprisoned me, I will pay you back a hundredfold.”
Ye Lan knelt on the ground, her eyes staring blankly.
Her heart was torn to pieces, but she still looked up at Mu Xi, her eyes full of pain and love.
“I know, Little Xi.” Ye Lan’s voice was hoarse, “But I still love you, no matter how much you hate me.”
Mu Xi turned and left, her silver hair fluttering behind her.
She didn’t dare to look back, didn’t dare to look into Ye Lan’s eyes, because she was afraid of what she would see in those eyes.
She told herself that this was just the beginning of revenge; she couldn’t be soft-hearted, she couldn’t waver.
***
Deep in the Gold Mine, the concept of time became blurred in the darkness.
In the deathly silence, perhaps several hours had passed, or perhaps several days; only the sound of water dripping in the Mine Cave marked the passage of time.
Everyone hid in this subterranean depth, not daring to touch the sunlight of the outside world.
Mu Xi sat on a protruding rock, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the patterns on the rock surface.
Her bright silver hair still shimmered in the dim environment, but her clear eyes were filled with calculation.
In her heart, a new thought gradually took shape.
“Little An, Li Xin, come over here.” Mu Xi’s voice was gentle, but her tone brooked no refusal.
The two immediately gathered around.
Little An’s eyes flickered with a light of anticipation, while Li Xin, lying on the stretcher, propped up her upper body and looked at Mu Xi with a wary gaze.
Mu Xi lowered her voice, a smile appearing at the corner of her mouth: “I’ve thought of a good way to make Ye Lan suffer.”
“What way?” Little An asked, unable to hide the excitement in her voice.