Fei Yun, who was leading the way, suddenly lowered his voice. The two boys quickly focused their power to listen, immediately they were able to hear every single word. He said, "In one day we received three emergency dispatches from Luoyang. Wang Shichong is really shameful; did he want us to lose our heads? I burned all the documents.”
"There is another headache,” Yu Shiji said, "Just now the Imperial Guard Commander Sima Dekan ignored me when I tried to stop him, he forced himself into the Wangjiang Tai to see His Highness, reporting something about someone exploiting the Imperial Guard army provisions, that the soldiers don't have enough to eat and are hungry. And most of them came from Guanzhong, they knew that the Li Clan is raising an army to rebel, so they worried that their hometown is in trouble; batch by batch they ran away from Jiangdu, so he wanted His Mahesty to issue an imperial decree to pacify the heart of the people.”
Fei Yun laughed and said, "Fortunately the person who exploited the army provisions is His Highness himself, we are simply carrying out his order, so he cannot put the blame on us. Hee hee … did His Highness have Sima Dekan, that fellow who showed no understanding of the times, flogged?”
Yu Shiji replied, "I don't know if His Holiness has changed from his excessive stubbornness? Or perhaps he knew that the Imperial Guard Minister General Dou Xian has also led his troops to flee, so he clearly knew that the situation is serious. He only ordered Sima Dekan to immediately pursue Dou Xian and have him come back here, or else he will have to present his own head. I really wish Dou Xian could go a little faster!”
Meanwhile they had reached the steps leading to the Wangjiang Tai. Yu and Fei, two men stopped talking. Listening to them, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling behind them were aghast. Yang Guang definitely was a muddleheaded ruler, otherwise how could he let treacherous court officials like Yu Shiji and Fei Yun emerge?
"Citizen Kou Zhong, Xu Ziling have arrived!” The herald at the gate announced as the two boys followed Yu Shiji and Fei Yun toward the stone steps leading to Yang Guang's dragon throne. They kneeled three times and kowtowed nine times [my dictionary has this additional information: formal etiquette on meeting the emperor]. After the ritual was performed, the herald announced again, "You may rise!”
The two boys followed Yu Shiji and Fei Yun stood up, and focused their attention to look. Immediately they were taken aback.
They saw the twenty-zhang wide dragon platform was packed with beautiful imperial concubines; there were at least fifty, sixty women, like the starts cupping themselves around the moon [idiom from Analects], surrounding the elevated dragon throne, busy feeding fruits to the Great Sui Emperor Yang Guang.
Dugu Sheng stood erect with straight face under the platform, leading the Imperial Guards standing around the platform, separating Yang Guang from Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling.
After stroking an imperial concubine's breasts by his side, Yang Guang looked down the platform. As if he did not see Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling at all, he looked at Fei Yun and said with a laugh, "Fei Qingjia [term used by the emperor for his subjects] is here, quickly help Zhen [an emperor referring to himself] solve this problem.”
Yun Shiji bowed and laughed to flatter him, "Your Highness, these two …”
"Zhen knows,” Yang Guang impatiently cut him off, "Other matter can wait.”
Under the illumination of the palace lantern, Yang Guang's countenance looked worse than Xiang Yushan before his illness was cured; he was so pale that he looked like a dead person. His age looked to be only around fifty, his head and shoulders stood tall; although he was wearing bright-colored nine-dragon gown, with a tall crown on his head, he gave a depressing impression of a dead person wearing burial clothes.
Anybody could see that his destiny already nearing its end, his days were numbered.
Fei Yun hastily said, "Your Highness, please reveal it to us!”
Yang Guang sighed and said, "Zhen really don't understand, what's not good in Jiangdu? To the south facing the Great River, undulating hills, pleasant scenery, since ancient times has been number one scenic spot in Jiang Huai; yet troops are running away these days, even Dou Xian has personally fled. Qingjia, what do you think is the reason?”
This time even Fei Yun and Yun Shiji were left speechless, other people need not be mentioned; they were quiet out of fear, afraid that they might incur unexpected calamity.
Fei Yun could not but respond; clearing his throat, he said, "There must be some people spreading rumors, instigating the morale of the troops. Weichen [this small official] must investigate clearly, and then report to Your Highness.”
Yang Guang let out a cold laugh and said, "Who could instigate the morale of Zhen's troops? Zhen has fought to the south and attacked to the north, pacifying the land under the heavens, three times went on military campaign to Gaoli [Korea], my military power unrivalled, admired by officers and soldiers. Zhen really cannot believe they would believe idle talk. Quickly investigate this matter thoroughly.”
Kou Zhong could not refrain from nudging Xu Ziling with his elbow, while putting up a ‘I don't want to hear the truth' expression on his face.
Although Yang Guang did not seem to look at him, unexpectedly he saw that; angrily he shouted, "Why is that little one's expression so strange? He has the audacity of being disrespectful to Zhen.”
Fei Yun and Yu Shiji's soul flew away and scattered, afraid that before these two witnesses could testify, Yang Guang already had their heads chopped.
Kou Zhong secretly signaled Xu Ziling, ready to break out the siege and flee for their lives, to create a gap they could exploit to get out. This moment he did not even want to kowtow; he said with a giggle, "Most probably it was because Your Highness is too profound that you are able to think that deep. We are only simple ant people, naturally our thought process is also a lot simpler. Just a moment ago Xiaomin [small/lowly citizen] was not able to penetrate Your Highness' enigmatic thought, that's why I knitted my little face.”
Everybody cried out inwardly, Yang Guang hated it very much when people used sarcasm against him; this time Kou Zhong was really courting death.
Under these circumstances, Zhu Gui'er, who was serving Yang Guang eating fruits by his side, also did not dare to speak up to help Kou Zhong.
Dugu Sheng sighed inwardly; if he had to personally behead these two boys, he really did not know how to explain it to the Baling Bang people.
Everybody waited with bated breath; sure enough, Yang Guang's countenance sank and he said coldly, "What profound or simple? Kid, what is exactly your point?”
Kou Zhong remained calm, while quietly gathered his mysterious power; he said indifferently, "What kid was thinking was that if everybody is able to think like Your Highness, supporting the left and holding on to the right, yet they still want to desert the army, then they are not real men.”
At this point, no one did not consider Kou Zhong to be a criminal on the death row, because what he did was exactly what he should not do in front of Yang Guang, i.e. ‘telling the truth'.
Yang Guang was startled; and then he slapped the arm of his dragon throne and laughed so hard that his body swayed back and forth. Like speaking to a child, he said, "That is indeed simple! That is indeed simple!”
Everybody's heart went up and down following the sound of his laughter, because he loved laughing madly before killing someone.
Xu Ziling nodded slightly to Kou Zhong, reminded him to be ready to slip away any moment.
The laughter suddenly stopped.
Yang Guang coughed twice, while allowing Zhu Gui'er and Madame Xiao to wipe the tears on the corner of his eye. When they were done, he looked down at Kou Zhong and said, "As the Emperor, Zhen is buried in ten thousand affairs every day, so that my brain is a bit slow, causing damage to the country and suffering to the people. This time you, kid, spoke out the root cause, Zhen immediately think of countermeasures. Guards!”
All the imperial concubines were laughing and giggling tenderly to flatter him.
Dugu Sheng was still thinking that his fear finally happened; bowing down, he responded, "Dugu Sheng is here!”
Yang Guang was stunned, "This matter cannot be done by Qingjia. Guards!”
Everybody looked at each other; they did not understand, whether in the imperial court or in Jianghu, Dugu Sheng had a resounding prestige, why was he not qualified to do such a simple thing as putting these two boys to death?
Fei Yun and Yu Shiji braced themselves and responded in chorus, "Your Highness, please reveal your wish!”
Yang Guang cheerfully said, "Immediately go around the surrounding area and collect all widows, unmarried women, even Buddhist nuns and Taoist priestess, anybody who is fit to accompany Zhen's troops, to boost the morale of the troops.”
Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling's countenance immediately changed; was he going to kill a lot of people?
Who would have thought that Fei Yun and Yu Shiji immediately clapped and cheered, lauding the brilliance of the Sage's idea. Amidst the roar of applause, Yang Guang smiled proudly while twisting the tip of his beard; his Sage's heart was greatly comforted.
Xu Ziling could not help shouting, "Your Highness!”
Yang Guang let out a cold snort, "Enough!” he barked, "Today Zhen have spent too much time dealing with national affairs, you are all dismissed!”
The herald at the door shouted, "Court's dismissed!”
"Thank heavens and thank the earth,” Yu Shiji muttered under his breath. Together with Fei Yun, they dragged Kou and Xu, two boys, out of the Palace.
Leaving the Wangjiang Tai, Kou Zhong broke free from Yu Shiji's grab and said, "We have not said anything about our business, how can we leave?”
Wiping the cold sweats on his brow, Fei Yun angrily said, "We almost get killed because of you, this slave who spoke recklessly. Humph!”
Kou Zhong's eyes shot a cold ray, "What did you call me?” he said.
Fei Yun was agitated; he nearly flew into rage, but Yu Shiji interrupted him, "We are on the same side, what's passed in passed, why do we have to argue about it?”
Turning to Kou Zhong, he said, "Your head is still on your neck, just consider yourself lucky, do you still have to blab around and show off? Right now let this official make arrangement for you to rest, I'll pick several palace maids who are pretty and considerate to serve you. When the time is right, we'll arrange for you two to have an audience with the Emperor.”
Xu Ziling deeply detested these two big treacherous court officials, he said grimly, "Just with that one account book plus two gentlemen with silver tongue it is enough to kill Yuwen Huaji, even if we stayed here, there won't be any good; we have decided to leave.”
Fei Yun was still glowering at Kou Zhong, as if he wanted to eat him alive. But just looking at his belly, he probably could eat at least half of Kou Zhong.