After Yan Sikong got promoted, people from all walks of life swarmed to him and wanted to hold a banquet to celebrate his success. He had tried his best to turn down many of them, but there were still some people who he could not refuse, so he had to attend the banquet.

For a while, his simple mansion was crowded with people. He was overwhelmed by the number of people who came to give gifts, and his doorstep was in danger of being broken down. Ali could not speak and had a strange appearance, so many people were scared away, but this did not prevent the gifts in his house from piling up into a mountain.

Yan Sikong only asked Ali to accept it politely and record it in a book, but he didn't even look at it. Although he had already gone to the Ministry of Personnel to take up his post, since he was the one who handled most of the Ge Zhong case, he still needed to assist the three judicial departments to continue handling the case.

Zhao Fuyi has completely handed over the case to the Three Judicial Departments and returned to Jingshan Camp. He has been away for half a year and there are many miscellaneous matters that need to be sorted out. Feng Ye naturally went with him, so now the only ones assisting in handling this case are Yan Sikong and Liang Guang.

Yan Sikong privately visited Liang Guang with a generous gift to thank him for his support and appreciation. Liang Guang slightly declined, but then accepted it with a smile.

The two had a very pleasant conversation, and Yan Sikong also told Liang Guang the purpose of his trip. He gave Liang Guang the evidence of Ge Yong's son Ge Zhong's crime, hoping that Liang Guang would hand it over to the Sanfashi to convict Ge Yong.

Liang Guang was shocked and said, "General Zhao has promised Ge Zhong to give Ge Yong a lighter sentence. He has removed some of the charges against Ge Yong, and has not implicated him in the conspiracy to rebel."

"That's true, but think about it, Lord Chief Secretary. Ge Zhong and the King of Liang were plotting a rebellion. Ge Yong is his only son. Is it possible that he didn't know about it?" Yan Sikong said, "Lord Chief Secretary, you might as well take a look at the evidence I have compiled. Ge Yong relied on Ge Zhong's power to make money in the two lakes."

Liang Guang flipped through it casually: "But General Zhao has already promised Ge Zhong..."

Yan Sikong smiled and said, "But Lord Changshi doesn't have it."

Liang Guang frowned, his expression was very serious, and his tone became cold: "It was you who negotiated with Ge Zhong at the beginning, and made Ge Zhong sign the contract on this condition."

"That's right. Your Majesty has handed the case over to General Zhao and the Chief Secretary. You two should handle it impartially and not let any treacherous people go. It is also a helpless act to resort to this last resort in order to get Ge Zhong to sign the petition." Yan Sikong said calmly, "I have been worried about this matter and have been restless day and night. When I think of letting the treasonous person go unpunished, I feel deeply ashamed of the emperor's grace. Therefore, I am willing to bear the reputation of being untrustworthy and prevent the general from breaking his promise, while at the same time being able to bring the thief to justice."

Liang Guang said in a deep voice: "I don't think it's a good idea. The three judicial departments are about to close the case. How can we create trouble now? Moreover, what if Ge Zhong finds out and tries to overturn the verdict?"

"Ge Zhong is in prison, and his family is in the two lakes. No one visits him, so he doesn't know what happened outside. By the time he knows, it will be too late." Yan Sikong said sincerely, "I came to see Lord Changshi, firstly, I don't dare to take credit, and secondly, I don't dare to usurp power. If Lord Changshi has no intention of taking charge of this matter, then I will pretend that I have never been here. I will submit the evidence to the Three Judicial Departments and will not implicate the general and Lord Changshi."

Liang Guang said loudly, "I was ordered to handle the case, so how can there be any connection? It's just that..." He hesitated for a moment, leaned forward, and lowered his voice, "Sikong, no matter how you look at it, this matter doesn't seem very fair."

Yan Sikong smiled faintly and imitated him in whispering, "Master Changshi, the power of the Ge family is intertwined with the eunuch party. If Ge Yong is not dead, how can you and I sleep peacefully?"

Liang Guang coughed lightly, sat up straight, and patted the case file: "Put it down, let me think about it."

Yan Sikong knew that only the last sentence of today's conversation touched Liang Guang's heart. Liang Guang had already shed such a mess, how could he not be afraid of revenge?

——

A few days later, Yan Sikong received news that Ge Yong had been transferred from the court prison to the imperial prison, and was charged with conspiracy with Prince Liang. He was sent to the imperial prison. He was nothing more than a dying man, a man whose life was worse than death.

As the case was of great importance, the three judicial organs jointly tried the case without any delay, and the case was closed less than two months after the army returned to Beijing.

Ge Zhong and Ge Yong were both sentenced to confiscation of their property and exile. However, as most of Prince Liang's relatives were royal relatives, Emperor Zhaowu, in order to show his magnanimity and kindness as well as to accumulate merit for the Empress Dowager, only stripped them of their titles, confiscated their property, and exiled them, sparing their lives.

Although Yan Sikong had expected such an outcome, he still despised Emperor Zhaowu's indecision and soft-heartedness. This was the perfect time to shock the other vassal kings. If they didn't even exterminate the people who were plotting chaos, how could they intimidate the world? No wonder the barbarians outside the Great Wall wanted to squeeze into the Central Plains and share this plump soft persimmon even though they had lost their heads.

Ge Zhong and others were scheduled to be executed after autumn, and it was already autumn now.

On the day of the execution, the people flocked to the West Market. There had not been such a grand execution in the capital for a long time. The crowds of onlookers blocked four or five streets around.

Yan Sikong changed into a plain blue robe and followed the crowd to the execution platform. Unlike eleven years ago, he walked slowly and steadily, like a boat on a lake. The expressions of ignorance, suspicion, inquiry, or excitement on the faces of the people were no longer glaring.

He leaned left and right, patiently squeezing into the crowd bit by bit, bringing himself closer to the execution platform.

The executioner was already reading out the charges, with more than twenty people kneeling on the stage, but Yan Sikong was only looking at the prisoner with a hunched back and gray hair.

Even when Yuan Mao was kneeling on the execution platform, his back was straight because he had a clear conscience.

Ge Zhong seemed to have sensed something, and he slowly raised his head and looked at the heads moving below.

Yan Sikong was tall and graceful, with a face as beautiful as a peach. Even though she was dressed simply, she looked like a god among the gray crowd.

Ge Zhong suddenly became agitated, and his eyes hidden in his messy hair burst out with strong hatred. He shouted at Yan Sikong: "Beast, villain!"

He was already a walking corpse, and his sudden roar startled the executioners around him, but his voice was almost drowned out by the noise of the crowd.

Yan Sikong gave Ge Zhong a sinister smile.

"Yan Sikong, you framed me! You are a sinister and vicious traitor, you are a fickle villain! I will turn into a fierce ghost and haunt you by your bed every night. I will drag you to hell--" Ge Zhong roared madly.

Yan Sikong gazed at Ge Zhong from afar, just like he was standing in the same place back then, looking at Yuan Mao with despair. He had also screamed loudly, wishing that his voice could reach the sky, shock the universe, strike every drum of injustice, awaken every conscience, make flowers bloom in the coldest days of winter and snow fall in June, just to save his innocent father.

But it does not help.

For eleven years, Ge Zhong had been living in hell. Fortunately, he finally sent one of the culprits to the gallows.

Yan Sikong smiled mockingly, opened his thin lips, and slowly mouthed four words to Ge Zhong: Cut the weeds at their roots.

The sword flashing with cold light was swung high, and the sharp cold blade seemed to be able to cut through time and space and cut through the clouds. With just one slash in the air, it could tear apart the demons in the world with overwhelming force.

The inner demon.

Yan Sikong's pupils were bloodshot——

——

When Yan Sikong returned to the mansion with wooden and tired steps, he saw a familiar carriage parked in front of the door - it came from Prince Jingyuan's Mansion.

He walked over and saw Xiaoliu waiting for him. As soon as he saw him, he said respectfully, "Master Yan, my prince invites you to a gathering at Lingwu Villa."

Yan Sikong stared at Xiao Liu with his hollow eyes for a long time, until Xiao Liu became frightened. Then he said, "I'll ask Ali to pack up."

Ge Zhong died, and his hatred and bloodthirstiness were like a hole that could never be filled, and it became empty again.

He remembered what Ge Zhonglin said before he died. He was not afraid. If there really were powerful ghosts in the world, they would have killed all the evil people in the world long ago. He just felt powerless. Maybe he should go to his father's memorial tablet and offer a few glasses of wine. But he wanted to see Feng Ye very much, because he knew that he could only sleep peacefully tonight if he was by Feng Ye's side.

——

As the carriage went to Jingshan, he and Feng Ye had not seen each other for over a month. Before they had time to eat, Feng Ye dragged him into the room and had a fierce and affectionate time with him to ease his longing for him.

After making love, Feng Ye traced Yan Sikong's sweaty ridges with his fingers, watching him lying lazily in his arms like a cat, with the corners of his lips curled up unconsciously.

Yan Sikong turned over and asked: "Have you finished your military work at Jingshan Camp?"

"We've been busy for so long, it's time to finish." Feng Ye kissed his forehead delicately, "How about you? Are you doing well in the Ministry of Personnel?"

"It's only been a few days since I left, and everything has been going well." Yan Sikong gently lifted Feng Ye's hair and tucked it behind his ear, staring at him with his bright eyes without blinking, "Did you know that Ge Zhong and others were beheaded today?"

"I heard about it." Feng Ye asked in confusion, "Why was Ge Yong also executed? Didn't the general promise Ge Zhong to give Ge Yong a lighter sentence?"

Yan Sikong could not suppress his complacency and the desire to confess, and said frankly: "It was me who persuaded Lord Liang to hand over the evidence of Ge Yong's crime to the Three Law Courts. This man is Ge Zhong's only son. He must have been involved in whatever Ge Zhong did, and he should be executed if his crime is proven."

Feng Ye frowned slightly: "That makes sense, but..."

"Why, do you still need to keep your promise to a death row prisoner?" Yan Sikong said coldly, "He doesn't deserve it."

Feng Ye hugged him: "That's good, so that the Ge family won't have any revenge in the future."

Yan Sikong narrowed his eyes: "Yes, cut off the roots."

Feng Ye nuzzled Yan Sikong's warm neck and said with a smile, "Kong'er, I have good news to tell you."

"Oh? What good news?"

"My father sent troops to intercept the rear of the Oirat army and trapped them in Yulianhut. The Oirat army was about to defeat the Jin army, but now it is attacked from all sides and may be destroyed by my father."

Yan Sikong's eyes widened, and he said in ecstasy: "Great! If we can wipe out the Wala, and then take advantage of the situation to wipe out the gold bandits, then the border of Dasheng will be worry-free for a hundred years!"

Feng Ye also said excitedly: "The battle report should have reached the court. My father has defended Datong for more than 20 years. Although he never let the barbarians pass through, he never uprooted them. If we can inflict heavy damage on Wala this time, my father will surely go down in history."

Yan Sikong smiled and said, "Prince Jingyuan has already had a place in history."

"And me." Feng Ye grinned, arrogant and uninhibited, "I will definitely be there."

Yan Sikong looked at the dazzling light emanating from Feng Ye and couldn't help but hook his arms around his neck and kissed him hard on the lips.

Feng Ye's gaze wandered over Yan Sikong's body, and he did not forget to say in a gentle voice: "Tomorrow, General Zhao invites you to the Jingshan Camp, saying that he wants to celebrate with you."

"Okay." Yan Sikong turned over and pressed Feng Ye under him. "This is my first time going to the Jingshan Camp. It will definitely be more impressive than the Rebellion Camp."

Feng Yebei said with a smile: "I want you to experience the majesty of the commander first."

Yan Sikong laughed quietly and fell into a new round of entanglement with him.