"No! I'm already invincible under heaven, why would I want a second-hand item? I can go out and find my own, I can have free love, and I can even abduct innocent women!"
"I've been tricked! I'm still too young!"
After Yang Zhong and the other two left, Yang Hong snapped out of his daydream.
"I'm still too young. I'm a transmigrator with a cheat, why would I care about women? Finding one myself would be more to my liking?"
"However, I do want to see what kind of tricks Dugu Jialuo can pull."
Yang Hong was neither a pervert nor an idiot, just momentarily overwhelmed by the situation. Now, he was no longer agitated.
The next day, eunuchs and craftsmen from the Imperial Manufactory arrived and knocked down the walls of the nine courtyards around the [Zhì Ruò Wǎng Wén Gé].
Besides the courtyards of the seven concubines who entered with Xiande Consort Jia Yuanchun, two other unoccupied courtyards nearby were also connected.
This was the emperor's command, not only to increase Yang Hong's farming area but also to cover up the arrival of several concubines into Yang Hong's courtyard.
Moreover, the Ministry of Works craftsmen were not involved in this construction to minimize any attention.
Half a month later, in the imperial palace, at the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Emperor Yang Jian was listening to his trusted eunuch, Dai Quan, report.
"Your Majesty, the profit from glass sales this month is 690,000 taels. The Retired Emperor decided to allocate 10,000 taels as rewards for the craftsmen and servants.
Your Majesty and the Retired Emperor each received 340,000 taels. Your Majesty's money has already been sent to the inner treasury."
"Good~ Good~ Good.
If I hadn't discovered it early, this glass business would have been entirely taken by the Retired Emperor."
Yang Jian, seated on his throne, was somewhat surprised. In less than a month, an income of 340,000 taels was quite astonishing, even for an emperor.
He knew that the current annual tax revenue of the Great Sui was only a little over 8 million taels, and that was the national treasury's income. This 340,000 taels was personal income that he could freely control.
Since he learned that Yang Hong's brewed wine had special properties, Yang Jian had ordered his inner guards, composed of eunuchs, and the Black Clad Guard, responsible for intelligence, to investigate thoroughly.
Thus, he learned that the Retired Emperor was also involved in the glass business and was making considerable monthly profits. He then put aside his pride and managed to secure half of the profits.
He never expected that this half would be so substantial.
Thinking of this, Yang Jian's mind drifted to the prince he had relegated to the Cold Palace.
"Dai Quan, does Hong'er have any other good things?"
"Your Majesty, the Sixth Prince currently has no other items. The most important thing now is the 142 jars of good wine in the Sixth Prince's wine cellar.
According to our investigation, within three months, all the wine will be drinkable. And these past few days, the Sixth Prince has drawn up a new list and may start brewing at any time."
"Keep a close eye on this wine. The Retired Emperor gets two-thirds, and we get one-third. Don't let the Retired Emperor get the better deal."
"This servant will personally oversee it."
"Very good. Our people are also brewing wine. Has it had any effect?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the wines [Liè Yàn], [Qīng Quán], and [Yān Huǒ] have all been refined by the imperial eunuchs, but none have shown any special effects.
Please forgive Your Majesty!"
Saying this, Dai Quan knelt to beg for forgiveness.
"Get up. This has nothing to do with you. From now on, keep an eye on Hong'er, and at the same time, ensure that no news of him leaks out."
"This servant obeys your decree."
Dai Quan promised and then stood up, continuing his report.
"The Sixth Prince's [Zhì Ruò Wǎng Wén Gé] has been renovated. It now covers an area of 65 mu. Apart from eight three-story small buildings, each occupying one mu, the rest of the area has been leveled and is ready for farming.
Six concubines have also moved in."
"Very good. The vegetables Hong'er is planting are also of utmost importance. They must be kept secret."
"Your Majesty, rest assured. It has been announced to the public that the concubines relegated to the Cold Palace are to become self-sufficient, to farm their own land. Starting next year, the Cold Palace will no longer provide food, only seeds."
"Hahaha~ This excuse is excellent. Announce it everywhere in the palace, notify all the imperial consorts, imperial grandmothers, and princes.
Prepare the Cold Palace as well. Those who are疯癫 will be cared for as usual, and those who are normal will also become self-sufficient. Send them farming tools and seeds."
Hearing Dai Quan's words, Yang Jian's eyes lit up. This way, Yang Hong's secret could be further concealed.
...
"Unfilial! Truly unfilial!"
In a sprawling mansion west of Daxing City, a plaque above the gate read [Rongguo Duke's Manor].
Inside the inner courtyard, in the Rongxi Hall, an old woman with white hair was trembling with rage, cursing.
The men and women of the younger generation seated below were all in a state of silent fear, for the old woman was the Grand Madam of the Rong Manor, Jia Shi. And the person she was calling unfilial was the current emperor.
"The current emperor is truly going too far. My Jia family, in any case, is a family of three dukes. Even if we have fallen, we are not to be bullied like this."
"This old woman will risk her life today to enter the palace and seek an audience with His Majesty!"
As she spoke, the old woman shakily stood up, as if truly intending to go to the palace.
"Old Ancestor, absolutely not~ Not at all~"
"Old Ancestor, please calm your anger."
"Mother, this is a matter of beheading, please calm your anger."
The men and women of the Jia family quickly rushed forward to dissuade her.
Jia Yuanchun had been sent to the Cold Palace, and they, the Jia family, were already keeping their heads down, acting cautiously, for fear that Yang Jian might, in a fit of anger, confiscate their entire clan.
But sending Jia Yuanchun to a prince's Cold Palace was too much. In this era of moralistic punishment, this was more severe than killing someone.
However, the Jia family still had a large household. Jia She and Jia Zheng did not wish to die, so they could only persuade her carefully.
"Alas~"
After throwing a tantrum for a while, Madam Jia's temper subsided, and she returned to her seat at the head.
"She'er, Zheng'er, what is the reaction of the other six families?"
"Consort Li, Consort Zhang, and Consort Hu's families are all from minor households. They dare not make a fuss or make any noise. They have all sold their properties in the capital and have already left the imperial city of Daxing overnight."
"Consort Lu and Consort Wang's families are on the side of the civil officials. They have already mobilized the literati and are preparing to impeach His Majesty in the imperial court."
"Consort Zhou's father, Zhou Liangong, is the Deputy Commander of the Fengtai Camp, and he has two sons who have joined major martial arts sects, both with very high martial arts skills. Therefore, Zhou Liangong will request an audience with Consort Zhou in the palace tomorrow.
I heard~ I heard~"
Jia She paused here, looking at everyone in the room, not daring to continue?
Madam Jia was very curious and pressed, "Heard what?"
Jia She looked around and said in a low voice, "I heard that Zhou Liangong intends to personally enter the palace and kill Consort Zhou."
"..."
Everyone fell into silence.
"Zheng'er, go find Zhou Liangong now, and you will go together tomorrow.
My Jia family also comes from military officials and were founding meritorious officials. We can die, but we cannot be humiliated like this!"
"But~"
"No buts! You, go now!"
"Child~ As~ ordered."
Jia Zheng reluctantly had to go find Zhou Liangong, but he truly did not want to, nor did he dare, to kill Jia Yuanchun.
With the push of interested parties, Yang Jian, who was once a loyal and wise ruler, suddenly became a debauched and tyrannical monarch overnight.
Not only were the literati scolding him, but even the military officials and nobles began to express their discontent.
Yang Jian had not expected that Dugu Jialuo and Yang Hong, who were supposed to bear the criticism, were unharmed, while he himself took all the blame.
However, he did not care. He had been prepared for this when he decided to act.
He wanted to see how many people were truly loyal to him. He was preparing to kill.