Frost for a Thousand Years

At the same time that the Empress's letter arrived from Sheng'an, the nobles also came to inform the Duke of Li.

At this moment, he specially summoned Hua Zheng and Zhao Yi, and the three of them held a super cool little meeting of nobles.

Guess who wasn't invited?
Of course, it's the King of Wu.

After Song Shi'an successfully seized power, his attitude towards the Prince of Wu gradually became less respectful. Now, the Empress Dowager directly proclaimed the imperial edict in Sheng'an, and the whole world recognized the emperor's decree. This outdated crown prince was naturally even more ignored.

However, he is still an important pawn, serving as a backup hidden resource for the Duke of Li. If the new ruler were to die accidentally in the war, this one would become a unique individual.

When the time comes, even if the world doesn't acknowledge it, it will have to.

However, this is definitely the worst option. As a hereditary nobleman, a founding hero, and a descendant of the original shareholders, the Duke of Li cannot bear the infamy of regicide.

"Then His Highness the Crown Prince has no chance of becoming emperor?" Zhao Yi asked dejectedly after reading the letter.

"Is this important?" asked the Duke of Li.

Upon hearing these words, Hua Zheng was so startled that his body tensed up.

His indifference was so extreme it was frightening.

“This…” Zhao Yi still had a deep affection for the King of Wu. Although he couldn’t shake off his status as a nobleman, he was unwilling to let his former monarch end up like this. So he said, “This is clearly an imperial edict issued by Song Shi’an under duress. We sent troops for this very reason. If we win, wouldn’t it be natural to overthrow the king?”

"Let nature take its course?" Duke Li looked at the young man and asked, "Is the Prince of Jin's throne only recognized by imperial edict? Aren't the officials there?"

"The officials were also coerced by Song Shi'an and had no choice but to agree."

"So you mean that all the officials had no integrity, succumbed to the tyranny of Song Shi'an, and not a single one dared to resist, which is why they honored the Prince of Jin as the new ruler?" Duke Li asked again.

“Duke, although the officials do have political wisdom, I think they lack integrity,” Zhao Yi said firmly. “When we take down Song Shi’an, those opportunistic officials will naturally accept the new imperial edict.”

"It's good that you didn't mention taking down Song Shi'an, which would lead to the purge of all officials, the execution of their entire families, and the extermination of every single one." The Duke of Li laughed.

"..." Zhao Yi lowered his head and muttered, "This humble general is not that stupid."

"Absolutely! Absolutely!" the Duke of Li roared.

"..." Zhao Yi was stunned.

The people from East China University of Political Science and Law were so nervous that they held their breath and dared not interfere.

"I ask you, do we need these civil officials to govern the world?" the Duke of Li asked.

“Duke, Zhao Yi believes that it is not actually necessary. But the families behind them have to be won over. Without them, the Great Yu would not have the rule of the six states,” Zhao Yi said.

"So, these people installed a new emperor, but in the end, it was another prince who became emperor," the Duke of Li said, almost with exasperation. "Use your brain and think about it, can they accept that?"

This is similar to a company holding an election meeting.

The senior executives unanimously voted by name to select one of the two candidates as CEO.

But when it came time to take office, it was a different person.

When these executives face a new leader, can they not feel uneasy and worry about being retaliated against?

Those who actively campaign and solicit votes will feel even more uneasy.

In other words, a coup is not a one-off event; after the intense outbreak, things must eventually return to calm.

Only rebellion, only revolution, requires a grand and thorough undertaking.

"..." Zhao Yi was powerless to refute, because he also knew that the current King of Wu only recognized him as the crown prince, and at most Ye Changqing as the other.

A crown prince who is not recognized by anyone, even if he has the 'title' of crown prince, is just a fleeting illusion.

"You two must learn to use your brains," the Duke of Li said to the two of them. "In Sheng'an, with all those nobles present, didn't the imperial edict still get issued? These people, who hold high positions and are military officers, can't even be controlled by those old fogies who wield pens. Do you really think that we people of Qinzhou are inherently noble, and that everyone should respect and fear us? No, times have changed!"

After Wei Wusheng beheaded Hua Qu, the nobles lost their lifeline.

After the establishment of military colonies in the Song Dynasty, the privileges of the nobility were also shaken.

These two men used their unstoppable domineering power to challenge the authority of the people of Qinzhou and bring them down from their pedestals.

This coup d'état is a good example of this.

The nobles have already become enemies of the world.

"Yes, the Duke is right," Hua Zheng said, bowing his head.

And he reminded Zhao Yi not to be stubborn.

"Yes." Although Zhao Yi was still unwilling, he could only accept the result.

"King Wu will be fine, and the new emperor will be fine too."

After his initial harsh words, the Duke of Li also tried to appeal to emotions: "In the end, this is all a matter for us people of Qinzhou, and outsiders have no right to interfere. After we wipe out the Song bandits, we can sit down and discuss it among ourselves."

The reason why the structure of the Great Yu Dynasty was so stable was that one-sixth of the people of Qinzhou enjoyed nearly half of the power and wealth.

Whenever they encounter a crisis, they can unite as one to protect their core base.

However, even within consensus, there will be disagreements.

"Those few families from Qinzhou in Sheng'an said they wanted to fight this battle, but they can't even scrape together the military pay and food," Duke Li said with a smile. "You should understand a principle better than anyone else."

Zhao Yi didn't understand either. As long as the people of Qinzhou were united and used all of Sheng An's assets, they could definitely raise the money. Why were they being stingy at such a crucial moment?
Now that he had heard the Duke of Li's teachings, he understood everything and said, "Those officials also want stability."

“The situation is different now,” Hua Zheng said with a sigh. “The people here are no longer the gentry and warriors who fought alongside Emperor Gaozu to conquer the world.”

They've all risen to high positions, been granted the titles of Duke and hereditary Marquis, and now enjoy private armies and countless acres of land. They're treated like emperors back home. How could they possibly act like peasants, risking everything at the drop of a hat?

"This was within my expectations," the Duke of Li said calmly. "Sheng'an is currently not making any moves because of the so-called military rations issue, and will not easily interfere. This is a good opportunity for us."

Now, everyone in the world thinks that the Duke of Li cannot win this battle.

Or rather, they won't actually fight to the death.

Therefore, the Duke of Li was determined to launch this war.

"Duke, General," a lieutenant reported as he entered, "the army from Qinzhou has crossed the border and is heading south. They should be at..."

The lieutenant walked up to the map, picked up a flagpole, and stuck it in a spot: "It's here."

The three of them got up and walked over together.

Duke Li looked at the layout on the map and nodded.

"The Qinzhou army controls the north, and the main river to the south has been cut off by the navy. The western camps are also guarded by trusted confidants. Our main force is also moving from the east, gradually compressing the battlefield," Zhao Yi said after his analysis. "At this time, if Song Shi'an makes a strong breakout, he will definitely be surrounded. If he doesn't do that, the encirclement will gradually shrink."

“He’s probably going to hold out,” Hua Zheng said. “He can’t take the remaining seven granaries with him.”

This time, Song Shi'an almost played his cards openly.

But the Duke of Li was not in a hurry.

Because he was well aware of the fighting strength of this garrison army.

Furthermore, combat strength is not the most crucial factor. What matters is that these people were once Wei Wusheng's subordinates. Even if a large portion of them belonged to the "Crown Prince" faction, they ultimately did not spend much time with him and their relationship was not deep.

Therefore, the Duke of Li must wait until the real forces of Qinzhou arrive before he can launch an attack.

"March steadily, gradually regroup, do not advance rashly, and do not fall behind." Li Guogong said, "Those who disobey orders will be beheaded."

"Yes." The deputy general received the order and prepared to relay it, but since he had heard and seen some things on his way here, he added, "Duke, Generals, when I arrived, I saw many people gathered together and discussing the matter."

"What is the reason for this discussion?" asked the Duke of Li.

"Regarding the fire at the Huai County Military Farming Ceremony," the deputy general said, "the people are saying that all the granaries were burned down, not a single one was left."

"Not a single one left?" Hua Zheng was somewhat suspicious. "Only five were burned down. Even if rumors circulated among the people, why do they all believe that not a single one was left?"

That seems a bit deliberate.

"Moreover, the news reached here rather quickly," Zhao Yi said. "It shouldn't be this fast; the people shouldn't all know by now."

Ancient times were very isolated, and there was not much mobility among ordinary people.

Even if the soldiers and civilians who settled in the garrison were relatively concentrated, it shouldn't have become so well-known in Jianxing in just a few days, right?
"It's that brat Song who's causing trouble," Duke Li chuckled, guessing it immediately.

“This is indeed his style,” Zhao Yi nodded in agreement.

He was too adept at manipulating emotions to make the people work for him.

He is a true cunning strategist.

"The so-called military settlements are a unified military-civilian system, where one soldier can manage ten civilians," said the Duke of Li. "As long as they are given food and kept from starving, they won't be able to cause any trouble."

“That’s true,” Hua Zheng said. “The good things Song Shi’an promised are just wishful thinking to them. Even if the court really can’t provide the grain, what can they do?”

People will not rebel unless they are forced to the point where they have no food to eat and no hope of eating their next meal.

"By the way, has Wang Shuishan still not been found?" Duke Li asked.

“This man seems to have vanished after the Duke took over military power; he has disappeared without a trace,” Hua Zheng said.

"Keep searching," Li Guogong said, "but don't make a big fuss and cause a disturbance."

Wang Shuishan and Song Shi'an are too close; this kid cannot be let go.

However, the other officials were also on edge at this time and could not allow the atmosphere of white terror to spread.

"Yes."

Zhao Yi and Hua Zheng received the order together.

The encirclement and suppression of Song Shi'an is proceeding gradually.

.........

In a military settlement in Huaiyang, dozens of people huddled together, squatting on the ground, with someone keeping watch to prevent them from being discovered by the soldiers. "Will this grain really be given to us?" one of them asked anxiously.

“If the grain was really burned, how could it be given to us?” His words were immediately refuted.

“The grain was burned, but it was the government’s share that was burned,” someone argued. “It was agreed that the grain in the warehouses of each camp belonged to us.”

"Where will the government get its grain? They're just daydreaming." This ridiculous statement, made as if the person had never experienced the harsh realities of life, was quickly met with criticism. "Those wealthy merchants from Qinzhou and Sizhou can't even get their grain, how can we commoners expect to get any?"

Indeed, the logic in this matter is flawed.

If the imperial court suffers losses and the people suffer losses, then the imperial court will certainly make the people bear the burden of these losses.

"This is outrageous! They promised to give us the grain, but now they're going back on their word?" someone exclaimed.

"The one who said this is Song Shi'an, but isn't he at the Grand Ceremony for the Military Farms? He's burned all his grain. The person in charge of us now is the Duke of Li, and the Duke of Li didn't agree to give us 30% of the grain."

"So, is war really going to break out?"

"No need to even think about it, it's a given. There's no way it's false that Lord Song has made Prince Jin the emperor. If both Prince Jin and the Crown Prince want to be emperor, how could they possibly negotiate peacefully like this?"

"This won't do; war consumes even more food."

"Moreover, it also consumes your life."

Just as they were talking, someone slipped over and whispered to them, "The people from the neighboring village have all gathered, several hundred of them, saying they're going to demand an explanation."

"Are you that bold?"

"No, it was led by a wealthy merchant from Huai County. That man has quite a background."

“That’s right, not only did we lose money, but those merchants lost even more, and they’ve tied up all their money in the farmland.” Someone had a good idea and said, “Why don’t we go with them? Anyway, there’s always someone who lost even more money who will step up.”

"Don't cause any trouble." Hearing this, a rather simple old farmer squatting on the ground said, "The imperial court has no food now and can't distribute any to us, but we haven't gone hungry for every meal, have we? When the war is over, the military farms will need us, and we won't starve to death. That's good enough."

“Will that work? Isn’t that how it is to be a tenant farmer?” Hearing this, someone was unhappy. “Besides, we came here because of the land reclamation program, and we’ve cultivated twice as much land as before. Many people died from the heat this summer. Now they’re saying they won’t give us any more grain. We might as well go back to being tenant farmers.”

"Still want to be tenant farmers? The government has taken away all the land of those big landlords, and they have no land left for us to rent. We can only stay here generation after generation, working like donkeys for the government, and if there is any disaster or disaster, we will starve to death."

Indeed, if they stayed here obediently, the Duke of Li would still give them food, and they wouldn't starve to death.

But life is even harder now than when I was a tenant farmer.

It's as if everyone has left their hometowns and is frantically cultivating ten acres just to become the government's nuclear-powered donkey.

It would be better to follow those heartless landlords!
"No, we need an explanation, or at least some surplus food. We had enough when we were tenant farmers, we can't do more, are we just waiting for others to give us handouts?"

Not everyone is weak, and now that some people have stepped forward, others will inevitably follow suit.

Proportionally speaking, at least some people in this group are...

"Don't go, don't go." That old man had experienced plenty of forced labor and had lived to this age; he had endured countless beatings from the iron fist of the Great Yu. So he stood up, waved his hand, and said, "You'll get beaten up by those soldiers. Besides, you don't understand the Duke of Li; this man is even more terrifying!"

The dignity of ordinary people does not exist in Dayu.

However, they encountered a governor full of idealism. During their year in Sheng'an, they witnessed many amusing incidents of this incorruptible official persecuting aristocratic families as if they were from Qi. As a result, they began to have unrealistic expectations and unrealistic disappointments.

"No, let's go!"

"Yes, we can't swallow this insult!"

"They made such a good deal back then, but now that the land reclamation project is over, they've turned their backs on us. Are they trying to fool us?"

So a group of young people directly joined the protest.

In a certain military settlement of Huaiyang General Camp, a production cooperative with a total of more than 8,000 people, about 400 people gathered together to go to the officers of the settlement to demand an explanation.

Because of this situation, the official could only summon a military officer and dozens of soldiers to protect him.

"Sir, what about our grain? Wasn't it supposed to be distributed soon?"

"Yes, yes, it's already three days overdue."

"We haven't even seen a single bag of grain!"

Hearing this, the official felt a headache coming on, because he really couldn't give a reply. So he could only smile and say, "Everyone's grain is right here. Don't worry, it won't run away. We haven't received any orders to distribute the grain yet, so please be patient."

"They're not planning to distribute it, are they!" someone shouted loudly, taking advantage of hiding in the crowd. "I've heard that all twelve granaries from the agricultural settlement ceremony were burned to the ground, and there's no grain left to distribute!"

"..." The official felt a tightness in his anus, and his heart was truly in complete panic.

How did this rumor get out?

Besides, wasn't it said that only a few were burned?

"Who said that? Nothing happened in this short time!" But how could he admit to such a thing? So he raised his hand and said to everyone, "Our grain is perfectly fine in the warehouse. It hasn't been burned."

"Stop lying to us. From the mountain, the fire was burning all the way to the sky, and it lasted for a whole day and night. It's not like nobody saw it. Don't treat us like fools!"

"Yes, by avoiding the issue like this, are they not planning to provide food?"

"Give us our food, give it to us now!"

There's no way to control this emotion anymore.

The official could only follow the rather crude method instructed from above, and said to the military commander beside him, "Drive them away."

Although the military commander was unwilling, he had no choice but to accept it.

Then, someone called out to them.

Nearly a hundred soldiers surrounded him, and he said, "Now, I order you all to retreat to your respective estates. If you resist, you will all be punished according to military law!"

Their efforts to protect their rights were met with violence and eviction.

The crowd, who had been so aggressive, involuntarily took a few steps back when they saw the knives and spears in the hands of those people.

As soon as they retreated, the soldiers pressed forward.

Disperse step by step, coerce step by step.

"Hey……"

The official, with his hands behind his back, sighed upon seeing this scene, feeling a sense of regret.

Such a big undertaking as land reclamation was finally accomplished, but then this happened.

Sometimes, even bureaucrats don't quite understand why things have to be this way.

There is such a capable person who can help the Great Yu Dynasty and revitalize the world. With him around, the world can be kept at peace.

Why couldn't the other big shots tolerate him and instead indulge in a life of luxury and enjoy the fruits of his labor?
He didn't realize that his mindset was called 'lying down and doing nothing'.

"Sir, why are there so many people again?"

Suddenly, the official beside him pointed to the distance.

He looked closely and realized that there were indeed many people there.

A large, dark mass followed, like reinforcements for these people.

At the same time, a soldier rushed over to report: "Sir, it seems the Inspector General has arrived!"

"The Inspector General?" He was taken aback and asked in surprise, "Wang Shuishan?"

"Yes, he's here."

"No, how did he get here?"

The official became nervous because he had received a secret message from above instructing him to keep an eye on Wang Shuishan's whereabouts and arrest him immediately if he was discovered.

After all, these people are undoubtedly members of the Song faction!

But this guy actually came to us himself!
"Go and catch him, catch him..." He raised his finger, wanting to arrest him, but in this vast crowd, he couldn't find anyone at all, and could only watch as the surging crowd and unease rushed in together.

After everyone had rushed over, a man in an official robe stood out from the crowd, perched on a stool.

"I am Wang Shuishan, the Inspector General of Huai County!" he proclaimed loudly. "I have come to distribute grain to the people by His Majesty's decree!"

"Oh!"

Upon hearing this, the people cheered.

"Nonsense!" The crowd was so large that it almost flooded the area, causing the official to become agitated on the spot. He shouted, "I have never heard of such an order!"

"How dare you! You are but an eighth-rank official in charge of a military agricultural settlement, how dare you rebuke a fifth-rank official of the imperial court!" Wang Shuishan roared sternly. "I am the Inspector General of Huai County, and the magistrates of the nine counties of Huai County are all under my supervision!"

“You are nothing but a usurper, a lackey of Song Shi’an!” he said. “I have orders from the Duke of Li and the Crown Prince, and I have never heard of any distribution of grain!”

"Speaking nonsense!" Wang Shuishan said righteously. "The imperial court stated at the beginning of the military-agricultural colonies that the grain produced would be split 30/70 between the people and the government. That was His Majesty's decree. Are you slandering the Duke of Li, or are you slandering His Highness Prince Wu for disobeying the imperial decree?"

"me!"

"If it wasn't the Duke of Li and His Highness Prince Wu who defied the imperial decree, then it was a decision you made on your own," Wang Shuishan shouted angrily. "You, could it be that you embezzled the grain allocated to the people?!"

A huge pot was suddenly placed on his head.

At the same time, he also saw these people moving from back to front, seemingly passing something to each other.

Look closely, it's a hoe, a pickaxe handle, and a sickle.

The vast ocean of the people surges forth with raging waves.

"..."

He was so frightened that his legs went weak, and he staggered to the ground. As soon as he fell, thousands of people surged forward, and he could only crawl frantically on the ground like a wild dog… (End of Chapter)