The Blood Crown - Chapter 156
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On an auspicious day, Yan Sikong went to present the betrothal gifts. He personally led his household, bringing the splendid gifts to the palace and delivering them outside the Noon Gate.
The day after presenting the betrothal gifts, according to tradition, Emperor Zhaowu was supposed to host a banquet in the Central Harmony Hall with the Empress, the Xianfei, and several high-ranking officials to entertain Yan Sikong’s family. However, since Yan Sikong had no relatives and even his only mentor had passed away, Emperor Zhaowu changed the banquet to a private dinner, hosting only Yan Sikong.
This was Yan Sikong’s first meeting with Feng Jianping’s sister, his future mother-in-law—the Xianfei. The Xianfei, of noble birth, was not only dignified and beautiful but also talented. It was no wonder she once won Emperor Zhaowu’s favor. However, with the Feng family accused of rebellion, Emperor Zhaowu’s sparing her was a concession due to her years of service and her role as the mother of a princess. Her future was bound to be difficult.
The Xianfei’s complexion was very poor, her pale and tired face not even concealed by the finest rouge. She was very cold towards Yan Sikong, and with her only daughter about to marry, she appeared distracted and absent-minded. Yan Sikong observed this with silent sympathy.
During the banquet, Emperor Zhaowu did not spare praise for Yan Sikong, but like Xie Zhongren, his words were sharp and critical, with Yu Ji beside him echoing the critique, clearly still wary of Yan Sikong being Yan Zilian’s pupil.
Yan Sikong, with his keen intellect, knew how to make people like him. Even the notoriously aloof Shen Hexuan had befriended him. Flattering a pleasure-seeking emperor was like taking candy from a baby. Thus, the family dinner somewhat alleviated Emperor Zhaowu’s suspicions about this son-in-law, making him more satisfied.
As he left the palace, Yan Sikong crossed paths with Zhu Lanting. They exchanged a meaningful glance, Zhu Lanting’s sharp eyes filled with scrutiny. However, he said nothing in the end. Yan Sikong nodded slightly and walked away.
Since that conversation at Xie Zhongren’s birthday banquet, Zhu Lanting had made no moves. This was better than anything else. Yan Sikong, now preoccupied with rescuing Feng Ye, had no time to worry about Zhu Lanting’s intentions. Everything else was secondary.
In the blink of an eye, the eve of the wedding arrived.
The day before the wedding, the palace’s eunuchs delivered Princess Wanyang’s dowry to Yan’s residence. Yan Sikong led his entire household in kneeling and welcoming the dowry. The residence was already decorated with lanterns and streamers, spotless and ready for the princess’s arrival the next day.
After receiving the dowry, Yan Sikong still had to review the guest list, the banquet arrangements, and confirm the return gifts for the day after the wedding. He was busy until nightfall before finally escaping from the crowd and returning to his own quarters.
She Zhun had quietly entered the room some time ago. Seeing him, he teased, “You must be exhausted, dear son-in-law.”
Yan Sikong slumped into a chair, pressing his aching temples. “Is everything prepared?”
“Yes, everything will proceed according to plan tomorrow.”
Yan Sikong said in a deep voice, “If there are any accidents, kill without hesitation.”
She Zhun sensed something amiss. “You seem worried about something.”
Yan Sikong mocked, “Tomorrow is my wedding day, and we are going to raid the most heavily guarded prison in the world. What do you think I should be worried about?”
“No, your tone was off just now.” She Zhun stared at him intently. “Has something gone wrong?”
“She Zhun, when did you become so perceptive of me?” Yan Sikong forced a smile despite his pain.
“We’ve known each other for nearly twenty years. I’ve seen countless faces of yours. I understand you better than anyone.” She Zhun paused and continued, “I might be the person who understands you the most in the world.”
Yan Sikong sighed and told She Zhun about Zhu Lanting.
She Zhun’s expression grew serious. “I’ve heard of this person. Although he is an official, he is known for his straightforward and sociable nature, and his martial skills are exceptional. I didn’t expect him to have discovered us…”
“This person has extraordinary lightness skill. He has at least tracked me two or three times without me noticing. I was really careless.”
“But he said that the person in black that night was not him?”
Yan Sikong nodded. “I asked him tentatively. Since he has already shown his cards to me, there is no need to conceal this matter. It seems he genuinely does not know who the mysterious person in black is…”
“I’ve had people investigate for days without any results. We have no leads. If he were Xie Zhongren’s person, you’d be dead by now. But if he is not Xie Zhongren’s person, then who could he be?”
Yan Sikong waved his hand. “Forget it. There’s no time to worry about him now. Zhu Lanting hasn’t made any moves, probably planning to observe. Now that the eunuchs are in power, the Zhu family, as an imperial in-law, is being increasingly marginalized. He must be frustrated. Also, with the Huifei incident, he was demoted and harbors deep resentment towards Xie Zhongren. As long as we don’t threaten the royal family’s safety, he should not take action for now.”
“I’m not too worried about him either. We just need to be more cautious. We might encounter the Imperial Guards tomorrow, and after the incident, Zhu Lanting will certainly guess it was us.”
“Let him guess.” Yan Sikong squinted his eyes. “I can’t afford to worry about so much now.”
She Zhun was silent for a moment, then threw the tea cup he had been toying with. Yan Sikong caught it deftly.
As She Zhun was about to speak, Yan Sikong stopped him. “No need to persuade me further. I won’t back down. Everything will proceed as planned tomorrow.”
“I can go kill Xie Zhongren,” She Zhun said softly. “I also have a blood feud with that eunuch. You don’t have to bear it all alone.”
“I’m not alone.” Yan Sikong forced a smile. “There’s you, and countless innocent people who have suffered because of him. But someone has to dismantle his power and cut off his wings. Otherwise, even if you could bypass all the guards and take his life, killing one Xie Zhongren will only lead to another treacherous minister taking his place.”
“Do you think too highly of yourself?” She Zhun said coldly. “Even the Chancellor and the heroic generals have been defeated by him. Your staying behind to fight him is like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.”
“I neither overestimate nor underestimate myself. I simply walk the path I’ve chosen.” Yan Sikong stood up, looking at the bright moon outside the window. He said calmly, “What if I’m like a mantis trying to stop a chariot? I have nothing left to lose.”
“Even if you never see Feng Ye again?”
Yan Sikong’s heart ached, and his body trembled slightly. He murmured, “Even if… I never see Feng Ye again.”
A/N: Hoo, tomorrow is an important plot twist~~ Finally reaching this point, I’m so excited!! These days have been busy and stuck, so updates have been sparse and a bit short. I’ve been reflecting and pushing myself, feeling a bit miserable. I think it’s related to getting older (hey) and declining energy levels. I used to update 6000 or even 9000 words a day… Anyway, no matter what, I must not give up on my standards. I remind myself every day to update and write well!
Love you all~~ (End of chapter)
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Anonymous
I think the man in black is Yan Sikong brother(Nanyu).