Chapter 32 Xiao Family
The emperor replaced the prince's guards with his own in order to prevent him from rebelling. When he heard Yang Su's report, he sent Yang Su to mobilize troops to investigate without hesitation.

The investigation naturally led to the pile of locust tree sticks. When Yang Su had the drunken prince called out for questioning, the prince was unable to explain clearly. He stammered and staggered, and it was impossible to tell what he was saying.

The eunuch behind him knelt down and shouted, "Please spare my life, Duke Yue. This is the prince's preparation for rebellion. Not only has he stored so many torches, he has also raised a thousand horses outside the palace. He plans to have his trusted followers set fires everywhere at night, and then take advantage of the chaos to attack the palace and kill Your Majesty."

"Nonsense! You are a dog-like thing. How dare you frame the crown prince and alienate the royal family? You really deserve to die. Duke Yue, you should be more discerning. The crown prince has always been simple and filial. How could he have such a rebellious idea? This is a slander and frame-up!"

"Duke Yue, Duke Yue, if you have anything to say, you must wait until His Highness wakes up and defends himself in front of His Majesty. You must not listen to the eunuchs' slanderous words. As the crown prince, the crown prince must not dare to have such thoughts."

"Your Highness will certainly be grateful for your kindness in the future. I only ask you to help the Crown Prince now!"

The prince was unconscious but his concubines and children knew the severity of the situation and begged for explanation. However, Yang Su would not listen and directly had the prince arrested. The concubines and children were confined in a hall while he went back to report.

Li Jiancheng watched this lively scene coldly. The eunuchs and palace maids were forcibly taken down. The entire East Palace was in chaos, and the thatched huts not far away looked extremely ridiculous.

At the court meeting held the next day, the emperor sat upright on the dragon throne, civil and military officials stood on the left, royal family nobles stood on the right, and the Crown Prince Yang Yong, who had already woken up, knelt in the middle with his head down.

"Prince, do you have anything else to say?"

Yang Yong looked up and around with tears streaming down his face. He felt that every familiar face seemed to have an expression of disappointment. His mouth was dry and he wanted to explain and beg for mercy, but he couldn't utter a word.

Yang Jian did not want to see him in this cowardly and helpless state, so he waved his hand and asked the Minister of Internal Affairs Xue Daoheng to read the edict to depose the crown prince: "The position of the crown prince is the foundation of the country. If it is not the right person, it cannot be established in vain...

The Crown Prince was brave and the eldest son, and was the favorite of the emperor. When he first ascended the throne, he built a palace, hoping that his virtue and achievements would improve day by day and that he would shoulder the heavy responsibility. However, his nature was mediocre and his knowledge was unknown. He was close to villains and appointed treacherous and flattering people. His past and present misdeeds are too numerous to list.

I respect the will of heaven and should raise my son safely. Although I want to love my son, I really fear the gods. How dare I let an unworthy son disrupt the world? All the kings and princesses, both boys and girls, should be demoted to commoners!"

The civil and military relatives knelt down to listen to the order, but Yang Yong did not react as if he had lost his mind. Yang Jian said coldly: "Your sins are condemned by both humans and gods. It is not that your father is heartless. You should take care of yourself in the future."

Upon hearing this, Yang Yong trembled. So he didn't have to die?
For some reason, he suddenly felt refreshed and at ease, as if the shackles had been broken free. The past decade of confusion and uncertainty were gone.

Without too much sadness or joy, the deposed crown prince Yang Yong pulled himself together and accepted the order, saying, "I have committed serious crimes and should have been executed in a busy market as a warning to others. I am grateful to Your Majesty for saving me from death and surviving in this world. I bow to Your Majesty and thank you very much. Long live Your Majesty!"

Then Li Jiancheng and Dugu Kaiyuan came forward and took him away. He was to be imprisoned in a palace in the palace until his death or until he was pardoned by the next emperor.

…………

There was no banquet in the Prince of Jin's mansion, but everyone present was enjoying the tea as if they were drunk with wine. In a short period of time, they solved the problem of the prime minister who had been in power for more than ten years, and abolished the crown prince. They couldn't help but feel proud. Without the crown prince, the Prince of Jin would be the eldest son, not to mention his civil and military achievements. The position of the crown prince was almost in their pocket, and their merits in following the dragon were also stable.

Li Jiancheng sat behind his father, looking at the joyful crowd in the hall, but in his heart he was thinking that after today, a group of officials would be demoted for supporting the crown prince. Most of these people were not the crown prince's direct descendants, and there was no obvious benefit for them if the crown prince ascended to the throne.

But in order to maintain the orthodoxy of seniority and order, this group of people are willing to destroy their own political lives like moths to a flame. Comparing them with the officials here, one can't help but sigh that there is no reward for good and evil, and no distinction between loyalty and treachery.

When Yang Guang ascends the throne in the future, the people here will control the government, which is not right. The way of gentlemen will disappear and the way of villains will flourish. This is not a good thing for the world.

But for Li Jiancheng, it was a good thing. He had ordered people to write down the names of those officials, and after the crisis was over, he would mobilize the power of his family to take better care of them.

Such a gentleman is loyal to the court and the world, and will not be used by him for small favors. But ten years later, after Yang Guang's abuse and when the people are living in misery, perhaps he can be used for his own purposes.

Yang Guang talked to everyone in a friendly manner. When he arrived in front of Li Yuan and his son, he took Li Yuan's hand and said, "Brother, I really like Jiancheng, but it's a pity that my only daughter has been promised to someone else. I regret that we can't marry each other. Fortunately, the princess has a niece in her family. She is as beautiful as an orchid, graceful, gentle and docile. She is a good match for you."

"I wonder if the Li family is interested in forming a marriage alliance with the Xiao family?"

Li Yuan was moved and bowed his head, saying, "Of course I am willing. Since I left Beijing, Your Highness has valued my son and taught him a lot. Today, Your Highness and the Princess are also concerned about me. How can my Li family not repay you with all our heart and soul?"

Li Jiancheng stood beside him with his hands hanging down, his expression also full of gratitude. Yang Guang smiled and blinked at him, then went to talk to other people. He believed that success must be expressed in order to continue the work.

After Li Jiancheng sat down, he quickly accepted the marriage. The Lanling Xiao family was the royal family of the Qi and Liang dynasties. Although they were suppressed after entering the Sui Dynasty, with Yang Guang's ascension to the throne, they became the emperor's wife's family and were bound to revive.

He will have to spend many years under Yang Guang's command in the future, and get in touch with Empress Xiao. This will be a win-win situation no matter how you look at it.

After a while, everyone said goodbye and left. The Li family also held a family meeting. The old lady even supported herself to come and listen. The wife of the eldest son of the Li family, that is, the future mistress of the Li family, is related to the family and of course she must be taken seriously.

Dugu said: "Since you are interested in getting married, then you should go to the Prince of Jin's Mansion tomorrow to pay your respects to the Princess. You can also ask privately which branch of the Xiao family the girl belongs to."

Dou replied, "My wife will go tomorrow. I have some friendship with the Princess of Jin in my early years. If there is a choice, I will choose a virtuous girl for Jiancheng to marry."

Dugu nodded and said, "I have also heard about the character of Princess Jin. The Xiao family is also a century-old prestigious family. I think her niece will not be bad either."

…………

(End of this chapter)