Feng Ye ordered people to prepare a table full of Yan Sikong's favorite foods and forced him to eat a lot. As long as the two of them didn't mention Chen Yi for the time being, they wouldn't confront each other. However, the undercurrent hidden beneath the calm surface made Yan Sikong feel oppressed that was difficult to relieve.

Even when he was serving Xie Zhongren, he had never been so nervous.

After dinner, it was late at night, and Feng Ye insisted on holding Yan Sikong to sleep together. Yan Sikong was actually so tired that she could hardly open her eyes, but she still forced herself to stay awake to deal with him.

But Feng Ye just hugged him and didn't do anything else. He even scolded him in a low voice for being too thin.

Yan Sikong then gradually relaxed. No matter what, the warmth and strength of the embrace were real.

All he heard was Feng Ye saying in his ear: "If you move into the mansion, you don't have to hide your identity anymore. Everyone knows it anyway."

Yan Sikong was naturally aware that all kinds of rumors about his rebellion had already spread widely. In addition, he had betrayed Yan Zilian and Xie Zhongren in succession, so it was not surprising that he changed his stance according to the situation. At least Datong and Qianzhou could not hide the news. Although the capital was thousands of miles away, it was the most well-informed place in the world.

Therefore, there is really no need for him to hide anymore. He can appear in the sunshine openly and accept the open and covert condemnation from people all over the world.

Yan Sikong said: "I want to see two people."

"who."

"Shen Hexuan and Feng Xiang."

Needless to say, Shen Hexuan and Feng Xiang were the generals who were sent by the imperial court to protect him with 800 guards. Now, one of them is in Maoren and the other in Qianzhou. To be precise, both are in prison.

Shen Hexuan had a strong character and would never betray the country even if he was killed a thousand times, but Feng wanted to die rather than surrender because his family was in the capital.

"If you want to see them, turn around and tell me." Feng Ye ordered.

Yan Sikong had no choice but to turn around and face Feng Ye, looking into his deep eyes: "I want to see Shen Hexuan and Feng Xiang, I beg the Wolf King to allow me."

Feng Ye’s big hand touched Yan Sikong’s hair and said, “Kiss me.”

Yan Sikong sighed inwardly and leaned forward to kiss Feng Ye softly on the lips. Feng Ye kissed her back softly, neither predatory nor forceful, as if he only wanted this kiss and nothing more.

The two of them separated with light breaths. Yan Sikong could hear his own heart pounding, so he quietly moved back an inch, fearing that Feng Ye would hear him.

Feng Ye licked his lips, looking lazy and obviously satisfied. He said, "Okay. They have been in prison for almost a year. I will order someone to take them to Datong tomorrow."

"Have you treated them well?"

Feng Ye snorted coldly: "Not starving, not being tortured, that's already a good treatment."

"Thank you, Wolf King."

Feng Ye tightened his arms and pulled him closer to him: "What do you want to do? If these two could surrender, they would have surrendered long ago."

"Even if it can't be subdued, it may not be useless."

"...Aren't you tired? Why don't you go to bed quickly and keep thinking about these things?"

Yan Sikong yawned softly: "Yeah."

Feng Ye's fingertips gently rubbed the corners of Yan Sikong's eyes: "You have wrinkles now."

"I am already thirty years old, not young anymore." Yan Sikong sighed as he said this. Time flies, and the years pass by like a shuttle. The days of his youth seemed to be just yesterday, but in the blink of an eye, he has already gone through half of his life. Sometimes when he looks back, he has to think for a long time, how did he end up in this situation today?

Feng Ye frowned: "You are not young anymore, nor as pretty as you were when you were young, and you are more than ten years older than Chen Yu. Why does he care about you?"

"He just depends on me because his mother passed away."

"No." Feng Ye rejected it categorically. "When you were injured and fell from your horse during the spring hunt that year, the way he looked at you was very familiar to me. You... are born to deceive people."

Yan Sikong showed weakness and said, "Should we really continue talking?"

Feng Ye pursed his lips, trying his best to suppress the jealousy that had been lingering in his heart for a long time. He buried his face in Yan Sikong's hair, sniffing the elegant soapberry scent: "I don't like someone thinking about you. He even married a concubine who looks like you. It's really disgusting." A deep disgust flashed across his face.

Yan Sikong thought that if Feng Ye knew that Chen Yi even absurdly proposed to make him the male emperor, he would be in great trouble. Because of this, he couldn't let Feng Ye know these things. Chen Yi was a crucial chess piece to them, and he would not let Feng Ye act on impulse.

Seeing Yan Sikong was silent, Feng Ye took a breath and said, "If he wasn't still useful, I would never keep him. If he has any improper thoughts about you in the future, you have to tell me, understand?"

"Um."

Feng Ye said coldly: "Everything he has today depends on you and me. He'd better know himself."

"He has." Yan Sikong thought of Chen Yu's kneeling. What he knelt for was his self-knowledge.

But Chen Ai is getting older and can no longer be treated as a child who can be manipulated at will. But even if things don't go as planned, he can't retreat, because life is full of disappointments. He has been through a lot in his life, so how can he be satisfied? He will fight his way through the disappointments and find a way to move on.

From now on, you should pay more attention to Chen Yi.

——

After returning to Datong, life was much more comfortable than in Zhongqing. He no longer had to hide or be coy, and he could move freely throughout Datong.

As for the criticisms behind his back, they were not as bad as when he betrayed his master. After all, all the people in the capital were people he knew, while here, there were only a few.

Feng Ye ordered Shen Hexuan and Feng Xiang to be escorted to Datong. Yan Sikong recuperated from his fatigue while waiting. He was also very worried about Chahar's situation. He tried twice to discuss with Feng Ye how to deal with Chahar, but Feng Ye was obviously unwilling to talk more, which made him very puzzled.

If it is said that Feng Ye was on guard against him in the matter of Chen Yi, it is understandable. Chahar is a foreign barbarian tribe and not very powerful. It is only because of the favorable geographical location and the alliance with the court that it poses a danger to Datong that it becomes important at this time. He cannot understand why Feng Ye is on guard against him.

But he soon found out the reason because of Yuan Shaoxu's visit.

He knew that Yuan Shaoxu felt guilty because of his and Yuan Nanyu's identities, so even though they served the same master and were brothers in name, Yuan Shaoxu had never taken the initiative to look for him since that one time they met alone. Even if they met in the camp, he would stay away from him.

Since he didn't come for no reason, Yan Sikong didn't want to look at him any more, especially seeing him pretending to be so timid and coy, so he asked directly, "Brother, what advice do you have for me?"

Yuan Shaoxu obviously didn't want to beat around the bush: "I avoided the Wolf King to come see you because there is something the Wolf King didn't want you to know, but I think you should know it."

"Oh? What's the matter?" Yan Sikong had a hunch that it was not a good thing. Yuan Shaoxu would definitely not consider him. Sometimes he really couldn't understand why two brothers from the same mother could have one narrow-minded and selfish while the other one be cheerful and generous.

"Did you know that Chahar killed the envoy sent by Fengye, but received the envoy sent by the imperial court?"

"I know."

"Then do you know why the court sent another envoy?"

"Isn't it to consolidate the alliance with Chahar?"

"That's true, but the truth is that the Chahar Lion asked for a large tribute from the imperial court."

Yan Sikong raised his eyebrows: "I haven't heard of this yet. These barbarians are really pushing their luck."

The so-called tribute is the barbarian request to pay tribute to the Celestial Empire. This sounds strange. How can one take the initiative to ask for tribute? Isn't that really despicable? In fact, it is not the case. The Chinese people have always respected etiquette and manners. For thousands of years, most of them have been Han empires. The surrounding barbarian countries came to the Central Plains to pay tribute, and the court had to return the tribute, and it had to double or even several times to show the strength and prosperity of the Celestial Empire. The things that the barbarians paid tribute to, except for cattle, horses and sheep, were mostly crude and useless. Now Chahar wanted to ask for tribute, and even the cattle, horses and sheep were only sick, old and weak. It was a blatant lie.

Tribute and trade were the main reasons for the wars between the foreign barbarians and the Central Plains Empire in all dynasties. They did not produce anything and did not know how to farm. They had to either rob or beg for food, utensils, ceramics, copper, iron, silk, tea and so on from the Central Plains. The court opened up trade, allowing them to trade cattle, horses and sheep freely in the Hetao area, which was a great favor. Now they even demanded tribute, thinking that the court needed them to hold Datong back.

"So the court sent envoys to negotiate again."

"Isn't this a good thing? Why can't you tell me?"

"It's not this matter that I can't tell you." Yuan Shaoxu looked around unconsciously. Although there was no one around, he lowered his voice. "The Wolf King also wants to negotiate with Chahar, but Nada Khan..." He stared at Yan Sikong, "He specifically asked you to be his envoy."

Yan Sikong was startled: "Me?"

"Yes." Yuan Shaoxu said, "This is obviously not what Nada Khan meant, but what the court meant."

Yan Sikong narrowed his eyes slightly and thought, this was a good move. He was really stumped for a moment. No wonder Feng Ye did not take any action and did not discuss it with him.

If he went, it would be like a sheep walking into a tiger's mouth, with his life and death in the hands of fate. The court might use his head as a condition for agreeing to Nada Khan's request for tribute, and Nada Khan would use his participation as a condition for negotiating with Fengye. It is not known whether this idea came from the court or Chahar, but in any case, it is sinister enough.

However, Feng Ye didn't let him know, obviously because he cared about his safety... Thinking of this, he was more than a little distracted.

Yuan Shaoxu stared at Yan Sikong's face without blinking, trying to guess what he was thinking at the moment. At the same time, he was vaguely worried in his heart. After all, he was telling Yan Sikong without telling Feng Ye.

Yan Sikong quickly pulled his thoughts back and nodded: "Thank you, brother, for telling me."

"What are you going to do?" Yuan Shaoxu explained quickly, "Sikong, I definitely don't want you to die. It's just that I see the Wolf King is worried about this matter, but he has no solution, and the army is also unable to move forward. If we want to fight, we will definitely suffer losses. You are so smart, you can always give the Wolf King some advice."

"Brother, you are right. We cannot let a bunch of barbarians ride on our heads."

"Then..." Yuan Shaoxu said, "Sikong, you must not let the Wolf King know that I was the one who leaked this, and Yu'er can't tell it either."

Yan Sikong smiled faintly: "Don't worry, big brother."

He knew what Yuan Shaoxu was planning. If he could come up with a plan to satisfy both sides, that would be great. But if he really took the risk of going on a diplomatic mission to Chahar and never returned, that would be even better. He could kill someone else with a borrowed knife to get rid of this thorn in his side, and the lie he had told would never see the light of day. He also wouldn't be afraid that Yuan Shaoxu would gossip about this and hinder his future.

Yuan Shaoxu never considered him as a member of the Yuan family, let alone a brother, and he had no regrets or sadness. He would not take action against Yuan Shaoxu for the sake of the Yuan family, and that was all.

After Yuan Shaoxu left, Yan Sikong locked himself in the study and thought for a long time. Only when he had a rough idea in his mind did he get up to meet Feng Ye.