Supreme Golden Palace

Chapter 135 Yuan Qi (Part 2)

"How strange! This Dou Kang actually has the destiny of a prime minister!"

Seeing the aura emanating from Dou Kang and Dou Qing, Lü Shang was also taken aback.

Dou Qing is one thing, but Dou Kang's fate is quite different. His aura is pure green, with a lush and verdant appearance. In fortune telling, this is called the Azure Dragon in its proper position, also known as the path to success, a rare and auspicious sign.

With such an auspicious appearance, Dou Kang is destined to attain at least the rank of a third-grade official in the future.

Thinking this, Lü Shang's heart stirred, and he withdrew his gaze from Dou Kang and Dou Qing.

"His Majesty has decreed that the Anfeng County Duke's Mansion shall receive the decree!"

At the same time, outside the Dou residence, the sound of horses' hooves rang out, and a high-pitched voice came from in front of the mourning hall.

In an instant, the noisy mourning hall fell silent, and everyone's expression turned solemn.

A slender eunuch, dressed in a scarlet palace robe and holding a bright yellow imperial edict, strode into the mourning hall.

He first bowed slightly towards the coffin to show his respect, then unfolded the edict, faced the crowd, and read it aloud, saying: "Dou Rongding, the Duke of Anfeng, is my closest relative and a pillar of the nation."

"For the sake of the Great Sui Dynasty, he devoted himself wholeheartedly and remained steadfast in his commitment. Now that Duke Rongding has passed away suddenly, I am deeply grieved. I posthumously confer upon Dou Rongding the titles of Governor of Jizhou and Duke of Chen, and bestow upon him the posthumous name 'Yi'. I also grant his three sons official positions in the court to commemorate his achievements. I hope you will all take heed of my grief and not fail my expectations!"

Upon hearing the imperial edict, Princess Ancheng prostrated herself on the ground and wept bitterly, her voice filled with sorrow: "On behalf of my deceased husband, I thank Your Majesty for your great kindness."

The Dou family members kowtowed to express their gratitude and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

The eunuch handed the imperial edict to Princess Ancheng, a perfectly timed smile on his face, and said softly, "Your Highness, His Majesty is deeply grieved by the passing of the Duke and has specially instructed this old servant to come and comfort you. He hopes Your Highness will take care of your health."

Lü Yongji whispered to Lü Shang beside him, "His Majesty truly bestows the utmost favor upon Duke Rongding."

Lu Shang nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the Dou family members. With this posthumous edict, although the Dou family had lost Dou Rongding, their pillar of strength, the emperor's favor continued. Not only was he posthumously granted the title of Duke, but his three sons were also granted special protection. Such honors and privileges were beyond compare.

The candlelight flickered in the mourning hall, casting shifting shadows on everyone's faces. After the eunuchs withdrew, Dou Kang was the first to rise. His gaze swept over the coffin, then fell upon the imperial edict in his hand, and he proclaimed loudly, "We are deeply grateful for His Majesty's great favor. Our Dou family will certainly give our lives to live up to His Majesty's expectations!"

Princess Ancheng was helped to her feet by her attendants. Her face was still wet with tears. She looked at the Dou family members and said in a deep voice, "His Majesty's grace today is not only a remembrance of your father, but also an expectation for the Dou family."

“From now on, you must all abide by your duties. Remember, your father earned the glory of the Dou family today with his sincere heart. If you dare to bully others or bring shame upon your family for your own selfish reasons, do not blame me for killing my own family for the greater good.”

The Dou family members all stood with their heads bowed in solemn silence. Dou Kang stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and said, "Mother's teachings are etched in my heart. I will certainly set an example and protect the reputation of the Dou family."

As he spoke, Lü Shang saw Dou Kang's pure azure aura slowly surging and condensing, gradually transforming into a dazzling canopy. Auspicious patterns flowed on the canopy, and the faint sounds of dragons and tigers echoed, enveloping Dou Kang within it.

------

Daxing Palace,
Yang Jian strolled alone to the forbidden garden. The cold moonlight shone on the lake, reflecting a chilling glow. "Have all the officials of the fourth rank and above in the capital gone to the Duke of Chen's residence?"

The eunuch Chen Dexin followed closely behind Yang Jian, bowing his head respectfully as he replied, "Your Majesty, all officials of the fourth rank and above in the capital have gone to the Duke of Chen's residence to offer their condolences. General Yuan Min has personally led three hundred Imperial Guards to maintain order in the mourning hall and ensure that everything goes smoothly."

Yang Jian nodded slightly, his gaze falling on the lake, his thoughts drifting back to the past.

"With Rongding's departure, the court has lost another loyal and brave man, and the Sui Dynasty has also lost a good general."

Yang Jian sighed deeply, his tone filled with desolation.

Chen Dexin gently comforted him, saying, "Your Majesty is wise. Although the Duke of Chen has passed away, his family has a pure and upright tradition, and the Dou family members are all diligent and hardworking. Given time, they will surely be able to share Your Majesty's burdens."

Yang Jian stood with his hands behind his back, turning his gaze away from the lake, and nodded, saying, "I hope so."

Having said that, he turned and walked towards the Ganlu Hall, with Chen Dexin following closely behind.
Inside the Ganlu Hall, the candlelight flickered. Yang Jian stepped into the hall, looking slightly tired. Seeing this, Dugu Jialuo personally brought him a cup of hot tea and asked softly, "Your Majesty seems to be preoccupied today. Is it because of the matter of Duke Rongding?"

Yang Jian took the teacup, took a sip, and slowly said, "With Rong Ding's departure, the power of the imperial relatives in the court has also been weakened."

As he spoke, he frowned slightly, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes, and said, "When Dou Rongding was alive, he was able to keep the court in check with his prestige and ability. Now that he is gone, although the Dou family has been posthumously honored and protected, the younger generation has not yet been able to take charge of the overall situation."

Dugu Jialuo moved the cushion behind Yang Jian and said softly, "Is Your Majesty worried that the powerful nobles are difficult to control?"

Yang Jian placed the teacup on the table, nodded slightly, and sighed, "Jialuo, you should know the situation in the court. The nobles have deep roots and are deeply entrenched. When Dou Rongding was alive, he could still use his status as a relative of the empress and a noble to check and balance them."

"Now that he's gone, the court is out of balance. If this continues, these nobles will only become more arrogant and disregard the laws of the court."

Upon hearing this, Dugu Jialuo's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. After a moment's thought, she slowly spoke, saying, "Your Majesty, you have more than just the Dou family as your maternal relatives. Since Dou Rongding has passed away, why not support another maternal relative to balance the court?"

"You mean, Lü Shang?"

Yang Jian lightly tapped the table; he hadn't even considered Dugu Jialuo's maternal relatives. Yang Jian had always adopted a policy of 'noble but not powerful' towards Dugu Jialuo's relatives, bestowing upon them immense honor and wealth but preventing them from wielding real power.
As for Yang Jian's maternal relatives, after Dou Rongding, Lü Shang was the most outstanding. Compared with Lü Shang's illustrious military achievements in the northern expedition, neither Dou's three sons nor his sons-in-law could compare.

"If it wasn't him, then who could it be?"

Seeing Yang Jian deep in thought, Dugu Jialuo gently advised, "Since Lü Shang is your cousin, he will also be your son-in-law in the future. If you can take this opportunity to cultivate him and counterbalance the powerful officials in the court, you will surely be able to ensure the stability of our Sui Dynasty."

Yang Jian frowned and said, "Jialuo, although Lü Shang is talented, it is not a good thing for him to suddenly rise to a high position."

Dugu Jialuo parted her lips slightly, smiling, and said, "Your Majesty, I know that we should not be too hasty. We might as well give Lü Shang some duties first, let him accumulate prestige through experience, and then proceed slowly."

Yang Jian's gaze lingered on the candlelight for a moment, then he slowly nodded and said, "Jialuo is right. He should indeed be given some duties to properly train him."

(End of this chapter)