Hearing this, Xiao Shi understood her meaning and said in shock: “You went to Honghua Commandery to assassinate Li Yuan?”
“That’s right. Your daughter and Moping infiltrated the Governor’s residence disguised as servants. It was there that I met Wu Meixue. Unfortunately, I failed and couldn’t kill Li Yuan. Later, he even discovered my identity, and I barely escaped from Honghua Commandery.”
As Xiao Shi was about to speak further, a cold, stern voice rang out in the hall: “How dare you! Not only did you eavesdrop on my conversation with Anjiata, but you also left the palace without permission to assassinate a court official!”
With this voice, a bright yellow figure entered. When he came closer, one could see it was a middle-aged man with handsome features but a gloomy expression. Behind him followed a eunuch holding a whisk—it was Zheng Ying, the head eunuch of Qianyuan Hall and Yang Guang’s trusted confidant.
“Father Emperor!” Yunyi called out softly, panic flashing in her eyes. She truly hadn’t expected Yang Guang to come at this moment, much less to overhear her conversation with Xiao Shi.
Yang Guang sneered coldly: “So you still remember that I am your father emperor? I thought I had been too indulgent with you before, making you forget to show me proper respect.”
Yunyi had always held Yang Guang in both reverence and fear. Seeing his misunderstanding, she hurriedly propped up her weak body: “Your daughter knows she shouldn’t have acted so presumptuously, but everything I did was for father emperor and for the Great Sui Dynasty. I harbor not the slightest disrespect toward father emperor.”
As Yunyi lowered her head, a flash of disgust crossed Yang Guang’s eyes, and he said coldly: “Do you know your crime?”
Yunyi’s body trembled slightly, bitterness spreading in her mouth. She had wholeheartedly wanted to help father emperor stabilize the Great Sui Dynasty, not hesitating to become covered in wounds or risk her life, yet all she received in return were these three words? It seemed that no matter what she did, she could never earn even a trace of father emperor’s pity or favor.
She struggled to hold back the tears in her eyes and said in a low voice: “Your daughter knows her crime. Please punish me, father emperor!”
Xiao Shi, who had remained silent until now, rose and said: “Your Majesty, Yunyi has just returned and her wounds haven’t healed yet. Whatever you wish to say can wait until she recovers.”
Yang Guang frowned: “Empress, no matter how you’ve indulged Yunyi before, I’ve allowed it. But this time, she has acted so outrageously—do you still want to protect her?” Though still reproachful, his tone was much gentler.
Xiao Shi said calmly: “What Yunyi did may have been excessive, but her intention was for the Great Sui Dynasty and for Your Majesty. She even risked her life for it. Now that she has just returned, for Your Majesty to immediately hold her accountable—isn’t this going too far?”
Yang Guang’s eye twitched slightly, his thin lips pressed tightly together. Zheng Ying shrank his neck. Throughout the Purple Forbidden City, only the Empress dared speak to His Majesty in such a manner.
After glaring at Yunyi, Yang Guang said stiffly: “Since the Empress has said so, we’ll wait until she recovers before discussing this.” With that, he turned to leave with a sweep of his sleeves. As he was about to step out of the palace chamber, he paused and asked coldly: “Does Li Yuan know your identity?”
Yunyi quickly shook her head: “Your daughter knows this matter is of great importance, so I didn’t reveal the slightest hint of my identity.”
“Hmm.” Yang Guang’s expression relaxed slightly. He withdrew his gaze and left Changsheng Hall with Zheng Ying. After they departed, the tears Yunyi had held back for so long finally fell, dripping onto her tightly clenched fingers.
Xiao Shi gently wiped away her tears: “Why are you crying again?”
Yunyi raised her tear-blurred eyes and said hoarsely: “Mother, what exactly must I do to make father emperor like me?”
Xiao Shi helped her lie down and tucked in the covers: “How could your father emperor not like you? He’s only angry because you acted on your own this time. In a few days, when your father emperor’s anger subsides, everything will be fine.”
Yunyi remained silent. Every time she asked this question, mother would say father emperor loved her, but she truly couldn’t feel even a trace of love or affection from father emperor. No matter how much she did for him or how much hardship she endured, father emperor was always completely indifferent.
Though saddened, they were still father and daughter. She wiped away her tears and said: “Mother, during the six months your daughter spent in Honghua Commandery, though I found no evidence of Li Yuan’s rebellion, he is very popular with the people. Especially during this recent conscription, the people of the commandery practically worship him like a god. Please tell father emperor to be very careful of this person. If he truly rebels, he will surely become a major threat to the Great Sui Dynasty.” Father emperor had always cherished and valued mother. As long as mother was willing to speak these words, father emperor would listen somewhat.
Xiao Shi looked at her for a long moment, then suddenly said: “Yunyi, don’t concern yourself with this matter anymore.”
Yunyi asked in confusion: “Why? What if…”
Xiao Shi interrupted: “If ‘Yang flowers wither, Li flowers bloom’ is the mandate of heaven, then no matter what you do, this will become reality. When have you ever heard of the mandate of heaven being changed? If it’s not the mandate of heaven, but just an ordinary dream, then doing these things has no meaning whatsoever.”
Yunyi was surprised she would say such things. After a moment of stunned silence, she said: “As long as we kill those surnamed Li, the mandate of heaven can naturally be changed.”
Xiao Shi smiled faintly: “How many people surnamed Li are there in the world? How could you possibly kill them all? As for Li Yuan, Li Mi and others, they are merely among the many surnamed Li—not necessarily the ones who will destroy the Great Sui Dynasty. Moreover… the one who will truly make the Yang flowers wither is not someone surnamed Li, but rather…” She didn’t continue, instead saying: “In any case, promise mother you won’t concern yourself with this matter anymore.”
Yunyi gripped the soft brocade quilt over her body, her expression somewhat hesitant: “Is mother trying to say that the one who will make the Yang flowers wither is father emperor?”
If this had been before, she definitely wouldn’t have dared make such a guess. But during her six months in Honghua Commandery, she had witnessed firsthand the hardships and suffering of the common people. A single campaign against Goguryeo had left most families with only the old, weak, women and children. This was the relatively better-off Honghua Commandery—other places were probably even worse.
Xiao Shi said indifferently: “Whether it is or isn’t doesn’t matter. In any case, all of this has nothing to do with us.”
“Mother, your daughter is also surnamed Yang. How could the rise and fall of the Great Sui Dynasty have nothing to do with me?” Yunyi found her words hard to understand. Yes, she remembered now—mother had never cared much about the Great Sui Dynasty’s affairs and would never actively inquire about them, as if… the dynasty’s rise and fall had nothing to do with her. Yet she was clearly the Great Sui Dynasty’s empress, father emperor’s wife!
“You and I are women. How can we manage the affairs of the previous dynasty?” Before Yunyi could speak again, she continued: “You’ve only just awakened. Don’t talk too much. Rest well. Mother will come see you again tomorrow.”
Seeing that Xiao Shi was unwilling to say more, Yunyi could only agree. Watching Xiao Shi’s departing figure, she remained puzzled by her thoughts.
As for Xiao Shi, after leaving Changsheng Hall, she walked quickly toward Zhaoyang Hall where she resided. The palace maid Hong Li following behind her showed a look of amazement. Xiao Shi had always maintained dignified composure and rarely walked so quickly. Could something have happened?