The Blood Crown - Chapter 145

After an agonizing wait, Chen Mu finally returned to the camp.

His expression was grave, his eyes wandering. Perhaps he had run too fast, as his hair was somewhat disheveled. Upon seeing Yan Sikong, he trembled and said, “Sir, something terrible has happened!”

Yan Sikong’s voice was stern: “They’re saying… the Feng family troops have rebelled?”

“We were hunting, and the Feng family troops suddenly appeared from somewhere, trying to cross the forest and attack the camp,” Chen Mu said in a panic. “But they were quickly intercepted by General Zhao…”

Yan Sikong wanted to ask more about the situation but could no longer hold back. He asked urgently, “How is the heir?”

Chen Mu was taken aback, his brows furrowing deeply. “The Feng family troops were surrounded and defeated by the garrison troops, many were killed or captured, and the heir has been escorted back to the main camp…”

Yan Sikong felt a rush of darkness before his eyes, his face draining of color. “He… has been captured…” He had hoped, however faintly, that Feng Ye might escape amid the chaos, but deep down, he knew it was unlikely. Even if Feng Ye had some miraculous ability to escape from the army, Feng Jianping was still in the camp, and Feng Ye could only surrender.

“Sir, could the Feng family really be rebelling?”

“Impossible!” Yan Sikong said sharply. “Feng Jianping is still within the camp. How could there be a rebellion? Who would seek their own destruction like this?”

“I also find this suspicious, but why would the Feng family troops appear at the mountain and sea hunting ground? Aren’t they supposed to be stationed outside the city?”

“They must have been framed.” Yan Sikong gritted his teeth. “It must be the work of Xie Zhongren.”

“If the Feng family is indeed confirmed to be rebelling…” Chen Mu’s face turned pale, “Without the Feng family, it will be even easier for him to depose me.”

Yan Sikong grabbed Chen Mu’s arm tightly. “Your Highness, you’re right. If the Feng family can’t be saved, your position as Crown Prince is certainly in jeopardy. We must not act recklessly. The Feng family must be wronged, and we need to find a way…”

“The Emperor has already issued an edict to return to the capital immediately.” Chen Mu said, “We must leave right away.”

“I need to see Yan Zilian. Can Your Highness take me to see my teacher?”

Chen Mu shook his head. “The camp is surrounded by garrison troops and the imperial guards. We can’t go anywhere; we must return to the capital immediately.”

Yan Sikong sank back into his chair, feeling as if the world had turned dark. He couldn’t see the way forward. With Feng Jianping and Feng Ye captured and the Feng family troops appearing recklessly at the hunting ground, the charge of rebellion seemed inescapable.

He had thought that Feng Jianping’s missed opportunity and the gradual erosion of the Great Harmony army would lead to their downfall, but he didn’t expect that Emperor Zhao Wu and Xie Zhongren would be so ruthless as to attempt to wipe out the Feng family completely. He had underestimated the cruelty of their opponents.

He hated, hated so much that he wanted to consume the flesh and blood of the villains.

What should he do? What should happen to Feng Ye?

Chen Mu looked at Yan Sikong’s distraught appearance and felt compassion. “Sir, you are still injured. You must take care of yourself.”

Yan Sikong ignored him, murmuring, “Return to the city. We need to leave now. I need to find Yan Zilian…” At this moment, only Yan Zilian might be able to save the Feng family.

News of the supposed rebellion of the King of Jingyuan had already reached the capital before them, and within a few days, it would spread throughout the entire Great Sheng Empire.

After returning to the city, Yan Sikong rushed to find Yan Zilian, but Yan Zilian was not home, likely having already entered the palace.

Yan Sikong had no choice but to find Zhou Mixin and the Minister of Justice, Meng Duo. One was the son of the Governor of Shuntian, and the other had connections with Zhu Lanting. Perhaps they could gather some information.

After enduring pain and running around for half a day, he finally learned the general situation.

As Chen Mu had said, the attack on the mountain and sea hunting ground was indeed carried out by the two thousand guards brought back to the capital by Feng Jianping. They suddenly burst into the hunting ground from the southern mountains and were intercepted by the garrison troops who arrived in time. During the chaos, Feng Ye was captured by Zhao Fuyi. The two thousand Feng family troops were either dead or captured, and Zhu Lanting, upon receiving the news, also immediately apprehended Feng Jianping.

This was all the information Yan Sikong could obtain. He inquired about whether the two thousand Feng family troops were led by Feng Ye and why Zhao Fuyi, who was stationed at the hunting ground’s perimeter, was suddenly present within the hunting ground. However, they couldn’t provide answers, but it was enough to confirm that the Feng family father and son were indeed framed.

Currently, the father and son were imprisoned in the Imperial Prison, and the King of Jingyuan’s residence was heavily surrounded, with no one allowed to enter or leave.

Thinking of their situation, Yan Sikong felt heartache. He could wait no longer and returned to Yan’s residence in the middle of the night. By then, Yan Zilian had finally returned.

Upon seeing Yan Zilian, Yan Sikong knelt heavily on the ground. “Teacher, the Feng family has been wronged!”

Yan Zilian pulled him up with a force that belied his advanced age. He stared with his murky gray eyes and said loudly, “What exactly is going on? Feng Jianping wasn’t willing to take risks. Why would the Feng family troops appear at the hunting ground?”

“They were framed!” Yan Sikong said urgently. “Before the spring hunt, I had a meeting with Feng Ye. Feng Jianping would rather cut his troops than bear the disgrace of disloyalty. He just wanted to return to the Great Harmony as soon as possible. If they really wanted to rebel, they would have started earlier. How could they be so clumsy now?”

Yan Zilian gritted his teeth. “I also find this matter suspicious. Who rebels without first ensuring their own safety? Last night, Feng Jianping was drunk, and today both father and son were captured, with two thousand guards recklessly entering the hunting ground, nearly annihilated. If they wanted to rebel, how could they be so foolish?”

“It must be Xie Zhongren who sent someone to steal Feng Jianping’s seal!” Yan Sikong clutched Yan Zilian’s sleeve tightly. “Teacher, if the Feng family father and son are wronged like this, both we and the Crown Prince will surely follow in their footsteps!”

Yan Zilian took a deep breath, trembling as he said, “This matter is full of loopholes and hard to justify. However, proving their innocence will be extremely difficult. If the Emperor is determined to wipe them out, everything we do will be in vain.”

Yan Sikong’s heart felt as if it had turned to ashes. “Does he really leave no room for mercy? Feng Jianping has guarded the Great Harmony for over twenty years, contributing greatly to the empire…”

Yan Zilian staggered back a few steps, leaning against the wall to steady himself. He said slowly, “From the moment Feng Jianping returned to the capital, the Emperor never intended to let him leave unscathed. But I never expected… never expected…”

Never expected that the indecisive Emperor Zhao Wu would be so cruel. He was usually inclined towards pleasure and avoiding trouble. It was clear that his favor towards Xie Zhongren had reached a point of almost complete obedience.

Yan Sikong shook his head. “We cannot simply give up.”

“I will go to see Zhao Fuyi and Zhu Lanting tomorrow morning…” Yan Zilian said absentmindedly. “The matter with Liu An has left the Emperor with resentment towards me, and he won’t even see me. We’ve been forced into this dire situation step by step by Xie Zhongren.”

Yan Sikong recalled the various incidents since Feng Jianping’s return to the capital. Xie Zhongren had used countless schemes to force Feng Jianping to cut his troops. They had countered each move, successfully overcoming every dangerous step, even driving away a minister of the Ministry of Personnel. It seemed they had won each challenge.

But why, at the final moment, was everything suddenly overturned?!

In the end, it was simply because the lofty Nine-Five Emperor was determined to destroy the bridge after crossing the river, to take back the power that made him uneasy from the Feng family. They had overlooked the fact that their opponents were not just Xie Zhongren, but the Emperor of the Great Sheng.

How can a subject fight against the ruler?

Perhaps, perhaps if Feng Jianping had accepted the troop reductions and honestly surrendered part of his power, he might have been sent back to the Great Harmony. It was their repeated resistance that made the Emperor feel threatened, igniting his desire to kill.

Yan Sikong felt as if he was in an ice cave, trembling with cold.

Yan Zilian said solemnly, “Sikong, they’ve charged the Feng family with the grave crime of extermination. This matter will not end well. We must be prepared.”

Yan Sikong’s voice was faint, almost like a mosquito’s whisper. 

—

“Teacher, you must save Feng Ye. He cannot die.”

“I will see Zhao Fuyi and Zhu Lanting early tomorrow morning,” Yan Zilian said with a heavy heart. “Both are honorable men, especially Zhao Fuyi, who was once part of Feng Jianping’s troops. If we can find solid evidence, we might be able to save the lives of the Feng family father and son.”

“What can I do?” Yan Sikong asked urgently.

“Don’t act recklessly,” Yan Zilian said with a serious tone. “With the Feng family father and son in such a dire situation, you must avoid getting involved directly. Others might think you and Feng Ye are at odds, which is actually a blessing in disguise right now. Otherwise, Xie Zhongren would surely try to eliminate you as well.”

“I don’t care about my own safety,” Yan Sikong said through gritted teeth. “As long as I can save Feng Ye, I would risk my life…”

“Yan Sikong!” Yan Zilian’s voice was stern. “You’ve always been calm and composed. Now that something big has happened, you must not lose your cool.”

Yan Sikong froze.

“Your life is worth more than you think. Even if you sacrifice a hundred lives, it might not be enough to save anyone. Only by protecting yourself can you have a chance to help them,” Yan Zilian said firmly, gripping Yan Sikong’s shoulders. “With the Feng family father and son in prison and the Crown Prince’s position in danger, they have only us to rely on.”

Yan Sikong’s eyes were filled with bloodshot fury. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails nearly dug into his flesh. With a resolute and fierce gaze, he nodded. “Yes, they have only us to rely on. I will definitely save them, no matter what!”

—