Frost for a Thousand Years

"Father, what is Song Shi'an's intention in coming here on his own initiative?"

After his father saw Song Shi'an off, Sun Heng approached him with great concern and asked in a very serious tone.

In his view, Song Shi'an is now powerful and arrogant. Although the Sun family has the intention to ease tensions, he has suffered considerable difficulties before, especially the conflict at the birthday banquet, which no one can help but bring up for a bit of teasing.

Thinking of this, Sun Heng felt a surge of pride for his father.

No matter what, they are among the Three Dukes of the court. Don't they understand the meaning of respect?
Sun Situ continued to look ahead, watching Song Shi'an leave. The smile on his lips gradually faded. Then he turned his head, looked at his inexplicably foolish son, and said, "You've entered the court."

"..."

Sun Heng, who had just been constantly in Spinosaurus form, widened his eyes, momentarily stunned. But after understanding the meaning of those four words, he couldn't hide the twitching at the corner of his mouth: "Father, is it true?"

"Is it really that incredible that you went from the fourth rank to the official fourth rank?" Sun Situ asked, looking at his worthless attitude.

“Father, this isn’t just a difference of half a rank,” Sun Heng said earnestly, still excited. “The number of people who can enter the court is limited. Not everyone can be replaced. They either have to retire, make a mistake, or die. If I enter the court, my future opportunities will be many more.”

In many cases, half a product may not be considered a big deal.

However, the officialdom of Dayu was somewhat complicated, with an extremely cumbersome system. There were too many noble families and members of the royal family, resulting in a large number of deputy positions.

There are indeed a limited number of people holding the rank of fourth grade, but there are far too many people holding the rank of fourth grade.

This half-step gap is something many people have spent a very long time trying to achieve.

To enter the center of power, one must first enter the system.

If one were to serve as an official in Dayu, upon reaching a certain age, one would inevitably have to enter the imperial court.

"So, it's also a favor," Sun Situ said.

"Father, do you know what a fourth-rank official position is?" Sun Heng, whose mind was now filled with thoughts of being able to attend court, asked with great curiosity.

“Dali Zheng, this is what your father asked of you,” said Sun Situ.

“This position is good,” Sun Heng said with satisfaction. “I already had a foothold in the Dali Temple, and now that my son is above me, I only have the positions of Dali Temple Minister and Vice Minister. My words carry even more weight.”

“There’s one more thing,” Sun Situ reminded him, “If there are any cases or criminal matters, you will be responsible for relaying them up and down. With this position, you will have many opportunities to get close to His Majesty and Song Shi’an.”

Among the Nine Ministers, the Court of Judicial Review was a department with considerable power and great importance.

Dali was the chief secretary of the Dali Temple Minister.

When Song Shi'an came to power, he inevitably had to deal with people, persecute them, and even force confessions out of them. Therefore, the importance of this institution was even more self-evident.

How could the White Terror be achieved without the involvement of the Military Intelligence Bureau and the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics?

"Since that's the case..." After hesitating for a moment, Sun Heng rubbed his hands together and asked his father, "Now that we've entered the imperial court, and contact is inevitable, should I choose a time to pay a visit to Lord Song?"

What was that scoundrel Song Shi'an up to just now?

Should we go and pay our respects to Lord Song now?

It's shameful, truly shameful!

“I will definitely go,” said Sun Situ, “but not at this time.”

It's embarrassing, but at this point, who cares about saving face anymore?

People who are constrained by things like saving face are truly shameful.

A man should be able to take things on and let them go.

"What about my little sister's marriage?" Sun Heng had previously wanted to arrange a marriage between himself and Song Shi'an, but he wasn't so enthusiastic back then. Now that his brother-in-law had arranged a job for him, he was starting to want to take things a step further.

With this connection, one's official rank will rise even faster.

"This kid is good in every way, but he's still a bit naive when it comes to matters of the heart," Sun Situ said.

"Father, what do you mean?"

“He will definitely give that woman named Xinyue a proper status,” Sun Situ said. “Even if marrying that girl won’t help his career at all.”

Who is Xin Yue?

Her family was neither noble nor a prominent family, and they weren't even wealthy merchants.

But at this time, men are easily blinded by love and romance.

"Does that mean our little sister has to become his concubine?" Sun Heng was still very resistant to this idea.

"enough."

Sun Situ interrupted impatiently, saying, "I don't care about that right now."

At this moment, Sun Situ was concerned about the person Song Shi'an was going to meet next.

Could it be that it's a topic that can't be touched upon?
.........

Song Shi'an's carriage, driven by the coachman, headed towards the Prince Qi's residence.

This king was no ordinary feudal lord.

He was the Zongzheng, the administrator of the imperial clan.

In a sense, he was the patriarch of the Wei family when the emperor was not around.

He was able to hold this position because the late emperor had provided him with strong support when he was vying for power with powerful ministers and his brothers.

Just like the Prince of Ning who served Zhu Di.

During the Jingnan Campaign, Zhu Di promised his brother that after the success, the empire would be divided equally.

Of course, given the Zhu family's long-standing reputation for being heartless, such words are definitely nonsense.

The first thing Zhu Di did after ascending to the throne was to relocate his fiefdom, away from his former subordinates, and weaken their power.

Subsequently, the troops that had been borrowed from him were not returned and were directly confiscated.

As for the promise to divide the world equally, he forgot it all and then suppressed it for a lifetime.

This led to discontent among the descendants of Prince Ning, and his fifth-generation descendant even instigated a rebellion.

But this Prince Qi is slightly stronger.

Wei Ye's strength is his fondness for the past, but that's also his weakness.

Of course, this is definitely not a good thing.

His reputation was good, just like Emperor Kangxi, who was praised by everyone as a good emperor. He also left behind many stories of martial arts prowess. However, the mess he left for Yongzheng in terms of governance was really not good.

If we truly follow the late emperor's idea that the people of Qinzhou and the Wei family cannot be touched, and then try to carry out land reclamation and land reform under such circumstances, it's obvious that the bloodshed will come from somewhere.

Therefore, Song Shi'an came here to overthrow Lao Wei's dual ambitions.

Nobles can be moved.

Members of the imperial clan can also be involved.

A short while later, his carriage arrived outside the Prince's Palace.

"Lord Song."

The eunuch at the gate didn't even bend over; he simply extended his hand to invite Song Shi'an into the mansion.

Song Shi'an smiled faintly.

I went straight in.

The eunuch beside him led him all the way to the main hall of the Prince's mansion.

At the entrance, Song Shi'an met the five kings.

The Prince of Qi, who was at the head of the group, sat in the main seat.

Two kings sat on either side of the throne.

Each person's face carried an air of arrogance and oppression befitting a king.

Each person held a small porcelain cup in their hand.

It can be said that each generation of feudal lords had their own crickets, birdcages, and teapots.

These bastards have quite the refined taste.

"Lord Song, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Prince Qi looked at the tall and handsome young man and spoke in a gentle tone.

But he didn't even get up.

He knew this kid was tough, able to talk back to anyone, but the people you're facing now are different from those before.

We are the kings.

The highest rank below the emperor.

You, a mere village head, are no match for us.

In terms of power, you are indeed the most powerful.

Now, who can compare to Song Shi'an?

The principles of propriety are not something you can overturn in a short time.

If you're that powerful, wouldn't you still have to bow to the emperor and the princes in front of all the officials?
So, let's get started.

First, bow properly to me, and then we'll talk!

But Song Shi'an didn't even respond to the "Nice to meet you" before taking a step forward and suddenly saying with a serious expression, "Edict from the Emperor Emeritus."

"!"

The pupils of all five people widened in an instant.

I fuck your mother, Song Shi'an!
After glaring angrily at Song Shi'an, the four kings all turned their attention to Prince Ning.

Brother, this kid is making us kneel!
The Prince of Ning did not react as excitedly as they did, but he was still slightly provoked by Song Shi'an, this madman.

He stared intently at the person with a deep expression.

He seemed to understand what the kid's charm lay in.

What kind of young person isn't ambitious and spirited?
Prince Ning slowly rose from his seat and asked, "When was the imperial edict issued after the late emperor's passing?"

"The oral message conveyed by Shi An when entrusting the young master to someone."

Song Shi'an responded casually. The emperor's edicts are not something anyone can casually relay.

Eunuchs are acceptable, as are members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and even the crown prince who oversees the country.

Even for them, spreading rumors and making wild fabrications is a capital offense.

Song Shi'an was the only minister entrusted with the care of the young emperor.

He absolutely deserves to be a legend!

The remaining princes, though gritting their teeth, had no choice but to get up.

However, they were still waiting for the Zongzheng's instructions.

“Song Qing,” Prince Qi said, “the late Emperor had shown me great favor, so I am exempt from kneeling when I see the imperial edict.”

That's true.

After all, he had helped Wei Ye a great deal to establish his power, making him nominally second only to the emperor, practically on equal footing. So, he still had to be given power.

"And the rest of you, will you also receive grace?"

Song Shi'an asked these lowly bastards with a light laugh.

They clenched their fists, but were powerless to refute.

Then, King Qi, who was in the middle, took the initiative to bow. The remaining four kings knelt on the ground and performed a kowtow.

"All princes of the Wei clan, heed my decree!" Song Shi'an announced in a high-pitched voice, "After my passing, the funeral rites shall be overseen by Prince Qi, the Minister of the Imperial Clan. All princes of the capital region shall gather to attend the funeral, and all must adhere to the principle of simplicity."

Damn it, the emperor definitely wouldn't have had time to say such things to Song Shi'an before he died.

But this guy monopolized the position of the entrusted minister for the young emperor.

Even the retired emperor trusted him so much, how could anyone else argue with him?
If you don't believe me, why would the retired emperor seek him out alone?

What, you still don't believe me?

Then go down and ask the late emperor in person.

"Your subject receives the imperial decree."

Prince Qi straightened up.

The other kings also slowly rose.

Song Shi'an nodded slightly.

"Minister Song, I have a question," Prince Qi said to him with a smile, "Do we still have any of the late Emperor's oral edicts or imperial decrees?"

That's good enough.

You don't want to make us kneel down every time we see you, do you?

Every time, it's the same: "Oh, the late emperor has issued an edict, all the princes must kneel down before us first?"

"That's all, that's all."

Song Shi'an waved his hand and said in a very simple manner.

I wanted to communicate with you in a normal capacity, but instead I was met with your cold attitude.

Alright, I'll lay my cards on the table. I am the minister entrusted with the care of the young emperor.

Note: Unique.

"Please offer Lord Song a seat."

Prince Qi turned around angrily and walked towards the main seat.

Then, two eunuchs brought over a chair, intending to place it to the side.

This was something they had already planned.

However, Song Shi'an, who was standing in the center of the hall, waved his hand and said, "Just put it here, no need to move it."

The eunuch had no choice but to give up.

Song Shi'an's position then became facing Prince Qi, while the remaining four people sat on either side.

The feudal lord who came to visit Kyoto has now become someone who speaks with Lord Song on equal terms.

The condescending aura they were trying to create was so easily dispelled.

This is Song Shi'an, a man who can take charge of the government in his twenties, and he will never lose face to anyone.

“Song Qing,” Prince Qi said, “His Majesty will return to Sheng’an tomorrow, while Wusheng is still in Huai County. There are some things you could answer on his behalf.”

"can."

With just these two words, Song Shi'an demonstrated that his power was unlimited and legitimate.

"Are you really capable?" Prince Wei Jiong of Dai said very seriously. "You must take responsibility for your words."

Looking at the aggressive Prince of Dai, Song Shi'an said quite calmly, "Everything I said was authorized by His Majesty."

"How dare you!" Prince Wei Xin of Jinyang slammed his hand on the armrest and said angrily, "If you have His Majesty's decree, you can say that it was authorized by His Majesty. Otherwise, you can't just say whatever you want under the guise of His Majesty."

"Don't think that just because you're a trusted minister entrusted with the care of the young emperor, you can control everything," Prince Guangling, Wei Zhuo, also retorted. "The late emperor entrusted you with this important task: to assist His Majesty and protect the Wei family!"

These people are trying to morally blackmail Song Shi'an under the guise of righteousness.

And this sense of righteousness is currently impossible to overturn.

Their words were different from those of the sycophant who, in his pursuit of fame, offended him that day.

Even the emperor isn't always right, and a minister's honest remonstrance is also a form of loyalty.

However, it is true that in feudal society, the monarch's power was supreme.

It is true that they were protecting the Wei family.

“Since everything I’ve said wasn’t authorized by His Majesty, how should I respond to your questions?” Song Shi’an asked.

Seeing his compromise, Prince Qi was satisfied. At the same time, he said rather gently, "No one can represent His Majesty, but you are one of His Majesty's trusted men. Today we are conversing as subjects, and I would like to ask you, Lord Song, what are your thoughts? And what are His Majesty's thoughts?"

"Excuse me."

Song Shi'an said calmly.

"Your Majesty's throne was passed down by the retired emperor," Prince Qi said. "And Prince Qin is now so powerful. The balance between the emperor and the king has tilted in favor of the king. You have witnessed all of this, haven't you?"

“Moreover, it was done by you personally,” Wei Zhuo echoed.

"His Majesty approves of all of this," Song Shi'an said without interrupting them. "The Prince of Qin's power comes from his achievements. Just like His Highness Prince Qi back then, your prestige is also due to your achievements. Am I wrong?"

“But the Prince of Qin has surpassed His Majesty,” said Prince Qi. “I may yield my position as the head of the Imperial Clan to the Prince of Qin. He may also be more honorable than me, but if His Majesty of the Wei clan is in danger, our Imperial Clan will not stand idly by.”

They represent the Wei family's board of directors and have specific requirements for the chairman.

They spoke with absolute certainty, as if they would never agree to this if it were not agreed to.

“I think that whether it’s Your Majesty or the Prince of Qin, the source of your power needs to be recognized by your family,” Prince Qi reminded Song Shi’an when he remained silent.

“Lord Song,” Wei Zhuo began, “you were also someone who almost got expelled from your family, you should know the importance of family, right?”

When he brought this up, Song Shi'an joked, "Expelled from the family, and almost? Your Highness is so sure, it seems you were in my family's ancestral hall at the time?"

"Haha." Wei Zhuo seemed to have caught a loophole in his words and said, "I didn't mention the ancestral hall. Since you think there's no such thing, why did you bring it up? Could it be that the clansmen really wanted to expel you from the family?"

You've taken the part, Lord Song.

"Yes, that's true, but what happened afterward?" Song Shi'an asked.

"Afterwards, your family all agreed to the land reclamation," said Prince Qi. "However, the road from my Great Yu to Northern Yan was handed over to your family. You used the benefits of trade to appease their reluctance."

You, Song Shi'an, are not the kind of person who acts decisively and always does what you say.

Didn't you also make a deal to gain the family's support?
Similarly, if you want us to support Wei Wusheng, what obligation do we have to acknowledge them without offering some benefits?
“You may have misunderstood some things.” After realizing what these people were thinking, Song Shi’an stopped pretending and said, “I, Song Shi’an, must compromise with the clan and respect the clan leader; this is my filial duty. But you are my subjects, and my loyalty to His Majesty is beyond question.”

"So Your Majesty, at such a young age, is willing to be your puppet?!" Prince Qi roared. "We may respect Your Majesty, and we may obey Your Majesty unconditionally. But we will never be Your Majesty under your control."

"Song Shi'an!" Wei Zhuo shouted, "Do you dare to let His Majesty, with us all present and all the officials gathered in the court, personally ask His Majesty what he wants?!"

As the Son of Heaven, Your Majesty, we must submit to you.

But is the current emperor even allowed to speak?

With you and Wei Wusheng controlling him so tightly, how can we still hear the truth?
We can respect the emperor, but we can only respect the emperor.

It's not you!
“Song Shi’an.” Prince Qi looked at him coldly as well. “We all acknowledge your entrusted ministers. But I want to go with you to see His Majesty.”

This is their collective demand.

To gain as much power as possible for the new emperor.

He can give Song Shi'an great power, but Song Shi'an's power should not be supreme.

Just like when the late emperor was controlled by powerful ministers.

Even though he hindered him at every turn, his imperial authority still remained.

The emperor could be Wanli, but not Liu Xie.

"We all request to go with you to see His Majesty and swear before all the officials that you have no intention of replacing His Majesty!" Wei Xin simply spoke without restraint, making his words extremely explicit.

All eyes were fixed on him.

Press him to make a promise of loyalty.

"No need."

However, Song Shi'an refused outright, replying, "Seeing me is like seeing His Majesty."

"Insanity!"

Prince Qi stood up and slammed his hand down, breaking the armrest of the chair.

The remaining four kings also stood up in fury.

Just then, a eunuch rushed in to report: "Your Highnesses, all the roads around the Prince's residence have been blocked off by officials from the capital. There are nearly a thousand of them, and you can't see the end of them!"

The kings were filled with anger and shock.

Song Shi'an, with his hands resting on the armrests, slowly crossed his legs, staring at the crowd with an expression as cold as frost. (End of Chapter)