Frost for a Thousand Years

Chapter 301 Disloyal Hearts (4000 words)
"A wise ruler and virtuous ministers?"

The emperor, who had just paved the way for his son to become crown prince, heard this interesting folk tale after accomplishing such a momentous task.

It comes from the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Because no one but them dared to spread such frightening words.

Even the talkative eunuch, who seemed almost foolish, lowered his head and trembled when the emperor uttered those four words.

"Xishan, have you heard of this saying?" the emperor asked, looking at him slowly.

"Your Majesty, this servant did not hear..." Eunuch Xi's body tensed when asked the question, and he subconsciously spoke, but he quickly realized his mistake and hurriedly changed his words, "This servant did indeed hear these rumors by chance."

This is indeed a difficult question to answer.

But you're the chief eunuch, and the whole of Sheng'an is talking about it like crazy, and you still don't know? Is that even possible?
Unless you're useless.

If you're not incompetent, then you must know. If you know but say you don't, what are you trying to do?
This is outrageous!
"Don't be afraid." The emperor wasn't some kind of demon. Chen Bao had already distanced himself from him. If he continued to be so paranoid, making everyone see threats everywhere, he would truly have no friends left. So he calmly said, "I just want to know, how many people are spreading this rumor?"

"Your Majesty," Eunuch Xi reported truthfully without daring to utter a word, "not long after the news of the Sixth Prince's great victory over the pseudo-Qi and his execution of Hua Qu on the battlefield spread throughout Sheng'an, the matter of Song Shi'an confiscating the property of powerful families in Beiliang was also brought up in passing."

"Do you think the two are related?" the emperor asked.

"Your Majesty, this servant believes the two are unrelated." Eunuch Xi knew that saying the wrong thing in this matter would lead to his own demise, so his attitude was very firm.

This is utter nonsense!

"But they went to Beiliang together," the emperor reminded him again. "One killed nobles, the other plundered aristocratic families—aren't they a perfect match?"

"Your Majesty, the Sixth Prince's actions were to uphold military discipline and ensure victory. Executing disobedient generals was the proper course of action. Song Shi'an, in Beiliang, also confiscated the property of those uncooperative noble families to defend the city." Eunuch Xi raised his head and said sincerely, "Your Majesty, our Great Yu and the pseudo-Qi are sworn enemies. Everything we did was to annihilate the enemy and defend our territory. Any other prince or minister would have done the same in this situation."

There were no treacherous officials, only loyal ones.

They did indeed perform this noble act of upholding justice and eliminating personal bias.

But that doesn't mean there's anything going on between the two of them.

Because our officials and generals of Dayu are all such selfless and loyal ministers!
"Well said." The emperor smiled.

Grandpa Xi isn't completely stupid.

He was just a little anxious.

Previously, blindly following the group to open the Song Shi'an was simply a misunderstanding of the emperor's intentions.

After all, Chen Baogang gave Song Shi'an some advice out of personal motives and was subsequently exiled by the emperor. As a member of the management team who was just promoted by the leader, what do you think?
That's definitely because the leader dislikes Song Shi'an!

But the emperor neither killed Huang Tong nor made things difficult for him, which made Eunuch Xi realize that he needed to slow down a bit.

Of course, he still firmly believed that the emperor was wary of Song Shi'an.

Especially now, the phrase "sage ruler and virtuous minister" has emerged.

He's going to suffer a lot.

"In that case, what do you think should be done with these people who spread rumors?" the emperor asked.

"Kill," said Eunuch Xi solemnly.

This is Grandpa Xi.

In terms of intelligence, he was a eunuch who was not even in the same league as Chen Bao.

But this is exactly what the emperor needs most at this time.

"Then, I'll leave it to you to do."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

.........

"A wise ruler and virtuous ministers! A wise ruler and virtuous ministers indeed!"

That night, on his bed in the Wu King's palace, the Wu King suddenly sat up.

"You, you startled me." At this moment, Princess Wu got up, put her arm around his shoulder with some concern, and asked, "Are you still thinking?"

"It's not that I'm thinking about it," King Wu said anxiously, already drenched in sweat. "You know, His Majesty didn't expect this battle to even begin when he sent Wusheng to lead the troops. But after he arrived, he first beheaded one of the Empress's men, and then he relocated so many people from Qi to Liangzhou. Such swift and decisive action, displaying the demeanor of a great general, do you know how high his prestige is?"

“He is a general, and you are the ruler…” Princess Wu whispered, “You said it yourself, Father Emperor is already going to make you the crown prince, and he even tricked Prince Jin out of his power. Even if he gets the credit, isn’t it all for your sake?”

"You fought for me?" the King of Wu retorted.

“Yes, the military intelligence from the front says that Zhao Yi went to seize the grain and relocate the people, so you deserve the credit too.” Princess Wu sensed that her husband was a little confused, so she continued to comfort him, “Wusheng is also one of your people, and by giving the credit to Zhao Yi, isn’t he just trying to curry favor with you?”

“If he were a general, I would love him to death. But he is a prince.”

“But you are Father Emperor’s true legitimate son.” Princess Wu’s wife reminded him, fearing that Prince Wu might get too agitated at this moment. “What do the common people say matter? If it did matter, there would be no corrupt officials in the world. In the end, it all comes down to Father Emperor’s word.”

In the end, it all came down to a single sentence from the Emperor…

The King of Wu has been somewhat persuaded.

“Wu Sheng suffered hardship in his childhood, and his father disliked him. Now, if you treat him well, he will definitely be devoted to you.” Princess Wu spoke only from a human perspective. “If you are wary of him because of these rumors, that is what truly makes him your enemy.”

"But what about human speech?" King Wu was truly terrified of this thing.

Throughout history, there have been countless instances where a single statement has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

"Are you worried that Song Shi'an will really team up with Wu Sheng?"

"They were already holding each other."

“But such serious rumors are circulating in the capital,” said the Queen of Wu, looking at him. “They must be afraid, so they will definitely separate to prove their innocence.”

"..." King Wu couldn't let his guard down when he thought of those two people. "But what if they still don't separate despite all these rumors?"

"How could anyone be so audacious?" Princess Wu refused to believe it. "One of them is now a Grand General, granted the title of Prince of Zhongshan, and the other is a high-ranking official in charge of overseeing land reclamation. They're no longer in a state of having nothing. They should cherish this opportunity; how could they not even avoid such suspicion?"

"Yes, if they are not afraid of even wise rulers and virtuous ministers, then what else do they have to fear?"

The King of Wu murmured.

Are you afraid of me?
.........

“Father, Father, Song Shi’an is really doomed.” After getting off work at the Dali Temple, Sun Heng went straight to the study to find Sun Situ. Seeing him writing, he walked over and said happily, “We just wanted to bring down Song Shi’an, but the people of Sheng’an really want him dead.”

"Is Sheng'an still arguing about 'sage ruler and virtuous minister'?" Sun Situ asked casually.

“Yes,” Sun Heng said with a grin. “There are even people saying that His Majesty has not established a crown prince because he is waiting for someone who is truly capable of inheriting the throne. That person is the current Prince of Zhongshan.”

"What's the reason?" Sun Situ asked.

Even if it's just a rumor or boast, there must be some basis they believe in.

“Our Great Yu Kingdom was founded on military strength,” Sun Heng said. “But none of these princes are very skilled in martial arts.”

"Oh, is that the reason?" Sun Situ found it laughable.

"Father, do you think this is a bad thing?" Sun Heng asked.

“Of course it’s a good thing, but it’s not all that good,” said Sun Situ. “Once this happens, the emperor will definitely make the Prince of Wu the crown prince as soon as possible, leaving no room for maneuver.”

“But even if this hadn’t happened, wouldn’t it have been a foregone conclusion that the King of Wu would have become the crown prince?” Sun Heng asked.

"I'm afraid the emperor will deal with the Prince of Jin before then." This was what Sun Situ was really concerned about.

"Solve it?" Sun Heng was startled. "Father, you mean..."

"What are you thinking?" Sun Situ was speechless. He explained, "What I mean is, the emperor might have taken away the power of the Prince of Jin."

"Then we're at a bit of a loss..."

After all, he had previously vaguely sided with the Prince of Jin.

“Of course, what is destined to happen cannot be stopped.” Sun Situ did not waste any more time on internal strife. He said, “Song Shi’an has been so highly praised and given this title, and he has been tied to the King of Zhongshan as a ‘wise ruler and virtuous minister.’ No matter what, this cannot escape suspicion.”

"Then why don't we add fuel to the fire..."

"You idiot!" Before he could finish speaking, Sun Situ shouted sternly, "Remember this: as long as our family doesn't rebel, we will enjoy eternal wealth and honor!"

"Yes, son knows he was wrong." Sun Heng lowered his head and quickly admitted his mistake.

To be honest, he still couldn't grasp the right balance.

Her previous ambiguous relationship with the Prince of Jin can be considered as her involvement in the struggle for the crown prince position.

So what exactly is allowed by the rules?
"Just you wait and see," Sun Situ said, raising a finger with a smug look. "To dare to stir up trouble like this at the emperor's age and in his current state, Sheng'an is likely to be engulfed in a bloodbath."

"Was it you who said in the market that the emperor was waiting for a crown prince like the Sixth Prince?"

Standing outside a room, facing a trembling man kneeling on the ground, Eunuch Xi asked expressionlessly.

"Father-in-law, this humble servant..."

Before he could finish speaking, Eunuch Xi delivered his chilling verdict: "Take this Qi spy away and execute him at the Meridian Gate."

"Please spare me, sir! I am not a spy from Qi!"

A massive crackdown on "Qi spies" was launched throughout Sheng'an.

Eunuch Xi personally led the Imperial Guards to arrest them.

A total of 572 people were executed, including some low-ranking officials who had accepted bribes.

This is the biggest case in Sheng'an in recent years.

But everyone knew that these people were not spies from the State of Qi.

While it's certain that some were corrupt spies who had taken money from the State of Qi—after all, this was the time to make their move—the majority of the rest were ordinary people.

This is what it means to be punished for one's words.

Sheng An fell silent.

The joy of this great victory was short-lived, as it was followed by a purge.

A terrifying atmosphere pervaded the city.

"By order of the Emperor of Great Yu! His Highness Prince Wu shall lead officials of the fourth rank and above to go out of the city tomorrow to welcome the triumphant return of the army."

The emperor's endorsement has arrived.

The moment of triumph will be the moment when the position of Crown Prince of Wu is secured.

Even the Prince of Jin and the Prince of Zhongping, among others, had to come out of the city to greet them.

Both kings appeared together, with the King of Wu leading the way.

Everything is now clear.

Of course, not every official would come out of the city to greet them.

For example, Sun Situ.

She hadn't gotten over her anger towards the emperor yet.

For example, the Duke of Li.

On the one hand, it's because he's getting old and his health isn't suitable. On the other hand, his prestige is too high, and he's won too many battles; there's no reason for him to welcome a victory in a draw.

Of course, there are other reasons not to go that are quite valid.

For example, Sima Yu.

I'll fuck your ass.

However, he was more worried about Song Shi'an.

Since Song Shi'an is dead, he will definitely have to die too.

But at this critical juncture, how could a 'wise ruler and virtuous minister' emerge?

This thing alone is already terrifying.

And when paired with that dream, it's absolutely a killer move!

Sima Yu even suspected that the emperor had sent these words to kill both Song Shi'an and himself.

Of course, the main goal is definitely to kill Song Shi'an; what does he himself matter?

But I don't want to die!

"Father, more than a dozen more have been killed at the Meridian Gate! Among them was a seventh-rank official!"

Sima Yu's son immediately went to inform his father.

"Stop talking! Don't say anything like 'die,' 'behead,' 'heads rolling on the ground,' or 'eyes bulging out of the head'!" Sima Yu suddenly became agitated and especially irritable.

"Father, we're going to welcome the Sixth Prince tomorrow... are you going?" the son asked in a low voice.

“I won’t go! I’ll feign illness and say I’m dying.”

"Okay, Dad, don't worry, I'll go tell him." Sima Yu's son always felt that his father's mental state was not very good. "You should rest well, and please... don't go swimming in the pond, it's getting cold."

Also, don't swing on a swing at home.

Whether I go or not is not the key point.

Sima Yu's face darkened, and he looked to the side, muttering absentmindedly, "Whether he goes or not is the key."

……

"Your Majesty, this is the list of officials who will be sent to welcome the Sixth Prince's triumphant return tomorrow."

Eunuch Xi presented a list to the emperor.

“Tell me who didn’t come,” the emperor said.

"Your Majesty, Minister Sun did not come; his son represented him. Duke Li did not come; his son represented him as well. About 20% of the officials in the court were unwell and unable to greet us. This included Sima Yu, who also did not come."

When he mentioned the name, the emperor paused and looked at him.

With a hint of confusion.

When did Sima Yu become comparable to Duke Li and Minister Sun?

Is he worthy?
Or do you also know about Sima Yu's affairs?
Grandpa Xi was also somewhat stunned by this look.

"Xishan, why single out Sima Yu?" the emperor asked calmly.

“Your Majesty,” Eunuch Xi explained, “Sima Yu has been claiming illness and not attending court, but as far as I know, his health seems to be fine… Therefore, I am reporting this to Your Majesty.”

Eunuch Xi had no idea what was wrong with Sima Yu.

But he knew that the emperor had always cared about him.

Because there were previous rumors that he had gone to the palace to interpret dreams...

So he investigated for the emperor.

By secretly bribing the servants in the mansion, they learned that the old man was not sick at all!

"Oh, that's so thoughtful of you."

The emperor smiled, his eyes gentle.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Grandpa Xi expressed his gratitude in a rather subtle way.

Then, continuing from where she left off, she said, "Next is the Song residence. Minister Song will be there tomorrow, but he said that Song Shi'an has caught a cold and is unable to go out. Please forgive him."

"Has he caught a cold? Then send some imperial medicine over to comfort him..." The emperor stopped midway, "He's just trying to avoid suspicion, he doesn't have a cold at all. If I do this, he'll think I'm testing him."

"Your Majesty is wise," replied Eunuch Xi. "It is only right for Song Shi'an to avoid suspicion at this time."

"But what if he doesn't avoid suspicion?" the emperor asked.

"..."

These words stunned Eunuch Xi, who then said very seriously, "Then he harbors rebellious intentions!"
-
I drank a few beers last night, and my left calf suddenly started hurting terribly. I thought I had accidentally kicked something and broken it. So I went to get it checked out today and didn't get home until 7 p.m.

Fortunately, it's just ventilation.

This is worse than a broken bone!
Brothers, what should I do if my uric acid level is 550? Waaaaah!

I'd like to recommend a novel by one of my good friends; the link is below.

(End of this chapter)