The Blood Crown - Chapter 26

“Second Young Master, wake up!”

Yuan Sikong couldn’t tell how long it took for him to regain his senses, but he gradually shook off the confusion and blurriness. Before him were a pair of bloodshot eyes.

They looked somewhat familiar.

“Second Young Master, it’s not the time to cry now. Wake up.”

Ah, was it Liang Huiyong? He had clearly disguised himself, wearing a black cloak, and he was anxiously looking at Yuan Sikong.

“Dad…” Yuan Sikong murmured in a daze.

“Second Young Master, Commander Qian is no longer with us, but you must stay strong. You can’t let them catch you again. Wake up!”

Yuan Sikong asked with a tone close to pleading, “Is my dad… really gone?” He desperately hoped the person in front of him would give him a different answer.

Tears welled up in Liang Huiyong’s eyes as he said, “Second Young Master, Commander Qian wanted you to live well. You must seek revenge for him.”

Revenge… yes… revenge!

A sudden, intimidating determination sparkled in Yuan Sikong’s eyes. He grabbed Liang Huiyong’s clothes. “Han Zhaoxing, that vile man, who is his maternal uncle?”

“He’s Eunuch Xie Zhongren from the Imperial Household Department. He enjoys the emperor’s favor and wields immense power in court,” Liang Huiyong quickly whispered. “Second Young Master, staying here is dangerous. You need to run. Anywhere you go is fine.” He handed Yuan Sikong a small purse of silver coins. “This is the money collected by the soldiers. Find a hidden place and wait until late at night. I’ll distract them, and when the time is right, you can sneak out of the city. I’ll also make arrangements with the gatekeepers.”

Yuan Sikong choked back his tears. “I’ll leave, but what about my mother?”

“Staying here won’t help,” Liang Huiyong held Yuan Sikong’s shoulder and shook him forcefully. “Second Young Master, you must survive. Commander Qian often praised you when he was alive, saying you would become a great man. He hoped you would one day root out corruption, uphold justice, and make the world a cleaner place.”

Yuan Sikong bit his lip, looking at Liang Huiyong with a poignant gaze, and nodded gently.

The sound of the guards’ footsteps came from outside. Liang Huiyong wiped his face, then spoke sternly, “Hide well.” He took off his cloak and draped it over Yuan Sikong, then strode out.

“Liang General, have you seen that child?”

“It seemed like he went south…”

Yuan Sikong wrapped the cloak tightly around himself, still feeling as cold as ice, and every pore exuded bone-chilling cold. He hid in the narrow alley, where the tall walls on both sides seemed to stretch endlessly. When he looked up, he could only see a small, narrow strip of dark sky, invisible chains that shackled his once-illuminated heart, causing his inner flame to grow weaker.

He sobbed in a hushed voice. The boundless loneliness and despair were gnawing at his already hollow shell.

Yuan Sikong couldn’t afford to linger here any longer. He relied on his knowledge of Guangning’s terrain to evade the guards’ pursuit, slipping quietly into the stable, intending to stay hidden until nightfall.

After enduring until dusk, Yuan Sikong, who was concealed in a pile of straw, suddenly heard a faint, familiar call from outside.

Yuer!

Yuan Sikong pushed aside the straw and shakily said, “Yuer.”

Yuan Nanyu threw himself at him and hugged him tightly, crying uncontrollably. “Second Brother…”

“Yuer…” Yuan Sikong also hugged him tightly, and the warmth of that body finally gave him some comfort.

At this moment, only the tears that couldn’t be exhausted could express the immense pain in their hearts.

Yuan Nanyu sobbed, “I knew you must be here…”

“Yuer, how is Mom?” Yuan Sikong asked, suppressing the fear in his heart with difficulty.

Yuan Nanyu shook his head. “Mom is unconscious, the doctor said her heart condition worsened…”

Yuan Sikong took out the money bag that Liang Huiyong had given him. “Yuer, there’s some silver here. Take it back for Mom’s medicine. You must make her better.”

“What about you…”

“Second Brother can’t go back home. They’re looking for me all over the city,” Yuan Sikong stroked Yuan Nanyu’s face. “Yuer, you’ve grown up. You need to be responsible in the future. Take care of Mom in my place. Listen to Big Brother and Big Sister. Second Brother has to go.”

“Where are you going?” Yuan Nanyu clutched Yuan Sikong’s hand tightly, his eyes filled with fear.

“I don’t know, but I will definitely survive,” Yuan Sikong’s eyes blazed with hatred. “I will avenge Dad and clear his name!”

Yuan Nanyu wept. “Second Brother, I can’t bear to see you go…”

Yuan Sikong wiped his tears, but they couldn’t be completely wiped away. “Yuer, one day in the future, you and I will meet again.”

“But…”

“Go check over there, quickly!”

Suddenly, there were shouts from the guards outside the stable, startling both of them.

Yuan Sikong pulled Yuan Nanyu into the pile of straw. “Shh…”

As he listened to the approaching footsteps, Yuan Nanyu’s heart pounded. He pursed his lips, and his eyes showed a man’s determination. He suddenly grabbed the hemp rope that bound the straw and quickly seized Yuan Sikong’s two hands.

Yuan Sikong was taken aback and instinctively tried to resist, but he was no match for Yuan Nanyu, who had been training in martial arts for years. In a few moves, his hands were tied.

“Yuer, what are you doing?” Yuan Sikong had an unshakable premonition in his heart.

Yuan Nanyu cupped Yuan Sikong’s face and managed a faint smile. “Second Brother, you’re the smartest person I’ve ever seen. I believe you when you say you’ll avenge Dad. You must not be caught here.” He pushed the money bag back into Yuan Sikong’s arms, tears welled up in his eyes. “Second Brother, I often feel like we’re the same person, even though you don’t want me to wear the same clothes as you. But sometimes, it’s for the best, right?” He tugged at the identical clothes he was wearing. “Sometimes, it has its advantages.”

“Yuer, you can’t go. I will hate you if you do. Yuer, I beg you…” Yuan Sikong desperately tried to break free from the ropes, desperately trying to keep Yuan Nanyu by his side, the person who remained as his only source of warmth!

“Second Brother, as you said, I have to take on responsibilities,” Yuan Nanyu hugged Yuan Sikong tightly and choked out, “Your happiness is my happiness, your pain is my pain. You are the most important person to me. As long as you live well, I’m willing to do anything.”

“I’ve lost my dad already, Yuer. I can’t lose you too,” Yuan Sikong was running out of strength, the immense sorrow had completely overwhelmed him, and he was left with pleading. “Yuer, don’t do this… I’ve already lost my dad, Yuer, don’t leave me…”

Yuan Nanyu whispered, “Take care, Second Brother.”

Yuan Sikong suddenly felt a sharp numbness at the back of his neck. His vision darkened, and his body went limp.

When Yuan Sikong struggled to wake up, it was already morning, and the sky was overcast with dark clouds, as if a snowstorm was approaching, pressing down on everything.

He looked around dazedly, feeling that his body was almost stiff from the cold. His mind was blank.

Yuer…

He struggled frantically, the rope was tied carelessly and came off easily. He pushed himself up, crawled, and rolled toward his home.

Yuer!

He rushed through the door and yelled, “Yuer! Yuer!”

He hoped that it was all a lie, just a terrible dream. He would wake up, and Yuan Ao would be there, and Yuan Nanyu would be there, the whole family would be there, and this cruel nightmare would end!

He prayed to the heavens. He would give up anything to have Yuan Ao and Yuan Nanyu return home safely.

The door was rudely pushed open, and Yuan Shaoxu walked out. His expression was as cold as the waters of midwinter.

Yuan Sikong’s voice trembled as he said, “Big Brother, where’s Yuer…”

Yuan Shaoxu rushed towards him, kicked him hard in the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground. He shouted harshly, “How dare you come back! Why wasn’t it you who died!”

“Shaoxu!” Yuan Weiling ran out and grabbed him, begging, “Big Young Master, don’t do this.”

“It’s him! He’s the one who killed Dad! It’s him who caused Dad to offend Han Zhaoxing. It’s all his fault!” Yuan Shaoxu crazily rushed towards Yuan Sikong and delivered another kick.

Yuan Sikong felt a sharp pain in his chest and abdomen, as if his internal organs were being turned upside down.

Uncle Chen and his wife also came over, holding Yuan Shaoxu and pleading, “Big Young Master, please don’t do this.”

“It’s him who killed Dad!” Yuan Shaoxu’s eyes were bloodshot, his expression manic, like a desperate and cornered wild beast. “Yuer was sent into exile in the northwest because he took your place, it’s all his fault.”

Yuan Sikong curled up on the ground, shivering with cold and pain, his heart as cold as ashes.

“Shaoxu! Are you crazy?” Yuan Weiling held Yuan Shaoxu tightly and cried, “He’s not to blame for this. Don’t say it. Dad is gone, Yuer is gone, and only a few of us are left at home.”

“Get out!” Yuan Shaoxu yelled at Yuan Sikong. “Dad shouldn’t have brought you back at that time. He should have let you freeze and starve to death on the streets!”

Yuan Sikong, stiff and cold, slowly got up from the ground and left the Yuan residence.

“Sikong!”

Yuan Sikong ran wildly, running until the tears on his face froze into ice, running until his heart and lungs were about to shatter, running until his legs gradually lost sensation, and then he collapsed heavily to the ground.

He lay on his back in the thick snow, staring at the falling white flakes in the sky. They looked like paper money scattered along the way of a funeral. But was even God mourning for the wrongfully departed?

Yuan Shaoxu was right. Perhaps he was truly a disaster. If Yuan Ao had not taken him back home, if he had died on the streets, perhaps none of this would have happened.

At least he wouldn’t be in this state, barely clinging to life.

No, he couldn’t die. Yuer was suffering in exile in the northwest, and he had to go save him. Yuan Ao was unjustly accused, and he needed to clear his name and seek revenge.

Xie Zhongren, Han Zhaoxing, Ge Zhong.

Yuan Sikong repeated these names between his lips, as if he were chewing on their flesh and cursing them with hatred. He had to survive. One day, he would swallow them alive and skin them, watching them descend into the depths of hell, never to be reborn!

it was too painful for me to tl this