Chapter 67 Just Want to Say Goodbye 17k Original Release

own as the First Young Master of Drunken Flower Pavilion; apparently his name was Yu Mu. Could it be that this man is indeed Yu Mu Bu Yao didn't wait for Yu Mu to answer her question and walked over d...Chapter 67 Just Want to Say Goodbye, Exclusive on 17K

"Miss, your hair is so smooth."

Qī Xiē picked up a strand of Qí Lín's dark blue-black hair, carefully applying tea flower essential oil for her. She continued, "Master always personally selects the oils for you himself; he does all this with his own hands."

Qí Lín gave an insincere smile. It had been more than half a month since Bù Yáo's suicide, but Bai Qianye’s visits were becoming increasingly infrequent. He hadn’t shown up for five days now.

"Miss..."

“Qī Xiē,” interrupted Qí Lín, "Is Su Feng alright"

Crack!

Qī Xiē was stunned and quickly stepped aside. She said apologetically, "Sorry Miss, it’s my oversight."

"Never mind," Qí Lín casually glanced at the wooden comb on the ground. Feeling helpless over Su Feng's sacrifices, she sighed and said, “If he is well, please give him my regards.”

Qī Xiē opened her mouth but then quietly replied, "Yes, Miss, I will convey your concern."

The two of them didn’t exchange any more words. After finishing grooming and washing up, Qí Lín carried a hot water bottle out to the courtyard. The snowman she had made was tended to daily; even after all this time, it still looked exactly as it did when she first made it. She sighed softly and walked over to the snowman.

"Xuě’ér, do you blame daddy" Qí Lín murmured, "Why are you always smiling so happily in Mama’s dreams Are you trying to tell Mama that you don’t hate daddy at all Xuě’ér."

Her words were answered by the fluttering sounds of birds. Qí Lín gave a self-deprecating smile—she was talking to a snowman! Anyone who didn’t know her might think she had lost her mind.

The day that Bù Yáo mentioned was drawing closer, but Qí Lín’s resolve began to waver: Was she really going to leave without saying goodbye

Her decision to leave hadn’t changed. But now she wanted to leave in a way where Bai Qianye could understand her feelings.

At least say proper farewell to him.

She didn’t want to end up like Lóng Yè, leaving Bù Yáo with lifelong regret and having to pay the price with her own life.

She didn't want to return burdened with another life.

"What are you doing You can't enter."

Noise came from outside the palace gate. Qi Lin looked up, and it seemed like a commotion was taking place; Qie Xi hurried over, took a look, then warned others to be cautious. Qi Lin became tense as well.

"Miss, please go inside first."

Qie Xi supported Qi Lin into the room while instructing others, "No matter who it is, stop them."

The visitors seemed hostile. Qi Lin obediently entered the room; outside, the clamor gradually turned to combat sounds. Out of curiosity, Qi Lin peeked through the window縫隙，十幾名男子衝進來，每個人都戴著紅色頭巾，看起來像是效忠某人的死士。

Those standing guard outside were skilled in martial arts but less capable than the intruders; soon enough, those around Qi Lin began to falter. It seemed unavoidable that she would face this calamity regardless of who was behind it; they all sought her destruction.

Hastily, Qi Lin moved towards her desk, where Qie Xi intuitively assisted her in writing a hurried and潦草的信件。她匆忙寫好後交給Qie Xi。

"Miss, what is this for"

"Qie Xi, I'll make it brief. Today we can't escape; deliver this letter to Bai Qianye." The sound of knocks at the door grew urgent, interspersed with cries of pain. Qi Lin continued, "I know you'd risk your life to protect me, but I don't want anyone to die for me—not in the past and not now."

Upon hearing this, Qie Xi's eyes welled up with tears as she held Qi Lin’s hand, saying, "Ah Xue, I'm sorry. It's不得已, I’m not asking for your forgiveness, but please don't blame Lord Bai. He truly loves you; he would be heartbroken and devastated if anything happened to you."

"Haha, it doesn’t matter now. Just stay alive," Qi Lin wiped away Qie Xi’s tears with a smile, "The days I spent with all of you were truly happy; that was the happiest time in my life, given by you. Thank you."

"Ah Xue~"

Qi Lin smiled slightly and said, "Open the door. Remember what I've told you."

If she couldn’t escape anyway, why prolong the suffering Qi Lin tidied her attire, waiting for Qie Xi to open the門。

"Creak."

Qie Xi opened the door; a flash of sword light passed by, and suddenly feeling cold across her chest, she realized blood was spurting out before she could even see how fast the attacker’s sword moved.

"Qīxī!" Qí Lín screamed, ran over to support the falling Qīxī, pressed her hand on the wound and kept calling out, "Qīxī, stay with me, don’t die."

"Ah Xue... No... It’s nothing, there's no need to worry, I’m fine...

“” Qīxī eventually dropped her hand helplessly and closed her eyes.

"Qīxī!!" Qí Lín screamed again, raising her gaze at the dozen men blocking the doorway. They exuded a wild beast’s scent as they stared at her like prey. Qí Lín stood up and said, "If you are looking for someone, why kill these innocent people"

"We are only following orders," the masked leader replied with a gesture inviting her to leave.

Qí Lín walked out of the door where bodies were scattered in all directions. Blood seeped into the snow turning it red, making the courtyard look like it had been hit by a crimson blizzard. The snowman she built was trampled into nothing but a few bloodied snowballs. Qí Lín slowly shut her eyes.

The Changle Palace was as bustling and peaceful as ever, unprecedentedly lively.

The Empress Dowager, wearing a golden imperial robe, lay sideways on the throne above while looking down at kneeling Qí Lín with a smile but no words.

"There was no need for this," Qí Lín raised her eyes coldly and looked at the Empress Dowager expressionlessly. She continued, "He will hate you even more if you keep this up."

"Huhu, hates me" The Empress Dowager mocked herself with a laugh as she lifted her head to drink a cup of wine. But when seeing Qí Lín’s icy eyes, anger flashed across hers and she threw the vase at Qí Lín's forehead. Witnessing the blood trickling down Qí Lín’s face, the Empress Dowager said, "I only want him alive, even if it means taking away the woman he loves most. I won’t let him die for you."

Qí Lín wiped away her tears with her hand indifferently and said, "He wouldn’t die for me; I won’t give him that chance."

"But he’s already pushing himself into hell," the Empress Dowager waved her jade-like hand, glared at Qí Lín and continued, "When I thought I had lost him, I blamed myself because it was my own hands that took his life for another son. Do you understand this feeling"

How could she not know Qí Lín avoided the Empress Dowager’s gaze as she bit her lip painfully. How could she not understand when she had lost a child too

"You hate him for killing your child, but isn’t that his own offspring To lessen your guilt, he is willing to take on all blame so you can direct your hatred solely at him, taking every pain and your hatred upon himself," the Empress Dowager said with a sad tone.

Qí Lín tried her best not to think about it, but the more she did, the more Bai Qianye’s pained eyes appeared in her mind. She bit into her thigh hard until she managed to stop herself from thinking further.

"My selfishness killed him years ago and when I learned he was still alive, out of self-interest, I stopped him from competing for the throne," the Empress Dowager laughed coldly as tears streamed down her porcelain-like face. She swallowed them back, tasting salty and painful.

“I chose to abandon him twice due to my selfishness but in the end, he forgave me so I wouldn’t hurt you or ask any questions. He wanted me to live peacefully as an Empress Dowager,” she said while recalling that day’s events and trying hard not to cry.

A while later, the Empress Dowager continued, "I originally thought that by standing idly by and letting them deal with their own problems, I could remain indifferent to your love and hate. But when I lost Longye, my heart was filled with unbearable pain. That kind of agony is something I never want to experience again. I can't afford to lose Aie yet again. Absolutely not."

Qi Lin slowly said, "You won't lose him."

"How can I not" The Empress Dowager was agitated and picked up the teapot on the table to throw it at Qi Lin again. This time, the teapot just grazed past her, only spilling some tea water.

Qi Lin didn't mind the tea splashed onto her but noticed that the blood-stained spot became more prominent.

"Back then, to prevent you from leaving, he made a three-year agreement with Mu Qingfeng. After three years, Mu Qingfeng can take you away." As she spoke, the Empress Dowager's expression turned pained as if losing someone extremely close to her; she slowly closed her eyes and said, "Three years—do you know what that means"

"I am merely a bargaining chip," Qi Lin responded coldly.

"Are you still so naive Can't you see how much he loves you" The Empress Dowager was heartbroken as she pointed at Qi Lin, trembling. "That means his life is only left with three years."

Qi Lin raised her eyes in astonishment and asked the Empress Dowager, "What do you mean"

"Hmph, he concealed it well," The Empress Dowager sat down and continued, "When Aie fought Mu Qingfeng that day, Aie was poisoned with five stones. He wasn't a match for Mu Qingfeng originally. But he willingly endured one of Mu Qingfeng's sword strikes. That strike didn't hit any vital spots, but the key lies in Mu Qingfeng's Duanchen Sword."

The Empress Dowager recounted the origin of Mu Qingfeng’s Duanchen Sword bit by bit, and Qi Lin became increasingly agitated until she finally fainted to her knees on the ground. Her hand accidentally brushed against a shard of the teapot, cutting into her fingertips, causing blood to seep out.

"Impossible, he wouldn't do such a thing," Qi Lin shook her head in denial. In her mind, Bai Qianye would never sacrifice his life for her. "It's impossible, you're lying to me. You are deceiving me! All of you!"

"I hope it’s just a deception as well." The Empress Dowager massaged her temples and suddenly stood up with determination in her voice, "But I won't let such things happen again. I can't afford to lose another son."

Qi Lin was still reeling from the shock when she found herself being lifted off the ground. She struggled but failed, so she pleaded, "Let me see Bai Qianye, please allow it."

"I won’t let you see him again," The Empress Dowager coldly waved her hand and said, “Even if you did, what would that accomplish Would you hold onto his life then Moreover, weren't you planning to leave To distance yourself from Bai Qianye I'll grant your wish."

"No. Please, Empress Dowager, let me just see Bai Qianye one last time," She surmised why Bai Qianye had become thinner and paler, no longer able to carry her; she struggled as she spoke, "I want to leave regardless of this knowledge, but I wish to bid farewell properly. Please let me tell him goodbye."

Qi Lin was almost kneeling on the ground at last, with her hands being held by someone causing her great pain, yet she didn't give up and continued pleading, "Let me see him for one last time, just that alone would be enough."nd Yumu.But at this moment, Buzhao blocks Qingfeng Mu's way, seemingly not wanting him to pass through."Young Master Mu, you are also my guest." Buzhao says it nonchalantly, but there's a hint of rebu...