[History of the Sui Dynasty Palace] [13]

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Chapter Thirteen: A Virtuous Woman's Soul Flees Due to Deliberate Indulgence; A Feud Becomes a Ruin for a Feudal Prince.
Emperor Jun laughed heartily, "I've got it! I've got it!" Xiao Huan asked, "What brilliant plan does Your Majesty have?" Emperor Jun replied, "I've remembered! Shi is the wife of Yang Shun, the Chamberlain. I'll ask Yang Shun for her. If he dares to refuse, I'll kill him first and then seize Shi for myself. I'm afraid she won't be to my liking." Xiao Huan frowned, "If we do that, it will inevitably spread and cause gossip." Emperor Jun roared, "Anyone who dares to speak out will be beheaded!" Seeing Emperor Jun's displeasure, Xiao Huan remained silent, letting him do as he pleased. Emperor Jun immediately ordered his eunuch to summon Yang Shun, the Chamberlain, to an audience. Shortly after, Yang Shun arrived. Upon seeing Emperor Jun, the Emperor said, "Your wife, Lady Shi, just now in Xianyang Palace, offended the Empress Dowager with her words and left without saying goodbye. I consider her ignorance as a woman and her momentary lapse in decorum, therefore I have summoned you to the palace. Quickly go and instruct Lady Shi to come to the palace immediately and apologize to the Empress Dowager. That will suffice." Yang Shun, unaware of the details, upon hearing that Lady Shi had dared to offend the Empress Dowager, immediately prostrated himself and said, "My wife comes from a humble family and is ignorant of etiquette. Fortunately, Your Majesty is wise and considerate of her status as a woman, and will not punish her. I will respectfully obey your decree and order my wife to come to the palace to apologize. I will await the Empress Dowager's judgment." Emperor Jun said, "The Empress Dowager is merciful and will not make things difficult for your wife. Go quickly." Yang Shun thanked Emperor Jun and left the palace to return home.
Upon seeing Lady Shi, Yang Shun was furious and rebuked her: "How dare you offend the Empress Dowager! The Emperor has decreed that you enter the palace to apologize. Go immediately without delay!" Lady Shi was terrified and turned pale. She wept and recounted the whole story to her husband. Yang Shun then suddenly realized the gravity of the situation and was extremely anxious. If he disobeyed the decree, the Emperor would pin fabricated charges on him and his wife. If he allowed Lady Shi to enter the palace, it would be like sending her into the tiger's den, allowing the tyrannical Emperor to defile her. He would also be letting Lady Shi down. Even Lady Shi herself would not want to enter the palace. Seeing Yang Shun's anxious expression, Lady Shi knelt down sadly and said, "My lord, please rest assured. I will risk my life to go to the palace and see that tyrannical emperor." Yang Shun knew that Lady Shi would not be defiled and would surely die a tragic death if she went there, so he couldn't help but shed tears and knelt down as well, saying, "It would be better if I abandoned my official post and escaped with you." Just then, a servant came in and reported, "There are two palace maids outside the palace. They have sent a palace carriage to fetch the lady." Lady Shi gritted her teeth and said to Yang Shun, "I am going. Take care, my lord." After saying this, she left the mansion and boarded the palace carriage. When it stopped at the palace gate, two palace maids led her to Emperor Jun. Emperor Jun was very pleased and said with a smile, "Lady Shi, your body must have been washed clean long ago. Come, come, come, my lady and I are about to fulfill our promise." After saying this, he stepped forward and tugged at her sleeve.
With a flick of her sleeve, Lady Shi's eyebrows shot up and her almond-shaped eyes widened as she pointed at Emperor Jun, saying, "How can you forget the principles of morality and propriety? How can a subject's wife be insulted by a ruler? I came here by summons with the resolve to die; there is no way I can survive. If Your Majesty can repent and spare me from this humiliation, not only will I be deeply grateful for Your Majesty's grace, but the Song Dynasty will not perish. If you insist on humiliating me, my death will not be enough. It is a pity that the Song Dynasty is about to be destroyed by a foolish ruler." Lady Shi's insults to Emperor Jun would have enraged any other emperor, but Emperor Jun laughed loudly, saying, "Lady Shi's anger makes her even more beautiful. Not to mention the destruction of the Song Dynasty because of you, even if I were to die because of you, it would be worthwhile. To die under the peony is to die a romantic death." Seeing Emperor Jun's audacity and realizing that she could not provoke him, Lady Shi thought to herself, "Enough!" and rammed her head against a pillar.
No sooner said than done, Shi's delicate body was embraced from behind. When Shi turned around, it was Xiao Huan. Enemies meeting again, eyes blazed with fury. Shi burst into curses: "Shameless, despicable servant! You aid and abet evil! I cannot bear to eat your flesh in life, but even in death I will not let you live freely!" Xiao Huan remained unperturbed, only smiling slightly. Just as Shi was about to break free, Xiao Huan reached into her bosom and swiftly pulled something, covering Shi's mouth and nose. Shi smelled a strange fragrance, which immediately assaulted her senses, and she lost consciousness, as if dead. Xiao Huan and the others then helped her onto the bed. Emperor Jun clapped his hands and laughed, "Are you afraid she'll fly to the heavens? Huan'er is truly adorable." It turned out that Huan had known all along that Shi Shi was fierce and would refuse to submit to him upon entering the palace. So she had hidden a sleeping potion by her side, and when the time came, she took it out and used it. No matter how Shi Shi resisted, once she smelled the potion, she couldn't move. What happened next, I can't bear to write. It was nothing more than an innocent Shi Shi, in her ignorance, being defiled by that lecherous emperor.
When the effects of the drug wore off and Shi Shi awoke, she was naked, lying in a brocade quilt. Knowing she had been violated, she couldn't help but cover her face and weep bitterly. At this time, the room was quiet and empty. It turned out that after Emperor Jun had satisfied his lust, he had left, leaving only two palace maids guarding the door. Seeing that the room was empty and her body had been violated, Shi Shi contemplated suicide. It was already dark when Lady Shi tore the quilt's clips into several strips, pieced them together, and strung them into loops on the bedposts. She then climbed onto the bed railing, slipped the loops over her neck, and her small, bound feet left the railing, dangling in the air. Before long, Lady Shi's soul left her body. When the palace maids entered to light the lamps, they glimpsed Lady Shi hanging naked in the air and hurriedly reported to Emperor Jun. Emperor Jun, upon seeing this, was very displeased, saying, "I have harmed her!" He immediately ordered the palace maids to carry her down and give her a proper burial. From then on, he forbade Xiao Huan from using any more sleeping potions.
Xiao Huan subsequently became disoriented and mentally unstable, and within a few days, she too fell ill and died. Emperor Jun was deeply grieved, having lost a trusted confidante. Some say, "Xiao Huan's death was caused by Shi's ghost stealing her soul." I, for one, am reluctant to advocate superstitious talk. Perhaps Xiao Huan's death was due to the fear that Shi's ghost would come after her suicide, causing her to fall ill from fear and become mentally unstable. It's not necessarily true that Shi's ghost came to claim Xiao Huan's life, but let's leave that aside.
After Xiao Huan's death, Emperor Jun relied entirely on the three sisters, Jingyi and the others, to take turns in his favor. However, news of Emperor Jun's affair with his sisters had already spread, causing a great uproar.
Everyone said that the current emperor was licentious, and before long, it reached the ears of Prince Yixuan of Nanqiao, who was stationed in Jingzhou. How could Yixuan not be furious that his daughter had been defiled by Emperor Jun? At this time, Zang Zhi, the governor of Yongzhou, was transferred to Jiangzhou. Zang Zhi relied on his great contributions in helping Emperor Jun and raising the rebel army. After Emperor Jun ascended the throne, he did not give him an important position, so he inevitably harbored resentment. Now, it has been discovered that Prince Yixuan of Nanqiao is also opposing the court because his daughter was raped. Zang Zhi was originally related to Yixuan's children by marriage, as his daughter Jingying was the wife of Yixuan's son Cai. Zhi secretly wrote to Yixuan, urging him to raise an army and advance on Jiankang, promising to lead troops to assist him. Yixuan, who already harbored resentment towards the court, was spurred on by Zang Zhi and secretly made contacts in various places. They originally planned to launch an uprising together in the autumn. However, Lu Shuang, the governor of Yuzhou, and Zang Zhi had already rashly raised troops, so Yixuan had no choice but to hastily follow suit and launch an attack as well.
When the news reached Emperor Jun's ears, he was greatly alarmed. Because of Yixuan's strong military power, he wanted to abdicate the throne and volunteer to welcome Yixuan as emperor. Most of the princes and ministers had no opinion, except for Prince Dan of Jingling, who countered: "Yi Xuan has raised an army to rebel against the emperor, waging war recklessly without a just cause. Success is unlikely. It would be better to send generals to meet the enemy and settle the matter once and for all. How can we relinquish the throne to someone else?" Emperor Jun, having no preconceived notions, abandoned the plan to abdicate. He immediately ordered General Liu Yuanjing, General Wang Xuanmo, and others to join forces to attack Yi Xuan.
At this time, Liu Xiu, the governor of Yizhou, had already broken with Yi Xuan and secretly led his army to attack Jiangling. Zhu Xiu, the governor of Yongzhou, feigned allegiance to Yi Xuan while secretly maintaining communication with Jiankang, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Yi Xuan, believing Xiu to be a genuine ally, no longer guarded against him. It wasn't until later, when Yi Xuan issued a proclamation ordering Zhu Xiu to send troops to support him, that Xiu remained inactive, revealing that Xiu's allegiance was not genuine. Yi Xuan then ordered Lu Xiu, the governor of Sizhou, to lead troops to attack Xiu. Within a short time, war raged everywhere. Only after Yixuan's various armies were defeated and Yixuan was executed was the peace declared. After Yixuan's death, Emperor Jun summoned all of his daughters to the palace, especially the three sisters Jingyi, Jingwan, and Jingzhen. Among them, Jingyi was the most favored by Emperor Jun, spending every day with him and enjoying the highest level of favor in the palace. Later, she gave birth to a son, and Emperor Jun was even more delighted. He named Jingyi's son "Zilan," making him the eighth child, and bestowed upon Jingyi the title of Consort Shu. However, since she was a cousin, it couldn't be said directly. So, they transferred her to Yixuan's family, and from there she entered the palace, thus bestowing upon her the title of Consort Yin Shu. This far-fetched misattribution was truly ingenious. But if you don't want people to know, don't do it in the first place. How could they possibly conceal it from the world? But that's another story.
After Emperor Jun of Song executed Yi Xuan, he sought to consolidate power and refused to relinquish control to his subjects. He frequently suppressed the princes and oppressed the ministers. However, the more autocratic he became, the more intense the rebellion grew. Most ministers, having already refrained from any overbearing behavior, remained silent. Only his younger brother, Prince Dan of Jingling, who had joined the righteous army during the campaign against the rebel Shao, again spearheaded the campaign against Yi Xuan, successfully pacifying the three major garrisons. Emperor Jun then promoted Dan to Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince and Governor of Yangzhou. However, Dan was no quiet man. Confident in his achievements, he built a magnificent mansion, indulging in extreme luxury, and constructed elaborate gardens and ponds. He also recruited many strong men as his bodyguards, whose gleaming armor caused a sensation. Emperor Jun, already deeply suspicious of Dan during his autocratic rule, now, having learned of Prince Dan's actions, could not help but take precautions. He repeatedly transferred troops, eventually appointing Dan as the governor of Nanyan Prefecture, and sending the Minister of Works Liu Xianchen to guard Nanxu, secretly monitoring him.
In the third year of the reign title Daming, Prince Dan of Jingling indeed began to plot, repairing city walls and reorganizing his troops, preparing to challenge Emperor Jun. Military advisor Liu Zhiyuan, having learned of Dan's rebellion, feigned returning to the capital to inform Emperor Jun. Emperor Jun secretly took precautions, waiting for Dan's rebellious intentions to be revealed before sending troops to suppress him. At this time, Dan's arrogance grew even greater. He privately commissioned an imperial carriage, extremely exquisite, and frequently rode in it with his guards through the markets. He also believed the sorcerer Tu Boyang, using bewitching magic to curse Emperor Jun. Consequently, Liu Cheng of Wu Commandery and Chen Danzhi of Yuzhang successively submitted memorials denouncing the rebellion. Emperor Jun immediately summoned his officials to impeach Dan for his crimes, removed him from his post as governor of Nanyan Prefecture, demoted him to marquis, and ordered him to return to the capital. He then appointed Huan Lang, the prefect of Yixing, as governor of Yan Prefecture, and assigned him 3,000 Imperial Guards to launch a surprise attack on Nanyan Prefecture.
However, the plan was not kept secret; Dan had already received the news and was fully prepared. At dawn that day, Huan Lang attacked the city, but Dan had already led his troops out to strike. Huan Lang, who had come to ambush Dan, was caught off guard and killed instantly. The 3,000 Imperial Guards were also scattered.
Upon receiving the report, Emperor Jun ordered Shen Qingzhi to lead troops to suppress the rebellion, and also ordered Zong Que, governor of Yu Prefecture, and Liu Daolong, governor of Xu Prefecture, to join forces at the walls of Guangling City, setting a deadline for its capture. The three generals' troops arrived at the walls of Guangling City and immediately launched an attack. Prince Jingling, Dan, repeatedly went out of the city to meet the enemy, but was repeatedly defeated and never won a single battle. Dan was forced to defend the city. At this time, Emperor Jun repeatedly urged Qingzhi to quickly break through the city and capture Prince Jingling alive. Qingzhi then led his troops in a fierce attack on the city, and they broke through the walls and stormed into the city. Seeing that all was lost, Dan only wanted to escape to avoid death, so he fled to the back garden to hide temporarily. He was spotted by his subordinate general Shen Yinzhi, who went to capture him. Dan ran for his life, but it was his fate to die. He accidentally fell into the pond and was immediately dragged out by the government troops, beheaded, and sent to the capital. Dan's mother, Lady Yin, and wife, Lady Xu, both committed suicide. Dan's son, Jingran, initially managed to hide, but after a few days, he was also captured by the government troops and could not escape death. He was a good Prince Jingling, but instead, he foolishly plotted and became the second Prince Nanqiao, Yiyi, bringing ruin upon his family. But let's leave that aside.
Since Emperor Jun quelled the rebellion of the Prince of Jingling, he had become increasingly suspicious of his ministers, mistreating them and indulging in sensual pleasures, gambling, and excessive drinking. His ministers, fearing punishment for speaking frankly, dared not offer any honest advice. Indeed: "Those who know the situation should not offer honest advice, for troubles all arise from speaking out."
To find out what happens next, please read the next chapter.

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