Chapter 208

Chapter 208. The Power of Rumors

Jin ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Wuwei waved a hand and summoned the guards to carry the unconscious Zhang Yumou away.

The ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍gathered officials looked at one another, at a complete loss for what to do.

It ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had to be said that Chu Feng’s cold indifference just now had truly left the court officials shaken.

They ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍all felt that Chu Feng had changed, and they also believed that he had become so cold and ruthless because he was protecting that woman.

Even ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍so, there was not much they could say.

These ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍ministers all understood one thing very clearly: they could not sway Chu Feng’s thoughts, nor could they make decisions for him.

Especially after Minister Zhang’s outburst, they had seen the true nature of the matter even more clearly.

Chu Feng slowly rose to his feet and stood within the court, looking down at them from above.

That gaze was indifferent, like that of a god looking down upon ants…

And in truth, that was exactly how it was.

As far as Chu Feng was concerned, no one could influence his decisions. Nor did he care to explain himself to these people. They would not understand him anyway, so the best course was simply not to communicate at all.

As long as Chu Feng himself knew that what he was doing was right, that was enough.

“I will say this one more time… I do not need any of you to teach me how to conduct my affairs. And likewise…”

Chu Feng’s voice was not loud, yet every single person in the hall heard it clearly.

“Cailin is my woman. I was the one who personally brought her back. Anyone who dares say another word against her is no different from speaking against me…”

Chu Feng paused, and a sinisterly cold smile curved at the corner of his lips.

“That is the crime of great disrespect—punishable by the extermination of nine clans!”

The officials all shuddered. The lips that had just begun to move instantly clamped shut, and everyone lowered their heads in unison, not daring to speak another word.

Chu Feng let out a cold laugh. Looking at the civil and military officials filling the court, he found their stubbornly antiquated thinking almost amusing, then turned and swept his sleeve as he strode away.

Chu Feng felt that as long as he handled this matter according to his own judgment, and so long as it did not bring chaos upon the Great Chu Dynasty, then that was for the best.

And if he wanted to govern the entire Great Chu Dynasty well, the most important thing was that he could not be soft-eared, listening to this person one moment and that person the next. Chu Feng had resolve. He had the ability to decide for himself.

And now Chu Feng had come to understand something else as well: talking to these people was pointless. They would never understand no matter what he said. He might as well make the decisions himself and settle everything cleanly.

Behind Chu Feng, the officials knelt all across the floor, silent as cicadas in winter, no longer daring to advise him so boldly.

Though they had shut their mouths, they still harbored many private complaints in their hearts.

Only after Chu Feng had fully departed did they slowly begin to rise. They looked at one another, every face filled with helplessness.

“Forget it, forget it. We have already said everything that should and should not have been said. Since His Majesty insists on doing this, there is nothing old bones like us can do.”

“Yes, yes. We have already said all there is to say. Since His Majesty insists on it, what else can we do?”

“We can only take things as they come. But if Chu Feng insists on keeping that demoness, then there will be many troubles for us in the future. We must keep careful watch. If anything goes wrong, we must stop it at once.”

“Ah, it is one thing to think about it now and another when the time truly comes. We may as well take it one step at a time. There is no need to think so far ahead.”

That struck straight at everyone’s heart, because they had no authority to decide anything now. Every issue, every matter, seemed to rest entirely in Chu Feng’s hands, so all they could do was take things one step at a time.

One by one, the officials left the court. As they went, each of them shook his head and sighed.

Every official felt deeply helpless about what had happened this time, yet none of them could change anything.

Now they all looked crestfallen, like eggplants wilted by frost, stooped and drained of spirit as they made their way out of the Imperial Palace.

Within the Imperial Garden.

As usual, Cailin sat inside a pavilion, gazing at the flowers filling the garden, yet she had no heart to admire them.

The days here were simply too dull.

Cailin had wanted to befriend the other imperial consorts, to become friends with them, but every one of them avoided her like the plague.

And Cailin had also discovered that most of the women here carried a strange way of thinking.

Each of them treated the others as imagined enemies. Every day, all they did was long for Chu Feng’s favor, as though, apart from obtaining his affection, they had no other thoughts in their minds.

Cailin truly could not understand that.

She simply could not understand why a person would place all hope in life upon someone else.

If that other person were gone one day, or if that person never looked at you even once, then would that not mean you could no longer go on living?

Cailin had originally wanted to straighten out these women’s thinking, but unfortunately, the moment those consorts saw her, they fled far away. Some of them even shut their doors outright.

As time passed, Cailin began to realize that the human world seemed to be nothing special after all.

In some matters, it was even inferior to the Ancient Imperial Clans.

For example, one had to remain shut up every day behind the deep walls of the palace, with no friends, no one to confide in, only imagined enemies on every side.

That sort of life left Cailin feeling unbearably bored.

And then she thought of her days among the Ancient Royal Clans. Although, as the leader of the Heaven-Devouring Python Clan, she had often been busy with official matters, most of the time she had still been free and unrestrained, able to travel among the various clans at will.

She had also had friends of her own. From time to time, they would play and spar together, testing one another’s techniques. Her days then had been far richer and more colorful than life in the Great Chu Dynasty now.

Still, boredom was only a minor matter.

What truly gave Cailin a headache was that over the past few days, she had clearly sensed that the way the palace servants looked at her had changed.

Ever since the last time Chu Feng had killed the chicken to warn the monkeys, the palace maids and Little Eunuchs of the Great Chu Dynasty had all behaved respectfully toward Cailin, but over the past few days, something had begun to feel different again.

Before, although these servants had feared her, they had at least still bowed and greeted her. Some of the palace maids had even chatted with her from time to time.

But now…

Whenever those frightened maids saw her, they acted as though they had seen something filthy and hurriedly avoided her from a distance.

Especially in the way they looked at her. Their eyes were flustered and uneasy, yet mixed with unmistakable disgust.

And when they truly could not avoid her, the maids and eunuchs merely lowered their heads, offered a hurried salute, and then fled as though they feared being contaminated by something.

Once or twice, Cailin had not minded. She had thought it might only be coincidence.

But this had gone on for several days already. Cailin was not a fool. She knew something had happened.

Although she lived in the Inner Palace, she could still occasionally overhear the conversations between the palace maids and eunuchs. As for the rumors spreading outside, she had heard some of them here and there as well.

Cailin had originally thought that after Chu Feng’s stern warning last time, this sort of thing would not happen again.

But the truth proved that she had still underestimated the power of rumors.

Demoness.

Demonic arts.

Demonic spawn.

Those words were like knives, gouging into her heart again and again.

But what had she done wrong?