Yang Guang Employs Slander To Seize The Succession; Empress Dugu's Jealousy Leads To A Palace Consort's Death (4)

When the Sui ruler finished his morning audience, his thoughts were entirely occupied with the pleasures of the previous night.

He could scarcely wait to return to Renshou Palace and enjoy Lady Yuchi’s company again.

But when he entered, he found Empress Dugu standing nearby, her brows knitted and her eyes blazing with fury.

Lady Yuchi lay upon the floor, her beauty destroyed and her body covered in blood.

The sight startled him.

He was seized by terrible anger, but said nothing and immediately turned to leave.

Just then, a young eunuch passed by leading a horse.

The Sui ruler mounted it and galloped straight through the palace passages and out of the court gates.

In his fury, he intended to abandon the empire and flee into the mountains and valleys.

Fortunately, Gao Jiong was leaving court and happened to see him.

He rushed forward, stopped the emperor at all costs, and knelt to ask what had happened.

The Sui ruler had no choice but to turn his horse around and return to the main hall.

He summoned his officials and recounted how Empress Dugu had beaten Lady Yuchi to death.

He then demanded that an edict be drafted deposing that old woman.

Gao Jiong memorialized:

“Your Majesty is mistaken.”

“Your Majesty has exhausted your mind and labored without rest, entered the tiger’s den, and seized the dragon’s pearl. Who can say how many battles were required before you united the realm?”

“Now you should devote yourself to good government and preserve your achievements for your descendants.”

“How can you treat the empire so lightly on account of one woman?”

The Sui ruler’s anger had not yet subsided.

Only after Gao Jiong and the other ministers repeatedly remonstrated did he finally return to the palace.

Empress Dugu, already ill, had been further agitated by her anger and the fright of these events. Her condition became increasingly severe.

Whenever she closed her eyes, she saw Lady Yuchi appearing as a vengeful spirit.

She developed an illness marked by fright and convulsions, worsening day by day.

Within a few months, she died.

Naturally, an imperial edict announced her death throughout the realm, and the responsible officials were ordered to determine the proper funeral ceremonies.

All rites were carried out according to custom.

A later poet wrote specifically of Empress Dugu’s jealousy:

She regarded her son as a precious treasure,
And through affection changed the heir to the imperial throne.
Say not that jealousy perished with her body;
The furnace had already brewed disaster for the realm.

After Empress Dugu’s death, the Sui ruler found the inner palace lonely.

He therefore issued an order that beautiful women be selected from among the palace consorts and attendants to serve him.

Once the order was announced, every woman in the palace hoped to receive his favor and longed for his affection.

But although the palace held three thousand women, imperial favor could rest upon only a few. How could so many be chosen?

After searching throughout the six palace quarters, only two were selected.

One was Lady Chen, and the other Lady Cai.

Lady Chen was a daughter of Emperor Xuan of Chen. She was gentle in temperament and graceful in bearing, possessing beauty that could make fish sink and wild geese fall, and put the moon and flowers to shame.

Lady Cai was a native of Danyang and was equally charming and lovely.

The Sui ruler was overjoyed when he saw them.

“I am old now, and my affections have had nowhere to rest. Having obtained you two ladies, I shall have pleasure in my declining years.”

He conferred upon Lady Chen the title Lady of Xuanhua and upon Lady Cai the title Lady of Ronghua.

Although both enjoyed imperial favor, Lady Xuanhua was especially beloved.

From then onward, the Sui ruler held banquets and enjoyed himself every day, finding life even more agreeable than when Empress Dugu had been alive.

Nevertheless, the Sui ruler was, after all, the founder of a dynasty and retained a serious regard for his duties.

Although he enjoyed himself within the palace, he never neglected affairs of government.

He carefully examined every memorial submitted by his officials and frequently remained awake until late at night.

One evening, while reading memorials by lamplight, he gradually became tired and fell asleep leaning upon his desk.

The attendants dared not disturb him and waited silently.

In his sleep, the Sui ruler dreamed that he stood alone upon the walls of the capital.

Looking out in every direction, he saw rivers and mountains stretching into the distance, and his heart was filled with delight.

He also saw three great trees growing upon the city walls, their branches heavy with fruit.

While he was gazing at them, he suddenly heard the sound of water.

Looking down beyond the walls, he saw a torrent rushing forward, its waves surging violently and rising almost to the height of the city walls.

The Sui ruler was greatly alarmed in his dream.

He hurried down from the walls and fled.

Looking back, he saw the waters rising toward the heavens and sweeping after him.

Terrified, he cried out and suddenly awoke.

His attendants hurriedly offered him tea.

After drinking a cup, he rubbed his eyes, collected his thoughts, and carefully considered the dream.

It was certainly no auspicious omen.

The vision seemed to foretell a flood overwhelming the capital. He must therefore pay particular attention to the rivers, dredge the waterways, and prepare against unforeseen danger.

Then another thought occurred to him.

How could this place possibly suffer such a flood?

Perhaps someone whose surname or personal name contained the water radical would one day bring disaster upon the state.

That, too, was possible.

He must remain vigilant, identify such a person, and remove the danger before calamity occurs.

The meaning of the dream is difficult to discern;
Whether real or imagined, it gives cause for fear.
Beneath Heaven, the surging waters all portend disaster;
Soon all may be swept away by the eastward flow!

The Sui ruler had always been fond of interpreting omens and minor portents, and his suspicious nature made him prone to jealousy and distrust.

After this dream, his suspicions grew still stronger.

But whether the dream foretold good fortune or calamity remains unknown.