The Blood Crown - Chapter 157

On the day of the wedding, as dawn approached, Yan Sikong’s residence sent the prepared return gifts to the Noon Gate, which included horses, armor, cattle, sheep, and food.

When the auspicious time arrived, Princess Wanyang bid farewell to the Emperor, Empress, and her mother, the Xianfei, before boarding the phoenix-carriage. The procession included female attendants, court ladies, and other women in ceremonial carriages, followed by the maidservants and eunuchs accompanying the dowry, and finally, the Imperial Guards on horseback.

The procession, led by the Emperor’s daughter, passed through half of the capital city. The streets were lined with citizens eager to witness the spectacle. Even though they could not see the princess herself, the grandeur of the procession, the luxury of the carriage, and the impressive display were unprecedented for most, drawing a crowd that filled the streets.

When the princess’s carriage arrived at Yan’s residence, it was dusk. The entire residence was adorned with lanterns and streamers, and guests filled the grounds. Yan Sikong had long been standing at the entrance with his entire household, awaiting the princess’s arrival. As Princess Wanyang alighted from the carriage, the eunuchs announced the decree. They all knelt in unison to welcome the noble bride.

Yan Sikong was dressed in a bright red wedding robe with a white inner garment. The robe was embroidered with four-clawed dragons and was cinched with a golden and jade belt given by Emperor Zhaowu. His robe fluttered like clouds, highlighting his striking features. Even though his face was powdered to cover his pallor, he still managed to present an air of pride and contentment.

He had memorized the wedding rites, and despite his mind being preoccupied with the night’s events, he forced himself to stay alert and follow the ceremonial procedures to welcome Princess Wanyang.

As Princess Wanyang stepped down from the carriage, dressed in resplendent phoenix coronet and bridal attire, she extended a delicate, white hand to rest on Yan Sikong’s arm. At that moment, he was jolted awake, fully realizing that this person beside him was to become his legitimate wife.

He could not tell if he had truly forgotten or deliberately avoided thinking about it, but in that instant, when he truly perceived Princess Wanyang not just as a term but as a living person, he was compelled to ponder how he should treat her.

No matter how much he despised Emperor Zhaowu or how complicated his feelings for Feng Ye were, this woman was innocent.

How should he treat her? She was a princess, so he could not neglect her. She was Feng Ye’s cousin, so he did not want to be disrespectful, but she was his wife…

He felt as if his soul had left his body, observing himself and Princess Wanyang in the wedding ceremony with cold detachment. His smile was fixed on his face as he mingled with the guests, toasting and exchanging pleasantries. Amidst the overwhelming sea of red decorations, he felt no joy. Despite the fine wines and aromatic incense, he could only sense a damp, lingering smell of blood.

As night fell, Yan’s residence was brightly lit and bustling with activity. Guests came and went, almost wearing out the doorstep. Although many looked down upon Yan Sikong, many sought to curry favor, and the gift-givers had lined up in long queues, surrounding much of the residence.

After the ceremony, the princess was escorted to the bridal chamber, while Yan Sikong moved between the tables, drinking and toasting. Although much of the wine was replaced with water, he still consumed a significant amount.

The banquet continued into the night, and Yan Sikong pretended to be drunk before being assisted to the bridal chamber, where he would also perform the ritual of drinking from the shared cup with his new bride.

Inside the bridal chamber, the light was dim and warm. The room was filled with auspicious decorations, including a golden tray encrusted with jade, holding two cups of wedding wine in gold goblets, tied together with a red ribbon.

On the wedding bed beneath the warm curtains, Princess Wanyang sat upright, her red veil slightly swaying, evoking a sense of mystery.

Yan Sikong took a deep breath, shaking off the pretense of drunkenness. He approached and pondered whether to address her as “Your Excellency” or “Madam.” The two words seemed so difficult to utter.

Unexpectedly, before he could speak, Princess Wanyang suddenly tore off her red veil.

Yan Sikong was taken aback.

Beneath the phoenix crown was a beautiful face with delicate features, icy skin, and eyes like rippling water. He had heard of Princess Wanyang’s beauty, but seeing her in person made him marvel at her perfection. Her resemblance to Feng Ye was what truly unsettled him.

Princess Wanyang, Chen Bixi, looked at Yan Sikong with wide, curious eyes and said, “So you are Yan Sikong. As they said, you are quite handsome.”

Yan Sikong watched her in silence, noting her sharp tone and waiting to see what more she had to say.

“You have seen this princess and still haven’t knelt?” Princess Wanyang raised her chin arrogantly and looked down at him.

Yan Sikong bowed slightly and said calmly, “I am now married to the princess. I am the husband, and you are the wife. The husband should not kneel before the wife.”

“I am the ruler, and you are the subject. The ruler has authority over the subject.” Princess Wanyang threw the red veil onto the ground with a fierce gesture. “Kneel!”

“If the princess insists that I kneel, then I will go to the palace tomorrow to ask the Emperor to grant me a divorce. Though it may mean certain death for me, I would not dare defy the princess’s command.” Yan Sikong gazed at Princess Wanyang with a cold, sharp look.

This young princess had just arrived at the residence. If he could not control her now, wouldn’t he be bound hand and foot in the future?

—

Princess Wanyang was indeed intimidated by Yan Sikong’s demeanor. She gritted her teeth and said disdainfully, “You kneel so easily to that old eunuch, but refuse to kneel to me. Am I worth less than a dog in your eyes?”

Yan Sikong’s expression shifted slightly.

Princess Wanyang rose, removed her heavy phoenix crown, and held it in her hand as she advanced step by step toward Yan Sikong. “Do you think just because I’m in the inner court, I know nothing? No wonder my cousin didn’t want me to marry you. He already saw through you as a shameless man who would betray his teacher and destroy his ancestors for the sake of wealth and power!”

Yan Sikong lowered his gaze, his eyelashes trembling slightly.

Princess Wanyang’s face was filled with anger and resentment. “If it weren’t for my mother, I’d rather die than marry you, the traitor. Don’t think that by becoming my husband, you can rise to prominence. I won’t bear you a child, and you won’t even get a chance to touch me!” She threw the phoenix crown forcefully at Yan Sikong.

Yan Sikong did not dodge. The heavy crown struck him and fell to the ground, scattering expensive jewels and pearls everywhere.

Yan Sikong blinked and secretly sighed in relief. He said calmly, “Your Highness, rest assured. I wouldn’t dare overstep.” He walked to the table and picked up the cup of wedding wine. “Your Highness might as well share this cup of wine with me. Although we are not truly husband and wife, we will be living under the same roof and must cover for each other. This wine is meant to symbolize harmony, but now it can serve as a form of cooperation.”

Princess Wanyang narrowed her eyes, warily watching the cup of wine.

Yan Sikong smiled slightly. “Are you afraid of even a cup of wine?”

Princess Wanyang approached, took the wine cup, glared at Yan Sikong, and drank it in one gulp. Her face immediately contorted, but she did not make a sound.

Yan Sikong bowed and drank his cup as well.

Princess Wanyang walked to the bed and said coldly, “Don’t come near the bed. Sleep wherever you like.”

“Yes.”

As soon as she sat down, her vision began to blur, and her body gradually grew weak, slowly collapsing onto the bed.

Yan Sikong approached, carefully removed her phoenix shoes, laid her flat, covered her with a blanket, and then retrieved a prepared set of night clothes from under the bed. He changed out of his wedding attire, covering his face with a mask.

Wealthy families often had secret passages for emergencies, typically located in the master’s quarters. Yan Sikong opened the wardrobe, moved a wooden box from the bottom of the cabinet, revealing a hidden door. He opened the hidden door and crawled through.

The secret passage led directly to a grove outside the residence. Emerging from the passage, it was deep night, and the surroundings were so quiet that only the sound of cicadas could be heard. Dressed in black, Yan Sikong quietly disappeared into the moonlight.

The prison guards of the imperial prison were also part of the Imperial Guards but were directly commanded by the Dali Temple rather than Zhulan Ting. It was one of the most heavily guarded prisons in the realm, holding high-ranking officials with salaries of two thousand stones or more.

At today’s wedding feast, Yan Sikong had invited Meng Duo, the Minister of Dali Temple, and several key officials, including the warden of the imperial prison. He took the opportunity to ply them with several drinks.

Moreover, Emperor Zhaowu had recently consolidated military and ministerial powers, feeling triumphant. Taking advantage of his daughter’s wedding, he rewarded the court officials with fine wine. Naturally, they had to share some with their subordinates to show their gratitude for the Emperor’s favor.

It was unclear how much of the wine had been consumed by the prison guards, but the city was celebrating the Emperor’s daughter’s wedding, and with people’s guard down, it was indeed a good time for a jailbreak.

Yan Sikong quietly approached the perimeter of the imperial prison. The patrolling Imperial Guards were divided into two groups, walking with their backs to each other, covering the length of an incense stick’s burn time to make a complete circuit around the wall. While this was manageable to avoid, there were also Imperial Guards patrolling inside the wall. After monitoring for half a month, Yan Sikong had pinpointed the exact timings and found gaps in the patrols. He planned to enter from the northwest and southeast corners.

The imperial prison had not experienced a lapse in nearly a hundred years, and the guards had become lax. The patrol routines remained unchanged, providing an opportunity.

Seizing the moment, Yan Sikong scaled the wall, holding a dagger in his hand, and applied a layer of dazing powder to his left palm.

He knew that She Zhun and his men had also infiltrated. The prison guards he had bribed had provided detailed maps and the locations of the keys. Although the Feng family father and son were imprisoned in the same facility, they were in separate cells. She Zhun would look for Feng Ye while Yan Sikong would rescue Feng Jianping. She Zhun’s men would come to assist them.

Yan Sikong had long debated whether he should find Feng Ye himself, but he ultimately decided against it. Even though Feng Ye was in prison, the Feng residence had not been seized, and Xue Bo was still able to visit. Feng Ye should have heard of the situation, especially since today was his wedding day. The matter of the stolen military tokens had not yet been explained. He did not know how Feng Ye would view him now.

He also did not know if Feng Ye was more desperate than he was.

He hoped that their meeting would not be clouded by emotions and jeopardize the mission. The most important thing was to get them out; everything else was secondary.