PFC Chapter 70 The Wind Rises in Yong'an Palace, the Imperial Family Has No Flesh and Blood
Chapter 70 The Wind Rises in Yong'an Palace, the Imperial Family Has No Flesh and Blood
"That old bastard Yu Qingze... has given me a huge problem."
Yang Jian's voice was tinged with an indescribable irritation, and his fingers unconsciously rubbed the fabric on his thigh.
He suggested that Jun'er go.
King Yang Jun of Qin.
When this name came out of Yang Jian's mouth, he was no longer the autocratic and awe-inspiring founding emperor. His tone revealed the deepest helplessness and struggle of an old father who was disappointed in his son's lack of progress and full of worry.
"Galo, tell me, what kind of situation is this?"
Yang Jian suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in the hall, his steps hurried.
"What kind of place is Lingnan? It's a wild and desolate land! Misty and humid, dense forests and grasses, poisonous insects everywhere, and even the air smells of decay!"
He stopped and turned to look at Dugu Jialuo, his eyes bloodshot, his voice rising several decibels: "The history books record it clearly! Qin Shi Huang's army of 500,000 marched south to the Baiyue region, leaving a million corpses and rivers of blood; Emperor Wu of Han sent his fleet of ships south, and the result was the same—less than one-tenth of his army survived! Those soldiers didn't die from swords and spears, but from that man-eating miasma! That wasn't territory; it was hell!"
Yang Jian's emotions grew increasingly agitated, as if he were about to unleash all the pent-up anger within him.
"You know Jun'er, he's been sickly since he was little, always getting a minor illness every three days and a major one every five days. He's practically a walking medicine cabinet."
At this point, a hint of disappointment flashed in Yang Jian's eyes, but more than that, he couldn't hide his heartache.
"I sent him to Bingzhou as governor, but he neglected state affairs, indulging in sensual pleasures all day long, building those ridiculous palaces, and even wanting to construct some water pavilions and cool chambers—he's utterly disgraced me! I summoned him back to the capital to keep him under my watchful eye, to give him a good talking-to, to temper his extravagant nature, and to let him know the difficulty of establishing and maintaining an empire!"
Yang Jian took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently: "But now, Yu Qing is pushing him into that fire pit in Lingnan! Isn't this going to kill him?"
At this moment, the emperor's majesty faded from him; he was simply a father heartbroken over his wayward son.
What came to mind was Yang Jun's pale and timid face when he was a child, the way he always hid behind others and dared not speak loudly.
Why should he deal with those ruthless, bloodthirsty, and unruly Li Liao chieftains of Lingnan? Or confront Li Xian, the cunning and treacherous general who entrenched himself in Guizhou?
Yang Jian could almost imagine that his son would be devoured until only bones remained, and that only a cold coffin would be sent back to him.
Dugu Jialuo listened quietly, maintaining the same leaning posture with a calm expression, as if Yang Jian was describing not her biological son, but an insignificant stranger.
When Yang Jian stopped walking, the hall returned to silence, with only the sound of water dripping from the bronze kettle remaining.
She then slowly began to speak.
Her voice remained calm, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, yet it was like a sharp icicle, instantly piercing Yang Jian's warm and tender bubble of fatherly love.
"Your Majesty, have you finished speaking?"
Yang Jian was taken aback and subconsciously looked up at his wife.
Dugu Jialuo slowly sat up straight, gently placing the Buddhist scriptures in her hands aside.
Her gaze was clear and sharp, carrying an almost cold rationality, as she stared directly into Yang Jian's eyes.
"May I be so bold as to ask, Your Majesty, is your distress today due to your heartache for one of your sons, or because you cannot find a minister who can share your burdens?"
Yang Jian's breath hitched, and he opened his mouth, only to find himself speechless.
Dugu Jialuo didn't give him time to think and continued, her tone leaving no room for argument, carrying an aura of authority no less than that of an emperor.
"In my opinion, Yu Qingze's suggestion is the best answer. And the only answer."
"But..." Yang Jian wanted to argue.
"No buts." Dugu Jialuo interrupted him, stood up, and slowly walked to Yang Jian, straightening his slightly disheveled collar.
"Your Majesty, you are the Son of Heaven, possessing the wealth of the four seas, yet you are surrounded by dangers. The old nobles of Guanzhong are watching us closely, the gentry of Jiangnan resent us, and the Turks in the north are eyeing us covetously. This Sui Dynasty, though seemingly stable, is actually as precarious as walking on thin ice."
She pressed her head against Yang Jian's chest, feeling his strong heartbeat.
"Jun'er is not only our child, but also a prince of the Sui Dynasty! Having enjoyed the sustenance of the world, he must bear the responsibilities of the world. There are some things that subjects cannot do, and must be done by the descendants of the Yang family! There are some dangers that members of the imperial clan must take the lead in!"
"If all the sons of the Yang family are raised in the deep palace and cannot withstand the slightest wind or rain, how many generations can the Sui Dynasty last?"
"Since he has made a mistake, let him atone for it. Since he is weak, let the winds and rains of Lingnan temper his bones! If he dies in Lingnan..."
Dugu Jialuo paused, a barely perceptible pain flashing in her eyes, but it vanished in an instant, replaced by a resolute expression.
"That's his fate as a descendant of royalty! It's better than being a foolish prince who harms the country!"
Yang Jian looked at his wife before him, the woman who had stood by him through thick and thin for decades and was known to the world as the "Second Saint".
After a long while, the struggle in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by the coldness and decisiveness befitting an emperor.
"I...understand."
Yang Jian grasped Dugu Jialuo's hand and tightened his grip.
"You are right. Jade that is not carved cannot become a useful object. This country ultimately has no need for useless people."
"Your Majesty and Your Majesty, His Highness Prince Qin has arrived and is waiting for your decree outside the palace."
Yang Jian took a deep breath, turned around, his back to the door, and his voice regained its usual authority: "Make him kneel down too."
Inside Yong'an Palace, the charcoal fire blazed brightly, yet it could not dispel the heavy gloom between the emperor's brows.
As soon as Yang Jian stepped onto the soft couch, Dugu Jialuo's phoenix eyes, which seemed to be able to see into people's hearts, swept over him. Her finger lightly tapped on the scroll, her tone carrying a hint of doubt, but more like a keen scrutiny.
"His Majesty just said that Jun'er should also kneel?"
Dugu Jialuo slowly put down the Buddhist scripture in her hand, her gaze sharp: "Besides Jun'er, is there anyone else outside this hall?"
"Who else could it be?"
Yang Jian snorted irritably, took the hot tea offered by the maid, but didn't drink it. He slammed the tea down heavily on the table, splashing a few drops: "Of course, it's your good grandson, Yang Yan!"
Yang Jian's chest heaved at the mention of this name.
He dismissed his attendants, leaving only his personal old eunuch to guard the door, and then, as if pouring out beans, recounted in detail the thrilling "examination cheating case" in the imperial court, and the subsequent "hiring a murderer" scandal that followed.
Of course, the key point is Yang Guang's blatantly obvious framing and Yang Yong's utterly obtuseness.
"Snapped!"
Yang Jian grew angrier as he spoke, and suddenly slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups tremble.
"I'm not dead yet! These unworthy descendants are already imitating the behavior of those fallen royal families from the Northern and Southern Dynasties!"
"The second prince usually seems so obedient, I never imagined he'd be so ruthless! To undermine the Crown Prince, he's even interfered with the imperial examinations and orchestrated a murder in the capital! Does he think I'm blind?!"
"And that eldest son!" Yang Jian pointed towards the Eastern Palace, his finger trembling with anger. "As the Crown Prince, he's indecisive and doesn't even know what his own son is doing. He's been caught red-handed with such a huge weakness, and he's just standing there like an idiot! If this empire falls into his hands, how can I close my eyes in peace!"