gnovel Chapter 8 The fire has not yet died down, the summons has already arrived.
Chapter 8 The fire has not yet died down, the summons has already arrived.
After seeing his mother off, Yang Yan turned around.
He waved to the few trusted servants behind him.
"Help His Highness to a side room! Sober him up! Anyone who dares to show leniency, I'll chop off their hand right now!"
The servants looked at each other in bewilderment.
But under Yang Yan's murderous gaze, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward.
They grabbed Yang Yong, who was still in a daze, from both sides and half-dragged him towards the side room.
"Yan'er! What are you doing? That's a dragon robe! You can't burn it! You can't burn it!"
As Yang Yong was being dragged along, he seemed to realize something and began to struggle violently.
That was his last fantasy, his only spiritual solace in this cold Eastern Palace.
"If we don't burn it, we'll all die!"
The side room was cramped and filled with flammable materials that had just been collected.
Yang Yan ripped off Yang Yong's tattered dragon robe without the slightest hesitation.
He threw the dragon robe directly into the middle of the pile of silk curtains.
Even under the dim light, the ochre-yellow silk still exuded an eerie yet noble luster.
Even though the exquisitely embroidered five-clawed golden dragon was torn apart, its dragon eyes still gazed majestically at this group of audacious mortals.
"Gulp."
Dark brown kerosene poured out of the can, emitting a pungent odor.
The oil instantly soaked the golden dragon, leaving its once sacred and inviolable dignity drenched and disheveled.
Yang Yan took out a tinderbox from his pocket and blew on it gently.
A tiny orange spark shone in the darkness, reflecting the madness and calmness dancing in his eyes.
As a time traveler, he knew all too well what this garment meant.
Although historical records do not explicitly state that Yang Yong was guilty of privately making dragon robes, the word "usurpation" is sufficient to encompass everything.
If this garment is kept, it will be irrefutable evidence of the family's confiscation and extermination.
If we don't burn it, and wait for Yang Guang's spies to discover it by tomorrow morning, or wait for Yang Jian, that old spy chief, to send someone to investigate, then everything will be over.
"Only when there is no way to prove it can one survive."
Yang Yan loosened his wrist, and the tinder flew in an arc before landing on the dragon robe soaked in kerosene.
"boom!"
Flames instantly erupted, and the fire snake greedily devoured the expensive fabric.
Thick smoke began to fill the small side room, carrying the acrid smell of burning silk, and quickly filled the entire space.
The dragon robe, symbolizing supreme imperial power, quickly shrank and turned black in the raging fire, eventually turning into a pile of unrecognizable ashes.
Yang Yong slumped to the ground, staring blankly at the ball of flame, as if all the bones in his body had been removed.
He muttered to himself, "Burn it all, it's all gone, my empire is gone."
Looking at his father's wretched state, Yang Yan felt no sympathy, only deep weariness and sorrow.
"Yu Wen, keep an eye on the fire. After two incense sticks have burned, call for help to put out the fire. Make a big fuss, just in case the main hall actually burns down."
After giving his cold instructions, Yang Yan turned and was about to leave the side room.
However, just as his foot crossed the threshold...
"Your Majesty, Chief Eunuch Yang Yue of the Inner Palace has arrived!"
A sharp announcement pierced the night sky, like a sword striking everyone's eardrums.
Yang Yan suddenly stopped in his tracks.
So fast?!
He subconsciously glanced back at the still-burning fire, then at Yang Yong, who was slumped on the ground.
The mad glint in Yang Yan's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a perfectly measured look of panic and anxiety.
He turned around abruptly and shouted at the servants who were still standing there in a daze.
"What are you all standing there for! Fire! Put it out! If it reaches the front hall, I'll take your heads!"
The servants, as if waking from a dream, rushed towards the fire in the side room amidst a chaotic shout.
Grand Eunuch Yang Yue stood at the palace gate, lightly flicking his whisk.
His old eyes, which had seen all the intrigues of the court, swept across the chaotic scene, finally settling on the disheveled father and son.
Li Gonggong, the deputy chief eunuch who was following behind him, stepped forward with a solemn expression.
His high-pitched voice pierced through the noise of the courtyard.
"By imperial decree! Summon Crown Prince Yang Yong and Prince Yang Yan of Changning to the palace immediately for an audience with the Emperor at the Daxing Hall!"
Yang Yan took a deep breath and clenched his fist tightly in his sleeve.
This is definitely a trap.
"Enter...enter the palace?"
A gust of cold wind blew Yang Yong, and the smell of alcohol rose in his lungs. He staggered out, leaning on a pillar.
His bloodshot eyes were half-open and half-closed, and his casual clothes were still stained with wine that had been spilled during his struggle. He looked decadent and absurd.
"Father, what do you need me for?"
He let out a loud burp, clearly so drunk that he had forgotten his capital offense of wearing the imperial robes without permission.
This scene made Yang Yan's heart skip a beat.
We can't let Yang Yong go to see Yang Jian in this state.
Otherwise, there would be no need for an investigation at all; the mere fact that the Crown Prince had violated etiquette would be enough for Yang Guang to write a magnificent article about.
Yang Yan frowned slightly, took a step forward, and silently stood between Yang Yue and Yang Yong.
He reached out to support his father's swaying body, and using his body as cover, he pinched Yang Yong's soft flesh hard with his fingers.
"Father!"
Yang Yan raised his voice, his tone revealing anxiety and concern.
"Father, you must have been frightened! The fire was so fierce just now, and you even got your clothes dirty while directing the firefighting efforts."
"Now that His Majesty has summoned you, please remain calm and tidy your appearance before following the eunuch into the palace. Do not disgrace the Crown Prince's dignity."
The excruciating pain jolted Yang Yong awake, and his blank gaze finally regained some focus.
He looked at his son, whose expression was stern, his lips trembling, just about to speak.
"This prince is not drunk, that dragon..."
"Father, be careful what you say!"
Immediately, Yang Yan turned to Yu Wen beside him and said sternly, "Bring cold water! Quickly!"
Yu Wen hurriedly brought over a basin of ice water that had just been drawn from the well.
Without saying a word, Yang Yan soaked a cloth and, ignoring the icy water, directly covered Yang Yong's face with it, wiping it vigorously.
"hiss!"
The icy, bone-chilling touch brought Yang Yong back to his senses.
He gasped, his body instinctively struggling, but Yang Yan held him down firmly.
"Father, are you more lucid?"
Yang Yan leaned close to Yang Yong's ear and spoke through gritted teeth in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"The dragon robe is destroyed, and there's no way to verify the truth. Now we can only pretend to be frightened. If anyone dares to utter a single word more, my son and I will both be on our way tonight!"
Yang Yong stiffened, and the fear in his eyes finally overwhelmed his drunkenness.
After doing all this, Yang Yan straightened up, turned around and bowed to Yang Yue.
Although he looked tired, he was very polite.
"Eunuch Yang, Attendant Li, my father was somewhat frightened by the fire and lost his composure due to the smoke and flames. Please allow me to straighten his clothes a little so that he will not behave improperly in front of the Emperor."
Yang Yue gave the usually timid Prince Changning a deep look.
The movements just now were fluid and graceful.
This both suppressed the prince's drunken state and stopped his incoherent ramblings.
Such decisiveness and ruthlessness—how could he be a sixteen-year-old boy?
"Your Highness is extremely filial."
Yang Yue gave a forced smile and turned the whisk in his hand in a different direction.
"However, His Majesty is still waiting in the Daxing Palace!"
"Just a moment."
Yang Yan was neither humble nor arrogant.
A moment later, Yang Yong, who had changed into plain clothes and been forced to drink a bowl of hangover soup, boarded the carriage to Daxing Palace with the help of Yang Yan.
……
At the end of Zhuque Avenue, a blue-curtained carriage quietly stopped in the shade of willow trees, no more than a hundred paces from the side gate of the East Palace.
"How could there be a fire?!"
Just then, a ghostly black shadow sped along the base of the wall.
The newcomer was dressed in the gray, low-ranking eunuch's clothes. He was thin and wiry, but as fast as a cat, and he was in front of the carriage window in a flash.
A man dressed as a eunuch handed a note to someone.
"Good, very good."
"No matter what means I use, I want to know everything that happened in the Eastern Palace tonight."
"yes!"
The eunuch accepted the bronze plaque as if granted a pardon, and in a flash, he disappeared into the dark alleyway.