Chapter 212

Chapter 212. The First Time He Had Treated a Woman So Gently

Chu ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Feng’s gaze sharpened. Had this woman gone mad?

“What ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍do you mean by that? Do you even know what you’re saying?” Chu Feng was somewhat angry now, and his words came out through gritted teeth.

In ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Chu Feng’s eyes, the woman he had acknowledged could never possibly indulge in such wild thoughts.

For ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍her to think like this was no different from insulting him.

Cailin ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍lifted her head and looked at him, her eyes filled with pain and confusion.

“I... ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍I don’t know. If I had known nothing today, if I had heard nothing at all, then how much longer were you planning to keep this from me? Did you think that if you hid everything from me, I would never find out? What exactly are your intentions?”

“Now that I’ve heard so many people call me a Demoness, say that I bring ruin to the nation, say that I eat human hearts and drink human blood, I don’t even know anymore whether staying here was the right choice.”

“I don’t know what I am. If one day I really do become that kind of thing, would you personally execute me?”

“Tell me, then—am I your prisoner? Your plaything? Or proof that you defeated the Ancient Royal Clan?”

Suddenly, Cailin seized Chu Feng’s wrist with both hands and cried out in a near-hysterical outburst, her head tilted up toward him.

Looking at her like this, Chu Feng simply could not bear it. He suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms.

Cailin’s whole body stiffened, and then she began to struggle. “Let go of me! Let me go... And you still have the nerve to hold me? All of this is your fault. If it weren’t for you, I would never have had to go through all this chaos. It’s all because of you. Everything I’m suffering now was brought on by you, so how can you still pretend to be a good person here? If you’re really that kind, then send me back where I belong.”

“Don’t move.”

Chu Feng’s voice was low and gentle, as if he had not heard any of what she had said. He Chu Feng gently patted her on the back. Only after Cailin’s emotions had calmed somewhat did he slowly say, “You are overthinking thingsimply held her quietly in his arms.”

“Let me hold you for a while.”

Whether some strange impulse had taken hold of her, or whether she had truly been moved by Chu Feng’s gentleness, Cailin’s struggling gradually stopped. In the end, she obediently leaned against his chest and wept soundlessly.

With me, you have never been a prisoner, and you have even less been a plaything.

At that point, Chu Feng deliberately paused, then said with utter seriousness, “You are my woman. Let me tell you this: I am not that kind of irresponsible man. Since I am with you, then I will take responsibility for you.

I was indeed in the wrong before, but I have also been doing my best to make up for it. What do you want? Whatever it is you want, it is up to you. I have never restricted your freedom.

You are an Imperial Consort personally appointed by me, an Imperial Consort of the Great Chu Dynasty. Your status is noble, so why lower yourself to the level of those ignorant people?

They call you a Demon Consort, so does that make you one? Have you drunk human blood? Have you eaten human hearts? Since you have done none of that, why are you so angry?”

There actually seemed to be a bit of reason in what he said.

Since she had done nothing, why was she this angry?

What did any of those things people said have to do with her?

Buried in his arms, Cailin said in a muffled voice, “But they don’t think that way... In their eyes, I am one who brings ruin to the nation. I am a Demon Consort. I am that utterly unforgivable sinner...”

Cailin began to cry again, grief overwhelming her completely.

Chu Feng’s heart ached for her. He consoled her, “What those people think—does it really matter? As long as you let it go in one ear and out the other, those rumors cannot do anything to you. Unless they actually lay hands on you, only pain inflicted on your flesh can truly hurt. As for everything else, if it neither wounds nor stings, then do not take it to heart.”

Cailin fell silent.

From a certain point of view, there was truly nothing wrong with what Chu Feng was saying.

Chu Feng continued, “I already said it—if anyone dares say another word, I will carry out the Extermination of Nine Clans. Do you think I am joking? I mean what I say. Since you are with me, I dare not promise you everything else, but at the very least, I can keep you safe and sound.”

Cailin suddenly lifted her head and looked at him through tearful eyes, her gaze full of disbelief. “You... you would really kill that many people for my sake?”

Chu Feng looked at her and suddenly smiled.

It was a very faint smile, yet it carried a certainty that made people feel at ease.

“I stand by my word, naturally. Besides, the ones spreading rumors are the ones truly throwing the order of the court into chaos. They must be eliminated at once.

“And as for you, to me, you are far more important than those ministers. So do you really think I would punish you for their sake? Impossible. No one can sway my judgment. What I believe is right is right. What I believe is wrong is wrong...”

Cailin froze, a complicated emotion surging up in her heart. At this moment, she found that she could not quite understand Chu Feng anymore.

She felt moved, warmed... and yet those feelings were mixed with deep unease and fear.

In Cailin’s heart, she still could not fully believe Chu Feng.

Would Chu Feng truly kill for her? Kill that many people?

Those were his subjects!

Cailin suddenly felt terribly conflicted... She could not even figure out what it was she truly wanted.

It was as though, on the one hand, she longed to be accepted by the people of the Human Race, longed to be acknowledged, longed to no longer be looked at with those kinds of eyes, and to live here in peace.

But on the other hand, she feared that her existence really would turn Chu Feng into a tyrant and plunge the Great Chu Dynasty into turmoil. And when that happened, would all the blame be laid at her feet as well?

The answer seemed inevitable...

Cailin kept asking herself what she should do.

She truly had no idea what to do...

She truly did not know.

She could neither stay nor leave, and yet there was no way for her to prove herself.

The night had grown deep, and the dew was heavy.

Chu Feng glanced at the pitch-black night sky and gently drew Cailin’s shoulders in closer.

“It’s very late. Let’s go back and rest. You haven’t eaten or drunk anything all day, and your spirits are already poor. You need proper rest. If this goes on, how will your body endure it? Be good. I’ll take you back right now. Do not worry—I will stay with you the whole time, until you can fall asleep in peace.”

Perhaps it was truly because Chu Feng was being too gentle, too considerate, but Cailin actually nodded as if under some spell.

“All right, all right. I’ll take you back now. As for today’s rumors, do not take them to heart. With me here, I will naturally resolve everything for you.”

Chu Feng held Cailin by the shoulders, almost drawing her entirely into his embrace...

Such patience from Chu Feng was a rare thing indeed.

He had never treated any other woman with such painstaking care.

But there was nothing to be done. Chu Feng was a man who valued loyalty and affection.

Other women had all schemed to come to his side, but when it came to Cailin, Chu Feng still carried a trace of guilt.