Princess Xin’an naturally hadn’t forgotten the location of the Daxing Palace. However, when she was still several dozen zhang away from the palace city, she was stopped by the guards responsible for protecting the palace city. Today was the grand day of the new emperor’s enthronement, so the palace city’s defenses were extraordinarily strict. “Who goes there?!”

Princess Xin’an cleared her throat and said, “I am a princess of the current dynasty, the paternal aunt of His Current Majesty. You must quickly go and announce my arrival.”

“Princess?” The guard showed surprise, and after looking Princess Xin’an up and down, he shouted angrily, “Bold woman! You dare impersonate Princess Jinyang! You deserve death!”

Princess Xin’an said urgently, “I’m not impersonating anyone. I am Princess Jin…” Halfway through her words, she suddenly realized something and frowned, “You just said… I’m impersonating Jinyang?”

The guard snorted coldly, “The princess has heavenly beauty and imperial elegance. How could a filthy woman like you impersonate her? Besides, the princess has already entered the palace and is currently accompanying the new emperor. You woman, quickly withdraw!”

Jinyang… She really was like a lingering ghost, actually coming to this Chang’an city too, and entering the Daxing Palace one step ahead of her!

Princess Xin’an snorted inwardly and said to the group of guards, “Since I am already a princess, why would I need to impersonate Jinyang? You must immediately go report to His Majesty that Princess Xin’an has arrived. If you continue this endless chatter, once I see His Majesty, I will definitely have him severely punish you all!”

The guards looked at each other and suddenly burst into laughter, making Princess Xin’an frown deeply as she scolded delicately, “What are you laughing at?”

The guard who had been speaking with her said, “The princess is always polite and courteous when she sees us brothers. You crazy woman are here being bossy and domineering, truly thinking you’re a princess? Go, go, go, leave quickly. Don’t make trouble here, or don’t blame us for being impolite.”

Princess Xin’an’s face turned blue with anger as she said sternly, “When I tell you to go make an announcement, just go make the announcement. Where does all this nonsense come from? I’ll say it one more time: immediately get in there and make the announcement!”

Hearing these words, the guards whose expressions had been relatively pleasant suddenly darkened as they said coldly, “Even if you’re not a princess, and even if you really were one, you still wouldn’t have the right to scold us!”

Princess Xin’an laughed angrily, “What? I, a dignified princess, don’t have the right to train you people? This is simply outrageous!” After a pause, she continued, “Since you can’t make the announcement, then I’ll go see His Majesty myself. You all just wait for me!”

“Stop!” A guard blocked her path, then said to the others, “Today is the grand day of the new emperor’s enthronement. If we let this mad woman make a scene here, once the Duke of Tang blames us, we won’t be able to bear the consequences. In my opinion, we should temporarily lock her in prison, and after the enthronement ceremony, deal with her then.”

The other guards had the same thought and nodded repeatedly. Seeing them surrounding her, Princess Xin’an immediately panicked and said tremblingly, “You… what do you want to do?”

“Naturally, to send you where you belong.” With these words, two guards grabbed her shoulders from left and right, while a piece of torn cloth from who knows where was stuffed into her mouth, forcibly dragging her away from the palace gates.

On the fifth day of the twelfth month in the thirteenth year of the Daye era, Li Yuan welcomed the thirteen-year-old Prince Dai, Yang You, to the Daxing Palace. Civil and military officials, as well as Yunyi, were all standing in the great hall. After Yang You took his seat on the golden dragon throne at the highest position, everyone knelt down in unison, and earth-shaking voices echoed throughout the Daxing Palace: “Long live our emperor! Long live! Long live for ten thousand years!”

At this moment, Yang You was officially enthroned as Emperor Gong of Sui, changing the era name to Yining. At the same time, because Yunyi was the emperor’s aunt and the only princess in Chang’an, she was enfeoffed as Grand Princess Jinyang with a fief of ten thousand households.

Li Yuan, who had supported Yang You’s enthronement, was appointed as Commissioner Bearer of Credentials, Grand Commander of All Military Forces Internal and External, Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Grand Chancellor, and was further enfeoffed as King of Tang.

A king was undoubtedly inferior to an emperor, but this was the best position for Li Yuan at the moment. He had obtained the power he wanted while avoiding placing himself in the position of being the target of all arrows. Moreover… after becoming king, as long as he took one more step forward at the appropriate time, he could naturally become emperor.

Li Jiancheng was enfeoffed as Crown Prince of Tang; Li Shimin was appointed as Grand Master of Palace Leisure, Duke of Qin State, with a fief of ten thousand households; Li Yuanji became Governor of Taiyuan and Duke of Zang; all the others also received rewards one by one.

It could be said that those who had followed Li Yuan in conquering the world received their rewards at this moment. Moreover, everyone was clear that this was only the beginning. Li Yuan would inevitably become emperor sooner or later, and when that time came, the rewards given to them would be even greater!

Although everyone knew that Yang You was just a puppet, in this enthronement ceremony, Li Yuan still gave Yang You sufficient face, declaring in Yang You’s name a general amnesty for the world and rewards for the three armies.

It wasn’t until nearly noon that this grand ceremony finally ended. Yunyi, dressed in magnificent ceremonial robes, walked out of the Daxing Palace. Ruyi and Jixiang, who had been waiting outside, quickly came forward to support her. “Princess must be tired. The carriage is waiting outside. Let’s go back.”

Although Yang You had been enthroned, Yunyi had not chosen to live in the palace because she understood that although she had been enfeoffed as the so-called Grand Princess, this imperial palace still did not belong to her, nor even to Yang You. Moreover… whether she would remain in Chang’an for long was still an unknown.

When walking to the Chengtian Gate, Yunyi noticed two guards whispering to each other and asked, “What’s the matter?”

The guards bowed and said, “Reporting to Your Highness, this morning a mad woman came here making a scene, saying she was a princess and clamoring to see His Majesty. We subordinates were afraid her continuous noise would affect the enthronement ceremony, so we locked her in prison. We subordinates were wondering whether this matter should be reported to the Duke of Tang.”

Jixiang asked puzzledly, “Princess? What princess?”

“This…” The guard recalled and said, “Oh yes, she seemed to say she was Princess Xin’an, with a very arrogant and domineering attitude.”

Ruyi and Jixiang exchanged surprised glances. Wasn’t Princess Xin’an in Jiangdu? How did she come to Chang’an? Could she have escaped from Yuwen Huaji’s hands?

Over there, Yunyi asked, “Which prison is she being held in?”

“In the Ministry of Justice prison.” As soon as the guard finished speaking, Yunyi said, “The Duke of Tang is currently discussing state affairs with His Majesty. You should not disturb him for now. I will handle this matter myself.”

“Yes.” After the guard agreed, Yunyi supported Ruyi’s hand and boarded the carriage, but instead of returning to the Li residence that had been renamed the “Tang King’s Mansion,” she instructed the coachman to go to the Ministry of Justice.

Upon arriving there, although the Yang family had fallen, with Yunyi’s status, seeing a prisoner was not difficult. A vice minister personally accompanied Yunyi to the dark and damp prison. As soon as they entered the prison, they heard the sharp screaming voice of a woman inside.

The vice minister frowned and asked, “What’s going on?”

The jailer quickly said, “Reporting to Your Lordship, this is a female prisoner that the palace guards just sent this morning. Since entering the cell, she has been screaming continuously. We’ve scolded her several times but she won’t stop. She also says she’s a princess of the current dynasty and that His Majesty is her nephew. She’s truly quite mad.”