Frost for a Thousand Years

Chapter 266 My Crown Prince!!!

"Father, do you know that old Wang Ding? He was also verbally abused to death by Song Shi'an..."

"I don't want to listen to rumors, I want accurate military intelligence!"

When Sun Heng rushed to the study to report to Sun Situ, Sun Situ immediately reprimanded him.

"No, it's not a rumor." Sun Heng sensed his father's anger and lowered his voice. "Father, do you think the news of Ji Yuan's son's death is untrue?"

"Could this be true? But the emperor has announced it in the marketplace, how could it be false?" After contradicting himself, Sun Situ sat down, still fuming. "I know Ji Hui is dead, but I don't want to hear rumors. I want the absolute truth about what happened in the north!"

“Father, it’s absolutely true, there’s not a single lie.” Seeing this, Sun Heng leaned closer to Sun Situ and said earnestly, “When Song Shi’an entered the pass, he led an army. Because the Duke of Qin in the south obstructed him in every way, I heard that he even tried to assassinate him along the way. Later, after the alliance was signed, the captain under the Duke of Qin who killed the Yu envoy ambushed and killed Ji Hui halfway, taking his head to Beiliang. Because of this, Song Shi’an was almost boiled alive by Kang Xun!”

"..."

After hearing these words, Sun Situ's expression gradually became serious.

"Father, this is what His Majesty said. Is there any part of it that he's trying to cover up?" Sun Heng asked.

“Your Majesty need not flatter Song Shi’an. Besides, Song Shi’an and the Embroidered Uniform Guard are not going to stay away. What happened will eventually be known to the public.” Sun Situ believed it after hearing it, but he was worried about something else. “Who can be a match for someone who is so ruthless and willing to risk his life to win?”

No one works as hard as him and is as strong.

Even someone as strong as him wouldn't work this hard.

“Father, Song Shi’an is indeed formidable, but I believe that the big shots haven’t really made their move yet, which is why he seems so powerful,” Sun Heng said, quite unconvinced.

This made Sun Situ laugh in anger. He looked at his eldest son and said, "He went to Shuofeng to kill Qi, and he went to Yan to resist Qi. Which important figure is really going to take action? Is he going to be Ji Yuan's inside man, or to pass on a message to Kang Xun?"

"What the father and son mean is..."

“I know what you mean,” Sun Situ interrupted directly. “If he were skilled in political maneuvering and had risen to his position through factional struggles, then I, the Duke of Li, could have taken action against him. But now, he has earned his position through merit, so no matter who it is, they must avoid his sharp edge.”

"Father, there aren't that many merits for him to accumulate. He must be skilled in political maneuvering, right?"

“You’re right. We can only truly test our strength against him in matters of the court,” said Sun Situ. “Next, it will be time for a direct confrontation.”

"But he has accumulated such a great deal of influence, won't those people also avoid his sharp edge?"

"Domestic factional struggles are nothing more than a battle for victory or defeat, not a matter of life or death," Sun Situ said confidently. "And now, Song Shi'an alone can easily stop the fighting and prolong the life of the Great Yu Kingdom. Who is most anxious about this?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Heng suddenly realized: "It's those nobles who hold great military power and think that the country can't do without them."

Song Shi'an spent money on his mission.

Nobles also spend money on wars.

But Song Shi'an, with just a few words, completely turned the State of Yan into his ally and made them sworn enemies of the State of Qi.

If you fight a war and end up like this, at least tens of thousands of people must have died, right?

"It's alright." Sun Situ was actually fine. "Once Song Shi'an witnesses real malice and hostility, he will realize how good we civil officials, who just bicker with him, are to him."

"Should we still let my younger sister contact Song Shi'an privately?" Sun Heng asked.

"Use your brain! When I openly hit her that day, I meant to warn my little sister not to like Song Shi'an!" Sun Situ was speechless.

“…” Sun Heng was stunned for a moment, then began to think, his brain racing, and finally he suddenly realized, “Father, you’re going to spread the word that my little sister likes Song Shi’an!”

“Jin Hua isn’t that cheap,” Sun Situ snorted. “But she can’t just bury her head in her work and foolishly sell her jewelry to bribe Jia Guihao to protect Song Shi’an.”

It would be too foolish to make quiet, unnoticed contributions.

This beating only made Song Shi'an more moved—his mortal enemy's daughter had been beaten by her father for helping him.

How could Song Shi'an remain unmoved after something like this happened? Is his heart made of iron?

"By the way, what about this Wang Ding you mentioned?" Sun Situ asked curiously, "Was he really scolded to death?"

So Sun Heng told him about how Song Shi'an had debated with the court officials in the Yan state court and even verbally abused Wang Ding to death.

After listening, Sun Situ chuckled and said with rare humor, "It's all thanks to this old Wang Ding that my story won't be so famous in the history books."

.........

The residence of the Duke of Liguo.

Duke Wu Qing of Li, Marquis Zhao Lun of Xun, Marquis Zhao Lie of Huai, and Marquis Ran Mu of Qu and Marquis Han Qi of Changling, who are basically retired.

Five top figures met at the mansion.

Because of the rivalry between the two kings, these nobles had rarely gathered in such a orderly manner, in order to avoid suspicion of favoring or opposing the crown prince.

But now, they really can't take it anymore.

"The national treasury entrusted 20,000 taels of gold to Song Shi'an to buy Ji Hui's head. Such a major matter, yet His Majesty is unwilling to discuss it with us old ministers. This is truly..." Zhao Lie sighed with considerable bitterness.

"The matter was accomplished in secrecy; if too many people are informed, there is a risk of leaks," the Duke of Li defended the emperor.

"Brother, His Majesty must have to tell you, right?" Han Qi asked.

"It was I who suggested to His Majesty that Song Shi'an be sent as an envoy," said Duke Li.

"What about the 20,000 gold coins?" Han Qi asked again.

"I found out later," Duke Li shook his head.

“Now His Majesty has Song Shi’an, and doesn’t need people like us anymore.” At this point, Han Qi burst into tears. “Yuan’er died in Wuwei. To His Majesty, he was just a defeated general who lost a city.”

"Xiang'er must have humiliated him terribly and must hate him deeply," Zhao Lun said, starting to get emotional. The two disheartened individuals made the atmosphere incredibly oppressive.

The Duke of Li finally couldn't stand it anymore: "What's the point of saying this? What did His Majesty do wrong?"

"Your Majesty is not wrong; it is we who are wrong," Zhao Lun said, not entirely convinced by Zhao Lun's sarcastic remarks.

"Enough!" Duke Li roared. "Zhao Xiang's actions in that battle, aside from His Majesty, were a capital offense. Now he's being sent to cultivate land; which emperor would be so lenient?"

It's all a result of habit.

I raised some useless things.

Zhao Lun realized he had made a mistake and stopped arguing. Instead, he played the rational card and pleaded, "But Duke, I admit we didn't fight well. But now, with Song Shi'an around, we didn't even have a chance to fight those battles."

“My son Zhao Yi was supposed to go on the expedition with the King of Zhongshan and Hua Zheng,” Zhao Lie said. “We can’t guarantee a victory in this battle, but if we can subdue the Yan Kingdom, it will prove that we people from Qinzhou are still useful. However, he has replaced us all with his words, which is a bit dangerous.”

Ran Mu chimed in, "That's right. If we can't demonstrate our usefulness, and the land reclamation is also done in Qinzhou in the future, then we won't have lasting wealth and honor."

That's exactly what I meant.

“Even if he had a hundred times the courage, he wouldn’t dare to act recklessly in Qinzhou,” Zhao Lie said firmly.

“But he’s like he has a hundred lives,” Ran Mu said. “A normal person would beg for mercy when they’re about to be boiled.”

"He knew he definitely wouldn't be cooked..."

Before Zhao Lie could finish his tirade, Zhao Lun quickly retorted, "Lord Huai, you say Song Shi'an wouldn't dare offend us nobles, but that's exactly how he treated Xiang'er. Don't think that just because your son Zhao Yi is close to him, he won't cause you any trouble in the future."

"I have never been involved in the factional strife between Jin and Wu!" Zhao Lie declared solemnly, "and there is no need for Song Shi'an to let me off the hook!"

"Alright, everyone calm down."

The Duke of Li stopped them.

In fact, he had long realized that the power of the nobility was being weakened.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have made Duke Qin do those things.

They all want to seize the power that others covet.

Therefore, he has never backed down.

"I will meet him in person when he returns."

Like a fierce tiger, the Duke of Li revealed a bloodthirsty and murderous intent: "If he insists on fighting, then let's start the war."

.........

"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince... has been killed by the Yan bandits!"

Upon hearing the eunuch's sorrowful report, Ji Yuan, who was reviewing memorials at his desk, was startled.

Lost in thought, he took the military report.

Seeing the urgent message from the Yan Kingdom, his eyes were bloodshot, and he slammed his fist on the bronze table: "Hui'er! My...my Crown Prince!"

"Your Majesty, please accept my condolences."

The eunuch prostrated himself on the ground, bowing in grief.

"The whole nation mourns for the Crown Prince, and we must gather our forces to punish Kangxun!"

Enraged, Ji Yuan decided to declare war on the State of Yan.

And the intense grief made him fall ill.

Even within the palace, his anger spread throughout the entire country.

A series of decrees imposing sanctions on the Yan Kingdom were issued in succession.

He refused all the advice of his officials, his mind made up.

It wasn't until Chen Xing entered the palace and knelt down, pleading, "Your Majesty, I am about to commit a grave offense and humbly beg you to rescind the order to attack Yan. The Crown Prince was killed by Song Shi'an, and the assassin has fled to the false Yu. We should now ally with Yan and launch a southern expedition!"

"Don't you even understand me? Do you think I acted impulsively?" Ji Yuan sat on the bed, speaking with great agitation. "It's not that I want to fight, it's that I have no choice but to fight. It's not that I can't forgive Kang Xun, it's that Kang Xun can't forgive himself!"

…………

The State of Yan, Xiangcheng.

Standing on the high platform, Gongsun Xing and Kang Xun watched the army leave the capital to rush to the aid of the western border, their hearts heavy.

Kang Xun said, "No matter what Ji Yuan says, the border troops cannot be withdrawn. After all, I didn't take good care of his son, who died in Yan and was humiliated before he left."

Even if the two people reconcile, it's only in words.

Because of his son's situation, Conson never slept well for the rest of his life.

The number of troops stationed on the border can only be increased, not decreased.

"Prime Minister, please speak," Kang Xun asked, "Does Ji Yuan truly intend to go to war?"

"A nationwide eastward expedition is unlikely, but a war will certainly be fought just to vent frustration."

Gongsun Xing looked into the distance and sighed, "If he didn't do this, he wouldn't be Ji Yuan."

(End of this chapter)