Chapter 213

Chapter 213. For Your Sake, I Must Lose You

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍reason Chu Feng felt this kind of guilt was entirely because Cailin was different from his other women.

He ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had given his other women the highest honor and a life free of want, and that was everything those women had ever wanted.

He ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍could even help those women cultivate, and those other women had all fought desperately to come to Chu Feng’s side and climb onto his Dragon Bed.

Only ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Cailin was different. It was merely because Chu Feng wanted the Seven-Colored Spiritual Aura within her that she had been forced into making a choice she never wished to make.

And ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍it was also because Chu Feng had made the decision on his own to bring her back to his own territory that Cailin was now suffering betrayal from her own clan and had nowhere left to go. That was why Chu Feng felt he had to take responsibility for her.

He ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did not want to become like that pack of beasts.

And just as Cailin had said, the suffering she was going through now really was because of Chu Feng.

That reason alone was enough to make Chu Feng want to make it up to her as much as he could.

After helping Cailin back to the Palace Chambers, Chu Feng carefully supported her and let her sit at the edge of the bed.

“It seems to have turned colder tonight. I’ll have a maid light a brazier for you. Then you can sleep soundly, and when you wake up tomorrow, everything will have passed.” As Chu Feng gently comforted her, he stroked her soft hair.

Chu Feng poured all the tenderness of his life into Cailin alone.

Meanwhile, Cailin seemed as if all her strength had been drained away. She sat there at the bedside like a puppet, letting Chu Feng arrange everything for her.

It was as though she had already gone completely numb. She no longer had any expectations for anything, nor did she want to trouble herself with anything anymore.

Perhaps...

Perhaps she really should get a good night’s sleep.

Seeing how lost and dispirited Cailin looked, Chu Feng could not help but feel heartache.

“It’s all right. I am the ruler of Great Chu. Just sleep at ease. I’ll stay here with you, and I won’t leave until you’ve fallen asleep. So rest for now. There’s no need to torment yourself over something so small.”

Under Chu Feng’s care, Cailin finally lay down. Chu Feng even thoughtfully tucked the blanket around her and kept both hands tightly wrapped around one of hers.

Whether it was because of Chu Feng’s constant murmuring, or because the warmth and gentleness from his palm kept flowing into her, Cailin actually drifted off to sleep without even realizing it.

Seeing that Cailin was still frowning even in her sleep, Chu Feng felt a pang of pity. But he knew that he had to solve the root of this matter.

So only after Cailin had fallen fully and peacefully asleep did Chu Feng quietly leave.

It was not because he did not want to stay with her, but because he wanted to resolve these matters as soon as possible. Only then could he truly remove Cailin’s worries for good.

What Chu Feng did not know, however, was that the moment he left, Cailin woke up at once. Lying alone on the bed in the Palace Chambers, she tossed and turned, staring fixedly at the bed curtains, utterly unable to fall asleep again.

The instant she lay there, countless voices began echoing through her mind, and her imagination even started conjuring up scenes of its own.

“Demoness... Demoness... Just die obediently.”

“If this woman is not eliminated, Great Chu will surely perish... Great Chu will surely perish!”

“This Demoness knows Demonic Arts... I saw her eating human hearts every night. She’ll overturn the realm of the Human Race... An ill omen, an ill omen indeed!”

“We beg Your Majesty to quickly grant death to this Demoness. Otherwise, if she endangers the realm and the state, that will be disastrous.”

“That’s right. This woman is a Demoness. She endangers the realm and the state. When the time comes and she harms the common people, Your Majesty, how will you face your ancestors then?”

She closed her eyes, but those voices only grew clearer, tangling together endlessly in her mind.

The noise pounded so hard that it felt as if Cailin’s head were about to split open. Instinctively, she covered her ears, but those voices seemed to have grown legs and burrowed straight into her mind, leaving her nowhere to hide.

“Enough... Enough. I won’t hurt anyone. I really won’t hurt you. Please, just let me go.”

Curled up on the bed, Cailin wept soundlessly...

As she cried, she once again remembered something her mother had told her when she was little.

“Child, the Human Race and the Ancient Royal Clan are never the same. They cannot tolerate us, and we cannot tolerate them. That is inborn. It cannot be changed… We were born to stand on opposite sides. No one can ever truly make peace, so do not place any hopes on either of those things.”

Back then, Cailin had not understood.

Now she did.

But what was the point of understanding now?

She had already sunk too deep into it...

She already...

What tormented Cailin the most was that she had never wanted to have any entanglement with the Human Race at all, yet she had discovered that she truly could not leave that man anymore.

But was staying really the right thing to do?

If she continued to stay, everyone would treat her as an alien being and would never show her a kind face.

The court officials would continue to oppose her, the common people would continue to petition, the rumors would grow more and more outrageous, and the situation would become more and more tense. When that time came, what would Chu Feng think then?

So if things continued to develop like this, sooner or later something would definitely happen.

And she was the source of that “something.”

If she wanted to resolve this matter, then she would have to resolve herself.

Cailin suddenly sat upright on the bed. Her eyes were shimmering with tears, but within them flashed a trace of resolve as well...

Maybe...

Maybe she should leave.

There was no spite in that thought, nor any trace of willfulness.

Rather...

It would be for Chu Feng’s good, and for her own as well.

She did not know whether this decision was right or wrong, but she truly could not think of any other way.

But the one thing she could be certain of right now was that Cailin did not want to become Chu Feng’s burden, nor did she want to become Chu Feng’s weakness, much less an excuse for those people to use against him.

Was it only if she left the Great Chu Dynasty herself that everyone would gradually let this matter die down, and Chu Feng would slowly forget her as well?

At the moment, that really did seem to be the only way.

Cailin hugged her knees and buried her head in her arms. She wanted desperately to let it all out, but she was afraid of disturbing the palace maids, so she could only sob silently to herself.

And when it truly came to the point of leaving, Cailin realized that she was actually this unwilling to part with it. More importantly, if she left this place, where could she even go?

But if she stayed, then she would already be that Demoness who brought ruin to the nation. Not only would that be harmful to Chu Feng, it would also be a crushing blow to herself.

And there was another, even more terrifying thought in Cailin’s heart now.

Her mind was full of the thought that one day Chu Feng might change. He might become like those ministers and his subjects, all of them believing she was a Demoness, looking at her with those measuring, suspicious eyes, looking at her with eyes full of hatred, cursing her, doubting her...

The thought of the person she loved most, the person closest to her, using those suspicious eyes to call her a Demoness was already more than Cailin could bear.

That feeling was simply too painful.