The Blood Crown - Chapter 272

Feng Ye slightly lowered his head and said gravely, “I understand. You may go now.”

 

The messenger, seeing that there was not a hint of joy on Feng Ye’s face, was greatly puzzled. But realizing that his hopes for a reward were dashed, he reluctantly left.

 

The room fell into an awkward silence.

 

After a long while, Yan Sikong spoke first, “Congratulations, Wolf King.” Feng Ye was going to have a child, how wonderful, the Feng family would have an heir.

 

Feng Ye looked up at Yan Sikong, “Are you happy for me?”

 

“Happy,” Yan Sikong said, his feelings hard to describe. He wasn’t sad, nor angry, he just… just felt as though the executioner’s blade that had been hanging over him for so long had finally fallen, and yet he hadn’t died. That was all. He added, “If King Jingyuan knew, he would surely be comforted.”

 

“Yes, father would be comforted.” Feng Ye’s eyes were hollow and cold. “I remember when I was young, I fantasized countless times about how I would tell him not to marry, not to have children, just to stay with him. I was blinded, to think that for you, I would have such treasonous thoughts. I truly apologize to my parents and my elder brother.”

 

Yan Sikong felt suffocated, his expression shifting but unchanged. He said faintly, “Who hasn’t been young and reckless?”

 

They had known each other since childhood, became close in their youth, and now, as they approached their thirties, the images of each other in their memories had long since faded. The only thing left was an obsession that had turned into a nightmare, entangling them endlessly.

 

Feng Ye stared at Yan Sikong, his voice trembling, “I married you in prison, yet you still ran away. I know in your heart, there is no trace of affection left. That’s fine, because mine has long since been worn away.”

 

Yan Sikong nodded. “Good, very good.”

 

“Now I have a child, but unfortunately, you can’t understand how I felt when I found out you had married and had children,” Feng Ye said, unconsciously biting his lip, his eyes filled with hatred and unwillingness. “Why can’t you understand? I truly want you to feel what I felt.” When he was tortured in the dark dungeon, watching his family fall apart and being powerless to stop it, when he felt his father’s warmth vanish in his arms, when he was forced to escape the capital as a death prisoner, the person he had once loved was marrying an imperial princess, with fireworks, drums, and joy filling the city. Each of those moments was like a knife stabbing through his heart.

 

Yan Sikong coldly said, “Because I am a heartless person.”

 

“Yes,” Feng Ye sneered, “Not only heartless, you have no heart at all.”

 

Yan Sikong whispered, “Feng Ye, treat your wife and child well. I wish for you to have many sons, for the Feng family to pass on its legacy, and for your generations to live in glory.”

 

“I will.” Feng Ye glanced at Yan Sikong with bloodshot eyes, stood up, and left.

 

Yan Sikong lowered his head in exhaustion. He gently touched his heart, telling himself it would be fine, slowly coming to terms with it.

 

—

 

Yuan Nanyu had not left his room for several days. First, he feared saying too much and being exposed, and second, he did not want to see Chen Mu.

 

These days, the only ones he had interacted with were the servants and a guard who came to inform him, on Shen Hexuan’s orders, asking if he agreed to send Yuan Shaoxu and Que Wang together to Fengxiang, to exchange Fengxiang City with Feng Ye.

 

When he received this news, his heart almost exploded. Apparently, in just two more nights, he would no longer have to endure that night’s humiliation and could take his elder brother and leave. But if not him, then it would be Yan Sikong… Was this his fate?

 

His feelings were complicated, and he dared not think any further. It was better for Yan Sikong and Yuan Shaoxu to leave. Through the guard’s words, Yan Sikong promised him to spare his elder brother’s life, making him go and guard his father’s tomb to atone, which was better than being forever imprisoned in a dungeon.

 

As for him, he just hoped to go to Pei’an as soon as possible and escape from this place.

 

Since that night, he had not met Chen Mu. But Chen Mu had been asking to pay respects to him outside every day, probably knowing his guilt, he did not force his way in. But from his tone, Yuan Nanyu could tell that his patience was running out.

 

Apart from fearing exposure, the biggest reason he did not want to see Chen Mu was because he feared he might not be able to control his desire to kill. As a full-grown man, enduring such a humiliating insult, only killing his enemy could relieve the hatred in his heart. But he also knew that if he killed Chen Mu, not only would he not survive, but the three thousand soldiers captured by Chen Mu would also be buried with him.

 

Moreover, if he could land a fatal blow, then sacrificing his life would be worth it. But Chen Mu was not a helpless royal; on the contrary, Yan Sikong had mentioned that he had been trained by the palace’s best martial artist, Zhu Lanting, since he was young and had never neglected his skills. He was formidable. If the plan failed, he and the soldiers would die in vain.

 

However, avoiding him was not a long-term solution. If they really met, could he suppress his urge to kill?

 

Sure enough, after just a few days, Chen Mu lost his patience. The knocking on the door became much heavier. “Sir, you’ve been hiding in your room. Are you planning to hide forever? Today, I come to apologize to you.”

 

A storm brewed on Yuan Nanyu’s face.

 

“Sir, I have something important to discuss with you.”

 

Yuan Nanyu frowned deeply, suspecting it was about the Pei’an mission, which was his chance to escape. He hesitated in his heart.

 

“If you don’t want to open the door, I will have to come in,” Chen Mu said, pausing before pushing the door open with a creak.

 

Yuan Nanyu was sitting at the table, deliberately letting his hair fall messily to cover part of his face. He coldly glared at Chen Mu, his fists clenched tightly in his sleeves, his nails almost digging into his flesh. Only by doing so could he force himself to stay calm.

 

But Chen Mu stared at Yuan Nanyu without blinking, his gaze intense and focused, with no sign of guilt or shame. He was completely different from how he had spoken outside. He gently asked, “Sir, are you feeling better?”

 

“Stop wasting time. When am I going to Pei’an?”

 

Chen Mu said softly, “Sir, you’ve been unwell recently and are not fit for the mission. Shen Hexuan sent word that the Prince of Ning’s son will go in your place.”

 

“What did you say!” Yuan Nanyu slammed the table.

 

His roar was powerful, and Chen Mu was taken aback, suspecting that this voice, this anger, and this forceful action did not seem like Yan Sikong.

 

Chen Mu thought he was still furious and patiently explained, “The Prince of Ning’s son is the nephew of King Han. King Han is eccentric, and it is more appropriate for him to go. Sir, there is no need to suffer the exhaustion of the journey.”

 

Yuan Nanyu’s blood surged, and he could hardly believe it. His identity had been swapped with Yan Sikong, and he had been drugged and schemed against by Chen Mu. All the humiliation and burden he had endured over the past few days, everything was for the opportunity to escape during the Pei’an mission. But now, even that hope was shattered?!

 

Yuan Nanyu’s rage surged, his heart full of dissatisfaction.

 

Chen Mu was stunned by the “Yan Sikong” before him, but he explained these unusual behaviors as a result of that night’s “incident.” Yan Sikong’s anger was more intense than he had imagined. Lowering his head, he said, “I know you blame me, and after I woke up from the drunken haze, I was filled with shame.”

 

“Shut up!” Yuan Nanyu shouted sternly. “Get out.”

 

Chen Mu took a deep breath. “I swear to you, by my mother and by my oath, Qi Manbi drugged you without my knowledge. After I married her, feeling neglected, she came up with this despicable trick to please me. I was drunk that day, and…”

 

“Get out—” Yuan Nanyu’s patience was on the verge of collapsing. He didn’t want to die; he wanted to live to take revenge. But if Chen Mu continued speaking, he feared he would lose control.

 

Chen Mu spoke softly, “I ask for your forgiveness. To calm your anger, I have brought her here.”

 

“You…”

 

“Bring her in.”

 

As soon as he finished speaking, the door was pushed open again, and two servants dragged Qi Manbi into the room, throwing her onto the ground. She cried with red eyes, her expression terrified, looking pitiful.

 

Yuan Nanyu looked coldly at the woman on the ground.

 

“Your Highness, Your Highness, please spare me. Lord Yan, I know I was wrong. Lord Yan, please forgive me!” Qi Manbi kowtowed forcefully.

 

Chen Mu glanced at the woman who had accompanied him for many years, but there was not a trace of pity in his eyes. He looked at Yuan Nanyu and said, “Sir, this woman is beyond forgiveness. I will have her executed here to atone for her sins.”

 

Qi Manbi widened her eyes, full of fear. She clung to Chen Mu’s legs, crying, “Your Highness, please spare me! I am pregnant with your child, Your Highness! Please spare me!”

 

Chen Mu looked down at her. “Is that true?”

 

“Yes, it’s true. How could I dare lie to you? Your Highness, you can have a doctor check. Please spare me, please spare me,” Qi Manbi said, her beautiful face now deformed with tears.

 

Chen Mu said emotionlessly, “So what? The child in your belly is just a worthless illegitimate child.” He kicked Qi Manbi aside. “Execute her.”

 

Two servants rushed forward, one grabbing Qi Manbi, the other wrapping a white silk ribbon around her neck and pulling it tightly.

 

Qi Manbi grasped the silk ribbon, her face turning red. Her legs kicked weakly, and her eyes, bloodshot, were filled with endless despair and pain.

 

As Qi Manbi was about to lose consciousness, Yuan Nanyu gritted his teeth and said sharply, “Enough.”

 

The servants released their grip at the command, and Qi Manbi collapsed to the ground, her frail body curled up, her eyes rolling back as she coughed violently.

 

Chen Mu glanced at Yuan Nanyu. “Why pity this woman?”

 

Yuan Nanyu felt a cold chill in his heart. Chen Mu was so ruthless, willing to kill a woman who had served him for many years and was even pregnant with his child. The cruelty hidden beneath his youthful, handsome exterior made Yuan Nanyu’s scalp tingle.

 

He ignored Chen Mu and stared at Qi Manbi. “Why did you drug me? How could you do such a despicable thing?” He asked, hoping to slap Chen Mu’s face. He didn’t believe Chen Mu had no knowledge of the matter. Even if Qi Manbi wouldn’t speak, in a life-or-death situation, with her fear slowly subsiding, he could still force the truth from her.

 

Qi Manbi, kneeling on the ground, cried, “Your Highness, sir, it was my fault, it was my fault. I… I was only… I…”

 

She had just narrowly escaped death, and now her mind was in chaos. She only wanted to clear herself, so she began to make excuses.

 

These words struck Yuan Nanyu like a thunderclap.

 

“What did you say?” Yuan Nanyu trembled, “I… I wanted to help you?”

 

“It’s all my fault, it’s all my fault,” Qi Manbi cried. “You said, said I resembled you, that we could call each other siblings. Do you remember? You saw I wasn’t liked by the princess, so you said you’d help me. You remember, right? We talked about it in the courtyard. You pitied me…” She began kowtowing to Yuan Nanyu. “I was foolish, you meant well, it’s all my fault.”

 

Chen Mu looked at Yuan Nanyu suspiciously. “Sir, what she said…”

 

Yuan Nanyu’s face turned pale, his body shaking uncontrollably.

 

Yan Sikong, said he wanted to “help” Qi Manbi? How? In what way?

 

Qi Manbi was speaking incoherently, but Yuan Nanyu thought she was afraid to speak the truth in front of Chen Mu. In reality, she was vaguely hinting at their relationship, seeking help from him, no, from Yan Sikong.

 

Could it be… could it be that…

 

Yuan Nanyu didn’t dare think further, but his thoughts raced toward the worst possibility.

 

After Yan Sikong swapped identities with him and took Yuan Shaoxu to Fengxiang, he was trapped in Pingliang, humiliated by Chen Mu, and even the plan to go to Pei’an was shattered. After such a long detour, Yan Sikong left safely, while he was just moved to another prison.

 

Could this have been planned by Yan Sikong and Qi Manbi?

 

As soon as this thought arose, Yuan Nanyu’s spine chilled.

 

No, it’s impossible. They are brothers. Yan Sikong would never do this to him.

 

But…

 

Yuan Nanyu’s mind echoed with Qi Manbi’s words, “You said you wanted to help me.” Help her, or help himself? Chen Mu was no saint. He had been infatuated with Yan Sikong for a long time. As he grew older and gained power, how could he bear Yan Sikong’s constant rejections? Yan Sikong must have known this and asked Chen Mu to…

 

No!

 

It couldn’t be, it couldn’t be! Yan Sikong would never do this to him, never!

 

Yuan Nanyu swept everything off the table with one hand and muttered, “Get out, all of you, get out!”

 

Chen Mu looked at him with a strange expression. The man before him no longer spoke or acted like Yan Sikong. He couldn’t believe that Yan Sikong, who had spent his life at the center of turmoil, seeing all kinds of storms, would be so changed by that incident.

 

But there was no better explanation.

 

Chen Mu spoke softly, “Sir, show mercy. If you keep this woman, and if you regret it later, you may dispose of her. Tomorrow, I will lead the army to Taiyuan. You will accompany me.”

 

Yuan Nanyu lowered his head, his black hair blocking his face, his shoulders trembling incessantly.

 

Get out, all of you, get out.

 

Yuan Nanyu screamed in his heart. He used all his strength to hold onto the last thread of his sanity. If Chen Mu didn’t leave now, he would kill them all.

 

Chen Mu gestured to the servants, who dragged Qi Manbi away, and he slowly retreated. As the door closed, he looked back through the crack, a smug smile curling on his lips.

 

Yan Sikong, you will always be mine.