This person was none other than Dugu Hong, who came from the prestigious Dugu clan. He bowed to Yunyi and said, “Your Highness, I believe we can build the pavilion on the ground first, then choose a location with scenic views and mountains, use iron chains to secure its four corners, and suspend the pavilion in mid-air. This way, wouldn’t it become a castle in the air?”
Yunyi nodded and said, “That’s a good method, but I’m afraid it would require considerable manpower.”
Dugu Hong replied nonchalantly, “Our Great Sui Dynasty has vast territories and abundant population. What does a little manpower matter? If Your Highness agrees, I’m willing to select a site and construct it for you. I will certainly satisfy Your Highness.” This concerned his future prospects, so he naturally exerted himself to curry favor with Yunyi.
After him, another person also hurriedly said, “I believe that whether building on a mountain or using iron chains, neither constitutes a truly suspended castle in the air. I can search the realm for skilled craftsmen for Your Highness. In the past, Lu Ban could create cloud ladders, and Zhuge Liang could make ox carts and wooden horses. There’s no reason they couldn’t create a castle in the air.”
Yunyi smiled slightly and looked at the two who had remained silent. These two were also sons of great aristocratic families—the one with a fair and handsome face was from the Qinghe Cui clan, while the other with a somewhat rougher appearance was from the Xingyang Zheng clan. “What about you two? Have you thought of any methods?”
Cuiji bowed and said, “Forgive my bluntness, but a castle in the air is simply impossible to achieve. Forcing it would only waste people’s labor and money. I hope Your Highness will reconsider.”
Zheng Yang followed after him, saying, “Exactly. And there’s also the white jade platform and ivory pillars—where in the world could you find such large white jade and ivory? Even if Your Highness gathered all the power under heaven, it would be impossible to achieve all this.”
Dugu Hong said displeasedly, “Your Highness is of golden branches and jade leaves. As long as she wishes it, it can certainly be done. You two should stop talking nonsense.”
“That’s right. Just because you can’t do it doesn’t mean others can’t either,” said the person who had previously argued with him, now standing on the same side.
Cuiji shook his head and said, “Actually, you all understand in your hearts that none of this is realistic. You’re saying all this just to please Your Highness. But have you considered that this is essentially deception—making Your Highness harbor unrealizable hopes? The greater the hope, the greater Your Highness’s disappointment will be later.” With that, he knelt before Yunyi and said, “If anything I’ve said is inappropriate, please punish me, Your Highness!”
Zheng Yang knelt after him, saying, “Your Highness, everything Cuiji and I have said is the truth. Please investigate clearly.”
Dugu Hong bowed to Yunyi and said, “Your Highness, don’t listen to their nonsense. The castle in the air you desire—I will certainly make it happen for you!”
The other person, fearing that Dugu Hong would steal his spotlight, hastily added, “Not to mention a mere castle in the air—even if you wanted the bright moon from the sky, I would pluck it down for you!”
Yunyi’s eyes shifted slightly, and with a somewhat mocking smile, she said, “How do you plan to pluck the moon from the sky for me?”
That person had only been boasting and hadn’t expected Yunyi to take him seriously. For a moment, he couldn’t answer at all. After nervous contemplation, he reluctantly said, “I plan to… build a cloud ladder that reaches to the heavens, then find a way to pluck the moon down.”
“Absurd!” Yunyi sternly shouted, “Not to mention the countless tens of thousands of zhang between heaven and earth, just this moon—do you think you can pluck it just because you want to? Do you take me for a three-year-old child who can be deceived by you at will?”
Seeing Yunyi’s sudden change of expression, the man panicked greatly and hurriedly said, “Your Highness, forgive me! I only hoped… hoped to make Your Highness smile. I had no intention of deception whatsoever.”
Yunyi sneered, “If building cloud ladders to pluck the moon isn’t deception, then I truly don’t know what would count as deception.”
“I… I…” The man was so anxious that sweat covered his forehead. He deeply regretted his earlier boasting, but alas, words once spoken were like water spilled—impossible to take back.
Dugu Hong, standing beside him, secretly sneered. Even boasting should have limits—to actually mention building cloud ladders to pluck the moon was truly foolish. But this was actually perfect, as it gave him more opportunities. Thinking thus, he bowed and said, “Your Highness, building cloud ladders to pluck the moon is naturally impossible, but what I mentioned earlier about using iron chains to secure the four corners of a pavilion and suspend it in mid-air is indeed feasible. If Your Highness trusts me, I’m willing to supervise the construction. Within a few years, it can be completed.”
Yunyi raised her delicate slate eyebrows and said, “A few years?”
Dugu Hong, thinking she found several years too long, quickly said, “If we hurry and work day and night, one year should be enough.”
Yunyi smiled slightly, gathering her wide cloud sleeves as she walked before Dugu Hong. Her gaze swept over him and the other two men. “Actually, you all understand in your hearts that castles in the air are completely impractical things, and white jade platforms and ivory pillars are even more impossible. But to curry favor and please me, you readily agreed to everything.”
Dugu Hong sensed something was wrong and said carefully, “For others, it would certainly be impossible, but Your Highness is of golden branches and jade leaves. All people under heaven serve at Your Highness’s command. In my view, nothing is impossible.”
Yunyi brushed the stray hair by her ear and said coolly, “I haven’t had such dreams, nor am I particularly interested in castles in the air. I asked those questions just now only to see whether you would tell the truth in front of me. The result… only two people did, so only two people passed this test!”
Dugu Hong and the others’ faces turned pale. How could they not understand Yunyi’s implication? She was clearly saying that the three of them had been eliminated, while conversely, Cuiji and Zheng Yang, who had contradicted her with direct words, had passed.
After Yunyi signaled for Cuiji and the other to rise, Dugu Hong protested unwillingly, “Your Highness, I didn’t lie. Using iron chains to secure the four sides and suspend a building in mid-air is indeed possible, so I should pass as well.”
Yunyi nodded and said, “It is possible, but because of one casual remark from me, you wanted to build a pavilion that’s completely unnecessary, and you spoke of completing it within a year. Have you ever considered how much manpower and resources this would consume, and what burden it would place on the people’s already difficult lives?”
Dugu Hong was left speechless by her questioning. After a long while, he stubbornly argued, “Since they are subjects of the Great Sui Dynasty, they should dedicate everything to His Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress, and Your Highness. All burdens are justified.”
Yunyi stared at him for a moment, then said coolly, “Perhaps you consider all this natural and proper, but I do not. So… this ends here!”
“Your Highness…” Dugu Hong was unwilling to accept this, but just as he said two words, Yunyi coldly interrupted him, “If you continue to chatter endlessly, get out right now!”
Intimidated by her rebuke, Dugu Hong, though unwilling, could only close his mouth. He glared hatefully at Cuiji and the other man.
Pei Qiancheng nudged Du Ruhui beside him with his elbow and whispered softly, “Who would have thought this princess has such character—truly interesting. What a pity!”