The Blood Crown - Chapter 288

Chen Mu released Yuan Nanyu as agreed.

 

Unlike when he escorted Yan Sikong and Yuan Shaoxu in the past, Yuan Nanyu was not confined in a prisoner’s carriage. Chen Mu gave him a horse, and clad in light armor, he stood tall atop the steed, momentarily regaining the heroic demeanor of a great general.

 

However, his face was completely exposed for all to see, with only a few strands of loose hair partially concealing the branded words on his forehead.

 

A contingent sent by Feng Ye to receive him had already been waiting outside the camp for a long time.

 

Chen Mu and Yan Sikong stood inside the camp, watching Yuan Nanyu’s departing figure, each lost in thought.

 

Suddenly, Chen Mu signaled to his subordinate, who came forward carrying a wooden box. The man walked up to Yuan Nanyu’s horse and presented the box with both hands.

 

Yuan Nanyu glanced at it before reaching out to take what lay inside, lifting it high in front of his eyes.

 

It was a mask, slightly different from the one he used to wear, but clearly made as an earnest replica.

 

The early morning sunlight streamed through the eye holes of the mask, casting rays onto Yuan Nanyu’s face. The golden light that passed through the mask’s eye holes seemed almost divine, solemn and compassionate, overlooking the suffering of the world.

 

Yuan Nanyu stared at the golden eyes of the mask as if bewitched, until his own eyes could no longer bear the scorching intensity.

 

He closed his eyes, suddenly enlightened. He took a deep breath and gently let go of the mask, allowing it to fall to the ground. With a tug of the reins, his horse’s iron hooves shattered the mask into pieces—the mask he had once relied upon so heavily, thinking he would never be able to remove it.

 

Then, without looking back, he galloped toward the camp gates.

 

Yan Sikong’s lips parted slightly, but he couldn’t call out. Instead, he murmured softly, “Yuer, take care.”

 

Chen Mu’s face darkened, and before Yuan Nanyu’s horse had even left the camp, he turned and walked away.

 

Yan Sikong, however, continued to watch until Yuan Nanyu had joined Feng Ye’s troops. He knew that each look was one less, and so he kept watching, watching until Yuan Nanyu’s figure completely vanished from sight.

 

Yan Sikong felt no joy or sorrow, only a sense of “completion.” A task he had long carried, he had finally, finally finished.

 

At last, he was free from attachments.

 

Yan Sikong wanted to return to his tent, but he was brought to Chen Mu’s command tent.

 

Chen Mu granted Yan Sikong a seat, dismissed everyone, and said with a normal expression, “Sir, I kept my word and released Que Wang. Are you satisfied?”

 

Yan Sikong coldly replied, “Thank you, Your Highness.”

 

Chen Mu smiled insincerely, “Guess what Feng Ye will offer in exchange for you?”

 

“Aren’t you tired of playing this game of bargaining?” Yan Sikong sneered, “Why not attack the city like a real man?”

 

Chen Mu remained unmoved, “I wish Feng Ye would act like a man and face me in battle instead of sneaking into my camp, achieving nothing.”

 

“Then why not use me to issue a challenge?” Yan Sikong mocked, “Surely Your Highness isn’t naive enough to think Feng Ye would trade the empire for me.”

 

Chen Mu gazed at Yan Sikong, “Feng Ye won’t, because he knows I can’t bear to kill you.”

 

Yan Sikong looked back at Chen Mu without a change in expression.

 

Chen Mu leaned closer and gently lifted Yan Sikong’s chin, “But… what if I could bear it?”

 

Yan Sikong locked eyes with Chen Mu, their gazes silently clashing.

 

Chen Mu leaned in and kissed Yan Sikong’s lips, gently and without hostility, unlike the aggressive intent of the past.

 

Yan Sikong didn’t even blink.

 

Chen Mu pulled back after a moment, licking his lips and chuckling, “What, you don’t believe me?”

 

“I believe you,” Yan Sikong said calmly, “But whether I believe or not doesn’t matter. What matters is if Feng Ye does.”

 

“Yes, sir is absolutely right.” Chen Mu traced Yan Sikong’s cheek with his fingertips before shifting the conversation, “Did you know, my happiest days in the Eastern Palace were when you came to teach me?”

 

Yan Sikong recalled those days of teaching in the Eastern Palace, feeling a pang of nostalgia.

 

“I waited eagerly day and night to see you. At first, it was because your lessons were interesting, not stiff and serious like the other teachers. I enjoyed listening. Later, I became increasingly dependent on you, treating your words as gospel. After my mother passed, you became the only person in the world who called me Mu’er. I saw you as family, even as…” Chen Mu’s voice grew softer, “I desired you, just as I desired the position of Crown Prince, and even the throne. Deep down, I always knew that if I weren’t the eldest prince of Dasheng, you wouldn’t have cared about me. Yet, I didn’t want to believe it, that your feelings for me were only ever for your benefit, never genuine.”

 

Yan Sikong replied evenly, “Your Highness is mistaken. You may have had affection for me as a pupil, and I, too, once had the duty of a teacher toward you. I wanted you to become emperor, to support you loyally, and there was no pretense in that. But things changed over time, and here we are, standing on opposing sides.”

 

“Who’s to blame for that? Me or you?”

 

“…Maybe it’s just fate.”

 

“Fate, huh. How convenient.” Chen Mu chuckled, “I may not know the fates of others, but I know that I am destined to be emperor. Otherwise, Heaven would’ve buried me long ago, yet I kept getting back up, time and again.”

 

“Perhaps.”

 

“You once wanted me to be emperor. Now, do you hate me?”

 

Yan Sikong said, “There is no hatred between us.”

 

“If I say that the grievances between you and me are written off…” Chen Mu quietly looked at Yan Sikong, “Would you be willing to assist me once again?”

 

Yan Sikong narrowed his eyes. “Does Your Highness still dare to trust me? No one in this world would dare to trust me.”

 

“Because I cannot bear to hurt you.” Chen Mu’s large hand caressed Yan Sikong’s face. “You are so clever. Can’t you tell? I am giving you a chance.”

 

Yan Sikong understood in his heart that Chen Mu had indeed harbored the intention to kill him.

 

Chen Mu was right. Without a high enough stake, how could he lure Feng Ye into his trap? If he were Chen Mu, he would surely cut off one of his ears and send it to Feng Ye.

 

Seeing that Yan Sikong remained silent, Chen Mu continued, “The path to the throne is destined to be lonely; otherwise, why would it be called ‘solitary’? Yet I still wish that the person accompanying me to the end would be you.”

 

Yan Sikong replied, “Even if I agreed, would Your Highness believe me?”

 

Chen Mu gazed at Yan Sikong without answering.

 

He couldn’t answer because the truth was evident.

 

Yan Sikong had already pointed it out. Over the years, he had betrayed so many people that no one in this world could ever dare trust him, Yan Sikong.

 

Yan Sikong thought that Chen Mu was merely struggling with himself, but in the end, the desire for the throne would win over everything else.

 

Did Chen Mu like him? After so many years of yearning without fulfillment, he certainly must.

 

But so what?

 

Not everyone in this world was like Feng Ye… like Feng Ye…

 

Thinking of Feng Ye, Yan Sikong felt a desolation in his heart.

 

Chen Mu embraced Yan Sikong. “There is no one in this world like you, yet you still do not belong to me.”

 

Yan Sikong did not respond.

 

“But…” Chen Mu’s gaze suddenly turned venomous, “I am destined to have everything under this sky, and you will not be an exception.”

 

Being held by Chen Mu felt like being entangled by a poisonous serpent. Yan Sikong felt a chill run down his spine.

 

He knew well that if the price were right, this student he had once nurtured with his own hands, who now spoke of love and reverence, might not even leave him a whole corpse.

 

—

 

To avoid causing a commotion and to save some face for Yuan Nanyu, the group entered the Forbidden City in secret, heading straight for the Jingyuan Wang’s residence.

 

Upon seeing Feng Ye, Yuan Nanyu dismounted and fell heavily to his knees, bowing deeply.

 

Feng Ye’s face was pale as paper. In just three days, he had become alarmingly thin. He walked slowly to Yuan Nanyu and spoke softly, “Que Wang, you have suffered. Rise.”

 

Yuan Nanyu’s voice trembled. “This subordinate has committed grave sins. I beg the Wolf King to punish me.”

 

“Stand up. Now is not the time to punish you. I need you to redeem yourself.”

 

Yuan Nanyu slowly lifted his head, his eyes red and full of remorse.

 

Feng Ye helped Yuan Nanyu up, his eyes carefully scanning that face. The more he looked, the more pained he became.

 

Seeing Feng Ye’s deep gaze, Yuan Nanyu knew that Feng Ye was not truly looking at him but at another person through the resemblance of his face, even though he no longer wore a mask.

 

He had expected this.

 

He had once told Yan Sikong—no, he had told everyone—that he did not want to remove his mask because of the tattooed punishment. Initially, that was the reason. He had treated the mark diligently for years, hoping that one day it would fade to the point where it would be unnoticeable. He had longed for the day he could present himself openly, free of shame.

 

But when Yan Sikong appeared, he knew he could never remove that mask because this face had already been “claimed” by someone known throughout the land. Anyone who looked at this face would never think of him; they would think of that other person. Though this face was attached to his own bones and flesh, it did not truly belong to him.

 

He had neither his own memories nor his own identity. He seemed born for someone else, a mere shadow, a substitute.

 

Was he resentful?

 

How could he not be?

 

Yet he preferred to resent fate rather than blame Yan Sikong, and he didn’t even know why.

 

Feng Ye, staring at Yuan Nanyu’s face, felt a profound grief. He shook his head and muttered, “You both… I can recognize you both at a glance.”

 

Yuan Nanyu gave a bitter smile. “Unfortunately, not everyone can.”

 

“How is he?” Feng Ye clasped one hand behind his back, clenching it tightly. “Did Chen Mu make things difficult for him?”

 

Yuan Nanyu shook his head. “I don’t know.”

 

Feng Ye gritted his teeth. “I will get him back. No matter how many times, no matter how many times he runs away from me, I will get him back.”

 

“He said he left himself an escape route,” Yuan Nanyu replied. “He has a way out.”

 

Feng Ye’s eyes lit up. “Truly?”

 

“He said so, but…” Yuan Nanyu hesitated. “As he himself put it, someone as clever as he wouldn’t enter enemy territory unprepared.”

 

“Back in Yunnan, he had already planted people in Chen Mu’s army.”

 

“Yes, one of them even delivered messages to me, but for the sake of secrecy, it was incredibly difficult to get in contact.”

 

“He must have a way…” Feng Ye frowned. “He must have a way.”

 

Yuan Nanyu nodded. “While we wait for his message, we should also prepare for battle.”

 

“Que Wang.” Feng Ye patted Yuan Nanyu’s shoulder. “The position of the vanguard general of the Feng Family Army has always been yours. Now that you have returned, forget everything that happened in Chen Mu’s camp. When heaven assigns great tasks to a person, it must first distress their will and tire their muscles. Endure the humiliation and take revenge, make up for your sins with great deeds.” His voice grew cold. “Help me defeat Chen Mu!”

 

Yuan Nanyu’s gaze hardened. A fierce glint flashed across his face. “I will stop at nothing to fulfill my duty!”

 

“Good!” Feng Ye murmured. “Rest and recover your strength. Tomorrow, I want to take you to see someone.”

 

“Who?”

 

“Yuan Shaoxu.”

 

Yuan Nanyu’s expression changed, his eyes flickering with uncertainty. He did not know what Feng Ye intended to do with Yuan Shaoxu. If judged by military law, Yuan Shaoxu could be sentenced to death a hundred times over. He wanted to plead for him but felt too ashamed, as he himself was already a criminal.

 

Feng Ye’s voice grew cold. “I need you to interrogate him personally.”

 

“Wolf King, he is indeed guilty, I…”

 

“I’m not asking you to interrogate him about the false military orders.” Feng Ye fixed his gaze on Yuan Nanyu, taking a deep breath as if summoning the courage to say the words. “I want you to uncover whether he has lied about your and Yan Sikong’s identities!”