The Blood Crown - Chapter 204

Feng Ye ordered a table full of Yan Sikong’s favorite dishes and forced him to eat a lot. The two of them didn’t mention Chen Mu, avoiding direct confrontation. However, the underlying tension beneath the calm exterior made Yan Sikong feel an inescapable pressure.

Even when serving Xie Zhongren, he had never felt such trepidation.

After dinner, the night grew late. Feng Ye insisted on holding Yan Sikong while they slept. Yan Sikong, already exhausted, struggled to keep his eyes open to deal with him.

But Feng Ye only held him and did not make any further moves, merely scolding him softly for being too thin.

Yan Sikong gradually relaxed. Regardless, the warmth and firmness of the embrace were real.

Feng Ye whispered in his ear, “Since you’ve moved into the residence, there’s no need to hide your identity anymore. Everyone already knows.”

Yan Sikong was well aware of the rumors about his betrayal, especially since he had already betrayed Yan Zilian and Xie Zhongren. Shifting allegiances was not surprising, and it was impossible to hide it from Dazhou and Qianzhou. Although the capital was a thousand miles away, it was the most well-informed place in the world.

So, there was indeed no need for him to hide anymore. He could appear openly under the sun and endure both public and private scorn.

Yan Sikong said, “I want to see two people.”

“Who?”

“Shen Hexuan and Feng Xiang.”

Shen Hexuan needed no introduction. Feng Xiang was the commander of the eight hundred guards sent by the court to protect him. Now, both of them were imprisoned—one in Maoren and the other in Qianzhou.

Shen Hexuan was resolute and would never betray, even under extreme torture. However, Feng Xiang, who would rather die than surrender, had his family in the capital.

“If you want to see them, turn around and tell me,” Feng Ye ordered.

Yan Sikong had no choice but to turn around, facing Feng Ye and looking into his deep eyes. “I want to see Shen Hexuan and Feng Xiang. I ask the Wolf King to grant me this request.”

Feng Ye’s large hand stroked Yan Sikong’s hair. “Kiss me.”

Yan Sikong sighed inwardly and leaned in, giving a soft kiss on Feng Ye’s lips. Feng Ye returned the kiss gently, neither forceful nor demanding, as if he only wanted this kiss and nothing more.

After their light breaths mingled, Yan Sikong felt his heart racing and subtly moved back an inch, afraid Feng Ye might hear.

Feng Ye licked his lips, looking satisfied, and said, “Alright. They’ve been in prison for almost a year. I’ll order them brought to Dazhou tomorrow.”

“Have you treated them well?”

Feng Ye snorted, “They haven’t been starved or tortured. That’s considered good treatment.”

“Thank you, Wolf King.”

Feng Ye tightened his embrace, drawing Yan Sikong closer. “What do you want to do? If they could surrender, they would have done so already.”

“They may not surrender, but they might still be of use.”

“…Aren’t you tired? Why are you still thinking about these things instead of sleeping?”

Yan Sikong yawned lightly. “Mm.”

Feng Ye’s fingers gently stroked the corner of Yan Sikong’s eye. “You have wrinkles now.”

“I am already in my thirties, no longer young.” As he said this, Yan Sikong felt a pang of nostalgia. Time flew by, and the days of youth seemed like just yesterday. In the blink of an eye, half of his life had passed. Sometimes, when he looked back, he wondered how he had ended up where he was today.

Feng Ye frowned. “You’re neither young nor as handsome as before, and you’re older than Chen Mu by more than ten years. Why would he still think about you?”

“He just relies on me because his mother has passed away.”

“No.” Feng Ye firmly rejected, “I know that look he had when you were injured and fell off your horse during the spring hunt. You… you are born to captivate hearts.”

Yan Sikong said weakly, “Do we really need to continue discussing this?”

Feng Ye pursed his lips, trying to control the jealousy that had been pent up in his heart for a long time. He buried his face in Yan Sikong’s hair, inhaling the faint scent of soap. “I don’t like anyone thinking about you. He even married a concubine who looks like you. It’s disgusting.” His face flashed with strong aversion.

Yan Sikong thought, if Feng Ye knew that Chen Mu had even absurdly proposed making him a male empress, he would likely be outraged. Therefore, he couldn’t let Feng Ye know. Chen Mu was a crucial piece in their game, and Yan Sikong wouldn’t let Feng Ye act impulsively.

Seeing Yan Sikong remain silent, Feng Ye sighed. “If he wasn’t useful, I wouldn’t keep him. If he ever has improper thoughts about you, you must tell me, understand?”

“Mm.”

Feng Ye said coldly, “Everything he has today is thanks to you and me. He better know his place.”

“He does.” Yan Sikong recalled Chen Mu’s kneeling, which was indeed an acknowledgment of his own awareness.

Yet, Chen Mu was no longer a child who could be manipulated at will. Despite the challenges, retreat was not an option. Life was full of hardships, and there was no guarantee of smooth sailing. He had to carve out a path through the difficulties.

In the future, he would need to keep a closer watch on Chen Mu.

After returning to Dazhou, life was much more comfortable than in Zhongqing. He no longer needed to hide or sneak around; he could move freely throughout Dazhou. As for the gossip behind his back, it was nowhere near as harsh as when he initially betrayed his sect. After all, in the capital, everyone he knew was there, but in Dazhou, very few were.

Feng Ye had ordered Shen Hexuan and Feng Xiang to be escorted to Dazhou. While Yan Sikong recuperated from his fatigue, he also worried about the situation with Chahar. He tried to discuss strategies for dealing with Chahar with Feng Ye twice, but Feng Ye clearly was unwilling to talk about it, which puzzled him.

It would be understandable if Feng Ye were wary of him concerning Chen Mu, but Chahar was a foreign barbarian, not a serious threat, only dangerous due to their strategic position and alliance with the court. Yan Sikong couldn’t fathom why Feng Ye was so cautious.

The reason soon became clear with the arrival of Yuan Shaoxu.

Yan Sikong knew Yuan Shaoxu was uneasy about the issue between him and Yuan Nanyu, so although they were ostensibly brothers serving the same master, Yuan Shaoxu had not actively sought him out since their last private meeting. Even when they met in the camp, Yuan Shaoxu would avoid him from a distance.

Since Yuan Shaoxu had not come of his own accord, Yan Sikong didn’t want to see him, especially not the way Yuan Shaoxu pretended to be accommodating while bearing a resemblance to Yuan Mao. So he cut to the chase and asked, “Elder Brother, what brings you here? Do you have any instructions?”

Yuan Shaoxu clearly did not want to beat around the bush. “I came to see you separately from Feng Ye because there’s something he doesn’t want you to know, but I think you should.”

“Oh? What is it?” Yan Sikong had a premonition it wasn’t good news. Yuan Shaoxu would certainly not be thinking of his interests. He sometimes couldn’t understand why two brothers from the same mother could be so vastly different—one narrow-minded and selfish, the other open-hearted and generous.

“Do you know that Chahar killed the emissaries sent by Feng Ye but received the emissaries sent by the court?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know why the court sent another emissary?”

“Isn’t it to consolidate the alliance with Chahar?”

“That’s not wrong, but in reality, it’s because Chahar made exorbitant demands for tribute.”

Yan Sikong raised an eyebrow. “I haven’t heard of this. These barbarians are really insatiable.”

Tribute refers to the barbarian tribes demanding to pay tribute to the Celestial Empire. It sounds odd—who would actively ask to pay tribute? It seems disgraceful. In fact, the Han Chinese, known for their pride and etiquette, have historically been the dominant empire. Neighboring barbarian states would offer tribute to the Central Plains, and the court would reciprocate with gifts, often doubling or even tripling the amount to demonstrate the prosperity and strength of the Celestial Empire. The items brought as tribute, apart from cattle and sheep, were mostly coarse and useless. Now, Chahar was demanding tribute, and even the cattle and sheep were chosen to be sick, old, or weak, which was blatant extortion.

Tribute markets have historically been a major cause of wars between the barbarian states and the Central Plains empire. The barbarians, who do not engage in agriculture or production, desired goods such as food, tools, ceramics, copper, iron, silk, tea, etc., which they either stole from the Central Plains or demanded from it. The court had already granted them significant privileges by allowing free trade with cattle and sheep in the Hetao region. Now, demanding tribute was a clear attempt to hinder Dazhou’s progress.

“So the court sent another emissary to negotiate.”

“Isn’t that a good thing? Why couldn’t you tell me?”

“What I can’t tell you is not this matter.” Yuan Shaoxu looked around discreetly, even though there were no idle onlookers, and lowered his voice. “Feng Ye also wants to negotiate with Chahar, but Chahar… Khan Nadan specifically demands you to be the envoy.”

Yan Sikong was taken aback. “Me?”

“Yes,” Yuan Shaoxu said. “This is clearly not Khan Nadan’s idea but the court’s.”

Yan Sikong narrowed his eyes, realizing this was a clever move. He was momentarily stumped, and it was no wonder Feng Ye had not acted or discussed it with him.

If he went, it would be like a lamb entering the tiger’s den, with life and death left to fate. The court might use his life as a bargaining chip to agree to Khan Nadan’s demands for tribute, while Khan Nadan might use his departure as a condition for negotiating with Feng Ye. Whether this idea came from the court or Chahar, it was quite devious.

However, Feng Ye’s reluctance to inform him was clearly out of concern for his safety… At this thought, he couldn’t help but drift off a bit.

Yuan Shaoxu stared intently at Yan Sikong’s face, trying to gauge his thoughts, while also feeling anxious, as he was relaying this information to Yan Sikong behind Feng Ye’s back.

Yan Sikong quickly pulled himself together and nodded. “Thank you for letting me know, Elder Brother.”

“So… what do you plan to do?” Yuan Shaoxu hastily added, “Sikong, I’m not suggesting you go to your death. It’s just that seeing Feng Ye troubled and without a solution, while the army remains stagnant, if war breaks out, it will certainly result in losses. You are so intelligent; surely you can offer Feng Ye some advice.”

“You are right, Elder Brother. We cannot let these barbarians ride roughshod over us.”

“Then…” Yuan Shaoxu said, “Sikong, you must not let Feng Ye know that I was the one who leaked this information. Yuer cannot say anything either.”

Yan Sikong smiled faintly. “Don’t worry, Elder Brother.”

He understood Yuan Shaoxu’s intentions. If he could come up with a viable solution, it would be ideal. If he took the risk of going to Chahar and never returned, that would be even better—using him as a scapegoat to remove a thorn in their side, making his lies forever hidden and preventing him from obstructing his future.

Yuan Shaoxu never considered him truly part of the Yuan family, let alone a brother, and Yan Sikong had no regrets or sadness. His regard for Yuan Shaoxu was purely based on the Yuan family’s relationship. He would not take action against him, and that was all.

After Yuan Shaoxu left, Yan Sikong locked himself in his study for a long time, pondering over the matter. Once he felt he had a clearer idea, he went to see Feng Ye.

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