Chapter Thirty-Four Things Shouldn't Have Developed Like This

  Something fluffy rubbed against her face... forcing Qilin to open her eyes unwillingly.

  But when she saw the little white dog sticking its tongue out at her, Qi Lin suddenly came to life, jumped up from the ground and rushed over to rub against her.

  Qilin was excitedly hugging Xiao Bai... It's been a long time since she rubbed against him... She missed this feeling so much... She couldn't help but hug him tighter and tighter.

  No

  Qilin suddenly raised her head. She still had more important things to do now. But after looking around, Qilin only discovered that she was on White Tiger Mountain. Except for the sounds of insects and birds, there were no signs of wolves or anything else.

  How did she end up here? Shouldn't she be at Zuihuatang?

  Right? She was knocked unconscious? And then what?

  Left here once again

  Perplexing questions invaded her mind. Qilin slowly lowered her head in deep thought, but her gaze was drawn to the white stone beneath her feet.

  Does she still remember this white stone? Unexpectedly, it has been so long ago. The red color on that piece hasn't faded at all. She slowly squatted down and stretched out her pale hand to gently cover it, just like stroking a baby's skin.

  "Do you miss it very much?"

  A familiar voice echoed in her ears, warm and magnetic. But now it sounded extremely annoying. Qilin's eyes turned red with anger instantly. She glared at the man's smiling face, wanting to vent out all her frustration, but found herself unable to speak, only staring at his smug smile.

  Suddenly, Qilin saw that slender arm without any defense, slightly raised the corner of her mouth and opened her mouth to bite down.

  "Ah?" Feng Changqing slightly furrowed his brow, lowered his head to look at Qilin who was fast asleep. Although she was sleeping, her eyebrows were tightly knitted together. Especially that mouth which could talk and persuade others, was biting down on her own shoulder, not letting go. The two rows of teeth were constantly rubbing against each other, as if wanting to bite off a piece of flesh before being satisfied.

  "Your Majesty?" Qin Xiao looked at Feng Changqing with concern, his bony hands grasping the hilt of his sword making a cracking sound. As long as Feng Changqing nodded, he would definitely behead Qi Lin.

  But Feng Changqing just slightly shook his head, looking at Qi Lin with great interest, and said in a low voice, "I've never been bitten by anyone before, so this is what it feels like."

  Xiao Yan's face turned red with sweat, and he was stunned for a moment before slowly retreating.

  She tasted a faint bloody smell, Qi Lin moved her eyebrows slightly, slowly opened her eyes, but was blocked by the evening sun's rays, raised her hand to rub her eyes, and only slowly opened them after they had adapted to the light.

  But what did she see?

  The handsome man with a golden edge gilded by the sunset was smiling warmly at her. Originally, she should have returned a warm smile too. But when this face overlapped with Feng Changqing's, Qi Lin suddenly felt like she had fallen into the deep sea.

  "Your Majesty, Your Highness..." The voice was almost trembling. Qi Lin looked at Feng Changqing with a quivering gaze... What else was wrong?

  But saw Feng Changqing narrow his eyes and smile, saying "You're awake? Originally wanted to let you return to your room to rest, but thinking that you might wake up soon, so I brought you here. Heard that this place is very lively."

  "What? Qi Lin tilted her head to look at the officials and soldiers on both sides, beads of sweat sliding down her forehead. How could there be anyone here? Were all the people scared away?"

  Wait a minute... Bring her here? She just opened her eyes... So... Qilin looked down at the moving road surface with her head lowered... No wonder she felt something was off.

  Just as she wanted to struggle, she suddenly felt unwell. So, Qilin made an effort to lift the corners of her mouth and said, "Your Majesty, can you let the civilian girl go now?"

  Who would have thought that Feng Changqing heard this and burst out laughing? Qi Lin had no choice but to face many question marks and the crow, opening his mouth again.

  Feng Changqing finally stopped smiling and looked at Qilin with great interest, saying: "How many women have approached me before? Not to mention hugging a woman like this? I'm still the first time... Why don't you stay for a while longer? This is a great blessing!"

  A black line flashed across her face. How could she forget that the emperor had many first times? What kind of person who has been pampered and spoiled would do such a thing? She was really an idiot.

  "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great kindness... I, a humble subject, am deeply grateful... You are the blessing of heaven to the world, protecting and nurturing all living things... I fear that I alone cannot bear the magnitude of your imperial favor..." She blurted out all the flattering words she could think of in an instant, then bowed her head.

  Feng Changqing slightly furrowed his brow... Was this expression one of disdain or fear?

  No matter what it is, he detests it.

  Then... suddenly let go without warning

  "Ah?!" Before he could even react, he was slammed heavily onto the ground... His butt instantly turned into a flower.

  Zi Lin didn't dare to be presumptuous. Making a sound was already very impolite. She quickly knelt down and buried her head very low, respectfully saying "Thank you, Your Majesty."

  Feng Changqing snorted and ignored Qilin, turning to leave. However, after taking two steps, he stopped and said coldly, "I heard you've been getting close to that person named Mudan lately."

  Zi Lin was taken aback, then calmly said, "To answer Your Majesty, when I was still a maid, I had some dealings with Miss Peony, and she is the young lady I have been in contact with the most."

  "So that's how it is?" A faint smile appeared on his face, dispelling the gloom of a moment before. "Follow me," he continued, "I was just about to go to the Peony Garden."

  Peony Garden? Qi Lin suddenly raised her head? How could she have forgotten? What to do

  But she had no choice but to follow him up

  Arriving at Peony Garden, I originally thought it would become cold and solemn because of Feng Changqing's arrival. However, as soon as I reached the entrance of Peony Garden, I heard constant discussions inside, and could also intermittently hear Peony begging for mercy.

  Qilin was shocked in her heart. What happened? She hadn't done anything yet.

  But she couldn't quicken her pace. Feng Changqing seemed to be intentionally teasing her, walking extremely slowly. She also couldn't run up front.

  It was not easy to get to the inner courtyard, but when I saw Peony being pressed to the ground, two men holding down her slender legs, and another two using sticks to beat her violently on her body. Bloodstains had already appeared on Peony's body, it was terrifying. Peony's painful expression had become distorted, she was even too weak to beg for mercy.

  Qilin was frightened by this bloody scene, involuntarily retreating two steps, her hand suddenly grasped, unlike the icy coldness of the elm wood, it was a very warm big hand, unfortunately Qilin didn't have the heart to look.

  What happened during this period when she was not around?

  "Your humble servant has seen the Emperor." Ziyin stepped forward to pay his respects. He caught sight of Qilin's pale face and was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting her to be with Feng Changqing. But it was only a momentary thought before he continued, "This is Peony, originally one of the Jade Maidens. However, she has committed the crime of desecrating the Jade Maiden. I was just about to sentence her to fifty lashes and then send her to the Emperor for trial."

  Desecrate the Jade Girl? Who did she desecrate? Qilin quickly scanned her surroundings. When she saw Qiao'er and Lüzhú, her heart finally calmed down a bit. But when she saw Liu Xi kneeling beside her, Qilin's heart that had just stabilized rose to her throat again.

  What's going on? This time, Qilin didn't maintain her composure. She lifted up her skirt and ran quickly to Mudan's room, pushing the door open with great force. When she saw Long Yan holding a still frightened Buxia in his arms, her worries finally became a reality.

  Long Yan saw Qi Lin and was also a bit surprised. Just as he wanted to call out to her, his arm was tightly grasped by Bu Yao. He lowered his head to see that his gaze had coincidentally met Bu Yao's hateful stare. The object of their gaze was none other than Qi Lin, who was standing frozen at the door.

  Good heavens! What on earth happened? How did it end up like this?

  Wanted to walk over and ask clearly but found that both legs were like lead, unable to move half a step. Opened mouth also discovered that couldn't say half a sentence.

  "Heh heh? Are you here to watch me make a joke?" Bu Yao coldly looked at Qi Lin, getting up from Long Ye's arms.

  Qilin only saw that Buxia's clothes had been cut into a mess by scissors, barely covering her body. And what she was wearing on her body was Longyan's light blue coat. The disheveled hair and the makeup that seemed to have been kissed away provided a good foil for those angry eyes.

  Bu Yao walked step by step closer to Qi Lin, who stood quietly in place. Until Bu Yao approached her, Qi Lin had already prepared herself to be slapped and even kicked out.

  But it seems not to be the case

  "Your Majesty, you must take charge for the sake of the people!"

  Suddenly, a bright light appeared in front of her eyes. Bu Yao immediately knelt on the ground and cried out loudly. Qi Lin looked at Bu Yao in surprise, who was crying with tears streaming down her face. She already knew who the dark shadow looming over her was.

  "The Emperor... I, Mu Yao, was harmed by that scoundrel... almost killed by that demoness Peony..." Before she could finish speaking, Mu Yao covered her words with sobs. Suddenly, her chin was pinched, forcing her to lift her head. At this angle, she met Feng Changqing's handsome and profound black eyes. Choking back tears, she opened her mouth, "Your Majesty..."

  Feng Changqing smiled slightly and raised his hand to wipe away the tears on Bu Yau's face, saying softly, "You were wronged by a scoundrel, weren't you, Peony?"

  Bù Yáo blinked her eyes, and big drops of tears fell like pearls that had broken off a string, falling onto Feng Changqing's hand. Bù Yáo didn't say who it was, but instead shifted her gaze to the side.

  Feeling Pei Yao's gaze, Qi Lin slowly turned around. If this could make up for it, then so be it. At most, she would just die once.

  But she was also very clear that she wouldn't die because Ziyu would protect her.

  Qilin slowly knelt down and said, "Replying to Your Majesty, this humble woman originally had an appointment with Miss Bu Yao to have tea together. However, this humble woman failed to keep the appointment and did not arrive. That's why..."

  "Oh?" Feng Changqing looked at Qi Lin's calm eyes, then at Bu Yaowu's shining eyes, which were quite endearing. He slightly raised the corner of his mouth and said, "Is that so?"

  "Your Majesty..." The speaker was not Bu Yao, but Liu Xi. Liu Xi knelt down beside Feng Changqing, grasped the hem of his robe and said, "It's Hong Xue who wronged our mistress... She had clearly arrived, but then left halfway without a word... Our mistress suddenly fainted and fell asleep... This is how she came to suffer such injustice... I implore Your Majesty to investigate..."

  Did you hear Liu Xi's testimony? Qi Lin didn't refute it either. However, she clearly felt the cold killing intent emanating from Feng Changqing. She raised her eyes to look at Feng Changqing, whose mouth still had a faint smile, but his eyes were not reached.

  She remembered Zi Yun saying that Feng Changqing had a cleanliness habit. Qi Lin looked worriedly at Liu Xi's hand grasping Feng Changqing's clothes, she knew that Feng Changqing was angry.

  "Then do you know where the Red Snow in your mouth went after leaving?" Feng Changqing narrowed his eyes and stared straight at Liu Xi. In Liu Xi's eyes, he saw the girl's shy admiration.

  Liu Xi was slightly stunned, shook his head woodenly, and only then realized it wasn't suitable, so he hastily added, "This servant doesn't know."

  "She only heard her say that she was going to see a very important person, but who knew??" Yu Yao took the opportunity to add a sentence and made an eye gesture towards Liu Xi.

  Liu Xi said with a hint of implication, "She must have gone off with some man."

  "Liuxi, that's enough!" Qilin raised her hand and slapped Liuxi, saying "You're just a little maid, what qualifications do you have to speculate about my whereabouts?"

  She did this out of desperation? Who knew Liu Xi was staring at her with tears in his eyes.

  "What's with the panic? Did you do something?"

  Liu Xi's words were not yet finished when his neck was tightly pinched by a large hand, and his body slowly rose up, looking at Feng Changqing in confusion.

  Bù Yáo was also frightened by such a scene? Why is it like this?

  "Don't mention you being a slave daring to offend your superior? Don't even talk about your filthy hands touching me? Feng Changqing still slightly raised the corner of his mouth, spitting out cold words "You say private communication? Do you know that the person she met is me? Your meaning is that she privately communicated with me? That adulterer... Am I an adulterer?"

  Feng Changqing's words were like a series of execution orders, making Liu Xi and Bu Yao dare not believe them.

  "Huang...?" Liu Xi had reached his limit, barely able to squeeze out a word. His hands grasped Feng Changqing's arm without letting go, as if he wanted to say something.

  Unfortunately, Feng Changqing didn't give her a chance to speak. With just a slight force, Liu Xi's gaze was frozen in astonishment, and her head weakly tilted to one side.

  Suddenly let go? Liu Xi fell to the ground? Eyes wide open

  This was Qilin's first time seeing a murder. She stared blankly at Liu Xi's eyes that were almost bulging out, and then weakly closed her own eyes.

  How did things become like this?