The Blood Crown - Chapter 185

Yan Sikong first returned to Mao Ren. He wanted to test Shen Hexuan with the conditions of allegiance he had discussed with Feng Ye. The officials and generals of Qianzhou were easy to deceive, but Shen Hexuan was not ordinary.

Before leaving the capital, he had imagined various difficulties he might encounter. However, upon arrival, he realized that the real challenges were beyond his imagination, such as Feng Ye’s attitude towards him and the presence of Shen Hexuan in the impoverished land of Qianzhou.

Upon returning to Mao Ren, the city gate guards still showed him respect, but their gazes were noticeably different. Rumors, like the invisible and intangible wind, spread from every mouth and were everywhere.

As soon as he entered the city, he went to see Shen Hexuan. Shen Hexuan looked pale and had lost weight in just a few days. Yan Sikong recalled that the broken city walls had been repaired, indicating that great efforts had been made.

Shen Hexuan looked at Yan Sikong with exhaustion and gloom. “The Wolf King has withdrawn his troops. Sir Yan, your mission was successful.”

“In that case, why does Brother Shen show no joy?”

“How did Sir Yan persuade the Wolf King to withdraw his troops?”

“By appealing to reason and virtue,” Yan Sikong replied.

Shen Hexuan pursed his lips. “What kind of ‘affection’ did you appeal to? Was it the affection of a broken sleeve?”

Yan Sikong laughed softly. “I am on a mission from the emperor, traveling thousands of miles to persuade the Wolf King to submit to the court. To repay the emperor’s grace, I am willing to sacrifice my life and efforts. What kind of affection matters?”

“So the rumors in the capital were true. I thought they were fabricated by idle young men.” Shen Hexuan squinted. “Do you now have a wife and children?”

“Having a wife and children doesn’t prevent a man from seeking pleasure,” Yan Sikong said without shame. “Moreover, Brother Shen has probably heard that Princess Wanyang is proud and disdainful of me. She won’t even allow concubines. Since your wife is often away, you should understand me.”

Shen Hexuan’s face turned red with anger. “You… You are shameless.”

Yan Sikong coldly smiled. “In my eyes, shame is the most useless thing in the world. If I cared about shame, I would have been ashamed and ended my life many times over. Brother Shen, you value reputation more than life. An ineffective impeachment has led you to this remote place. While I endured humiliation and struggled to survive in the capital, dealing with the eunuchs alone, you wasted your talents on trivial matters like judging a thief stealing rice. If your teacher were still alive, would he praise you as the world’s greatest defender of shame?”

Shen Hexuan was stunned. Yan Sikong, who had always been respectful and humble, was now aggressively confrontational. After a moment of silence, Shen Hexuan said, “It is a great regret of my life that I couldn’t personally eradicate the eunuchs. But a gentleman knows what to do and what not to do. If everyone could easily violate principles, how are they different from beasts?”

Yan Sikong smiled faintly. “People are essentially no different from beasts.”

“You…” Shen Hexuan suddenly seemed to have a realization. “Feng Ye’s opposition to your marriage to Princess Wanyang was not due to your lowly background, but because…”

Yan Sikong looked at him, remaining silent.

Shen Hexuan seemed to connect many previously puzzling matters. “Your teacher had already allied with the Prince of Jingyuan at that time. You and Feng Ye should not have been so antagonistic. Were you… just acting?”

“There were some grudges between us, and we still hold grudges and suspicion towards each other. But at that time, we both prioritized the greater good and truly wanted to save the Prince of Jingyuan.” Yan Sikong was reluctant to reveal the truth. Shen Hexuan was too clever, and if he delved deeper, he might suspect collusion between him and Feng Ye with ulterior motives.

Shen Hexuan paced back and forth in the room. Suddenly, he stopped and turned sharply, his eyes fixed on Yan Sikong. “Who rescued Feng Ye from prison back then?”

Yan Sikong hesitated. “It was the Prince of Jingyuan’s steward who led a group of death warriors to rescue the prisoners.”

Shen Hexuan raised his voice. “You’re lying. Were you involved in this?”

“I…” Yan Sikong pretended to be uneasy. “I was aware of it.”

“Aware?”

Yan Sikong took a deep breath. “This was planned by the teacher and the steward together.”

“Teacher?” Shen Hexuan clearly didn’t believe it. “The teacher was seriously ill at that time. How could he plan such a big event? And as the chief minister, even if the Feng family was wronged, how could he use such extreme measures as a prison break?”

“What other means were there?” Yan Sikong stared at him. “The teacher knew his time was short and that once he was gone, the gentry would surely be defeated. To preserve some power and prevent the eunuchs from devouring our great Sheng’s territory, he had no choice but to use this desperate measure. He instructed me to ensure that all the prison officials were invited to the wedding and get them as drunk as possible. I knew what he intended to do.”

“Did you not participate?” Shen Hexuan pressed, staring at Yan Sikong.

Yan Sikong’s expression was unchanged, and he firmly said, “No. The teacher also knew the danger of this matter and did not want to involve me.”

Shen Hexuan took a deep breath. “You let a real wolf go that day. Now he is leading a rebellion, causing turmoil in the Central Plains. His threat is not only to the eunuchs but to the entire Sheng dynasty!”

“Now that things have come to this, what use is it to discuss this further? I also feel ashamed and wanted to make amends, which is why I requested to persuade Feng Ye.” Yan Sikong sighed. “Feng Ye and I are both enemies and friends. If it weren’t for the princess’s sake, he might have killed me on this trip to the enemy camp. But he heard that His Majesty intends to exonerate the Feng family and has already wavered.”

Shen Hexuan was deep in thought. He sensed that the matter was not so simple but could not come up with a clear explanation.

Yan Sikong softened his tone. “Brother Shen, at this critical moment, do you really want to accuse me of knowing and not reporting, of letting Feng Ye go? What is most important now is to quell the Wolf King’s rebellion.”

Shen Hexuan said solemnly, “I am of little influence. What use is it to report you? Besides, since things have come to this… Has Feng Ye proposed any conditions for allegiance?”

Yan Sikong, seeing that he had managed to temporarily gloss over the matter, sighed in relief. He nodded and hesitated, “The terms he demands are so outrageous that His Majesty will not agree.”

“What does he want?”

“He demands that His Majesty clear the Feng family’s name publicly, restore their titles, and turn over to him all officials involved in framing the Feng family, including Xie Zhongren. He also wants one million taels of silver, large quantities of silk, grain, jewelry, weapons, armor, horses, and even…” Yan Sikong shook his head. “He even demands that His Majesty grant him a fief.”

Shen Hexuan slammed the table in anger. “He’s gone mad!”

Every one of Feng Ye’s demands was completely unreasonable. For the Emperor to publicly clear the Feng family’s name, even if the blame were shifted to Xie Zhongren, would still damage the imperial family’s reputation. Moreover, the laws of Da Sheng dictated that even the worst criminals could not be punished privately; especially not someone as notorious as Xie Zhongren, who must be executed publicly. How could Feng Ye be allowed to handle such matters? As for the money, such exorbitant demands would empty the national treasury, and asking for a fief was the height of treachery and audacity.

Since the Qin dynasty unified the Six Kingdoms and replaced the feudal system with a monarchy, all lands have belonged to the emperor alone. For thousands of years, no matter the dynasty, princes only enjoyed taxes without holding any land. The term “feudal lord” had become merely a formality.

Now Feng Ye dared to ask the emperor for a fief, which was tantamount to dividing the empire and declaring himself king!

“I was shocked when I heard his conditions, so I returned to discuss them with Brother Shen. I haven’t reported to His Majesty yet, fearing he might become enraged…”

Shen Hexuan rubbed his tired eyes. “He’s withdrawing his troops while proposing conditions that the court cannot possibly agree to. What exactly does he want, to submit or not?”

“From my perspective, he wants to be granted amnesty. Although the Feng family’s army is formidable, it only consists of around sixty thousand troops. He came to Hetao because his forces were insufficient to risk moving south or advancing into the Central Plains. He’s actually in a difficult position. But since he harbors hatred due to the death of the Prince of Jingyuan, if he cannot exact revenge and find satisfaction, he will fight us to the end. Feng Ye is very clever. He knows these conditions are unreasonable. I think he’s merely testing how much the court will tolerate.”

Shen Hexuan pondered, “That makes sense, but I’m more worried that this might just be a stalling tactic. His arrival in the barren and chaotic Hetao might not be just for the horses. What if his goal is the Datong Army?”

“I’ve considered that too, but the Datong Army has undergone several changes in command. The current leader is appointed by the court and has received no favors from the Feng family. It would be difficult to win them over, especially with Qianzhou in between. I’m not overly concerned about that.”

“This matter, though challenging, cannot be ignored. Feng Ye is a military man, but he has read many military books from a young age and has led troops in battle since he was around ten. In the whole world, only General Zhao could match him, and he is currently trapped in Liaodong… Therefore, we must not underestimate him.” Shen Hexuan gave Yan Sikong a sideways glance. “And you, your dealings with him have already stirred many rumors. Are you not afraid of being suspected?”

Yan Sikong sneered, “I, Yan Sikong, am already infamous. If no one suspects me, that would be strange. But that does not affect what I must do. Just as I have endured scorn for years, persevering until I could topple the eunuchs, I will certainly quell the Wolf King’s rebellion, regardless of what others think of me or what the cost.”

Shen Hexuan was moved by the determination in Yan Sikong’s eyes. “What are your plans now? Such terms for amnesty must never be reported.”

“That is precisely what I need to discuss with Brother Shen. We must find a way to address the issue while respecting His Majesty’s dignity and ensuring the Feng family’s innocence. Additionally, Feng Ye should be allowed to personally exact revenge on Xie Zhongren. As long as these two points are addressed, if Feng Ye continues to make unreasonable demands, he will be at fault, and we can negotiate the other terms of amnesty later.”

Shen Hexuan expressed concern, “But His Majesty is very concerned with his reputation. Even if he has been misled by the eunuchs, the edict is still issued by him. Acknowledging that he wrongfully accused a loyal minister might…”

“Although His Majesty cares about his reputation, the internal and external troubles we face make the situation critical. His Majesty might prioritize the overall situation.”

“Perhaps you should first write a letter to test His Majesty’s stance.”

Yan Sikong nodded. “Alright.”

“But if His Majesty does clear the Feng family’s name and hands over Xie Zhongren to Feng Ye, and Feng Ye still harbors rebellious ambitions, what then?”

Yan Sikong narrowed his eyes. “Though we seek peace, as Brother Shen said, we must remain vigilant against this person. Feng Ye’s closeness to me is not just for personal pleasure; he wants to gauge the court’s attitude and the defenses of Qianzhou. I’ve managed to mislead him with half-truths and falsehoods. We must prepare for all possibilities. If peace cannot be achieved, Qianzhou is the final barrier against Feng Ye’s advance into the Central Plains and must not fall.”

Shen Hexuan’s gaze was resolute. “As a subject, it is my duty to share the burden of the emperor. If peace cannot be achieved, I will defend Qianzhou with my life.”

Yan Sikong silently watched Shen Hexuan, feeling a murderous intent for the first time. Shen Hexuan was someone he admired the most and considered the best advisor. However, his upright, rigid nature, combined with his exceptional intelligence, made him difficult to deceive and could become the greatest obstacle to Yan Sikong’s plans.

Though it was regrettable, if Shen Hexuan truly threatened his grand scheme…

After returning to Mao Ren, Yan Sikong did not rush to Qianzhou. He stayed up all night writing two letters: one to Emperor Zhaowu and another to a person he had not corresponded with for years but had always kept in mind—Exiled Crown Prince Chen Li, Prince Chu.

The capital was full of spies, and he was worried that his secret communication with Chen Li might be discovered, so they had not been in contact for years. But now, with the distance from the capital, he had more freedom. Although Chen Li was far in Yunnan, he would likely know of Yan Sikong’s movements. If Chen Li still harbored ambitions, he would be waiting for news.

In this time of turmoil, when various princes were restless and the Emperor was preoccupied with his own survival, it was a good opportunity for Chen Li to recruit troops. Yan Sikong had to urge him to make plans and wait for the right moment.

As the sky began to lighten, Yan Sikong, exhausted from a day’s march and having had no rest, felt weary yet remained sleepless. He gazed at the pale moon in the sky, wondering if Feng Ye was asleep or, like him, restless. In the three years apart, he had countless times gazed at the moon and thought of Feng Ye, imagining them looking at the same moon and missing each other. At that moment, perhaps their hearts were connected—no matter how far apart they were.

Now, looking at the moon again, he hoped that he and Feng Ye had not reunited. In that case, Feng Ye would always be affectionate in his heart, and what he could remember was only Feng Ye’s kindness to him…

Yan Sikong forced a bitter smile. His heart was numb with pain, yet why did he still feel unwilling to accept it? (End of Chapter)