Frost for a Thousand Years

When Song Shi'an sheathed his sword, turned his back to her, and walked out of Taiyuan Hall, the Empress Dowager was immediately stunned, as if she had slipped on the edge of a cliff, but managed to pull herself back and land on the shore with a thud. In that instant, she felt only the thrill of surviving a close call.

Immediately afterwards, he braced himself with his hands and retreated, trying to get as far away from danger as possible.

The two maids, seeing the still-shaken Empress Dowager, were also quite frightened.

Song Shi'an's action of walking straight forward, facing the blade, was truly beyond their imagination.

Why would someone not cherish their own life?
Shouldn't those in higher positions value life even more?

If we are ants, then we are dead.

But they quickly realized that Song Shi'an was not indifferent to life; he simply did not believe that the Empress Dowager had the courage to kill him.

Therefore, he held these women in absolute contempt.

I never took it seriously.

He returned to teach the Empress Dowager a lesson.

Make her remember her identity.

"This world belongs to the Wei family, not to you," is a warning of principle.

"He really will kill me."

The Empress Dowager swallowed hard, shook her head, and murmured.

The Empress Dowager is different from the Emperor. If the Emperor dies easily, it is very difficult to replace him. Moreover, the pressure of replacing him is almost heavier than that of a rebellion.

What about the Empress Dowager?
The story of a woman dying in the harem has been told countless times throughout the vast history of China, hasn't it?

In fact, only a few women who died mysteriously in the imperial harem were able to leave a mark on history.

Just then, a eunuch from outside the palace entered, prostrated himself on the ground, and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, many ministers have come to the palace gates. They say they have come to plead for Your Majesty's life."

"Plead for mercy?" Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager's heart stirred, as if she had found a glimmer of hope. "What kind of mercy do they want?"

"They said..." the eunuch stammered before continuing with difficulty, "They jointly petitioned the Empress Dowager not to pursue the matter of Prince Wu's death, as it has nothing to do with Song Shi'an..."

The Empress Dowager was completely bewildered and asked in confusion, "What's going on here? All the officials have been taken hostage by Song Jing. Don't they mean what Song Jing wants?"

Song Jing's son, wearing a sword and shoes, entered the palace and acted arrogantly towards him.

However, Song Jing, along with other officials, pleaded with him not to blame his son.

This left-brain attacking right-brain behavior—isn't that a form of personality disorder?
"Your Highness!" The eunuch hurried to the Empress Dowager's feet, his eyes brimming with tears as he looked at her. It was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her, completely sobering her up. "This Song woman wants all the officials to see how easily Song Shi'an entered the palace, and how easily he left. She wants to tell all the officials that Your Majesty cannot punish them!"

"..." The Empress Dowager finally understood.

Isn't this just like when Song Shi'an humiliated her, and then his father came and called everyone to the door so they could see how he humiliated her?

That's outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!
"That brat should have been killed back then. We shouldn't have kept him alive because of his talent. He should have died along with that bastard Wei Wusheng!"

The Empress Dowager began to remorsefully blame the old emperor. She stood up and staggered down the steps.

The maid supported her shoulders and led her all the way to the dragon throne.

She seemed to see the emperor standing in that position, and she experienced a hallucination.

Then, she suddenly slumped against the dragon throne, collapsing to the ground, leaning against the invisible figure, and cried out, "If you were here, who would dare to bully my child and me like this... If only you were here..."

.........

Minister Sun, Song Jing, and even the veteran Right Chancellor Cui, along with many civil officials—roughly half of the court's officials—arrived here together.

However, he only had the eunuch report it and did not strongly request an audience.

Their real purpose is to wait for that person to come out.

Or rather, let's see if he can come out tonight.

"Is Lord Ouyang not here?" Sun Situ asked a nearby official in a low voice.

“Situ, Lord Ouyang is not here.” The man was close to Ouyang Ke, so he explained, “He is not fully recovered yet, and it is chilly at night, so it is inconvenient for him to come.”

"Yes, Lord Ouyang still needs to rest and recuperate properly," Sun Situ nodded with a slight smile.

Tonight, it was very obvious.

Indeed, a lot of people came.

But the most important person, Ouyang Ke, isn't coming?
What message does this convey?
He didn't want to get involved in this matter.

This is, to put it mildly, a scandal.

Song Shi'an's nighttime intrusion into the palace, wielding a sword and wearing shoes, was an act of utter defiance against all moral order and a violation of the law. The presence of these people who witnessed it firsthand only served to encourage and condone such behavior.

At least, there was no objection when the Empress Dowager was humiliated.

Is Ouyang Ke sick?
He has a really bad illness.

He is expressing his stance by not taking sides.

Or perhaps, to subtly demonstrate his strength, which is on par with Song Jing's.

At the same time, it can also leave behind a good reputation.

If Song Shi'an were to fall from power and be purged because of his arrogance today, when he recalls this day, he would only think, "Back then, Prime Minister Ke didn't join the officials in pressing him so aggressively."

Ouyang Ke is still an honest man.

This is what a big shot is like.

When siding with someone, one move can tip the balance.

But afterwards, they were able to remain calm and composed, no matter how turbulent the situation.

The key point is that people like this, as long as they don't explicitly oppose Song Jing, are doing the Song family a great favor.

If all parties agree, abstaining from voting means opposing but agreeing.

However, abstaining from voting when opposing means agreeing but opposing.

Although they essentially followed the mainstream, they also expressed their stance through their actions.

Those who can do this are not fence-sitters.

Because without real strength, one cannot remain in the middle.

Being in the center represents great wisdom, and also a powerful force.

He made it impossible for anyone to ignore their voices.

This is exactly what Sun Situ wanted to see.

Previously, because his son was imprisoned, he was still stubborn and wanted to fight Song Shi'an to the death, so he took the initiative to back down, which led to his complete withdrawal from the center of power. Sun Qian could no longer enter the officialdom, leaving only his mediocre eldest son still holding a powerful official position.

The current Minister Sun is no longer able to lead the civil service group to check and balance Song Jing.

The fact that they were willing to step forward before, and are willing to come forward today, are both acts of breaking the ice and showing goodwill, indicating a willingness to accept the new situation.

But no matter how attentive he is, can his relationship be as close as that of Right Chancellor Cui and Song Jing?
That's father-in-law and son-in-law.

No matter how hard he works, can his achievements be as great as those of Wang Shuishan, Zhu Qingqin, and Qin Kuo?

That involved risking one's life.

No matter what, it's impossible to get a full share of the pie.

Therefore, the existence of Ouyang Ke could at least check the Song family and prevent Song Shi'an from becoming a powerful and all-powerful minister.

There is a way to maintain balance in strategic maneuvering.

“Lord Song, if the Empress Dowager really wants to reprimand Shi An, why don’t we request an audience and kneel outside the palace?” At this moment, an official asked Song Jing.

The others also looked at him, all very curious.

They had little control over the situation.

Song Jing lured them over because he was pleading for their lives.

But even though everything happened inside, their plea for mercy wasn't strong enough.

We need to give an explanation for this.

In response, Song Jing said, “Your Majesty, it is not proper for us to enter the palace without His Majesty’s presence. If the Empress Dowager has something to say to reprimand us, then my son must fulfill the duties of a subject and respond and explain. If there is any punishment, he should bear it. After all, he was in charge of supervising the construction of the military farms, and these things happened. Even if the death of the Prince of Wu had nothing to do with him, he still bears responsibility for failing to protect him.”

He spoke very aptly.

Everyone was quite impressed.

What a convenient excuse for entering the palace without the emperor's presence!

It's unknown which person, along with Ouyang Ke, entered the palace one day to pressure the Empress Dowager.

Logically, it makes more sense that the two of you, with your ages, would be involved in a scandal with the Empress Dowager.

“Du Tang is right.” The man nodded and said, “The Empress Dowager is currently grieving the loss of her son and is in a heavy mood, so it’s inevitable that she will have some misunderstandings and resentment. But we all know that this has nothing to do with Shi An.”

"Yes, yes, those are all the faults of the traitor Wu Qing. Why should the blame be placed on a loyal minister?"

"Yes, if Shi An isn't a loyal minister, then who in the world is?"

"I only hope that the Empress Dowager will remain calm and restrained, and not act impulsively."

Many people echoed this sentiment, their eagerness to please overflowing.

Some who were too shy to speak up also smiled and nodded, subtly taking sides.

Song Jing didn't know who spoke, who nodded, or who faked a smile.

Song Jingke noticed who didn't react and who was somewhat displeased.

This is normal, all of this is normal.

If it were so easy to step into the limelight, everyone with troops would be eager to try it out.

"What is that?" Just then, someone suddenly spoke up.

Everyone turned to look.

A person walked slowly through the narrow passage.

The torches on both sides only illuminated his shadow.

But everyone knew that this was Song Shi'an.

So you just came out like that...?

The man was getting closer and closer.

Until, emerging from the deep and dimly lit alley, we reached the inner side of the palace gate.

The lamps carried by the eunuchs illuminated him completely.

Standing eight feet tall with a magnificent appearance, dressed in a scarlet official robe and with a gilded sword at his waist, the man walked before the crowd with a calm and profound expression.

He entered the palace alone to face the Empress Dowager's reprimand, yet he acted as if he were the master of the palace, freely coming and going as if he were a god.

Such imposing power commanded awe and reverence from all the officials present.

Sun Situ seemed to see his younger self in him.

He is truly handsome and dashing.

But it doesn't compare to his domineering presence.

After all, he had never been a truly powerful minister, even though he held the highest official position.

As soon as Song Shi'an stepped out of the palace gates, in front of the head of the Imperial Guard, a slender man in a scarlet robe, with an extremely serious expression and sharp eyes, stepped forward and loudly questioned, "Song Shi'an, the Empress Dowager summoned you here, why did you bring troops into the city! How domineering!"

When he said that, everyone was shocked.

This guy is really something else.

Because Song Shi'an's army was in the vicinity, almost spread out on both sides.

Is he courting death?
It really is.

However, not everyone is afraid.

Some of the veteran officials stood smiling in the crowd, watching this scene.

There were still people who opposed the Song dynasty.

Song Jing remained silent, because Song Shi'an was already capable of handling things independently.

Sun Situ was also looking forward to seeing how Song Shi'an would deal with this suicidal pedant.

Song Shi'an looked at him and asked, "Sir, I have only recently retired from my post in Sheng'an and have been living in Huai County for some time, encouraging agriculture and sericulture. May I ask how I should address you?"

"Zhu Fan, a senior official in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices," the man said, head held high. "My Zhu family has been favored by the Emperor for generations, serving as his loyal subjects."

"Then who isn't Yu Chen?" Song Shi'an countered.

“Those who are loyal to the Great Yu, loyal to His Majesty, and loyal to the Empress Dowager, are the ministers of Yu,” Zhu Fan said confidently.

"What is loyalty?" Song Shi'an asked again.

“Alright, Song Sheng, I will tell you what loyalty truly means.” Zhu Fan pointed at him, then walked to the front of the crowd and said loudly, “The Empress Dowager summoned you to the capital alone, and you obeyed her orders—that is loyalty. The Empress Dowager suffered the pain of losing her son, and as the Prefect, you took the initiative to confess your guilt for protecting the Prince of Wu—that is loyalty. You entered the palace with a sword and shoes, transgressing ancestral rules, yet you felt ashamed and repented, and then you stripped to the waist and kowtowed to the palace—that is loyalty!”

"Then am I not a loyal subject?" Song Shi'an asked.

"Of course not," Zhu Fan laughed. "However, you can become a loyal minister again. As long as you restrain your domineering behavior, hand over military power to His Majesty, return administrative power to the relevant departments, and conscientiously and self-reflectively fulfill your duties as the governor of Sizhou, then I, and all the officials, will recognize and respect you as our colleague. Otherwise, if you insist on being a tyrant, then we would rather die than submit to you."

Having said that, he forcefully tugged at his sleeve, looking quite dashing.

The noble image of a scholar is fully revealed at this moment.

Many of the officials in front of him were also smiling, waiting to see how Song Shi'an would defy this political correctness...

"A pedantic scholar!"

Then suddenly, Song Shi'an stared at him and reprimanded, "Loyal minister, loyal minister! You think everything is as you say? The greatest heroes serve the country and the people—isn't that loyalty? Speaking frankly and offering advice—isn't that loyalty? Eliminating treacherous officials, restoring order, and returning power to the emperor—isn't that loyalty? But people like you, and some short-sighted fools, just talk a lot of high-sounding but empty words, and that's considered loyalty? What kind of loyal minister are you? What use are you to the country and the people?!"

"Song Sheng, stop your sophistry. Civil officials assist the country, and military generals guard the borders, all serving the emperor. You have indeed made many contributions, and no one can compare to you. But that is not a reason for you to be a powerful minister and overstep your bounds!" Zhu Fan said passionately. "I don't have that many merits, but I know that everything I have is a gift from the emperor. His Majesty is like the sun in the sky, blessing all things, which is why Huai County has thousands of acres of fertile land. If it were me, no matter what, I would never do anything to bully the Empress Dowager or commit such an arrogant act of insubordination! Based on this alone, I am a loyal minister."

"No matter what His Majesty and the Empress Dowager do or say, it is all right, should be praised, and should not be corrected, is that right?"

“If not, what is the proper conduct of a subject?” Zhu Fan retorted.

“Zhu Fan,” Song Shi’an laughed, raising his finger, “you’re wasting your talents as a doctor; you should become a eunuch.”

Everyone laughed when he said that.

"Song Sheng! Don't be unreasonable! The matter of bullying the Empress Dowager is not over yet!" Zhu Fan said, his face flushed.

“The troops I accompanied were all imperial soldiers who had rendered meritorious service in suppressing the rebellion. Returning to the city in triumph, they should be rewarded and encouraged by the Empress Dowager. Of course, they were allowed to enter the city.”

"When I entered the palace, I was given a precious sword by the retired emperor. This time, I am returning to Sheng'an with the retired emperor's imperial edict. The Empress Dowager is also a subject and should obey the edict."

"Finally, even the Empress Dowager said that I had nothing to do with the death of Prince Wu. I was a meritorious official who assisted His Majesty in suppressing the rebellion and ascending the throne." Song Shi'an said to him, "You actually said that the death of the prince was related to me, and slandered a first-rank prefect of the court. What should your punishment be?"

"The Empress Dowager said that because of your coercion!" Zhu Fan roared. "Even if you kill me and exterminate my entire family, I will still say it. You are committing treason, you are not a loyal subject, you are plotting rebellion!"

Upon hearing the words "treason," Zhu Fan's heart skipped a beat.

He had never used this word before; what he criticized was all about exceeding the bounds.

He blurted it out in a fit of anger.

Song Shi'an glanced at it briefly.

He was looking at the guards in front of the palace gate.

After a slight surprise, the two men quickly came over and pinned Zhu Fan down on either side.

It was Song Shi'an's cavalry who did it.

These are the soldiers in the palace, made by themselves.

The charge was quite normal: making a scene at the palace gate.

"Just kill me! Just like you eliminated dissidents before, killing whoever you didn't like!" Zhu Fan continued his loud performance.

"That's enough," Song Shi'an chuckled. "You just want to be famous, to have a few words in the history books, that's enough."

"You fart!"

"He gets furious when you touch on sensitive topics." Song Shi'an shook his head.

"You're talking nonsense! You're just jealous of my noble reputation! You treacherous minister! You're the one who's really angry..."

Then Zhu Fan became even more red, struggled desperately, and was dragged aside by the Imperial Guards, disappearing from the scene.

Unfortunately, it has no lethality.

Sun Situ knew that even he himself had failed to win an argument with him, so how could this man possibly gain the upper hand in a verbal battle?

Moreover, if one truly relies on unwavering loyalty, then it's even less effective.

The Great Yu Dynasty didn't go through the literary inquisition or the White Terror. As long as you blindly respected the royal family, you would occupy the moral high ground.

Indeed, the world became more repressive and regressive compared to the previous dynasty because Wei Ye created the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and freedom of speech became increasingly scarce.

However, the values ​​of the gentlemen of ancient times were not completely distorted.

What was the ultimate dream of ancient ministers?
It's like someone occupying the moral high ground to criticize the emperor, while the emperor has to smile apologetically and say he'll correct his ways.

It's just that bastard Wei Zheng.

That's what everyone thinks.

However, Song Shi'an glanced at the crowd and saw a historian from the Great Yu Dynasty holding a book and taking notes. He was certain that the young man just wanted to become famous.

An unknown person has to rely on this kind of patriotic performance to become famous.

“Lord Song, I am a historian,” the historian said. “I must record all the events of the Great Yu court.”

"Did I tell you not to write it down?" Song Shi'an retorted.

His tone was extremely cold.

This made the other officials a little scared.

Some of the people who were just chuckling now chickened out.

After all, Song Shi'an could order the Imperial Guards to arrest people with just a glance.

"Can this sentence be recorded?" The historian looked up.

Song Jingdu was annoyed and decided to tell the historian to stop.

Don't be courting death.

“The historian’s duty is to record events truthfully,” Song Shi’an said. “This is your responsibility. You do not need to report to me about anything you do.”

"Your Excellency," the historian said, "this is not a report, but when recording events, for the sake of accuracy, it is necessary to confirm and consider with the recorder. For example, is there any error in the sentence, 'Song Shi'an glanced across the palace, and Guanglu Lang Zhu Fan responded by locking his wrist'?"

Upon hearing this, all the officials were astonished.

This is evidence of his crimes as a tyrannical minister.

This person is indeed quite different from the filial son Yu from before.

Zhu Fan wanted to become famous.

For him, it was purely for the pursuit of art.

So, Song Shi'an smiled gently at him.

Then, he walked through the center of the crowd, leaving only a cold remark:
"Whether they know me or condemn me, only history will tell." (End of Chapter)