Chapter 40 In fact, he was just a poor kid

  "Haha, so you're an idiot after all!" Qilin pointed at Feng Changqing and burst out laughing. But looking at Feng Changqing's dark face, Qilin restrained herself and tried to hold back her laughter. She composed herself and said seriously, "This is also one of your lovable qualities."

  Huh? I completely don't understand what Qilin is saying. Beads of sweat slide down, but there's no feeling of anger. Another strange feeling emerges from the bottom of my heart, it can't be said or explained.

  "So that's what they say... Women are just trouble, so they're the most hated." Not knowing what to say, Feng Changqing casually made up a sentence, but his gaze didn't leave Qilin.

  Qilin rolled her eyes speechlessly and, imitating the manner of her husband, turned her head to say, "The ancients said that only petty people and women are difficult to raise. But if a woman is troublesome, doesn't that mean the man is courting trouble? Speaking of which, men are still idiots."

  "Feng Changqing glared at Qi Lin but couldn't find any words to refute her. This was the first time such a situation had occurred."

  But his appearance was extremely comical to Zilin, who struggled to hold back her laughter. She patted Feng Changqing's shoulder and said, "Sigh... actually, neither of us can be blamed. You were born with a golden spoon in your mouth, while I sprouted from the grassroots. Our worldviews are different, so it's understandable. Compared to those rich second-generation officials, you're still quite alright."

  "What's your worldview?" Feng Changqing looked at Qi Lin in confusion "What are 'official second generation' and 'rich second generation'? What do they mean?"

  Qilin was taken aback. "Oh no, I've said too much!" She thought for a moment and hesitated before explaining, "You see, 'worldview' refers to one's perspective on things. It's like how people have different tastes in food - some like radishes, while others prefer cabbage. Get it? 'Guan Er Dai' literally means born into an official family, whereas 'Fu Er Dai' means the previous generation was wealthy and had a good life without having to work hard for it."

  She thought this was the simplest explanation, but looking at Feng Changqing's calm face, Qi Lin thought that Feng Changqing didn't understand anything and was too lazy to explain, quietly waiting for Feng Changqing to recover.

  Actually, being quiet wasn't intentional on Feng Changqing's part. However, from just now looking at Qilin speaking, he only discovered that Qilin is very interesting. More importantly, in front of Qilin, he seems not to be the emperor, but just an ordinary white phoenix. And Qilin doesn't flatter him like others do, she even can't be bothered to defend herself.

  What kind of woman is she? What kind of person is she after all?

  Just as Qilin was about to fall asleep, she was suddenly grabbed by Feng Changqing. Qilin's eyes widened in an instant and stared at Feng Changqing, foolishly smiling and saying "Now you're getting angry? Isn't this reaction a bit... slow?"

  "I'll make you empress?"

  Feng Changqing's unexpected words left Qi Lin stunned on the spot. Just as she was about to ask why, Feng Changqing spoke up again.

  "But you must promise me one condition?" Grabbing Qilin's hand and slowly increasing the force, Feng Changqing continued to say "No matter what method you use, you must let the Empress Dowager leave the Changle Palace."

  Empress Dowager? I've never heard of this term before. Yu Mu has never mentioned it, nor has Zi Yin. No one has ever mentioned it. But today, Feng Changqing personally said it out loud. What's going on here?

  But from Feng Changqing's eyes, Qilin saw something called longing. This thing forced her to nod in agreement.

  Qilin nodded, Feng Changqing let out a sigh of relief and smiled. However, he was stared at foolishly by Qilin. She had seen Feng Changqing smile before, but that smile had never reached his eyes. But now, this smile seemed like that of a child, pure and innocent.

  Feng Changqing found a comfortable way to lean against Qilin's leg, raised his eyes and looked directly at the starry sky through the window. His thoughts seemed to pass through this endless starry sky and return to a certain time.

  "That was before I ascended the throne?"

  Qilin's heart skipped a beat. Is this the prelude to telling a story? But looking at Feng Changqing's calm eyes, she also saw the light of loneliness. So she listened quietly.

  "I was born at the same time as another prince, and back then there were already over ten princes and princesses in the palace. But the smartest one was still Ziyin, the current King Anbang. However, Ziyin always protected us like an older brother, even though we weren't born from the same queen. We got along very well. As Feng Changqing spoke to this point, he seemed to have fallen into the happiness of that time, his mouth slightly curving upwards."

  "Although there are many princes, the most outstanding ones are still us four. The purple prince who is good at using people and proficient in military strategy, the white thousand years who are wise and have almost no shortcomings, my twin brother, and the intelligent and clever dragon flame. We four are the most favored sons of our father."

  When she heard Bai Qianyan's name, a hint of Yelan appeared in Qi Lin's heart, but it quickly disappeared. She continued to listen to Feng Changqing's words.

  "Although I was born of the same mother as Bai Qiyan, in terms of talent, martial arts, and strategy, he surpasses us all, even exceeding our father, the king. And I am destined to live in his shadow." As Feng Changqing spoke, a complex light flickered in her eyes, a mix of jealousy and admiration. She paused before continuing, "He naturally became the crown prince, and it seemed like there was nothing wrong with that. Zi Yin didn't refuse, instead showing approval on her face. Long Yan never had any intention of becoming the crown prince anyway, and even if others were dissatisfied, they didn't dare to speak out."

  "But why is it that I am the emperor and not him? You must be wondering, right?" Feng Changqing looked at Qi Lin coldly and said, "Because I killed him... no, it's not that. It's because I made him wish he were dead. I abolished his most proud martial arts skills, severed his tendons, and turned him into a useless person. I trampled on his dignity, took away the woman he loved, slept with her in front of him, and then killed the woman he loved."

  "I saw the pain and anger in his eyes, I was really happy, it was truly exhilarating. The feeling of being trampled on and then turning over was just that refreshing. Then I gave him poisoned wine, not the kind that kills immediately, but the kind that makes his internal organs rot slowly. After that, I also gave him a flogging and threw him out of the palace, expelling him from the imperial family."

  "Then I became the Emperor... But... My Empress Dowager... Issued an edict on the day of my ascension to the throne... That she would never leave the Chang Le Palace for the rest of her life... And also forbade me from visiting her..."

  "I know she hates me... after all, Bai Qianyan is her most beloved son... I am nothing..."

  "Who made them all despise me? We were all born of the same empress, weren't we? We all had the same talents, didn't we? Why did he always get the best? And yet, why did they still have to say those things about me? When I heard that Mother and Father Emperor chose to sacrifice me so that Bai Qianyun could smoothly become emperor... do you know how much my heart hurt?"

  "When Bai Qian turns her hand into clouds and her hand into rain, happily with the woman she loves, and then tramples on my dignity, do you know how much pain I'm in?"

  "Are we still brothers?? When everyone else is getting close to him?? And ignoring me?? Do you know how much it hurts??"

  "Isn't it the same mistake? Bai Qianyan can get away with nothing, but I have to suffer a flogging and be locked in a dark room? Do you know how much pain I'm in?"

  "When Father Emperor was seriously ill, he needed the blood of his children to make medicine. The first one who stood out was me. But why did Father Emperor still say thank you to Bai Qianyi after drinking my blood? He even gave him the White Tiger Mountain and granted him a lifetime of happiness."

  "So I wanted to destroy him, but I gave him a chance. If he had begged me like a dog and asked for mercy, I would have given him a way out. But unexpectedly, his bones were so hard that he didn't make a sound from start to finish."

  "Do you know how he ended up in my hands? Is it because he's too clever? So he underestimates the people around him? Don't forget, we were born of the same mother. I'm not inferior to him, it's just that I was denied."

  "I used my empress dowager's gift of a bowl of scattered powder to poison him, and while he was poisoned, I took everything away from him. Isn't that granting him a life of leisure and happiness? So I conferred upon him the title of King of Leisure, letting him be at leisure in his suffering."

  "I said I'm not worse than him!"

  "But from that day on, the Empress Dowager never left Chang Le Palace again."

  "Three months ago, news came from Chang Le Palace that Her Majesty's illness had taken a turn for the worse and her life was in danger."

  "Heh heh... Now... I just want her to come out and take a look at this phoenix nation with her own eyes... I've already transformed it into something strong to this extent... All of this was accomplished by me, the one she initially looked down upon..."

  "Am I not a useless emperor?!"

  By this point, Feng Changqing's eyes were completely replaced with anger, and his forehead was covered in fine sweat. Qilin carefully helped him wipe it away.

  So this is Feng Changqing

  But isn't it just a child who has taken the wrong path in order to prove their own ability? But... aren't these things happening all the time? Which emperor's hands are not stained with blood?

  But... he's in pain, right? Otherwise... when saying these things... why would he tremble

  Gently covering Feng Changqing's tightly clenched fist... At this time, another person appeared in Qilin's mind... That was Bai Qianyan mentioned by Feng Changqing.

  What kind of person is he? How could Feng Changqing hate him so much? What happened to make him end up like this?

  Is he dead?

  At that moment when Qilin was deep in thought, her hand was suddenly grabbed. She lowered her head to find Feng Changqing staring at her coldly. Qilin's heart tightened.

  "It seems you've heard something you shouldn't have?" The cold words escaped his lips, as if to freeze the air around him. "Should I let you die?"

  As expected. Qi Lin said slowly and calmly, "Now that it's been said, doesn't it feel much better?"

  After all these years of endurance... If it were her... She would have gone mad long ago.

  Feng Changqing was slightly stunned, stretched out his hand to stroke Qi Lin's cheek and said: "Three months later is the Empress Dowager's birthday. I will be crowned Emperor on that day. You have three months to make the Empress Dowager leave the Changle Palace. Otherwise, three months later, I will let you repeat Bai Qianyi's fate."

  "I did my best." A calm nod. Suddenly, his chin was pinched hard by Feng Changqing, as if wanting to pinch it into pieces.

  "Dare to spread it out? I'll make you regret being alive!"

  Qilin just smiled and waited until Feng Changqing let go of her hand. Then, Qilin rubbed her face and said, "Emperors have their own helplessness... Tonight, I only received one task... That is to let the Empress Dowager leave the Changle Palace."

  Feng Changqing's mouth curled up in a pleased smile. "You're clever," he said with a laugh. "Who knows, I might just take a liking to you."

  "So, Your Majesty still doesn't like me because I made a vow? Absolutely not to have romance with the emperor?" Qilin said calmly "Emotions can't be forced. Even if you kill me, I'll still feel this way."

  The air in the room suddenly solidified. The temperature dropped to its lowest point. Only the candle flame made an awkward hissing sound.

  "Haha... Haha..." Feng Changqing suddenly burst out laughing, stood up and left Qilin, saying "Life is precious, love is even more valuable. If for the sake of freedom, both can be discarded. Without love, wanting freedom means first ensuring survival."

  "Look at Qilin... I remember... Don't worry... At least within three months... I will spare your life..."

  Having said that, he flew out of the window.

  Qilin stared blankly at the spot where Feng Changqing had just stood, and in the next second, she collapsed to the ground, her entire body limp. She raised her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead, startled by the sudden fright.

  Thought it would be dead

  "Miss?" Green Bamboo stood outside the door with a basin of water, calling out softly.

  Qilin only then thought that Lüzhú must have gone to fetch hot water. She must have been struck by Fèng Chángqīng's acupoint. She waved her hand and said, "Go down now! I've already washed up and slept. We'll clean up again tomorrow."

  Green bamboo responded with a sound and retreated. Qi Lin then walked up to the bed.

  The making of a split personality? Must have had an absurd and melodramatic experience

  Feng Changqing is actually just a lonely child who wants to be recognized by others.