The Cold Palace, a part of the imperial palace, was also guarded by the imperial guards.
In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, three Innate Realm guards led thirty top-tier experts into the Pavilion of Deliberate Ignorance.
"Heh, this trick again."
"Alright, alright, it's fine now. We'll take care of the bodies, and new eunuchs and palace maids will be sent within at most ten days."
The leading Innate Realm guard sneered and, without asking the owner, Yang Hong, for his opinion, ordered his subordinates to treat the six living people as corpses.
They wrapped them in the quilts they were covered with and carried them away.
This was not the first time he had dealt with such a situation; he was quite practiced at it.
Yang Hong was a little surprised to see the imperial guards enter and leave in less than three minutes.
So, was life in the Cold Palace that worthless?
Were the guards so casual in handling matters in the Cold Palace?
He still had further plans, and it was all over just like that?
"Heh, human lives are like grass."
Yang Hong sighed and then pulled the wide-eyed and frightened Xiao Cao to the backyard to do some weeding.
He needed to find something to distract Xiao Cao, otherwise, she might truly go mad from the shock.
Although she had served by Yang Hong's side for over five years, she was still just a sixteen-year-old girl. She had witnessed her companions being beaten to death in front of her in the past.
However, that was five years ago, when she was younger and a bit naive.
Now, Xiao Cao truly understood the dangers of the Cold Palace, and its coldness!
"Your Highness, Xiao Hong and the others were just lazy, but they didn't deserve to die."
After half a day of dazed weeding, Xiao Cao finally came to her senses and asked with lingering fear.
Yang Hong paused, then chuckled and shook his head.
"Xiao Cao, this is the Cold Palace. Human lives here have nothing to do with guilt.
They just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and deserved to die."
Yang Hong's voice was cold, but it was the truth.
"But... but... alas..."
Xiao Cao stammered for a while, and finally sighed. Having lived in the Cold Palace for six years, she had seen enough of life and death and naturally understood that human lives were like grass.
Both of them fell silent and began to plant.
It was already the second lunar month, and the weather was starting to warm up. With the simple greenhouses he had set up, planting could begin.
The day before, Yang Hong had already leveled all the ground in the Pavilion of Deliberate Ignorance, except for the three-story building.
All the seeds had been soaked, and today was the scheduled planting day.
Rice, peas, cucumbers, pumpkins, watermelons, small green vegetables, large cabbages, radishes, and carrots.
Yang Hong had prepared nine types of seeds this time.
Among them, only peas, pumpkins, and watermelons were new varieties. The others were varieties that Yang Hong had cultivated for many years. All seeds were ordinary Grade 4.
When planted, although they would not be as good as Grade 9 vegetables, they would still have slight special effects.
To outsiders, they would just taste good, and they wouldn't notice anything special, so Yang Hong planned to plant them on a large scale.
However, today was destined to be unsettled.
Yang Hong had only planted half of the pea seeds when an unfamiliar eunuch came to call him.
"Empress Dugu?"
Upon reaching the front yard and seeing the middle-aged woman in a light yellow phoenix robe with a noble and elegant demeanor, Yang Hong's mind conjured this name.
The visitor was none other than the mistress of this Great Sui harem, Empress Dugu.
Suppressing his surprise, Yang Hong stepped forward to pay his respects.
"Greetings, Mother Empress."
"My son, there is no need for such formalities. I heard that your eunuchs and palace maids were killed, so I came to see for myself."
Empress Dugu took two steps and personally helped up Yang Hong, who was bowing.
She put on a show of filial piety.
However, Yang Hong's body trembled.
"Innate Grandmaster. This Empress Dugu is also an Innate Grandmaster."
Yang Hong was shocked. The legendary ordinary person was actually an Innate Grandmaster. This imperial palace was truly not simple!
Sensing the Innate internal energy surging within him, Yang Hong knew.
This was Empress Dugu testing him, probing his strength without restraint.
Fortunately, Yang Hong's cultivation was returned by the灌顶返还系统 (Qi Overflowing Return System) and had been tempered through his daily hard work, allowing him to control it perfectly.
Empress Dugu's Innate internal energy could not detect his true Qi at all.
"Hmm? My reaction is not right."
Yang Hong suddenly startled, then as he retracted his meridians with his true Qi, he forced out beads of sweat and trembled all over, his face showing a pained expression.
Seeing Yang Hong's reaction, Empress Dugu, who had been a little suspicious, nodded with satisfaction, but did not withdraw her hand.
It was not until a full quarter of an hour later that Empress Dugu withdrew her hand with satisfaction.
"My son, your body seems a bit weak. You should exercise more when you have time."
Empress Dugu took Yang Hong's hand and walked towards the small courtyard.
Yang Hong could only follow closely.
On the main road outside the small courtyard, hundreds of Innate guards were arrayed. In the middle of the road was a chair, with a person tied to it.
It was Nanny Li!
"Your Majesty, spare my life! Your Majesty, spare me, I didn't kill anyone! I only broke the hands and feet of those servants, I truly didn't kill anyone!"
Seeing Empress Dugu appear, Nanny Li began to cry out her grievances.
"Your Majesty, spare my life. Nanny Li is not lying, Your Majesty."
Consort Zhou knelt to the side, her face filled with terror, pleading for Nanny Li.
But Empress Dugu merely glanced at them lightly and said softly.
"Execute!"
"Slap~ Ah~ Slap~ Ah~"
The sound of rhythmic whipping and screams arose.
The screams first grew louder, then quieter, and finally fell silent.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the execution is complete. The prisoner is dead!"
The guard replied coldly and firmly. Empress Dugu merely nodded slightly.
Only then did she take Yang Hong's hand and walk forward again, stopping beside Nanny Li's corpse. She surveyed the surroundings and then spoke with overwhelming authority.
Yang Hong looked up slightly and saw that the gates of several small courtyards in the Cold Palace were open. At the entrance of the courtyard opposite him, he saw a white figure.
"This nanny, relying on her influence, threatened and plotted against the Sixth Prince. She has now confessed her guilt."
"I know many of you have backing and strength. But... this is the imperial palace, this is the Cold Palace, a place of rules. All of you, obey the rules."
Another case of killing the chicken to scare the monkeys!
The tactic of killing the chicken to scare the monkeys seemed to be very effective in the imperial palace; people with a bit of power were all using it.
Yang Hong muttered to himself, realizing why Empress Dugu had graced the Cold Palace with her presence.
"Furthermore, Consort Zhou's governess is ill-mannered. All of them shall be beaten to death!"
"No... don't... Your Majesty, spare me."
Amidst desperate cries, two more nannies were dragged out and beaten to death on the spot.
Yang Hong glanced at Consort Zhou, who had been so arrogant yesterday. Her face was now ashen, and she stood there dumbfounded, having forgotten even to beg for mercy for her servants.
In less than a minute, the two nannies were beaten to death.
Empress Dugu's voice rang out again.
"Since Consort Zhou wishes to reside in the Pavilion of Deliberate Ignorance, from today onwards, she will live in the Pavilion of Deliberate Ignorance with the Sixth Prince."
"What?"
Yang Hong, who had been calmly watching the drama unfold, was startled by Empress Dugu's words.
This was not in accordance with the rules, nor even human decency.
"Heh heh~ My son, Consort Zhou is considered your concubine. She has no nanny to care for her now. It is only right for you, as her son, to take care of her.
Our Great Sui values filial piety above all else."
Empress Dugu patted Yang Hong's hand and said gently, her voice devoid of the previous murderous intent,
like a mother concerned for her son.
'What filial piety? This is a death trap!'
Empress Dugu lived up to her reputation. She was truly venomous!
Yang Hong saw through Empress Dugu's scheme and could only twitch his mouth, unable to refute her.