The Blood Crown - Chapter 229

Feng Ye ordered Cao Yu to intentionally get close to Zhou Ke. Initially, the two clashed and argued frequently, but after several rounds of verbal sparring, they began to develop a mutual respect, even sharing drinks together.

Zhou Ke received high treatment in the camp. He was provided with the best medicines, fine wines, and delicacies. His rough and straightforward nature had never been treated with such courtesy before, especially by someone as renowned as the Wolf King. Naturally, he was quite moved. However, being a man of loyalty and righteousness, he did not wish to become a traitor. Therefore, when he met Feng Ye, he displayed a certain shyness, quite different from his rough exterior.

But after several encounters, neither Feng Ye nor Cao Yu ever mentioned Taiyuan or tried to persuade him to defect. Zhou Ke’s attitude gradually softened.

During Zhou Ke’s recovery, Feng Ye’s spies brought news: Luo Ruo Xin’s only son, Luo Wen, aged twenty, was known for his reckless and dissolute behavior. He spent his days in brothels and taverns, lavishly spending money on women. His infamous behavior was well-known among the people of Taiyuan. Luo Wen’s father, General Luo, had achieved great military success and had inherited a prestigious title and immense wealth. Although Luo Ruo Xin’s generation did not match his father’s glory, it was still respectable. But Luo Wen’s generation had degenerated into a mess, which was lamentable.

Upon learning of Luo Wen’s weakness, Yan Sikong immediately sent Ah Li to contact She Zhun’s people. She Zhun’s intelligence network was extensive, and the easiest places to gather information were the streets, brothels, and tea houses. They needed She Zhun to find a woman like Ye Li, who could deal with the young master of the Luo family.

Soon, She Zhun’s people provided information. They spent a thousand taels of silver to bribe the courtesan of the Invitation Moon Pavilion. This was a generous sum, enough to support a hundred thousand soldiers for a day. However, if it could help remove Shen He Xuan and end this campaign earlier, spending more silver was worthwhile.

The courtesan from the Invitation Moon Pavilion was Xie Ying, a beautiful woman who had recently captivated Luo Wen. She was not only stunning but also shrewd and cunning, which was why she had remained the courtesan despite her age. However, she knew that her time was running out and was already thinking of leaving. She Zhun’s people promised to help her escape Taiyuan after the task was completed, so she was willing to take the risk.

Yan Sikong and Feng Ye only set the conditions and did not know what she planned to do. After all, they were not as familiar with Luo Wen as she was and could not offer her advice from a distance. They relied entirely on her intelligence.

After a month in the Wolf King’s camp, Zhou Ke’s injuries had mostly healed. Feng Ye kept his promise and gave him a fine horse, allowing him to return to Taiyuan at any time.

Zhou Ke, moved to tears, knelt down to thank Feng Ye for his favor.

Feng Ye offered to see him off, and Zhou Ke gladly agreed.

That night, Feng Ye held a special banquet for him, during which the soldiers praised him highly and poured drinks for him. They got him so drunk that he was nearly unconscious. During this state, Feng Ye skillfully extracted information about Taiyuan’s remaining supplies, which turned out to be quite accurate.

The next morning, Feng Ye personally escorted Zhou Ke to the camp gate, held his hand for a heartfelt farewell, and watched him leave. Zhou Ke turned his head back every few steps, his expression full of complexity.

Yan Sikong and Feng Ye anticipated Zhou Ke’s reaction upon returning. Although Zhou Ke was only a fourth-rank officer and had not been truly valued, he had received unprecedented respect and admiration in the Wolf King’s camp. He knew that this was part of the game, but he also understood that he was indeed valued by the Wolf King, at least more than in Taiyuan. A general who feels undervalued and is so favored by a world-renowned figure could boast about it for half his life. How could he not be swayed?

If Zhou Ke switched sides easily, it wouldn’t be what they wanted. They needed him to return to Taiyuan because Zhou Ke would only be useful to them there. Returning to Taiyuan, Zhou Ke would face penalties for rash actions and suspicion from Taiyuan’s officials and generals. But whether for the sake of loyalty or, more importantly, for the safety of his family, Zhou Ke had no choice but to go back. Once he experienced the disparity between being a guest of honor and being imprisoned, as long as he didn’t die, he would truly be of use to them.

Yan Sikong was convinced that Shen He Xuan would not kill Zhou Ke. If Zhou Ke had rashly taken action, Shen He Xuan would have executed him as an example. However, Zhou Ke had spent a month in the Wolf King’s camp, and Shen He Xuan, knowing they intended to use Zhou Ke, would rather keep him and turn the tables, just as he had previously used Wang Mei’s confidant to lure and capture them.

Yan Sikong understood Shen He Xuan, a once-in-a-century genius who had achieved top honors in the Great Sheng Dynasty, having entered officialdom at the same time as Yan Sikong and both being scholars from the same school. Yet, Yan Sikong, a cunning and unprincipled man, had consistently outperformed him. The resentment Shen He Xuan harbored for the past decade had accumulated, and he would not miss the opportunity to compete with Yan Sikong.

How Zhou Ke would be used was still uncertain to Yan Sikong. He wanted to see how Shen He Xuan planned to employ Zhou Ke. However, the play that Feng Ye had performed over the past month was undoubtedly useful.

Upon Zhou Ke’s return to Taiyuan, he was immediately imprisoned by Shen He Xuan, charged with disobeying military orders and suspected of colluding with the enemy. He was held in secret interrogation.

Yan Sikong awaited news in silence, but what came first was a secret letter from Chen Li.

The letter contained the coded messages they had agreed upon. Feng Ye had once quarreled with him over this, and Yan Sikong had shared the code with Feng Ye, though he withheld some details. The use of coded messages was meant to stabilize Chen Li, making their secretiveness appear more intimate. However, Yan Sikong had to guard against Feng Ye, especially concerning Chen Li’s unwarranted feelings, which could incite Feng Ye’s anger. Thus, Feng Ye did not know the full code.

After reading the letter, Yan Sikong broke into a cold sweat. He immediately burned the letter and remained in shock for a long time.

In the letter, Chen Li mentioned that Shen He Xuan had sent him a letter expressing loyalty, stating that as the eldest prince, he was destined to obey the will of heaven and was willing to exert all his efforts to help Chen Li enter the capital. He promised to open the city gates wide to welcome Chen Li’s army. However, Shen He Xuan believed that Feng Ye harbored ulterior motives and was unwilling to let the wolf into the house.

At the end of the letter, Chen Li subtly questioned Yan Sikong about Feng Ye’s ambitions.

Yan Sikong felt a shiver down his spine and a chill in his back. This was clearly Shen He Xuan’s scheme to sow discord, and it was a double-edged strategy—dividing him from Chen Li and from Feng Ye. Shen He Xuan understood his plans, knew he wanted to bridge the delicate relationship between Chen Li and Feng Ye, and saw the jealousy and suspicion Chen Li had towards Feng Ye. Thus, Shen He Xuan projected that jealousy and suspicion onto Yan Sikong. At the same time, Shen He Xuan made Yan Sikong doubt Feng Ye’s “ambitions.”

Yan Sikong’s intention to support Chen Li was because Chen Li’s claim was legitimate. Yet, Feng Ye had become a rebel, showing no regard for the Chen family and harboring deep hatred. To say that Yan Sikong had never doubted Feng Ye’s “ambitions” was to deceive himself.

However, Yan Sikong was unwilling to doubt Feng Ye. He despised how his emotional attachment weakened his judgment, but emotions were beyond his control.

He had tried to suppress his doubts about Feng Ye, but now, with this letter, he could no longer avoid them.

Shen He Xuan’s move was indeed sinister.

The day was even… early…

I’ve been attending training with the Chinese Writers’ Association recently, and I’ve been exhausted every day. I’m also getting less sleep. I’ll do my best to adjust, and I love you all. (End of Chapter)