Chapter 179 : Chapter 179

Chapter 179. Openly Defending Her

With ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍a furious shout from Chu Feng, the entire court of civil and military officials instantly dropped their heads, fell to their knees, and kowtowed to him.

The ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Censor-in-Chief was drenched in sweat, his forehead striking the floor with repeated thuds. “This subject... this subject knows his crime... This subject would never again dare speak out of turn.”

Chu ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Feng was still in the middle of his anger and could not even be bothered to spare him a glance. He turned around, returned to the Dragon Throne, and said indifferently, “Court is dismissed.”

“As ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍for the matter of the Ancient Royal Clan, I know what I am doing. If anyone dares say another word, go to the Ministry of Justice and receive thirty strokes of the court rod yourselves... And if even that cannot change what you are thinking, then resign your posts of your own accord.”

The ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍entire court fell silent as cicadas in winter. No one dared make another sound.

All ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the civil and military officials harbored quite a few complaints in their hearts. None of them could understand why Chu Feng would so fiercely protect a demoness from another world.

But who told them Chu Feng stood at the highest station and held the greatest authority, as the sovereign of the Great Chu Dynasty?

All of those officials were now furious but dared not speak. There was nothing any of them could do.

As they watched Chu Feng leave the court, several of the onlookers stared at his retreating figure and shook their heads with sighs.

“It is over, utterly over. If His Majesty is so deeply bewitched by beauty that he is even willing to bring a demoness from the Ancient Royal Clan into the Imperial Palace as a consort, then I fear the dynasty will sooner or later be ruined in his hands.”

“Who would say otherwise? I truly do not know what His Majesty went through. Why has he become like this after just one trip?”

“What is the use of saying these things now? His Majesty has a mind of his own now, and he is utterly resolute. We cannot say anything more. At this rate, things will only sink further and further. I fear there is no turning back now.”

As these civil and military officials walked out of the palace, they kept discussing the matter among themselves.

It was clear that every one of them was worried about the future of the Great Chu Dynasty.

Yet from the tone of their words, it seemed they had never truly believed in Chu Feng at all.

Chu Feng had done so much for the Great Chu Dynasty. He had made it so prosperous and flourishing.

And yet these officials did not remember a trace of Chu Feng’s contributions. On the contrary, after he made this decision, not a single minister was willing to understand him. Every one of them was filled with suspicion and doubt toward him.

Chu Feng, however, paid no attention to such trivial matters. To him, human nature itself could not withstand close scrutiny, and these ministers had no obligation to believe in him.

At the same time, Chu Feng could also understand their point of view. From their perspective, the dynasty itself was naturally more important than anything else.

After all, they could not allow a foundation built over thousands of years to be destroyed in a single stroke. So Chu Feng did not blame anyone. He merely felt that everyone stood in a different position, and so their choices were different as well. Chu Feng only wanted to do what he believed was right.

That was also why he had firmly dismissed the court. He did not want to listen to those old ministers chattering endlessly in his ear, because Chu Feng knew with absolute certainty that he would never change his mind.

All along the way, Cailin followed behind Chu Feng in silence.

After seeing Chu Feng’s imposing side just now, and seeing how he had protected her in front of the entire court of civil and military officials, it would have been a lie to say she was not moved...

Not only was she moved, but there was also an indescribable emotion welling up inside her.

Cailin did not know how to describe that feeling. She only felt that something inside her heart had turned strangely unsettled.

When Chu Feng had suddenly risen just now and stood alone against the entire court, the force of that moment had truly stirred her heart.

And there was something else as well. As the sovereign of the Great Chu Dynasty, Chu Feng had absolutely no need to oppose the entire court for her sake. Yet now he truly had done exactly that—for her, a woman of the Ancient Royal Clan, a woman of another race, he had stood against all the officials of the court. That was what moved her most of all.

It made Cailin feel as though Chu Feng treasured her in the palm of his hand and could not bear to see her suffer the slightest grievance.

To tell the truth, Cailin had been raised by the Heaven-Devouring Python Clan since childhood as their heir and leader. On the surface, she appeared glorious, but in reality, being cultivated as the successor and future leader had cost her much of her freedom.

As a result, from childhood until now, her life had consisted only of cultivation, and then more cultivation. There had never been anything else in her life truly worth being happy about.

So now, when she saw Chu Feng take such a firm stand to protect her, Cailin felt a kind of emotion she had never known before.

But she still could not understand why Chu Feng would do this.

Judging from how things had unfolded until now, in Cailin’s eyes, Chu Feng had only wanted the power of the Seven-Colored Spiritual Aura within her. But now Chu Feng had already obtained that power and fused with it. So why?

If she had merely been a chess piece, then now that the game had already been played, what use did such a discarded piece still have? Why would he go so far as to oppose the people of his court for the sake of an abandoned piece?

A suspicion gradually rose in Cailin’s heart.

Could it be that Chu Feng had some feelings for her?

But the instant that thought appeared, Cailin rejected it entirely.

In her eyes, someone as wise, mighty, and peerless as Chu Feng could have any beauty he wanted. How could he possibly like a woman who had opposed him from the very beginning?

Yet after she thought that through, she found, for some reason, that her heart felt as though a piece of it had gone hollow, leaving her at a loss.

Not until they entered the Imperial Garden did she finally speak. “You... why did you protect me?”

After hesitating for a while, Cailin still felt she had to ask Chu Feng clearly about the reason for all this, and why he had done what he did.

To Cailin, her attitude toward such matters had always been especially serious. No matter what your intentions were, you had to tell her exactly what the problem was. If it was a small issue, it could be communicated and resolved in time. If it was a major one, then losses could still be cut in time as well.

Chu Feng seemed not to have expected Cailin to ask such a direct question to his face.

Though he instinctively felt a slight urge to avoid it, Chu Feng still turned his head at once with full seriousness.

At that moment, the sunlight of the Great Chu Dynasty poured over Chu Feng’s body, seeming to gild him in a layer of golden light. It suited his status perfectly.

Chu Feng curled his lips, still wearing that same indifferent expression. “Protect you? Hah. You do not need to flatter yourself like that.

I simply do not like other people making decisions for me, nor do I like others telling me how to do things and pointing fingers at me. And remember this well—you are someone I brought here. Whether you live or die, only I get to decide that. No one else has any right to point fingers at you.”

When he said this, even Chu Feng’s tone became a few degrees more serious.

“Up ahead is the residence I arranged for you. Every maid and servant there was personally chosen by me for you. Use them as you please.”

After saying that, Chu Feng strode away without even turning his head.