Frost for a Thousand Years

Chapter 222 Your Yan Kingdom is surnamed Qin?

Forty-two people left Sheng'an?!

Xin Yue was completely dumbfounded.

This provides a perfect interpretation of the phrase "the more you think about it, the more terrifying it becomes."

Seeing her shocked expression, Song Shi'an couldn't help but complain, "You only have eyes for me, but you should also pay attention to your colleagues."

"Why didn't our people say we missed someone?" Xin Yue asked. "Don't the others suspect anything?"

“Everyone says to keep an eye on your colleagues,” Song Shi’an said. “When that person came, I ordered him to guard Kangxun. He also told the other brothers, so no one suspected anything.”

"Sorry, I get it."

Xin Yue also realized that she was really focused on Song Shi'an (in a physical sense), which led to a serious dereliction of duty: "I really didn't expect that one person would be missing."

As a bodyguard, this was highly inappropriate.

Fortunately, it was one of their own. If they were in an enemy country, in that tense and dangerous environment, the sudden loss of one person without her noticing would indeed pose a great risk to Song Shi'an.

"Don't take it seriously, I was just joking."

As Song Shi'an spoke, he tried to pinch her cheek.

Then Xin Yue pushed him away with the back of her hand: "My dereliction of duty is mainly my fault. But you also bear a significant responsibility, you know that?"

Day after day, it disturbs my resolve.

"I understand, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Song Shi'an didn't joke with her anymore and took the initiative to admit that he had committed the sin of lust.

"So this time, you didn't tell me..." Looking at him, Xin Yue asked with a slightly downcast expression, "Was it because I would ruin things?"

“No.” Song Shi’an looked at her and said seriously, “You are also part of this plan.”

.........

"Are you alright? You weren't hit by an arrow, were you?"

Sitting on the floor of the guest room, with one hand on his knee and the other holding a worn-out Yan arrow, Lu Chao recalled the scene when Song Shi'an entered the room.

The woman trembled with fear, a deep-seated lingering dread.

Having served as an envoy for so many years, Lu Chao had seen many such expressions and reactions. People exhibit this kind of physical behavior when they are afraid.

It's impossible to act it out.

With his brows furrowed, Lu Chao almost wore a mask of pain.

An envoy of the fourth rank was almost assassinated and nearly killed in the Yan Kingdom. He cannot bear the responsibility for such a serious matter!

Moreover, the assassin escaped.

If they get caught, that would be fine.

Of course, there's nothing we can do about it.

At that time, more important than catching the assassin was controlling the people in the delegation...

Just then, the door was pushed open, and the deputy closed it behind him. He quickly crouched down and knelt before him, saying softly, "Sir, it's confirmed. Everyone in the delegation is here. The assassin must be the one outside."

"I know." Lu Chao irritably threw the arrow that had missed Song Shi'an and was embedded in the bamboo aside.

“Sir, do you think there’s a possibility…” he guessed again, “that they are indeed members of the mission, but not on the register. Perhaps they were brought in from outside the border with the boxes? After all, I didn’t check the boxes.”

Lu Chao raised his head and stared at him.

The other party quickly shook his head and said to himself, "To hide a person in a box and bring him in, to release him at night without our people discovering him, and then during the assassination, the arrow he fired flew right in front of Song Shi'an in the middle of the night, almost killing him... How could so many coincidences be connected?"

"Also, I invited him for a walk."

After Lu Chao said that, neither of them doubted Song Shi'an anymore.

This is so intricately linked, it's flawless.

Actually, when Lu Chao saw the woman's expression, he had virtually no doubts.

He had heard the story of these two people, who took over a city with a small knife, and he understood how important she was to Song Shi'an.

How can you entrust such a matter to an outsider with peace of mind?
"So..." the deputy asked in a low voice, "was it Qin Gong who did it?"

Lu Chao remained silent.

The Yan Kingdom will win, but the King of Yan will lose.

Song Shi'an's words are very profound.

What does "Yan Guohui won" mean?
What does it mean that the King of Yan will lose?
Knowing this, how should the King of Yan make his decision?

To win for the sake of Yan, or to lose yourself? Or would you rather Yan lose, and you win?
“Keep watching, keep watch.” Lu Chao didn’t answer him, stood up, and walked towards the door. “I’m going to see Song Shi’an.”

"Yes, my lord."

When Lu Chao lifted his foot, his steps were stiff and heavy.

Thinking about this makes my brain feel like it's exploding; I can't think straight at all.

Damn it, how could they have caused such a huge mess?

An envoy from a great power was almost killed within its borders; may the Yan Kingdom be destroyed soon!

Finally, he arrived at Song Shi'an's door. But before he could even get close, San Gou stretched out his hand and warned expressionlessly, "Step back. The lord will not see any Yan people!"

"..." Lu Chao took a step back, then forced a smile, too embarrassed to speak, and said, "Tell Magistrate Song that it is Lu Chao who has arrived."

"Lu Chao is also out of the question. Let's go back." San Gou said with a look of contempt for the people of Yan.

"What happened today was truly an accident, and it won't happen again," Lu Chao could only say, forcing a smile. "Please go and inform them that Lu Chao has come to invite you in person..."

"San Gou, open the door."

Just then, Song Shi'an inside spoke up impatiently.

San Gou opened the door expressionlessly.

Then he stepped aside. Lu Chao smiled and nodded at him, then went inside and saw Song Shi'an sitting alone on the bed, his face ashen, his angry expression making people shudder.

Before he could speak, Song Shi'an asked, "Lord Lu, will I be able to see your Prince Yan alive?"

"Oh, my lord!" he hurried over and swore, "I guarantee there will never be a next time. Your safety will be guaranteed!"

"The premise for this guarantee is that I will return to Dayu tomorrow," Song Shi'an said solemnly.

"No, no," Lu Chao waved his hands repeatedly, "This mission must continue; how can it be terminated like this?"

This is a really big deal.

If the envoy is killed, war will break out immediately.

Even if he hadn't died, it would have been unacceptable to most envoys. They would have left the country in anger and returned to their emperor to say: "Your Majesty, Kangxun said 'fuck your mother'."

The language may be a bit rough, but it's pretty much the same.

This diplomatic relationship is basically over.

Neither country could maintain any semblance of dignity.

"My lord, how about this?" Lu Chao quickly suggested, "It's only two hundred li from here to Bai County in the east. Let's set off at dawn tomorrow and try to reach Bai County in a day and a night. Then we can head north from there. This way, it will be much safer."

"Where is the safety?" Song Shi'an asked rhetorically.

“I can mobilize some of the troops from Bai County to serve as guards for the mission,” Lu Chao said.

"So that means," Song Shi'an glared at him and questioned, "that as the envoy of the Yan Kingdom, you can't command a single soldier in Liaonan Commandery, right?"

Lu Chao closed his eyes, held his breath, and after a long pause, opened them and looked at Song Shi'an, smiling, "My lord, how much do you know about the State of Yan?"

“The King of Yan is the joint ruler chosen by the Kang, Gongsun, and Qin families,” Song Shi’an said.

"Besides His Majesty the Emperor, does the Great Yu have two other forces that, when combined, are strong enough to oppose the Emperor's family?" Lu Chao asked.

"No."

Song Shi'an answered directly.

What? The Duke of Li Guo is now Grand Tutor Sun?
That's not how you calculate it.

You could say that the noble families behind the Duke of Li, and the Yangzhou group behind Minister Sun, combined their power, could rival that of the emperor.

But Yan is different; Yan is equal to Qin Gonggong plus Gongsun Xing.

"Your Excellency just said," Lu Chao brought it up, "that the Yan Kingdom will win, and the King of Yan will lose. May I ask for your guidance?"

Song Shi'an threw back the covers on the bed, sat down on the edge of the bed, faced Lu Chao, and said, "If Qi and Yan form an alliance, where will your country's strategic importance lie?"

"Liaonan Commandery, Cangliao Pass," Lu Chao said.

“Almost half of the nation’s military force will be tied up in the southern border, directly or indirectly,” Song Shi’an warned. “If it’s only for a year or two, that’s fine; the Prince of Yan’s army can be withdrawn. But what if it’s three, five, or ten years?”

Qin Gonghui gradually embezzled.

Bribery and ingratiation.

Some people will even actively seek to vote.

"Your Yan state is surnamed Qin, isn't it?"

Song Shi'an's seven words were indeed a fatal blow.

At the same time, it also affected Lu Chao's interests.

He belonged to a prominent family in Liaozhong, was trusted by the Kang family, and was also related to Prince Kangxun of Yan by marriage.

That's why he was the state envoy.

In times of division, the envoy of a country is of paramount importance.

Because the survival of small countries depends on mediation.

Therefore, Conson chose this person whose interests were completely aligned with his.

The King of Yan lost; he was the one who lost.

"Regardless of the situation elsewhere, can we, Yu Yan, live in peace as before?" Lu Chao used his trump card.

This was Gongsun Xing's compromise for Kang Xun.

Qi and Yan withdrew their troops, while Yu and Yan did not.

"Then I'll tell you." Song Shi'an said without thinking, "Yu Yan is fine, but the three of them disagree."

"Ji Yuan, Duke Qin, who else?" Lu Chao asked.

"I."

Upon receiving this response, Lu Chao understood the obstacles to compromise.

Song Shi'an came with bold and decisive actions.

"My lord," Lu Chao asked seriously, "what do you wish to know about the situation between our two countries?"

“Send Ji Yuan’s son back and return to the previous state. Yan can then benefit from both sides,” Song Shi’an said directly.

"If the State of Yan is going to lose, how can the King of Yan win?" he countered.

At least Ji Yuan offered Yan a condition for winning.

Song Shi'an also had to pay a price.

"Is there a pass called Baitou Pass on the border of Bai County?"

"Yes." Lu Chao nodded.

Song Shi'an's fingers moved like snakes as he said, "My Great Yu will build a road to Baitou Pass for the King of Yan."

(End of this chapter)