In the seventeenth year of the Kaihuang era, I wrote my will in the examination hall.

Chapter 69 The Chess Game in the Deep Palace

King Yang Jun of Qin!

As soon as these four words were uttered, several very soft gasps were heard inside the Liangyi Hall.

Yang Guang's smile froze instantly, and for the first time, a hint of surprise appeared in his phoenix eyes, which always held a calculating edge.

Yu Qing gave everyone no time to react and continued, "His Highness Prince Qin was recently dismissed from his post and summoned back to the capital by His Majesty for his extravagant lifestyle and violation of ancestral rules in Bingzhou. He is currently reflecting on his mistakes behind closed doors."

"If His Majesty were to issue an edict at this time, reprimanding the Prince of Qin for his illegal actions and 'demoting' him to Lingnan, ostensibly to serve as governor, but in reality to 'atone for his crimes through meritorious service,' then Li Xian would surely believe that the Prince of Qin had fallen out of favor and been demoted, and was being exiled to a desolate place to suffer, and would certainly lower his guard against him."

"At that time, His Highness the Prince of Qin will feign weakness, secretly liaise with various tribes, and wait for the opportune moment to decisively defeat them!"

A decisive goal.

This was a truly decisive blow.

Not only did it solve the problem of personnel selection, it also came with a perfect "tactic to concede defeat."

Yang Guang frowned, opened his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbed, but found himself unable to refute.

Because the reason of "atone for one's crimes by performing good deeds" is just too fitting for the current situation!

It is even more impeccable than his previous "theory of the foundation of the state in Jiangnan".

If he opposes it, he's denying his third brother Yang Jun a chance to "repent" and disregarding the overall situation in Lingnan; if he agrees, then he's miscalculated since he designed this whole Lingnan scheme for someone else...

Gao Jiong listened from the side with his eyes shining with admiration, and couldn't help but admire in his heart: the old fox is still the spiciest. Yu Qingze's move of "making use of waste" is truly a stroke of genius!

On his throne, Yang Jian fell into a long silence.

Inside the hall, the silver charcoal in the bronze incense burner occasionally emitted a soft crackling sound, making the surroundings seem even more silent.

"To atone for one's crimes through meritorious service..."

Yang Jian muttered to himself, his fingers gently stroking the sandalwood prayer beads on his wrist, sometimes fast and sometimes slow.

Logically speaking, this is the best solution at present.

But emotionally speaking, Yang Jun was, after all, his own flesh and blood. The boy seemed honest when he was young, but later, when he was the governor of Bingzhou, he developed a habit of extravagance, built magnificent palaces, and became obsessed with women, which angered him so much that he summoned him back to the capital to be punished.

He had originally planned to leave Yang Jun in the capital for a few years to temper his temper. But now, after not seeing him for several years, he'd just brought him back and sent him to a dangerous, malarial place like Lingnan…

Yang Jian pictured Yang Jun's slightly weak face and felt a pang of reluctance.

"His Majesty."

Yang Su, noticing the emperor's hesitation, added, "Jade must be carved to become a useful object. Although His Highness Prince Qin has committed some minor transgressions, he is, after all, of noble birth. Lingnan, though harsh, is a place for training. If Lingnan can be pacified, not only will his previous disgrace be washed away, but His Majesty's burdens will also be relieved. This is the greatest act of filial piety."

The words "great filial piety" struck Yang Jian's weak spot.

"I have understood what you have said. However, the empire is vast, and wars are raging in Liaodong and Lingnan. It is not something that can be resolved in a short time. You may all withdraw now and devise detailed plans. We will discuss it again tomorrow."

After everyone had left, Yang Jian sat alone on his throne, looking at the empty hall, a trace of weariness on his face.

He rubbed his temples and waved towards the shadows.

The personal eunuch Yang Yue appeared silently beside the emperor's desk like a ghost.

"His Majesty."

Yang Jian slowly stood up and stretched his stiff muscles.

"Prepare the carriage for Yong'an Palace."

Yong'an Palace was Empress Dugu's residence. Whenever Yang Jian was troubled or faced with a crucial decision, he would habitually go there to sit for a while. In this world, apart from Dugu Jialuo, no one could truly understand him.

After taking a couple of steps, Yang Jian seemed to remember something, paused, and turned back to look at the stubborn figure outside the palace gate, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

"Is that kid still kneeling?"

"Your Majesty, His Highness Prince Changning has remained kneeling without moving an inch," Yang Yue replied meekly.

"Hmph, stubborn fool."

Yang Jian snorted coldly, but there was little anger in his tone; instead, there was a hint of barely perceptible admiration.

"Tell this lad to go to Yong'an Palace to pay his respects in an hour!"

"besides……"

"Go and issue an imperial edict, ordering that unfilial son Yang Jun to immediately get into the palace and go to Yong'an Palace to see me and the Empress."

"Let him come and apologize!"

……

The heavy vermilion doors of the Liangyi Hall slowly opened.

The chilly autumn wind suddenly rushed in, dispersing the warm, fragrant scent inside the hall.

Yang Yan, who had been kneeling on the stone steps outside the hall, suddenly shivered.

He heard footsteps approaching, and slightly raised his eyelids to see Gao Jiong, Yang Su, and others filing out.

As Gao Jiong passed by him, he paused very slightly, gave him a reassuring look, and then walked past without looking at him.

Yang Su remained indifferent, as if the person kneeling there was not a prince, but a stone.

Next was Crown Prince Yang Yong.

Yang Yong saw his son still kneeling there, his face pale, his lips purple from the cold, and his eyes filled with heartache. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but because of Yang Guang behind him, he ultimately sighed and quickly left.

The last one to emerge was Yang Guang.

Yang Yan felt a cold gaze fall on his head.

Yang Guang stopped in his tracks.

He looked down at his nephew, who had caused him to suffer a hidden loss that day, and a meaningful, cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

Although he failed to kill Yang Yan or exile him to Lingnan, and even almost got himself implicated, fortunately, that old bastard Yu Qingze suggested that Yang Jun fill the hole, which helped him out of the predicament.

"Yan'er, your kneeling posture is good."

Yang Guang lowered his voice and chuckled softly, in a volume only the two of them could hear: "Kneel properly. The wind in Daxing Palace will only get colder from now on. Your second uncle wants to see if your bones are as hard as your mouth."

After saying that, he flicked his sleeve and strode away with the air of a victor.

Yang Yan lowered his head, looking at the cold bluestone slab in front of him, and slowly clenched his fist hidden in his sleeve.

The palace walls kept out the chill of late autumn, but they couldn't stop the oppressive atmosphere that spread all the way from the Daxing Hall.

He did not ride in the imperial carriage, but walked step by step, his steps slightly heavy, as if he wanted the cold wind to dispel some of the heat in his heart, but the effect was minimal.

Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, entered the Empress's palace—Yong'an Palace—with an undisguised weariness on his face.

Inside, the charcoal fire burned brightly, filling the room with a warm, fragrant aroma, a stark contrast to the desolate atmosphere outside. Dugu Jialuo was resting on a soft couch by the window, holding an unfinished Buddhist scripture in her hand. Hearing her husband's heavy footsteps, she slowly turned around.

"Your Majesty is troubled today."

She didn't rise to greet him; such formalities were unnecessary between an old married couple. She simply patted the spot beside her gently, a gesture as natural as calling a weary traveler home.

Yang Jian habitually sat down beside her, exhaling a long breath, the frown lines between his brows seeming to deepen.

"It's not just unsettled, it's a complete mess."

Yang Jian's voice was hoarse, carrying a deep sense of powerlessness. He picked up the hot tea that the maid had prepared, but did not drink it. He simply let the scalding heat pass through the cup to his palm, as if only in this way could he regain some feeling in his cold fingers.

"Something's happened in Lingnan too!"

He slammed the teacup down on the table, making a crisp sound.

Then he began to speak intermittently.

From Yang Yan's dramatic self-defense of "three crimes" in the imperial court, to Prince Yang Guang's sudden revelation of the chaos caused by Li Xian's rebellion in Lingnan, and then to the small meeting in the Liangyi Hall, where Gao Jiong advocated "appeasement as the main approach" and Yang Guang countered with "a combination of suppression and appeasement."

Finally, the conversation turned to Yu Qingze's suggestion, which had put everyone in a stalemate and left Yang Jian feeling heartbroken.