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Li Jian Cheng followed the female official through Yongxing Gate and entered Xingren Gate, where he could see the Secretariat in the distance. Beyond it lay the heart of the Sui Dynasty, the Supreme Harmony Hall. He barely had time for a quick glance as they hurried through alleys and palaces, finally arriving at Eternal Alley.
This was a wide cross street, dividing the court from the sleeping quarters, heavily guarded. Not only Li Jian Cheng but even the female official who had just exited was taken aside for a thorough search by female attendants.
The search was meticulous and somewhat rough; they clearly did not care about the identity of those being inspected. Li Jian Cheng complied with good grace, being tossed around like dough.
Once the inspection was complete, Li Jian Cheng arrived at his destination, the Empress's Yong'an Palace, holding a letter and standing outside the palace doors, waiting to be summoned.
At that moment, an unexpected figure appeared. With the sounds of Eunuchs and Palace Maids greeting him, Li Jian Cheng quickly bowed to step aside—the Crown Prince of the Sui Dynasty had arrived.
Naturally, someone went to announce his presence. While waiting, Yang Yong noticed Li Jian Cheng standing nearby and asked, "Whose family are you from?"
They were indeed relatives and had met a couple of times over the years, but it was clear that His Highness did not pay much attention to his distant cousin.
Li Jian Cheng respectfully replied, "Your Highness, I am Li Jian Cheng, my father has received Imperial Favor and inherited the title Duke of Tang."
"Ah." Yang Yong felt a bit embarrassed and stepped forward to pat Li Jian Cheng on the shoulder. "So it's Jian Cheng! You've grown so much in the blink of an eye—a fine young man! Haha! My uncle has recently acquired a precious bow; I will send someone to deliver it to your home tomorrow."
Li Jian Cheng hurriedly said, "I should have gone to the Eastern Palace to pay my respects first. It was already rude of me; how could I dare to greedily seek Your Highness's gifts?"
Yang Yong laughed, "We are family; there's no need for such formality. When you have free time, feel free to visit me more often. Yian'er is growing up too; you brothers seldom see each other and should get closer."
"Yes."
"Did you come today because you were summoned by the Empress?"
"Your Highness, I came to deliver a letter for my grandmother."
"Oh, how is my aunt doing?"
"Thanks to Your Majesty's blessings, my grandmother is in relatively good health."
"That's good to hear."
After exchanging pleasantries smoothly, both fell silent. Li Jian Cheng took this opportunity to observe this intelligent yet somewhat emotionally naive Crown Prince.
He was tall and robust, exuding an air of nobility befitting someone who had been the Crown Prince for eighteen years. However, his appearance was rather ordinary, with a square face and a short beard.
His dark circles and pallid complexion suggested he had indulged in wine and pleasures too often, and there was a hint of gloom in his demeanor, indicating that he had faced many disappointments.
Before long, a palace maid emerged and said, "Your Highness, the Empress is unwell. Please return."
Yang Yong's voice carried a note of pleading as he replied, "Please inform her once more. I will not disturb the Empress for long."
The maid, feeling helpless, returned to relay the message but soon came back out, looking troubled as she gazed at the Crown Prince. Yang Yong sighed and turned to leave.
Once the Crown Prince had walked away, the maid addressed Li Jian Cheng, saying, "Li Langjun, the Empress has summoned you."
Li Jian Cheng thanked her and stepped into the hall. Upon reaching the center of the chamber, he bowed his head in respect and said, "I pay my respects to the Empress. Grandson Li Jian Cheng humbly presents himself before you."
Empress Dugu sat on a fragrant wooden couch piled high with books. Leaning against a side table, she was reading at an angle. Only after hearing Li Jian Cheng's greeting did she look up at him. After appraising him for a moment, she remarked, "You've grown quite a bit. What brings you here?"
"Your Majesty," he replied respectfully, "my grandmother has sent a letter for you. I have come to deliver it and apologize for disturbing your peace."
Li Jian Cheng held the letter above his head. A court lady stepped forward to take it and placed it on the Empress's writing desk. Dugu Qialo did not rush to read it; instead, she suddenly asked Li Jian Cheng, "Did you see the Crown Prince?"
"I did. His Highness even bestowed upon me a precious bow."
Dugu Qialo wanted to ask more questions; she needed to make an important decision and wished to gather more opinions. But then she chuckled at herself—who was she to inquire further from someone so young? It seemed she had become somewhat muddled.
She opened Fourth Sister's letter. The contents began with greetings, reminisced about the past in the middle, and concluded with concerns about her declining health and hopes that she could care for her grandchildren more.
Dugu Qialo sighed. Aside from her elder sister, Fourth Sister Dugu Bodhi had married well. In front of her, Fourth Sister had once been quite proud; even after Dugu Qialo became Queen and her son Li Yan faced setbacks in his career, Fourth Sister never lowered her head or softened her stance.
In the end, however, that pride had been expressed. Dugu Qialo felt no sense of triumph; instead, she recalled how their father had been forced to take his own life during turbulent times for the Dugu Family. It was Fourth Sister who had tirelessly sought alliances to preserve their family from being completely annihilated by Yuwen Hu.
"Jian Cheng, come sit here," she said.
Naturally, it was impossible for him to sit on the same couch as the Queen. A eunuch brought over a round stool and placed it at the foot of the couch. After expressing his gratitude, Li Jian Cheng took his seat so they could see each other clearly.
Dugu Qialo remained lost in memories of days gone by as she looked at her sister's grandson now grown into a young man. It struck her how much time had passed; they had all aged significantly.
"Your brows and eyes bear some resemblance to your great-grandfather."
Dugu Qialo's expression dimmed slightly as he spoke. "He spent his life on the battlefield, establishing dozens of counties for the former dynasty, pacifying the three Jing regions while guarding Longyou for over ten years. His reputation spread far and wide, bringing peace to neighboring countries. What a pity..."
"What a pity he was harmed by traitors!" Li Jian Cheng exclaimed angrily. "Yuwen Hu harbored malice, displaying a wolf's heart, indulging in violence, and wielding power recklessly. His accomplices fanned the flames of chaos. Fortunately, heaven has eyes, and he ultimately reaped the bitter fruits of his actions, meeting a gruesome end, with his body torn apart and his family slaughtered!"
"Now that Destiny has turned," he continued, "Your Majesty is rebuilding the State. The grievances of your great-grandfather have been avenged. Today, his honor is fully restored through his descendants. I believe he can smile down from the underworld now."
Dugu Qialo nodded in satisfaction and praised him. "Good child, it seems your grandmother has told you many stories from those years. How are your studies? In archery and horsemanship, do you possess your father's skills?"
Li Jian Cheng answered calmly. He believed that compared to his peers, whether in classical studies or martial skills, he might not claim to overshadow them all but was certainly outstanding.
The Queen lowered her gaze in thought. After all, they were family, and it was rare for her sister to speak up. However, the plan to suppress the military merit aristocracy could not change; there remained only a position that was both respectable and not too significant.
"Jian Cheng, would you be willing to serve as His Majesty's Bodyguard of the Thousand Cattle?"
As expected, Li Jian Cheng stood up and feigned delight as he replied, "Grandson is naturally willing; I thank Your Majesty for this grace."
The title of Bodyguard of the Thousand Cattle may not sound impressive, but it was not an insignificant court attendant position; it was a legitimate sixth-rank military officer responsible for closely protecting the emperor with the Qian Niu Dao.
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