[History of the Sui Dynasty Palace] [27]

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Chapter Twenty-Seven: Disaster Comes from the Mouth; Gao Jiong's Slander Leads to Blinded Wisdom; Yang Yue's Statement. It is said that after Prince Yang Guang of Jin requested an audience with the emperor, he knew that Empress Dugu deeply disliked Crown Prince Yang Yong and favored him, so he felt quite at ease. After returning to Yangzhou, he secretly planted many trusted confidants in the capital, who were very well-informed. They were especially clear about the gains and losses and movements of the Eastern Palace. Among the Eastern Palace officials was a man named Ji Wei, originally a favorite of Crown Prince Yong, but having received a heavy bribe from Prince Yang Guang, he didn't hesitate to reveal all the Eastern Palace's private affairs. Therefore, Prince Yang Guang knew everything about the Eastern Palace's every move.
This day, he received a secret letter from Ji Wei detailing the Eastern Palace's recent indulgence in drinking and misconduct. Prince Yang Guang, ambitious and determined, thought that if he didn't seize this opportunity, he would seize the throne. Immediately, he consulted with Sima Zhang Heng, who said, "If we want to depose and install the Crown Prince, we must first get rid of one person before we can proceed without hindrance." Prince Guang of Jin asked anxiously, "Who is this person? Sima, tell me quickly." Zhang Heng said, "It is the Left Minister Gao Jiong. He is very close to the Crown Prince, and they are related by marriage. The daughter of Crown Prince Yong is the wife of Gao Jiong's eldest son, Biao Ren. He has repeatedly covered up the Crown Prince's mistakes in front of the Emperor. The Emperor trusts Gao Jiong's words the most. If we don't get rid of him, the Crown Prince's position will be difficult to shake." Prince Guang of Jin said angrily, "That scoundrel Gao Jiong is always against me. Sima, do you have any brilliant plan to get rid of him first?"
Zhang Heng said, "There is an opportunity now. Your Highness only needs to secretly write a letter and send it to the Empress, saying that Gao Jiong is protecting the Crown Prince and is plotting to kill Your Highness. He instructs the Empress to..." "There's a way to save her. The Empress loves Your Highness the most, she'll definitely agree." Prince Jin pondered for a long time, then shook his head and said, "This plan is not advisable. The Empress knows Gao Jiong well, she may not be willing to believe it. It would be better to think of another way." Zhang Heng smiled and said, "Your Highness need not worry. The Empress deeply hates Gao Jiong, how could she not listen?" Prince Jin asked in surprise, "How could Gao Jiong have angered the Empress? How did Sima know?" Zhang Heng said, "Your Highness did not know. Yesterday, I received a letter from Director Li of the Imperial Palace in the capital, mentioning that the Empress deeply hates Gao Jiong for regarding her as a woman.
This is the perfect opportunity for Your Highness." Upon hearing this, Prince Jin was overjoyed and said, "That scoundrel Gao Jiong is truly doomed." He immediately wrote a secret letter and sent it to the palace, secretly presenting it to Empress Dugu.
Upon seeing the secret letter from her beloved son, Empress Dugu hurriedly opened and read it. She then told the messenger, "Report back to the Prince of Jin, telling him to serve with peace of mind. With me alive, I will not embarrass him." The messenger returned with the order, but Empress Dugu secretly plotted to slander Gao Jiong. Coincidentally, one day Gao Jiong's concubine gave birth to a son. The Sui Emperor was very happy for him, but Empress Dugu was displeased. The Sui Emperor asked why, and Empress Dugu said sadly, "Gao Jiong is an upright man, yet he has lied to the Emperor." The Sui Emperor was even more surprised and asked, "Where did you get this information, my dear minister?" Empress Dugu said, "Has Your Majesty forgotten that several months ago, Gao Jiong's wife died of illness? At that time, I once advised Your Majesty that because Minister Gao was getting old, the sudden loss of his wife seemed to be a great loss, so I urged Your Majesty to remarry. Your Majesty immediately summoned Minister Gao to the palace and explained the situation to him, but he said that he was already old and after court he only recited scriptures and slept alone, unwilling to take another wife." At that time, Your Majesty and I praised him for his virtue. How could it be that Minister Gao, who claimed to recite scriptures alone, now reports that his concubine has given birth to a child? Clearly, he was unwilling to remarry before, but he truly loved his concubine, so he didn't hesitate to deceive Your Majesty to his face. Isn't that right? Now that his deception has been exposed, Your Majesty must be careful. From now on, you cannot trust what he says. Upon hearing this, the Sui Emperor suddenly realized and said, "If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten. Speaking of which, I just remembered something. Before his death, Duke Yiyang, Wang Shiji, was very close to him. Later, when Wang Shiji rebelled, people said that he and Shiji had colluded in the rebellion. I didn't believe it at the time and didn't punish him, only killing Shiji. Now, however, it is suspicious. I also suspect that he and the Crown Prince are colluding. I have repeatedly asked him about the matter of deposing and establishing an heir, but he always defends the Crown Prince and argues that it is inappropriate. I believe he must have his own selfish motives." "Upon hearing this, Dugu was deeply moved and said, 'Your Majesty's wisdom is boundless. The Crown Prince's indulgence in sensual pleasures is entirely unbecoming of a heir apparent. This is why I am anxious day and night, constantly thinking that it would be better to depose him as soon as possible, lest he jeopardize future important matters.' The Sui Emperor nodded and said, 'I have my own plan.' The next morning at court, the Sui Emperor ordered the officials to review the old case of Wang Shiji. The officials, already aware of the Emperor's intentions, concluded that Gao Jiong was indeed suspected of treason and thus dismissed him from his position as Left Minister, allowing him to retire to his residence as a duke. When this news reached Prince Guang of Jin in Yangzhou, although he was pleased, he still felt somewhat uneasy. Zhang Heng devised a plan, secretly bribing the official Yuan Liang, to falsely accuse Zhi Zibiao Ren of being a traitor, and to persuade his father, who once said, 'Sima Zhongda, feigning illness to avoid court, eventually gained the empire; my father now...'" In this situation, who knows if it wasn't a blessing in disguise? The Sui emperor was furious upon receiving the letter and immediately arrested Gao Jiong, bringing him to the Inner Secretariat for interrogation. He
then stripped Gao Jiong of his title and reduced him to commoner status on trumped-up charges. When Prince Guang of Jin learned of Gao Jiong's dismissal, he felt he had one less rival and his ambition to seize the crown prince intensified. He consulted with Zhang Heng, saying, "Sima previously said that to depose the crown prince, Gao Jiong must first be removed. Now that Gao Jiong is dismissed, Sima must devise a new plan to overthrow the crown prince." Zhang Heng replied, "Your Majesty's abilities are limited. I recommend someone to discuss the plan with you: Yuwen Shu, the governor of Anzhou. He is resourceful and adaptable. Why doesn't Your Majesty summon him to discuss this matter secretly?" "Prince Jin then submitted a memorial requesting the appointment of Yuwen Shu as the Prefect of Shouzhou. The Sui Emperor, unaware of his intentions, readily approved it. Yuwen Shu, having been transferred south, passed through Guangling and visited Prince Jin, Guang. Guang immediately hosted a grand banquet, treating him with great hospitality. Halfway through the meal, Prince Jin dismissed his attendants and knelt before Yuwen Shu. Shu hurriedly returned the courtesy, helping Guang to his feet, saying, 'Your Highness's humility in paying such a respectful price must be for your instruction. Though I am unworthy, I am willing to serve you.' Guang feigned sorrow, saying, 'My elder brother, Yong, is now the Crown Prince and has long plotted to harm me. It is only because of the Emperor and Empress Dowager's pity for my foolishness that he has shown me such mercy. However, the Emperor is already advanced in years; if anything were to happen to him, and the Crown Prince were to ascend the throne, I would have no place to be buried. I humbly beg you, sir, to devise a brilliant plan.' Shu said, 'Your Highness need not worry. The Crown Prince has long lost the Emperor's favor, and rumors of his deposition and enthronement have spread throughout the capital.'" "Your Highness's virtuous character is renowned and praised by all officials. Who else, besides Your Highness, will ascend the throne?" Prince Guang of Jin said, "Although there are rumors of a deposition, no concrete evidence has been found, and there's a fear that things might change over time." Shu said, "Your Highness's view is not wrong. The matter of deposition is indeed difficult to discuss. From now on, we need a trusted minister to persuade him to succeed. Among the officials in the court, Yang Su is currently the most trusted by the Emperor. Does Your Highness have any connection with Su?" Prince Guang of Jin frowned and said, "We don't exchange visits. I'm afraid he won't agree to help." Shu said, "It's not difficult. I'm on good terms with Yang Yue, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. Yue is Yang Su's younger brother, and Minister Yang always consults with him. I deeply trust his words. I wish to go to the capital and speak with Yue on your behalf." "Overjoyed, Yang Yue immediately took out a considerable amount of gold and jewels, instructing Yuwen Shu to take them into the pass for use.
It turned out that Yang Yue was inherently greedy; as long as he accepted the large sums, he wouldn't fall into the trap.
Therefore, as soon as Yuwen Shu arrived in Chang'an, he visited Yang Yue. The old friend's reunion was naturally a great joy.
Shu first presented Yang Yue with several precious items, which delighted Yang Yue. Yuwen Shu then hosted a banquet to welcome him, drinking and reveling until they were completely satisfied. The next day, Yang Yue returned to visit Yuwen Shu, who then prepared a grand feast to entertain him. Yang Yue saw that the furnishings on the table were all exquisitely crafted.
Even a cup and chopsticks were intricately carved. As I've already mentioned, Yang Yue was a greedy man; seeing these rare items, he couldn't help but drool, admiring and drinking, unable to put them down. Yuwen Shu then said, 'I wish to gamble with you, sir. Shall we use these items as the stakes?'" Yang Yue readily agreed and began gambling with Shu. Shu pretended to lose, and all the antiques were lost to Yang Yue. Although Yue was secretly pleased, he was too embarrassed to
take them all because he had won so much. He wanted to decline, but he was also reluctant to give them up, and before he knew it, he had revealed a troubled expression.
Yuwen Shu, ever shrewd, had already discerned Yang Yue's thoughts and knew it was time to offer his advice. He whispered something in Yang Yue's ear. Yang Yue was overjoyed and said, "How could I disobey?" They then drank another cup. Yang Yue, in high spirits, became quite drunk. Yuwen Shu then ordered music to accompany the wine. Amidst the sounds of sheng and huang, a pair of beautiful women, as supple as bones and as light as swallows, danced gracefully. Yang Yue, still half-asleep, watched the two beauties dance. Sometimes they moved like butterflies flitting among flowers, sometimes like mandarin ducks playing in the water, their sleeves fluttering lightly, ethereal and otherworldly. Yang Yue was captivated. Yuwen Shu raised his cup to invite him to drink, but he remained oblivious. Yuwen Shu laughed, "Sir, your true intention is not in the wine." Hearing this, Yang Yue realized he had been lost in thought, blushed, and hastily spilled his wine, revealing his utter embarrassment. Yuwen Shu called out, "Ayun, Yun'er, you needn't dance anymore. Quickly offer a cup to Lord Yang." The two beauties stopped dancing and went to the table to set out cups and chopsticks for Yang Yue, pouring wine for him. Shu pointed to one who was slightly taller and said, "This is Ayun," and then to one with a mole between her eyebrows, saying, "This is Yun'er. Please judge which one is better." Yang Yue, still slightly drunk, said, "The beauty of flowers and the slenderness of swallows, each has its own charm; it's hard to say which is better." Yuwen Shu smiled and said, "How about I present them to you?" Yang Yue had to decline a few times before finally accepting them. After drinking for a while, Yang Yue was completely drunk and was helped inside by Ayun and Yun'er to rest. When Yang Yue sobered up, it was already past noon. Yang Yue hurriedly got up, intending to take his leave. Yuwen Shu wanted to keep him for drinks, but Yang Yue laughed and said, "I've already received much kindness today; I'll come again another day." Yuwen Shu didn't insist, but said, "I hope you will do your best to fulfill the request I've made." Yang Yue nodded and said, "Please don't worry, I will surely repay you." Yuwen Shu saw Yang Yue out and then sent all his treasures, along with A-Yun and Yun'er, to Yang Yue's residence. Yang Yue accepted them without further ado.
The next day, he went to see Yang Su, but pretended to be frowning. Seeing that Yue's expression was unusual, Su asked him why. Yue replied, "Brother and I have jointly held power in the court for many years. We have suffered humiliation at the hands of many officials, but because of His Majesty's favor, we dare not criticize them, so it is not a serious concern. The Crown Prince, however, is constantly resentful of you because his indulgences are often thwarted. Once he inherits the throne, his close relatives, such as Yun Dingxin, and his courtiers, such as Tang Lingze, may not share your political views. We brothers will then face the danger of not knowing when we will live. This is why I am deeply troubled and unhappy." Yang Su also paled and asked, "What should we do?" Yang Yue feigned a moment of contemplation and said, "Act quickly; there might be a way." Yang Su hurriedly asked how, and Yue said, "The Crown Prince has lost the favor of Empress Dowager Cixi, and I have heard that she intends to depose him. I suppose you have also learned of this." Yang Su stroked his beard and nodded, saying, "Precisely because the Crown Prince is about to be deposed, I fear..." "If something unexpected happens, it will be detrimental to both of us," said Yue. "The best course of action now is for my brother and I to wait for an opportunity and petition the Prince of Jin to be enthroned. The Prince of Jin is deeply favored and will surely be able to accomplish great things. If we can perform meritorious service at the right time, the Prince of Jin will surely be grateful and never forget us. We can then avoid danger and ensure our wealth and honor will be preserved forever." Su was overjoyed and said, "Brother, your words are excellent! I had not thought of this before. Thanks to your plan, I will proceed immediately." Yue continued, "Now, His Majesty accepts everything the Empress says. My brother is the best. Wait for the opportunity to speak up. If things change over time, disaster will be unpredictable, not to mention wealth and honor." Yang Su said, "That's for sure. I can handle it myself. The Empress trusts me, so this matter is not too difficult." Seeing that Su had agreed, Yue took his leave and went out. He then informed Yuwen Shu, who in turn informed the Prince of Jin. But let's leave that aside for now.
After hearing Yang Yue's words, Yang Su harbored ulterior motives and only wanted to seize an opportunity to speak up, but unfortunately, there was no opportunity to do so. For several days, he was filled with unease. Yang Yue kept pressing him with questions, making Yang Su restless and unable to eat. It seemed something was amiss; it was the ominous star of Crown Prince Yong's downfall. That day, after the Sui emperor's morning court session, as the officials were dispersing, a eunuch suddenly appeared, loudly proclaiming the emperor's decree, summoning Yang Su to the palace for a banquet. Su was overjoyed; today his worries had been resolved. He followed the eunuch into the palace. Indeed: Prepared with eloquent words, he could kill without a knife.
To find out what happens next, please read the next chapter.

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[History of the Sui Dynasty Palace] [27]

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