Chapter 180 : Chapter 180

Chapter 180. I Want to Go Back

Cailin ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍stood there in a daze, looking at that departing figure as an indescribable emotion welled up inside her.

Clearly, ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Chu Feng was still just as irritating as ever when he spoke, and his attitude was still enough to leave anyone speechless.

But ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍why...

Why ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was it that Cailin felt no anger toward Chu Feng at all?

Where ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍exactly had the problem begun?

Biting ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍her lip, Cailin quickly chased after him.

Sensing her little movement, Chu Feng deliberately slowed his pace. Sure enough, it was not long before Cailin caught up to him.

“You really are something. Since you brought me into the Imperial Palace, do you not think you ought to take responsibility for me? What is the meaning of leaving me there alone? I do not care what place you arranged for me. In any case, you have to stay with me.”

Cailin spoke without thinking. She only felt that now that she was in the Imperial Palace, she had to remain by Chu Feng’s side.

Especially after what had happened in court today, she felt even more strongly that she needed to stay with him. Otherwise, who knew when someone might suddenly make a move against her?

So the reason Cailin wanted to stay with Chu Feng was simply because she wanted protection. That was her first thought.

But the way she said it sounded far too intimate. To anyone else listening, it would have meant something entirely different.

Chu Feng had been rather absentminded to begin with. Hearing her, he had assumed this woman was about to stir up some new trouble again, but he had not expected those words instead.

The corners of Chu Feng’s lips suddenly lifted. Amused, he bent down, and his face instantly filled Cailin’s vision.

Their posture and the distance between them were deeply intimate, and the smile in Chu Feng’s eyes only deepened. He looked at Cailin with that same frivolous, teasing amusement.

“What is this? Were you not quite resistant to me before? And now that you have returned to my Imperial Palace, you suddenly cannot bear to part from me?

What, are you some little miser who saw the scale of my household and got greedy ideas? I am telling you the same thing as before: just stay in the Imperial Palace at ease. No one will dare bully you. As for whatever you want, inform someone, and I will naturally have it delivered to you.”

Chu Feng spoke with great seriousness, and perhaps because he sounded so serious, Cailin ended up saying nothing at all.

But even though Chu Feng had said so, there were countless tongues in the Imperial Palace. Some things were not matters that could be solved just because he said they could.

Before Chu Feng had even been back for three days, rumors had already spread through the city like wildfire.

And all those rumors were about Cailin...

“Have you heard? That woman from the Ancient Royal Clan whom His Majesty brought back is a demoness!”

“Demoness? It is worse than that. I heard from a little eunuch in the Imperial Kitchen that she has to eat three human hearts every meal. Only then can she maintain her beauty and cultivation.”

“Hiss... Really?”

The people around them immediately gasped.

“How could it be false? Otherwise, why would she be called a demon consort? Think about it—they are demons to begin with. Now that she is here, how could she possibly change her old habits?”

“His Majesty is wise and mighty. How could he be bewitched by a demoness like that? What exactly happened during this time?”

“Quiet! Are you trying to die? You dare say such things? Did you not hear? Chu Feng openly defended Cailin in front of so many people. Those were all court officials, let alone the likes of us.”

“That is true. We had better stop talking nonsense. His Majesty has already been bewitched by that demon consort. If we keep speaking carelessly at a time like this, we might very well lose our lives.”

“My heavens, then what are we supposed to do? Is there any way to drive that demon consort out?”

“Do not even mention it. I heard people say that this demon consort has all sorts of methods, and His Majesty dotes on her in every possible way. So right now, there is no way to drive her out.”

“It is over, it is over. She really is a demon consort, one who will bring calamity to the nation and its people.”

In the Imperial Garden, several maids were whispering noisily in the rear garden, unaware that Cailin was standing behind a rockery.

She heard every word they said with perfect clarity.

Demoness!

Demon consort?

Eating human hearts?

Those words were like knives, carving into Cailin’s heart one cut after another.

After Chu Feng had said those words earlier, he had gone off to deal with some matters and told Cailin to walk around by herself for a while.

Cailin had no idea where anything was, so she could only wander around aimlessly. By chance, she had wandered here, and by chance, she had overheard what those maids were saying.

What had she done wrong?

She had done nothing at all...

The more Cailin thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt, until even her eyes reddened.

Cailin felt that she had never wanted to come here in the first place. Chu Feng was the one who had insisted on bringing her back.

And now, everything was being blamed on her alone.

Yet with so many people talking, Cailin did not know how to explain herself. She could only silently swallow this grievance.

For a full half-shichen, she did not take a single step out of the Imperial Garden.

Cailin kept thinking the same thing over and over in her mind—why... why did these people have to speak of her like this?

In the end, no matter how hard she thought, she could not understand it. She bit her lip, her eyes rimmed red.

Chu Feng, however, still knew nothing of all this.

In the Imperial Study—

Chu Feng was reading through memorials. This trip away had lasted too long, and a great many memorials had piled up. Suddenly, he heard a hurried burst of footsteps outside the door.

In the next moment, Cailin burst in.

She carried an air that allowed no refusal. The instant she entered, she planted both hands on Chu Feng’s desk and said aggressively with reddened eyes, “I want to go back.”

That angry cry startled Chu Feng so much that he was momentarily baffled. They had already spoken things through perfectly well, so why did she suddenly want to leave?

But seeing Cailin’s chest heaving, her eyes slightly red, and yet her head held high in stubborn defiance, the determination in her gaze was clearly genuine...

Chu Feng lifted his eyes and swept a calm glance over her. “Go back where? Did we not already discuss this? If I tell you to stay here, then you stay here. What is wrong? Is this place not good enough? I am already giving you the finest food and drink. Is that still not enough?”

“The Ancient Royal Clan... I want to return to my own place. I want to go back!” Cailin said, enunciating each word. “I am not staying here anymore. This is your homeland, not mine...”

Chu Feng set down the memorial in his hand and leaned back against the Dragon Throne, a playful curve rising at the corner of his lips. “And your reason? I think I have already treated you well enough.”

Cailin bit her lip. “You... did you not hear what those people outside are saying about me? They are pushing all the blame onto me. On what grounds?”

“Demoness, demon consort, eating human hearts... I have done nothing at all, so what right do they have to say such things about me? That is why I want to go back. I am unwilling to suffer this kind of grievance.”

The more she spoke, the more agitated she became, until even her voice began to tremble.

Chu Feng merely looked at her quietly and said nothing.