Yan Sikong took a long breath, with a bit of confusion in his eyes. He said slowly: "I just wandered around, did odd jobs, raised horses, polished pens, was a reading companion, and worked as an accountant." None of these were lies, but he concealed more.

"How did you escape from the quarry?"

Yan Sikong endured the pain in his heart and said lightly, "He ran away when no one was paying attention." He then asked, "How did Your Highness find me?"

"After the spring hunt, I wanted to get to know the man who helped me tame the wild horse. I had people search for him for several days and even sent Xue Boqin to identify him. The result was - Yan Sikong, 23 years old, passed the imperial examination in the 25th year of Zhaowu, was an editor in the Hanlin Academy at the time, and his ancestral home was... Ji'an County, Panyang Prefecture?"

Yan Sikong was silent.

"Although you changed your last name and you are not from Panyang, when I heard the word 'Sikong', I knew it was you. But how did you become a Panyang person?"

Yan Sikong still kept his head down, thinking about how to respond.

Feng Ye reached out and pinched Yan Sikong's chin, forcing him to face him, staring at him sharply: "Tell me, don't lie to me."

Yan Sikong tugged at Kai Fengye's hand and said, "I have cut off my past with a single blow, and therefore concealed my origins. I beg His Royal Highness to keep this secret for our sake."

Feng Ye snorted and laughed: "What if I don't read it?"

Yan Sikong said: "Your Highness won't do that."

"Why are you so sure?"

Yan Sikong shook his head and smiled, "Your Highness won't." Feng Ye's nature has not changed, so he is not worried at all.

Feng Ye looked at the faint smile on Yan Sikong's blank face, as if he had seen through him at a glance. He was a little angry, but he also felt that his face was as bright as Shunhua, and he was really a rare and handsome man. He pushed the wine bowl in front of Yan Sikong: "If you drink this bowl, I will keep it a secret for you."

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

"When have I ever lied to you?"

Yan Sikong picked up the wine bowl and drank it all again. Then he slammed the bowl heavily on the table and clasped his fists vigorously: "Thank you, Your Highness."

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

Yan Sikong was startled: "What don't you believe?"

Feng Ye narrowed his eyes: "Are you really going to cut it off with one blow?"

"……yes."

"Then why did you enter the court as an official?"

Yan Sikong laughed and said, "If scholars don't become officials, what else can they do?"

"Don't you want revenge?"

Yan Sikong was silent for a moment: "My words are not taken seriously, and it is not easy to survive." He turned and looked at Feng Ye: "Why is Your Highness so aggressive?"

"You..." Feng Ye said unhappily, "You don't look like Yuan Sikong at all."

Yan Sikong suddenly felt sad, but he said jokingly, "You've grown up." He poured Feng Ye some wine, "Come on, since we've met again after a long time, it's worth getting drunk."

Feng Ye stopped talking and just drank.

After drinking a few ounces of Xiang Brew, Yan Sikong discovered that Feng Ye's alcohol tolerance was not as good as his, but he was very willing to drink. When he was in high spirits, he insisted on dragging him to go find Feng Hun to play.

Yan Sikong struggled desperately, but it was useless. Feng Ye dragged him under the tree trunk and threw him onto Feng Hun.

Yan Sikong was about to get up in a panic, but Feng Hun pressed his claw on the shoulder. His one eye looked at him coldly. He looked at the sharp fangs so close to him and had to sit back down.

Feng Ye rested his head on Feng Hun and laughed, "Why do you think I turned those people away? Because I don't know what their purpose is, and who is behind them, and I'm too lazy to figure it out. Anyway..." He burped heavily, his tone revealing a bit of loss, "Anyway, I came back to be a hostage, wouldn't it be better to do nothing?"

Yan Sikong may have been drinking because he was a lot braver. He imitated Feng Ye and leaned half of his body on Feng Hun. The warm and thick fur gave him a strange sense of security. He said, "Although Your Highness cannot go into battle to kill the enemy, this action will serve King Jingyuan well."

Feng Ye shook his head and sneered: "I would rather go to the battlefield and risk my life than waste my time here."

"His Royal Highness Prince Jingyuan asked you to return to the capital, which is meaningful. He is far away in Datong. There are many gossipers in the court. If there are unfavorable remarks about him, he will not be able to defend himself. If there is a person he can fully trust to assist him, he can confidently display his rare military talent at the border. If you insist on staying indoors, it is really a waste of time."

Feng Ye said, "I know it, but I hate those hypocrisy and flattery." He sighed, "Let me be quiet for a few days. Do you think I will do nothing if I stay indoors? I want to test the waters first."

Yan Sikong took a sip of wine in silence, his thoughts complicated.

Behind Feng Ye is Feng Jianping, a man who commands a large army and whom even the emperor has to be wary of. If he can get help from this man, he can save at least ten years of hard work and rise to the top. Feng Jianping definitely needs a more astute person to assist his son.

It was a rare opportunity that he and Feng Ye were childhood acquaintances, and he should not miss this opportunity no matter what.

only……

Feng Ye, who was drunk, suddenly mumbled in his sleep: "Why don't you ask me about these ten years?"

Yan Sikong's heart tensed up. Although he was eloquent and well-educated, he didn't know how to answer for a moment. Perhaps he instinctively didn't want to get too close to Feng Ye. Feng Ye didn't seem to need an answer either. He had closed his eyes and fell asleep.

He turned his head and glanced at the drunken Feng Ye. This frivolous young man who seemed to have no idea what sorrow was must have a bright future.

——

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

But as soon as he moved, Feng Hun emitted a muffled sound from his throat, which sounded threatening.

Yan Sikong swallowed his saliva and said kindly, "Your Highness Fenghun, I have to go to the bathroom urgently. I will be back soon."

Feng Hun's lips and jaw trembled, and his sharp white wolf fangs were bared.

Yan Sikong closed his eyes and sat back resignedly. He was afraid that without Feng Ye's permission, he would not be able to leave even if he peed his pants.

After a while, Xue Bo came. Yan Sikong finally saw his savior. He said that he had unfinished official business and had to leave.

Only then did Xue Bo send a carriage to personally take him back to the mansion.

——

On the second day, Yan Sikong went to Wenyuan Pavilion and personally apologized to Huo Li, explaining why he was absent yesterday without reason. Huo Li did not make things difficult for him because he was a student appreciated by Yan Zilian, but Shen Hexuan was a very strict person and reprimanded him for affecting the progress of the book revision.

Liang Sui tried to smooth things over: "Hey, Sikong looked pale, he must have been feeling very uncomfortable yesterday, Brother Shen, please don't blame him."

Seeing Yan Sikong's apology, Shen Hexuan did not refuse to give in. He said, "Today I have led you to work on the case that has been going on for nearly ten years. The case files have been prepared. Shen respectfully requests all colleagues to work together. If this matter is delayed, I will not be able to explain to His Majesty."

"yes."

After that, Feng Ye never came to see Yan Sikong again, just like the day when they drank under the tree, it was just a dream that happened when he was drunk in the daytime. Yan Sikong was not surprised. Feng Ye was arrogant and condescended to make friends with him. If he still wanted to distance himself from him, he would definitely not take the initiative again.

Yan Sikong has never been a hesitant person, but now he is hesitant about the matter of sealing off the wilds.

Anyway, he is busy until late at night every day and has no time to think too much. He can only live one day at a time.

It was the countless late nights that Yan Sikong had stayed up all night, yawning continuously as he buried his head in writing.

Suddenly, a Hanlin, perhaps to dispel his sleepiness, chatted with the person next to him: "I am studying the Guangning defense battle. Have you heard of this battle?"

Yan Sikong, who was so sleepy that his head was nodding to the ground, suddenly woke up.

"I was still young at the time, and later I read it. It was really a great victory."

"General Han is truly a famous general of his time. He was able to defeat the Jin army of 100,000 with only a few soldiers in a single city."

A trace of slyness flashed across Yan Sikong's face, and he said in a deep voice: "I heard that there is something strange about this matter. That person has been to Qingzhou before."

Shen Hexuan knocked on the table and said, "This is not a place for idle chatter. Don't discuss things you heard from others."

Yan Sikong felt a surge of anger in his chest. Perhaps he was too tired to control his temper, so he blurted out, "Hearsay may not be false, and the revised history may not be true. Who wrote the history books since ancient times to make the kings win and the bandits lose?"

All the young scholars in the room were shocked.

Yan Sikong is usually very tactful. We have been together for more than a year and I have never heard him say a wrong word. How could he dare to say such disrespectful words today just for a casual conversation? If someone with ulterior motives heard this, it would cause great trouble.

Yan Sikong regretted what he said and broke out in a cold sweat.

Shen Hexuan looked at Yan Sikong silently, put down his pen, stood up and walked out of the room.

Yan Sikong hurriedly chased after him: "Brother Shen, Brother Shen." He grabbed Shen Hexuan, calmed down, and said: "I'm sorry for my rude words, Brother Shen, can you please let me go?"

Shen Hexuan frowned: "What do you think I'm going to do? Go to the teacher and complain about you?"

Yan Sikong knew Shen Hexuan well, and he was definitely not a mean person, but he was wrong after all, and if Shen Hexuan insisted on pursuing the matter to the end, a single word from him could ruin his success. He let Shen Hexuan go, bowed and said, "Brother Shen is an upright person, and I have judged him by my own standards."

"In fact, what you said is not without reason." Shen Hexuan looked up at the full moon in the sky. "For thousands of years, this bright moon has been hanging high in the sky, but it has not been able to illuminate much truth and falsehood in the world. Truth and falsehood are only in heaven and earth, not in you and me. You are already an official, so you should be careful with your words and actions. I think you are tired and confused today. If there is a next time, I will never let you off lightly."

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

"I'm just coming out to get some fresh air. You can go back now."

Yan Sikong bowed again before turning around and going back.

He clenched his fists, his eyes blazing with murderous intent. God is blind and the moon is flawed, which is why the wicked can confuse right and wrong and make the good people suffer injustice. Since truth and falsehood are only in heaven and earth, he will overturn the heaven and earth and wash away Yuan Mao's stigma in the history books!