The Blood Crown

When Yan Sikong got the news, he rushed to Yan's mansion immediately, the mansion was gloomy, and Yan Zilian's eldest son was instructing his servants to pack their luggage.

"Brother Yan." Yan Sikong walked over, "Brother Yan, what is the meaning of this?"

Yan Weiming exchanged salutes with him, and sighed: "My father is seriously ill, if... the eunuch will let my Yan family go, I am dismissing some servants and sending relatives back to their hometowns in the countryside, in case of accidents."

Yan Zilian has only two sons, the elder son is kind but lacking in intelligence, and he has a job in the Ministry of Rites. The younger son is greedy for pleasure, so far he failed the Jinshi examination and caused some troubles for Yan Zilian, so he was driven back to his hometown long ago.

Yan Weiming is also considered self-aware, the gentry and the eunuchs have had a long-standing grudge, once Yan Zilian falls, Xie Zhongren will definitely take the opportunity to retaliate.

Yan Sikong had no choice but to take his hand and comforted him: "Brother Yan, don't get yourself in trouble. The teacher is a veteran minister of the three dynasties. He was in the prime minister's position and made great contributions to Dasheng Jiangshan. If you are sick and old, you are crossing the river and demolishing the bridge. Make all the civil and military officials feel cold? The teacher is highly respected, and the disciples are all over the world, and he will never let anyone bully him."

Yan Weiming smiled wryly: "Although that's the case, your Majesty treats my father now..."

"Brother Yan, relax and take good care of the teacher. Now that there is Mr. Huo Ge in the cabinet, it is not the eunuch's turn to make trouble." Yan Sikong looked at the luggage, "However, it is wise to send relatives to the countryside to avoid the limelight. Act of."

Yan Weiming nodded, holding Yan Sikong's hand tightly: "Sikong, my father appreciates you the most, you must help our Yan family."

"Brother Yan, don't worry." Yan Sikong said solemnly, "Teacher's kindness of knowing you, I will never forget it."

Saying goodbye to Yan Weiming, Yan Sikong walked to Yan Zilian's main house under the leadership of his servants.

Along the way, the veins on his forehead twitched, and just now he comforted Yan Weiming with confidence, fearing that he was even more uncertain than Yan Weiming.

Yan Zilian fell ill, and Huo Li, the second assistant of the cabinet, temporarily took over the position of chief assistant. This Huo Li is an old scholar who can only do knowledge. Yan Zilian chose him as the second assistant because he liked his aloofness, so he was able to take charge of it alone. The cabinet is powerful, without Yan Zilian, Huo Li may not be in the cabinet for long.

From afar, Yan Sikong could already smell the smell of herbs.

Pushing open the door and entering, the rich decoction was mixed in the dull air, smelling extremely ominous, looking at the gray-haired old man on the couch, Yan Sikong choked for breath, and his heart sank.If he had hoped that Yan Zilian would get better before he came here, he was completely desperate now.

"Teacher..." Yan Sikong called out sadly, and walked over gently.

In just a few days of seeing each other, Yan Zilian has become skinny and skinny, his face is ashen, and his breathing is weak. The former Zaifu who held great power and acted vigorously is now just an old man in his dying years.

Yan Sikong's nose was sour.

Yan Zilian slowly opened his eyes. When he saw Yan Sikong, he was stunned for a long time, then nodded, and said in a hoarse voice: "You are here, I am waiting for you."

Yan Sikong knelt before the collapse, and asked weakly: "Teacher, do you feel better?"

Yan Zilian shook his head slightly: "This time, it won't be better."

Yan Sikong lowered his head heavily.

Yan Zilian said: "You all go down."

Several servants withdrew one by one.

Yan Zilian tried his best to prop up his body, but he couldn't use the strength at all: "Help me...to get up."

Yan Sikong carefully lifted Yan Zilian up, leaned half of his body on the cushion, and poured him another glass of warm water.

Yan Zilian took a sip of water, calmed down, and then moved his dull eyes to Yan Sikong, "Sikong, you and I know very well that my time is coming."

Yan Sikong shook his head: "Teacher will definitely get better."

"Don't say these useless words, I have something important to discuss with you."

"Student listen."

Yan Zilian took a deep breath, and his voice began to tremble: "I... am six years older than that eunuch, so it is reasonable to die before him, but I am really unwilling, unwilling...not willing to die before my ambition is fulfilled ..."

Yan Sikong grabbed the corner of the quilt tightly with both hands.

"I was named on the gold list at the age of 22. I have been an official for more than [-] years. I have assisted three emperors. When I first entered the official position, it was my heyday. In the officialdom at that time, the wind was clear and the moon was white, and there was little injustice..." Yan Zilian's eyes suddenly glowed, and he must have reproduced the glory and prosperity of the year before his eyes.

Yan Sikong once experienced Dasheng’s Kaiping prosperity from historical books and documents. At that time, there were nearly a hundred foreigners from home and abroad who came to the Central Plains to worship every year. The treasury was full, and there were millions of soldiers. .

But it may be that prosperity is bound to decline, or it may be that the peace will last for a long time, and the military equipment is getting worse day by day. Shengmingzong Yingwu I, alone, has a short life. After his death, Shengwenzong succeeded to the throne. The position is even more arrogant, extravagant and absurd. He favored eunuchs and lost Liaobei again. For decades, the Central Plains area has been constantly fighting, the people have suffered terribly, and Guozuo is already in jeopardy.

The brilliance in Yan Zilian's eyes was like a flash of light, and quickly dissipated, and he returned to reality: "It's a pity, you don't have the chance to see such a Dasheng with your own eyes."

Yan Sikong could clearly feel Yan Zilian's extreme distress. All his life, he hoped to revive the Shengshi and regain its glory, but he alone was powerless.

"The first emperor missed the Hetao. I am soft-spoken and powerless to dissuade you. Your Majesty gave up Liaobei. I am not yet a cabinet minister. I will fight to the death, but it will not help." Yan Zilian said, crying, "Now I am a hundred officials. At the top, I can't stop the traitors from framing Zhongliang. I watched them destroy the Great Wall again and again, trample my great country, and my life's ambitions were all wiped out in regret and powerlessness. You say, you say... ...how will future generations write about me?"

Yan Sikong said with tears in his eyes: "If there is no teacher's hard support, the mainstay will flow, this country will have changed beyond recognition, praise and praise, and people will be at ease."

"You feel free..." Yan Zilian nodded with a wry smile, "You feel free."

"The teacher must be a generation of meritorious ministers who can be remembered in history."

Yan Zilian waved his hand: "Forget it, I used to think that I cared a lot about the reputation behind me, but when it came to the end, I didn't care much anymore. What I thought about was only my unfinished business. What I cared about was only me, Dasheng Jiangshan, and my personal merits. Well, what's the point?"

"teacher……"

Yan Zilian looked at Yan Sikong, and said in a weak voice, "Sikong, you must firmly remember every word I said to you today."

Yan Sikong looked at him steadily.

"If I leave, His Majesty will have no scruples, and the Feng family may be hopeless. You should plan ahead."

Yan Sikong nodded heavily.

"The eunuchs will also take the opportunity to counterattack, suppress our faction, and cut grass and roots." Yan Zilian sighed, "You used to be of value to Xie Zhongren, but now you, as my disciple and prince's attendant, must be the first one he asks for. cut off, you understand."

"Students understand that students are not afraid of him."

"You must not be afraid of him." Yan Zilian grabbed Yan Sikong's wrist, "You are young, promising, and resourceful. In my heart as a teacher, only you can fulfill my unfinished ambitions. The Feng family and the crown prince all depend on you now Now, you must not have an accident."

Yan Sikong looked complicated.

Rely on him?He no longer had the Feng family to rely on, and he was about to have no Yan Zilian to rely on, and he didn't know what fate he would face when Yan Zilian left.

In this battle with Xie Zhongren, they lost, their vitality was greatly injured, and their losses were heavy.

Yan Zilian saw through his thoughts, and said softly: "Sikong, you are still young, as long as you live, there is hope."

Yan Sikong smiled wryly: "Students will definitely work hard to make a living by themselves, inherit the mantle of the teacher, and fulfill the teacher's behest."

"How are you going to fend for yourself?"

Yan Sikong was silent, he didn't even know how Xie Zhongren would kill him, so he could only take one step at a time.

Yan Zilian said: "Now there is only one way to save your life."

"what?"

"Princess Wanyang."

Yan Sikong was startled.

"If you can successfully become a son-in-law, first, you can protect your family and life. Second, as long as the wedding date is fixed, it must be after autumn. Before that, the empress dowager's annual sacrifice has not yet come, and the princess is about to get married, so it is not appropriate to execute the death penalty. , can be delayed for several months, so that you are fully prepared."

"Teacher...you are right." Yan Sikong frowned, "But, Your Majesty may already want to regret the marriage."

"Not necessarily, because of the closure of the family, there has been a rift between His Majesty, Concubine Xian, and the princess. If you withdraw the agreed marriage again, let alone a joke, even the father and daughter of an ordinary family cannot abuse the daughter's family like this. reputation, not to mention that His Majesty really loves the princess."

"What should students do? Ask His Majesty to fix the date of marriage?" Yan Sikong realized that although Yan Zilian was seriously ill, his mind was not confused at all. The path he was referring to was not only his way of life, but also Feng Ye's way of life.

"Your Majesty doesn't even want to listen to my words, so why would he care about you." Yan Zilian held Yan Sikong's hand, and said slowly in that old and weak voice, "You, go and beg Xie Zhongren."

Yan Sikong froze.

"At that time, in order to lure Xie Zhongren into the bait, you made a play with Feng Ye. Now it seems that it was unintentional." Yan Zilian said seriously, "Sikong, if it were someone else, I would never have This request, because I know they can't do it, but you, maybe only you can."

Yan Sikong's brain went blank for a moment, how smart he is, he immediately understood Yan Zilian's meaning, and murmured: "Teacher... told me to ask Xie Zhongren." Yan Zilian didn't say something thoroughly, but he already understood Yan Zilian told him to "rebel".

Yan Zilian mourned: "Sikong, you say that you are free to criticize praise and blame, but are you willing to endure what ordinary people can't bear and suffer what ordinary people can't for the sake of ideals?"

Yan Sikong looked at Yan Zilian firmly, he really wanted to tell Yan Zilian that if it was someone else, he could be someone else's grandson in order to achieve his goal, a person who once lived on the street and begged on his knees, who cares what he can't support His dignity, but that was Xie Zhongren, that was Xie Zhongren who ruined his family, Yan Zilian asked him to bow his knees like that stray dog ​​that he wished to eat alive!

The eyes of the teacher and the student met unexpectedly in the air, and they just looked at each other in silence for a long time.

Yan Zilian's eyes are dim, and gradually he can't see Yan Sikong's face clearly, and Yan Sikong's whole body is also cold, his eyes are a little loose.

Countless thoughts were entangled, like a wild beast rampaging in his mind, the pain made him tear open, if the hatred was tangible, it would have already swallowed everything around him, but in this vortex of despair, there was a voice reminding him softly , Yan Zilian is right.

He needs the identity of a son-in-law to protect himself, he needs the wedding date with Princess Wanyang to buy time for Fengye, he needs to get close to the enemy and find the lifeline, hoping that one day in the future, when he has enough strength, he can hold the sword in anger , piercing through that dirty heart in one fell swoop, restoring the innocence of the wronged soul, and restoring the peace of the country!

For that day, will he be able to endure what ordinary people can't bear, suffer what ordinary people can't, and face the ridicule and contempt of the world, and beg for mercy from his sworn enemy? !

Yan Sikong, can you do it?