The Blood Crown - Chapter 188

“The east city wall of Mao Ren was severely damaged in the last siege. Although repairs have been expedited, it is certainly not as strong as before. If we want to break the city, we should attack from the east,” Yan Sikong said, holding a warming stove in his arms as he sat cross-legged on the bed, speaking to Feng Ye and Yuan Nanyu.

Today, Feng Ye had brought Yuan Nanyu to Yan Sikong to discuss how to take down Mao Ren. Yuan Nanyu was Feng Ye’s vanguard general, known for his bravery and skill in battle. This time, the key to attacking Mao Ren was speed, requiring the coordination of a large force, so the three of them were strategizing together.

Yuan Nanyu pondered, “Mao Ren’s military strength is weak, but they have ample supplies. They will certainly hold out until the end. To break Mao Ren, we must breach its walls.”

“The weather is getting colder, but not cold enough,” Yan Sikong said as he rubbed his hands over the warming stove. The cold in the northwest was different from that in Liaodong. The cold in Liaodong was sharp and clean, making one prepared for it. In contrast, the cold in the northwest was like a dull knife cutting into flesh. When the sun was out, it was somewhat warm, even making one’s face feel tight from the sun’s heat. But as soon as the sun set, it was as if a massive ice pit covered the sky, instantly chilling one to the bone. Yan Sikong was not accustomed to the climate and had felt out of sorts. Since winter set in, he had been clinging to the warming stove every day.

“It needs to get colder,” Feng Ye immediately understood what Yan Sikong meant. “The newly repaired city wall hasn’t solidified yet. When the water in the lime mix freezes, it will easily cause cracks in the patched areas. If we launch a surprise attack at dawn, it will not only catch them off guard but also allow our battering rams to breach the wall more quickly.”

Yuan Nanyu’s expression showed he understood, “Then we’ll launch a night assault on Mao Ren and catch them by surprise.”

Feng Ye’s expression turned cold, “If it weren’t for that Shen Hexuan, we would have taken Mao Ren in the last battle. There are still our people inside the city; they should seize the opportunity to kill him.”

“That won’t do,” Yan Sikong quickly advised. “First, Mao Ren is now heavily guarded, and entry and exit from the city are thoroughly checked. You might not even make contact with our people. Second, if you kill Shen Hexuan, it will alert the enemy.”

Feng Ye snorted coldly, “Fine, but after we take Mao Ren, I’ll kill him to honor the fallen soldiers.”

Yan Sikong hesitated to speak further. He still admired Shen Hexuan’s talent and didn’t want him to die, but he didn’t dare plead for him at this critical moment. After all, with a battle imminent, Feng Ye already harbored suspicions about him. He didn’t want to cause complications. Once Mao Ren was taken and Feng Ye was in a good mood, he could then plead for Shen Hexuan’s life, which might be more effective. So he said, “We still need him to deal with Qianzhou later. Don’t be too hasty.”

Feng Ye gave no clear response, but Yan Sikong knew that Feng Ye was no longer the rash young prince he once was.

During this period, Feng Ye had been secretly preparing for the assault, but on the surface, everything in the camp appeared normal. This was to make the scouts from Mao Ren believe that Feng Ye had been persuaded by Yan Sikong and was waiting for news from the imperial court, dragging the days out. As the weather grew colder, it seemed to put Feng Ye at a disadvantage, lulling the enemy into complacency, which would allow them to strike unexpectedly.

Finally, one night, Yan Sikong heard strange noises outside. He instinctively sensed what was happening, quickly stood up, put on his coat, and walked out of the tent, only to be stopped by two long spears crossed in front of him, blocking his way.

Yan Sikong looked at the brightly lit camp, where Feng Ye was gathering his troops, ready to set out. Feng Ye had been secretly preparing for this for many days, so the mobilization was swift.

Although the assault strategy had been jointly devised by them, Feng Ye had never told Yan Sikong the exact day, clearly still wary of him. Now, being stopped by the guards was also part of the act, to make it seem like he was kept in the dark. After Feng Ye left, Yan Sikong would be put under house arrest.

Despite knowing all this in advance, Yan Sikong couldn’t help but feel bitter as he watched Feng Ye and Yuan Nanyu standing together on horseback, whispering to each other. Feng Hun, draped in light armor, followed close behind them. They were about to march into battle side by side, while he wasn’t even allowed to know the exact day of their advance.

Wu Liuqi spoke politely but firmly, “Master Yan, please return to your tent to rest.”

“Where are they going?” Despite his turmoil, Yan Sikong had to play his part.

“Master Yan, please return to your tent.”

“Is the Wolf King heading to Mao Ren? Wolf King—” Yan Sikong pushed past the spears, trying to rush out, but was grabbed by the guards on either side and dragged back to his tent.

Yan Sikong’s eyes were fixed on Feng Ye in the distance, but from start to finish, Feng Ye didn’t even glance in his direction, continuing his conversation with Yuan Nanyu.

He couldn’t help but recall the time when they fought side by side against Prince Pingliang’s rebellion. Back then, the one fighting alongside Feng Ye had been him.

The army set off, and Yan Sikong sat in his tent all night, unable to sleep. Although he couldn’t see the battle at Mao Ren, he was well aware of Mao Ren’s defensive situation. Unless something unexpected happened, Mao Ren would surely fall.

But that didn’t mean the battle wouldn’t be dangerous.

A night assault would leave the soldiers exhausted, which was highly disadvantageous for an attack. While Mao Ren might not be prepared, they were well-rested and well-supplied. If they could withstand Feng Ye’s first wave of attacks, Feng Ye would have no further opportunities. This plan was a last resort, but it was the best of a bad situation. First, winter was approaching, and without securing the Qianzhou supply route, Feng Ye couldn’t afford to delay and would have to retreat. Second, Mao Ren was undermanned and its walls in disrepair, making it easier to capture. Third, Shen Hexuan was a man who would rather die than surrender. As long as he had breath in his body, he would never capitulate. Therefore, breaching the city was the only way to take Mao Ren, and a surprise attack was the only way to breach it.

Yan Sikong closed his eyes, imagining Feng Ye leading his army, moving stealthily through the night towards Mao Ren. Before dawn, when it was coldest, their breath almost turning to frost, Mao Ren’s citizens would still be mostly asleep, unaware of the impending danger.

By the time the sentries on the city walls spotted the approaching army, they would be frantically signaling, assembling their troops, and organizing defenses, but Feng Ye would already be at their gates, targeting the east city wall that had been damaged by catapults in the last battle, hurling stones and wooden stakes at it again.

Arrows would fly back and forth, the army would swarm like ants, and the sound of collisions, battle cries, and screams would fully awaken that land, leaving a bloody mark in history…

In any battle, there are always casualties. Even the commander isn’t guaranteed to emerge unscathed from a hail of arrows. While every battle carries the risk of no return, it’s even harder to remain calm when you’re not on the battlefield. Yan Sikong was worried that Feng Ye might fail to breach Mao Ren, and even more worried that Feng Ye or Yuan Nanyu might get injured.

And so, Yan Sikong waited through the night until dawn, and from dawn until dusk, enduring the agony of uncertainty until news finally arrived that Feng Ye had taken the city. He would soon be moved with the army to Mao Ren.

Feng Ye captured all the officials and generals in Mao Ren and then decided their fates, ordering his troops not to harm the civilians. Overnight, three counties in Qianzhou fell under the Wolf King’s command, and Qianzhou’s supply route was completely severed, turning it into an isolated city.

Yan Sikong was escorted to Mao Ren. As he looked at the bloodstained battlefield that hadn’t yet been cleaned up and the ruins left after the city’s fall, he was reminded of Guangning years ago. Mao Ren might have had Shen Hexuan, but Feng Ye was no Zuole Tai.

Yan Sikong was under house arrest in the posthouse. He requested Wu Liuqi to seek out Feng Ye, asking to meet him, as he was constantly worried that Feng Ye might kill Shen Hexuan. Wu Liuqi obeyed, but Feng Ye did not appear for a long time. Wu Liuqi reasoned that Feng Ye, having just taken over the city, must be incredibly busy reorganizing defenses, settling soldiers, visiting the wounded, and assessing the damage. Helpless, Yan Sikong then asked Wu Liuqi to find Que Wang, but Wu Liuqi dared not. So, with worry weighing on him, Yan Sikong stayed awake for another entire night until he finally collapsed into sleep from exhaustion.

Yan Sikong was awakened by the aroma of food. His nose twitched, and for a moment, he thought he was still dreaming, but then it struck him that one cannot smell in dreams. He opened his eyes to see Feng Ye sitting at the table, slowly eating. Without turning his head, Feng Ye calmly said, “As someone trained in martial arts, you didn’t even notice someone entering the room. Where have your skills gone?”

Yan Sikong sat up, unwilling to tell Feng Ye that he hadn’t slept for two nights out of worry, and that he had slept so deeply because he was utterly exhausted. He let out a breath and asked, “When did you arrive?”

“Just now,” Feng Ye glanced at him, his brow filled with the smugness of a victorious general. “I took down Mao Ren in a single night. I might have scared Qianzhou out of its wits; Qianzhou is already in the palm of my hand.”

“Congratulations, Wolf King,” Yan Sikong said.

Feng Ye put down his chopsticks. “You don’t look very happy. Why? Isn’t this what you wanted?”

“Taking down Mao Ren is just a small step in the grand plan; don’t get carried away,” Yan Sikong said as he stood up and moved to the table, probing, “What do you plan to do with the defeated generals of Mao Ren?”

“Send their heads to Qianzhou and tell them: Surrender and live, or resist and die.”

“You mustn’t,” Yan Sikong advised. “You are not a marauding bandit who pillages and burns. You are leading a righteous army to support a legitimate ruler and restore order. If you slaughter the defending generals, you will invite the condemnation of the entire realm.”

“I have not harmed a single civilian in the city; that’s already a noble act. These people who stubbornly resisted and refused to surrender—if I don’t kill them, wouldn’t that make me seem weak? How else can I strike fear into Qianzhou and Datong?”

“Taking down Mao Ren overnight is already enough to intimidate them. Now that you hold the power, showing mercy will win the people’s hearts.”

Feng Ye snorted coldly. “Then I’ll only kill Shen Hexuan. That should be merciful enough, right?”

“No!” Yan Sikong regretted his outburst as soon as the words left his mouth. He took a moment to compose himself before saying, “Shen Hexuan is a well-known upright and capable official in the area. If you kill him, you’ll stir public outrage.”

Feng Ye smiled, a look of deep meaning in his eyes as he stared at Yan Sikong. “You, always scheming, always taking the roundabout way, afraid of revealing your true intentions. Doesn’t that exhaust you?” he mocked.

Yan Sikong remained silent, his face slightly pale.

“Why don’t you speak plainly? Shen Hexuan is your peer from the same academy and your friend. You don’t want me to kill him, do you?”

“Shen Hexuan is a man of integrity, learned in both ancient and modern wisdom, a talent fit to assist a king and a pillar of the nation. Could you… could you not kill him?” Yan Sikong hesitated.

Feng Ye sneered, “Are you begging me?”

Yan Sikong looked steadily at Feng Ye for a long moment before softly saying, “I’m begging you.”

“Is this how you beg?”

Without a word, Yan Sikong dropped to his knees.

Feng Ye laughed coldly, “I’ll remember this and collect on it later.”

“Alright.”

“Get up.”

Yan Sikong stood and asked, “What do you plan to do with him?”

“Keep him locked up, what else?” Feng Ye ordered, “Eat.”

Yan Sikong let out a sigh of relief. “When the time is right, I’ll try to persuade him. He was once the tutor of Prince Mu; he will assist him.”

“You are truly loyal to Prince Mu,” Feng Ye’s eyes gleamed coldly. “As you said, the grand plan has only just begun, and yet you’re already planning how to choose worthy ministers to support him after he ascends the throne?”

“I haven’t planned that far ahead. It just came to mind because we were talking about Shen Hexuan.”

Feng Ye’s displeasure was evident as his face darkened. He patted his leg, “Come here.”

Yan Sikong hesitated but then moved closer and sat down.

Feng Ye wrapped his arm possessively around Yan Sikong’s waist, glancing at the food on the table. “Feed me.”

“…,” Yan Sikong knew that Feng Ye was once again trying to humiliate him with this domineering attitude.

“Do you need instructions on how to serve me?”

Yan Sikong picked up the chopsticks, took some food, and fed it to Feng Ye.

Feng Ye ate, his sharp wolf-like eyes never leaving Yan Sikong, making him shiver under the intense gaze.

Yan Sikong fed him half a bowl of rice before Feng Ye finally let him go. He stood up and said, “I’m so busy I only have time for this one meal; otherwise, I wouldn’t have let you off so easily. Finish your meal, understood?”

“Understood.”

Feng Ye grabbed his chin, giving it a playful shake. “You’d better remember, it’s not Prince Mu who can help you achieve your goals, but the Wolf King.”

Yan Sikong nodded expressionlessly.

“Stop mentioning other men in front of me,” Feng Ye added as he turned and walked away without looking back.

After Feng Ye was gone, Yan Sikong took a deep breath. Feng Ye’s presence was becoming more oppressive, to the point where just being in the same room made it hard to breathe. He even wondered if the Feng Ye who once pampered him so much ever truly existed. He was, after all, really just negotiating with a tiger. (End of the chapter)