After returning to the room, Yan Sikong took out the mask from his arms and felt a layer of cold sweat on his back.

What was he going to do with this? He went to find Yuan Nanyu to test Yuan Nanyu's attitude, hoping that the two of them could convince Feng Ye together, but after he made it clear that Yuan Nanyu was loyal to Feng Ye, he knew that this was impossible.

But I took this mask on a spur of the moment basis.

Yan Sikong sat down at the table, pulled the bronze mirror closer, and gently put the mask on his face.

The mask only covered the nose, and the exposed lips and jawline were almost identical to Yuan Nanyu's. Some people even thought they looked a bit alike, but since no one had seen Yuan Nanyu's face behind the mask, they would not have thought they looked so alike. Wearing the mask and changing into a new outfit, he looked exactly like the Wolf King's top general, "General Que".

Yan Sikong took off his mask and slammed it on the table with a "snap", as if it burned his hands, but after a pause, he carefully hid the mask.

He was a meticulous and cautious person who always took every step carefully. When he saw the mask, he stole one. It was obvious that he had already made preparations for a rainy day. Now Feng Ye had become a person who was difficult for him to predict and figure out, so he had to leave a way out for himself.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. Did he believe deep down that Feng Ye might do something bad to him for the throne...

——

Feng Ye's wedding date was approaching, and the mansion was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and the servants were preparing for the wedding. Those large patches of red made the cold and vast white snow in winter look festive.

But in Yan Sikong's eyes, it was just dazzling. As the weather was cold, he seldom went out.

Since the beginning of winter, thanks to the support of King Yong, the soldiers have had enough charcoal, thick cotton clothes, and meat to eat every day. Winter is not suitable for fighting, and this bitter cold climate is not good for anyone. Unless it is absolutely necessary, there is mostly a truce in winter. Therefore, they just train every day, without having to worry about their stomachs or their heads, and no one complains even if it is cold or tired.

In this way, the generals had a lot of free time, which gave Yan Sikong enough time to lock himself in the room and think about things.

After calming down, he realized that the most urgent task at this moment was not to persuade Feng Ye to give up the idea of ​​becoming emperor, but how Feng Ye would overcome this difficulty if Chen Yi joined forces with the court after the spring.

Since Feng Ye invited Chen Yi to open the gates of Taiyuan to welcome the King of Chu, Chen Yi has not responded yet. Calculating the time, it is actually enough for a messenger to travel back and forth to Yongzhou. The reason for not responding is obviously that Chen Yi is hesitating.

Such hesitation is full of dangerous uncertainty, like a stone hanging over your head that may fall at any time, causing anxiety.

But no matter whether Chen Yi will join forces with the imperial court or not, Feng Ye has already made up his mind to kill Chen Yi, and Chen Yi is now a powerful figure and it is impossible for him to be manipulated by them. This person is indeed no longer useful.

There are still several young princes in the capital, even babies in swaddling clothes, who are easier to control than Chen Yi. As long as Feng Ye is not determined to become emperor, it is still possible for him to use the emperor to command the princes according to his wishes.

Even though Feng Ye had deceived him and used him, but apart from their personal feelings - he didn't want to talk about it anymore - Feng Ye was still the only person he could rely on to achieve his wish. As for the sadness, disappointment, and anger he felt, they were just his own fault. If he hadn't been unable to control himself, why would he have to endure all of this? Didn't he deserve it?

People like him shouldn't fall in love. A life of loneliness is the most appropriate ending for him.

After figuring it out, he didn't wait for Feng Ye to come to him, but took the initiative to find Feng Ye, bringing something with him.

Feng Ye was a little surprised to see him, but he still pretended to be calm and asked, "Have you thought it through?"

Yan Sikong sat in the chair farthest from him, with a distant attitude, and said neither servile nor overbearing: "I've thought it through."

"Go ahead."

"You are right. Chen Yi is indeed out of control now. It is not appropriate to support him to take the position. Moreover, he is likely to collude with the court. We have to abandon him."

Feng Ye showed a happy expression: "I am much relieved that you can think this way."

"But." Yan Sikong continued.

Feng Ye was waiting.

"But you must not become emperor." Yan Sikong said seriously, "I have explained the pros and cons to you clearly. If you insist on becoming emperor, even if you kill me, I will not help you. There are still young princes in the capital who can be controlled."

Feng Ye smiled faintly: "You don't think I'm so stupid that I'm eager to make myself a target before I'm even firmly established, right? Uncle sent those things to me just to express his joy at my wedding, and you happened to find them. If I wasn't 70% or 80% sure, I would never have acted rashly..."

"Even if you are absolutely sure, you can't do it." Yan Sikong said seriously, "Whether you can do it or not is up to me to judge."

Feng Ye narrowed his eyes.

"We must eliminate all internal and external troubles to ensure that we can completely stabilize the situation and control the world."

"How long will that take?"

"I don't know, maybe ten or twenty years, maybe even longer."

Feng Ye snorted coldly: "This is just a stopgap measure."

"This is a temporary measure, for me and for you. Do you think that stealing a country doesn't require 'temporary measures'?"

"What if I regret my decision after I take control of the capital? What can you do to me?"

Yan Sikong smiled coldly: "I have already thought of this. After all, you have deceived me." He reached into his sleeve and took out something, which was a letter.

"What is this?"

Yan Sikong stood up, holding the letter in his hands, with a respectful attitude - but not to Feng Ye, but to the letter: "I have never taken out this thing, firstly, the time is not right, and secondly, I don't want to make you sad."

Feng Ye frowned: "What on earth is it?"

Yan Sikong stared at the yellowed envelope, his mind filled with thoughts: "This is... the letter that His Royal Highness Prince Jingyuan gave me before his death."

Feng Ye slammed the table and shouted, "Asshole, why didn't you tell me?!"

"This last letter is not for you, but for the world," Yan Sikong said. "His Highness has instructed me to publish this letter to the public the day he is vindicated. Now that the time has not come, if I give it to you, it will only add to the sorrow and hatred."

Feng Ye strode over, snatched it away, spread it out carefully with trembling hands, and stared at it.

Yan Sikong said softly, "I have read this last letter countless times and I can recite it almost by heart. It only contains a few sentences about the injustice suffered by His Highness. What he always had in his heart was the people. What he cared about until his death was the peace of the border and the world. The Feng family has been loyal for generations. Are you going to ignore His Highness's last wishes for your own selfish desires?"

"Shut up!" Feng Ye growled. He turned his head to look at Yan Sikong, his eyes already red.

Yan Sikong shut up.

Feng Ye trembled and said, "You should have given it to me earlier. This is the only thing my father left behind."

"That's wrong." Yan Sikong said, "His Highness left you the Feng Family Army, a rare general, wisdom, courage and strategy. What His Highness left you should be everything that will benefit you throughout your life. His Highness hopes that you will use what he left you to protect the country and the people. You must not disappoint his expectations."

"Don't use my father to pressure me!" Feng Ye pointed at Yan Sikong's nose and shouted, "My father never said a word to stop me from becoming emperor!"

"No, but Your Highness values ​​peace and prosperity over life." Yan Sikong looked at him deeply, "Feng Ye, you should also put peace and prosperity before becoming king or emperor."

Feng Ye's face twitched as he said in a deep voice, "I will definitely fulfill my father's last wish and let him see a peaceful and tranquil scene when he looks down at the world from heaven."

"Your Highness can rest in peace now that you have taken on this responsibility." Yan Sikong said in a relaxed tone, "Feng Ye, put aside your ambitions for now. If one day you hold power and the world is peaceful, I will no longer stop you."

Feng Ye lowered his head with a gloomy expression.

Yan Sikong knew that Feng Ye was filial and brotherly, and only by using Feng Jianping could his arrogance be temporarily curbed.

After a long silence, Feng Ye said, "Okay, I can promise you."

"You don't have to promise me, I want you to promise His Royal Highness Prince Jingyuan." Yan Sikong took a step closer.

Feng Ye stared at Yan Sikong and said, "Take this letter as evidence. I promised my father that I would not become emperor if the situation is not stable."

Yan Sikong let out a sigh, "I have one more favor to ask of you."

"Speak." Feng Ye said coldly.

"Spare Chen Yu's life." Yan Sikong said in a low voice.

Feng Yejian raised his eyebrows and said viciously, "No, Impossible."

"Leave him alive, even if you have to make him a commoner." Yan Sikong looked into Feng Ye's eyes fearlessly, "He is my student after all. As long as he is no longer a threat to you..."

"As long as he's alive, he's a threat to me." Feng Ye said clearly, word by word.

Yan Sikong said coldly: "If you want me to help you, this is my condition."

Feng Ye approached Yan Sikong and stared at him coldly: "You dare to negotiate with me? For Chen Yi?!"

"Why can't I?" Yan Sikong straightened his chest. "As you said, you have a large army today, and I have made great contributions. You also said that if I take Taiyuan for you, you will reward me. I just want you to spare Chen Yi's life after the success."

"Chen, Yu." Feng Ye gritted his teeth and said, "How many people in this world are worthy of being treated sincerely by someone like you? Why is it Chen Yu? Why is it him!"

Yan Sikong took a deep breath and said, "Chen Yi has been my student since he was eleven years old. I watched him grow up and knew that he had been bullied and neglected since he was young. I accompanied him through the pain of losing his mother. I often saw myself in him when he was young. It's not good if you can understand it, and it's fine if you can't. If you don't want to, then you don't have to come to me again."

"Are you threatening me?" Feng Ye grabbed Yan Sikong's shoulders. "Do you know where you are now? Everything about you, including your life, is in my hands. You should do whatever I ask you to do. What right do you have to negotiate with me?"

"Then you'll just kill me!" Yan Sikong gritted his teeth, "When have I, Yan Sikong, ever been afraid of death in my life?"

"You're looking for death!" Feng Ye roared.

Yan Sikong stiffened his neck and stared at Feng Ye, not backing down at all.

Having torn off the cloak of friendship, Yan Sikong could no longer find any reason to compromise or give in to Feng Ye. He made up his mind not to talk to Feng Ye anymore. When working with others, one naturally had to consider the gains and losses. He would let Feng Ye know how differently he, Yan Sikong, treated "Feng Ye" and the Wolf King.

Feng Ye seemed to be aware of Yan Sikong's coldness. He lowered his head slightly and approached Yan Sikong: "What am I in your heart?"

Yan Sikong said without hesitation: "You are the Wolf King."

Feng Ye's expression suddenly changed, his eyes were fierce and sharp: "Wrong, I am your husband."

Yan Sikong laughed: "In a few days, you will be the princess's legitimate husband, known to the world. Stop saying these innocent words. You said I used my feelings to confuse you, but in fact, since we met again, you have been using my feelings to confuse me, making me serve you and plot for you."

A ferocious look appeared on Feng Ye's face.

"Feng Ye, you and I have come to this point, why bother deceiving yourself? What you want is supreme power, and what I want is to use your power to realize my ideals. You and I are just using each other." Yan Sikong felt his heart bleeding, but he continued to talk, "It's ridiculous to talk about friendship anymore!"

Feng Ye grabbed Yan Sikong by the collar, his handsome face twisted with anger, his eyes filled with deep resentment. He opened his mouth and said in a low voice: "You finally said it. What you want from me is just power. I am not important to you at all!"

Yan Sikong said nothing, but just gave a cruel smile.

Feng Ye pushed him away: "Get out, get out."

Yan Sikong staggered back two steps.

"Get out!" Feng Ye yelled.

Yan Sikong turned around and rushed out of the room. Even though he felt a sharp pain inside, he did not stop. He wanted to get away from it, preferably to a place where he would never see Feng Ye again. Then maybe he could live a slightly better life. At least, he wouldn't have to suffer so much pain because of someone all the time.

——

Yan Sikong did not go back to his room, but wandered around the yard for a long time. The people sent by Feng Ye to monitor him had changed shifts, and his hands and feet were numb from the cold, but he was unwilling to go back to the house.

Until it was completely dark, he looked at the dim lights in the mansion, but didn't know where to go.

Just a while ago, he said that Feng Ye's side was the only place he could go back to in his life. Now it seems so ridiculous. How could he become so stupid and naive?

He had no place to go back to. He once had a home, two homes, but they were all reduced to ashes. From then on, in this vast world, he, Yan Sikong, was destined to be alone.

No, no, he still has a relative, the only relative left in this world. Even if they are not related by blood, even if the other person doesn't even remember him, this person's existence is the deepest bottom line in his heart, the only proof that he knows that God has not completely abandoned him.

So he picked up two jugs of wine and decided to go find Yuan Nanyu. He had never complained to anyone about the grievances between him and Feng Ye, and he would not complain to Yuan Nanyu now. He just wanted to have a drink with his brother. Maybe when he got Yuan Nanyu drunk and passed out, he could get him to call him "Second Brother"...

When he staggered to Yuan Nanyu's courtyard, there was firelight in the house. He vaguely heard someone talking inside. He asked the person who was monitoring him to wait there, and walked to the door with a wine bottle. Just as he was about to knock on the door, he heard Feng Ye's voice coming from inside, and he seemed to be drunk. In fact, there was no need to listen to the voice, the smell of alcohol in the house had already spread outside.

Yan Sikong retreated to the window hesitantly.

The Luo family was of prominent origin, and the window frames were inlaid with extremely expensive colored glass. Yan Sikong bent slightly and looked inside through the gap between the colored glass and the curtains.

The two people in the room were Yuan Nanyu and Feng Ye. The wine jugs and glasses on the table were tilted all over the place, the wine and dishes were spilled all over the floor, and the cups and plates were in a mess. Feng Ye was hugging Yuan Nanyu tightly and intimately.

Yan Sikong suddenly felt the blood in his body congeal.

Then, he heard Feng Ye call out, albeit vaguely but without any hesitation: "Kong'er..."