Leaving healing medicine and clean clothes behind, Yan Sikong bid farewell to Concubine Hui and went to visit Chen Kui again.
Chen Kui was well-dressed and dignified, and he didn't show his face when he was in prison, but when he saw Yan Sikong, his excited and aggrieved expression betrayed him. After all, he was only a ten-year-old kid.
"gentlemen!"
Yan Sikong knelt down and kowtowed heavily: "I am guilty."
"Sir, what's wrong with you, get up!" Chen Kui stretched out his hand in vain through the iron bars.
"I can't share His Highness' worries, I can't bear His Highness's suffering, I can only watch His Highness being wronged and humiliated, I..." Yan Sikong's voice choked, "I'm guilty."
Chen Kui's eyes turned red: "Sir, get up and get closer to me."
Yan Sikong raised his head, knelt and crawled over. As soon as he got close to the cage, Chen Kui stretched out his hand and hugged Yan Sikong, his arms were still trembling.
Yan Sikong burst into tears, and wiped the tears with his sleeve: "Is Your Highness okay? Is it cold? Are you hungry?"
"It doesn't matter to me, what about my mother?" Chen Kui looked at Yan Sikong eagerly but worriedly.
Yan Sikong lowered his eyes: "Your Majesty..."
"What happened to my mother?"
"Your Majesty is hurt."
"They dare to torture my mother!" Chen Kui said viciously, "Do they still think of me as a prince!"
Yan Sikong said: "Your Majesty has been punished with ten lashes to frighten Fawei. It's just a superficial injury. I know His Highness is wronged, but the situation is critical at this time. Your Highness must not be overwhelmed by anger."
Chen Kui was about to bite his silver teeth into pieces: "Dare to torture my mother..." His eyes were red, "When I was young, my mother and son were bullied in the palace. I didn't expect that I was already the prince, but I still couldn't protect myself. Concubine Mu, sir, I... why am I so useless."
Yan Sikong held onto Chen Kui's hand tightly: "Your Highness, you must not underestimate yourself. Your Highness is the eldest prince, and the future monarch of my Dasheng. It is precisely because His Highness is impeccable that villains framed you. My teacher, I, Brother Shen, Shizi and many virtuous ministers are all fighting for the innocence and safety of His Highness and His Majesty, Your Highness, don't lose your confidence, when His Highness ascends the throne, he will surely uphold justice and bring order out of chaos." His eyes were sharp, and he lowered his voice Said, "Punish those lowly people."
Chen Kui said bitterly: "But now I'm in prison, and I've been wronged. My father... has always wanted to abolish me." He bit his lips lightly, and said in a hoarse voice, "He never wanted to make me the prince. Now If you find an opportunity, you will definitely destroy me."
"Abolishing the establishment of the crown prince involves the foundation of the country. How can it be child's play? As long as your highness and empress are innocent, your majesty will definitely put the overall situation first."
Chen Kui smiled sarcastically: "I'm afraid I don't believe what you say, sir."
Yan Sikong held Chen Kui's hand: "In any case, Your Highness must be tenacious. The road to becoming an emperor is not smooth, but Your Highness must not give up. No matter what happens, the ministers are behind His Highness, ready to go through fire and water for His Highness at any time." .”
Chen Kui said: "I will not give up. If I give up, my mother and son will have no place to stay."
Yan Sikong nodded heavily, and said in a low voice: "Early tomorrow morning, the Empress Dowager will know about this matter. Your Majesty will definitely let you go under pressure. Your Highness has been wronged for so many years, so I will be wronged for another night."
Chen Kui smiled wryly and said, "This night is just the beginning. It will be more than two years before Chen's case leaves the capital, and they will definitely use all means to persecute me."
"Your Highness is not fighting alone." Yan Sikong looked at him frankly with deep eyes, "We will not sit still."
Chen Kuang took Yan Sikong's hand back, gritted his teeth, his eyes were firm and resolute: "Don't worry, sir, I will never back down."
Yan Sikong said happily: "With His Highness's words, the ministers and others will spare no effort."
Chen Kui was moved and said: "Mr. has a sincere affection for me. I hope that Mr. can be my teacher for the rest of my life. Even if I become emperor one day, Mr. Wang will help me govern the world."
Yan Sikong clasped his hands and said, "Minister, I will never give up if I die."
—
After leaving the prison, Yan Sikong thought about countermeasures all the way.
Even if Chen Yu's mother and son can survive this crisis, the situation of the queen mother may not guarantee them a second time. To entrust Chen Yu to the throne, more obstacles must be removed, such as Wen Shangshu and the second prince.
I believe Yan Zilian has also thought of it. Although the two of them haven't had time to discuss it, next year's Beijing inspection plan must find a way to make a fuss about Wen Shangshu. It's just that this person has high morals and is not easy to shake. So, what about the second prince
Yan Sikong counted the days, and She Zhun should have returned to the capital. Killing the Second Prince would be enough to wipe out the roots, but one is that the guards in the palace are so strict that even She Zhun may not be able to succeed. Second, if the Second Prince If he was really assassinated, Emperor Zhaowu must be the first to suspect Chen Kui, and Zhu Lanting couldn't even keep his head.
Is there any way to completely clear the way for Chen Yu...
Yan Sikong thought all the way and returned home.
As soon as he entered the house, when he saw Ali's eyes, he knew that Feng Ye was coming, and he ordered: "Prepare some wine and food."
Alibi paddled and was already ready.
Yan Sikong nodded, motioned for him to go back to the house, and went straight to the main house.
Pushing open the door and entering, a rush of warmth rushed over him, dispelling the spring cold he brought back from outside. He saw Feng Ye was sitting by the stove warming his hands, warm wine was placed on the table, and the relationship was still scattered. With the aroma and steam of the food, this picture is like so many ordinary nights in the past, which warms his heart.
However, Feng Ye turned his face away, with an extremely indifferent expression, and Yan Sikong suddenly woke up a little bit.
Feng Ye stood up, sat on the futon, looked at the food on the low table: "Have you eaten?"
Yan Sikong shook his head: "Did you come here just now?"
"Well, let's eat." Feng Ye poured two glasses of beer wine.
Yan Sikong took off his shoes and sat cross-legged opposite Feng Ye: "I just went to visit the prince and empress."
"how?"
"Your Majesty received ten lashes, it's not good, the prince is okay, but he's still a child after all."
"Whether he can survive this test or not depends on his good luck." Feng Ye raised his eyes and glanced at him, and said with a more serious tone, "Eat."
Yan Sikong just came back to his senses, first took a sip of wine to warm his stomach, then picked up the wine and vegetables, and started to eat.
"Did I never say that Ali cooks delicious food?" Feng Ye said.
"It seems to have been said before." Yan Sikong thought for a while, "I asked you if it was good, and you responded."
This unfamiliar and reserved atmosphere made Yan Sikong feel a little uncomfortable. When Feng Ye saw him in the past—even if the two of them were only separated for a day, his joy was beyond words. He knew that the gap between them was getting deeper and they could not return to their previous so-so.
"When Xi'er gets married, he won't be able to cook." Feng Ye said expressionlessly, "The emperor will give you a big house and a lot of servants, so you don't have to live in this desolate house anymore. inside."
Yan Sikong remained silent, not knowing how to answer.
Feng Ye continued: "At that time, your house will be full of people. I can no longer climb over the wall and come to you without anyone noticing. In the cold winter months, I can't hug you to keep each other warm. Because someone else is lying next to you."
"Stop talking." Yan Sikong finally couldn't help it, and blurted out.
"Why can't you say it." Feng Ye said softly, "You are going to do it soon, why are you afraid of me saying it?"
Yan Sikong raised his head, tremblingly said: "What exactly do you want me to do?"
Feng Ye's face twitched, obviously holding back something, his deep eyes were filled with complex emotions that were hard to explain, his fists tightened and then loosened, finally, he picked up the wine cup on the table, drank it down, and never Answer the call.
There was a condensed silence between the two of them, Yan Sikong ate the food mouth by mouth, tasted like chewing wax, he suddenly realized what is so close and so far away.
After a long while, Feng Ye put down his bowl and chopsticks, and changed his usual tone: "Even if they get through this calamity, they still can't sit back and relax. Wen Youchi and Xie Zhongren won't give up."
Yan Sikong endured the discomfort in his heart, cheered up and said: "Yes."
"Unless we get rid of Wen Youchi, if Concubine Wen Gui loses her backing, no matter how favored she is, she won't be able to make a fool of herself."
"My teacher and I also want to cut down this poisonous root. The Beijing investigation is an opportunity, but Wen Shangshu is cautious and highly respected, so it is difficult to catch it."
Feng Ye said: "Wen Youchi is the Secretary of the Ministry of War, and has always been in contact with my father. This person is in charge of military expenditures. Although he dare not openly withhold my father's military equipment, he secretly does not cheat public affairs for personal gain. In the past, wars were tight, and even so, Now that Datong is peaceful, my father's armaments must be reduced, and it is not a long-term solution for this military department to be in the hands of others. If it can be replaced by ours, it will kill two birds with one stone."
Yan Sikong's eyes lit up: "That's right, there is no war in Datong now, the Ministry of War must reduce its armaments, and if Wen You is not eliminated, King Jingyuan will definitely be much more passive."
In order to check and balance King Jingyuan, Emperor Zhaowu will definitely reduce Datong's armaments significantly this year, but how to reduce and how much to reduce depends on the personnel and border defense conditions. Too little reduction will not be effective in suppressing King Jingyuan. Too much reduction Too many, I'm afraid it will force people to rebel. Of course, the emperor himself does not know this degree. It is up to the Ministry of War to investigate, calculate, and discuss. a knife.
He didn't expect this, but fortunately Feng Ye thought of it, so that the two of them could work together, and he could get the help of King Jingyuan, and maybe he could really eradicate Wen Youchi.
"I have sent a secret letter to my father about this matter, and I am waiting for his reply. He has dealt with Wen Youchi for many years, and he must have Wen Youchi's handle, but Wen Youchi also has my father's handle, and we need to think long-term. I know that this matter has something to do with my father."
"Of course." Yan Sikong looked at Fengye, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Thank you."
Feng Ye turned his eyes away: "I didn't do this for you, but for my Feng family, for the prince, it's not your turn to say thank you."
Yan Sikong smiled, full of helplessness.
Feng Ye stood up: "I came to you for this purpose, so I'm leaving."
"Feng..." Yan Sikong subconsciously opened his mouth, but the words stuck in his throat, he managed to escape.
Feng Ye paused, as if waiting for something.
"... The wind is strong and the night is dark, be careful on the road."
Feng Ye's eyes turned cold, and he left without looking back.
Yan Sikong looked at the empty cattail mat and the pair of bowls and chopsticks, and sat for a long time in the suffocatingly quiet room.