Chapter 81: Division (First Order)

Other things were easy to find, but the gorgeous feathers used in the formal dresses were a little difficult to find. It was difficult to find so many at once, so he could only issue orders to the prefectures and counties, asking all places to offer feathers.

As a result, along with the large amount of feathers, there were also auspicious signs. It was said that the emperor created a feather ceremony, and birds and beasts offered their feathers voluntarily.

When Li Jiancheng asked around, he found out that there was a large bird with colorful feathers in a forest. It built nests on the trees and reproduced. The local people wanted to catch it to get its feathers, but the bird could not climb up because the bird was too high.

The only way they could do was to saw off the wood so that the adult bird could fly away, but the chicks had not yet grown up, so the adult bird plucked its own feathers in the hope of avoiding disaster, and the people believed it was a good omen.

But despite the strict order from the imperial court, they still cut down the trees, caught the big bird in a net, plucked its feathers and ate its meat...

Yang Guang was only delighted, and said to the crowd: "If I am not a saint, how can birds bring good luck to me?"

The ministers had no choice but to present their congratulatory messages. The emperor then held a banquet and ordered the ministers to compose poems about it. They reluctantly wrote some nonsensical poems praising the emperor's achievements.

The emperor came on stage last, reciting eight poems in a row, and all the officials bowed down to him: "Your Majesty's words are pure and elegant, like gold and jade, a true emperor's talent."

Yang Guang smiled and said, "Don't say that I am the emperor because of the legacy of the previous emperor. If you ask me to write poems and essays with the scholars and officials to compete for the top spot, I am afraid that the throne of the emperor should be mine."

After saying this, his eyes fell on Li Jiancheng and Xue Daoheng. Xue Daoheng didn't know what was going on. Li Jiancheng bowed and said, "A saintly talent is born in heaven. How can a minister dare to hope for such a talent?"

Yang Guang then withdrew his gaze with satisfaction, and Xue Daoheng finally reacted and frowned, saying, "How can the dignity of the emperor be judged by trivial poems and essays?"

Li Jiancheng held the old man and said, "Drink, drink."

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More than 200,000 laborers were employed, and the gold, silver, and silk used amounted to hundreds of millions.

Finally, the emperor and empress's ceremonial robes, carriages, official uniforms for officials to wear on various occasions, and the outfits for the emperor's 36,000-person guard of honor were ready.

The emperor was happy to go on the trip, and his gorgeous ceremonial guard stretched for more than 20 miles. It was majestic and exquisite, attracting the people of Jiangnan to admire the emperor's majesty.

The Sui Dynasty no longer needs to prove its military strength. No matter how strong its military strength is, the people of the south will not be convinced, because what they are proud of now is their culture. The north is just a group of rough people, and in terms of Han etiquette, they are still southerners.

Therefore, Yang Guang's revision of etiquette and rules was very effective.

So the emperor's tour to the south of the Yangtze River was now complete, and he decided to inspect the Eastern Capital. He would travel by land, and set up his imperial carriage from Yique, with thousands of chariots and horses, to enter Tokyo.

Li Jiancheng followed the imperial carriage on horseback. Shen Guang and Dou Dan beside him could not help but say, "We have heard cries all day and night along the way. People are either moving bricks, wood, or corpses. How can Your Majesty bear to see your people like this?"

Li Jiancheng chuckled and whispered, "You don't need to look at it or think about it. You really don't know. I told you when I returned to the capital last time, but your majesty still issued an edict to reward Yang Su and Yuwen Kai."

Perhaps because they knew that the construction period was approaching and His Majesty would be coming to inspect soon, those doing labor service along the way were no longer limited to the young and strong, but included men, women, old and young, and these people could not bear the hard work like the young and strong.

From Chenggao in the east to Heyang in the north, people carrying corpses and people carrying wood and stones walked together along the way.

In this way, the project was finally completed before the emperor entered Luoyang. The emperor appointed Yang Su as the prime minister and the chief architect Yuwen Kai as the third official in the imperial court, granting him the highest honor and favor.

The emperor moved into the new palace and was delighted to move into a new house. He generously gave some of the mansions and palaces in the Eastern Capital to his ministers, and Li Jiancheng also got a good position.

Yang Su fell ill, either because of his joy or because of the fatigue from the recent period of time. The emperor ordered the imperial physician to treat him.

While the emperor was happily visiting the Western Garden, the historian reported, "There will be a great funeral in the Sui Dynasty." The so-called "fenye" ​​means that the ecliptic in the sky is divided into twelve parts, which are called Xingji, Xuanxiao and other twelve constellations. These constellations correspond to the positions of states and countries on the ground, which is called "fenye".

In other words, when a person of high status dies in the Sui Dynasty, it can be called a great funeral.

Yang Guang was shocked. There were only a few members of the royal family left. If things went wrong, the great funeral would fall on him or his two sons. This was not acceptable, so he immediately asked the historian if there was any solution.

The historian dared to come, so he must have thought of a plan. After he finished speaking, Yang Guang could not wait to issue an edict: "Change the title of Duke of Yue, Yang Su, to Duke of Chu, with a fief of 2,500 households."

Sui and Chu were in the same region, and Duke Yang Su of Chu should not be considered a small figure. He happened to be sick, so he went to respond to this astronomical phenomenon.

The imperial edict was conveyed by Li Jiancheng. When Li Jiancheng received the order and brought the imperial physician and royal medicine to Yang Su's mansion, the plaque on the door had been changed to "Mansion of the Duke of Chu".

Yang Su was supported by Yang Jishan to come out to receive the imperial edict. After receiving the imperial edict, Yang Su lay down because he was too tired. Yang Jishan asked with a sullen face: "What is going on? Why do you suddenly want to change your title?"

Li Jiancheng had already learned what happened through Wang Yi, so he whispered to Yang Jishan. Seeing that he was furious, he quickly grabbed him and said, "Don't be impulsive. Do you want to destroy the Yang family?"

Yang Su also opened his eyes and said, "Jiancheng, you have worked hard. Go back and report. I will also need you to take care of me in the future."

Li Jiancheng patted Yang Jishan and said to Yang Su: "Those who hold the highest position in the government are usually destined to have this fate. Lord Yang, please don't be sad."

"I know, but I still have to wait for my brother to come and tell me about my affairs. I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you to make a few more trips."

"No problem."

When Li Jiancheng returned to the palace to report, Yang Guang suddenly asked, "When will Yang Su die?"

Li Jiancheng felt a chill in his heart. Although Yang Su did not mention it to others, he was indeed devoted to Yang Guang. He was the main contributor in the fight for the throne. He deposed the crown prince and imprisoned the King of Shu. After he ascended the throne of crown prince, it was Yang Su who defeated the Turks in the north and helped him secure the position of crown prince.

Not to mention that after Yang Guang ascended the throne, he suppressed the rebellion of Prince of Han. It was a typical case of helping someone get on the throne and then sending him on his way. It can be said that no amount of praise would be excessive. However, Yang Guang could be so heartless as to ask, when will he die?

Li Jiancheng had no expression on his face and just replied, "It should not be far away."

Yang Guang was a little disappointed. He thought Yang Su would be sensible and immediately relieve him of the worries about the division of territories.

"I'll visit you tomorrow."

"promise."

In the next few days, Li Jiancheng came to his house every day, like a bird of mourning, and he could not even force a smile on his face.

But before Yang Yue arrived, Yang Zhao rushed over from Chang'an. In addition to reporting on state affairs, he wanted to spend a few more days with his father, the emperor, and his mother, the empress. Yang Guang didn't like the prince's childish attitude and directly refused.

The prince stood up and knelt, then stood up and knelt again, begging continuously. After several times, Yang Zhao, who was already very fat, was out of breath and suddenly fell to the ground.

Yang Guang hurriedly asked the imperial physician to treat the prince, but he could not wake him up at all. Yang Guang was shocked and said to Li Jiancheng with a ferocious face: "When will Yang Su die?"

Without waiting for Li Jiancheng to answer, he said quietly with a calm face: "If Su is not killed, all nine clans will be exterminated."

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(End of this chapter)