Frost for a Thousand Years

Chapter 285 Chen Bao, The Curtain Falls

Chen Bao's sudden remark caused Song Shi'an to show his confusion.

Soon after, the other person pointed to his feet and joked, "With this old bone of mine with you, don't walk so fast. I can't keep up with the pace of you young people."

"..." Upon hearing this, Song Shi'an quickly bowed to him and said apologetically, "It was Shi'an who was rude. Please forgive me."

"Haha, then we'll be leaving now."

Chen Bao maintained a smile while facing Song Shi'an. Then, with the help of a eunuch, he boarded the carriage.

Song Shi'an bowed with such courtesy, watched the imperial carriage depart, and then turned and entered his residence.

His expression immediately turned solemn.

Chen Bao's words were very strange.

It's as if they're trying to give some pointers.

But not really.

Imperial power is unfathomable, so eunuchs are often tasked with providing riddles and hints to certain individuals, serving as warnings or reminders. Often, these hints also subtly encourage the recipient to ponder the emperor's intentions, leaving them puzzled and ultimately forced to exercise self-reflection and restraint.

However, if it were the emperor's intention, he would never have said, "You're walking too fast, slow down a bit."

Because he couldn't delay any longer.

The King of Wu was also helped up by him.

The current emperor would love to be a fearless vanguard, offending everyone.

If successful, the King of Wu will consolidate power.

If defeated, one will perish and be destroyed.

Instead of letting him walk slowly, power gradually emerges with steady steps.

Therefore, how could the emperor possibly say such a thing?

that……

Did Chen Bao himself want to say it?
He's crazy!
……

Chen Bao knew he was practically going insane.

However, he had nowhere else to go.

Whether the emperor knew about his deal with the King of Wu is not the key issue.

The old emperor's suspicion had reached the point of near-madness.

Whether he did it or not, the emperor would be suspicious.

Having served him for so long, Chen Bao knew him… no, he knew what an emperor’s suspicion meant.

Whether you did it or not, if I feel you did it, or if I'm worried you did it, then you did it.

How can this be solved?
I just did it.

but,

In the palace, there are no secrets. If you do something, the emperor will see it. And once he sees that you have done something, and he has irrefutable evidence of it, then he will arrogantly conclude that you have done everything he suspects.

这是无解的.

Even a shrewd and experienced man like Chen Bao couldn't outmaneuver the emperor.

But just because you can't win doesn't mean you shouldn't even try.

.........

"He told you to slow down?" Song Jing asked, puzzled, when only the Song father and son were in the lobby.

“Yes,” Song Shi’an said. “He said it when we left the mansion.”

"Was it when he left the residence?" Song Jing asked, puzzled. "Could it be that His Majesty instructed him to convey this message?"

Song Jing didn't believe it.

but.

If Chen Bao were to say something to Song Shi'an, it would represent his own stance and serve as a hint.

Why did he have to openly and honestly let them see him off from the mansion, and say those words at the mansion gate in front of everyone?

If you really need to convey a message, you can whisper it, slip a note through your fingers, or have Song Jing deliver it while you're having tea.

A senior eunuch so directly uttered such obviously suggestive words...

How outrageous is that?

"Your Majesty, could it be that you are to..." Song Jing could only think of the emperor, "a fake reform, a real money-making scheme, without touching the foundation of the Great Yu?"

There are many such things in history.

They make a big show of doing something, but when it comes to actually doing it, all they do is impose a hefty tax.

“Of course the emperor would think that way,” Song Shi’an laughed. “But he certainly knows I won’t do that.”

Therefore, this implication is meaningless.

It couldn't possibly be what the emperor wanted to convey.

Let's just use a simple logic:

The emperor pays you to fight.

Then he told you privately, "When you get into a fight later, don't actually go in. If you encounter someone, know when to retreat and when to run away."

Really? He does charity work?
"Could it be that this Eunuch Chen really has some ulterior motives towards you?"

Song Jing had long sensed that his son possessed a certain strength that could win people's hearts.

"If that's really the case, then he's truly a good person."

Song Jing didn't know about the dream, and he certainly couldn't guess the reason.

Therefore, if it truly was Chen Bao's own intention, Song Shi'an understood what he was trying to express.

Don't take it so seriously.

Whether you succeed or fail, something bad will happen.

There are many people who can kill you, and many others can kill you.

If you succeed and gain high position and power, and then have an ambiguous relationship with Wei Wusheng, then whether it's the King of Wu or the King of Jin who becomes emperor, the emperor will tell them about this dream before he dies, and you will still have to die. Don't become the emperor's sword.

What took your father twenty years to accomplish, you covered in a year.

For the remaining twenty years, you will enjoy the blessings that your father never had in his entire life.

If you don't take it seriously, this dream is nonsense, and I might be able to survive.

Song Shi'an seemed to have gleaned a helpless piece of advice from the kind smile in Eunuch Chen's eyes:

Song Shi'an, let's fall into depravity and decay along with the Great Yu.

"Regardless of what he does, you really need to make plans." With that, Song Jing handed a memorial to Song Shi'an.

Song Shi'an took it, opened it, and saw a series of names and official titles.

Among them were some acquaintances, but the very first name made Song Shi'an frown: "They say I rose quickly, but what did this Jia Guihao do to become the Commandant of Huai County? A fourth-rank official."

The true second-in-command of a county is equivalent to the head of the armed forces department of a prefecture-level city, and also possesses relatively autonomous power.

This is why in some important border prefectures of the Dayu, the prefect and the military commander were the same person.

A prefect who doesn't hold a concurrent post generally cannot mobilize a military commander.

"You're comparing this?" Song Jing laughed and asked in return, "How many years did he serve as the Western Commandant? How many years did he serve under the King of Wu?"

"That's jumping way too fast." Song Shi'an was still disgusted. "Everyone's targeting me, why isn't anyone saying anything about him?"

“This is a good thing,” Song Jing said. “Someone will definitely try to keep you in check. Choosing such an incompetent person is just to prevent you from having too much trouble.”

“That’s true. If something happens, he’ll run away from it.” Song Shi’an agreed with this statement.

Then, continue watching.

“Fan Wuji, Gao Yunyi, and Wang Shuishan, these old acquaintances are here too.” Song Shi’an was delighted. “Two of them are sixth-rank officials, and Wang Shuishan has also been appointed as the county magistrate of our Huai County ahead of schedule.”

“Although they are acquaintances, only Wang Shuishan can be considered one of your people.” Song Jing reminded his son, fearing he might not understand. “Even if Gao Yunyi, Fan Wuji, and others are your contemporaries in the imperial examinations, you still need to be mindful of your boundaries.”

"Have they all become disciples of the King of Wu?" Song Shi'an didn't pay much attention to these matters.

“Yes, they are all Wu King’s men,” Song Jing said seriously. “Moreover, Fan Wuji is the descendant of a military general and has a good reputation. He is also outstanding among young scholars.”

“Compared to Jia Guihao, he is the one who truly checks and balances me.” Song Shi’an stopped joking and gradually became serious.

"As long as you know."

Although Song Jing always wanted to tell his son to be careful.

But he gradually realized that this child was more cunning than anyone else!

This is pure lotus root.

"So, apart from Wang Shuishan, all these people above are Wu King's men?" Song Shi'an asked. "Father, where are the shrewd and capable people I need?"

"Do you think all of King Wu's men are incompetent fools?" Song Jing said speechlessly. "Except for this Jia Guihao, the rest are all shrewd and capable. I have strictly reviewed each and every one of them before submitting them."

"Alright, whether he's a good person or not, as long as he's not stupid, that's enough." Song Shi'an didn't care too much.

As long as they don't have the brain fart to stuff Prince Jin's men into my hands, that's enough.

"Did you just say that they were all Wu King's men?" Song Jing asked seriously.

Seeing his expression, Song Shi'an explained, "That's what I was asking..."

Then, Song Jing leaned closer. With his finger, he lightly pointed to the names next to the Prefectural Magistrate and several other official titles: "These few."

"This name sounds familiar..."

"Father's man."

"?" Song Shi'an was taken aback and looked at Song Jing, "Father's men?"

"I've been the magistrate of Sheng'an for so many years, and I've promoted quite a few people. I know who is capable and who knows how to be grateful."

Leaning back in his chair, Song Jing said quite calmly, "Just think of them as disciples of the Song family."

“Father.” Song Shi’an paused, then looked at his father, who had been honest his whole life, “You mean, in the list of officials the emperor asked you to recommend, you blatantly stuffed a few of your own subordinates into it?”

Moreover, the emperor approved it all without changing a single one?
Song Jing remained calm in the face of his questioning and did not give a direct answer.

Then, he said heavily, "You've staked your life on this, so your father has to step up too."

.........

"Chen Bao, all these years, only you have been able to touch my heart."

Inside the palace, Chen Bao knelt down to wash the emperor's feet. He also massaged the acupoints on the emperor's feet.

Hearing this praise, Chen Bao smiled and said, "This servant is clumsy, but it's only because I've served His Majesty for so long that I'm not so clumsy anymore."

"No, you pressed the right button the first time."

"It is my honor to serve Your Majesty well."

Chen Bao picked up a foot-washing cloth and began to wipe the emperor's feet.

After it was over, he picked up the wooden basin.

He turned around, bowed, and walked out of the main hall.

Looking at his somewhat weathered back, the emperor was also somewhat dazed.

However, as he walked further and further away with light steps, his expression gradually became stern, and he suddenly said, "Slow down."

"..."

Chen Bao paused in his tracks.

Then, he slowly stepped over the threshold and left the place.

After disappearing completely from sight, the old emperor, unusually, revealed a bitter expression.

And, an endless sense of desolation.