The Blood Crown - Chapter 38

Many people believed that Feng Ye had been impressed by Yan Sikong’s talent during the banquet, leading to their private acquaintance. This made their subsequent interactions appear more natural.

Feng Ye found Yan Sikong’s residence rather plain. He began sending various gifts like rolls of silk and bottles of good wine. Yan Sikong accepted them without hesitation.

However, after that day, they hadn’t seen each other because Feng Ye had already reported to Zhao Fuyi.

In the capital, there were about 30,000 garrison troops, primarily consisting of 3,000 Imperial Guards within the city walls and 20,000 garrison troops stationed in Jingshan. An additional 7,000 to 8,000 troops were distributed in various areas like Miyun and Kaifeng. Among them, the Jingshan garrison troops led by Deputy General Zhao Fuyi played a crucial role in defending the capital against external threats and internal rebellions. They could effectively guard the capital and maintain control over the other regions, ensuring no external or internal turmoil.

Feng Ye had left for this elite force, and he hadn’t returned to the capital for several days, indicating that he was deeply engrossed in his duties.

Yan Sikong, too, was far from idle. With the Emperor’s birthday celebration approaching, they were performing a final review of the historical records to ensure there were no errors.

On this particular night, he was reviewing the records of the Battle of Qingzhou from fifteen years ago. This battle, like the defense of Guangning, had left a scar on his heart. However, the facts had been greatly embellished, and those responsible for any mistakes had successfully shifted the blame, leaving him with a burning resentment, particularly towards Han Zhaoxing.

As his long fingers lightly traced over the dried ink on the paper, he felt as though each word was leaping off the page, revealing the concealed truth and justice trapped in the abyss.

Suddenly, his hand stopped.

He had found a mistake. To be precise, it was a missing word. In the phrase “Zhao Wu,” one character, “Zhao,” was missing. What was even more coincidental was that beneath the character “Wu,” there was a gap near the edge of the page, where adding a character would make it look perfectly natural and unforced.

His heart trembled slightly, and a thought flashed through his mind. Without raising any suspicion, he lowered his head and found several colleagues around him who were busy reviewing.

Pretending to yawn in his tiredness, Yan Sikong said, “Why hasn’t the kitchen sent us some late-night snacks yet? I’m getting so hungry I can’t sit still.”

Liu Zhaolin also complained, “You’re right. It’s already late. They should have sent it by now.”

Yan Sikong suggested, “Why don’t we take a short break and get some fresh air in the courtyard? I’m sure the late-night snacks will be here soon.”

Shen Hexuan added, “That sounds like a good idea. I’ll have an attendant check on the snacks.”

The pleasant evening breeze of summer made the courtyard a comfortable place to relax. The group of scholars stood or sat there, chatting and mostly discussing the Emperor’s upcoming birthday celebration.

“This record-keeping work will be completed in about three to five days. We should definitely have a nice celebration when it’s done, to relieve our fatigue,” Xie Zhongren said, smiling. “It’ll also be an opportunity to enjoy ourselves.”

“Where does Xie brother plan to go to relax?” Liu Zhaolin smirked playfully.

“Let’s just say… I’ll take you with me, and you’ll find out.”

They all laughed heartily.

After chatting for a while, the kitchen staff finally brought in some late-night soup. They moved to a nearby tea room to enjoy it.

Yan Sikong had a few bites, but then he used an excuse to leave, saying he needed to use the restroom. In reality, he left the tea room and quickly returned to his own desk. He took out a sheet of paper and began to imitate the handwriting from the book he had been reviewing.

This particular section had been written by Liu Zhaolin, and Yan Sikong recognized his handwriting. He found Liu Zhaolin’s “Zhao” character and began to imitate it carefully.

Years ago, during the case of Ganzhong’s falsified letters and the false accusations against Yuan Mao, he had learned how to imitate another person’s handwriting. Whenever he had the chance, he had planned to use this knowledge to expose those who had wronged him. Now, he saw a perfect opportunity.

Liu Zhaolin was the leader of the team responsible for the historical records, but the actual mastermind behind the project was Wang Shengsheng, the Assistant Chief of the Cabinet, who had the support of the notorious Wang Shengren. If the historical records were found to be problematic, Wang Shengsheng could not evade responsibility.

After imitating over a dozen characters, Yan Sikong felt that it was difficult to distinguish between the real and fake. With a focused mind, he added the character “Zhao” after the character “Wu.”

The combination “Wu Zhao,” broadly referring to the Han Wu and Han Zhao emperors, contrasted with the current Emperor’s reign, which had been mistakenly written as “Wu Zhao.” This was a small but significant error, and if someone were to examine it closely, it could lead to major repercussions.

Once he had finished writing, Yan Sikong crumpled the scrap of paper, concealed it in his sleeve, and returned to the tea room as though nothing had happened. He continued to enjoy his late-night snack.

With the historical records work finally completed, the scholars felt a sense of relief.

Yan Sikong had been staying at the Wen Yuan Pavilion for four days. He had finally returned home and taken a relaxing hot bath. After resting for half a day, he still had a prior engagement for the evening – a visit to a place he

couldn’t easily decline – the brothel.

Although the Hanlin Academy had a reputation as the cradle for grooming future cabinet ministers and prime ministers, it was also a place where scholars gathered to socialize, entertain, and build political connections. Many high-ranking officials who studied there during the day would enjoy themselves at night, not only exclusive to the Hanlin Academy but a cultural norm throughout the empire.

As night fell, he changed into ordinary attire and prepared to leave.

Normally, his servant Ally Would have called for a carriage, but Ally entered the room and began making gestures.

Yan Sikong raised an eyebrow and asked, “Is someone from the Jingyuan Wang’s residence here?”

Ally nodded.

Yan Sikong went outside and found that it was a carriage driver from the Wang family.

The driver respectfully said, “Lord Yan, our Young Master invites you to visit our residence.”

“Has the Young Master returned from Jingshan?”

“Yes, he just arrived this afternoon.”

“Unfortunately, I already have prior arrangements tonight. Please inform the Young Master that I will visit him tomorrow.”

The carriage driver seemed a bit hesitant.

Yan Sikong asked, “Ally, where’s the carriage?”

The driver explained, “Where is Lord Yan heading? I can take you.”

“No need, you can go back.” Taking a carriage from the Wang residence to visit a brothel would attract too much attention.

His servant, Ali, quickly arranged for a carriage, and Yan Sikong got in. The carriage set off towards Tinglan Ge, the most renowned brothel in the capital.

The people gathered at this gathering were mostly the same as those who had enjoyed a night of drinking just to witness the Little Wolf Prince’s arrival in the city. It was another one of Zhou Mixing’s gatherings, and he was known for his love of revelry and late-night entertainment, earning him a reputation as a playboy. Oddly enough, his father was the Deputy Chief of the Shuntian Prefecture, overseeing local governance and judicial matters in the capital’s vicinity, making him a person everyone wanted to befriend.

Zhou Mixing had recently become infatuated with a courtesan named Yeli, and it was rumored that he had spent a fortune on her. Everyone was curious about this woman, rumored to have a mesmerizing beauty, and Yan Sikong was no exception.

When Yan Sikong arrived, it was a bit late, and the revelry had already begun. Surprisingly, everyone at the table was waiting for him. Yan Sikong, seemingly overwhelmed by the honor, willingly imposed a penalty on himself by downing three cups.

Inside the room, there were songstresses singing melodiously, and dancers gracefully performing. Laughter and conversation filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere.

Liang Hui teased, “Zhou brother, when will you let us meet Miss Yeli?”

The others chimed in with their pleas.

Zhou Mixing proudly replied, “No need to rush.”

“Why keep her hidden from us, Zhou brother? We’re all impatient.”

“I’m not hiding her; I’m just making sure we enjoy enough wine. I want to pour a few more cups for you.”

“Enjoy ourselves? Absolutely, we’ll thoroughly enjoy ourselves. Look around the capital, only Zhou Ge could capture the heart of Miss Yeli. If it were anyone else, even if they moved mountains of gold, Miss Yeli might not even glance at them.”

“That’s right, it’s all thanks to Zhou Ge’s exceptional talents. Zhou Ge’s good fortune is truly the envy of us all.”

Zhou Mixing laughed heartily, his face radiant. “Speaking of Miss Yeli, she’s truly an extraordinary woman. Well, I won’t keep you in suspense any longer. Now you can feast your eyes.”

He signaled the madam of Tinglan Ge, who whispered in her ear. She smiled and walked away.

After a short while, the music began, and the door was gently pushed open. A woman in an ethereal white silk fairy gown entered, escorted by her attendants.

This woman was genuinely enchanting, with flawless fair skin and an exquisite figure. Her almond-shaped eyes were bewitching, and her lips were soft and rosy. Despite her presence in the world of pleasure, she seemed untouched by worldly affairs, exuding an air of elegance befitting a young lady of a noble family.

The room resounded with admiration.

Accompanying her were seven or eight other women who took their seats beside the guests. This renowned brothel in the capital truly lived up to its reputation, as each woman was exceptionally beautiful without being overly servile, captivating the men who were already somewhat tipsy.

Yan Sikong clinked glasses with the courtesan attending to him, smiling without a word. No matter how stunningly beautiful a woman might be, his heart remained unaffected. He had even questioned whether he had a preference for men, but he felt equally indifferent to them. Love and desire were like an unused cloth for him – he could wear it, but he could also go without it.

As the evening’s entertainment reached its peak, everyone was lost in the enchanting music. Suddenly, a loud bang echoed through the room, and the door was roughly pushed open!

Startled, everyone turned their attention to the entrance. There, standing with an imposing aura, was the Crown Prince of Jingyuan, Feng Ye!

Feng Ye’s gaze swept over the entire room, ultimately fixing on Yan Sikong, naturally, as well as the courtesan in his embrace. He looked slightly stern, radiating an invisible but sharp presence that made it difficult to even breathe.

“This… Your Highness?” Zhou Mixing, who was now mostly sober, looked at Feng Ye with a hint of anxiety. This man didn’t adhere to proper etiquette and had a bit of a wild reputation. Seeing him suddenly imposing himself with such an intimidating presence, Zhou Mixing couldn’t figure out what he might have done to offend him.

Feng Ye clasped his hands and gave a half-smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “What a coincidence, Master Zhou, I’ve had a bit too much to drink, and I found the wrong door.”

Zhou Mixing finally relaxed a bit and laughed. “Indeed, it is a coincidence. If I had known, I would have invited Your Highness to join us.”

“It’s not too late now.” Feng Ye walked in with confident strides. “Add another cup of wine for me, Master Zhou. I hope you don’t mind.”

“I’m truly honored, but it’s a surprise to have Your Highness here. Please, make yourself comfortable!”

Yan Sikong frowned as he looked at Feng Ye, and Feng Ye stared back at him, exuding a palpable, intense presence.