The Blood Crown - Chapter 304

Feng Ye bent down to pick it up. With stiff fingers, he gently brushed away the snow clinging to the remnants of the wedding handkerchief. In his palm, it seemed so small, so insignificant. In his life, he had possessed countless treasures, yet none were worth cherishing as much as this.

Yan Sikong stared at the handkerchief, his thoughts suddenly in disarray.

Amid such a raging fire, it still managed to survive in part, and Feng Ye even managed to retrieve it from the ruins?

Feng Ye gazed deeply into Yan Sikong’s eyes. “This, you can’t possibly not recognize.”

Yan Sikong’s face remained taut.

“You traveled far and wide, yet you always carried it with you.” Feng Ye’s voice was hoarse. “Kong’er, you’ve always had me in your heart. Why don’t you dare to admit it?”

Yan Sikong said coldly, “When have I not dared to admit it? In the past, I confessed, but you didn’t believe me. Now I say I have been reborn and abandoned such useless sentiments as love, yet you still don’t believe me. What you believe has always been only what you want to believe.”

“I made too many mistakes in the past. Now, I only want to make amends. Please, give me one chance.” The once-arrogant Wolf King now spoke with a tone of pleading. He spread the handkerchief out on his palm and said softly, “Kong’er, I’ve done so many unforgivable things to you in the past. At the root of it, it’s because I thought you had never been sincere with me. There were so many misunderstandings between us, so much scheming by others. I was blinded and failed to see everything you did for me. I…” Feng Ye’s voice became increasingly filled with regret. “In this life, the person I’ve wronged most is you. I beg you, Kong’er, I beg you, don’t ignore me.”

Yan Sikong turned his face away. “I, too, want to ask the Wolf King to let it go.”

“Impossible.” Feng Ye pressed the handkerchief to his heart, his gaze piercing in the darkness. “You are the one I belong to, body and soul, for my entire life. No matter where I’ve been, no matter if I was down and out or triumphant, I’ve never, ever been able to let you go.”

“What does that have to do with me?” Yan Sikong’s voice carried hidden anger. “Your years of relentless pestering, your disgraceful antics, they utterly disgust me. If word spreads, even the Prince of Jingyuan will be dragged down and mocked because of you!”

Feng Ye felt as if his chest had been struck; the pain was so intense he could barely breathe. His ears burned, and his legs nearly gave way.

So, being humiliated by the one you love can hurt this much.

How many such words had he said to Yan Sikong? How many such things had he done…

“You are the best at deceiving yourself, at being delusional.” Yan Sikong sneered. “In fact, many of your suspicions are correct. I never had an interest in men. Everything I did with you was simply because you were the heir of the Prince of Jingyuan. Later, I saved you and supported you only because I sought to cling to your military power…”

“You lie!” Feng Ye shouted, his voice sharp. “Then what about this? Why would you take it with you to face death?” He held the handkerchief up to Yan Sikong.

Yan Sikong narrowed his eyes. “Even if I kept a dog, over time, there would be some semblance of affection. But whatever little affection I had for you was burned to ashes. I, Yan Sikong, was born cold-hearted. As the mighty ruler you are, why not leave yourself and the Feng family a bit of dignity?”

Feng Ye’s eyes reddened with rage. “Yan Sikong, if I could forget you, why would I have been entangled with you for ten years? I also want to know what spell you cast on me. From the moment I first saw you to the day I close my eyes for good, I’ve always wanted you. You are my heart’s demon!”

Yan Sikong clenched his fists. “Then why not rid yourself of this ‘demon’?”

Feng Ye let out a bitter laugh. “To rid myself of you would mean cutting out my own heart.” He reached for his waist and drew out a dagger.

This dagger was the token that a young Feng Ye had given to Yan Sikong years ago.

Yan Sikong’s chest tightened in pain.

Feng Ye held the dagger up before Yan Sikong, his voice trembling. “This is the dagger I gave you twenty years ago. It’s yours. Use it to carve yourself out of my heart. That way, I will no longer be entangled with you, no longer disgrace myself and disgust you.”

Yan Sikong took a step back, his voice icy. “Wait until you’ve defeated the Jin army before putting on this pitiful act!” He slammed the door shut.

He shut out the bone-chilling cold of the night and the almost despairing look in Feng Ye’s eyes.

Yan Sikong leaned against the desk and sat in the chair.

His entire body was numb with cold, and his heart felt as if it had frozen over, making it hard to catch his breath for a long time.

It was too cold. Liaodong was far too cold.

In life, everyone must face winter. Some can endure it and eventually greet the spring thaw.

But some are destined to remain in eternal winter.

—

When Yan Sikong saw Liang Huiyong again, he asked him to send someone to tidy up the old Yuan family residence. Although such a trivial matter could have been handled by Yuan Nanyu, Liang Huiyong had recently been promoted to Commander-in-Chief of Liaodong. Yuan Nanyu, being of lower rank, would have been overstepping if he issued orders in the city.

When Yan Sikong made the request, Liang Huiyong looked somewhat embarrassed. “The Wolf King has already sent people to handle it. In a day or two, you and Nanyu can move back in.”

Yan Sikong could only clasp his hands and reply, “Thank you, General Liang.”

Feng Ye indeed acted swiftly. In just two days, he had restored the old Yuan residence to a livable state. Many items, worn by twenty years of change, were already beyond repair. However, most that could be salvaged were restored, with efforts made to maintain their original appearance.

Yuan Nanyu’s subordinates moved his belongings back to the Yuan residence. On the moving day, many townsfolk came to watch. The younger ones sought to witness the event, for the masked general’s name had once resounded throughout the world, and knowing he hailed from Guangning filled them with pride. The older ones came to see the youngest son of General Yuan Mao return home in glory, following in his father’s footsteps to defend Liaodong.

Yuan Nanyu rode on horseback, accepting the cheers of the townspeople lining the road. Yan Sikong sat inside the carriage, quietly lifting the curtain to peek outside. He thought to himself that despite sharing the same face as Yuan Mao’s son, if he were to appear in Guangning as his true self, he would face nothing but disdain.

“A traitor serving three masters, the treacherous Yan Sikong.”

Yan Sikong smiled bitterly. These eight words weren’t entirely inaccurate.

Upon returning to the Yuan residence, Yuan Nanyu dismissed the many servants arranged by Feng Ye, keeping only two helpers and his personal guards. The Yuan residence was small and couldn’t accommodate so many people.

The two brothers stood in the courtyard, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.

Yuan Nanyu said, “Second Brother, you should stay in Father and Mother’s bedroom from now on.”

“That’s not appropriate,” Yan Sikong immediately declined.

“Our house isn’t big, and there are no extra rooms. Second Brother, please don’t refuse.”

Yan Sikong was adamant about not staying in Yuan Shaoxu’s room. He couldn’t stay in Yuan Weiling’s former chamber either, nor could he, at his age, share a room with his younger brother. Thus, only the main bedroom seemed suitable.

“Then prepare a servant’s room for me,” Yan Sikong sighed. “That room holds too many memories of Father and Mother. I’d rather it remain as it is.”

“I can’t have you staying in a servant’s room,” Yuan Nanyu firmly refused, joking, “Unless Second Brother still wants to share a bed with me? But that bed wouldn’t fit the two of us anymore.”

Yan Sikong laughed. “If I stretch out my leg in the middle of the night, I might kick you to the floor. How could the vanguard general of the Feng family army suffer such an indignity?”

Yuan Nanyu put an arm around Yan Sikong’s shoulder. “I think we brothers should relive our childhood. Tonight, let’s sleep together. Even if you kick me off the bed, I won’t complain.”

Yan Sikong shook his head in resignation. “Don’t joke about it. That bed doesn’t even allow room to turn over.”

“Just one night,” Yuan Nanyu said, his tone carrying a hint of unintentional pleading. “Just one night. Tomorrow, I’ll move to Eldest Brother’s room. Tonight, I want to be with Second Brother, just like the old days.”

Yan Sikong’s gaze softened with indulgence. “Alright.”

As they spoke, a commotion erupted from the street outside the wall. Amid the noise, there were sounds of scolding and the cries of children.

They stepped outside the residence to find several men trembling as they knelt in the snow, surrounded by what seemed to be their children, all crying in a huddle. Standing nearby were two Feng family soldiers.

Yuan Nanyu approached. “What’s going on?”

The two soldiers were momentarily stunned upon seeing Yuan Nanyu before hurriedly saluting. “Greetings, General.”

Yuan Nanyu pointed to the men on the ground. “Well?”

“Reporting to the General, we are carrying out the Wolf King’s orders to search for those spreading harmful rumors in the city and to punish them accordingly.”

“Harmful rumors?” Yuan Nanyu asked in confusion. “What do you mean?”

Standing at the doorway, Yan Sikong could hear their conversation clearly, carried by the northwest wind.

“Well…” The two soldiers exchanged uneasy glances. After all, Yuan Nanyu’s relationship with Yan Sikong was now common knowledge.

“Speak clearly.”

“It’s… some irreverent rhymes about Grand Tutor Yan have been circulating in the city,” one soldier cautiously explained. “They first spread in tea houses and taverns, and then children picked them up and started singing them on the streets. So…”

“What are they singing?” Yuan Nanyu demanded harshly.

The two soldiers hurriedly knelt down. “We dare not repeat them. Please forgive us, General.”

Yuan Nanyu glanced at the gate of the Yuan residence. Though he didn’t know what these rhymes said about Yan Sikong, he could imagine they were not something he would want Yan Sikong to hear. He decided not to press further. Looking at the naive children, he asked, “What punishment did the Wolf King order?”

“The Wolf King instructed that any adults caught should be flogged on the spot. If it’s children, their fathers are to be brought to kneel for two hours. Repeat offenders will face harsher penalties.”

Yuan Nanyu coldly ordered, “Very well. Continue searching. If anyone else is found spreading such harmful rumors, punish them severely.”

“Yes, General.”

Yan Sikong leaned back against the door and let out a long sigh.

You can silence one mouth or two lips, but you can’t silence the countless voices of the people. Was it really worth it?