Chapter 207

Chapter 207. Proving His Resolve with Death

At ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍that instant, the gaze of everyone in the court shifted sharply.

They ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍first looked toward Zhang Yumou ahead of them, then hurriedly turned to look at Chu Feng.

It ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was plain from their expressions that all of these officials were desperately hoping Chu Feng would stop what was about to happen. Their eyes were filled with every kind of anxious expectation.

Yet ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Chu Feng’s gaze suddenly darkened and turned incomparably cold.

“Minister ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Zhang, what are you trying to do?” Chu Feng’s voice was as cold as ice.

That ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was simply the kind of man Chu Feng was.

He was nothing like the original owner of this body, someone who could be pushed around at will. He had thoughts of his own. He had a mind of his own. What he hated most was being threatened by this sort of coercive tactic.

Moreover, Chu Feng believed that anyone who resorted to such extreme methods the moment trouble arose was not worth keeping around.

Even if he stopped him this time, the man would certainly use the same sort of extreme measure to end his life the next time something happened. Since that was the case, why should Chu Feng forcefully interfere?

Since ancient times, those who forcibly meddled in another person’s karma rarely met a good end themselves. If so, why should Chu Feng take another person’s sins upon his own shoulders?

But the officials in court were unwilling to accept that.

Watching Zhang Yumou’s resolute manner, each of them grew as frantic as ants on a hot pan, and one after another they began trying to dissuade Chu Feng.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty, Minister Zhang has truly set his heart on this! If you do not stop him now, I fear it will be too late!”

“Exactly, Your Majesty! Hurry and stop Minister Zhang from doing something so foolish! He is a founding elder who served three reigns! If anything happens to him, how will you face the royal ancestors?”

“That is right, that is right, Your Majesty! Minister Zhang is a founding elder who served three reigns. If something happens to him here in court, how could you possibly answer to the royal ancestors? This is utter defiance of all propriety!”

“Yes, Your Majesty! Minister Zhang is doing this for your sake at every turn. You must not lose your head at a time like this. Hurry and stop him!”

Yet it was as though Chu Feng had heard none of their words. He remained seated on the Dragon Throne in perfect composure, his gaze indifferent, as though he saw nothing at all.

The ministers were so anxious that they stamped their feet and flung their sleeves in agitation, all wearing the look of men furious that iron refused to become steel.

Zhang Yumou said nothing, but Chu Feng’s reaction had utterly chilled his heart. He merely continued walking to the Coiled Dragon Pillar. Then he suddenly turned around to face Chu Feng on the Dragon Throne.

“Your Majesty!” Zhang Yumou’s voice at that moment was bleak and tragic, tinged with a trace of self-mocking laughter.

“Since ancient times, this old minister has served three generations of rulers, remaining loyal to his sovereign and devoted to his country all his life. Today, I will prove my resolve with death. I ask only that Your Majesty execute the demoness, restore clarity to Great Chu, and return a bright future to Great Chu.”

The moment his words fell, before anyone around him could stop him, Zhang Yumou suddenly spun around and, without the slightest hesitation, slammed his head viciously into the Coiled Dragon Pillar.

In that instant, Chu Feng alone remained calm as he watched ahead. The other ministers had already raised their wide sleeves to cover their eyes, not daring to witness such a bloody scene.

Then, in the next moment—

Bang!

A thunderous crash rang through the court. When everyone heard it, their hearts trembled violently. It felt as though something dropped heavily inside their chests, and some of them even felt as though a giant hand had seized their hearts and left them unable to breathe.

In that instant, blood splattered everywhere.

It sprayed outward in a burst. Some of the officials standing nearby could even feel the blood spatter onto their faces.

They panicked at once, hurriedly wiping the blood from their faces, their expressions full of fear and alarm.

Then they opened their eyes, and every last one of them staggered backward.

The sight before them was too horrifying.

They saw Zhang Yumou’s body collapse limply to the ground, falling into a pool of blood.

The blood quickly soaked his official robes through, staining them a vivid red.

Some of the men who saw this nearly burst into tears on the spot. Their hands trembled uncontrollably.

“Minister Zhang!”

“Minister Zhang!”

The gathered officials cried out in alarm and rushed forward.

“Quick, quick, quick! Summon the Imperial Physician!”

“Hurry! Imperial Physician! Someone is going to die!”

“Your Majesty, Minister Zhang has smashed himself into the pillar!”

“Your Majesty! Minister Zhang was a founding elder who served three reigns! If he dies in court today, and word of it spreads, it will damage the dignity of the imperial house!”

“Yes, yes! If this matter gets out, it will absolutely tarnish the dignity of the imperial house. Countless people will impeach you for it!”

Amid the chattering uproar around him, Chu Feng still sat upon the Dragon Throne, his face calm as still water.

He simply stared fixedly at Zhang Yumou lying in the pool of blood, staring at the ghastly wound on his forehead, staring at the blood flowing out in steady streams.

Just when everyone thought Chu Feng had to be feeling at least some measure of pity, Chu Feng suddenly laughed.

That single laugh left every official present utterly dumbfounded.

They had all been busy crowding around Minister Zhang, but the moment they heard Chu Feng laugh, they froze like wooden chickens, rooted to the spot.

Then, as though by mutual agreement, they all turned around and stared at Chu Feng in utter disbelief.

They could see that the smile on Chu Feng’s face was faint, so faint that it was almost impossible to detect. Yet all of them were absolutely certain that the laugh they had just heard had indeed come from him.

To these court officials, Chu Feng had always governed with skill and been approachable, always willing to hear their opinions. Yet now he seemed like a completely different man.

Now, as he watched Minister Zhang, a founding elder who had devoted himself to the court, dying in a pool of blood, he showed not the slightest trace of emotion. He had even laughed aloud.

In that instant, every one of them felt an immense sense of unfamiliarity toward the Chu Feng before them.

But Jin Wuwei, standing off to one side, felt a bone-deep chill.

That chill came from Chu Feng himself. He did not seem to feel the slightest regret or sorrow. Instead, he emanated a coldness that made the blood run cold.

Yet when Chu Feng remained silent, these court officials still felt a trace of fear.

Perhaps that was the imperial majesty of the Son of Heaven.

Everyone seemed locked in place within the court. Every person remained standing exactly where he had been, not moving so much as an inch.

And so long as Chu Feng did not speak, none of them dared act rashly.

“Attend me,” Chu Feng said flatly, though his expression remained utterly indifferent.

But the instant Chu Feng’s voice rang out, everyone was jolted back to their senses.

“Here!” As one of the Imperial Bodyguards, Jin Wuwei hurried forward the moment he heard the summons.

“Summon the Imperial Physician. Have him take a proper look at Minister Zhang at once. Make sure he has not smashed his brains out. And tell him this as well—if he wants to die, then once his injuries heal, he can go die somewhere else. He is not to dirty my court.”

Jin Wuwei froze for a moment, but he could understand Chu Feng’s reasoning. He knew Chu Feng was not the sort of man who was cold and heartless. He immediately bowed. “Yes!”