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During Ye Chen's time at King Ren’s Manor, although it couldn't be described as particularly pleasant, he certainly wasn't mistreated. After all, his current status was special, and for the time being, King Ren dared not act against him lightly.
However, every time Ye Chen passed through the inner courtyard and saw Li Wangcai standing guard at the outer gate, he couldn't help but feel a surge of anger. The memories of being forcibly taken by Li Wangcai still haunted him, and the pain from his dislocated arm lingered.
King Ren was somewhat considerate; he assigned him a servant named Zhong Yong, who was dedicated to attending to his needs. Aside from being unable to leave King Ren’s Manor, Ye Chen could generally have whatever he asked for. Of course, Ye Chen had a small appetite, and aside from some food, he couldn't acquire anything substantial.
One day, as Ye Chen happily enjoyed the chef's braised pig knuckle, savoring every bite with grease on his lips, King Ren stormed in with fury. With a loud "smack," he slammed a document down in front of Ye Chen and shouted, "Look at the good you've done! A Chen, my nephew, I believe I have treated you well. Why are you conspiring with your father and husband against me? Now Yunzhou is surrounded by tens of thousands of troops, and the people are in panic. You should quickly send a letter to your father and husband to tell them to withdraw their forces!"
With that, King Ren left in a huff, taking with him the delicious dishes that had just been served.
Ye Chen was stunned, still chewing on a piece of meat that he hadn't swallowed yet. Slowly putting down his bowl and chopsticks, he picked up the document beside him and his face turned pale instantly.
The document stated that He Mu Ming from Lan Prefecture had died suddenly and that Pei Guanjing had taken over command of the army. However, there were those in the military who did not accept this change; figures like Lou Yu and his group worked under He Mu Ming and naturally found it hard to believe that He Mu Ming had died under such mysterious circumstances. After some investigation, they discovered that he had actually succumbed to the infamous Wolf Tribe's ghostly wolf poison—a poison planted by Muer's trusted confidant who had escaped from the Military Camp.
With the Commander of the army dying unjustly, it was inevitable that the Firestarter from the Canteen would be implicated. Consequently, Chef Wang and others were executed publicly. Seeing the familiar names listed on the document made Ye Chen's heart sink as if struck by a heavy blow.
This was his first real encounter with the death of those around him; a profound sense of sorrow and guilt surged within him. Tears blurred his vision instantly, but Ye Chen still fought against his grief and continued to read through his misty eyes.
Upon learning that Ye Chen had been taken by King Ren, King Huai'an immediately tore up his alliance with the Regent. In an effort to stabilize their marriage pact, Pei Guanjing even led part of his military forces to Cangzhou to ally with Lou Yu and besiege various checkpoints leading to Yunzhou.
In an instant, Yunzhou found itself isolated and helpless. Moreover, given that Chongzhou was King Huai'an's fiefdom, he naturally would not come to Yunzhou's rescue in its time of need.
Though Yunzhou was surrounded on all sides, the troops from Lan Prefecture and Cangzhou were reassigned, forcing a portion of the Wolf Tribe's forces to be diverted to plug this gap.
Due to these events, Ye Chen was sensationalized by some writers into tales like "Kun Ze Enters the Military Camp to Seek His Lover." This was a minor issue, but some bewildered commoners believed that Ye Chen was the cause of their misfortunes, cursing him vehemently and labeling him as a fox spirit and a calamity to the nation.
Ye Chen watched this unfold with a bitter smile. What merit did he possess to earn such high praise from others?
Upon seeing the recent memorials submitted, he finally realized that he had been trapped in King Ren’s Manor for three months.
As autumn approached, the winds grew cold and unpredictable, with leaves falling gently, sometimes briskly, sometimes slowly.
King Ren had intended to dismantle the alliance between the Regent and King Huai'an, but things did not develop as he had hoped; King Huai'an did not ally with him. Instead, the area outside Yunzhou was filled with troops who frequently sent messengers demanding Ye Chen's surrender.
King Ren did not treat him poorly, but the maids and servants in the manor certainly did not look favorably upon him. After all, such a prosperous place as Yunzhou was now on the brink of war because of him. The local citizens naturally held no goodwill towards him; thus, he had taken to washing his own clothes and preparing his meals. It seemed that King Ren tacitly approved of this arrangement, remaining indifferent to Ye Chen's plight.
The courtyard here was spacious yet confining. It was larger than Pei Guanjing's tent by several times but small enough that he could not step outside its door.
Ye Chen reached out to catch a withered yellow leaf. The youthful joy that once graced his handsome face now bore traces of sorrow; his brows softened, his features gradually relaxed, revealing a resemblance to what he appeared like in dreams.
Just then, Pei Guanjing entered the courtyard and happened upon this scene.
Having shed his coarse garments for fine silks and brocade robes, Ye Chen's beauty was undeniable; even a hint of his initial brilliance could capture all attention.
"A Chen!" Pei Guanjing called softly from behind him, his voice laced with urgent tenderness.
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