Datong welcomed the scorching summer. The weather this year was hotter and more humid than in previous years. The patrol team of King Zhenbei went all the way north to Liaoning, and the weather became cooler and cooler as they went.

When I came to Guangning again, it was already autumn. The city wall that was almost destroyed by the Jin soldiers' artillery shells had been repaired. On the basis of the original city wall structure, real fortresses were built at the east and west gates, making it more impregnable than before.

Liang Huiyong still serves as the general of Liaodong, and the prefect of Liaodong is an old minister transferred from Datong by Feng Ye. The people recommended by Yan Sikong before were also given important positions.

Returning to Guangning, it was peaceful and tranquil here. It was hard to imagine that just a few months ago, corpses piled up like mountains and blood flowed like rivers under the city walls.

After being invaded by barbarians for nearly thirty years, the people of Liaodong finally saw hope. The autumn harvest season was approaching, and every household was looking forward to a good harvest so that they could truly live and work in peace and contentment.

When Feng Ye entered the city, the streets were deserted and the common people lined the streets to welcome him, kneeling down to pay homage to the King of Zhenbei who had helped them repel the Jin soldiers.

Yan Sikong rode his horse behind Feng Ye, and felt comforted to see that there was no more fear and despair on the people's faces, but instead they were filled with genuine smiles.

Feng Ye, on the other hand, had a faint smile on his face at first, but later returned to the inn with a stern face.

The officials and generals in Liaodong did not know why Feng Ye was unhappy. Except for Liang Huiyong, most of the others were newly appointed and were afraid that they would not handle the matter properly and disappoint the King of Zhenbei.

Liang Huiyong and Feng Ye had fought side by side before, so he asked on behalf of others, "Are you tired from the journey, Your Highness?"

Yan Sikong also looked at Feng Ye in confusion. He couldn't ask Feng Ye directly in front of so many people.

Feng Ye glanced at them and said, "No."

"Then..." Liang Huiyong said straightforwardly, "If Your Highness feels that my subordinates have not done their job well, feel free to punish them."

"Let me ask you, who was responsible for defending Liaodong?"

"Of course it's Your Highness." The officers and generals agreed.

"What else?"

"Also..." a young general flattered, "General Yuan and General Liang also made great contributions."

Feng Ye narrowed his eyes, his gaze cold.

The man's face changed, and he dared not even say a word.

Liang Huiyong immediately understood what Feng Ye meant and said solemnly, "Lord Yan has made great contributions."

Everyone was silent. Yan Sikong suddenly felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. He said, "Your Highness..."

Feng Ye raised his hand: "Don't say anything." Then he pointed at Liang Huiyong, "General Liang is right. Without Yan Sikong, there would be no Liaodong today. You and I know this, why don't others know this? Why don't the people know this?"

"This..." Liang Huiyong didn't know how to answer.

Yan Sikong said, "Your Highness, you must be tired after traveling all this time. If you have anything to say, let's discuss it tomorrow."

"I'm not tired." Feng Ye opened his mouth to say something.

"Your Highness." Yan Sikong emphasized, "The gentlemen have been waiting for you outside the city gate for a whole day and are tired."

Feng Ye glanced at Yan Sikong, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "You guys go down first, we'll talk about the welcoming banquet tomorrow."

"yes."

After everyone left, Yan Sikong asked helplessly, "What are you doing?"

Feng Ye stretched out his hand to him: "Kong'er, come here."

Yan Sikong walked over and was pulled by Feng Ye to sit on his lap. He held Yan Sikong's back and said softly, "Today, the people lined the streets to welcome me, and along the way they shouted thank you to me, thank you General Liang, thank you General Yuan. What about you? Do they remember that you are the one they should thank the most?"

"I have a terrible reputation. People will not change their opinion of me just because of a piece of commendation."

"So we're just going to let them believe the rumors?"

Yan Sikong said calmly: "It's not all rumors. I did do many things that people dislike. I don't blame people for criticizing me."

"Your merits outweigh your faults, how can you be buried?" Feng Ye unconsciously tightened his arms around Yan Sikong, feeling distressed.

Yan Sikong smiled and shook his head: "Even if that's the case, the people won't bother to find out the truth. I'm just a topic of conversation for them. If you forcefully clear my name, it will only make it more obvious and counterproductive."

Feng Yejian frowned and said in a muffled voice: "I don't want you to feel wronged. They called you..."

"'The Duke of the Wall'." Yan Sikong laughed. "If this title were recorded in history books, it would be very interesting."

"Kong'er." Feng Ye said in a deep voice, "Even if you don't care about how the world sees you, don't you care about your hometown? Why do you have to show off in front of me?"

Yan Sikong smiled carefreely: "I am alone. After a hundred years, I will leave nothing behind. My merits and demerits will be judged by future generations. If you want to do something for me, why not... build a ancestral hall for my father?"

"Okay." Feng Ye said without hesitation, "I will make sure that future generations will remember General Yuan Mao's achievements."

"That's enough." Yan Sikong pinched Feng Ye's chin and kissed him on the lips.

Feng Ye gently rubbed his face: "What else do you want me to do? Just tell me."

Yan Sikong stared into Feng Ye's eyes and said clearly: "I want you to lead the northern border well. When the people are prosperous and the army is strong, you will lead the army across the Huangshui River, recapture the seven states of Liaobei, and kill all the golden dogs."

Feng Ye said solemnly: "In my lifetime."

Yan Sikong leaned into Feng Ye's arms, listening quietly to his strong heartbeat, with an unconscious smile on his lips. This person was the only one in the world who could give him inner peace and stability.

——

Although Yan Sikong advised Feng Ye not to do this, Feng Ye still asked the historian to rewrite his deeds. Yan Sikong was reluctant to do so because the King of Zhenbei could write the history of Liaodong, but the emperor could write the history of the world. He didn't know what position Chen Yi would leave for him in the history books.

Yan Sikong personally selected a Feng Shui treasured site outside the city and started to build Yuan Mao's ancestral hall. Word of mouth is bound to be inaccurate, and historical records are bound to be biased. Even the change of dynasties and the change of surnames have happened several times over the past thousands of years, but these are probably not as solid and long-lasting as the Yuan Gong Temple with mud tiles and stone walls.

As long as it stands, Yuan Mao's life will be praised and commemorated forever.

After supervising for half a day, Yan Sikong returned to the city and learned that Feng Ye was watching the sunset on the city wall. He also came to the city wall and climbed up the stairs. He saw a tall figure standing on the top of the city wall, looking at an orange-red waning sun hanging in the sky. It was like a burning fire that burned through the clouds for half a day.

Hearing the footsteps, Feng Ye knew who was coming without turning around. He ordered his attendants, "Back off."

Yan Sikong walked up to him, stood side by side with him, and said jokingly, "Why is the King of Zhenbei in the mood to watch the sunset today?"

"Today's sunset is exceptionally beautiful." Feng Ye smiled, "Such a beautiful sunset should not be appreciated alone. I was thinking of you in my heart, and you came. Isn't it a telepathic connection?"

"When we are of the same mind, we have a tacit understanding." Yan Sikong looked at him with a smile, and a feeling welled up in his heart, "If we hadn't defended this city, we wouldn't be able to enjoy this beautiful scenery here."

Feng Ye said: "There are countless beautiful sights in this world, and we cannot give any of them to the barbarians."

Yan Sikong saw the army pressing down from the city tower. It was only with the determination of countless people who sacrificed their lives that the foreigners were kept out of the city forever. He didn't know how much blood and tears he had to go through to be able to stand here alive. He was a little moved and whispered, "That's right, not even a single inch of territory can be given up."

Feng Ye turned his head to look at Yan Sikong, then held him in his arms and asked, "How is the ancestral hall being built?"

"It went very smoothly, but it's a pity that Nan Yu didn't know how to see it."

"I know you're worried about him."

At this time, Yuan Nanyu was collecting tribute in Datong. After the autumn harvest, he would personally escort the tribute to the capital, as they had agreed with Chen Yi.

"He is already your right commander-in-chief and general of the cavalry. He should face all the blood and gore by himself, but in my heart..." Yan Sikong sighed, "He is always my younger brother who never grew up."

"I understand, but you have to trust him. Besides, Chen Yu will never dare to act presumptuously." When that name was mentioned, Feng Ye's eyes darkened. "I just received a tip today that Chen Chun died suddenly and Concubine Wen hanged herself. He finally got his revenge. However, I guess the person he hates the most and wants to kill the most is Chen Zhao."

Yan Sikong shook his head: "No matter how much hatred he has in his heart, he would not dare to kill his father and the king right after ascending the throne. However, if he is so bold as to kill his brothers and sisters, he will surely be rebuked by the ministers. This time, he should not have the energy to embarrass Nan Yu."

"Yes, we just formed an alliance, it's not good to break our promise right away. We can find an excuse to replace him next year."

Yan Sikong nodded: "He wouldn't dare to do anything if I left him alone."

The two of them snuggled together, quietly watching the sunset, and felt that this moment was so beautiful.

"...Kong'er, let's go horseback riding tomorrow, to the Guangning horse farm." Feng Ye said softly.

"That racecourse has long been abandoned."

"I want to go and have a look, maybe I can find even one of the stables in my memory."

Yan Sikong smiled and said, "Why bother?" He took out the dagger Feng Ye had given him that year from his waist and said, "This dagger is our testimony from that year."

Feng Ye reached out and took the dagger, looked at it carefully, and then unsheathed the sharp blade.

This was the first sword Feng Jianping gave him. When he was a child, he thought it was long and heavy, and it was difficult for him to wield it. But now, in his hand, it was so small and light.

Feng Ye held the dagger, and pointed the sharp blade into the air like a child, and said in a loud and heroic voice: "You and I have a deal. Ten years later, you will be a high official, and I will be a general. Together, we will stabilize the country, protect the country, drive out the barbarians, pacify the world, establish unprecedented achievements, and leave a name for eternity. How about it?!"

Yan Sikong's heart was moved, and he also shouted to the red sun that came and went, unchanging from dawn to dusk: "Achieve unprecedented achievements and leave a name that will last forever! It's a deal!"

After he finished speaking, Yan Sikong suddenly felt a sour feeling on his nose and almost shed tears.

How much innocence and ignorance, how much youthful ambition, have been crushed to pieces in the hardships of the world. Looking back, even if one can recite the aspirations of the past word for word, one can no longer find the faith that one had then. No one has been able to become the person imagined in childhood, or to build the career imagined in childhood, and one has even been twisted by fate into a completely different person.

This hand of destiny has severed countless dreams and beliefs, and has long been drenched in blood.

It may be a blessing that they can still stand side by side today.

Feng Ye also had mixed feelings. He held Yan Sikong's hand tightly and said, "Fate is unpredictable. I cherish every moment we spend hand in hand." He had experienced loss before and would never let that kind of despair happen again.

Yan Sikong turned and looked at him: "Me too, the more I believe in fate, the more I feel that everything between you and me is destined."

Feng Ye and Yan Sikong held hands, "Yes, we are destined to meet, to be entangled, and to stay together." His eyes were affectionate and firm, "If fate dares to separate us, I will fight with my life, so in this life, we will be together."

A gentle look emerged on Yan Sikong's face. He leaned on Feng Ye's shoulder, smiled and said, "I know." In the countless days and nights of intrigue and scheming, he couldn't imagine that a person like him could have a moment of pure joy and tenderness in his heart.

Having gone through countless hardships and being covered in wounds, at least at this moment, his heart couldn't be more satisfied.

Because of the closure of the wilderness.

Only the wild is closed.

No matter how dangerous the road ahead is, they will go on together until the end.

"Seal the wild."

"Um."

"Do you remember the winter hunt?"

"remember."

"In fact, your battle for the world with Chen Yi was also doomed to end at that time."

——

"Dad." A handsome boy was running in the grand mansion with a pile of books in his arms. His face was red and he was panting, but his legs were running steadily and fast. "Dad——"

"Qing'er, in the study." A clear young man's voice sounded in the distance.

The boy ran to the study and shouted excitedly: "Dad, I found the book you wanted..." He didn't pay attention to his step and tripped over a porcelain vase, falling flat on his face, and the book in his hand flew out.

The man sitting in the wheelchair tilted his head slightly, frowned and said, "A man should walk like the wind and stand like a pine tree. You are not a child anymore, why are you still so reckless?"

The young man next to him laughed and came over to help him.

The man sitting in the wheelchair with his posture still straight is none other than the amazing talent who had won the top three places in the imperial examinations that year, the teacher of the current emperor, and the youngest minister in the world of Da Sheng - Shen Hexuan.

And that young man was his student Fu Zhanqing.

The boy on the ground—Shen Hexuan's eldest son Shen Zhengqing—got up from the ground, picked up the book, and said with a wry smile, "I've been looking for it for a long time. I'm so happy."

"Put it here." Fu Zhanqing said with a smile, "Is Qing'er hurt?"

"It's okay, it doesn't hurt." Shen Zhengqing put down the book, looked around the messy study, and said helplessly, "There are so many things, how long will it take to clean them up?"

The emperor gave Shen Hexuan a new house, which was a good thing, but moving was really a headache.

"Don't worry, just pack slowly." Fu Zhanqing said, "Qing'er, go help Master's wife."

"My mother said I was clumsy and almost broke her bracelet, so she kicked me out." Shen Zhengqing laughed, "Dad is really good at reading books. Besides, he doesn't have anything valuable."

Fu Zhanqing couldn't help laughing again.

Shen Hexuan shook his head helplessly with a hint of a smile on his face.

Shen Zhengqing's eyes fell on the painting in Fu Zhanqing's hand: "Brother Fu, whose painting is that in your hand?"

Fu Zhanqing unfolded the scroll and looked at it attentively. The look of fascination on his face made Shen Zhengqing difficult to understand. He said, "I am discussing with the teacher where to hang this painting."

Shen Hexuan's expression was also a little strange.

"What kind of painting is that?" Shen Zhengqing walked over and saw that the painting was of a fairy crane standing on one leg, sipping water by the stream. The crane was painted vividly, with a slender and elegant neck and a noble posture. Every feather seemed to be touchable. The painting skills were so superb that even a child like Shen Zhengqing, who didn't know much about things, couldn't help but admire it.

"Wow, this crane is painted so well, who is the master who drew it?" Shen Hexuan looked at the bottom of the scroll, but it was blank. He looked at Fu Zhanqing suspiciously.

Fu Zhan smiled calmly and said, "It's not signed."

"Why is such a good painting unsigned?" Shen Zhengqing was puzzled. He looked closer and read a poem written by the painter:

The feathers return to the wild

Confucianism

The wind is clear and the Five Mountains

The Divine Phoenix and the Crane Fairy

Shen Hexuan murmured, savoring the words: "The divine phoenix accompanies the crane fairy, the divine phoenix accompanies the crane fairy...divine, crane, fairy..." He suddenly realized, "This is a gift for Dad?!"

Fu Zhanqing smiled and said, "Qing'er is really smart."

Shen Zhengqing said excitedly: "This crane is clearly also painting my father. Who is it that reveres my father so much?"

Shen Hexuan curled his lips and smiled: "You will never guess."

"That's why I ask because I can't guess." Shen Hexuan's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Dad, who painted this picture? Brother Fu? Who is it?"

Fu Zhanqing looked at Shen Hexuan hesitantly, not knowing whether he should tell Shen Zhengqing.

Shen Hexuan said calmly, "He was the one who pushed my father off the cliff."

Shen Zhengqing's expression changed: "What! Yan, Yan Sikong?"

"Exactly."

Shen Zhengqing looked at the painting again and his thoughts changed completely. He said angrily, "He actually drew something like this to mock Dad. This person is really crazy!"

Fu Zhanqing explained: "Qing'er, this painting is not mocking the teacher, but complimenting the teacher."

"But he was the one who caused my father to break his leg. He is notorious and has done many evil things. How can he have good intentions?"

Shen Hexuan stared at Shen Zhengqing until Shen Zhengqing felt goosebumps all over his body. Then he said to Zhanqing, "Zhanqing, hang this painting in the study."

When Shen Zhengqing heard this, he got anxious: "Dad, how could you hang this thing in your study!"

Shen Hexuan said, "Qing'er, do you remember the poem "Written on the Wall of the West Forest" that you memorized when you were a child?"

"'Looking from the side, it becomes a mountain; looking from the front, it becomes a peak; the distance and height are different', of course I remember it." Shen Zhengqing was as smart and precocious as his father. He knew this poem as soon as he could remember things. He looked at Shen Hexuan in confusion.

"Looking at the same thing from different angles can give you many different views. When you didn't know this painting was created by Yan Sikong, you thought the painter was showing great respect for me. But after you found out, you felt he was mocking me. Have you ever thought about why?"

Shen Zhengqing was silent.

Shen Hexuan touched Shen Zhengqing's head and said, "The Yan Sikong I know is different from the Yan Sikong you have heard of and the Yan Sikong that people all over the world know."

Shen Zhengqing was at a loss: "What does Dad mean? What kind of person is Yan Sikong that Dad knows?"

"He..." Shen Hexuan hesitated for a moment and smiled softly, "It's hard to put it into words."

"But everyone says he is a treacherous minister. Oh, I also heard that he once destroyed the eunuch party, but he betrayed his mentor, the court, and the emperor. He, he is a person who is fickle, so everyone calls him a 'wall-riding man'."

Fu Zhanqing's expression was somewhat gloomy. He said softly, "Qing'er, he and your father were close friends. Many things are not as you imagine, just like what you see as a mountain may not be a mountain, and what you see as water may not be water. Seeing a person once is not enough to judge him. When you grow up, you will understand."

Shen Zhengqing was even more confused: "This... Could it be that he is not a traitor but a loyal minister? Dad, I don't understand, what kind of person is Yan Sikong?"

Shen Hexuan pondered for a moment, feeling that the man was so complex and multifaceted, his merits and demerits, that a book would not be able to describe him completely. He picked up the pen and wrote a few powerful words on the snow-white rice paper:

Loyal or treacherous, it’s all about the country!

——End of the book——

References:

"Historical Records"

Sun Tzu's Art of War

Twenty-Four Histories

The Analects

Things About the Ming Dynasty

The 15th Year of Wanli

The Ming Dynasty

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Six Strategies and Three Strategies

Seven Military Classics

Zeng Guofan

Yi Zhongtian's Empire and Republic Trilogy

Zhang Juzheng

===

Woohoo, it's finished, it's finished, Thomas is so happy!!! This is the longest and most difficult book I have ever written. This year, a lot of things happened at the same time, and I was so busy that I almost collapsed, but all the efforts were worth it, because the moment of completion was so beautiful, so touching, and so happy. In the future, I will also work hard to write the story in my mind and live up to the love!

Give me a few days to rest, I will update a few extra chapters of the main CP and the secondary CP, but I don’t know when, so take your time, there’s no rush.

I can finally be a salted fish for a while, have a good New Year, go out and have fun, and then do my homework and prepare for my next book!

The next book is the tenth in the Modern 188 series - "Flame Armor", I expect it to be published in April.

Thank you for your support, I love you all, and wish you all a happy new year in advance.