Yan Sikong suddenly felt as if his heart was falling from a great height. There was a warm charcoal fire burning in the house, but he felt as if he was standing naked in the coldest days of winter, and even his hair was frozen.

Feng Ye tightly pursed his cheeks and stared at Yan Sikong without blinking.

Yan Sikong stared at Feng Ye in a daze. They were only a table away from each other, but he suddenly couldn't see Feng Ye's face clearly. After all, this face had completely lost its youthfulness. It became angular and stern, which made him feel unfamiliar. He opened his mouth and said softly, "Okay." Then he lowered his head and stuffed a mouthful of rice into his mouth.

Feng Ye pursed his lips and said in a deep voice: "I know you don't want to, but I will eventually marry and have children. Besides, if you hadn't let Shen Hexuan go, why would the disaster still exist today?"

Yan Sikong hummed again. These days, he could sense Feng Ye's anger. Indeed, if he hadn't let Shen Hexuan go, Taiyuan wouldn't have been defeated, and it wouldn't have taken so much time and troops to finally take Taiyuan. What's worse, maybe Feng Ye was blaming him for going to Yunnan to support Chen Yi.

However, Feng Ye didn't say it out loud, but he was so smart, how could he not sense it? Was he venting his anger by being so blunt today?

"What's more... What's more, you have already married Wan Yang and have a daughter." Feng Ye's tone was a bit hurried and suppressed, and it was unclear whether he wanted to convince Yan Sikong or himself with this sentence.

Yan Sikong raised his head but didn't look at Feng Ye: "The Wolf King is wise."

Feng Ye said angrily: "Don't call me 'Wolf King' in such a mocking tone!"

Yan Sikong took a deep breath and said calmly, "You want to marry and have children, and carry on the family line. When have I ever stopped you? There are three kinds of unfilial behavior, and having no descendants is the worst. You cannot let down the ancestors of the Feng family."

Feng Ye clenched his fists: "...Yes."

"That's it." Yan Sikong said, "Now that you have married the daughter of King Yong, you are even more powerful. You don't have to worry about Chen Yu turning against you. One day he will attack the capital. There are so many princes, you can just pick an obedient one. When I say you are wise, I am not mocking you."

Feng Ye gritted his teeth and said, "You are so kind, very kind, but why don't you dare to look at me?"

Yan Sikong hesitated for a moment after hearing this, and finally looked up at Feng Ye. His eyes were calm and deep, like the unfathomable sea: "There is just one thing I don't understand."

"say."

"Could it be that King Yong just remembered that he has a daughter? He must have known that you only have a concubine but no wife. When did he propose the marriage? Was it before we attacked Taiyuan?"

Feng Ye didn't say anything.

Yan Sikong nodded: "Are you hiding it from me because you're afraid that I might have other intentions?" He just felt a chill in his heart, and was so uncomfortable that he had trouble breathing.

Feng Ye said in a deep voice: "You are overthinking. It was only after we conquered Taiyuan that King Yong proposed this."

Yan Sikong forced a smile and said, "That's good. You getting married and having children is a happy thing. Why would I be unwilling? The daughter of King Yong is a good match for you, and you need King Yong's help. You can't be as negligent as you were with Sarin. You need to prepare for the wedding as quickly and as early as possible, so that King Yong doesn't get wind of it and regret it."

"I have already proposed." Feng Ye said coldly.

Yan Sikong felt like there was something stuck in his throat, his eyes were dim and his heart was filled with anxiety. He only whispered, "Okay." He stood up and said, "I have something else to do, so I'll leave first."

"Stop." Feng Ye's face was gloomy. "Will you... blame me?"

Yan Sikong stood there for a long time before he said coldly, "Feng Ye, you and I are no longer young and ignorant. In my heart, the love between a man and a woman has never been of much importance. Whether you marry Sarin or the princess, as long as it can bring you benefits, I don't care."

"Yes." Feng Ye's sharp eyes were full of resentment, "As long as I can give you military power and help you get what you want, you don't mind, right?"

Yan Sikong sneered. He didn't mean to laugh, but he really thought it was funny: "Here you go again. Why do you always blame me when you're the one getting married?"

"Because I hate you when I see you look so calm and composed!" Feng Ye said sternly.

"Then what do you want me to do? Beg you not to marry?" Yan Sikong was still smiling, "Will you agree to me?"

The muscles on Feng Ye's face bulged and veins popped out on his forehead. It was obvious that he was enduring something.

"You won't, and if I really do that, you will question me on what basis I can marry Wanyang." Yan Sikong took a deep breath, his heart so cold that it seemed to be unable to beat, "Feng Ye, I will be blamed for everything when I am by your side. If you really can't get over it, I will leave Taiyuan and go to guard Qingyang for you."

"You dare!" Feng Ye's eyes were red, "If you dare to leave my side, I will never let you go."

Yan Sikong stared at Feng Ye, feeling tired and helpless. He said weakly, "It all depends on the Wolf King." He opened the door and walked into the cold wind without looking back.

Feng Ye closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. The wolf king, who was always cold and majestic in front of people, now had a face full of sadness.

——

In Taiyuan City, preparations for Feng Ye's wedding began.

The soldiers of the three armies were all very happy. After all, Feng Ye was already twenty-seven years old. As an ordinary noble man, he would look for a good partner after he became an adult at the age of fifteen, and get married at the age of sixteen or seventeen. Feng Ye had no home for these years and had to eat and sleep with a man all day long. If it were not for his noble status, no one except Feng Changyue would dare to say anything about him. Who knows how many dirty words would have reached his ears.

However, Yan Sikong could not escape those strange looks that kept Feng Ye away. The daughter of the Yong King was different from Sarin. She was a princess appointed by the emperor and Feng Ye's legal wife. Feng Ye could not neglect the princess for the sake of the Yong King. So, could he continue to keep Yan Sikong in the bedroom?

No matter how wise and skilled Yan Si is, he has a bad reputation and is unpopular with the people. Many people are waiting to see him make a fool of himself.

On this day, Yuan Nanyu could not help but come to find Yan Sikong. He first talked about other things and nothing else for a long time.

Yan Sikong said impatiently: "Just say what you want to say. There's no need to hide anything between us, brothers."

Yuan Nanyu said in embarrassment: "The Wolf King is going to marry a wife, are you... okay?"

"How many real men don't marry? You are the only one who is still single and won't listen to anyone's advice." Yan Sikong complained, "Don't you want to have someone who understands you and leaves you with a child?"

"Why are you dragging me into this?" Yuan Nanyu frowned, "You really don't care?"

"What's there to worry about?" Yan Sikong said calmly, "My daughter is almost two years old. Can the Wolf King sever the bloodline of the Feng family? It's strange that you ask such a question."

Yuan Nan sighed, "Sikong, I really... don't understand you."

"...Why do you bother to delve into something that even I don't understand?" Yan Sikong pretended to be relaxed. "But what I just said is true. You and I are the same age. You are thirty-two now. Why haven't you gotten married yet? If you didn't have a lover in Hongcui Tower in Qingyang, I would have suspected that you also had the habit of cutting sleeves."

Yuan Nanyu laughed dryly: "You even know this."

"Of course I know." Yan Sikong sighed softly, "I also know that you wandered around the world when you were young and are used to a wandering life. Asking you to settle down and start a career seems to be restricting you, but you can't leave behind descendants after all."

Yuan Nanyu shook his head: "Sikong, you don't understand. I lost my memory. I don't remember my ancestors, I don't remember my biological parents, which makes me a rootless person, as if... I have no connection with this world, so I have no thoughts of passing on my family line or continuing the incense."

Yan Sikong felt bitter. If Yuan Mao knew that his two sons, one was immature and cunning, and the other was rootless, how sad he would be. He said dejectedly, "So... are you going to just keep going like this?"

"I don't know either." Yuan Nanyu scratched his hair and laughed again. "It's strange. I'm already thirty years old, but I always feel that I'm still young. Maybe I'm really immature. Now I just want to help the Wolf King achieve great things. One day when I'm successful, I can talk about the major events of my life. Besides, I haven't met a woman who makes my heart beat."

Yan Sikong joked: "The girl from Hongcui Tower..."

Yuan Nanyu laughed and said, "Stop teasing me."

Yan Sikong also laughed.

Yuan Nanyu saw Yan Sikong's smile, and the gloom on his face faded a little. He sighed in his heart and couldn't help but persuade him: "Sikong, if you are unhappy, don't hide it, just tell me. Although we are not related by blood, you and I are so similar. Although I have forgotten everything, in my heart, I really regard you as my own brother. Do you understand? I think you are my only relative."

Yan Sikong was deeply moved and could not help but take off Yuan Nanyu's mask and held his hand: "In my heart, you are my brother. In this chaotic world, I can still meet you again. Even if I have gone through so much hardship, I feel that God has mercy on me after all."

Yuan Nanyu said firmly: "You and I, brothers, will definitely follow the Wolf King to achieve great things and go down in history."

——

As the weather was getting colder, Feng Ye's wedding date was set on the ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, and the internal affairs officer was very busy with this.

But Feng Ye and Yan Sikong were so busy training soldiers, storing food, and gathering intelligence that they did not dare to be careless in the slightest.

By this time, Shen Hexuan should have arrived in Yongzhou, and if Chen Yinuo wrote back to Yan Sikong, the letter should have been on its way. Yan Sikong did not miss any news and was trying to figure out the thoughts of various people every day.

Since that turbulent conversation that day, the two of them have hardly met each other again. Even if they did meet, they only discussed serious matters with the others.

When Yan Sikong heard the servants in the mansion secretly mocking him for "losing favor", he just laughed it off and was too lazy to think about it.

One night, Feng Ye suddenly came to his study without warning, with a stern face, and asked stiffly: "Is there any news from Yongzhou?"

"Not yet. What about the court?" Yan Sikong showed no change in expression, as if all the previous events had never happened.

"I'm trying to find someone to find out, but it's hard to get any accurate information."

Yan Sikong nodded: "This matter is of great importance, so it is of course top secret."

Feng Ye stared at Yan Sikong and asked, "Where is the bear cloak I gave you?"

"It's just the beginning of winter, it's not that cold yet." Yan Sikong felt that Feng Yeren was standing tall in his room, which made him feel inexplicably oppressive. In order to relieve the pressure, he asked, "I haven't seen Hun'er for a long time. It's getting cold. Why don't you bring his little wolf back to the house?"

"No need. Only after going through the test of the cold winter can they become real wolves. Hun'er will take care of them." Feng Ye's eyes lit up. "You miss them. I'll take you to see them."

"No need." Yan Sikong said quickly, "As long as I know they are safe, I have many things to do every day and cannot spare time. After a busy day, the Wolf King should go back and rest early."

Feng Ye frowned: "Are you trying to chase me away?"

Yan Sikong didn't say anything.

"Even if I marry a wife and take a concubine, you are still mine. This will never change. Do you understand?"

Yan Sikong took a deep breath, suppressed himself, and whispered, "I understand."

Feng Ye took a few steps closer and stretched out his hand to touch his face, but he turned his head away slightly, and Feng Ye's hand froze in mid-air.

Feng Ye pulled him into his arms and held him tightly.

Yan Sikong did not struggle. He never liked wasting his energy.

Feng Ye whispered in his ear, word by word, "You are not allowed to reject me."

“…I don’t dare.”

A ruthless look flashed in Feng Ye's eyes. He pushed him away and walked away.