Frost for a Thousand Years

Chapter 305 Walking on the Edge of a Knife

In Xin Yue's bedroom, Song Shi'an leaned back on the bed, casually reading a copy of "Journey to the West III".

Sitting on the chair next to him, Xin Yue, whose bed had been taken, looked at him with some worry. Finally, she couldn't help but ask, "His Highness has asked several times why you haven't seen him."

"Huh?" Hearing this, Song Shi'an put down his book with considerable concern and looked at Xin Yue. "What, he came here? How dare he?"

"No, it's a message he sent." Xin Yue wasn't in the mood for jokes and got back to the point, saying, "If you really have any inconvenience, you should at least inform him. Instead of letting him wait like this, it might ruin things."

"You also think I'm trying to hook up with Xiao Wei?" Song Shi'an asked, looking at him.

“It’s not that I’m speaking up for him,” Xin Yue said. “It’s just that even if he knows something about what’s happening in the city since he’s returned from Yan, he certainly doesn’t understand the situation in Sheng’an as well as someone who experienced it firsthand. Besides, the fact that you went to greet him under such pressure shows that you’re not afraid of rumors, doesn’t it?”

“I am indeed not afraid of rumors.” Seeing how concerned she was, Song Shi’an turned around, sat on the edge of the bed, and faced her, saying, “However, I am very afraid of the Emperor’s current killing intent.”

"Will the emperor really kill you?" Xin Yue asked, utterly confused. "Didn't you say you had a reason not to be killed?"

“I do have reasons why I shouldn’t be killed, and the emperor shouldn’t kill me either.” Song Shi’an stared into her eyes and said without any hesitation, “But the current emperor is not in his right mind.”

"..." Xin Yue was stunned by his radical remarks, but seemed to understand his meaning. "Indeed, for someone so suspicious to have already appointed a crown prince indicates that his health might collapse at any moment. No matter how rational or wise a person is, at this point..."

"It's inevitable that one will grow old and senile."

Song Shi'an is knowledgeable about history.

Even the most wise and virtuous monarchs will encounter certain problems in their later years.

Even in his later years, Li Shimin, the all-around warrior, was somewhat terrifying.

His previous interactions with the emperor were all tests within the rules.

But at this point, the old emperor was dying, so he really couldn't be regarded as a rational, thinking person anymore.

Emperors are all perverted, and emperors in their later years are even more perverted.

If you see a mentally ill person acting crazy on the street, would you try to persuade them to stop?

Of course, I'll hide.

Song Shi'an is trying to hide now.

"Since you feared his old age and senility in the final days of his life, why did you insist on going to pick up His Highness that day?" Xin Yue asked, puzzled.

“That would not only anger the emperor, but also the King of Wu,” Song Shi’an pointed and explained. “But I backed down then, and now everyone can step on me.”

Defiing the rules means not backing down.

Retiring afterward demonstrates a lack of greed.

It mainly comes down to one's own perspective.

"And what about His Highness?" Xin Yue asked. "He asked me several times, and I always said I was powerless to help. I didn't tell you about it because I felt you had your own way of doing things, and I didn't want to say anything. But after all..."

“I’m not being fair, am I?” Song Shi’an asked.

"Yes, there are some," Xin Yue said truthfully. "If it's inconvenient to meet, you can write a letter privately, and I'll send someone to deliver it to you, okay?"

Having come this far, Song Shi'an stopped pretending and asked, "If Xiao Wei returns to Sheng'an and we don't see each other, what will others think?"

What will others think?

"Just tell me, what will the Crown Prince think?"

"The Crown Prince will..." Xin Yue thought for a moment, then suddenly realized, "The Crown Prince will think that you two have privately agreed to not see each other and made some kind of agreement."

“Now, I’m deliberately avoiding you, but Xiao Wei insists on finding me and is even angry because he can’t see me. What will the Crown Prince think?” Song Shi’an asked again.

"The Crown Prince will think you are genuinely trying to cut ties with him!" Xin Yue finally understood.

Song Shi'an is so meticulous.

“What I want is Xiao Wei’s anxiety and dissatisfaction that he can’t get,” Song Shi’an said. “If I discuss it with him, and the two of us stage a scene of breaking up, it’s not that I don’t believe in his acting skills, but what is performed can’t compare to the real feelings.”

"Do you think he can understand?" Xinyue asked.

"I don't know, but I wouldn't say I hate you," Song Shi'an joked.

"It's really a bit creepy," Xin Yue couldn't help but sigh. "If you really discuss this in private and then don't see each other, given the Crown Prince's current anxiety and aura, I'm afraid he might actually be planning to kill you."

“He doesn’t intend to kill us.” Song Shi’an shook his head. “He’s already had the intention to kill us. He just needs an opportunity to kill one of us.”

"Because of that dream?" Xinyue asked.

“I reminded him earlier to ask Chen Bao,” Song Shi’an said, looking at Xin Yue.

"..." Xin Yue's eyes widened suddenly. "You knew Chen Bao was one of the people in the know, so why did you still ask the King of Wu to ask him? What if he connected this to the fact that you also knew about the dream? Wouldn't he think you were testing him?"

“He will definitely make the connection.” Song Shi’an’s eyes gradually sharpened. “The problem now is when he will find out about this dream… No, now that he has become the Crown Prince, this is the best time for Chen Bao to confess.”

"This is insane, you're practically walking a tightrope." Xin Yue felt that Song Shi'an was already on the verge of losing control.

“There’s no other way; we have to involve him,” Song Shi’an said. “Moreover, it’s not just the former King of Wu who should be involved; the current Crown Prince is another one.”

.........

A rebellious minister who appears in a dream.

The struggle for the crown prince position has always been like this.

Imperial grandson.

The prince's head.

Sitting in the cool autumn courtyard, the prince was still thinking about the dream.

And he thought of his son, the current Crown Prince. Even though he had already become the Crown Prince, saying things like "the struggle for the Crown Prince has always been like this" implied that he himself was the Crown Prince who would be killed.

The one who kills me is a traitor.

The person who instigated this was Song Shi'an.

No, that dream only means that the person who killed him was his brother, a prince.

The Prince of Jin and the Prince of Zhongping were also suspected.

Even the Prince of Jiangling, who is currently stationed in the south, could be a possibility.

If they all die...

Father, you want me to treat my brothers well, but my brothers have never thought of treating me well!

Just then, Ye Changqing and Zhao Yi arrived at the Crown Prince's residence.

Upon seeing them, the Crown Prince also put away his heavy burden.

"Changqing greets His Highness the Crown Prince."

"Yi greets His Highness the Crown Prince."

The two men, looking refreshed and honored, bowed to the Crown Prince.

"Please, gentlemen, have a seat." The Crown Prince extended his hand and teased Zhao Yi, "You've been promoted to general, how do you feel?"

Zhao Yi was previously a Lieutenant General. Although he has taken on the position of deputy general, it was because of his noble status; before that, he was only a fourth-rank official.

Now, he is already a third-rank official at a young age.

Furthermore, his father has not yet stepped down from his post.

The Zhao family of Qinzhou became wealthy and powerful.

"We only harvested some wheat and rescued some civilians; we didn't encounter any enemy troops," Zhao Yi said with a rather modest smile. "It's only because the Prince of Zhongshan gave me this credit that I..."

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly realized what he was saying and quickly stopped.

The Sixth Prince is currently in the eye of the storm and is greatly feared by the Crown Prince. Speaking well of him at this time will inevitably make the Crown Prince think too much.

So he quickly said, "Of course, it was His Highness the Crown Prince who sent me. The Prince of Zhongshan only sent me because of the Crown Prince's influence."

"It's alright, there are no taboos." After he finished explaining, the Crown Prince smiled and waved his hand, acting friendly.

But both of them knew that the current lack of taboos was not the same as the lack of taboos in the past.

His Highness the Crown Prince is no longer His Highness the Prince of Wu.

What does the promise that the King of Wu made to us have to do with the Crown Prince?

"Hmm." Zhao Yi forced a smile, then picked up the teacup and took a small sip.

"Changqing, what did you say on your end?" the Crown Prince asked.

"According to the patrolling officials, Shi An is still staying indoors," Ye Changqing said. "And His Highness the Prince of Zhongshan seems to have tried to contact him several times. It seems he even sent someone to that woman named Xin Yue, but the two still haven't met. His Highness the Prince of Zhongshan seems to be dissatisfied with this."

"Is this brat truly unafraid of gossip?" The Crown Prince was angered by his persistence. "Or is it that he is not afraid of me?"

"But at least it shows that Song Shi'an was intentionally avoiding suspicion," Ye Changqing comforted him.

“That’s true. These things can’t be resolved by one person’s wishful thinking alone; it requires mutual consent.” King Wu nodded. “Song Shi’an is a man of principle.”

“His Highness Prince Zhongshan is, after all, a prince. If Song Shi’an continues to avoid him… no matter how close the relationship is, it will gradually drift apart,” Zhao Yi said.

No one can stand passive-aggressive behavior.

"Moreover, the order for Song Shi'an to go to Huai County will be issued soon," the Crown Prince said. "As long as the two of them can be completely separated, and more of our people are used by Shi'an's side, the situation can be controlled."

"Your Highness." At this moment, Ye Changqing seemed to remember something and asked, "Is there any follow-up to what happened earlier about Sima Yu interpreting His Majesty's dream?"

His question startled the King of Wu, leaving him momentarily speechless.

Indeed, they are unaware that they already know about the dream.

But I can't tell them this.

"No," the Crown Prince shook his head, then said, "No, His Majesty didn't tell me about this, and I haven't been able to see Sima Yu..."

"Hmm," Zhao Yi said, a sudden thought striking him. "He wouldn't see you before because Your Highness was still the Prince of Wu. But now that Your Highness is the Crown Prince, what reason could he possibly have to refuse to see you?"

Since this dream is related to the struggle for the throne, the rightful heir has now been determined.

What is Sima Yu still afraid of?

“Indeed.” The Crown Prince suddenly understood after being reminded by him. “Now that I am the Crown Prince, Sima Yu cannot refuse.”

Ye Changqing seemed to see something change in the King of Wu.

Zhao Yi meant that Sima Yu no longer needed to worry about being involved in the struggle for the crown prince position, so he could speak with peace of mind.

The Crown Prince meant that Sima Yu could not refuse him, because he was the Crown Prince.

His Highness already exudes an air of dominance.

"Then today, I will go and invite Sima Yu to see me."

The prince's lips curled into a smile.

Not many people need to know about this dream.

(End of this chapter)