Yan Sikong's chest was exposed in front of Feng Ye. The fair and smooth skin in his memory was now covered with hideous burn scars.

Those scars are like ugly monsters lurking on the skin, bumpy, twisted, and long. Some are the same color as the skin, while others are still a light mauve color. They show what kind of pain the owner of this body has experienced.

Feng Ye looked at those glaring scars and forgot to breathe for a moment.

Yan Sikong subconsciously wanted to cover himself at first, but in the end he didn't move. He turned his head away, not wanting to look at Feng Ye's expression, whether it was shock, guilt, or sadness, he didn't want to see it.

When Feng Ye came back to his senses from his stiffness, his body was shaking uncontrollably and he felt a tearing pain in his heart. The pain of an arrow piercing his chest was not even as severe as Eleven!

He pulled at Yan Sikong's clothes, but he felt that he was losing all strength. His arms, which were said to be born with supernatural power and could shoot two crossbows, could not even control the floating fabric. He muttered, "Where else...where else..."

Yan Sikong snatched his shirt back from Feng Ye's hand and said softly, "Just the arms and calves, they've already healed."

"...Why..." Feng Ye's voice was so hoarse that it was difficult to recognize, "Why don't you tell me..."

Yan Sikong reached out and wiped the blood from the corner of his lips. His tone was calm: "What should I tell you to do?"

Feng Ye stared at that chest with his red eyes, thinking about how desperate and heartbroken Yan Sikong must have been when he walked into that hellish sea of ​​fire. He felt dizzy, and regret and heartache surged over him like a tide, overwhelming him and also enlightening him.

Yes, what was there to tell him? He had failed to protect Yan Sikong from the pain of being burned by the fire, nor could he heal Yan Sikong's wounds. He had made mistakes over and over again. The person he loved most in his life, who had given him the most, was the one who had been hurt the most by him.

He hated the fate that played tricks on him, he hated the slander of villains, but he hated himself the most, because he was the one who brought Yan Sikong the most pain and torture in this world.

He kept saying that he loved Yan Sikong deeply, but he did his best to hurt, humiliate and coerce her. Yan Sikong kept saying that she loved him deeply, but she went through fire and water for him, risking her life and death.

It's ridiculous that he thought from beginning to end that he was the one who loved more.

He never really understood Yan Sikong, nor did he ever care about what this person really wanted.

Yan Sikong suddenly felt a little wetness on his chest. He turned around in surprise and saw big tears falling from Feng Ye's eyes, hitting the scars and leaving a faint residual warmth.

"I'm sorry..." Feng Ye collapsed on Yan Sikong, muttering "I'm sorry" over and over again, tears streaming down his face.

Yan Sikong stared at the ceiling of the cave with wide eyes, sadness flowing quietly in his body, and he felt extremely cold wherever he went.

"I'm sorry... Kong'er... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Feng Ye at this moment was not the invincible Wolf King, not the Regent King vying for the capital, nor the King of Zhenbei with four prefectures under his fief. He was like a bewildered and helpless child, burying his head in Yan Sikong's chest, crying bitterly.

Yan Sikong's tears finally flowed down, like a spring after the spring snow melted, endlessly.

Feng Ye heard himself saying in a crying voice: "I'm sorry... I won't force you anymore... You... go..." He heard the voice lingering in his ears but dared not recognize it. He would rather die than let go of her hand, but he had to. His remaining sanity forced himself to say those words, and the next moment, he regretted it.

Yan Sikong gently hugged Feng Ye's head and let his tears flow. Before he shook, he said hoarsely: "I'll wait for you, after your injury heals..."

Feng Ye closed his eyes, his heart turned to ashes.

——

When they left at dawn, the guards used the gunpowder they brought to blow up the entrance of the cave, and turned the entire cave into a coffin to seal the soul.

On the way back, Feng Ye said nothing. Even in front of his soldiers, he could hardly hide his distraught look.

It was not until they returned to the mansion that Feng Ye held Yan Sikong's hand and looked at him with empty eyes: "What do you want? Where do you want to go? Just tell me, I..." His voice became weaker and weaker as he spoke.

"No need." Yan Sikong also felt a little confused. He shook his head and said, "Don't worry about it."

"...You were prepared." Feng Ye nodded stiffly, slowly let go of Yan Sikong's hand, turned around and left silently.

Looking at Feng Ye's desolate and lonely back, Yan Sikong leaned against the pillar, his mind full of mixed emotions.

——

From that day on, Feng Ye no longer asked Yan Sikong to sleep with him, but he had to eat three meals a day with Yan Sikong. During the meals, the two of them never mentioned what happened in the cave. Feng Ye just often looked at Yan Sikong, until he was absent-minded, and then looked away in a trance.

Not long after, news came from the capital that a new emperor had ascended the throne. Chen Yi finally ascended the throne and ruled the country, changing the reign title to "Taihe". The thirteenth prince who had been supported by Feng Ye to become emperor was deposed and sent to the countryside without a moment's notice.

After Chen Yi ascended the throne, he announced to the world according to the agreement that Feng Ye was the King of Zhenbei with fiefs of Qianzhou, Datong, Xuanhua and Liaodong. The military, politics, law and taxation of the four prefectures were all ruled by the King of Zhenbei. The edict was written by Yan Sikong. The dynasty was changed by powerful officials. The fiefs that had not existed for a thousand years since the Qin Dynasty reappeared. This matter was so absurd and so shocking, but Yan Sikong wrote it with quotations from classics and without any loopholes.

When the imperial edict was sent from the capital to Datong at full speed, Feng Ye received it while standing with his back straight. After listening to the eunuch's reading, his facial expression did not change.

Yan Sikong remembered that Feng Ye once said that he would never kneel to anyone except his ancestors and parents in this life, and he actually did it.

Seeing Feng Ye finally becoming the King of Zhenbei, second only to the second man and above ten thousand others, Yan Sikong felt that it was time for him to leave.

All the capable ministers and generals in the world now have the four northern prefectures to serve in addition to the imperial court. It won't be long before Fengye will have many advisers who come to him for his reputation, and the northern border will become increasingly powerful with their assistance.

He could finally relax.

However, on the day when the imperial edict of enfeoffment was received, when the whole army should have been celebrating and feasting, Feng Ye accidentally fell off his horse, completely putting an end to the soldiers' thoughts of a happy feast.