The Blood Crown

In the summer of the 34th year of Zhaowu, Yan Zilian, the head of the ministers who assisted the three emperors, the scholar of Wenyuan Pavilion, and the chief assistant of the cabinet, died suddenly in grief and unwillingness.

Although Yan Sikong was sad, he was also thankful for the Yan family. If Yan Zilian hadn't gone so "timely", Xie Zhongren would have dealt with the Yan family soon after bringing down the Feng family. For the sake of his last kindness, for the sake of his decades of hard work, he was buried with the ceremony of a prime minister, and even wrote the eulogy, otherwise, Yan Zilian may not have a good death.

But he knew that once Yan Zilian left, the disaster for the gentry faction would begin.

When Yan Sikong went to attend the funeral, there were already rumors in the capital that he had a close relationship with Xie Zhongren. Many of his classmates looked at him with strange eyes. Jinshi who became officials at the same time at the same time are now in different situations. Little Hanlin, but he has been on the rise all the way, under the jealousy and suspicion, many people call "Swallow's son-in-law" in a strange tone.

During the worship, Yan Sikong's eyes were red, he knocked his head heavily, and said in his heart: "Teacher, your unfinished will will be inherited by the students, and the students must clean up the traitors, clean up the government and the public, and reproduce the glory of our Central Plains." Peace and prosperity.

After the worship, Liang Sui pulled him aside, hesitant to speak: "Sikong, there have been a lot of gossip about you in Beijing recently, and I say it's all rumors, it must be malicious eunuchs." Slander, can you..."

Yan Sikong interrupted him unceremoniously: "Brother Liang, you and I have always been on good terms. I don't treat you as an outsider. I have a few words of advice that I don't like."

Liang Sui was stunned.

Yan Sikong looked around at those fellow students who were also sneaking at him, and said in a low voice: "The teacher passed away, and Xie Gonggong took over the power alone. Next, there will be a big purge of the gentry. A bloody storm is unavoidable. Standing under the dangerous wall, I hope Brother Liang will be wise and protect himself." He knew that Liang Sui was not an upright and upright person, even if he didn't say anything, Liang Sui would still be a leader, and besides, he was so talented in his position that he couldn't be thanked at all. In Zhongren's eyes, the purpose of his words is to test Zhou Mixing through Liang Sui, and Shuntian Fu Yin behind Zhou Mixing.

"You..." Liang Sui looked at Yan Sikong in disbelief, unable to utter a whole sentence for a long time, he probably didn't expect Yan Sikong to be so shameless. Betrayal as rumored?

Yan Sikong cupped his hands, turned and left.

-

Just after Yan Zilian's funeral, an invisible flame of war ignited above the court hall, and with the passage of the seasons, it completely entered the scorching midsummer.

Emperor Zhaowu suddenly decreed that the wedding date of Yan Sikong and Princess Wanyang would be set shortly after the Empress Dowager's New Year's Ceremony.

At the same time, Xie Zhongren led the eunuchs to bloodbath the gentry faction. Now the gentry is led by the new cabinet chief assistant Huo Li, but he has a dull temperament and weak power, which is the complete opposite of Yan Zilian. The sects attacked each other, the gentry group had no leader, and was beaten by the eunuch party and retreated steadily.

Yan Weiming has no ambitions, but he has self-knowledge. Before Xie Zhongren punished him, he resigned from office early on the grounds of Ding You, and wanted to return his family to his hometown in the south of the Yangtze River to farm. But Xie Zhongren had suffered from Yan Zilian's uselessness for half his life, so how could he let it go so easily? Overwhelmed by him, he found out the old account of Yan Zilian's second son and made a big fuss, trying to copy Yan Zilian's home in the name of being corrupt. In the end, the officials dissuaded him, and Emperor Zhaowu only took back all kinds of rewards for Yan Zilian and ordered Yan's family to leave immediately. If you go back to your hometown, you will never be able to return to Beijing.

The veteran minister of the three dynasties and a generation of ministers were killed by the donkey just after the month of sacrifice, which is really chilling.

During this period, Yan Sikong didn't say a word for the Yan family.

In the same way, Xie Zhongren dragged the gentry officials off their horses one by one, killing them, exempting them, demoting them.

He could only be silent, heart-piercingly silent, because he knew that even if he died ten thousand times, nothing would change right now.

And he has to live.

Shen Hexuan, who had been forgotten by him for a long time because he had no time to take care of it, wrote a letter to impeach Xie Zhongren thousands of miles away, listing more than a dozen major crimes, and pleading grievances for Yan Zilian. However, Xie Zhongren was so angry that he jumped to his feet. He dug three feet and found no reason for Shen Hexuan. He couldn't kill him, so he relegated him to a small remote county in the south of Qiannan as a county magistrate under the pretext of falsely accusing him. There is almost no turning back.

The second consecutive three-yuan manipulative talent that appeared in Dasheng's more than [-]-year history, his future was ruined.

And not long after, Yan Sikong also received a letter from Shen Hexuan, in which he mercilessly denounced him for deceiving his teachers and exterminating his ancestors for the sake of personal glory and wealth, being a shameless person with a human face and a beast's heart, cursing him that he will definitely be included in the "Biography of the Shing Chen", and his notoriety will remain. The world, thousands of people reviled.

Yan Sikong read the letter word by word, thinking that the letter was written by Shen Zhuangyuan with superb literary talent and careful words, so he silently burned the letter, but his memory was so good that he might want to forget it for the rest of his life. I can't forget it.

The next day, a servant brought a plain jewelry box. When he opened the box, there were several gold and silver jewelry that matched the box very well, and a note. When he unfolded it, there were eight words written in beautiful handwriting: Neither owes anything, Do it yourself.

The servant said cautiously: "It was sent by Mrs. Shen. They set off today and said they were going back to their hometown in Suzhou."

Yan Sikong sighed softly: "Call Ali here."

Xie Zhongren was narrow-minded, and he would get revenge. Even if the dog didn't move, the journey to Suzhou was far away, and orphans and widows were easily in danger. He wanted Ali to find She Zhun and send someone to take care of him secretly.

In addition, he also needs to know how She Zhun's layout is going.

He has already given She Zhun all the information about the imperial prison that he obtained through Yan Zilian, and paid a lot of money to buy the chief guard who took him to see Feng Ye last time. They know the location of Feng Ye and Feng Jianping's prison At present, the way of robbing the prison and the route of leaving Beijing are being perfected step by step, so as to be foolproof.

He knew very well in his heart that when Xie Zhongren finished purging the faction of the gentry and no one in the court dared to complain for the Feng family, it was the time for the big sword to be swung down, and they had to complete this matter as soon as possible, because once Meng Duo also lost power, the prison There is no one to take care of the father and son in the middle. He is afraid that even if they succeed in robbing the prison, the rescued one will be disabled.

He told himself every day that no matter how much he was suffering, it would not be more painful than Fengye at this time, so no matter how dangerous the path he chose, no matter how many white eyes and contempt he received, no matter how much he suffered. He can bear how humiliating it is to flatter Xie Zhongren and bow his knees.

As long as Feng Ye survived.

-

After the Spring Hunt, Yan Sikong hadn't seen Chen Kui again. First, the Feng family's treason case, and then Yan Zilian died of illness. He didn't go to teach Chen Kui with excuses. Because he had no time to take care of Chen Kui at this time, and it was difficult for him to answer the questions Chen Kui wanted to ask him.

But today was the second time Chen Kui had sent someone to invite him, and he could no longer shirk it, so he went to the East Palace bravely.

Goodbye to Chen Kui, there was an inexplicable strangeness between the two of them, Chen Kui no longer wanted to show off his face when he saw him like before, but looked at him from a distance, and called out cautiously: "Sir."

"I greet His Highness the Crown Prince." Yan Sikong was about to kneel as he said that.

"There's no need to be too polite." Chen Kui interrupted him, "Come in with me."

Yan Sikong sighed in his heart, he really wanted to worship, this "Prince", I'm afraid it's not a word.

The two walked into the palace, Chen Kui swung back to the left and right, turned around and looked at Yan Sikong: "How is your health?"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty, I'm fine now."

Chen Kui pursed his lips, but hesitated to speak.

Yan Sikong asked: "Is Your Highness well these days?"

"Do you think I can do well?" Chen Wei laughed at himself, "I watched the people standing in front of me fall down one after another. I don't know when it will be my turn."

Yan Sikong couldn't think of how to comfort him for a while.

Chen Kui stared at Yan Sikong intently, hesitated for a moment, then walked over, stood in front of him, looked up into his eyes: "They all said you were betrayed, and you took refuge in Yan Ge when he was seriously ill. Xie Zhongren."

Yan Sikong's eyes didn't move, he was silent.

Chen Yu's voice suddenly became agitated: "Don't you explain?! Xie Zhongren killed my mother, he did a lot of evil..."

Yan Sikong looked back into Chen Kui's eyes: "If I say that this is an expedient measure, that I live in vain for revenge, will Your Highness believe me?"

Chen Kui stared at Yan Sikong in a daze: "Really? Do you know what people say about you behind your back? You would rather be scolded by the world, but... take this road?"

Yan Sikong smiled wryly: "Yes, I want to go this way."

"You... what about me?" Chen Wei tremblingly said, "What will I do? What should I do?"

Yan Sikong stared at Chen Kuang for a while, then suddenly stretched out his hand, touched Chen Kui's face, and said softly, "Qi'er, this is the last time we meet."

Chen Kui's face changed drastically, he grabbed his hand and held it firmly: "What do you mean by that!"

"After Xie Zhongren finishes cleaning up the gentry and the Feng family, you will definitely lose your position as the crown prince."

Chen Kui trembled all over. Although he had expected it in his heart, he did not expect Yan Sikong to say it so unabashedly. He was at a loss, flustered and angry, and full of powerlessness: "You...how do you dare……"

Yan Sikong's knees softened, and he knelt down in front of Chen Kui.

Chen Kui's eyes turned red, and he also collapsed on the ground, fell into Yan Sikong's arms, choked up and said, "Sir..."

Yan Sikong hugged Chen Kui and said in despair: "Your Highness, I am incompetent and can no longer assist Your Highness."

Chen Kui shed tears.

"Chen Chun is about to become an adult, the emperor will definitely change his position before he becomes an adult, Your Highness must not fight, in order to save his life..."

Chen Kui was full of hatred: "Why, why did everything become like this!"

"Teacher exhausted his whole life and failed to kill the eunuch, but I did not admit defeat." Yan Sikong said in a hoarse voice, "It's just that from now on, I can't be with His Highness."

"I don't want to give up the throne to Chen Chun, I don't want to!" Chen Mu cried, "I hate it, sir, I hate it!"

Yan Sikong hugged Chen Kui tightly, and said in a trembling voice, "I hate it too, but just hating doesn't help anything. We have to live. Only by living can we have hope."

"What hope is there?" Chen Yu gritted his teeth, "Even if he doesn't kill me, he will definitely throw me to a remote place, be an idle prince, and die in mediocrity and melancholy for the rest of his life... Then it's better to just kill me now. kill me!"

"Your Highness, don't think so." Yan Sikong held Chen Yu's face and said sharply, "If you keep the green hills, you don't have to worry about running out of firewood. Even if Your Highness goes to the fiefdom, don't give up on yourself. You are still young and you still have a lot of strength." Take time, one day, if the minister can eradicate the traitors and turn the court around, His Highness can't be completely unprepared!"

Chen Kui looked deeply at Yan Sikong: "Are you serious? Is it still possible for me to be emperor?"

Yan Sikong said seriously: "In my heart, only Your Highness can be the emperor. As long as I have breath, I will not give up, and Your Highness must not give up either."

Chen Kui bit his lip and nodded with difficulty, his eyes burst into flames, full of hatred, pain, and ambition beyond his age.

Yan Sikong helped Chen Kui up: "In the future, I will no longer be able to give lectures for Your Highness. Your Highness will keep my words in mind, obey the Emperor, and save your life. After you reach the fiefdom, you will secretly support the people and recruit soldiers. One day, there will be a place where you can use your talents." !"

Chen Yu resolutely said, "Okay, I'll wait for you."

The two looked at each other, and they both saw in each other's eyes the determination to never regret.

Chen Kui thought of something, and said sadly: "Sir, I'm going to marry... Huangjie."

Yan Sikong said in a deep voice: "Only by marrying Princess Wanyang can I protect myself and..."

"What can you do?"

Yan Sikong didn't intend to tell Chen Kui that he was going to rob the prison, he almost slipped his mouth, and he changed his words: "Only the teacher's will can be fulfilled, and only then can we make a future agreement with His Highness."

Chen Kui opened his mouth, looked deeply into Yan Sikong's eyes, and said with difficulty: "I..."

Yan Sikong looked at Chen Kui quietly, waiting for him to finish speaking.

Chen Kui hesitated for a long time before lowering his eyes: "I will say goodbye today. I don't know when we will see you again. I don't want to part with you sir."

"I'm also reluctant to part with Your Highness." Yan Sikong pressed Chen Kui's shoulder, "But you and I will definitely meet again."

Chen Kui hugged Yan Sikong again, tears rolling down his face: "Call me Qi'er again."

"... 霂'er."

Chen Kui closed his eyes, only then did the young man realize what it was like to be sad, it was so painful.