In the year 605 CE, the second year after Yang Guang ascended the throne, the era name was changed to Daye, the first year.

The age of Kaihuang governance came to an end.

Yang Guang—who had not yet earned the infamous title of Emperor Yang of Sui—had finally inherited the throne. He immediately set about making bold moves, eager to realize his ambitions.

As soon as the era name was changed, Yang Guang appointed the Minister of Works, Yang Su, as Grand Supervisor for the construction of the Eastern Capital, ordering the building of Luoyang. He also commanded Yuwen Kai and Feng Deyi to gather extraordinary talents, rare stones, precious woods, and exotic plants from regions south of the Yangtze and north of the Five Ridges, to construct within Luoyang a vast and magnificent Xianren Palace.

Yang Guang announced that in the spring of the following year, he would admire the flowers in the Xianren Palace of the Eastern Capital, Luoyang, to display his benevolence to the world.

Thus, every month, the Sui dynasty conscripted two million laborers, who worked day and night to build the Eastern Capital and the palaces, hauling rare stones and priceless treasures without rest.

That same year, Yang Guang also ordered the excavation of the Tongji Canal between Luoyang and Yangzhou.

This Tongji Canal was no ordinary waterway for irrigation or merchant vessels. Emperor Yang Guang intended to travel to Yangzhou aboard a grand flotilla of dragon boats, so the canal—stretching over a thousand li—had to be dug wide and deep.

The great emperor decreed that within the year, he must journey south of the Yangtze to spend the winter and behold the splendor of Jiangnan in its flourishing age.

Once again, the laborers toiled without day or night, digging canals and constructing dragon boats.

Still in that same year, Yang Guang, seeking to silence accusations that he had murdered his father, built an opulent Tianjing Palace to enshrine Emperor Wen of Sui, thereby displaying his filial piety to the world.

At the same time, the great emperor reflected that he could hardly have nowhere to stay along the journey to Jiangnan. And so, between Luoyang and Yangzhou, imperial lodges also had to be constructed.

For instance, a Western Park covering two hundred li was built: earth was excavated to form lakes, piled up to create mountains, and terraces, towers, and halls were scattered throughout like stars across the sky.

The Tianjing Palace had to be completed within the year, and these traveling palaces likewise had to be finished before the emperor departed for Yangzhou—otherwise, where would His Majesty reside?

The overseers, naturally, spared no effort in lashing the backs of the laborers.

So many massive projects were all demanded within a single year. As a result, among the laborers, “four or five out of ten died of exhaustion, and carts carrying corpses were seen one after another along the roads.”

Yet these so-called “signs of a prosperous age” had nothing whatsoever to do with the high officials and noble families of Daxing City.

It was the month of May, and the weather was growing hot.

At the residence of the Duke of Tang, the sixteen-year-old eldest son, Li Jiancheng, was at the height of youth—fine clothes and spirited horses. Yesterday, he had invited dozens of friends from prominent families. Amid lush groves and slender bamboo, with wine cups floating along a winding stream, they made merry until the third watch of the night drums sounded.

The second son, Li Shimin, and the third son, Li Xuanba, were only six years old. Since Li Xuanba had been frail and sickly since early childhood, summer was especially difficult for him: the heat was unbearable, yet he dared not indulge in too much coolness. After the start of summer, Li Shimin stayed with Li Xuanba in a neighboring courtyard beside the groves and winding stream, seeking refuge from the heat.

While a group of noble youths imitated the customs of the Wei and Jin dynasties deep into the night, the two pitiful children could only cover their ears, eyes wide open, enduring the noise until midnight.

As a result, both children overslept today, still abed even when the sun had climbed high into the sky.

Their strict grandmother, Lady Dugu, had once again fallen ill, and their mother, Lady Dou, attended her personally day and night without loosening her garments. During this period, there was no need for morning and evening greetings. The two children, thoroughly satisfied, slept on without disturbance.

Sunlight filtered through the carved lattice windows. Like a shadow play, patches of light crept from the foot of the bed onto the quilt, then slowly climbed from the quilt onto the faces of the sleeping children.

The second young master, Li Shimin, was the first to open his eyes.

He let out a huge yawn, pushed away the younger brother he had been holding to keep cool, clenched his small fists and rubbed his eyes, then stared blankly at the top of the mosquito net.

After zoning out for a while, Li Shimin felt hot, so he dragged his brother back into his arms again.

His body temperature ran high— even in winter he was like a little stove. His younger brother, Li Xuanba, had a low body temperature— even in summer his hands and feet were icy cold. So the two brothers were used to treating each other as human pillows; more useful than a brazier or a bamboo husband.

Being pushed and pulled around, Li Xuanba opened his eyes: [Annoying. Don’t bother me.]

Li Shimin said in an old-fashioned, world-weary tone, “Ah Xuan, how many times have I told you? You have to open your mouth and speak. If you never speak, be careful you’ll turn mute.”

Li Xuanba rolled over, closed his eyes, ignored Li Shimin, and went back to sleep.

Li Shimin sighed again, still sounding far too mature for his age.

He climbed out of bed, placed both hands on Li Xuanba’s shoulders, sank his qi to his dantian, and took a deep breath.

“Ah Xuan! Get up! Get up! The sun’s already shining on your butt!”

Shake shake shake shake shake!

Li Xuanba was shaken until his brain felt like it was sloshing around. His vision went black, anger surged up, and he burst out cursing, “Brother, you’re asking for a beating!”

Li Shimin, dressed only in a little belly wrap and short pants, jumped off the bed and ran, laughing wildly. “Hahahahaha!”

Li Xuanba had all his sleep shaken away by his second brother and was in an extremely foul mood.

Muttering and cursing under his breath, he slowly climbed out of bed, slipped on his silk outer robe, and staggered off to wash up, his head heavy and feet light.

Children got hungry quickly, and hunger made the heart feel panicky. He hadn’t felt it while asleep, but once awake, Li Xuanba felt his stomach empty and uncomfortable. Even though he wanted to keep sleeping, he could only get up to find food.

When Li Xuanba went to the courtyard to wash up, Li Shimin was brushing his teeth with a toothbrush made of cow hair dipped in green salt.

Seeing his brother up, Li Shimin invited Li Xuanba to compete and see whose mouthful of rinse water could spray farther.

Li Xuanba couldn’t be bothered to deal with his childish brother. Li Shimin sprayed water on his own, having a great time anyway.

After Li Xuanba finished washing up, Li Shimin was still playing with spraying water.

Li Xuanba: [Stop spraying water. Go eat.]

Li Shimin wiped his mouth. “Ah Xuan, open your mouth and speak.”

Li Xuanba ignored him.

His body was weak; talking too much made him tired. He didn’t want to speak.

A mischievous, bad smile surfaced on Li Shimin’s face. He reached out and tugged the little topknot on Li Xuanba’s head— Li Xuanba was half a head shorter than him.

Li Xuanba pretended to kick him.

Li Shimin dodged, giggling.

When Li Xuanba didn’t want to bother with him, Li Shimin blocked his way and started twisting his butt.

Li Xuanba turned to go around him, but Li Shimin jumped in front of him again, still twisting, and at the same time blasting him with demonic noise.

Jumping to the front ↑: “Ah Xuan, open your mouth and speak!”

Jumping to the left ←: “Ah Xuan, open your mouth and speak!”

Jumping to the back ↓: “Ah Xuan, open your mouth and speak!”

Jumping to the right →: “Ah Xuan, open your mouth and speak!”

Li Xuanba had just woken up and already had low blood pressure, making him irritable. With Li Shimin hopping around him like a monkey dancing, his qi and blood surged upward, as if he were about to go from low blood pressure straight to high blood pressure.

“Get lost!”

The scolded Li Shimin laughed and leaned over, pointing at his own leg and letting his brother kick it.

Li Xuanba kicked him hard twice before feeling satisfied.

Li Shimin lowered his head and patted the dust off his leg, still wearing that carefree grin.

Those “hard” kicks from Li Xuanba didn’t even leave a red mark.

After attending to her mother-in-law, Madam Dou heard that her second and third sons had overslept. Worried that Li Xuanba might be getting sick again, she didn’t even have time to eat lunch and hurried over to check on them.

Seeing the two sons playing and roughhousing, a gentle smile appeared on her haggard face.

“Mother!” Li Shimin had sharp eyes. The moment he saw Madam Dou coming, he kicked off the ground and lunged forward.

Li Xuanba reached out and grabbed the back collar of Li Shimin’s clothes, nearly getting dragged into a fall by him.

“Ah Xuan, what are you doing?” Li Shimin turned his head in confusion.

Li Xuanba said irritably, “Mother is very tired. She can’t catch you. Don’t pounce.”

“Oh.” Li Shimin steadied himself, then approached Madam Dou again in tiny shuffling steps. Only after getting close did he leap forward. “Mother!”

Madam Dou smiled as she watched the brothers finish their exchange, then reached out to catch her overly energetic second son.

She patted the little topknot on Li Shimin’s head, then beckoned to Li Xuanba.

Li Xuanba walked over slowly, wearing a dead-fish-eyed expression, leaned his head into Madam Dou’s hand, and let her rub his topknot.

Dead eyes.

As a transmigrator, even though his body hormones affected him and his IQ was not much better than a dog’s, he still could never get used to things like having his head rubbed by his mother, no matter how many times it happened.

But Li Xuanba, who hadn’t experienced much familial affection in his previous life, found it hard to refuse a mother who poured her heart and soul into him in this life.

It was really uncomfortable. Sigh.

Seeing the small, restrained expression on her third son’s face, Madam Dou couldn’t help rubbing his head a few more times.

Li Shimin and Li Xuanba were a pair of extremely rare twins in this world.

Yin–yang twins. Among twins, one was always strong and the other weak.

Li Shimin was as healthy as a little calf and had never been sick since childhood. Li Xuanba, on the other hand, had been drinking medicine ever since he was nursing, frail and sickly, worrying to behold.

Perhaps because he had suffered too much from a young age, Li Xuanba’s personality was overly mature. He was very indifferent toward others, resisted excessive closeness, and didn’t look like a child at all.

Madam Dou was at a loss, but fortunately Li Xuanba’s twin elder brother, Li Shimin, had a stubborn personality. Even if Li Xuanba didn’t like it, he would still cling to him and make trouble. With the brothers fighting and roughhousing, Li Xuanba finally showed a bit of a child’s demeanor.

Madam Dou learned from this.

Her third son, though seemingly cold, was actually very indulgent toward his family at heart. So Madam Dou stopped caring whether Li Xuanba resisted or not and devoted herself wholeheartedly to treating him well. As expected, Li Xuanba couldn’t keep distant from her either.

And moreover—

Madam Dou vigorously rubbed her third son’s little head twice more, then pulled him into her arms, watching as he struggled to keep a straight face while his cheeks turned bright red.

She smiled warmly and pinched the embarrassed child’s cheek in her embrace.

And seeing Third Brother’s restrained, awkward, yet shy expression was simply too amusing.

Even though Li Xuanba had already accepted his mother in this life, he still felt embarrassed being held in her arms and called her precious darling.

After his cheeks were pinched twice, he quickly shifted his mother’s attention. “Mother, I’m hungry.”

Li Shimin wriggled about in Lady Dou’s arms, shoving Li Xuanba out and then pulling him back again, unable to keep still for even a moment.

Hearing his younger brother say he was hungry, he finally straightened up and declared loudly, full of vigor, “I’m hungry too! Mother, let’s eat together!”

Li Shimin shot Li Xuanba a meaningful look.

Li Xuanba: [You noticed Mother hasn’t eaten yet too?]

Li Shimin nodded.

Lady Dou hesitated. “Your eldest brother hasn’t woken up yet. Mother should go check on him.”

Li Xuanba replied unhurriedly, “Eldest Brother drank too much last night. Mother should let him sleep a while longer.”

Li Shimin nodded vigorously. “That’s right! Come on, Mother, let’s eat.”

Li Shimin wrapped his arms around one of Lady Dou’s arms and tugged her toward the dining hall.

Li Xuanba continued persuading her. “There are still guests in Eldest Brother’s courtyard who haven’t left. If they see Mother, they’ll probably feel uneasy and constrained. Mother should avoid going over for now. Eat first, and after Eldest Brother gets up and sends his friends off, then go.”

Lady Dou was convinced. “All right then… ah, Erlang, don’t pull.”

Li Shimin shouted loudly, “Bring the food quickly! Mother, walk faster, my stomach’s completely flat from hunger!”

Lady Dou didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “All right, all right.”

Li Xuanba did not immediately follow Lady Dou and Li Shimin to the dining hall.

He stopped where he was. Only after Lady Dou and Li Shimin had walked some distance away did he look up at the wet nurse and say, “Stand guard outside the door. If Grandmother sends someone over, say that I didn’t sleep well last night and am feeling a bit unwell. Mother has just finished comforting me and will go over shortly. Ask Grandmother to wait a moment.”

The wet nurse replied respectfully, “Yes, Third Young Master.”