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Though Yang Su had left the capital, Liu Shu and the others had settled down. They did not dare to stir up trouble at this time; the emperor was suspicious and capricious, but he was not foolish. No one would dare to deceive him in such matters of military importance.
Even though His Majesty indulged in wine and pleasure, one could imagine that he could still wield the Imperial Staff with deadly force.
However, if Yang Su were to suffer defeat, they would not hesitate to eradicate him completely.
The entire Sui Dynasty was focused on Yang Su's battle. If he continued his undefeated reputation, then regardless of his moral character, Gao Shan would have no opportunity or necessity to make a comeback.
The court could not accommodate two Left Ministers, and the emperor was well aware of this fact.
With Gao Shan unable to return, the deposed crown prince naturally lost his chance as well.
Thus, Yang Guang staked everything he had. He sent He Ruobi and Changsun Sheng to protect Yurira Makitezhang and Li Yan, while Yang Su commanded a strong army filled with fierce generals.
The Sui Army advanced like a raging tide, and this time Yang Su exerted himself fully, determined to achieve complete victory!
But after suffering two defeats, Bujia Khan was unwilling to engage the Sui Army in direct combat again. He retreated all the way back, sending cavalry only to disrupt supply lines.
Although they fought their way into uncharted territory, Yang Su grew increasingly anxious. Such a long supply route could not be sustained for long.
In a moment of determination, he personally took action, leading only two or three Guardians to bite at the heels of the Turkic Forces. He even risked his own safety to meet with several tribal leaders under Bujia Khan.
The dangers and difficulties were self-evident, but Yang Su ultimately succeeded in this endeavor. The Tiele and over ten other tribes suddenly betrayed Bujia Khan, leaving him besieged by the relentless Sui Army.
Bujia Khan lost his head to Yujula's blade in battle. Qimin Khan raised his banner and called out, subduing the remaining Turkic tribes. Yang Su solidified his undefeated reputation for all time.
When the good news returned, Dragon Countenance was overjoyed. Yang Xuangan was promoted to Duke, Xuan Zong honored Huainan as Duke of Longxi, and all other generals received generous rewards. Yujula, who had beheaded the Turkic Khagan, was elevated to Grand Minister.
...
Upon returning triumphantly to court, the emperor graciously held a banquet and even personally played the pipa, demonstrating his immense joy.
There was nothing that a great victory could not alleviate; Yang Su regained his former favor while the court returned to its previous harmony. Liu Shu and the others fell silent.
Yet they waited—waiting for the emperor's suspicions to resurface.
During the celebratory feast in the Eastern Palace, Li Jian Cheng encountered Yang Guang's fierce generals, with Yujula undoubtedly being the most prominent among them.
Standing at eight feet tall with striking heterochromia and a booming voice, he may have been somewhat unattractive, but his ugliness exuded a certain majestic fierceness.
Despite the title "Come to Protect the Child," he did not appear fierce at all; his demeanor was quite refined, resembling that of a scholar. He was also the one who treated Li Jian Cheng the best, admiring his talents greatly.
Iron Staff was an interesting character. Upon seeing Li Jian Cheng, he asked, "Is it true that as long as one is in the capital and finds the Lord, there’s no fear of running out of wine?"
Li Jian Cheng replied with a smile, "From today onward, you can drink to your heart's content in all the taverns of the city; no one will ask you for a single coin."
Iron Staff laughed heartily, "Then I won't hold back! Otherwise, if I were to steal something in the capital and got caught, it would be embarrassing for both Your Highness and Yang Gong."
With that, Iron Staff sat beside Li Jian Cheng and began sharing amusing stories from his days as a flying bandit.
After the banquet, the core followers of the Crown Prince remained. Yang Guang solemnly thanked Yang Su, who returned the gesture with great courtesy and removed his outer garment, saying, "I fear I can no longer fight for Your Highness."
On Yang Su's chest was a wound still seeping blood, and there were knife wounds on his side. Yang Guang shed tears as he draped a garment over him, declaring, "The merits of Yang Gong shall not go unrecognized!"
At that moment, Yang Yue spoke up, "Your Highness must not forget to remain vigilant in times of peace; forethought leads to preparation, and preparation prevents calamity."
"I fear that soon His Majesty will restore Liu Shu and others to favor. How should we respond then?"
Yang Yue's words struck a chord with Yang Guang. He was unwilling to endure such anxious days any longer. His gaze swept over everyone present; their faces were resolute.
"Then let us strive together, gentlemen!"
Yang Su understood well that power not used becomes obsolete. He reinstated the exiled members of the Crown Prince's faction into their positions.
Li Yan was also promoted to General of the Fourth Rank due to his exceptional horsemanship and archery skills. During this military campaign, he had captured over a hundred Turks, including many noble heads from Turkic clans.
...
In the Year of Ren Shou, Li Fazi, leader of the Jiao Zhi people, rebelled and occupied the old city of King of Yue. He sent his nephew to take Longbian City while another commander named Li Pudeng seized Wuyan City, aiming to restore the Kingdom of Wan Chun and proclaimed himself Southern Yue Emperor.
The Sui Dynasty could not tolerate this. Left Chancellor Yang Su recommended Liu Fang as Governor of Jiao Zhou to lead an army of twenty-seven camps to suppress the rebellion.
Soon after, Li Fazi surrendered, reclaiming control over the entire Indochinese Peninsula.
Pleased with this outcome, Your Majesty suddenly issued an edict abolishing central and local schools while retaining only seventy-two students at the National Academy. He then ordered the creation of statues of Sakyamuni Buddha and dispatched thirty high monks to various provinces to distribute relics.
In a time when Buddhism flourished across the land, stories spread about how Your Majesty, having grown up in a temple and being prophesied by the Divine Nun to revive Buddhism as an emperor, would bring great prosperity to the faith.
Even the Wa Country sent an Emissary to "hear of the Sea West Bodhisattva Prince's revival of Buddhism, thus sending envoys to pay their respects, along with dozens of Bishamon to learn the teachings."
As those in power showed interest, those below followed suit. Li Jian Cheng clearly noticed that without some knowledge of Buddhist texts, he had little to discuss at banquets. Moreover, fewer people ventured out for hunting lately, fearing they might be criticized.
However, he had no time to worry about such matters. This year, Xiao Lady was coming of age. According to tradition, since there was already an engagement, it was his duty to present her with a hairpin for her coming-of-age ceremony.
Li Jian Cheng did not seek out an expensive hairpin; gold and silver were not particularly precious to either family. Instead, he specifically requested the hairpin that Minister of Works Zhao Yan's wife, from the Pei Family, had used during her own coming-of-age ceremony years ago.
This lady was truly fortunate—she had both parents and in-laws above her and children below her; her marriage was filled with love, her brothers were harmonious, and her family thrived. Her life had been smooth sailing.
It was also due to Li Jian Cheng's many friends that he could obtain such a meaningful hairpin. Otherwise, such a significant heirloom would typically be kept within the family or buried with the deceased; it would be unlikely for it to be given away to outsiders.
At Duke of Ju's Residence, after selecting the date for the ceremony and the person to hold the tray through divination, they divined three days before the event that a virtuous and talented elder woman would serve as the main guest.
By chance, they selected Consort Crown Prince for this role and began preparations in earnest. Aside from asking Li Jian Cheng to prepare a hairpin, all other clothing and gifts were personally arranged by Duke of Ju Xiao Cong and his wife.
On the day of the ceremony, Li Jian Cheng's family arrived, including his youngest son Sanlang who had yet to turn one year old. The relatives from the Lanling Xiao Clan filled every corner of the house; it was evident that the entire family placed great importance on this event, treating it no less than that of a legitimate son's coming-of-age ceremony.
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