“Would your aunt lie to you? Yuwen Huaji and the others took advantage of His Majesty’s trust, forced the palace into rebellion, and killed His Majesty before Chengxiang Hall. They made Yang Hao emperor, with Yuwen Huaji as Grand Chancellor and Yuwen Zhiji as Grand General, controlling all court affairs and sealing off Jiangdu.”
“The Yuwen clan…” Yang You murmured, repeating these words. Though he was still young, having grown up by Yang Guang’s side, he was extremely familiar with this clan. The Yuwen clan had once helped the previous emperor pacify the realm and established unparalleled merit. Now they had actually rebelled…
Guyi snorted coldly, “I respect you as a princess and brought Prince Dai here, yet you spread lies and rumors here, cursing His Majesty’s demise. This is excessive. Moreover, if Jiangdu was sealed, how did you manage to get here?”
“I have no need to deceive you. This matter should reach Chang’an before long.” Yunyi paused and said, “As for me, after they killed His Majesty, they intended to harm me. Fortunately, I had once shown kindness to the Li family. When Personnel Ministry Secretary Du Ruhui escaped from Jiangdu, he requested the Second Young Master of the Li family to rescue me from Jiangdu.”
“Complete nonsense!” Speaking thus, Guyi said to Yang You, “Prince Dai, don’t listen to her wild talk. This general will escort you back immediately.”
“Wait.” After stopping Guyi, Yang You said with a sorrowful expression, “Seventh Aunt, did Imperial Grandfather really die?”
“When has Seventh Aunt ever lied to you?” After a moment of silence, she continued, “You’er, now that the situation is hopeless, even if you guard Chang’an city with strict defenses, how long can you hold out?”
Hearing this, Yang You said excitedly, “Since Imperial Grandfather entrusted Chang’an city to me, I absolutely will not let it fall into the hands of these rebels!”
“So you can disregard these soldiers who follow you and let them die in a meaningless war?”
“They die to protect their homes and country—how could it be meaningless?” As soon as Yang You finished speaking, Yunyi said, “That’s only what you think. Have you ever asked them? You’er, the Yang family has been completely ruined by your grandfather—utterly and completely ruined.”
“You’re talking nonsense!” Hearing this, Yang You became even more agitated, leaning out half his body and pointing at Yunyi, “I won’t allow you to slander Imperial Grandfather!”
Yunyi sighed, “You’er, though you are young, you have been intelligent and studious since childhood, able to distinguish right from wrong and black from white. You should know clearly whether what I’m saying is true or false. If it hadn’t been ruined, why would your grandfather go to Jiangdu, and why would he prepare to move the capital to Danyang? Do you know what the people of Jiangdu were reduced to during the half year he was there? Eating tree bark and soil was nothing—they even…” The rest of the words she couldn’t bear to speak. After a long time, she said hoarsely, “Cannibalism!”
“Cannibalism?” Yang You repeated these words in confusion. For Yang You, who had lived in luxury since childhood and never suffered hardship, cannibalism was truly difficult to understand. When he finally comprehended the meaning, his stomach immediately churned violently, and he retched repeatedly. After finally stopping, he wiped his lips and forced some spirit, “Seventh Aunt, you… you mustn’t talk nonsense.”
“I’m not deceiving you. I pleaded with His Majesty more than once to open the granaries and distribute grain, but His Majesty refused to listen, and also…” Remembering what Yang Guang had done to her in Chengxiang Hall, Yunyi felt extremely nauseated. After struggling to suppress it, she changed the subject, “Too many people have died in service to the realm, too many have died because of His Majesty’s personal desires. I don’t want you to continue this evil consequence. You’er, listen to your aunt—open the city gates. Duke Li promised me he absolutely will not harm you or the people in the city.”
“Imperial Grandfather, he…” Yang You tried hard to speak for Yang Guang but sadly discovered that the facts were exactly as Yunyi said—he had no way to refute them.
At this moment, a figure with prominent cheekbones emerged from beside Yang You, “Regardless of how His Majesty was, he is the ruler of this realm. As his subject, how can Li Yuan commit treason? And Princess, you are His Majesty’s own daughter, yet now you assist Li Yuan in seizing the Yang family’s realm. If His Majesty knew what you were doing, he would surely be disappointed in you.”
Yunyi recognized this person—Yin Shishi, whom Yang Guang had appointed to remain in Chang’an with Yang You, serving as Left Yiwei General. In Chang’an city, aside from the elderly Wei Wensheng, he held the highest official position.
As for the Yang family’s realm… ha, though she bore the Yang surname, compared to this so-called realm that Yang Guang had ruined beyond repair, she would rather see the people live in peace and the realm cease warfare. And Yang You… clearly lacked that ability.
After pondering for a moment, Yunyi said, “According to General Yin’s words, defending merely Chang’an city alone can preserve the Yang family’s realm?”
Yin Shishi snorted lightly, “No matter what, this realm belongs to the Yang family. As long as I, Yin Shishi, live, I will never let Li Yuan, this traitorous rebel, succeed!”
Yunyi ignored him and looked up at Yang You, “You’er, your aunt knows you have a kind heart. Do you truly want to see the people and soldiers in Chang’an city become cold corpses because of one word from you, making their relatives weep in sorrow?”
“I…” Yang You was rendered speechless by her question, and the wavering in his expression became even more evident.
Yunyi spoke again, “You’er, listen to your aunt. Don’t increase the killing needlessly. Open the city gates. Your aunt would never harm you.”
Yang You hesitated, “After Li Yuan enters the city, will he truly not harm me and the others?”
Yunyi turned her gaze to Li Shimin, who understood and said, “I, Li Shimin, can swear by the names of all generations of Li family ancestors that not only will we not harm you in the slightest, but we will also support you as emperor!”
Yang You carefully considered Yunyi’s words. Outside the city, over two hundred thousand troops watched like tigers, while he had only fifty thousand soldiers. Though the defending side could gain considerable advantage from the terrain, since Li Yuan had come this far, he would not give up without taking Chang’an city. He could resist for a while but could not resist forever. Rather than let those soldiers sacrifice themselves in vain, it would be better to open the city gates and avoid a great battle.
Thinking of this, he opened his mouth, “If that’s the case, I…” He had only spoken halfway when Yin Shishi interrupted, “Prince Dai, you must not listen to Princess Jinyang’s words. If you order the city gates opened now, you will become the eternal sinner of the Great Sui and the Yang family. Even after thousands of years, you will be reviled by the world.”
Yang You mumbled, “But Li Shimin said that after they enter the city, they won’t harm anyone and won’t seize my Yang family’s realm. Why must we needlessly sacrifice lives?”
Yin Shishi laughed coldly, “Prince Dai, you are still young and don’t understand the treachery of human hearts. Li Shimin and his people want to coax you into opening the city gates now, so naturally they say whatever sounds good. When the gates are truly opened, I’m afraid our heads will immediately roll.”
Yin Shishi had not deliberately lowered his voice, allowing Li Shimin to hear his words clearly. The latter said coldly, “Yin Shishi, do you think everyone is like you, not even sparing a child?”