Emperor Yang Jian, while dividing Emperor Emeritus Yang Zhong's special fine wine, reached an agreement: Yang Zhong would take sixty percent of Yang Hong's possessions, and he would take forty percent.
In exchange, Yang Zhong would hand over the imperial power of the Great Sui dynasty to Yang Jian, and would no longer covet the throne.
Yang Zhong was currently focused on resuming his cultivation and regaining his strength, so he readily agreed.
After all, Yang Jian was in charge of this imperial palace now.
He had abdicated eight years ago, and the palace was already largely under Yang Jian's control. He didn't want to see father and son turn against each other.
Of course, Yang Zhong had conditions: he would completely relinquish power, even handing over his list of confidantes to Yang Jian.
However, Yang Jian had to control the imperial power and the realm through his own strength; Yang Zhong would not assist him.
This was a test from a father to his son.
It was precisely because of this agreement that Yang Jian was willing to tarnish his own reputation and lure out the opposition, only to then strike them down.
Yang Jian still had several brothers who were eyeing his throne.
This method, though insidious, was effective and quick.
...
Yang Hong, confined in the Cold Palace, was naturally unaware of the bloody purges occurring in the imperial court. It was only on the third day after Jia Yuanchun and the others moved into their new small courtyards that he met two people.
Zhou Liangong, the father of Noble Lady Zhou, and Jia Zheng, the father of Jia Yuanchun.
The two were waiting outside the gate of the newly built small courtyards. As men, it was inconvenient for them to enter the palaces of concubines, even those in the Cold Palace.
Yang Hong was also curious how Yang Jian had allowed these two men in, so he came out to meet them.
"Gentlemen, is there something you need?"
He glanced at the two men, both appearing to be in their forties or fifties. Zhou Liangong was imposing and Jia Zheng was refined, but both had pleasant looks, explaining why they could have such beautiful daughters.
"Greetings, Sixth Prince."
Although Yang Hong was a prince in the Cold Palace, Zhou Liangong and Jia Zheng dared not be disrespectful. They had not forgotten the executions at the Meridian Gate yesterday.
They now realized that sending concubines to the Cold Palace prince's courtyard was not merely a gesture, but a trap set by Yang Jian, and with the permission of Emperor Emeritus Yang Zhong.
In the morning court yesterday, a total of sixty-one civil officials and twenty-eight military generals had stepped forward to oppose Yang Jian's decision to send concubines to the Cold Palace prince's palaces.
All eighty-nine of them were subsequently either demoted or executed by the emperor's Imperial Guards and the Black-Clothed Guards, armed with various pieces of evidence.
None were spared!
Only then did everyone understand.
If the emperor wanted to send concubines to a prince's palace, it would be easy to do so without a stir, not only in an inconspicuous place like the Cold Palace, but even in the Crown Prince's East Palace, which was a focal point of attention.
How could it possibly cause such a widespread uproar?
This was a deliberate trap.
The families of Noble Lady Lu and Noble Lady Wang, while not executed, were all demoted and sent to serve in remote regions outside the capital.
Zhou Liangong and Jia Zheng, despite their strong stance, had only expressed a desire to see their daughters and had not yet uttered words of harming them.
Therefore, they had narrowly escaped. This led to their current request to see Yang Hong.
Looking at the prince before them, who, despite wearing coarse cloth, possessed a face as fair as jade, with sharp eyebrows and piercing eyes, and an exceptionally handsome appearance, the two men were filled with admiration.
Truly the most handsome prince of this generation of the Great Sui imperial family.
However, they quickly regained their composure, with Zhou Liangong speaking first.
"Sixth Prince, we wish to see our daughters."
"See your daughters? Ah, I see. Come in, you can find them yourselves."
Yang Hong nodded upon hearing their purpose and turned to walk back.
"Your Highness~ Your Highness~"
Zhou Liangong called out to Yang Hong again. Seeing Yang Hong turn back with a look of confusion, he quickly added.
"Please inform them, tell Zhou Fengzhi and Jia Yuanchun to come out and see us."
They were external officials and dared not enter the inner palace, lest it provide Yang Jian with an excuse to kill them.
"Heh heh~ I know your concerns. Come in, I'll show you around. You can then spread word of the situation outside."
Yang Hong was aware of the schemes of Yang Jian, Yang Zhong, and Empress Dugu, but he was no fool, nor was he a mere pawn.
Therefore, when the new small courtyards were being built, he had stubbornly insisted that they be constructed according to his own blueprints.
Unable to dissuade Yang Hong's resolute stance, the three could only agree.
Zhou Liangong and Jia Zheng exchanged glances, gritted their teeth, and followed. Having come this far, they had no turning back.
They knew that Yang Jian's butcher's knife had already been raised high. Now, they either waited to die or found an opportunity to break the stalemate.
The chance to break the stalemate might be right before them.
"You don't need to worry. Everyone here is pure and innocent."
Seeing their somber and worried expressions, Yang Hong said with a smile.
"We naturally trust Sixth Prince. It is well-known that Sixth Prince is a gentleman."
Jia Zheng had regained his usual refined demeanor and cupped his hands towards Yang Hong, offering a compliment.
"Haha~ Well said, 'well-known.' You are quite eloquent."
Yang Hong laughed heartily, gaining a slightly higher regard for the refined middle-aged man.
"Heh heh~ Sixth Prince has been intelligent and studious since childhood, well-versed and reasonable. Who in the court does not know this?"
Seeing that Yang Hong seemed to enjoy flattery, Jia Zheng continued to sing his praises.
However, he didn't know Yang Hong well, so he could only repeat phrases like "well-versed and reasonable," and "gentle and cultured."
Zhou Liangong, standing beside him, felt a bit awkward.
"Heh heh~"
Yang Hong did not expose the refined gentleman's awkwardness and led the two around the courtyard.
The new courtyard covered an area of sixty-five mu. Apart from Yang Hong's original small building, all other areas were leveled. Then, eight three-story small buildings, each covering one mu, were constructed in a Bagua arrangement.
These small buildings were all built along the outer walls, at least two li away from Yang Hong's small building.
Currently, seven concubines, along with fourteen palace maids, resided in one of these small buildings.
Their governesses and eunuchs had all been dismissed.
After a brief tour, Jia Zheng's throat was parched, and Zhou Liangong, the military man, took over the flattery. Finally, the three returned to the entrance of the small courtyard.
After a few more steps, the three arrived at the first small building they had passed, and Yang Hong stopped.
"Go in. Your daughters reside in this small building."
To the ghost-stricken expressions of Zhou Liangong and Jia Zheng, Yang Hong knocked on the door of the small building.
Then, he took two steps back, showing no intention of entering himself.
"Creak~"
The door of the small building opened. Zhou Fengzhi and Jia Yuanchun, with tears welling up in their eyes, pushed the door open and ran out to their respective fathers, then knelt down.
"Your unfilial daughters, Zhou Fengzhi / Jia Yuanchun, pay respects to Father."
"Rise, rise."
Zhou Liangong and Jia Zheng, with tears in their eyes, awkwardly helped them up.
The other noble ladies opened the doors of their small buildings, looking enviously at the father-daughter reunion.
They might never have the chance to see their fathers again in their lives.
Yang Hong retreated to a distance, not listening to what the two father-daughter pairs were saying. Only when he saw that Zhou Liangong and the other man seemed ready to leave did he reappear.
"Gentlemen, I don't know who you are, nor do I wish to know.
When you leave, please spread the word about my small courtyard.
As for whether your daughters are innocent or not, I do not concern myself. But I, Yang Hong, am innocent."
Yang Hong looked at Zhou Liangong and the other man calmly. However, upon hearing Yang Hong's words, Zhou Liangong was taken aback.
What did he mean, he didn't care if their daughters were innocent or not?
Was that something a person would say?
"As for whether people outside believe it, I don't really care. I can't see them anyway."
"Oh, and tell my father the Emperor that the weather is getting cold, and I'm too lazy to move."
With that, Yang Hong, ignoring the stunned duo, turned and returned to his own small building.
The ritual of '灌顶' (guàndǐng - an initiation or empowerment ritual) had not yet been performed for the day.