Chapter 51: Three People with Shadows 17K Original Release

tch Qing’s. Nevertheless, his agility and wisdom still surpassed Qing’s, which was why he could easily overcome this barrier with mere feints.Unfortunately for him, it was a royal robe that had been d...Chapter 51: Three in the Shadow of a Double Reflection - Premiered on 17K

The next time I saw Feng Changqian was late at night. Qilin was starving and wondering if she should sneak out to find something to eat. But as soon as she quietly stepped out of the palace gate, Feng Changqian caught her by the arm and dragged her back inside.

"Ahhh~"

With a large bite of chicken in her mouth, Qilin ate with relish. When all the barbecued chicken was gone, she casually wiped her mouth as another plate of fish meat appeared before her, complete with bones picked out. Looking at Feng Changqian's calm expression, Qilin started eating again without a thought.

After she had eaten to her heart’s content, drowsiness began to overwhelm her but Qilin forced herself to keep her eyes open and stay awake because there was still the man who stared unblinkingly at her.

"Is there something on my face" Rubbing her cheeks again with the sleeve of her robe, she asked, "Are you still looking at me like that"

*Cough*

Feng Changqian finally couldn't hold back a laugh and reached out to pinch Qilin's cheek. He said softly, "I was just surprised."

Qilin blinked in surprise, put a piece of fish meat into her mouth, nodded with satisfaction, and asked, "Surprised about what"

"I thought you would be the last person I’d want to see after waking up. But who knew," referring to how their first words upon meeting were going to be

Back then Feng Changqian had come to the cold palace late at night and saw a suspicious shadow, but when he recognized the figure, he almost shouted out loud before managing to drag her back into his room. Everything happened too suddenly and he didn't know how to face Qilin.

"That,"

When Feng Changqian was at a loss for words, Qilin looked at him with longing and pain in her eyes.

"I’m hungry. Is there anything I can eat"

He hadn't expected this to be their first interaction, so he immediately turned around and rushed to the imperial kitchen, grabbing everything edible as well as a few jars of wine before returning beside her.

"Don’t you hate me When looking into your eyes, I see no trace of resentment," Feng Changqian couldn't help but ask Qilin. "I killed the people around you, including that blockhead."

Zhui Lin stared at Feng Changqing for a while, then sighed and tidied the long hair hanging in front of her chest. She said, "Then what about you Since I approached you from the very beginning with an ulterior motive, aren’t you angry at me"

"Hate you Initially, yes." Feng Changqing picked up a wine jar and took a sip before smiling. "I even wanted to kill you back then, but when you were in my arms, I vowed that I would never let you suffer such harm again. You once said that an emperor wouldn’t understand emotions. Does this count"

"Hmph, then you really are a stupid emperor." Zhui Lin also picked up a jar of wine and held it in her chest as she said, "An emperor’s feelings usually stem from helplessness. Feng Changqing, no, I still prefer to call you White Phoenix. Your emotions seem more straightforward than mine."

Zhui Lin wasn’t blind or stupid; she had seen the affection Feng Changqing held for her all along. Even when something unexpected happened half a year ago, she could see some reluctance in Feng Changqing’s eyes.

Unfortunately, her heart belonged to someone else already, and once she made up her mind about that person, it was forever.

"To share your sorrow with you for ten thousand generations… Is this what you wish for" After a while, Feng Changqing asked softly. "When you sang the Drinking Alone by Moonlight back then, you were extremely carefree. You said one should enjoy life when they’re happy and not let time pass in vain. Do you know my happiest days are"

Zhui Lin looked at Feng Changqing as his deep black eyes twinkled with a hint of loneliness.

"Do you remember our first meeting You told me that one should never stop drinking when they meet someone who understands them. Do you know, that night was the happiest moment for me Because that night’s you and I were most genuine." As Feng Changqing spoke, he placed the wine jar to the side and reminisced about that evening with a slight smile on his lips. "Meeting someone who understands you… My understanding friend is you before entering the palace."

When she met Feng Changqing’s eyes, Zhui Lin sighed inwardly. Suddenly, Feng Changqing’s hand touched her face; Zhui Lin froze and instinctively grabbed his hand as she recoiled—this was a leftover symptom from that night when she had been forced by Feng Changqing.

"Haha, sorry." Feeling Zhui Lin’s fear, Feng Changqing smiled and withdrew his hand. "I won’t touch you again."

“Uh.” Zhui Lin felt a sharp pain in her heart as she frowned slightly, placing a hand over it. A rustling sound of fabric reached her ears; lifting her head up, she saw Feng Changqing had walked to the window. His tall figure in the moonlight looked like a statue, radiating loneliness. Zhui Lin sensed that if she blinked, Feng Changqing might vanish.

She noticed that Feng Changqing was much thinner compared to half a year ago. She picked up one of the jars on the ground and walked towards him; at this moment, his eyes were filled with tenderness like spring water—could this be an emperor’s tenderness

Seeing her carrying the wine jar, Feng Changqing silently took it from her hand and said, "I probably won’t come here for a few days. I’ll have Qin Xiao protect you. Perhaps after these few days, you will regain your freedom."

"It doesn’t matter; who would bother someone in this forsaken cold palace No need for protection." At that moment, Zhui Lin didn’t notice the meaning behind Feng Changqing’s words—she only knew she had withdrawn from the struggle between emperors half a year ago and now didn’t want to get involved. If she understood his deeper intentions, Zhui Lin might… not be so careless.

Of course, preoccupied with drinking, Zhui Lin failed to see the regret in Feng Changqing’s eyes.

"Earlier you said one should enjoy life when happy and shouldn’t let time pass in vain. Now that we have such beautiful scenery, would it be a pity not to appreciate it" This wine tasted good; Zhui Lin took another sip before looking at the full moon above and saying, "Raise your cup to invite the bright moon, make shadows into three men—though somewhat melancholy, isn’t this scene perfect now"

Zi Lin made an effort not to bring up what Bu Yao had said and also did not want to verify whether Bai Qianye had appeared. She just wanted to drink quietly and occasionally show off her knowledge of ancient poems.

"Raise a glass to invite the bright moon, two people become three in the shadow. Hahaha, good, very good," Feng Changqing also drank heartily.

Next, Zi Lin told Feng Changqing all the myths and legends she knew. She talked about the story of Chang'e flying to the moon the most. Later when Zi Lin was drunk, her stories were incoherent, but Feng Changqing still listened attentively.

In the end, Zi Lin weakly leaned on Feng Changqing's chest and fell into a deep sleep as if she had never woken up at all.

Six months ago, imperial physicians told him that Zi Lin suffered heavy mental trauma and with the chronic poison already in her body, it would erupt when she could not bear such suffering, taking away her sanity. She might fall into a permanent sleep from which she would never wake up again; even if she did wake up one day, she would experience intermittent comas.

These past six months, he had to endure the pressure from the people and officials, now also facing Ziyin's army and guarding this symbolic imperial palace. He did not care about anything else but because Cheng Ren told him that collecting fifty-eight rare herbs could煉成一粒還魂丹，雖然不能起死回生，卻能讓齊琳恢複如初。

However, these fifty-eight herbs were extremely rare; Tian Shan Snow Lotus, thousand-year ginseng and thousand-year lingzhi were still available in the tribute from other countries. But crocodile tears, rhinoceros milk, spider eggs and others were incredibly hard to find. To gather all these items, Feng Changqing had spent state treasury money. Moreover, with continuous wars leading to an empty treasury, he was forced to increase taxes, making people's lives miserable.

Finally managing to gather the fifty-eight herbs took him from being a respected and beloved emperor to someone despised by the public.

"Zi Lin, sleep well." After tidying up Zi Lin’s back corner and wiping the sweat off her forehead, he whispered softly, "For you, I am willing to offend everyone in the world. This is my love."

A slight sound could be heard clearly by Feng Changqing. He carefully looked at Zi Lin before getting up and going out of the room where a figure was quietly standing at the door. Upon seeing him, they performed a bow.

Signaling them not to speak, Feng Changqing jumped lightly as the shadow followed him quickly away.

"Your Majesty" The moment he landed, this person could not wait to ask, "With the current situation requiring capable people, why is Your Majesty still sending Qin Xiao to protect her"

"Do you think I am still defending this deserted city for what reason" Feng Changqing said lightly, "Qin Xiao, if I order you to protect Zi Lin, you must stay by her side at all times and treat it as protecting me. Do you understand clearly"

Qin Xiao was stunned, then knelt on one knee firmly and said, "Qin Xiao is willing to die for Your Majesty’s sake. Please allow Qin Xiao to lead the charge and protect Your Majesty."

Feng Changqing frowned slightly as Qin Xiao reiterated, "Your Majesty, my life is given by you. Please let me serve You until death."

A gentle breeze blew past with some warmth; Qin Xiao lifted his eyes to look at Feng Changqing.

"She is my life," Feng Changqing said quietly after a long while, looking at the bright moon in the sky and unsheathing his sword with the lines: "Have you not seen the river of yellow water coming from the heavens"

Qin Xiao silently watched Feng Changqing. After half a year, this was the first time Feng Changqing had shown such joy, all because that person woke up and didn't blame him, and because Feng Changqing had given everything for that person.

In the end, that person is his life...

Qin Xiao found no reason to refute this statement.

"Your Majesty, High Priestess sent someone to say that," Qin Xiao sighed and said, "the medicine has been refined."

"Clang."

The sword tip pointed, and a crabapple tree taller than an adult was split into two halves and fell to the ground.

Feng Changqing sheathed his sword and strode past Qin Xiao.

At this moment, a figure stood beside Qi Lin's bed, holding her hand and gently caressing her cheek. Perhaps due to drinking alcohol, Qi Lin's cheeks were slightly flushed.

Bai Qianye quietly looked at Qi Lin; in the faint candlelight, Qi Lin's face was an unusual shade of red. He gave her a pill and simultaneously channeled his energy into her body through his palm.

If Feng Changqing spared no expense to refine medicine for Qi Lin to wake up, then Bai Qianye did the same.

For half a year, besides strategizing, he had traveled everywhere in search of the herbs he needed, all to help Qi Lin get rid of her poison and return to normal.

He never expected that the slow-acting poison given to Qi Lin years ago would cause him such headaches now.

The slow-acting poison administered to Qi Lin at Drunken Flower Building wasn't particularly threatening; it was just a means of reminding her. But later on, Qi Lin took Beauty Red, which is an extremely yin and destructive slow-acting poison for women. Unbeknownst to him, the combination of these two poisons turned into a highly toxic concoction, compounded by Qi Lin's previous poisoning during injury.

One could say that at that time, Qi Lin was already poisoned severely; it only needed one trigger to set off her condition.

This trigger just happened to be the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet half a year ago.out it, men really are idiots.""You Hmph, twisting words around," Feng Changqing glared at Qi Lin but couldn't find a counterargument; this was the first time he found himself in such a situation.But...