Chapter 266

267. Chapter 267: Xu Tianran's Ruthlessness, Orange's Helplessness

A few days later.

Imperial Palace, Xu Tianran's study.

Xu Tianran sat in his wheelchair, looking at the quiet Imperial Palace outside the window, feeling depressed.

"Hasn't Orange come yet?"

Xu Tianran frowned slightly and asked with some displeasure.

"Reporting to Your Highness, Miss Orange hasn't come yet." A servant responded in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, Xu Tianran's mood became even more depressed.

Don't know why, these few days he always felt something was wrong, feeling uncomfortable and uneasy all over.

Generally speaking, as a Titled Douluo, he was immune to all diseases and this kind of thing wouldn't happen at all.

The biggest possibility was a heart disease.

He guessed it might be because he hadn't seen Orange for too long.

Generally speaking, Orange would come to see him once every three days.

But ever since that so-called Bai Zhou appeared, Orange hadn't come to see him for a long time.

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't summon Orange.

But he was really somewhat annoyed these few days and couldn't wait to see Orange, so he sent a message to Orange through the micro-card.

Orange also gave a reply of "on the way".

However, half a quarter of an hour had passed, and Orange still hadn't come, which made him feel stifled in his heart, but he was somewhat embarrassed to send a message to urge Orange, so as not to let Orange feel that he was in a hurry.

Just at this moment, the servant's voice came from outside: "Your Highness, Miss Orange requests an audience."

"Quick, let her in."

Upon hearing this, Xu Tianran's mood immediately improved, and he hurriedly spoke.

Soon, an orange figure walked in quickly, then knelt on one knee directly to salute: "Orange pays respects to Your Highness."

"Quick, get up. Didn't I say that there's no need for this between you and me." Xu Tianran waved his hand lightly, and a gentle force overflowed, wanting to lift Orange up.

But this gentle force was suppressed by Orange.

Orange lowered her head, looking self-reproachful: "Because of the academy mission these few days, Orange failed to pay respects in time, please forgive me, Your Highness."

She naturally knew why Xu Tianran summoned her.

On weekdays, she would come here once or twice a week.

But this time because of Bai Zhou's relationship, she hadn't come to pay respects to Xu Tianran, and even Xu Tianran had noticed something...

Others didn't know, but she knew Xu Tianran's personality best.

Ever since he lost his lower body, he had become particularly gloomy, and his personality was also fickle. Don't know how many subordinates had been beheaded by Xu Tianran on the spot because of a word or a look, among whom were even Xu Tianran's confidants.

Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger. Even if she was a confidant by Xu Tianran's side, she didn't dare to be the slightest bit careless and couldn't give Xu Tianran a handle.

At the same time, she also secretly reflected...

She had to quit lust in the future and couldn't mess around with Bai Zhou anymore, so as not to make her brain unclear and offend Xu Tianran... If she implicated Bai Zhou by then, she would definitely regret it for the rest of her life.

"Haha, Orange, you are being too formal. You are my confidant, not my slave. You have your own things to do, just do them yourself, no need to report to me often. Get up quickly."

Seeing Orange so sensible, Xu Tianran's mood immediately improved. He hurriedly controlled the wheelchair to come in front of Orange, personally helped Orange up, and then said: "I asked you to come this time, just because there are some things I want to discuss with you, it's just not safe to use the micro-card, so I want to discuss it with you in person."

Xu Tianran naturally couldn't say that he was because he missed Orange too much that he called her over. After all, he also wanted face, so naturally, he had to find an excuse.

"Oh, did Your Highness encounter any trouble?" Orange was stunned for a moment, then asked with concern.

With Orange's intelligence, she naturally knew this might just be an excuse, but she absolutely couldn't expose it directly, otherwise it would be a slap in the face.

Orange naturally couldn't do such a death-seeking thing.

"Hehe, it's not any important matter, it's just that those lunatics from the Holy Spirit Sect recently wanted a few cities to supply their development... Which few cities do you think it is better to give to them?"

Xu Tianran raised his head and looked at Orange, asking faintly.

This wasn't him making conversation, but this matter was indeed a not-so-small trouble. He had long wanted to discuss it with Orange, it was just that Orange hadn't come.

"What! Didn't they already want three cities last time? Now they want 10 cities in one breath! This is too excessive, absolutely cannot give it to them!"

Upon hearing this, Orange was shocked and subconsciously vetoed it.

Hearing Orange actually veto his decision, Xu Tianran felt an inexplicable cruelty in his heart, but it was quickly suppressed by him.

If it were someone else who said this, they would already be a corpse now.

However, since it was Orange, he would still choose to forgive.

Xu Tianran glanced at Orange and said faintly: "Father's body is getting worse by the day, there shouldn't be many days left. The competition for the throne has entered a critical moment, I need the Holy Spirit Sect to do things for me, so I have already agreed to them."

"I asked you to come this time, just to ask which few cities you think would cause the least loss to us."

Xu Tianran spoke faintly, deciding the life and death of the people in ten cities in just a few words.

"Please forgive me, Your Highness, it was Orange who spoke out of turn..." Orange then reacted and hurriedly lowered her head.

But in her heart, an endless desolation and thick disappointment arose.

This was Xu Tianran, for the sake of his own foundation, he could stop at nothing, even for this, he didn't hesitate to use the lives of the people in several cities to exchange for the support of the Holy Spirit Sect...

Last time she failed to stop the fall of three cities, this time, it was a full 10 cities...

As long as these cities were handed over to the Holy Spirit Sect, the residents in them would all become cauldrons and fuel for the Evil Soul Masters' cultivation.

She had secretly investigated the three cities managed by the Holy Spirit Sect before. On the surface, it looked like nothing, but in reality, that place had long been a living hell.

"Orange, I know you are soft-hearted, but among those who can sit in our position, whose hands are clean? If you want to accomplish big things, how can there be no sacrifice."

"As long as I sit on the throne, I can definitely lead the Sun Moon Empire to become the strongest on the continent! The sacrifice of those people is all worth it."

Xu Tianran patted Orange's shoulder lightly, his purple pupils flashing with infinite ambition.

"Sorry, Your Highness, Orange has failed you..." Orange endured the sorrow in her heart, lowered her head, and spoke softly.

Although she had long known Xu Tianran's true face, hearing Xu Tianran say such heartless words, her heart was also filled with irrepressible sorrow.

"Alright, let's not talk about this."

Xu Tianran waved his hand lightly, then looked at Orange with a smile: "I know you have been busy recently, but accompanying me for a meal should be fine, right~"

"Naturally, being able to have dinner with Your Highness is Orange's honor." Orange knew she couldn't refuse again, so she forced a smile and agreed reluctantly.

Compared to eating with Bai Zhou, Xu Tianran naturally couldn't touch her while eating, but liked to tell her about his ambition and planning.

But in Orange's heart, she felt inexplicable resistance and repulsion toward this.

On the contrary, eating with Bai Zhou could make her more relaxed and enjoy the fun of delicious food to her heart's content.

(End of chapter)