Frost for a Thousand Years

Chapter 186 Song Jing Jumps Up in Furious at His Son's Rebellion

“Brother, you’ve been talking for quite a while. What did you say?” Song Ce asked.

While in the carriage, Song Ce asked curiously.

Song Shi'an didn't speak, but looked into his eyes and said very seriously, "Did you see the screen behind Yu Xiu?"

When he said this so seriously, Song Ce was taken aback for a moment, and then slowly nodded: "The previous scholar's interview did not mention it."

"There's someone behind you."

Song Shi'an said directly.

"Is that right?"

Song Ce had also suspected this, because based on the decoration and layout, it didn't seem quite right. However, he hadn't really thought about it in detail, wondering why such a thing would be done.

It seems like some important person might be involved.

"Aren't you curious about who's behind you?" Song Shi'an asked.

“I’m curious, but I feel…” Song Ce started to say, but then lifted the carriage curtain. Seeing that no one was around, he quickly lowered the curtain and asked, “Is it really His Majesty?”

"You're quite smart, kid."

Like Itachi Uchiha, Song Shi'an tapped his forehead with his finger and then smiled, saying, "Have you always had this idea, or did you just guess it?"

"After I come out from inside and you go in, I'll think about it again."

It's strange that there's a screen there.

Who would sit behind the screen and listen in?

They definitely weren't targeting me.

The purpose was simple: to give Song Shi'an a 'test'.

"Brother, you didn't say anything that would offend the emperor, did you?" Song Ce asked.

"If the other person isn't there, I definitely won't say anything."

"That's alright..." Song Ce suddenly realized, "Huh?"

“What I mean is, he’s not here, so if I offend him, he won’t hear me, and it’s pointless, isn’t it?” Song Shi’an explained.

"So you mean that you would have offended him if he were here?" Song Ce began to get nervous.

What great thing has this ancestor done this time?

"Whatever you do, you need to work together with one heart and one mind."

Song Shi'an remained calm, showing no fear whatsoever: "If the Wei family wants to survive, only they can save themselves. If they don't have that intention, then there's no need for them to do it."

Zhang Juzheng implemented a series of reforms, but there was one thing he never touched.

The system of royal support.

Although Zhu Yuanzhang started his reign with a bowl, it does not mean that he was kind and compassionate towards the common people.

His harsh treatment of officials and his crackdown on corruption were not, in essence, acts of benevolent governance.

Looking at history, we must be clear about one principle: all reforms are adjustments to the distribution of interests.

There is a total population and a total land area. Without an explosion in productivity, the pie won't magically grow bigger.

At the beginning of its founding, the Ming Dynasty established several laws: as long as members of the Zhu family did not rebel, any crime they committed would be pardoned, and the imperial family would not be subject to punishment. Princes were exempt from taxes, received subsidies for having children, and were not required to engage in production. Even when the subsidies for princes could no longer be paid, the system of support was not changed.

Think about it: the imperial court couldn't provide subsidies to the vassal kings, so the vassal kings couldn't survive, but they didn't starve to death. How did they manage that?

Loot.

This echoes the practice of exempting vassal kings from punishment for their crimes.

Therefore, Song Shi'an should not become like the frustrated Zhang Juzheng.

This emperor, Wanli, couldn't be a comfortable one either.

"How did you offend me?" Song Ce asked nervously.

"I talked about Jitian."

Upon hearing these words, Song Ce felt suffocated.

Of course I understand now.

Song Shi'an, this is serious.

.........

After returning to the mansion, the two went directly to Song Jing, who was in the study.

The three of them then began to talk about today's interview.

Upon learning that there was a screen, and that the two of them suspected there might be someone behind it, Song Jing had a vague premonition: "You mean, His Majesty might be behind him?"

The two nodded.

“Possibly. Since the plan is to establish military farms, the Emperor must want to know how you intend to do it.” However, Song Jing still had some doubts. “If that’s the case, why doesn’t His Majesty meet with you directly?”

“Yeah,” Song Ce said, equally puzzled. “Logically speaking, for such a big matter, if the emperor wanted to have real control, wouldn’t he have discussed it with you?”

"I don't understand. Does His Majesty dislike me?"

None of the three Song emperors knew what this old emperor was up to, insisting on this masked singer act.

“Of course, once you take office, you’ll be required to write a detailed memorial to His Majesty, and perhaps there will be an opportunity to discuss it in person,” Song Jing said. “But that’s not important. What did you say then?”

“I expressed that the land reclamation is urgent and must begin as soon as possible. Moreover, we need to take strong medicine for an urgent problem,” Song Shi’an said. “We will mobilize 30,000 troops, 100,000 civilians, and hundreds of thousands of hidden households to connect all the fields into one area, absorb the local people, and relocate all the powerful clans.”

In fact, Cao Cao's military-agricultural colonies were implemented in much the same way.

Why did he do it so easily?
In chaotic times, heroes emerge from all directions; whoever has a gun is king.

Moreover, it basically failed in the later stages, and the military farms gradually became the private property of powerful families and nobles. Therefore, when Song Shi'an said these words, Song Jing showed an incredulous expression: "Did you say these impassioned words because you thought the emperor was there, so you could show him your courage?"

“No, that’s not it. That’s what I thought from the beginning. Whether the emperor is here or not, I have to say it,” Song Shi’an said.

"Fine." Song Jing gripped his belt with both hands, looking at his arrogant son, and questioned, "Just tell me, in this Great Yu, no, in the whole world, where is there any place that you can accomplish this land reclamation project?"

“Huai County”.

Upon hearing the name Song Shi'an, Song Ce's eyes widened in surprise.

Why didn't you tell me this on the carriage?!

After a brief pause, Song Jing nodded calmly: "Yes, that makes sense. It could indeed be done in Huai County."

As he spoke, he turned his head.

Then he paced around the study, seemingly searching for something.

"Father, what are you looking for?" Song Ce asked anxiously.

"It's okay, I found it."

Song Jing took out a riding whip from a drawer, rolled up his sleeves, and headed towards Song Shi'an.

"Father, calm down!"

Song Ce grabbed Song Jing and turned to shout at Song Shi'an, "Run! What are you still doing here!"

Look, they're getting anxious.

No matter how enlightened or supportive of policies, the moment they hear they're about to be taken advantage of, they'd want to beat even their own son to death.

Therefore, how could top-down reforms possibly succeed?

Old Song's feudalistic limitations were still very strong.

This level of awareness is not good.

"I'll beat you to death, you beast! You dare to rebel against your father?" Song Jing was so angry that his face turned red and he trembled all over.

"Father, please calm down and listen to what my brother has to say." Song Ce knew that his anger was no joke, so he tried his best to persuade him.

"let go."

After angrily telling Song Ce to step aside, Song Jing looked at the unmoved Song Shi'an and asked, "Tell me, you insist on making your father move out of Huai County, right?"

“No, that’s not it,” Song Shi’an said honestly. “Our Song family’s uncles and great-grandfather all have to leave.”

"Fuck you!"

Song Jing lashed out with his whip.

Song Shi'an quickly moved around the desk to the side, not expecting that he would actually have the heart to do it, and that he would hit hard enough to create a sonic boom. So he quickly said, "Father!"

"He even called out 'father' in order to beg for mercy."

Song Shi'an's attempt to awaken his father's love failed.

"Father, although we lost money, did we really lose money?" Song Shi'an hurriedly asked back.

"You're just trying to say that by doing this, the military-agricultural colonies will surely succeed, the emperor will value you more, you'll get promoted, and your father will become one of the Nine Ministers." Song Jing wasn't buying it. He was still furious. "But our ancestors' graves are all in Huai County. Our family is so large; it's not just our branch. If we rebel against the Song family, do you think your father will still have the face to face them?"

"The ancestors' graves will be guarded, and the houses will not be violated in any way. All the hidden land is included in this, and will be compensated at one and a half times the original amount. If you don't want that much land, you can sell it to the government at the market price."

"People!" Song Jing said succinctly, "The key is that after the land reclamation, those tenant farmers will have no reason to follow us and will definitely attach themselves to the imperial court. The entire Song family, not just our family, but all the others combined, have at least seven or eight thousand tenant farmers under their protection."

Of course, this number isn't very large.

The population of Huai County is easily over 100,000.

But the family members of the designers in Tuntian have all moved away, so what reason do they have not to leave?
Young Master, he's heartless and ruthless!

"Do you know how many generations these people have accumulated?" Song Jing asked rhetorically.

These are not ordinary people.

It is a 'non-existent person'.

If we were to live in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, Song Shi'an, this outstanding young leader, with the support of his family, would be able to easily assemble an armed force of two thousand men.

"Father," Song Shi'an looked at Song Jing and asked seriously, "Can the Emperor not offer compensation?"

This one sentence caused the atmosphere at the scene to freeze.

Even Song Ce suddenly realized.

"This matter must be carried out," Song Shi'an said solemnly. "Everyone has to make sacrifices. So why not have them done sooner?"

Joining, uprising, surrender, capture.

Essentially, it's all about losing.

But how can the treatment be the same?

Don't call them "traitors," that's too offensive.

But you can call me: "The Craftsman".

"What else can I do? Do I have a choice?" Song Jing retorted to his presumptuous son. "Young Master, can you show me a way out?"

"What you say is true, Lord Marquis."

Song Shi'an walked over and comforted him with a smile, "Jingming will be getting married in a few days, and relatives and friends from his hometown of Huaijun will be coming. When that time comes, you can speak to them tactfully and ask them to support your son."

With his arm being held, Song Jing pursed his lips, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then looked at him and said, "Son, has anyone ever told you that you are very generous?"

"What do you mean by that, Father?"

"You think you can just throw away my reputation like that?!"

(End of this chapter)