Chapter 33

Yan Sikong let out a long breath, and his eyes showed some confusion. He said slowly, "I just wandered around. I did odd jobs, raised horses, got remunerated for literary works, did pair readings with people, and even worked as an accountant." None of these were lies. He just concealed a lot.

"How did you escape from the stone quarry?"

Yan Sikong endured the extreme pain in his heart and touched upon the topic: "I ran away when the people weren't on their guard." Conversely, he asked, "How did Your Highness find me?"

"After the spring hunt, I wanted to get to know the person who helped me tame the fierce horse. After looking for someone to investigate for several days, I even sent Uncle Xue personally to identify the person. The result I obtained was ---- Yan Sikong, 23 years old, who passed the civil examination during the 25th year of Zhao Wu’s reign and is currently working as an editor in Hanlin Academy. Ancestral hometown was…Panyang prefecture Ji’an County?”

Yan Sikong remained silent.

"Although you changed your surname, you are not a person from Panyang. However, when I heard the word 'Sikong', my intuition said it was you. Just that, how did you become a person from Panyang?"

Yan Sikong still had his head lowered and was thinking about how to deal with this.

Feng Ye lightly pinched Yan Sikong's chin and forced him to face him. Feng Ye’s sharp eyes were staring at him: "Speak. Don’t lie to me."

Yan Sikong pulled Feng Ye’s hand away: "I have already cut myself off from the past. Hence, I hid my past history. I ask Your Highness to keep it a secret for me for old times’ sake."

Feng Ye sneered: "What if I don’t?"

Yan Sikong said, "Your Highness will not."

"Why are you so sure?"

Yan Sikong shook his head and said with a smile, "Your Highness will not." He was not worried at all because Feng Ye’s natural character had not changed.

Feng Ye looked at that shallow smile on Yan Sikong's white-jade face, as if he had been seen through at a glance. He felt a little annoyed, but he felt that his face was like a hibiscus* which was blooming brilliantly. He was really a beautiful and elegant young master who was hard to find. He pushed the wine bowl to Yan Sikong: "If you down this bowl, I'll keep it a secret for you."

Yan Sikong glanced sideways at Feng Ye and said, "Really?"

"When did I lie to you?"

Yan Sikong took the wine bowl and drank it again. Then, he slammed the wine bowl on the table and cupped his fist in the other hand with force: "Thank you, Your Highness."

"Alright." Feng Ye pushed away his hand impatiently, "I don't believe what you said."

Yan Sikong was stunned: "Don't believe what?"

Feng Ye narrowed his eyes: "Do you really want to cut yourself off from the past?"

"...Yes."

"Then why did you enter the court and become an official?"

Yan Sikong said with a smile, "If a scholar doesn’t work as an official, what can he do?"

"Don’t you want to take revenge?"

Yan Sikong was silent for a moment: "Dragging out an ignoble existence is already difficult when my words don’t carry much weight." He turned to fix his gaze at Feng Ye: "Why is Your Highness so domineering?"

"You..." Feng Ye said unhappily, "You’re not like Yuan Sikong at all."

A burst of sadness filled Yan Sikong’s heart, but he teased: "I’ve grown up." He poured wine for Feng Ye. "Come, since we've met again after such a long separation, it's worth getting drunk."

Feng Ye stopped talking and drank diligently.

After several taels of fragrant wine, Yan Sikong realized that Feng Ye's wine capacity was not as good as his own despite having the courage to drink it. He was so excited from drinking that he insisted on pulling Yan Sikong along to find Feng Hun to play.

Yan Sikong struggled frantically, but it was totally useless. He was forcefully dragged to the tree trunk by Feng Ye and threw himself on Feng Hun.

Yan Sikong was about to get up in embarrassment, but Feng Hun pressed his paw on his shoulder and used his only eyes to look at him coldly. He looked at the sharp tusks which were almost within reach and could only sit down again.

Feng Ye laid on Feng Hun and laughed, "Do you know why I shut those people out? Because I don't know what purpose they have and what influences they have behind their back. I'm too lazy to distinguish between them. Anyway..." He let out a loud alcoholic burp, and his tone revealed a little sense of loss. “Anyway, I came back just to become a hostage. Wouldn't it be better if I did nothing?"

Perhaps Yan Sikong had drunk too much wine and became bolder, he imitated Feng Ye and leaned half of his body on Feng Hun. That warm and thick fur gave him a strange peace of mind. He said, "Your Highness can't go to the front to fight the enemy, but this action is a great achievement for the King of Jingyuan."

Feng Ye shook his head and sneered: "I'd rather gallop on the battlefield and have a slim chance of surviving than wasting my time here."

"The King of Jingyuan asking for you to return to the capital is of great significance. He’s far away in Datong. There are many people and voices in the court. If a remark is made against him, it will be too late to defend himself. If there is a person who can be fully trusted, he can safely display his rare talents as a commander at the border. If you insist on shutting yourself out, you are indeed wasting your time."

Feng Ye said, "How can I not know? But I hate those hypocrites who pretend to be sincere." He let out a long heavy sigh, "Let me be alone for a few days. Do you think I did nothing when I shut myself out? I want to search their backgrounds first."

Yan Sikong silently took a gulp of wine. His train of thought was complicated.

Feng Ye had support from Feng Jianping who controlled many troops and was feared by the emperor. If he could get this person’s help, he could save him at least ten years of honing and rapidly go up in the world*. Feng Jianping definitely also needed a more vigilant person to assist his son.

Fortunately, he and Feng Ye were childhood friends. No matter what, he should not miss this opportunity.

It's just that…

Feng Ye, who was dizzy after drinking, suddenly murmured as if he was sleep-talking, "Why didn’t you ask me what I’ve been through these ten years?"

Yan Sikong felt tense. He always had a glib tongue and was well-versed in learning both ancient and modern times. Unexpectedly, he didn't know how to respond at this moment. Maybe he instinctively didn't want to be too close to Feng Ye. Feng Ye didn't seem to want an answer. He had already closed his eyes and fell asleep.

He turned his face and looked at the drunk Feng Ye. He was like a frivolous teenager who didn't know what sorrow was. His future must be unlimited.

----

After Feng Ye fell asleep, Yan Sikong planned to get up and leave.

However, as soon as he moved, Feng Hun made a muffled noise from his throat, which sounded full of threats.

Yan Sikong swallowed his saliva and said some good words, "Your Highness Feng Hun, I need to go to the bathroom badly. I’ll be right back."

Feng Hun’s lips and jaw trembled, and he bared his white wolf teeth.

Yan Sikong closed his eyes, resigned to his fate, and sat down again. Probably without Feng Ye’s permission, he would never be able to leave here even if he peed his pants.

After a while, Uncle Xue came. Yan Sikong finally saw his savior. He told him that he had unfinished business and had to leave.

Only then did Uncle Xue dispatched a carriage and personally sent him back to his residence.

----

The next day, Yan Sikong went to Wenyuan Pavilion, apologized to Huo Li in person, and explained why he was absent without a reason yesterday. Huo Li didn't purposely make things difficult for him because he was a student appreciated by Yan Zilian, but Shen Hexuan was a rigid person and scolded him for affecting the progress of editing.

Liang Sui was mediating between the two at one side: "Hey, looking at Sikong's pale face, he must have been very unwell yesterday, so don't blame him anymore, Brother Shen."

Seeing that Yan Sikong had apologized, Shen Hexuan forgave him. He said, "Today, I’ll be leading you to edit the archives in the last 10 years, which I’ve already prepared. I earnestly request all colleagues to work together. If there is any delay in this matter, we can't explain it to His Majesty."

"Yes."

Ever since then, Feng Ye didn't come and find Yan Sikong again. Drinking to their hearts’ content under the tree that day was like a drunken daydream. Yan Sikong was not surprised. Feng Ye was proud and arrogant, and he was estranged to make friends with him, plus Yan Sikong deliberately alienated him, so Feng Ye would certainly not take the initiative again.

Yan Sikong was never an indecisive person, but now he hesitated to move forward because of Feng Ye.

Anyways, he was busy until late at night every day, so he had no time to think too much, and the day passed one by one.

What was countless were the number of deep nights. Yan Sikong was yawning continuously and immersing himself in writing currently.

Suddenly, perhaps in order to dispel drowsiness, a member of the Hanlin Academy chatted with the people around him: "I'm currently editing Guangning’s defending battle. Have you ever heard of this battle?”

Yan Sikong, who was so sleepy that he nodded off constantly, woke up in an instant.

"That time, I was still young. I read it afterwards. It was a wonderful victory."

"Commander Han is really a famous contemporary general. He actually forced back 100,000 Jin’s troops with few soldiers in an isolated city."

A tint of hideousness flashed on Yan Sikong’s face. He said in a deep voice, "I've heard that there's something strange about it. That man had lost Qingzhou before."

Shen Hexuan knocked on the table: "This is not a place for gossip. Don't discuss these rumors."

A strange fire sprang up in Yan Sikong’s chest. Maybe he was too tired and was mentally weak to suppress his temper. He blurted out: "Rumors may not be false, and the compilation and revision of history may not be true. A thief passes for a gentleman when thieving has made him rich*. Who has written the history books since ancient times?"

All the members of the Hanlin Academy in the room were shocked.

On the usual days, Yan Sikong was smooth and slick*. After getting along with him for more than a year, no one had ever seen him misspeak a word. How dare he say such disrespectful words just because of a chat today? If this was heard by a person with some ill intention, it might cause a great disaster.

After saying that, Yan Sikong regretted it, and a cold sweat broke out on his back.

Shen Hexuan looked at Yan Sikong in silence, put down his brush, got up and walked out of the room.

Yan Sikong hurriedly chased after him: "Brother Shen, Brother Shen." He grabbed Shen Hexuan, composed himself, and said, "I spoke rudely. Can Brother Shen let me off?"

Shen Hexuan frowned, "What do you think I'm going to do? Go and complain to our teacher?"

Yan Sikong knew Shen Hexuan’s conduct. He was by no means a villain, but Yan Sikong had made a mistake first. If Shen Hexuan were to stubbornly investigate to the end, a word can make him fall short of success. He let go of Shen Hexuan, bowed, and said, "Brother Shen is an open and upright person. I’ve used a despicable way of thinking to speculate a decent person’s mind.”

"In fact, what you said was not unreasonable." Shen Hexuan looked up at the full moon in the sky, "For thousands of years, the clear and bright moon has been hanging high, and it has not been able to illuminate many truths and lies in the world. The truths and lies are only in heaven and earth, not between you and me. You have already become an official, so you should speak and act cautiously. I’ll take it that you are confused from being tired today. If there’s a next time, I’ll not forgive you so easily."

Yan Sikong said in a deep voice, "Thank you, Brother Shen."

"I just came out to take a breather. You should go back."

Yan Sikong bowed again and turned back.

He clenched his fists and a strong killing intention shot out of his eyes. God had no eyes, and the bright moon had blemishes. That’s why the wicked were allowed to invert black and white* and made the good people suffer injustice. Since the truths and lies were only in heaven and earth, he would turn over heaven and earth and wash away Yuan Mao’s bad reputation from the history books!

 

----

hibiscus* [舜华]---beautiful appearance of a girl (Sikong in this case)

rapidly go up in the world* [平步青云]--- meteoric rise (of a career, social position etc)

A thief passes for a gentleman when thieving has made him rich* [成王败寇]---comes from《题战史》. Meaning: when winner has the power, no one dares to blame the winner, but losers will find it hard to vindicate themselves.

smooth and slick* [八面玲珑]--- smooth and slick (in establishing social relations)

invert black and white* [颠倒黑白]--- distort the truth deliberately / to misrepresent the facts / to invert right and wrong

 

Edited on 14 Aug. 21 (Emzie)

 

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