The Blood Crown - Chapter 7

Yuan Sikong knew that Fengye was intentionally provoking him, but he had no choice. As Fengye dismounted and approached, Yuan Sikong had to crawl and kneel beneath the horse.

Fengye nonchalantly used Yuan Sikong’s back as a stepping stone to mount the horse.

Yuan Sikong let out a muffled groan as his body sank down, barely managing to stay upright.

Fengye jumped down from the horse and, with an air of superiority, said, “Get to work.”

Only then did Yuan Sikong stand up and examine the horse. The Qin horse, a breed with mixed Northwestern bloodlines, was exceptionally tall. He had to tiptoe to inspect the horse’s nostrils and mouth. The horse had a wet nose but dry mouth, and its spirit seemed somewhat subdued. Yuan Sikong could tell that something was indeed amiss.

After circling the horse and pressing its abdomen, he found the answer. The horse’s belly was swollen and hard, indicating a case of colic, which was causing its loss of appetite. He explained this to Fengye.

Fengye raised an eyebrow. “So, it’s just constipation?”

“Yes, Young Prince, that’s correct.”

“Can you treat it?”

“I can treat it. It only requires an herbal remedy, to be taken with water. In two to three hours, it will naturally relieve the constipation,” Yuan Sikong explained.

“Two to three hours? I need to ride the horse now; it’s too slow,” Fengye taunted, looking challengingly at Yuan Sikong.

“Colic is a common minor ailment, and I believe it’s not advisable to overdose on medication for it.”

“I don’t care; you need to treat it now.” Fengye grinned mischievously. “Or how about this: if you can’t cure it, you’ll become my horse and carry me for twenty miles?”

Yuan Sikong cursed internally but maintained a humble demeanor. “Young Prince, please don’t rush. I have a way.”

Fengye crossed his short arms in front of his chest, looking smug, as he waited for Yuan Sikong to potentially fail.

Yuan Sikong began to undress.

Fengye took a step back, “What are you doing?”

“Treating the horse,” Yuan Sikong replied.

Yuan Sikong removed his outer clothing and neatly placed it in a dry spot. He then fetched a bucket of glycerin and an apron from the storage room. After placing the glycerin on the ground, he donned the apron and rolled up his sleeves.

Fengye watched him with suspicion.

Yuan Sikong rolled up his sleeves, took a handful of glycerin, and calmly applied it to the horse’s rectum.

Fengye took two steps back in horror, realizing Yuan Sikong’s intention.

While gently massaging the horse’s belly with his fist, Yuan Sikong softened the rectum with glycerin and proceeded to insert his arm.

Fengye’s face turned pale, and he felt nauseous.

Yuan Sikong sneakily glanced at him, a hint of amusement in his smile, and loudly said, “The little prince is in a hurry, so I have no choice but to use this crude method to help the horse pass the impaction. If the little prince feels uncomfortable, you don’t have to watch. Don’t damage your precious body.” He continued to administer the glycerin.

“Stop babbling!” Fengye was both angry and impatient, unwilling to watch but also unwilling to appear weak. He forced himself to watch, saying, “If I can’t even handle this, how can I lead soldiers into battle?” He gagged again and regretted this trip deeply.

“The little prince speaks wisely, and I deeply admire it,” Yuan Sikong said, once he felt it was done. He pulled his filthy arm out and stepped back.

The horse’s belly was churning, and soon feces mixed with various fluids explosively sprayed out of its rectum, splattering over a yard’s distance.

Fengye couldn’t hold back any longer and vomited.

Yuan Sikong suppressed his laughter, his cheeks hurting from the effort. He felt thoroughly satisfied.

While Fengye continued to vomit, Yuan Sikong went to the storage room to wash his hands. Impaction was a common minor ailment in horses, and he had initially found Doctor Xu’s treatment methods quite nauseating. However, after studying equine medicine and experiencing more unpleasant sights, he had become immune to such situations.

After carefully cleaning his hands with soapberries, he walked out of the storage room, put on his outer clothing, and saw Fengye still crouched on the ground. The young prince’s face was pale, his eyes filled with tears. Yuan Sikong suddenly felt a pang of sympathy. After all, Fengye was just an eight-year-old child. Had he been too harsh on him? He walked over and crouched down beside Fengye, saying, “Little Prince, are you okay?”

Fengye turned his head away, looking at Yuan Sikong as if he had seen a ghost, and took several steps back. “Stay away from me!” he exclaimed.

Yuan Sikong feigned innocence, saying, “Oh, alright.”

Fengye glanced at his arm.

Yuan Sikong lifted it up to show him. “I’ve cleaned it.”

“You smell awful!”

“Really?” Yuan Sikong sniffed himself and didn’t detect any odor. He didn’t seem to mind. “Do you want some water?”

“Where’s the water?”

“We have some in the storage room. Shall I get it for you?”

“Just stay there; I’ll go myself.” Fengye gave him a disdainful look, stood up, and ran towards the storage room.

Yuan Sikong sat on the grass, planning to rest for a while, and wore a contented smile on his face.

After a while, Fengye emerged, looking less disheveled than before, having presumably tidied up.

Yuan Sikong asked, “Young Master, do you still want to go riding? Shall I help you onto the horse?”

“No, let it rest. It smells terrible too.” Fengye kicked a small pebble on the ground toward Yuan Sikong’s horse.

The horse leisurely continued to graze on the grass.

Fengye sat down a few feet away from Yuan Sikong, still visibly annoyed, and said, “Tell me, what do you want as a reward?”

“Huh?” Yuan Sikong didn’t catch on.

“I said, if you cure it, there will be a reward.”

Fengye pouted, his little face sulky and adorable, reminding Yuan Sikong of a young Yuan Nan Yu. When they first met, weren’t they around the same age? Yuan Sikong chuckled, “Being able to share your worries, Young Master, is a blessing for me. I dare not ask for a reward.”

“Stop pretending to be so humble; I know you’re not satisfied,” Fengye sneered. “But dismembering a horse is illegal.”

“I acknowledge my guilt,” Yuan Sikong said, outwardly admitting his wrongdoing, but deep down, he agreed with Fengye. He regretted being caught in the act by Fengye, which led to trouble for Yuan Mao, rather than the act of dismembering the horse itself. In his view, this prohibition was outdated and foolish, seemingly protecting the horses but causing more harm.

Fengye huffed, “As for your attack on me, I will settle that score sooner or later.”

“I acknowledge my guilt for that too. Young Master, feel free to punish me.”

“If I were to punish you for this, it would be an abuse of power. Just wait, it won’t be long before you won’t be my match.”

“Naturally, a tiger father begets a tiger son. Young Master, in the future, you will command the winds and clouds like King Jingyuan.”

This comment seemed to have pleased Fengye as his expression softened somewhat. “Tell me, what reward do you want? Those who enforce orders must be resolute in their decisions, and when the order is given, it must be obeyed from top to bottom to build an army.”

Yuan Sikong’s eyes lit up with excitement, and he couldn’t help but glance at Fengye’s horse. He swallowed hard, thinking that this Qin horse was truly magnificent and full of vigor. If he could ride one, he wondered if he would feel the heroic spirit of the Feng family army, which conquered vast territories and cities.

Fengye seemed to read his thoughts, “Do you want to ride my horse?”

Yuan Sikong wasn’t sure how Fengye would react, so he hesitated to answer.

Fengye stood up and straightened his clothes, “Let’s go, but you have to carry me.”

Yuan Sikong’s eyes brightened, “Really?”

“A man’s word is his bond. Why waste words!” It was a bit comical for such a young child to refer to himself as a man, but Yuan Sikong saw a sense of determination in Fengye’s round chubby face. He had previously mentioned that Fengye would one day become as famous as Feng Jianping, and it wasn’t all flattery. The fearless, almost god-defying spirit within Fengye was inherent, transcending his age.

Yuan Sikong became instantly excited. He ran to the front of the horse, half-crouched, and waited for Fengye to step on him to mount the horse.

Fengye, upon mounting, kicked him lightly, saying, “Get out of the way; I can do it myself.”

Yuan Sikong had no choice but to step aside. He then noticed that the saddle of the horse was specially designed with two sets of stirrups, one long and one short, and there were ropes on the side to assist. It was clear that it was designed for both Fengye and an adult to ride together.

Fengye grabbed the ropes, pulled himself up, hung onto the saddle, reached for the stirrups with his feet, and finally climbed onto the horse that was much taller than him. His movements were skilled and agile, indicating that he had practiced this many times. Yuan Sikong smiled slightly, mounted the horse behind Fengye, and placed his feet in the other set of stirrups.

Fengye took hold of the reins, gave them a tug, and urged the horse, “Giddy up!”

The horse began to trot.

Zhao Dayou’s horse ranch was the best in Liaodong, with vast grasslands stretching as far as the eye could see. While it would be covered in white snow during the winter, at this moment, it was filled with green and yellow grass swaying in the wind. As the northern wind blew, creating ripples in the grass, the horses moved like they were floating on a sea of green. The sky was high, the land was wide, and it felt incredibly freeing.

Fengye was still quite young, and his control over the horse was limited by his stature. He didn’t dare to go too fast. Yuan Sikong took over the reins and, wielding the riding crop, shouted, “Giddy up!”

The horse, stimulated by the encouragement, broke into a wild gallop, hooves pounding the ground, and its mane flowing like it could take flight any moment.

Fengye laughed joyfully, “Faster! Let’s fly!”

Yuan Sikong demonstrated excellent horsemanship, and the horse ran both fast and steadily. He imagined himself clad in armor and helmet, galloping across the vast land of Liaodong. This boundless fertile soil was his homeland, and despite enduring the trampling of the Jurchen invaders, it remained resilient, just like the backbone of his homeland!

Fengye pointed ahead and, imitating the demeanor of an adult, shouted, “Charge!”

Yuan Sikong joined in, shouting, “Charge!”

Charge! Sweep away the traitors who dared to invade our land, eliminate the barbarians who encroached upon our Central Plains!

One horse, two young boys, galloping beneath the blood-red sunset, seemingly heading towards the end of the world.

They continued until they grew tired and finally returned to the stable. The attendants rushed forward, clearly searching for Fengye.

Among them was a young man dressed in a black robe embroidered with hidden fish patterns, wearing a sword at his waist, and adorned with precious jade ornaments. His appearance bore a striking resemblance to Fengye, exuding unparalleled beauty and an otherworldly aura, with an air of nobility that was not to be trifled with.

“Elder brother!” Fengye, still exhilarated from their ride, enthusiastically waved his little arms while on horseback.

Yuan Sikong didn’t dare to be negligent and quickly dismounted, kneeling on the ground, he said, “This humble one greets His Highness the Crown Prince.”

The man before them was none other than Feng Jianping’s eldest son, Feng Lie, who had been conferred as the Crown Prince of Jingyuan by the current emperor a few years ago.

Feng Lie had a faint smile on his face as he said, “Rise.” He walked forward.

Fengye jumped down from his horse and immediately leaped into Feng Lie’s arms.

Feng Lie pretended to be angry, saying, “Where did you run off to again? We couldn’t find you.”

“I went to ride the horses!” Fengye’s little face was rosy from the cold wind. “Why did elder brother come to the horse ranch?”

“Just looking around,” Feng Lie pinched Fengye’s little face. “It’s so chilly, are you feeling cold?”

Fengye shook his head, “Not cold.” He pushed against Feng Lie’s chest and whispered, “Big brother, please put me down.” He stole a glance at Yuan Sikong, clearly not wanting to be held like a dutiful son.

Feng Lie also didn’t expose the situation and set Fengye down, saying, “You’ve played enough for one day. Let’s go have dinner.”

“Okay.” Fengye glanced at Yuan Sikong again.

Feng Lie asked curiously, “Is he the kid who dissected the horse carcass and had a fight with you that day?”

Yuan Sikong lowered himself even more.

Fengye lightly huffed, seemingly acknowledging it.

Feng Lie couldn’t help but chuckle, “So, have you two become friends now? It seems you need a good fight to get acquainted.”

Fengye grumbled, “Who said we’re friends.”

“I dare not.” Yuan Sikong quickly added.

Fengye rolled his eyes, “Big brother, let’s go back.”

“Are you coming to the horse ranch to play tomorrow?”

“…I’ll decide tomorrow.”

Once the Feng brothers were gone, Yuan Sikong finally lifted his head, letting out a heavy sigh of relief.