Frost for a Thousand Years

Outside the ancestral hall, eight hundred clansmen carrying torches began to unleash their fury after Song Shi'an entered.

"He actually arrived right on time. If he doesn't come tonight, won't he be expelled from the clan?"

"Yes, I heard that. He's in Jing County. After being notified, it would have taken him at most two days to get here. If he wanted to come, he would have arrived much earlier."

"He just wanted the whole clan to wait for him!"

"We younger generation can accept it, but how old is that old man? We still have to wait for him. He's so arrogant."

“This is what it means to be a prefect. If he were to become a governor, would our clansmen still have a chance to survive?”

"How can you become a governor if you don't sell us out?"

"Hahaha……"

Just as everyone was freely criticizing Song Shi'an and getting into a great deal of fun, a figure slowly approached them. The cold look in his eyes gradually silenced everyone until there was no sound at all.

A woman dressed in a black robe, with her hair tied in a high ponytail and a sword at her waist, stood before them.

This is Song Shi'an's woman.

Everyone is familiar with that extraordinary woman named Xinyue.

Because her record is just too outstanding.

Especially that ruthless, murderous expression, it's truly chilling.

“Lord Song has come to pay homage to his ancestors, and at the same time, he has come to understand the people’s conditions.” Xin Yue extended her hand and said calmly, “If you have any opinions, please speak up, and I will report them to Lord Song in full.”

These words provoked every man.

She's just a woman, what is she pretending for?
Although you are an assassin, our fear of you stems solely from the man behind you.

Now that your man has gone inside to be scolded by your great-grandfather, what are you so proud of?

The crowd looked at each other, whispered among themselves, and then discontent gradually spread.

The law does not punish the masses; are you going to arrest us all?

Besides, you, Song Shi'an, are already in the wrong.

So, after careful consideration, the younger generations of the Song family united as one.

"If it's acceptable for Lord Song to establish agricultural settlements, why resort to such deception?"

"And they forcibly sent troops to attack us when none of the clan leaders and patriarchs were present?"

"Why is the land reclamation being carried out in Huai County, and why are they doing this? Are they trying to use our Song family to make a name for themselves?"

"Without our Song family, could he have reached this position?"

Immediately, the crowd became noisy.

“It’s so noisy and chaotic, like a market, how can I relay it?” Xin Yue said loudly. “Please speak one by one.”

This sentence caused the Song clan members to lower their voices several notches.

After a discussion among the more authoritative members, one of the people in the crowd spoke up: "Lord Song, how should we be compensated?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than another person chimed in, "He asked us to sacrifice ourselves to cultivate the land, but he has so much gold, why doesn't he take it out?"

"Yes! Why doesn't he take it out!"

“Alright, I will go and report to Lord Song.” Xin Yue said seriously, “May I ask the name of the person who inquired?”

The phrase "real name" almost silenced the entire scene.

Then a quick-thinking person exclaimed, "If it's about solving a problem, why require real names?"

"Can the speaker represent the opinions of everyone?" Xin Yue asked.

"of course can!"

"We are all members of the Song clan, united as one!"

"These are the questions we want to ask!"

With overwhelming force, everyone felt they were about to bully this pretty little girl until she cried.

"Alright!" Xin Yue responded loudly, then walked up to one of the men, staring at him intently. "Is it what you want to ask why he didn't take out the gold?"

The man's mind went blank, and he was completely stunned: "..."

Is this what you wanted to ask?

Xin Yue continued to ask.

The people next to him nervously swallowed, not daring to speak.

Her gaze, sharp as an eagle and cold as a wolf, swept over people with a sinister and terrifying quality. What was even more frightening was that she seemed like the kind of assassin who could remember your face completely after just one glance.

It's okay to criticize Song Shi'an, but it has to be done in a group.

In terms of status, they were not even the head of the family or the direct descendant. Who would dare to say to the third-rank official of the Song family: "Why don't you take out the gold?"

He scanned the entire first row of people.

After no one admitted it, Xin Yue crossed her arms and said calmly, "It seems that these words do not represent everyone."

.........

After bowing, Song Shi'an raised his head and then slowly prepared to stand up.

However, at that moment, Old Master Song suddenly said, "Kneel down."

Song Shi'an also stopped and continued to kneel in front of the ancestral tablets.

"Give it to me!" Old Master Song stretched out his hand.

The person beside him quickly presented a cold iron ruler with both hands and handed it to the old man.

"The Song family used four instruments of punishment to enforce their family rules," the old patriarch explained. "The bamboo whip was used to punish the family servants; if the whip swelled up but didn't bruise, it preserved their dignity. The iron spikes were used on unfilial sons of the family; the number of puncture marks indicated a violation of the family precepts. The nine-vine whip was used specifically to punish adulterers; the whip marks spelled out the word 'lowly' before expelling them from the family. The cold iron ruler was used on scholars; the whipped hand would be used to whip the injured hand, preventing them from ever holding a pen again."

He's going to invoke the family rules.

But Song Shi'an remained very composed.

"Do you know why I don't use instruments of torture on unfilial sons?" the old man asked.

"Shi An doesn't know," Song Shi An replied truthfully.

"You came this time without avoiding us, which means you don't want to be removed from the clan. Based on this, you can be considered unworthy."

At this point, he raised the ruler and pointed it at Song Shi'an: "And as a scholar, where have you learned your lessons? Where have you learned them all!"

"Didn't you study well, Shi'an?" Song Shi'an asked, looking up.

"Who can read books as well as you? In just one year, you passed the imperial examination twice and even wrote a magnificent piece like 'Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River'."

After a mocking laugh, Old Master Song said sternly, "But scholars value propriety, morality, and sentiment. Did it make sense for me and Old Master Li to go to Jianxing to see you in person and then leave without saying goodbye? Is it morally right to investigate the family's lands without the consent of the clan members, resorting to coercion and deception? Your father was promoted to the court with the full support of the family. The family has always been harmonious and the mansion peaceful. How can you destroy this kindness and affection?"

These words chilled the hearts of everyone else.

Old Master Song has already expressed himself with considerable restraint.

And the more calm and collected the accusation, the less profanity it contains, the more profound and insightful it becomes.

Anyone would feel utterly ashamed.

Let's look at Song Shi'an next.

He looked so stubborn!

"Grandfather," Song Shi'an inquired, "before I came, did the Song family and the Li family engage in any activities such as buying grain at high prices, or even bribing officials to forcibly purchase government grain?"

Upon hearing this, everyone's gaze shifted. Old Master Song was even more taken aback.

They tried to argue back, but it was no use.

Because Song Shi'an disguised himself almost as a commoner to conduct an incognito visit.

"I'm talking to you about etiquette, morality, and feelings!" Old Master Song said irritably.

How can it be the same!

"This is also a matter of etiquette, virtue, and affection."

In response, Song Shi'an replied without flinching: "Before I even arrived, you all went to see the Prefectural Magistrate, using my name to make numerous demands, bypassing the Prefect to question the Prefectural Magistrate. Is this proper? The military farms are a matter of life and death for the people of Sizhou, a matter of great importance to the Great Yu. Now the national treasury is short of grain, and you are buying up grain at high prices while exploiting the tenants. If the military farms run out of grain, how many people will die of hunger and cold? You all know that if the military farms fail, Shi'an will surely die, yet you still obstruct them in every way for your own selfish reasons, just watching Shi'an perish. Do you have any humanity?"

As Old Master Song listened, his face began to flush, growing increasingly red, and his hands trembled more and more. Finally, he burst out, shouting, "Sophistry! You're arguing! You unfilial son!"

Well, you just said you didn't consider me an unfilial son.

Okay, the top scholar just has a lot of fallacies.

"Grandpa is right. Song Shi'an is just being stubborn. He's using his education to play tricks on the clansmen!"

My uncle had already thought of a good point earlier, so he spoke up directly: "You make it sound like you are very loyal to the country and selfless, but how come the land reclamation doesn't harm your interests?"

“My family owns a total of 15,000 mu of land and 982 tenant households,” Song Shi’an said. “Except for 240 people who were willing to stay, the rest of us went to participate in the land reclamation.”

This ratio is even more extreme.

The uncle had anticipated his response, so a slight smile played on his lips as he said, "However, you'll gain fame and fortune through land reclamation, and if you succeed, you'll be promoted. These insignificant plots of land mean nothing to you. You'll still be the one who profits!"

"So, Uncle, what you mean is..." Song Shi'an asked curiously, "that I can't get promoted?"

"what are you saying?"

“His Majesty ordered me to establish military farms, and I have done everything as instructed. Whether I am promoted or not is up to His Majesty if I succeed.” Song Shi’an countered, “I remember my cousin is also an official. If he is promoted in the future, will it be considered a gain for him?”

“That’s what he earned through his dedication and hard work. What do you mean by ‘earned’?” the uncle retorted.

"Am I not fulfilling my duty and loyalty by ordering His Majesty to establish military farms?"

"..." The uncle's face flushed instantly, and he pointed at him, shouting, "Sophistry! You're arguing!"

How can it be the same!

“Song Shi’an, your sophistry is meaningless!” At this moment, an uncle said, “It is true that the amount of land you have compensated us has increased, but the number of tenants has decreased by at least 60 or 70%. How can so many people cultivate so much land? We will definitely suffer losses. How will you make up for these losses?”

"To put it another way, if we can recruit more tenants and take over all those fields," Song Shi'an said, "your land holdings will double."

"Where else can we summon? You've dragged them all away to farm!"

“But the land is there. If we can’t cultivate it now, but if the family grows stronger in the future, wouldn’t this be a free bonus?” Song Shi’an asked.

"Good, well said." The uncle laughed and said, "For a family to grow, it needs resources. How much money would it cost to recruit so many tenants? Didn't His Majesty just reward you with four thousand gold pieces? Take it out and give that compensation to the Song family, and of course, the Li family as well. Wouldn't that make the family stronger?"

Everyone thought this method was brilliant.

Until Song Shi'an asked in bewilderment, "Why?"

"Why?" The uncle was taken aback and said, "Don't you have four thousand taels of gold? Is it all a lie?"

"No, it's true, a full four thousand taels of gold."

“That’s enough.” The uncle held out his hand. “Take it out and give it to the family.”

"That seems to solve the problem..."

Suddenly, Song Shi'an raised a hand: "But I refuse."

These few words almost gave the clansmen a heart attack.

“This is my own gold. There was no corruption or robbery involved. It was obtained through legitimate means,” Song Shi’an said. “If it’s a matter of paying clan fees, I can contribute more, but it’s impossible for me to take out these four thousand taels of gold.”

"No need to say any more!" Old Master Song's patience had reached its limit. He raised the cold iron ruler and pointed it at Song Shi'an. "Stretch out your hand. If you are not punished this time, you will not recognize me as your clan leader, which means you will be expelled from the clan."

“I will not leave my clan, but I will not be punished either,” Song Shi’an said.

"You madman! How dare you speak to my grandfather like that!"

"Do you really think you can act with impunity in Huai County just because you're the Prefect?"

"Those who refuse to renounce their citizenship will be punished!"

Song Shi'an looked at the ruler. It was so heavy that even if the old man used it, a few blows to his own hand bones would break them.

That hand is now useless.

If it were just a few insults, I could tolerate it, but it's come to this point, so I won't make a fuss anymore.

"Grandpa, I'm willing to accept the punishment, but I'd like to ask you one last question."

As he spoke, Song Shi'an extended his hand.

"Grandpa, he's going to use sophistry again!"

"Grandpa, let's just do it!"

"Don't listen to this kid anymore!"

The fact that Wang Ding, the tutor of the crown prince of Yan, a learned and well-read scholar, could be verbally abused to death by this kid already illustrates a point—villains die from talking too much.

Instead of talking to him, hurry up and fight!

But the more important a person is, the less they believe in this superstition.

What's wrong with me just chatting with him for a bit?
My feelings cannot be changed by his few words.
"Speak," the old man said sternly.

"Am I nothing but a scourge to the Song family?"

Song Shi'an stared at him and asked in return.

The two looked at each other for a long time.

"Isn't that the case now?"

Old Master Song knew these words were hurtful, but he had reason to be angry.

Sure enough, a look of dejection appeared on Song Shi'an's face.

But it disappeared very quickly.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he stood up and said coldly, "This Huai County is enough to satisfy you all."

These words left everyone completely baffled.

“A new road has been built leading to the Yan Kingdom.” Song Shi’an looked at them coldly. “His Majesty said so himself, and I am part of the credit.”

"..."

Upon hearing this, everyone froze.

They knew that road would be very profitable.

After all, with the Qin state under blockade and its relationship with Qi strained, the only way out for the entire Northern Yan was through Qi.

Unexpectedly, the emperor uttered such a harsh statement.

If Song Shi'an had a share in that road, it would mean that the Song family also...

Under everyone's gaze, Song Shi'an stood there blankly, bowed deeply to the memorial tablet, and then turned and left as if utterly heartbroken, leaving behind only three words:

"I need grain." (End of Chapter)