Yang Hong had no idea what Zhou Neng told Yang Jian, but the Cold Palace indeed became lively.
Half a month later, on the second day of the second lunar month, Long Tai Tou.
Of the nine concubines who had just returned from visiting their families, seven entered. Aside from Consort Wu and a Lady Chen, the other seven were all confined, including Jia Yuanchun! Zhou Neng's message seemed to have done nothing to deter Yang Jian's resolve.
"I want to live in this palace~ I *will* live in this palace! The Emperor promised me that as soon as I lived here for a few days and silenced those civil officials, he would bring me out."
As Yang Hong sat on his recliner, idly spectating, one of the "melons" actually rolled into his Pavilion of Deliberate Ignorance. Although he had left his courtyard gate open to watch the show and enjoy the gossip, it was also meant to indicate that the place was occupied. He never expected someone to enter the Cold Palace and try to snatch someone else's courtyard.
"You~ you're a man! How can a man live in the Cold Palace?" Zhou Fengzhi, heedless of her surroundings, rushed into the Pavilion of Deliberate Ignorance and immediately spotted Yang Hong leaning in the front yard. She could still distinguish between a man and a eunuch at a glance. Although Yang Hong was wearing coarse clothes and his face was a bit pale, looking rather down on his luck, his handsome face clearly showed a faint, light blue stubble. He was a man, not a eunuch!
"Your Ladyship, please do not make things difficult for us. This is the palace of the Sixth Prince, personally bestowed by His Majesty. You truly cannot live here." Outside, the imperial guards were trying to reason with her. They were all aware of Yang Hong's presence.
Before Yang Hong could say anything, an old wet nurse rushed forward, blocking Yang Hong's view.
'A congenital master?' Yang Hong fell silent, his gaze now fixed with interest on the wet nurse, who was in her fifties. He hadn't expected her to be a congenital master, and judging by the stability of her movement as she rushed over, she was likely a high-level congenital master. 'This Lady Zhou is not simple.'
"Wet Nurse Li, how can there be a man in the Cold Palace? He must be some noble lady's kept lover. Quickly, kill him. Perhaps we can earn merit and leave." Zhou Fengzhi, as if she hadn't heard the guards, continued her tirade. Yang Hong's lips twitched. Was this idiot deaf?
'But, have all my servants died?' Yang Hong sat up and looked around, his eyes chilling further. Except for Xiao Cao, who was currently preparing lunch, the other six were gathered in a corner of the courtyard, watching with schadenfreude. They were even whispering and discussing something. Yang Hong channeled his true qi to his ears and easily overheard their conversation.
"Xiao Ju, do you think the Sixth Prince will be beaten to death this time?"
"He will! Absolutely! This is Lady Zhou! The Emperor's most beloved concubine. For her sake, the Emperor has not attended morning court for ten days!"
"Right~ right! This is favor that even the Empress has never received! So the Sixth Prince is finished this time."
"But, the Sixth Prince has that old geezer Zhou Neng protecting him, and he's a grandmaster. Does Lady Zhou really dare..."
"Heh heh~ you don't know. Lady Zhou's elder brother has joined the Chaoyang Sect and is already a congenital master. It's said he can break through to grandmaster at any time; Lady Zhou's second brother has joined the Xuri Sect and has a grandmaster as his master. One Zhou Neng is not enough to kill him."
"So you're saying the Sixth Prince is doomed?"
"Doomed! He's just a disgraced prince relying on his dog-like influence. If he dies, he dies. No one will care."
"..."
Yang Hong's eyes weren't just cold; his heart had turned to ice. He decided... these three young eunuchs and three young palace maids... were destined to die! However, he quickly withdrew his true qi as a figure stood before him.
"Your Highness, the Sixth Prince, this old servant apologizes for her rudeness. I first apologize to Your Highness." Wet Nurse Li's calm voice echoed in Yang Hong's ears, though there was little apology in her tone.
"It is nothing." Yang Hong waved his hand, interrupting Wet Nurse Li's insincere apology.
"Thank you for your generosity, Your Highness. This old servant has an impudent request. I wonder if I may speak it." Seeing that Yang Hong remained seated on the recliner and didn't rise, Wet Nurse Li felt a flicker of anger. However, she suppressed her temper and looked at Yang Hong with anticipation. But Yang Hong, not playing by the rules, said indifferently, "Then don't speak it." With that, he narrowed his eyes and reclined again, as if everyone in the courtyard were mere air.
"Heh heh~ heh heh~" A grinding sound of teeth echoed, but Yang Hong remained unmoved.
"Your Highness, the Sixth Prince, my mistress is Zhou Fengzhi, Lady Zhou."
"Hmm~ and then?" Yang Hong slightly opened his eyes.
"My mistress fancies this palace of yours."
"And then?"
"Please move out." Wet Nurse Li's voice finally turned sharp.
"Our Great Sui Dynasty has a rule: without the Emperor and Empress's decree, anyone who leaves the Cold Palace without authorization will be executed. Does Wet Nurse Li mean to send me to my death?"
"This~ I will explain the situation to His Majesty." Wet Nurse Li was suddenly choked up. She had only been informed of this rule before entering the Cold Palace, and Yang Hong's reminder made her feel a bit embarrassed.
"Haha~ that would be wonderful. Please go and ask my Father Emperor for a decree. I've had enough of this Pavilion of Deliberate Ignorance. I've wanted to leave for a long time." Yang Hong stood up excitedly, as if he had heard good news, and looked at Wet Nurse Li with anticipation.
"I~" Wet Nurse Li was again speechless. If she could have seen Yang Jian, she wouldn't have entered the Cold Palace. Furthermore, she was just a wet nurse and had no right to request an audience with the Emperor.
"Wet Nurse, what nonsense are you spouting with this person? Kill him, and this palace will be ours." From behind, Lady Zhou, who had been quiet for a moment, grew impatient again. Yang Hong, who had been standing, finally looked at her. Her beauty was captivating, her figure graceful, and her demeanor alluring. She was a woman any man would salute. It was no wonder Yang Jian could forgo morning court for ten days for her. Yang Hong also channeled his true qi and silently chanted a mantra for a calm mind, only then did he suppress the agitation and look away.
"Your Highness, the Sixth Prince, please do us a favor." Wet Nurse Li stepped aside again, positioning herself between Yang Hong and Zhou Fengzhi.
"As I said, if you bring me a decree, I will move out immediately. Without a decree, I will not go out to meet my death." With that, Yang Hong turned directly and entered the central courtyard, ignoring these fools.
"Wet Nurse~ don't stop me, I'll kill him! I'm a top-tier master, I'll kill him myself~ I'll kill him." Yang Hong walked away with his hands behind his head, his steps leisurely. All the doors along the way were wide open, as if inviting anyone to enter. However, Wet Nurse Li, being old and experienced, restrained Lady Zhou while recalling the rules of the Cold Palace. She remembered that there was a rule in the Cold Palace: if masters fought and sustained injuries, the attendants would receive corresponding punishments. If the master went mad, the servants must also go mad! This was a rule to protect the masters in the Cold Palace, preventing servants from bullying their masters. Although she was confident in Zhou Fengzhi's strength, she also worried that Yang Hong might retaliate in his final moments and injure Zhou Fengzhi. In that case, she would also suffer, perhaps even greatly. However~ she also secretly resented Yang Hong's lack of discretion and decided to teach him a lesson that night.