Frost for a Thousand Years

Chapter 304 The Werewolf Game Begins
"His Majesty."

Eunuch Xi walked up to the emperor, unusually looking embarrassed and lowering his head, unable to speak directly.

Judging from his expression, the emperor seemed to know something: "Whose business is it?"

"Your Majesty, this matter concerns the Crown Prince." Only after the Emperor made his selection did Eunuch Xi speak, "It also concerns... Chen Bao."

The emperor was deep within the palace, but his eyes were everywhere in Sheng'an.

Furthermore, since he was the one who established the Embroidered Uniform Guard system, even if he wasn't monitoring anyone, Sheng'an still had to report some important matters to the emperor.

And that is where the head steward's power lies.

Because the power to determine whether something is important rests entirely with him.

Of course, as the emperor's loyal hound, if he conceals too much, or judges too many things as 'unimportant' based on his own selfishness, then his path has come to an end.

The chief eunuch was simply a lowly wife caught between the emperor and the powerful nobles.

"Did the Crown Prince go to see Chen Bao?" the Emperor asked casually.

"Yes," Eunuch Xi explained, "The Crown Prince went to the imperial mausoleum, met with Chen Bao for a while, and then left."

This is something that Grandpa Xi is particularly concerned about.

But since it concerned the Crown Prince, he couldn't interfere.

However, the fact that a newly appointed crown prince specifically sought out Chen Bao made Eunuch Xi very uneasy.

What reason would the Crown Prince have to visit a disgraced old eunuch who had been banished to the imperial mausoleum by the emperor?

Could it be that this guy still has a chance to make a comeback?

"How is Chen Bao doing lately?" The emperor didn't continue that topic, but turned to ask instead.

"Your Majesty," Eunuch Xi replied, secretly observing the emperor's expression from the side, "he simply led people to sweep the tombs at the imperial mausoleum, without taking any further action. Nor did he meet with anyone."

"How come, after serving as the chief eunuch for so many years, not a single person has come to visit him?" the emperor asked.

"Your Majesty, after all, he is a criminal." The emperor wanted to say that the others were cold-hearted, but Eunuch Xi, in order to defend those who were estranged from Chen Bao, subconsciously spoke up.

However, as soon as he finished speaking, the emperor's face suddenly darkened, his brows furrowed slightly, and his pupils were filled with deep black. He asked coldly, "Who said he was a criminal?"

"..." Eunuch Xi was startled by the emperor's expression and immediately froze.

"Who convicted him?"

The emperor asked again.

This time, however, Eunuch Xi dared not be negligent. He immediately knelt before the emperor, prostrated himself, and hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, this servant knows his mistake. This servant should not have spoken ill of Eunuch Chen! This servant should not have uttered such arrogant words and speculated on Your Majesty's intentions!"

Seeing his fear, the emperor's tone softened and he asked calmly, "What I want to ask is, who said he is guilty?"

“Your Majesty,” Eunuch Xi raised his head and quickly explained, “I heard it from some palace eunuchs. They are all saying that Chen Bao offended Your Majesty and was therefore punished by being sent to guard the imperial mausoleum… But I don’t think going to the imperial mausoleum is a punishment. It is an honor for us to serve as scouts for the successive sage rulers of our Great Yu.”

"Then you shall go and guard it too," the emperor said abruptly, tilting his head slightly forward.

"..." Grandpa Xi was stunned.

No, you really want me to guard this place?
But then he realized that he couldn't just ignore what he said at this moment, so he replied, "This servant will obey Your Majesty's orders. Wherever Your Majesty commands this servant, this servant will go!"

His desperate attempt to survive amused the emperor, who rarely showed a smile: "Alright, get up."

"..." When Eunuch Xi heard that the emperor's tone was no longer so serious and even had a joking undertone, he slowly got up, wiping the sweat from his forehead, and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Whether Chen Bao committed a crime is too early to say. He simply did some wrong things," the emperor said. "Do you know what he did wrong?"

"This servant dares not speculate," said Eunuch Xi cautiously.

The emperor is terrifying.

They keep asking me questions that could be fatal.

Who would dare to confide in him now?

"It's better for me to tell you directly than for you to overthink and live in fear."

"Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty."

"Raise your head," the emperor said.

Grandpa Xi slowly raised his head.

The emperor looked into his eyes and said calmly, "He has always done a good job, but recently he has become somewhat lax and has not been as devoted to me. He has his own thoughts."

They even said it wasn't a crime...

For a eunuch to show such disrespect for the emperor is a grave offense.

Combined, they constitute a capital offense.

Especially those who have their own thoughts and ideas.

"Will you treat me like this because I'm getting old?" the emperor asked sincerely.

"Your Majesty will always be the supreme ruler in my heart. I consider it a blessing to serve Your Majesty, how dare I harbor such disloyal thoughts?" Eunuch Xi knelt down again devoutly, expressing his loyalty with utmost caution, "I will not be like Chen Bao. Whatever Your Majesty commands, I will do!"

He realized that he was there to be the emperor's scapegoat.

He previously led the effort to put pressure on Song Shi'an.

He later committed murder in the capital.

Furthermore, now the emperor is implying that he should be loyal and not have any selfish motives, all in an effort to make his own blade even sharper.

"I'm not asking you to do much," the emperor said. "You just need to let this prosperous and peaceful land know that I'm not so old and useless as to be useless."

"Your Majesty is not old; Your Majesty remains the supreme ruler of the world!"

Grandpa Xi now understands what happened to Chen Bao.

He's taking advantage of His Majesty's old age.

They learned to conceal things when they had problems.

They also learned to distort the emperor's will.

Although I don't know why he would do something so reckless, I can guess that he was leaving himself a way out.

"Your Majesty," said Eunuch Xi, "this servant will keep a close eye on Song Shi'an on Your Majesty's behalf."

"Don't tighten it too much."

Seeing that he understood, the emperor gave him a reminder.

“This servant understands,” Eunuch Xi continued. “This servant will keep a close eye on those who are hiding things from His Majesty, and will not allow them to do anything that would betray His Majesty.”

The emperor felt he no longer had enough control and was unwilling to relinquish power.

Therefore, Eunuch Xi needed to exert more pressure to restore the emperor's control.

"Then I'll leave it to you," the Emperor said with a smile. "Xishan." "Yes, Your Majesty," Xishan replied, somewhat uncertainly. "And what about Chen Bao? Should we keep a close eye on him?"

"What do you think?" the emperor asked.

“Chen Bao is not loyal to His Majesty, yet he knows too much about palace affairs. This servant feels that we should be wary of his disloyal intentions,” Xi Shan said. “Otherwise, he might harm the Great Yu.”

"Very well." After saying this, the emperor casually added, "Send the Imperial Guards to keep an eye on the mausoleum and forbid anyone from approaching it, including the Crown Prince."

"Yes."

Grandpa Xi bowed his head and accepted the order.

But inside, I was overjoyed.

Chen Bao, you better not let me catch you.

…………

The crown prince returned to his residence.

He sat on the bed, expressionless.

But there was a hidden sinister glint in his eyes.

He was concerned about the rumors about the wise ruler and virtuous ministers, and he became even more concerned after Song Shi'an insisted on coming to fetch Wei Wusheng.

But that day, Ye Changqing stood up despite the pressure and maintained his dignity, and he also gritted his teeth and swallowed the stone.

And after that, Song Shi'an did indeed intentionally distance himself from Wei Wusheng.

He has already forgiven her.

But his conversation with Chen Bao today made it impossible for him to be so magnanimous anymore...

"A traitor who appears in a dream? Who is he referring to? Song Shi'an?"

"Your Highness, when Sima Yu interpreted His Majesty's dream, he said that anyone who tries to win over the Crown Prince or who intends to overthrow the foundation of the state is a traitor who appears in the dream."

"So Sima Yu knows everything too?"

"Ah."

"Then why doesn't Your Majesty just tell me about this?"

"Your Majesty's thoughts are beyond my ability to fathom."

"Chen Bao, what are your thoughts?"

“This servant is just a eunuch. Whatever His Majesty tells me to do, I will do it. I have no thoughts of my own.”

"If you did whatever His Majesty told you to do, why were you exiled here?"

"This servant has angered His Majesty."

"I promised you that when I ascend the throne, you would return to your rightful place. That Xi Shan is nothing but a reckless man; I have no intention of employing him."

"I am a sinner, and I only hope to atone for my sins."

"You are the sinful body of this moment, not the sinful body of that moment."

The crown prince could not easily believe this dream.

Because that was just a dream of the emperor, it doesn't mean anything.

The emperor was not truly a saint, and no omens were guaranteed to come true.

But that's just deceiving yourself.

He couldn't help but believe this dream.

That's incredibly accurate.

He accurately predicted Song Shi'an's sudden rise to prominence and his complex relationship with Wei Wusheng.

What a rebellious minister who appeared in a dream, what a wise ruler and virtuous minister!

Just then, the voice of the eunuch Chu came from outside the door: "Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"Enter," the Crown Prince said.

Then he came in and reported in a low voice: "After you left the imperial mausoleum today, some Imperial Guards went there in the afternoon and guarded the imperial mausoleum."

"Is this really true?" The Crown Prince was stunned.

"Yes," said Eunuch Chu.

"Is there anything else?" the crown prince asked.

"Your Highness, there are none left."

"Then you can go down."

"Yes."

After Eunuch Chu left, the Crown Prince immediately became nervous.

I had just gone to find Chen Bao when he was surrounded by the Embroidered Uniform Guards.

Isn't this the emperor giving me a warning?
They've already made me the crown prince, so why is my father still giving me a hard time?

wrong.

Following Ye Changqing's advice on the mindset of a ruler guided by the emperor, the crown prince rejected this view.

Then, with a sullen face, he muttered to himself:

"Father knew what the Prince of Jin said to the Empress, which means Father knows everything..."

"There is no need for Father Emperor to make a big fuss by setting up the Embroidered Uniform Guard to torture him."

"This is... "

"Save him?"

Startled, the prince looked up and suddenly realized what had happened.

My father intentionally revealed this cursed dream to me.

After learning about this from Chen Bao, she took control of Chen Bao and told him not to go looking for him anymore.

The only person who knows about this dream is Sima Yu...

Thinking of this, the Crown Prince suddenly stopped, and a thought flashed through his mind.

Why not ask Chen Bao?
It was Song Shi'an who reminded me to go see Chen Bao!

(End of this chapter)