Seeing that Xiao Shi remained silent, the sinister color in Yang Guang’s eyes grew even more intense. He said through gritted teeth: “You refuse to look at me, don’t you? Fine, I’ll go to Changsheng Palace right now and kill that bastard!”

Zheng Ying never expected him to say such a thing suddenly and hurriedly stepped forward to stop him: “Your Majesty, absolutely not! Princess Jinyang, she…”

“Get away!” Yang Guang pushed Zheng Ying aside and strode toward the exit. Just as his hand touched the palace door, Xiao Shi’s voice came from behind: “Do you want to break your word again?”

Yang Guang turned around abruptly, saying coldly: “It’s not that I want to break my word, but you’re forcing me to. If you hadn’t promised me back then that you would forget him and stay by my side properly, how could I have allowed her to live until now and even conferred upon her the title of princess?!”

Xiao Shi slowly walked before him: “But over these sixteen years, Yunyi has regarded you as her own father. For you and your dynasty, she didn’t hesitate to be covered in wounds, even willing to sacrifice her life. Don’t you feel even a trace of emotion?”

“I never asked her to do anything. What I want is only you, and only you!” Faced with Yang Guang’s words, Xiao Shi nodded, saying with deep helplessness and sorrow: “I understand. I will do as you wish and continue to stay by your side until the day you close your eyes, Your Majesty!” Yunyi was her greatest weakness. As long as the former lived, she could not escape Yang Guang’s control for a single day. No matter how much she hated, she could only suppress it in her heart.

Yang Guang knew that Xiao Shi spoke these words extremely unwillingly, but he could no longer care about such things. Even if he had to use the most despicable means, he would keep Xiao Shi by his side.

Yunyi knew nothing of what had transpired in Qianyuan Palace. Under the careful treatment of the imperial physicians, her body had mostly recovered. After taking medicine this day, she said: “Ruyi, go fetch that butterfly-patterned silk palace dress.”

The palace maid called Ruyi asked in surprise: “Princess, are you going out?”

Yunyi lifted the brocade quilt and walked to sit before the bronze mirror, taking an ivory comb to brush her hair while saying: “Mm, I want to go pay my respects to Father Emperor.”

Ruyi hesitated: “But your body hasn’t fully recovered yet. The Empress said you should rest more. Why don’t you go in a few days?”

Yunyi smiled: “I know my own body. There’s nothing seriously wrong anymore. If I keep lying in bed all day like this, I’ll actually develop problems from lying too much.” She continued: “Alright, quickly help me wash and dress.”

Seeing her mind was made up, Ruyi could only follow her instructions to fetch the palace dress and help her change. Then she arranged her hair in an immortal-returning bun and took a pair of gold-inlaid kingfisher-feather twisted branch rhombus flower hair ornaments to insert in the hair bun, with long purple crystals hanging down. Below her ears were a pair of plum blossom dangling pearl earrings, adding even more radiance to her already outstanding appearance.

After everything was arranged, Yunyi took Ruyi’s hand and walked toward Qianyuan Palace. Upon arriving there, the palace servants learned of her purpose and bowed: “Please wait here for a moment, Princess, while this servant goes in to announce you.”

“Thank you for your trouble.” After the palace servant went in, Yunyi waited nervously under the eaves, wondering if Father Emperor’s anger had subsided, or if he was still angry with her, or even… unwilling to see her?

After a while, the palace servant came out and said quietly: “His Majesty summons the Princess to enter.”

Yunyi was delighted and after thanking the palace servant, stepped over the knee-high vermillion threshold and entered. Yang Guang was sitting behind a long table carved from a single piece of rosewood, drinking wine. On the small table by the window sat a golden duck incense burner, with wisps of ethereal fragrance continuously emerging from the golden duck’s flat beak. This fragrance was the ambergris that Yang Guang habitually used.

Yunyi walked to the center of the hall and knelt to pay her respects: “Your subject pays respects to Father Emperor. May Father Emperor live ten thousand years in sacred peace.”

A trace of disgust quickly flashed through Yang Guang’s eyes as he said indifferently: “All better now?”

Yunyi replied respectfully: “Thank you for Father Emperor’s concern. Your subject’s body is no longer seriously affected!” Then she suddenly knelt down: “Your subject has come today specifically to request punishment from Father Emperor. Regarding the matter of Li Yuan, it was indeed your subject who acted without authorization. But your subject also wanted to share Father Emperor’s worries and burdens, hoping for the Great Sui to be stable.”

Yang Guang poured himself a cup of wine, drank it all in one gulp, then said indifferently: “This matter ends here. Whether Li Yuan should live or die, I have my own judgment.”

“Yes.” Yunyi responded, then bit her lip slightly: “Additionally, your subject has something else to say.”

Yang Guang filled his wine cup again, examining the golden-colored liquid without raising his head: “Speak.”

“When your subject was in Honghua Commandery, it coincided with Father Emperor conscripting troops for the third campaign against Goguryeo. Your subject witnessed with her own eyes how countless people were separated from their loved ones because of the conscription – the old left without support, the young without care. For the court, this is also a heavy burden.” After pausing for a moment, she continued: “Father Emperor, actually Goguryeo has committed no offense against our Great Sui. Why must we send troops to campaign against them? Perhaps…”

“Bang!” Yang Guang heavily set down the wine cup he was toying with and said coldly: “Who taught you to say these things? Li Yuan?”

“All of this comes from your subject witnessing the people’s suffering, not from anyone else’s instruction.” Yunyi bit her teeth and continued: “Actually, over these years, because of continuous warfare, the people can no longer bear the burden. Now is precisely the time when they need to rest and recover. I hope Father Emperor will consider the people’s suffering and cancel this campaign. If Goguryeo truly commits offenses against our Great Sui in the future, it won’t be too late to launch a campaign then.”

Yang Guang supported himself on the long table as he stood up, walking before Yunyi who was kneeling on both knees. His voice was as cold as frost: “Are you lecturing me?”

Yunyi heard the displeasure in his words and quickly said: “Your subject dare not. Your subject only hopes for Father Emperor’s empire to be stable and for the people of Great Sui to live in peace and happiness, so she dared to…”

Yang Guang interrupted coldly: “Enough. This matter is not for you to concern yourself with. Return to your Changsheng Palace.”

Yunyi’s body shrank, and she instinctively wanted to retreat. However, as she prepared to take her leave, the tragic situation of the Fang family appeared in her mind. In places she hadn’t seen, who knew how many more families like the Fangs were taking desperate risks to escape the court’s conscription.

Thinking of this, she bit her teeth and spoke again: “Father Emperor, where the people’s hearts go, that is where the realm goes. If we blindly oppress the people, I fear their hearts will change. When that time truly comes, it will be too late. Your subject dares to ask Father Emperor to think thrice and thrice again!”

“Impudent!” Yang Guang’s expression grew dark: “I haven’t yet punished you for leaving the palace without permission and attempting to assassinate Li Yuan, yet you dare to lecture me first. Do you still regard me as your father emperor?”

“It is precisely because your subject reveres and loves Father Emperor that she dares to speak boldly. This trip outside the capital allowed your subject to see how difficult the people’s lives are. If they encounter an official with some conscience, that’s still good. Otherwise, after working hard all four seasons, in the end everything is seized by corrupt officials under various pretexts, leaving them unable to eat even a full meal. If this continues, the people’s hearts will surely become unstable. The uprisings happening everywhere now are precisely because of this reason. If we could let them eat a full meal and stay together with their families intact, your subject believes no one would rebel.” She looked up at Yang Guang earnestly: “Father Emperor, only when the people’s hearts are stable can the Great Sui achieve long-lasting peace and security!”