The Blood Crown - Chapter 31

Feng Ye excelled in spring hunting, using powerful crossbows and taming fierce horses, earning him great prestige and even acquiring a rare and excellent steed. This caused much envy among others, and the title “Little Wolf King” echoed throughout the capital city. Even those who disliked him couldn’t help but acknowledge that “like father, like son.”

However, Feng Ye remained aloof, refusing to socialize with others. He rarely left his home, adopting a secluded lifestyle. His arrogance and eccentricity made people hesitate to approach him, even those who wanted to propose a marriage alliance.

After that day, Yan Sikong gave up on the idea of wanting to acknowledge Feng Ye. The “Little Wolf King” was like a fierce and unpredictable beast. Every step he took was calculated. If one got too close to such an unpredictable person, it was easy to make a blunder.

Furthermore, Feng Ye was the last remaining trace of his past, and he preferred to keep that trace confined to his memories.

A month later, Emperor Zhaowu, unable to withstand the constant admonitions from his court officials, held another court discussion. With this compromise, a mutual agreement was reached between the emperor and his ministers, instituting a monthly court discussion as part of their unspoken understanding.

In this court discussion, Yan Zilian replaced two lecturers who were both newly appointed as Hanlin scholars. Their performances were commendable, but when compared to Shěn Hèxuān and Yan Sikong, the differences were quite apparent. Even Emperor Zhaowu inquired, “Where is Yan Sikong, who could tell interesting stories of wild history?”

Both of them saw promising futures as they distinguished themselves among the scholars of the Hanlin Academy, copyists, and editors. Yan Sikong was more approachable, which led to occasional gatherings. However, not everyone who invited him received an affirmative response, and Yan Sikong carefully evaluated each invitation.

Within the court, two major factions existed: one led by Xie Zhongren, the eunuch party, and the other led by Yan Zilian, the aristocratic faction. These two factions had been openly and secretly competing for more than a decade, which had resulted in countless struggles and sacrifices, often in the form of blood and lost dreams. The ultimate victims were the common people who were powerless, and this struggle was far from over.

Although he was a student of Yan Zilian, Yan Sikong was in a less influential position, and he hadn’t yet reached a point where he had to choose sides. Moreover, nobody regarded him as a significant player in this political arena. But when he had the potential to become an imperial scholar serving the emperor or crown prince, the situation changed. He needed to be cautious about forming relationships. He couldn’t make Yan Zilian suspicious, nor could he become an obvious threat to the eunuch party. These days, he carefully considered his every word in the Hanlin Academy because there were quite a few people there who belonged to the eunuch party. The situation required vigilance.

Recently, they were working on compiling new historical records at the Longtu Pavilion under the guidance of Grand Academician Huò Lǐ. They needed to complete the project before the emperor’s birthday, which meant working late into the night, leaving everyone exhausted.

After finishing one scroll, Yan Sikong bid farewell to his colleagues and headed home.

With a meager salary, he couldn’t afford a carriage and had to walk back. Luckily, the residence he rented wasn’t too far from the Imperial City. With a fast pace, he could reach home in half an hour.

The capital city was shrouded in darkness, and there were hardly any pedestrians on the streets. Occasionally, the city guards would patrol.

As Yan Sikong walked through a main street and turned into a narrow alley, he sensed that someone was following him.

He composed himself and continued walking forward, seemingly unbothered. The city had experienced a light rain recently, leaving puddles on the road. He glanced down at one, and on the water’s surface, there hung a fading crescent moon. Simultaneously, a dark shadow passed behind him.

Yan Sikong furrowed his brow, suddenly halted his steps, and loudly called out, “Who are you? Skulking around like this isn’t honorable.”

As he spoke, he sensed a slight disturbance in the air behind him. Without hesitation, he turned abruptly, wielding an oil lamp to strike at the person behind him and threw a punch towards their chest.

The figure, dressed entirely in black with a mask, remained obscured in the dim night, making it impossible to discern their gender. However, judging from their body shape, it appeared to be a man. They silently engaged in a confrontation within the dark alley.

Yan Sikong realized that this person wasn’t an ordinary highwayman, and they didn’t seem to want his life. With each move, they held back, making it difficult for Yan Sikong to figure out their intentions. He just wanted to remove that mask to reveal their identity, but his attempts were evaded. The person possessed considerable martial skills, and Yan Sikong likely wasn’t a match for them.

Suddenly, both of them heard the sounds of approaching footsteps from the opposite street. It seemed to be a patrol of the city guards.

Yan Sikong was about to call for help, but the person acted unexpectedly, reaching for something with their arm. Without warning, they threw an unusual-smelling substance toward Yan Sikong’s face.

Yan Sikong desperately tried to open the object but was too late. He accidentally inhaled a large portion, causing his tongue to tingle, dizziness to set in, and the sensation of his world spinning. He stumbled, and his legs gave way, causing him to collapse to the ground.

A ray of sunlight broke through, shining directly on Yan Sikong’s face, causing his eyelids to flutter. When he finally managed to open his eyes a crack, the light stung, and he used his hand to shield his face from the glare. It took some time, but he eventually sat up, his expression filled with alarm.

He had no conscious memory of what happened after being drugged, and he suddenly woke up in a state of confusion. He couldn’t understand where he was or how he had ended up there. He couldn’t fathom why his life would be in danger. For Yan Sikong, who had paid a significant sum to create a fake identity and had even gone as far as learning unfamiliar dialects and altering his accent, it was inconceivable that his real identity had been exposed or that he held any value in an investigation.

Yan Sikong hesitantly got out of bed and took a look around. The spacious and tastefully decorated bedroom indicated the wealth of the owner. Even the washbasin was made of thick, red copper.

Where was he?

Yan Sikong couldn’t comprehend what had just happened. He had rarely experienced fear in the past, and he had no fear of death. However, the current situation was unlike anything he had ever encountered. He didn’t want to risk the sensation of sharp teeth tearing through his flesh. He couldn’t even close the door. Even if he could, it was a flimsy wooden door and wouldn’t hold up against such a powerful beast.

As they stared at each other in the quiet room, the tension in the air was unbearable, and it was difficult to put into words.