The Blood Crown - Chapter 51

Whenever Feng Ye came, he never left easily and always found a reason to linger at Yan Sikong’s residence. However, this time, he didn’t stay long. After having a meal together, he was ready to take his leave.

Surprisingly, Yan Sikong asked, “Leaving so soon?”

Feng Ye smirked, “What, will you miss me?”

“But there’s still military affairs at the Jingshan Camp.”

“It’s not that. Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, and I need to visit my aunt in the palace and deliver a gift.” Feng Ye embraced Yan Sikong and coquettishly added, “If you can’t bear to part with me, I’ll come back tomorrow.”

“This is a matter of importance; go ahead,” Yan Sikong couldn’t hide the smile at the corner of his lips.

“Then give me a kiss.” Feng Ye gently bit his lip, his face filled with anticipation.

Yan Sikong sighed in amusement, “You haven’t grown up yet, acting like this.”

“Am I not grown up? Do you want to check?”

Yan Sikong chuckled and scolded, “Go on, then.”

Feng Ye pursed his lips and gently swayed while holding Yan Sikong.

Yan Sikong cleared his throat, seeming somewhat hesitant.

Feng Ye brought his exquisitely sculpted handsome face closer, his eyes shining brightly.

Yan Sikong shook his head in resignation, slightly leaning in, and gave Feng Ye’s lips a peck.

Feng Ye was overjoyed, his face displaying a hint of shyness but also a smug satisfaction. He leaned closer to Yan Sikong’s ear and whispered softly, “Sikong, your lips are sweet.”

Yan Sikong felt his ears burning as if they were about to catch fire. He pretended to be angry, “Stop talking nonsense and leave already.”

“I’m not lying; they really are sweet.” Feng Ye contentedly rubbed his cheek against Yan Sikong’s face. “On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, how about we go admire the lanterns and release river lanterns? Is that okay?”

“I don’t know if I’ll still be under house arrest by then, so it’s not advisable to go out.”

“Fear not, we can wear masks,” Feng Ye was excited, “I’ve heard that the Mid-Autumn Festival in the capital is the liveliest in the world. There’s delicious food and all sorts of fun activities. The Mid-Autumn Festival in Datong is much less interesting. You have to accompany me to see it.”

Yan Sikong chuckled, “Alright.”

A few days later, there was a resolution regarding the punishment for the case of the newly compiled history.

The serious charges against Wang Shengsheng were glossed over, and he was only punished for dereliction of duty and bribery, likely due to Xie Zhongren’s behind-the-scenes efforts. Wang Shengsheng was stripped of his title as Grand Academician, expelled from the Grand Council, and transferred to Ba Shu. He took over as the Prefect of Chongqing, replacing Cai Zhongfan, who had retired due to illness. Although Ba Shu was no longer a wilderness, the terrain was rugged, and the people lived in hardship. Wang Shengsheng’s career had taken a nosedive, even worse than Cai Zhongfan, who had been banished to Qingyang by his machinations in the first place.

The chief scribe, Liu Zhaolin, was demoted to the position of a county magistrate and had to depart immediately for the equally impoverished and remote Yongzhou. On the surface, the change in rank from Hanlin Academician to county magistrate might not seem significant, but in reality, it was a world of difference. The Hanlin Academy was a place where future cabinet ministers and high-ranking officials were nurtured, implying a potential rise to the highest positions in the imperial court. On the other hand, being a county magistrate meant that one’s prospects were limited, even with a lifetime of impeccable performance, especially in a place like lawless Yongzhou. It equated to a bleak future.

The other four individuals involved in the case were fined half a year’s salary.

On the day Liu Zhaolin set off for his new post, many of his colleagues from the Hanlin Academy came to bid him farewell.

He had originally been a cheerful person, but after experiencing this ordeal, he appeared weathered and as if he had aged ten years overnight. Thirty years of diligent studying had already brought him to the coveted hall of scholars in the empire. Yet, in a sudden turn of events, it had all turned to nothing. Such a monumental change in one’s life was something that only those with extraordinary resilience could face calmly.

Yan Sikong quietly observed Liu Zhaolin amidst the crowd. He didn’t have much personal interaction with Liu Zhaolin, and it wasn’t appropriate to display too much emotion at this moment.

Liu Zhaolin sighed and said, “Thank you all. I have let down my hometown, my mentors, and the Emperor. I’ve also implicated my colleagues. Liu Zhaolin has no face to bid farewell with wine, so consider it a gesture of apology.” With these words, he raised his glass, tears welled up in his eyes, and he emptied it in one go.

The onlookers were filled with sympathy.

As Liu Zhaolin set off on his journey, people couldn’t help but reflect, “All this over a single typographical error… Ah, who hasn’t made a mistake before?”

“Indeed.”

Shen Hexuan spoke solemnly, “The original manuscript of the new history has been returned to the Imperial Library. We need to recheck it. With the lesson we’ve learned, I believe everyone will be more meticulous to ensure not a single mistake is made.”

The thick volumes of history were neatly stacked on the shelves in the Imperial Library. Shen Hexuan returned to his chamber, and the first thing he did was locate the ninth volume, flipping to the page that had caused all this turmoil.

Although everyone had already seen the reprinted version of the newly compiled history, it was a woodblock print, and the font and handwriting hardly resembled the original. Consequently, all of the details from the original manuscript were lost. Therefore, everyone gathered around, wanting to see those troublesome two words with their own eyes.

Sure enough, the characters “昭武” had been mistakenly written as “武昭.”

A collective sigh filled the room.

Shen Hexuan stared at those two characters intently, his brow furrowing. Yan Sikong stood nearby, his pitch-black pupils capturing every nuance of Shen Hexuan’s expression.

On that day, they reallocated tasks and began a new round of verification.

As twilight descended, colleagues gradually headed home, but Shen Hexuan detained Yan Sikong.

“昭武” (Zhāo Wǔ): This can be roughly translated as “Evident Martial” or “Clearly Martial.”

“武昭” (Wǔ Zhāo): This can be roughly translated as “Martially Eminent” or “Martial Excellence.”

“Brother Shen, may I know what you have in mind?”

“I have a matter I’d like to discuss with you.”

“Oh?” Yan Sikong appeared curious.

Shen Hexuan approached with the original manuscript of the ninth volume and placed it on Yan Sikong’s desk.

“This is the page with the error.”

“Indeed,” Shen Hexuan pointed to the characters “武昭,” “Do you feel that these two characters… seem somewhat off?”

Yan Sikong frowned as he examined them, “It’s as if… I can’t quite put my finger on it. Brother Shen, have you noticed something specific?”

“I have two points of doubt,” Shen Hexuan said. “First, the spacing and the amount of blank space in this line are different from the rest. Everyone has their own writing habits; some prefer to fill the page, with their writing often pressed against the margins, while others leave more room, giving it a spacious appearance. The spacing between these characters ‘武昭’ and the blank space after the character ‘昭’ all seem somewhat different from Liu’s previous writing.”

“Brother Shen, now that you mention it, it does seem a bit off.”

“Secondly, by this point in the scroll, Liu must have been very tired. While his writing remains elegant, it might be slightly looser and more hurried compared to the beginning of the scroll. However, this character ‘昭’ appears as if it was written without any signs of fatigue…”

Yan Sikong’s heart tightened. Shen Hexuan had an uncanny eye for detail. “Do you have any speculations, Brother Shen? Could it be… someone else wrote this?”

Shen Hexuan shook his head, “I can’t say for sure. This handwriting does indeed resemble Liu’s… Do you have any thoughts?”

Yan Sikong looked contemplative, “I didn’t notice these details at the time. Brother Shen, you’ve raised valid concerns, but it’s also possible that we’re being overly suspicious. If only Liu were here to clarify.”

Shen Hexuan sighed, “Even if he were here, it might not be of much use. He doesn’t remember what he wrote at all. Even if he saw these two characters, he probably wouldn’t recall anything.”

“What if we ask Lin Yue?”

“He’s just a minor clerk assisting us with organizing historical materials. I doubt he would know anything.”

“In that case…” Yan Sikong smiled wryly, “Brother Shen, you’ve made things rather tense with your words.”

“Yes,” Shen Hexuan furrowed his brow and hesitated, “I have a thought in mind, but it’s… too audacious. I dare not dwell on it.”

“What is it, Brother Shen?”

“I…” Shen Hexuan stared at the scroll for a moment but eventually said, “Never mind. Let me think it over some more.”

“If you ever have an idea, Brother Shen, please feel free to discuss it with me. After all, you and I…” Yan Sikong chuckled, “We’ve been through thick and thin together.”

Shen Hexuan nodded, “Of course.”

As Yan Sikong left the Imperial Library, he realized that his palms were sweaty. In the affairs of the world, there was never a perfect plan, and even the most meticulous scheme could have a flaw. When dealing with someone as exceptionally intelligent and meticulous as Shen Hexuan, it was easy to be tripped up by a minor detail. He just hoped that Shen Hexuan would let this matter rest. After all, the case was closed, and Liu Zhaolin had already departed for Yongzhou. There would be no way to verify anything.

Back at home, Yan Sikong headed to the kitchen, closed the door, and opened the locked vegetable cellar tucked away in a corner. He lit an oil lamp and descended the ladder into the cellar.

The dim light of the oil lamp flickered in the pitch-black cellar. In the areas it illuminated, one could see glittering gold, silver, and jade artifacts. They were stacked along the walls in abundance.

Yan Sikong crouched down and randomly picked up an antique jade item, some of which were worth four or five hundred taels of silver. He also took a valuable jade hairpin before leaving the cellar. Exiting the kitchen, he called for Ali.

Ali watched as Yan Sikong packed the jade artifacts into an ordinary wooden inkwell case and then handed it to him.

“Did you find the information about that family I asked you to investigate earlier?” Yan Sikong inquired.

Ali nodded.

“They aren’t far from the capital, are they?”

Ali shook his head.

“On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, leave the city and bury this item in Liu’s family property. Be swift and return promptly.”

Ali nodded and gestured acknowledgment.

“In addition, deliver this to Miss Yelia. Don’t mention who it’s from.” Yan Sikong handed over the jade hairpin to Ali.

Ali looked at Yan Sikong with curiosity.

“Do as I instructed. Go now.” Yan Sikong urged him.

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, as the Jade Rabbit rose in the east and the silver plate hung high, the capital welcomed the vibrant Lantern Festival.

Every street and alley was adorned with various lanterns, showcasing the craftsmanship of the local artisans. There were countless lantern shapes, from elegant and traditional designs to whimsical and humorous ones. There were silk lanterns, flower tree lanterns, insect and bird lanterns, monster lanterns, zodiac lanterns, and many more. People could find representations of various aspects of life, including human-shaped lanterns featuring deities, celestial beings, soldiers, merchants, and children. It was a spectacle that captured the diversity of the world.

As the lanterns illuminated the night, the city transformed into a dreamlike and colorful wonderland. The mingling of orange and various vibrant colors painted a breathtaking scene that made it the most beautiful moment in the mortal realm.

Almost the entire population of the city took to the streets. Vendors offered a wide array of food, drinks, and entertainment. People could enjoy riddle-solving, watch performances, wander aimlessly, and witness the annual lantern competition. The lantern competition featured the largest, smallest, most beautiful, and most intricate lanterns, captivating the attention of the people.

Many people wore elaborate masks as part of the festival’s tradition. The streets were bustling with crowds, and amid this hustle and bustle, no one noticed the two masked tall men discreetly holding hands in the crowd.