lovenovelstory Chapter 4 Within Reach of the Emperor
Chapter 4 Within Reach of the Emperor
Yang Yan leaned against the shadows in the corner, his eyes closed, his breathing steady, as if he were truly asleep.
However, in his mind, a silent simulation was unfolding wildly.
The focus of their gaze was on Yu Wen, the loyal but somewhat naive and foolish servant beside them.
The original owner of this body was timid and taciturn, obsequious to her father, but extremely dependent on her servants.
But now, my eyes are too cold, and my mind is too heavy.
If they spend a few more days together, it's hard to guarantee that his personal servant, with whom he grew up, won't see through their deception.
In an era where belief in ghosts and gods was rampant, being suspected of "possession" or "evil spirit possession" would only lead to a worse fate than being killed by Yang Guang.
He was like a mirror, constantly reflecting his own "abnormality".
He must be transferred away from my side.
But it cannot be a brutal expulsion, much less a ruthless silencing.
Yang Yan's fingertips gently caressed the inside of his sleeve.
"I'll take a nap, wake me up when we get there."
"Okay, okay. I'll add some more charcoal to the stove for you."
Seeing his master's appearance, Yu Wen assumed he was exhausted and dared not make any more noise. He quietly fiddled with the hand warmer for a while, then shrank to the side and remained silent.
Silence fell over the carriage.
The carriage rolled over the stone-paved road, a slight jolt traveling up my back. The air was filled with the faint scent of soap shavings from Yu Wen, and the greasy smell of the mutton soup that was gradually cooling down.
Yang Yan kept his eyes closed, but his mind was racing: "This kid is loyal and reliable, and has a clean background. He's a native of the Eastern Palace, born and raised there. If used properly, he's a very dependable weapon."
"Once things calm down these next few days, we need to find a reason to send him out on assignment."
Yang Yan quickly devised a plan.
"I'll send him to the imperial estate outside the city under the pretext of managing his private property. This will satisfy both the master-servant relationship and make him my eyes and ears outside the palace, a thorn in my side."
Most importantly, maintaining social distance is essential for safety.
Having resolved the hidden dangers posed by those around him, an even greater shadow looms ahead.
That exam paper should have already been sealed and sent to the Ministry of Personnel by now.
What expression would Xue Daoheng have upon seeing that exam paper? Shock? Angry? Or as if he had found a treasure?
What about Yang Jian?
If that suspicious ruler saw his eldest grandson (though born out of wedlock) pointing at him on the exam paper and criticizing him for "the excessive cost of governance due to distrust," would he fly into a rage and kill him, or would he summon him in the dead of night?
And Yang Guang...
Thinking of his second uncle, who was lurking in the shadows, Yang Yan unconsciously rubbed his fingers inside his sleeve.
If Yang Guang knew about this, he would definitely seize the opportunity. Either he would label himself as "recklessly criticizing state affairs and disobeying orders," completely cutting off any possibility of returning to the core of the imperial family; or he would flatter him to death, making Yang Jian even more suspicious of him.
"Every step is like dancing on a knife's edge."
Yang Yan took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
He had no way out.
If he hadn't written that exam paper, following the historical trend, his father, Yang Yong, would have been deposed and imprisoned for life in a few months. As the eldest son of the deposed crown prince, he would have faced endless house arrest until the day Yang Guang ascended the throne, when he would end his life with a cup of poison.
Rather than waiting to die, it is better to put yourself in a desperate situation and try to survive.
He was betting that Yang Jian wasn't senile yet, betting on the last remaining ambition in the heart of this founding emperor to "create peace for all generations."
If Yang Jian were willing to meet him and give him a chance to speak, with his knowledge that was 1,500 years ahead of his time and his accurate prediction of the course of history, he would be 50% confident that he could turn the tide.
"My lord, my lord?"
Yu Wen's cautious voice broke the deathly silence in the carriage, "We're almost at the side gate of the East Palace."
Yang Yan suddenly opened his eyes.
In that instant, the sharpness in his eyes was like lightning, startling Yu Wen so much that he shrank back. But in the blink of an eye, that sharpness vanished without a trace, replaced by a weariness and confusion unique to young people.
"arrive?"
He rubbed his temples, his voice hoarse.
Yu Wen lifted the carriage curtain.
As dusk settled, the vermilion walls of the Eastern Palace in the distance resembled a colossal beast, stretching across the sky and earth. The battlements atop the walls gleamed a cold, hard, iron-blue in the afterglow of the setting sun, exuding a somber and oppressive aura—a stark contrast to the vibrant hustle and bustle of the Western Market just moments before.
This is the center of power, and also the graveyard of kinship.
Yang Yan stood up straight and climbed out of the carriage.
Standing on the stool, he did not rush to get off. Instead, he looked back at the Daxing City that was gradually sinking into darkness behind him, and then at the brightly lit palace in front of him.
"Thank you for your hard work today."
Yang Yan jumped off the carriage, took the food box that Yu Wen had been carrying all the way, and said in a calm tone that revealed neither joy nor sorrow, "Go down and collect your reward. You don't need to serve me here tonight."
"Huh? My lord, this..." Yu Wen was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting his master, who always relied on him, to kick him out.
"Go."
Yang Yan said no more, picked up the box of mutton soup that had long since gone cold, and turned to walk toward the half-closed vermilion side door.
……
The night, as dark as ink, spilled over the glazed tiles and eaves of the Daxing Palace, engulfing this colossal structure, a symbol of supreme imperial power, in a chilling silence.
Inside the side hall of Daxing Hall, in the warm pavilion.
Although it was a winter night and the underground heating was burning brightly, it did not dispel the suffocatingly low atmosphere inside the hall.
The bronze cranes standing at the four corners held candles burning thick whale oil candles, their light filtering through the bright yellow lampshades and casting dappled, dim glows on the large rosewood table. In the flickering light and shadow, the figure behind the table appeared even more solitary and aloof.
Emperor Yang Jian of the Sui Dynasty was dressed in a yellowish-brown, narrow-sleeved casual robe. The white jade belt around his waist was tightly fastened, but it could not hide the slight hunch in his back and his fatigue.
His vermilion brush hovered over a memorial from Bingzhou, the drop of crimson vermilion at the tip of the brush lingering, just like his undecided and suspicious heart at that moment.
"Wang Shiji, the General Manager of Bingzhou..."
Yang Jian muttered the name under his breath, a sinister glint flashing in his cloudy eyes. "Even you've started land reclamation and military training? It seems Yu Qingze is about to make a final decision; we can't delay any longer. You old fogies, are you so eager to test the sharpness of my blade?"
"Smack."
He slammed the memorial shut with his vermilion brush and tossed it aside.
The air in the hall seemed to freeze instantly. The eunuchs and palace maids standing on both sides subconsciously held their breath, afraid that the slightest sound would provoke their wrath.
"His Majesty."
A high-pitched but desperately low voice broke the deathly silence.
The Grand Eunuch Yang Yue crouched low, holding a plain wooden box sealed with a seal in both hands. He shuffled into the hall like a startled quail and knelt down with a thud five steps away from the imperial desk.
"I have already had someone fetch His Highness Yang Yan's exam paper." Yang Yue paused, his forehead pressed to the ground, his voice trembling slightly.
"The seal was affixed by Xue Daoheng himself? Nobody dares to touch it, right?"
Yang Yue quickly kowtowed: "Your Majesty, I was escorted by officials from the Imperial Examination Hall the whole way, and I personally received you. The seals are intact!"