The Blood Crown - Chapter 8

Yuan Sikong had originally shared a room with Yuan Nanyu, but he had moved to a guest room to allow him to rest his leg. However, he still woke up early every day to supervise his studies.

But Yuan Nanyu, after lying in bed for just a few days, couldn’t stay still like a hedgehog with thorns all over.

One morning when Yuan Sikong entered the room, he immediately sensed something was off. Yuan Nanyu was looking at him with a mischievous glint in his eyes, and a sly smile played on his lips.

Yuan Sikong squinted his eyes and said, “Whatever you’re thinking, it’s not allowed.”

“Oh, you have no idea what I’m thinking.”

“It’s just that you want to go out, right?”

“No.” Yuan Nanyu had a wicked grin. “I know what you’ve been up to. Second Brother, I must say, I’m impressed!”

Yuan Sikong felt a bit embarrassed and muttered, “Father gave me twenty army drills because of what I did.”

“Father already forgave you, didn’t he?” Yuan Nanyu scooted closer to the edge of the bed. “Second Brother, please, tell me all about what happened that day. Start from the beginning, I need to know every detail.”

Yuan Sikong glanced at him and began, “Today, I’m going to tell you about the four ‘hearts’ that people often have but saints do not: the heart of ‘no desire,’ ‘no…”

“Second Brother!” Yuan Nanyu whined. “I’m begging you. I’m so bored I could die. I can’t move, there’s no one to play with, and you’re always busy…”

As he continued complaining, his face looked more and more pitiful.

Yuan Sikong sighed in resignation and said, “You must understand that what I did was terribly wrong, and it even implicated Father. It’s thanks to the magnanimity of King Jingyuan that I’m still alive. You should take this as a lesson.”

Yuan Nanyu nodded vigorously, “I understand, I understand.”

Yuan Sikong then proceeded to tell Yuan Nanyu all the details of what had happened that day.

Yuan Nanyu listened with great enthusiasm, as if he were in a tea house in the northern part of the city, listening to a storyteller. At the exciting parts, he even clapped and cheered, clearly not realizing the seriousness of the matter. Yuan Sikong had to emphasize and use this opportunity to educate him.

“So King Jingyuan really said that? Let the little lord run away if he couldn’t beat you?”

“Yes.”

“Amazing! That’s the style of a great general!” Yuan Nanyu chuckled. “So, did the little lord get furious? Will he let you off so easily?”

Thinking about what happened yesterday, Yuan Sikong couldn’t hold back his laughter.

“What happened?” Yuan Nanyu looked expectant.

Yuan Sikong blinked and said, “Yesterday, the little lord came to the horse racing field, intending to pick a fight with me, but then…”

After hearing the story, Yuan Nanyu burst into laughter along with Yuan Sikong.

“Second Brother, I really wish I could go to the horse racing field with you,” Yuan Nanyu looked at his own legs, disappointed, and pouted.

“You must focus on healing your injuries. You’re a martial artist, and you mustn’t leave any disabilities behind,” Yuan Sikong said solemnly. “If you dare to act recklessly, I won’t pay any attention to you anymore.”

“I understand.”

“Alright, let’s start studying.”

“Ah…”

“Don’t ‘ah’ me. Morning lessons must not be skipped,” Yuan Sikong cleared his throat. “Zi Jue Four: No intent, no necessity, no fixation, no self…”

—

Half of the horses for Datong Mansion had been selected, and both Xu Hu and Yuan Sikong had been working tirelessly these days. With the weather getting colder, they were feeling lazier. While Yuan Sikong was picking horses, he couldn’t help but yawn repeatedly.

Zhao Dayou didn’t know when he had appeared, and Yuan Sikong was surprised, “Uncle Shi, why have you been at the horse racing field these days?” Zhao Dayou’s business wasn’t just about raising horses, and the racing field was dirty and cold. He rarely came, but recently, he seemed to be there every day.

Zhao Dayou said helplessly, “The Young Lord has come again.”

“Again?” Yuan Sikong was bewildered. Didn’t he just come yesterday? Why was he here again today?

Zhao Dayou sighed, “He said he wants to personally select horses.” He was worried that if Young Lord caused trouble at his horse racing field again, he wouldn’t be able to stay peacefully at home.

As they were talking, they saw Young Lord approaching on horseback, followed by his attendants.

Everyone knelt down.

Young Lord, with his tender yet commanding voice, said, “Please rise.”

Yuan Sikong cast a discreet glance at Young Lord, realizing that Young Lord had likely come for him. It seemed that Young Lord wouldn’t let go of the grudge from the beating he received yesterday.

“You, Yuan Sikong,” Young Lord called.

As expected.

“Yuan Sikong, come here.”

“I’m here.”

“You’re going to teach me about horse conformation.”

“Well…”

“What? Is it too much for you?”

“No, no, it’s not too much. Teaching Young Lord about horse conformation is a great honor for me.”

Young Lord snorted softly, dismounted with the assistance of his attendants, and then turned to them, saying, “Let’s go.” At the same time, he instructed his attendants, “Don’t follow.”

Yuan Sikong signaled to Xu Hu and Zhao Dayou with his eyes, indicating that they should go about their own tasks. If they all gathered around Young Lord, they wouldn’t have much else to do.

“Please, Young Lord.”

The two of them walked to the horse stable, and Young Lord couldn’t help wrinkling his nose. Despite daily cleaning, the smell of horse manure still hung in the air, reminding him of yesterday’s situation. He glared disapprovingly at Yuan Sikong.

Pretending not to notice, Yuan Sikong began introducing him to the Liaodong horses.

“In assessing conformation, the first thing to consider is the horse’s purpose. Is it for war, transportation, pulling carts, or simply riding? Each purpose has different requirements, with the strictest standards applying to warhorses.”

“You can go on and tell me about assessing warhorses.”

Yuan Sikong led Young Lord into the horse stable, pointing at the horses and explaining while he listened attentively.

As they passed by one horse, it coincidentally flicked its tail, and Young Lord’s body happened to collide with it. He grabbed the horse’s tail in disgust and yanked it to the side.

Unexpectedly, the horse was startled and lifted its hind leg, kicking out!

In the blink of an eye, the horse’s iron hoof was aimed straight at Young Lord’s chest. Yuan Sikong’s heart tightened, and without much thought, he lunged toward Young Lord, pushing him down to the ground just in time. The iron hoof passed close to Yuan Sikong’s shoulder, causing a searing pain.

Yuan Sikong winced in pain, but he didn’t have time to focus on his own injury. He quickly checked on Young Lord. “Young Lord, are you okay?”

Young Lord sat up and saw Yuan Sikong’s pale face. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing…”

Fengye forcefully pulled Yuan Sikong by his collar, noticing the redness on his neck. He became even more anxious. “Did it kick you?”

“I’m fine. Are you injured?” Yuan Sikong was on the verge of tears. He considered himself clever and cautious, so how did he end up in trouble multiple times, and it always seemed to involve the Young Lord?

Could it be their fate?

“No, I’m not.” Young Lord replied with frustration. “This blasted horse…”

“Don’t blame it. It’s just an animal.” Yuan Sikong, enduring the pain, knelt on the ground. “Young Lord, you were startled…”

Young Lord stood up and tried to pull Yuan Sikong to his feet. “I’ll call a doctor to check on you.”

“No, please don’t.” Yuan Sikong hastily replied, “I’m really okay.”

Young Lord raised his voice, “You were kicked by a horse’s iron hoof. How can you be okay?”

“I’m really fine,” whispered Yuan Sikong, “Please, Your Highness… don’t tell anyone.” He couldn’t afford for others to know about his injuries. If he disappointed Yuan Mao, he’d have no face left in the Yuan family.

Fengye furrowed his brow and moved behind Yuan Sikong, attempting to tug at his clothing.

Yuan Sikong let out a soft hiss of pain.

Fengye gentled his touch and opened the collar of Yuan Sikong’s shirt, carefully examining the skin beneath. He used his cool little fingers to assess the area, seeming to conclude that there were no bone injuries, just a large, swollen red patch on the fair skin, which looked quite striking.

Yuan Sikong shivered in pain.

Fengye pursed his lips, leaned closer, and gently blew on the affected area.

Yuan Sikong blinked in surprise.

“Does it hurt?” Fengye asked.

“It… it doesn’t hurt much now.”

Fengye blew forcefully a few more times, leaving Yuan Sikuai standing there stiffly, his heart stirred slightly.

Finally, Fengye stood up somewhat annoyed, “Do you really refuse to see a doctor?”

“It’s really not necessary. Resting for a few days will suffice.”

“…Get up.”

Yuan Sikuai got up from the ground.

“Tomorrow, don’t come to the stables. Go home and rest.”

“I can’t, my father ordered me to select two thousand warhorses for Prince Jingyuan, and we’ve only completed half. I’m really not badly hurt; there’s no need to rest.”

“You… you have something to do tomorrow.”

“Huh?”

“Come to the inn tomorrow and find me.”

“I wonder what’s the matter, Your Highness?”

Feng Ye shouted loudly, “Why ask so many questions? I called you, and you came!”

Yuan Sikong had no choice but to say, “Yes.”

“I don’t want to ride a horse anymore. Accompany me back to the city.”

“But I still have some horses…”

“Don’t call yourself ‘I’ anymore; it sounds annoying.”

“…I still have some horses that haven’t been taken care of.”

Feng Ye looked up at him, and in his domineering innocence, he said, “I tell you to do something, so you do it.”

Yuan Sikong lowered his head and replied, “Yes.”