Yan Zilian asked them to keep their mouths shut for the time being, especially not to let Wang Shengsheng and his group know. Even if this memorial was submitted, the emperor would not respond quickly, so a few days would be enough time to discuss countermeasures.

The two of them accepted the order, and Shen Hexuan asked hesitantly: "What about Liu Zhaolin..."

Yan Zilian said coldly: "Who can he blame for his mistake?"

The two of them bowed and retreated.

Shen Hexuan lowered his head, and his usually calm face was now showing an unconcealable wave of emotion. He acted in accordance with the rules and was extremely cautious. He had been in the court for more than a year without making any mistakes. Now he was implicated because of someone else's mistake, and he must be feeling unfair.

Yan Sikong said in a deep voice: "Brother Shen, I'm sorry."

"Why do you say that? You and I are both implicated, but neither of us is innocent. It was Liu Zhaolin who made the mistake, but it was you and me who didn't find it out during the review." Shen Hexuan sighed, looking very frustrated.

"Brother Shen, there is no need to be too pessimistic. The teacher will not stand by and watch someone die. Moreover, Your Majesty is a benevolent ruler and may give a lighter sentence." These words were not meant to flatter Emperor Zhaowu. This man was weak by nature and did not like to kill. It was precisely because of this that Yan Sikong dared to take the risk. He would not gamble his own life in order to defeat Wang Shengsheng.

"You and I have served as officials for a year and have had smooth careers. Although we have very different personalities, I believe that you and I both have the ambition to serve our country with our lives. If this incident ruins your future..." Shen Hexuan shook his head lightly and smiled bitterly, "It depends on fate. I'll take my leave now."

Yan Sikong bowed and said, "Brother Shen, take care."

Two years have passed since they met during the imperial examination. This is the first time that Shen Hexuan has opened up to him. After all, Shen Hexuan is only twenty-six or twenty-seven years old. Even if he is steady and reserved on weekdays, he is obviously a little panicked when faced with a disaster. He is like a flesh-and-blood person.

Yan Sikong stood there for a while, thinking about the matter over and over again, until his heels became numb, then he came to his senses and left.

——

When he returned home in the evening, the carriage of the Feng Mansion was already waiting at the back door. When Xiaoliu saw him, he jumped out of the carriage and said with a smile: "Master Yan, I have been waiting for you for a long time. You can take a rest and then..."

"Xiao Liu." Yan Sikong's face was gloomy and he looked listless. "Please report to your master that I can't go to appreciate the autumn."

"Uh, Lord Yan, what's wrong with you?"

"The Imperial Academy has been busy with official business recently, and I can't get away." Yan Sikong evaded the point and said, "Anyway, I can't go. Let's do the autumn viewing trip... another day."

"Lord Yan, are you feeling unwell? Your face looks so..." Xiao Liu hesitated to speak.

Yan Sikong didn't want to say more: "Go back." Then he turned and went into the house.

Inside the mansion, Ali had already prepared the meal and was waiting for him to come back.

Yan Sikong went to the bedroom to change out of his court robes, put on his casual clothes, sat down at the table to eat, and pointed to the chair opposite him: "Ali, sit down, there are no outsiders here."

Only then did Ali sit down and they ate together in silence.

"Did Qingyang and his group encounter any obstacles?"

Ali shook his head.

"I don't know what kind of punishment I will receive this time. If I am banished from Beijing, you don't have to follow me anymore. Take the money, go to the countryside, buy a piece of land, marry a wife, and live a stable life."

Ali shook his head again.

Yan Sikong had no choice but to lower his head and continue eating.

After dinner, Ali took out a secret letter from his arms and handed it to Yan Sikong.

Yan Sikong had asked Ali to find someone to investigate the night departure of the courtesan in Tinglan Pavilion a few days ago. This letter was about her. This woman was indeed not simple. She was a spy planted in Tinglan Pavilion by Xie Zhongren. There were many people in the brothel and they were all talkative. She was the most suitable person to get information.

The two hundred taels of silver were well spent.

Yan Sikong tore up the secret letter and threw it aside: "You have done a great job on both of these things. Go and get the reward yourself."

Ali gestured his thanks, then paused and asked, "Will anything happen to you, young master?"

Yan Sikong said calmly: "It's hard to say."

A look of worry appeared on Ali's face.

"Don't worry about me."

Ali said anxiously: "Master, please be careful. I hope to serve you for the rest of my life."

Yan Sikong smiled and said, "You are kind, but I don't need you to do this. I have said it many times, if something happens to me one day, you just need to leave. You can't do anything if you stay."

Ali looked sad, and his ugly face looked even scarier. But Yan Sikong liked him because he was the only person he could trust.

——

Yan Sikong did not sleep all night. The next day, he went to the palace as usual to give Chen Yi a lecture.

The poem he wrote on his birthday not only earned Chen Yu the emperor's praise, but also had the prince's birthday gift, which had been delayed for more than half a year, delivered to the East Palace the next day. In this officialdom, everyone is snobbish and everyone is used to it.

Chen Yu's respect and gratitude for Yan Sikong doubled, and he trusted him more and more. Seeing that he was listless and worried, he naturally asked him several times with concern, but he always said it was nothing.

Chen Yu doesn't need to know now, especially not from his own mouth. This kid is shrewd and knows that he is a useful person. When something happens, he will not sit idly by.

When he returned home from the palace, Feng Ye was already waiting for him as expected.

As soon as they met, Feng Ye saw that something was wrong with him, frowned and said, "Sikong, what's wrong with you?"

"Aren't you in Jingshan? Why are you back?"

"You didn't go to the autumn viewing event as promised. Xiaoliu said you looked strange." Feng Ye pulled Yan Sikong into the house. "What's wrong with you? Are you sick or something happened?"

Yan Sikong smiled bitterly and said, "Nothing, I just have too much official business to attend to and can't get away."

"Don't try to lie to me." Feng Ye pinched his chin and forced him to look at him. "Tell me the truth, what's wrong? You look distracted."

Yan Sikong's two mountain-like eyebrows slightly frowned, his eyes showing worry. He tried to turn his face away and said softly, "It's really okay."

Feng Ye held his jaw, leaving him nowhere to hide: "You obviously have something wrong, why are you so stubborn? Can't I be trusted by you?"

Yan Sikong looked at Feng Ye worriedly: "Do I have to tell you everything?"

"You!" Feng Ye was annoyed. He narrowed his eyes and said, "Well, if you don't tell me, I'm going to kiss you."

Yan Sikong stood still and did not move.

Feng Ye raised his voice: "Do you think I'm joking?"

Yan Sikong's expression remained calm.

Anger flashed in Feng Ye's eyes. He raised Yan Sikong's chin with his finger and kissed her pink lips hard.

Yan Sikong's heart began to beat wildly uncontrollably, and his body trembled slightly.

Feng Ye sucked on those lips roughly and domineeringly, as if he wanted to eat him into his stomach, but the surging passion poured into his body from between their teeth, making his whole body hot.

Feng Ye hugged Yan Sikong's waist, lingeringly savoring the warmth and softness. The exchange of saliva had a slightly sweet taste, and the throbbing in his heart was indescribably beautiful.

When the two of them separated with a slight gasp, Feng Ye's face was already flushed, and his lips were so red that they seemed to be dripping with blood. He looked shy, but his eyes did not dodge at all. Instead, he stared at Yan Sikong more fiercely, as if he was staring at his prey.

Yan Sikong didn't dare to look into Feng Ye's eyes. He whispered, "Can you let me go?"

"If you don't tell me, then I can't." As he said that, Feng Ye buried his face in Yan Sikong's neck again, biting his neck gently, "Speak."

Yan Sikong suppressed his restless emotions and said in a deep voice, "I can't say."

"Why can't you tell me?" Feng Ye bit his collarbone again. "If you are really doing official business, I will never force you, but you make me worried now." His lips moved up along his neck and his tongue lightly licked his earlobe.

Yan Sikong pushed Feng Ye away with all his strength: "That's enough, let me go."

"Speak!" Feng Ye gave the order without allowing any objection.

"I made a mistake!" Yan Sikong shouted helplessly, "Are you satisfied?"

Feng Ye then let him go, smoothed his hair gently, and said kindly: "What's wrong? Don't be afraid, tell me."

Yan Sikong covered his eyes with one hand and trembled, "Feng Ye, the teacher ordered me not to reveal this to anyone for the time being."

"Don't worry."

"I..." Yan Sikong put down his hand, hesitated for a long time, and then said sadly, "There is a problem with the new history. I am afraid...I can't escape the blame."

At Feng Ye's urging, Yan Sikong recounted the incident in detail.

After listening to this, Feng Ye frowned and said, "It is normal for a new history book to have one or two typos in sixteen volumes, but I don't know how Cai Zhongfan knew about it and how he had such a sharp eye."

Yan Sikong shook his head: "He has a personal grudge against Lord Wang, maybe he has been staring at Lord Wang and finding faults."

"What did Mr. Yan Ge say?"

"He said he would discuss countermeasures with his colleagues." Yan Sikong smiled bitterly and shook his head, "Teacher has always wanted to get rid of Wang Shengsheng. This is indeed a good opportunity. I'm just afraid that I..." He stared at Feng Ye, "Feng Ye, no matter what happens to me, you must take good care of yourself."

"Don't talk nonsense. I won't let anything happen to you." Feng Ye kissed his smooth forehead. "Cai Zhongfan's target is not you little Hanlins. I will find a way to reduce your sentence."

Yan Sikong smiled faintly: "Feng Ye, I know that His Royal Highness Prince Jingyuan wants to stay out of this turbulent court and is unwilling to participate in any struggles. I also don't want you to take risks for me."

"Do you want me to watch you being punished for something you didn't do?"

"I am not innocent. I was the one who reviewed the paper." Yan Sikong lowered his eyes. "You and I...were just childhood playmates. You don't have to do this for me."

Feng Ye was instantly furious: "In your eyes, we are just childhood playmates? What does the few months we've been together mean? Just now, I don't believe you weren't moved at all!"

"I..." Yan Sikong looked embarrassed and held back his words.

Feng Ye hugged him again: "Sikong, I like you. The closer I am to you, the more I like you. Do you like me a little bit?"

Yan Sikong's eyes stared blankly ahead, and only his tightly pursed but still slightly trembling mouth revealed his emotions. He hesitated, this hesitation and pretense, he was actually struggling in his heart, but in the end, he slowly raised his hand, carefully supported Feng Ye's back, and whispered: "I... can't explain it."

Feng Ye was ecstatic and said arrogantly: "You like me, you must like me."

Yan Sikong's brows were knitted together. Even though he was hugged so tightly, he still felt cold all over. He said nothing.

Feng Ye, you fool.