Yan Sikong thought about it all night and finally decided to ask Yan Zilian to let him join the army with Zhao Fuyi.

At this time, he was in the capital, and apart from accompanying the little prince to study, he would not have any other practical achievements.

He had been in the government for only two years. The court placed great emphasis on seniority. No matter how talented one was, one had to be promoted according to seniority. Only if one had made great contributions could one be promoted quickly, but such an opportunity was hard to come by. Usually, if a Hanlin wanted to become a Grand Scholar, he would first do the most basic paperwork in the Hanlin Academy for a few years, then be transferred to a local place, and finally return to Beijing to serve in the six ministries or three departments. After this series of training, even if his career was smooth, it would take more than ten or twenty years.

Yan Sikong naturally couldn't wait that long. He wanted to put Xie Zhongren to death with his own hands and never let that bastard die. Therefore, as long as he could seize the possible opportunity, he would work hard to climb up, whether it was to curry favor with Yan Zilian, to win over the crown prince, or even to marry a princess in the future, all for the sake of getting closer to the center of power. At present, he was too young and there was no place for him to use his talents in the court. It would be better for him to go with the emperor to suppress the rebellion, or he might have a chance to make meritorious deeds. Moreover, since he had experience in the army, Yan Zilian would be more likely to promote him.

With this idea in mind, Yan Sikong visited Yan's residence and discussed the matter in depth. This time, he no longer concealed his desire for power and achievement, because he knew that it was time to let Yan Zilian see these in him.

Yan Zilian agreed without hesitation: "I am very pleased that you have such considerations. Now the imperial court is dominated by the eunuch party, and the rules and regulations are abandoned. If you stay here, you will be unable to express your passion. Over time, I am afraid that you will become one of those officials who are idle and depressed. It is better to leave the capital for a while. It is very hard to follow the army and do clerkship. If you can return triumphantly, the prince and I will speak well of you in front of the emperor and ask for a reward. Then I will transfer you to the six ministries and give you a place to realize your ambitions."

"Thank you, teacher!" Yan Sikong bowed deeply.

"But this journey is extremely dangerous. Aren't you afraid?"

"If you leave and never come back, it is the will of God. Moreover, sacrificing one's life for the country is the duty of a minister. Students should not be afraid."

"Good!" Yan Zilian looked deeply at Yan Sikong, "Sikong, I have been an official for more than 40 years and have countless students. You are the one that makes me most satisfied. I have high hopes for you. Live well."

Yan Sikong took three steps back, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed to Yan Zilian.

Yan Zilian was a cunning and suspicious person, and he also had stains such as forming factions, autocracy, and conspiracy, but he was still a good official who served the country and the people, a qualified prime minister, and a mentor who was dedicated to promoting him. He was grateful to Yan Zilian.

——

Before leaving, Yan Sikong went to the East Palace to bid farewell to Crown Prince Wu.

When the prince heard that he was going to go with the army, he was very unhappy and asked anxiously, "Didn't the teacher teach me to read? What should I do if the teacher leaves?"

"Your Highness has several other teachers."

"They are not as good as you." Prince Wu frowned deeply, "I love listening to the teacher's lectures the most."

Yan Sikong said gently: "If the rebellion is suppressed successfully, I may be able to return in a few months."

"How can a war go smoothly? What if, what if you are in danger? You are just a scholar, you don't even have the ability to defend yourself."

"Don't worry, Your Highness. I have the Da Sheng soldiers in front of me and they will definitely protect me."

"You..." Prince Ming turned his head away and stopped talking.

“Your Highness…”

The crown prince ignored him, Yan Sikong called him twice more, then smiled bitterly and said, "How could I be willing to leave Your Highness? I wish I could serve Your Highness for the rest of my life, but the emperor's order cannot be disobeyed. If I can serve the stability of our country and the safety of the people, I will be happy to do so."

Prince Wu slowly turned his head and said, "Are you really willing to assist me for the rest of your life?"

Yan Sikong nodded without hesitation.

"If I become emperor one day, I will make you my prime minister."

Yan Sikong took a few steps back calmly and knelt on the ground: "I don't deserve this position. I just hope to do my best and be loyal to the king and the country."

"I am serious." Prince Wu said, "Sir, you understand me. You understand the suffering I have endured, my difficulties, and my aspirations. You must be the person who knows me best in the world. Every word you give me has benefited me a lot. If you are by my side, I will be able to revive the Sheng family and restore the prestige of China!"

"I have no doubt about it, sir."

Prince Wu helped Yan Sikong up and looked into his eyes intently: "Sir, please don't stop writing to me."

"Of course, even though I am far away from home, I will always urge Your Highness to study hard."

Prince Wu tightened his grip on Yan Sikong's arm and said earnestly, "Sir, you must come back alive. I'll be waiting for you."

——

Every rebellion must have a pretext, and the pretext used by the King of Liang was nothing new - to purge the emperor. He rebelled half-heartedly, claiming that the emperor was deceived by treacherous officials. I'm afraid he himself did not expect that such a shocking event as a rebellion would start in such a muddle, and that the heavens immediately gave him a great gift - Bao Yunyong's rebel army.

The situation is so critical that the 10,000 troops transferred from the Jingshan Garrison will soon be dispatched to the battlefield.

Yan Sikong took off his court clothes and put on military uniform. Before leaving, he settled and gave instructions to Ali, then took Xiruan with him and went to the camp alone.

The Chief Clerk is an officer in the army who is responsible for recording important military intelligence, usually an aide to the commander-in-chief. However, it is impossible for the Chief Clerk to personally record what happened in the camp every day, what discussions the commander-in-chief had with his generals, what movements the enemy had, etc. These trivial matters were all recorded in clerks, and Yan Sikong was one of the two clerks.

Clerks may seem to have a low status, but any general must show them courtesy. The pen of a scholar is a gun in his hand. Any idealistic words written by them may affect the promotion, rewards and punishments of the soldiers.

Ten thousand soldiers set out in a mighty procession, the ranks stretching for dozens of miles, stepping on the thin snow that was about to melt in early spring and the slightly emerging green grass, on their expedition to the two lakes.

After walking for a while, Feng Ye rode from the front of the team to the back, found Yan Sikong, and rode alongside him.

Seeing Feng Ye's heroic appearance, Yan Sikong seemed to see the joy of releasing the beast back to the mountains.

"How many miles do we march each day?"

"Usually it's thirty miles, but General Zhao wants fifty miles, so we can reunite with the Luoyang Army as soon as possible."

Yan Sikong nodded: "That's right."

Feng Ye looked Yan Sikong up and down and said with a smile: "This is the first time I see you in a riding suit. You look really good."

Yan Sikong also looked down at himself: "I never thought I would have the chance to wear this dress again."

Feng Ye suddenly leaned over and said ambiguously with his mouth: "Let me take it off myself."

Yan Sikong glanced at him and said, "You are such a frivolous kid."

Feng Ye chuckled, but then asked seriously, "Kong'er, are you scared?"

Yan Sikong laughed and said, "If someone says that he is not afraid of death, he is definitely bragging."

"If you are afraid, just come into my arms. I will never laugh at you." Feng Ye's eyes were determined. "I brought you to the battle because I didn't want to be separated from you. I also hoped that you could take this opportunity to advance. So, I will protect you even if it costs my life. Don't worry."

Yan Sikong smiled softly unconsciously: "I know." He suddenly remembered something: "Don't let it slip that I know Kung Fu."

"Why?"

"I am just a beginner and I dare not show off in the army. Anyway, please keep it a secret for me."

"Okay." Feng Ye said hesitantly, "I think you have a lot of secrets."

Yan Sikong said calmly: "Who doesn't have secrets?"

Feng Ye looked at Yan Sikong for a long while, wanting to say something, but in the end he did not open his mouth.

When they set up camp at night, Yan Sikong paced back and forth in the camp, watching how they set up the camp. He was well-read in military books, and he was very knowledgeable about marching, fighting, and military drills. When he was a teenager, he even joined the uprising army, but unfortunately it was not a group of bandits who could not make it big, and he ran away soon. This was the first time he was in a marching camp of an orthodox army. Feng Ye was right, he would see it with his own eyes sooner or later.

Not only will he be able to see the military camps on this trip, but all the things he had read in military books before may appear before his eyes.

Standing in front of the central military tent, watching the soldiers busy coming and going, he suddenly felt a sense of heroism in his heart. Whether in the court or on the battlefield, he, Yan Sikong, must be the one at the helm.

Let this war to quell the rebellion be the first arrow he shoots towards the centralized power center, which is sure to succeed.