The Blood Crown - Chapter 286

The approaching Chu army officer was not unfamiliar to Yan Sikong.

 

The young general took one look at Yan Sikong and shouted, “Men, take Yan Sikong back to the camp. The rest of you, follow me to chase the Wolf King!”

 

Yan Sikong let out a cold laugh, thinking, Your horses, chasing Zuihong? That’s truly a lost cause.

 

The unit left behind surrounded Yan Sikong tightly. The leading soldier, with a rough and uncouth appearance, eyed Yan Sikong with a lewd expression. “So this is the legendary Lord Yan Sikong?”

 

Yan Sikong gazed at him impassively.

 

“No wonder he’s as beautiful as an immortal. No wonder both brothers can serve men, ha ha ha—”

 

The crowd erupted into raucous laughter.

 

“Tell me, how different are men from women?” The man raised an eyebrow. “Any of you guys ever tried a man?”

 

“Disgusting.”

 

“You know nothing. If it weren’t good, why would all these kings and generals be so keen on trying it?”

 

“Big Brother is right.” A soldier looked at Yan Sikong maliciously. “This Lord Yan, he’s definitely prettier than the girls at Zuiyue House.”

 

“More than just pretty, I bet he’s got some extraordinary ‘skills,’ too. Otherwise, how could he seduce both the Wolf King and Prince Chu, making them both lose their minds?” The leader gave a thumbs-up. “Lord Yan, I truly admire you. If my parents had blessed me with such a handsome face, I wouldn’t need to risk my life out here. Just lying on a bed, I’d enjoy a lifetime of riches.”

 

The crowd burst into laughter once more.

 

Yan Sikong had no interest in engaging with him and replied indifferently, “You don’t have the fortune for that kind of life.”

 

The man’s expression darkened, and he spat, “Shameless Yan traitor! Are you here to throw yourself at Prince Chu because you couldn’t survive with the Wolf King anymore? Or do you have some new devious scheme?!”

 

“Whatever schemes I might have, they are none of your lowly concern,” Yan Sikong said coldly, his chin raised. “Take me to see Prince Chu.”

 

Having held high office and weathered countless storms, Yan Sikong’s composed and commanding demeanor remained, even in captivity.

 

The soldier roared, “Take him away!”

 

Yan Sikong was escorted back to the Chu army camp. Along the way, he endured countless hostile stares and obscene remarks.

 

He was taken directly into the main tent, and when he saw Chen Mu seated on the throne, a surge of murderous intent rose within him. Yet outwardly, he remained calm.

 

Chen Mu glared at Yan Sikong, his gaze filled with a complex mixture of emotions.

 

“Kneel before Prince Chu!”

 

Yan Sikong knelt, hands clasped in greeting. “Greetings to Your Highness, King of Chu.”

 

Gone was Chen Mu’s past eagerness; he simply let Yan Sikong kneel, a sneer escaping his lips. “So the gentleman has come again. This time, I didn’t beg you to come, nor did I capture you. You came of your own accord.”

 

“Indeed.”

 

“Are you brazen, or do you believe I won’t kill you?” A twisted look crossed Chen Mu’s face. “After you betrayed me.”

 

Yan Sikong replied steadily, “I came for someone. Your Highness knows who. By your own words, I’m here. You must release Que Wang.”

 

Chen Mu’s expression shifted at the mention of Que Wang. He sneered, “If the Wolf King had sent you as a bargaining chip, I would have gladly exchanged Que Wang. But you came alone, so isn’t this a case of losing both the bride and the army?”

 

“If Your Highness fails to honor his word, he will earn the ridicule of the world.”

 

“Ridicule?” Chen Mu let out a wild laugh. “Ridicule? I am the eldest prince of Dasheng. Since childhood, I never spent a winter without freezing. I was crowned heir, then deposed, exiled to the wilderness. Now, I guard the gates of the Forbidden City, forbidden from entering. My whole life has been one long laughable existence. What do I care about ridicule?”

 

“Your Highness is resilient. I admire that,” Yan Sikong said expressionlessly. “But I’m only here to secure Que Wang’s release. If you break your promise, I will end my life here.”

 

“You dare!” Chen Mu’s eyes turned red with rage. “I’ll have you tied up and…”

 

“A determined person cannot be stopped from dying.”

 

Chen Mu grabbed a teacup and hurled it at Yan Sikong, shattering it beside his knee. “Yan Sikong, I have always respected and loved you. I held you as the only person I cared for in this world, yet how did you repay me? Are you truly as heartless and opportunistic as they say? Who have you ever genuinely served? Those close to you suffer the most from your lies, deceit, and betrayal!”

 

Yan Sikong stared coldly at Chen Mu. Even if he was truly so, this ungrateful person had no right to judge him. He and Chen Mu were two sides of the same coin.

 

A general stepped forward, saying, “Your Highness, why be angry at this traitor? We can bind him, and with both brothers in our grasp, we will surely crush the Wolf King’s spirit.”

 

Yan Sikong replied sternly, “Your Highness, release Que Wang. As the eldest prince of Dasheng, you aspire to the throne. An emperor must keep his word. How can you break your promise?”

 

“Shut up!” the general barked. “This is war! Deception is fair game. Who cares about promises now?”

 

“At present, the usurper holds the emperor captive, while Prince Chu has raised troops to save him. In the eyes of the world, you are the rightful heir. If you break your promise, how are you different from the usurper?”

 

Chen Mu’s voice turned cold. “Yan Sikong, don’t try to provoke me. I know your tricks, and I won’t fall for them.”

 

“Very well.” Yan Sikong sat down on the ground. “I came alone. If you refuse to release Que Wang, I cannot fight an army alone. But I can control my own fate. For every day you don’t release him, I will not eat or drink, and I will join my brother in death.”

 

“You…” Chen Mu sneered. “You’re threatening me? Do you think you still have any worth?”

 

“I am as insignificant as an ant. But if I die, you’ll lose the leverage you have over the Wolf King.” Yan Sikong’s lips curled. “To him, I matter far more than Que Wang.”

 

Chen Mu narrowed his eyes.

 

“Your Highness…”

 

“Everyone, leave us.”

 

“Your Highness! This man is extremely skilled at using words to deceive people, he…”

 

“Leave!” Chen Mu commanded sharply.

 

The soldiers had no choice but to withdraw.

 

When the central tent was left with only the two of them, Chen Mu and Yan Sikong stared at each other in silence.

 

Finally, Yan Sikong spoke, “Let me see Que Wang.”

 

“Why should I?” Chen Mu stood up, walked over to Yan Sikong, crouched down, and grabbed his chin, forcing him to lift his face. “Do you like the gift I gave you?”

 

Anger and shock flashed across Yan Sikong’s face.

 

Chen Mu smiled with satisfaction. “You’re finally angry. I thought you could keep pretending for longer.”

 

Yan Sikong jerked his head to shake off his hand. “Let me see him!”

 

“To be honest, you’ve always just used me,” Chen Mu said softly. “When we were young, you were good to me only because I was the Crown Prince, your student. When I ascended the throne, you’d become the Imperial Teacher, rise to power, and naturally become prime minister, a position of glory. Later, you came to Yunnan to find me, raising armies and advising me, but it was all for Feng Ye. You nurtured me to tie up Southeastern forces for him, and so he could use me as a cover to rebel. When you deliberately revealed your whereabouts and got captured, it was for Que Wang. If not for Mr. Shen restraining you, I would have been completely played, and your plan to rescue Que Wang would have succeeded. But alas, Mr. Shen died because of you.”

 

Yan Sikong replied coldly, “As you said, all’s fair in war.”

 

Chen Mu looked at him, eyes deep and icy, full of chilling intent. “I thought, for so many years, you had feelings for me—at least the affection of a teacher to a student. But it was just my self-delusion. You’ve always seen me as a pawn, one you could discard whenever needed, right?”

 

Yan Sikong narrowed his eyes. “I raised you too well, giving you too many ideas. If you had just listened to me, you’d already be emperor.”

 

“Shut up!” Chen Mu roared. “You thought to control me, make me bow to Feng Ye, that traitor, and use me as your puppet? How could I, Chen Mu, ever be a tool?”

 

Yan Sikong sneered. “But you can’t defeat Feng Ye.”

 

Chen Mu grabbed Yan Sikong’s collar and threw him to the ground, pressing down on him, then violently kissed his lips, roughly and aggressively.

 

Yan Sikong’s eyes widened in fury, and he swung a fist at Chen Mu, but Chen Mu blocked it, pinning him to the ground. Yan Sikong felt a sharp pain as Chen Mu bit his lip, the taste of blood flooding his mouth.

 

Chen Mu lifted his head, smiling cruelly. “Do you want to resist? Que Wang still has plenty of parts left.”

 

Yan Sikong glared at him with gritted teeth.

 

“Or should I call him Yuan Nanyu? I’ve found out everything. You two aren’t even real brothers. How about this…” Chen Mu laughed maliciously. “I’ll cut off his hand and make you eat it. Then you two will be bound in flesh and blood.”

 

“You dare!” Yan Sikong roared like a beast.

 

Chen Mu gripped his face tightly. “Both of you are in my hands. What wouldn’t I dare?” He lowered his head again, kissing Yan Sikong slowly and humiliatingly, savoring the taste of blood, dragging out the kiss to inflict maximum shame.

 

Yan Sikong’s fists were clenched, but he didn’t fight back.

 

He had come here prepared to die, and this humiliation was just part of the ordeal.

 

Chen Mu kissed him until he was satisfied, finally letting go and licking his lips. “You two may look alike, but you taste different. I used to respect you too much to force myself on you. If I’d tried earlier, I’d have seen through him sooner.”

 

Yan Sikong’s eyes were bloodshot with rage.

 

Chen Mu pulled Yan Sikong up and spoke in a gentle tone, “If you wish to see him, I’ll grant you that. Come, follow me.”

 

Suppressing his trembling body, Yan Sikong followed Chen Mu out of the tent.

 

He told himself that no matter what he saw, he had to stay calm. He had to save his Yuer. Nothing else mattered.

 

Chen Mu led Yan Sikong to a heavily guarded tent, even more secure than the main tent.

 

Guards lifted the curtain, and Chen Mu and Yan Sikong walked in.

 

On the bed inside the tent, Yan Sikong saw the person he most wanted and most feared to see—Yuan Nanyu.

 

Yuan Nanyu sat in the corner, disheveled, his long black hair flowing around him. His clothes were in disarray, revealing bruises on his bare chest that looked disturbingly suggestive under the dim light.

 

Upon hearing footsteps, Yuan Nanyu opened his eyes. The moment he saw Yan Sikong, his body trembled.

 

“Yu…er…” Yan Sikong’s nose stung with grief, almost bringing him to tears.

 

Yuan Nanyu looked at him quietly, not moving an inch.

 

“Yuer!” Yan Sikong rushed over, grabbing him, his hands trembling as he touched Yuan Nanyu’s ear. Then he paused, moving aside his hair.

 

Chen Mu chuckled. “That was cut from a death row prisoner. How could I damage such a pretty face?”

 

Yuan Nanyu looked at Yan Sikong with eyes devoid of joy. “Why are you here?”

 

“I came to save you,” Yan Sikong choked. “Yuer, I know you’ve suffered, but—”

 

“You came to save me.” Yuan Nanyu lowered his gaze, speaking softly. “Last time you said you’d save me, and now look at what I’ve become.”

 

Yan Sikong froze.

 

Chen Mu walked over, sitting beside Yuan Nanyu and teasingly touching his ear. “See, I haven’t harmed him at all. Even when he wounded me, I didn’t punish him. Isn’t that lenient of me?”

 

Yan Sikong was furious, wishing he could strangle Chen Mu.

 

Yuan Nanyu’s eyes flashed with shame, and he turned his face away, but Chen Mu held his head, forcing him close and lightly sucking his earlobe, whispering viciously, “Thanks to you leaving him behind, I’ve enjoyed him thoroughly. I couldn’t bear to cut any part of him; it’d spoil my fun in bed.”

 

“Chen Mu!” Yan Sikong roared, “Let him go!”

 

“I can’t bear to,” Chen Mu said, reveling in their torment. “I’ve wanted you for over a decade, and that night I thought I had you, only to discover it was a fake. Even after finding out, I pretended not to know. Watching him submit to me to survive was the most delicious part.”

 

Yuan Nanyu finally lost control, shouting in anger, but his chains restrained him, making escape impossible.

 

“Chen Mu, what do you want?” Yan Sikong demanded.

 

Chen Mu traced Yuan Nanyu’s face, especially the branding scar on his forehead. “I don’t want to let him go, but I have to. Only if Feng Ye thinks I keep my word will he trade for something even more valuable.”

 

Yan Sikong clenched his fists, seething with the urge to kill Chen Mu.

 

Chen Mu savored their misery before finally getting up, satisfied. “I’ll leave you two to reunite. Who knows if you’ll ever get another chance to meet.”

 

Chen Mu left with a smile, leaving the two brothers in painful silence.

 

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A new volume begins, the final one!!!