Frost for a Thousand Years

Chapter 188 Only Song Shi'an can do it

"Your Majesty, the appointments and removals of most of the thirty Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) have been preliminarily confirmed."

Chen Bao reported this to the emperor.

"Have all those Wu King's people been taken care of?" the emperor asked.

Chen Bao answered cautiously, "Wang Shuishan is a candidate for magistrate of a county in Huai County. As for Fan Wuji and Gao Yunyi, I can't see their preferences, but one wants to serve as a clerk in the army, while the other wants to stay in the capital as a household registration official."

"In other words, they will all be useful when the time comes," the emperor said.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Chen Bao continued. “Sun Qian has been appointed as the Prefectural Magistrate and will be able to take up the post within about six months. Song Ce has been assigned to the Imperial Academy to compile history and can take up the post directly without having to wait for a position.”

The emperor was satisfied with this arrangement.

These were basically the results of discussions and deliberations between Song Jing and the people of the Imperial Secretariat.

It can be said that he succeeded Ouyang Ke very well—he accurately guessed the emperor's intentions.

“There’s one more person,” Chen Bao mentioned, “a Jinshi named Xu Miao.”

"What's wrong with him?" the emperor asked.

"After passing the provincial examination, he did not take up an official post immediately. Because he was not a second-place graduate, he could not be appointed as a candidate official. Therefore, he claimed to be ill and continued to study at home. Then, he passed the imperial examination in the same year," Chen Bao said.

"He's certainly good at taking exams," the emperor remarked.

There are people like this. Perhaps their families are well-off and can afford to let them study full-time, but they may not have strong backing in the officialdom. Even if they become state officials or county officials in important departments, they may not be able to get promoted. So they simply burn their bridges and continue to take the exam.

If you pass the imperial examination, you will be appointed as a seventh-rank official.

This kind of person is indeed ruthless.

"During his interview, he said he wanted to be a county magistrate and was not picky about the position," Chen Bao said. "However, the current county magistrates all require a long waiting period, so he volunteered to go to 'Cangxia'. Regarding this, Lord Song Jing felt that this matter should be reported to His Majesty for a decision."

Cangxia, a county in Yizhou known for its high death rate.

Mobs, corrupt officials, gentry, foreigners, bandits, and traitors all gathered together.

At the height of the turmoil, three county magistrates were executed, leaving the position vacant in that area, with no one daring to take it.

After Song Shi'an became the top scholar in the imperial examination, some people wanted to bring him over.

But he chose an even more prestigious place, so for the past year, the county magistrate has been acting as the county assistant magistrate there.

However, the county magistrate's assistant refused to admit that he was the county magistrate, relying entirely on his rich political wisdom and survival instincts to survive.

Song Jing's reluctance to make a direct decision was also to avoid suspicion—this is your emperor's scholar, I have no grudge against him, and I have no intention of harming him.

"Then let him go," the emperor said casually. "It's certainly a good thing that he wants to emulate Song Shi'an."

There's no problem with producing as many Song Shi'an-like officials as there are local officials in Dayu.

On the contrary, only Song Shi'an is dangerous.

This top scholar has already set a good example.

"Your Majesty, the last one is Song Shi'an himself."

Chen Bao said in a low voice.

"He wants to garrison the fields next year, so he needs to prepare now," the emperor said. "Since a fifth-rank official is not enough, let him serve as the assistant prefect of Huai County for now, and find some pretexts to promote him to prefect."

"Your Majesty, then why not eliminate the need for alternates and have the existing officials step down directly?"

"Hmm, raise the rank and give him a sinecure."

There are only so many officials with real power, not enough to go around, and the emperor doesn't want to bother with it.

Compared to the current national policies and trends, these people are as insignificant as dust.

"Yes," Chen Bao said. "This servant will go and tell Song Jing right away."

"Ah."

The emperor had barely finished speaking when he left.

But after walking for a short while, he hurriedly turned back, holding a military report in his hand, and quickly went to the emperor: "Your Majesty, I had only just left the palace when I encountered an urgent message from Liangzhou!"

"open."

The emperor said solemnly.

"Yes."

Chen Bao opened the military report, then walked to the emperor's side and presented it with both hands.

The emperor was about to take it, but upon seeing the words, his vision blurred and he felt a dazzling light. So he waved his hand and said, "Take a look, and tell me what happened after you've finished reading."

"Yes."

Chen Bao obeyed and then read them all.

His expression became somewhat uneasy. He raised his head and said nervously, "Your Majesty, this is a confidential military report sent back from Xiangcheng by our spies from Dongliang. It says that Ji Yuan sent an envoy, Chen Xing, to meet with Kang Xun to negotiate an alliance."

Upon hearing this, the emperor's pupils dilated in shock, a mixture of astonishment and anger rising within him. "Kang Xun... he really has allied with Ji Yuan!"

This is a huge matter.

"Your Majesty, there is also the treaty of alliance," Chen Bao said cautiously.

"explain."

So Chen Bao told the whole story.

Keep in mind that this was a conversation taking place in the palace, making it virtually impossible for it to be leaked.

Why would a mere scout from Xiangcheng know about this and relay it back to Sheng'an?
This indicates that the alliance treaty has already been discussed and is about to be passed in the Northern Yan court.

The next step is actual implementation.

"Blockade the Great Yu?"

"Reinforcing the south?"

"Two saints revered together?"

After uttering those three words, the emperor clenched his fist in anger and slammed it on the armrest: "This Kang Xun, does he want to die!"

If it were the young Wei Ye, he would already be leading an army to kill Kang Xun's mother.

But now he knows clearly that he can't do it.

That's impossible. Once the Qi-Yan agreement is reached, it means the pressure on the northern defense line will at least double.

The joint defense plan is simply impossible to break.

The pressure representing the Qi and Yan states all weighed heavily on the Great Yu like a meteorite falling from Mount Tai.

"Go and summon the King of Wu and the King of Jin," the emperor said irritably.

"Yes."

Chen Baogang was about to go, but then he stretched out his hand again: "Never mind, let the Duke of Li come over."

Now is not the time for his sons to take exams, and he cannot entrust such an important matter to his sons.

This matter needs to be resolved first.

Otherwise, the military-agricultural settlements of Dayu would not be able to begin within three years.

"Yes."

.........

"Zihui, you've arrived."

In the Divine Palace, after the Duke of Li arrived, the Emperor personally greeted him and held his old friend's hand.

"Your Majesty, is there another war?" the Duke of Li asked worriedly.

"Please sit down first." After saying this to the Duke of Li, the emperor slowly returned to his dragon throne, his mood still somewhat heavy.

This was not due to the emperor's weakness, or his overreaction to the matter.

Cao Cao, a powerful and ruthless figure, was arrogant and domineering throughout his life. He even raped a warlord in front of him. But even so, he was also truly afraid.

That's the story from after the Battle of Red Cliffs, when most of Jingzhou was lost—Liu Bei borrowing Jingzhou.

At that time, Sun Quan lent half of the southern part of Jingzhou to Liu Bei.

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao was so frightened that his hand holding the pen began to tremble.

Because Sun Quan, Liu Bei, and Cao Cao shared a border.

Originally, he only had to face Eastern Wu, but now it has become the Sun-Liu alliance.

The direct cause of Cao Cao's failure to unify the country was the Battle of Hanzhong, but the root cause can actually be attributed to Liu Bei's borrowing of Jingzhou.

Similarly, the fundamental reason for Guan Yu's loss of Jingzhou was also the Wu-Wei agreement.

Even after the relations between Wu and Shu had deteriorated to such an extent, Zhuge Liang still managed to restore the Wu-Shu alliance after taking office.

Submission is fine, maintaining diplomatic relations is fine, but the most terrifying thing is forming an alliance.

This is why Russia reacted so strongly to Ukraine's potential EU membership.

The scope of strategic defense has been forced to extend.

Not to mention achieving 'joint defense'.

This is even more challenging than merging these two countries into one.

After reading the military report, the Duke of Li was also furious. He gripped the report tightly in his hand and said fiercely, "I should have pacified Liaodong as well back then."

After the Duke of Li personally destroyed the two countries, his next step was Liaodong, which had not yet formed an alliance or a unified country.

Unfortunately, the frost has arrived.

The following year, the Northern Yan Kingdom was established.

"Ji Yuan actually gave away his own son to Kang Xun, that good-for-nothing." Wei Ye felt a bit contempt for this person.

In ancient times, sending hostages was a mutual exchange.

Sending gifts unilaterally is called ingratiating yourself.

And what he lost was not just a son.

There's no such thing as a cheap price to pay.

Sending away their legitimate son meant that the State of Yan had gained some leverage to control the politics of the State of Qi.

To put it simply, Ji Yuan was about to die, and the former crown prince succeeded to the throne. At this time, Kang Xun sent a hostage to the border of Qi, and some people with ulterior motives supported him to become the emperor of Qi.

It could at least throw the country's internal affairs into chaos for five years.

"He's out of options," said the Duke of Li.

"If this alliance really forms, we won't be able to do anything for the next few years," the emperor said to the Duke of Li. "How about we use the hostages from Northern Yan to exchange for his alliance with us?"

Conson also had a knot in his heart.

He was smarter, and his elder brother, who was in a more legitimate position, became a hostage in Sheng'an.

"I'm afraid he'll break his promise, take the people in, and then deny it," said the Duke of Li. "Even if he does, it might not last more than a few years. The sword hanging over our heads is still there."

Nuclear weapons should not be used indiscriminately.

Especially when there is only one and a second one cannot be made.

"There's no other way, let's go on the mission first," said the Duke of Li. "But we still need to be prepared for the other side to form an alliance and be ready to mobilize troops."

"Who is qualified to go on this mission?" the emperor asked.

“Anyone with outstanding abilities can be sent on this mission,” the Duke of Li said seriously, looking at the emperor. “But there is one person who is particularly suitable.”

"No, no." The emperor waved his hand. "Song Shi'an cannot go. If he dies in Northern Yan, it will be a disaster."

"Of course, he is very important now."

Duke Li also knew this, but still gave his opinion: "No matter how stubborn Qi is, Kang Xun knows that only Song Shi'an defeated Ji Yuan head-on."

The biggest advantage of Song Shi'an going there is that he can leverage the prestige of a victorious army.

To some extent, this would make Conson wary.

"I know that if he goes, his chances of success will be slightly higher. But that still depends on the price we can offer."

The emperor realized he couldn't offer Ji Yuan such a high price, and that "two emperors should be honored together," so he decided, "Send a message to Dongliang via express courier and send someone to Beiyan."

(End of this chapter)