The Blood Crown - Chapter 2

Four Years Later

“Second Brother, Second Brother!” An excited voice accompanied by hurried footsteps echoed from far to near. Even before seeing the person, one could imagine a carefree young lad.

Yuan Sīkōng lay on a neatly arranged stack of straw, engrossed in a book. The hay, warmed by a day of sunlight, emitted a comforting scent of freshness. His eyes remained fixed on the yellowed pages, blinking lazily as he replied, “I’m here.”

In the next moment, a young man in green rushed into the stable. In a few quick steps, he reached the straw stack and agilely somersaulted onto it, causing it to sway slightly. His movements were so agile, indicating a strong lower body.

“Second Brother!” The young man pounced onto Yuan Sīkōng and then glanced at the book in his hands. “‘Records of Art and Literature’… What forbidden book are you reading now?” He reached out to grab it.

“What forbidden book? This is a book on the arts of Yin and Yang numerology.” Yuan Sīkōng pushed aside his hand.

The young man snorted, “You make me study Confucian classics every day, and here you are, indulging in these strange books.”

(Note: “Confucian classics” refers to the works of Confucius and his disciples, which were traditionally studied in China as a foundation of moral and ethical education.)

“Did you memorize it?” Yuan Sīkōng sat up and pretended to stare at the handsome face of the young man with seriousness, momentarily getting a bit lost. Even though so many years had passed, he couldn’t help but marvel at how similar their appearances were, despite not sharing any blood relation.

On the stack of straw, two similarly aged, similarly dressed young men sat side by side. They looked like they could have been cut from the same mold. The only difference lay in their temperaments, with one exuding youthful innocence and the other carrying a maturity beyond his years.

This young man was none other than Yuan’s most beloved younger son, Yuan Nányù.

Yuan Nányù chuckled, “Yes, I memorized it.”

“Oh, really? Let me test you then…”

“Oh, come on, Second Brother.” Yuan Nányù pouted. “I haven’t fully memorized it yet, next time, okay?”

“You little rascal,” Yuan Sīkōng teased. He tugged at Yuan Nányù’s clothes. “I’ve told you countless times, don’t dress like me.”

“You went out before dawn; how was I supposed to know what you were wearing?” Yuan Nányù grew more excited. “Second Brother, Li Yuanwai’s family in the south of the city is marrying off their daughter today, and it’s quite the spectacle. Wow, they even had massive sandalwood chests carried by two strong men each, filled with sixteen boxes of dowry! Father is going to the wedding banquet later; there will surely be lots of delicious food. Let’s go together.”

“I’m not going; it’s not like it’s our family’s wedding.” Yuan Sīkōng replied. “You should spend your time reading and practicing martial arts, instead of chasing after these festivities.”

“But Father is going to join the festivities.”

“Nonsense, is Father going to join the festivities? Last year, Li Yuanwai donated two thousand winter clothes to the soldiers. This year, he’s raising funds to repair the south city wall with the local gentry and wealthy residents. Do you really think Father has the mood for a wedding banquet?”

Yuan Nányù scratched his head, seeming to grasp the situation vaguely. “Shouldn’t the court provide funds for buying winter clothes and repairing the city wall in Liaodong?”

Yuan Sīkōng’s gaze suddenly turned cold. “When has the military pay in Liaodong ever been delivered on time and in full? If not for this, my family…” He stopped himself before saying more, his eyes filled with bitter memories. Yuan Nányù, despite being the same age, had a child’s temperament, and talking to him about such matters seemed futile. Yuan Sīkōng, with his extraordinary intelligence, felt like an anomaly among his peers.

“If you’re not going, then I won’t go either,” Yuan Nányù said disappointedly. “I’ll stay with you and watch the horses.”

“The stable already has people attending to it, so neither of us needs to watch. You can help Big Brother, or go back and keep Mother company.”

“I spend time with Mother every morning and evening. Big Brother isn’t interesting. I like being with Second Brother.” Yuan Nányù chuckled. “Yesterday, Father even praised you, saying you raise horses well.”

Yuan Sīkōng looked toward the row of stables not far away, where the horses were healthy and had shiny coats. They were of various colors and clearly excellent steeds. In the past four years, aside from studying and practicing martial arts, he had devoted much of his attention to these horses. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment. “Our horses are from the Hebei Road horse seedlings, with Khitan lineage. Good horse seedlings produce fine horses.”

Yuan Nányù seemed to bask in the praise. “Thanks to Second Brother’s care.”

“It’s a pity Father still won’t allow me to dissect one…” Yuan Sīkōng appeared somewhat disappointed.

“Father says that would be against military law.”

“Narrow-minded.” Yuan Sīkōng closed the book. “Let’s go back for dinner.”

“Alright.”

As dusk settled, the two of them returned home and found Yuan Mǎo, who should have already gone to attend the wedding feast at the Li family’s house, in the courtyard.

Yuan Mǎo was walking out of the house with a teenager who appeared to be sixteen or seventeen years old. The young man was handsome, wearing light armor, and had an imposing demeanor.

“Father?” Yuan Nányù exclaimed. “Why haven’t you gone to the feast yet?”

“Father has some matters to attend to. You go ahead and have your meal.” The young man was Yuan Mǎo’s eldest son, Yuan Shàoxù, who had already joined the military.

Yuan Sīkōng noticed that Yuan Mǎo’s expression was quite unusual, but he didn’t dare to ask too much. He led Yuan Nányù toward the main hall.

“Sīkōng,” Yuan Mǎo suddenly called out to him.

“Father.”

“Come here. Father has a few questions for you.”

Yuan Sīkōng walked over to him.

Yuan Mǎo hadn’t changed much in the past four years, but his demeanor was even more resolute and steady. “Sīkōng, do you know how many warhorses can be gathered in Guangning Wei, including the surrounding counties and towns?”

Yuan Sīkōng’s heart pounded.

Yuan Mǎo was the commander of Guangning Wei, and his primary responsibility was to defend Guangning City. There were other military units stationed along the Huang River, so as long as the Jin invaders didn’t cross the river and there were no orders from higher authorities, Yuan Mǎo only needed to stockpile supplies and train his troops, maintaining a defensive posture. However, now he was asking about the number of warhorses, could it be… that the day had finally come?

Since the abandonment of the seven northern provinces in Liaobei, the Sheng army had retreated south of the Huang River. There was a period of peace for three years, thanks to negotiations and trade agreements. However, the situation had changed last year when the Jin forces attempted to cross the Huang River but were repelled by the Sheng army. Both sides knew that this was not a long-term solution. Without the natural defenses of Liaobei, Liaodong was exposed to the Jin cavalry. With the harsh winter approaching, the Huang River was about to freeze, providing a bridge for the Jin invaders.

Yuan Sīkōng clenched his fist silently. “Approximately 2,000 good warhorses can be mobilized.”

“Good. I’ll have Xu Hǔ make arrangements, and you’ll go with him to select the horses.”

“Father,” Yuan Shàoxù furrowed his brow, “Sīkōng is still young. How can you entrust such an important task to a child?”

“Sīkōng has been raising horses for many years. He’s diligent and skilled, better than anyone else in taking care of horses. His judgment of horses is also accurate. I’ll have him learn and gain experience alongside Xu Hǔ. It’s not a matter of entrusting him with responsibility.”

Yuan Sīkōng listened, his heart pounding in his chest. “Father, is it… that the Jin invaders are coming?” He was born in Liaobei and grew up hearing stories of Jin atrocities. He had witnessed the devastation Jin forces wrought upon cities, and it was the Jin invasion that had left his family destitute and his heart filled with hatred.

“It’s not urgent yet. It’s the General from Datong who’s requesting horses.”

“Datong General?” Yuan Sīkōng didn’t fully grasp the situation, but his diligent study of military texts had taught him that Datong was some distance away. Guangning wasn’t a prime location for horse breeding, and the limited horses they had were mostly supplied to Liaodong. It seemed unusual for Datong Prefecture to come requesting horses.

“They’re entering the city tomorrow. Father has a lot to prepare. We can discuss it later. Shàoxù, come with me.” Yuan Mǎo hurriedly left.

“Big brother, what’s going on?” Yuan Nányù tugged at Yuan Shàoxù’s sleeve. “Datong is quite far from us.”

“It’s not too far,” Yuan Shàoxù replied with a complicated expression. “Prince Jìngyuǎn led his troops to pursue the scattered remnants of the Wala and chased them all the way to Inner Ka’er. He almost fell into an ambush and had to abandon his supplies to retreat safely. Now, he needs to resupply in Guangning, or else he won’t be able to return.”

Yuan Nányù was still puzzled. “Wouldn’t it be closer to resupply in the capital?”

“Don’t be silly,” Yuan Shàoxù ruffled his little brother’s hair. “You don’t understand anything. Go eat your dinner.” Afterward, he followed Yuan Mǎo.

Left behind, Yuan Nányù remained bewildered. “What’s going on? Datong seems pretty far away… Second brother, did you understand?”

“Mmm.” Yuan Sīkōng thought while making his way inside.

The Datong General was none other than the renowned Prince Jìngyuǎn, known for his exceptional martial prowess. He was an outsider but had earned remarkable military achievements in the service of the Great Shèng dynasty. He had spent twenty years guarding the northern borders, fortifying the defenses of Xuānfǔ and Datong. Despite the Wala’s relentless invasions and incursions, they couldn’t breach the prosperous and fertile Central Plains, mainly due to his stalwart presence at the border.

Hence, Datong Prefecture, led by Prince Jìngyuǎn, wasn’t just requesting horses; they could probably request to move the entire Guangning City back, and the imperial court might even consider it.

Of course, Prince Jìngyuǎn couldn’t resupply in the capital. Someone with such a formidable military force approaching the capital would be seen as a threat to the imperial power, and it was a grave concern.

Although it wasn’t the Jin invaders, which eased Yuan Sīkōng’s heart slightly, the thought of giving away the horses they had worked so hard to raise still left a bitter taste.

“Wow, does this mean we’ll get to see the Prince’s army tomorrow? They say they’re quite imposing. Second brother, we absolutely have to go see it!”

“All right,” Yuan Sīkōng shared the curiosity and admiration that many men of Great Shèng felt for the famous Prince’s Army, even though he was reluctant to part with his horses.

As they entered their home, the inviting aroma of dinner filled the air.

“Mother, sister, we’re back.”

Yue Qingfrost emerged from the kitchen, carrying a steaming bowl of bone broth in her hands.

“Mother, why did you go to the kitchen again?” Yuan Sīkōng hurried over, took the bowl from her, and placed it on the table, all the while chiding her, “The kitchen is filled with smoke and grease, and you’ll end up feeling stuffy.”

Yue Qingfrost smiled and replied, “It’s fine; these days, it’s not too cold, and I feel much better regarding my respiratory condition. Look, your father and older brother have gone to the wedding banquet, so we should also have something delicious at home.”

“But father, he…”

Yuan Sīkōng was about to say something but was silenced by a glance from Yuan Sīkōng.

Due to Yue Qingfrost’s fragile health and respiratory issues, especially during the winter, they tried not to let her worry about many things.

Yuan Nányùs immediately bit into a piece of barbecue pork and exclaimed with a mouthful, “Wow, it’s hot, but it’s so delicious!” The barbecue pork had just come off the stove, still steaming hot, and it danced on his tongue as he savored it. He hopped around while exclaiming.

Yue Qingfrost and Yuan Sīkōng couldn’t help but laugh.

“You’re the youngest in the family, and also the most unruly,” a melodious female voice came from behind. The voice was as pleasing as a nightingale but had a unique crispness and clarity, refreshing to the heart.

The newcomer was a petite girl, the eldest daughter of the Yuan family, Yuan Weiling. She was renowned in Liaodong for her extraordinary beauty and spirited personality. She was the older twin sister of Yuan Shaoyu.

The Yuan family had a unique lineage, and Yue Qingfrost had given birth to two sets of twins. Yuan Nanyu was also part of this pattern. However, Yuan Nanyu’s twin brother had passed away in infancy, which was why, four years ago on that rainy night, when Yuan Mao saw Yuan Sīkōng, he decided to bring him back home and raise him as his own son, a twist of fate that was truly remarkable.

“Big sister,” Yuan Nanyu chuckled, “Mom’s barbecue pork is so delicious.”

“Mom, we’ve told you many times, you shouldn’t cook yourself,” Yuan Weiling pressed Yue Qingfrost into her chair. “I can make this barbecue pork too. Next time, I’ll do it.”

“Hey, let the elder sister cook; otherwise, even the pigs would die unjustly.”

“You little brat, asking for a beating, huh?” Yuan Weiling rushed over to give him a playful whack, and Yuan Nanyu dodged behind the chair.

Yue Qingfrost pretended to be angry and said, “Your father isn’t here, so you dare to be unruly at the dinner table.” Afterward, she couldn’t help but laugh, then she took Yuan Sīkōng’s hand. “Sīkōng, it’s you who’s the most responsible. Look at this pair, the daughter isn’t very ladylike, and the younger brother is mischievous. If it weren’t for you looking after him, I’m afraid the roof would have been raised.”

Yuan Sīkōng replied, “Nanyu is actually very sensible; he just loves to play.” He watched the playful antics of the Yuan family siblings with a gentle smile in his eyes.

When he thought that fate had taken away everything from him, and he was abandoned by the world, Yuan Zhihao, like a benevolent deity, appeared in his life, giving him a warm and peaceful home. He felt content.

His only wish was to achieve success in the imperial examinations and serve his country with unwavering loyalty, ensuring that the barbarians would never threaten the people of Dacheng again.