Frost for a Thousand Years

Suddenly, the Empress Dowager's scream echoed from the royal court.

Those guards who had been leisurely waiting outside immediately adopted a fighting expression. At the same time, Qiu Juzhu's men also changed their expressions drastically. The two sides locked eyes and simultaneously drew their swords.

At that moment, Samoyed rushed in, shouting, "Protect the Emperor!"

After he broke the stalemate, both sides rushed inside.

However, the moment they entered, everyone was collectively dumbfounded, staring in astonishment.

Samogi's fire-resistant shirt was torn open and fell to her waist, exposing her breasts.

Qiu Juzhu lay sprawled before her, a trickle of crimson blood seeping from the three orifices on his neck; he was already lifeless.

Samogi, covered in blood, trembled with one hand covering his chest, looking incredibly pitiful, as if he hadn't yet recovered from his shock.

At this moment, Qiu Juzhu's men seized the opportunity and ran out quickly.

His personal guards, gripping their swords, shouted, "Empress! How could you slaughter my king!"

"Insolence!" Shamoyi retorted without fear, "Qiujuzhu has offended and insulted the Empress Dowager; his crime deserves death!"

This scene was incredibly impactful.

Moreover, the evidence is irrefutable.

It's like the protagonist in some stupid movies who stumbles upon a crime scene and sees a body. His first reaction isn't to run or call the police, but to squat down like a complete idiot, grab the murder weapon, and then bump into a witness. In the end, he flees in a panic and becomes a wanted criminal... Oh my god, how can there be such a brainless movie?

Even Qiu Juzhu's underlings, upon seeing this, did not doubt the truth of the matter.

Their king is truly capable of such actions.

Samogi is a famous Fiji Cup in South Vietnam, so it's only natural that a man would lose his composure.

"Even so, she killed my king!" Qiu Juzhu's subordinates had no way to refute this and could only roar.

For a moment, a dozen or so people stood facing each other, their swords flashing, the atmosphere tense and fraught with danger.

When the remaining seven kings rushed over and stormed into the royal court, they were so terrified by the sight before them that their pupils dilated in shock.

This was Qiu Juzhu's instruction to his subordinates before he went in: if anything happened, they should summon the rest of the kings.

Although their troops are all outside the city, their numbers are so great that if the Southern Yue royal family dares to overturn the table, they will send a large army to invade and kill them as soon as they enter.

Therefore, Qiu Juzhu absolutely did not believe that he was in danger.

Samogi grasped this point.

You think you're absolutely invincible?

Then you're doomed.

“King Qiu said that the late emperor is dead, and he is now the emperor of Nanyue…” Shamoji said, choking with sobs. “Since he is the emperor, everything in Nanyue belongs to him, including me.”

"This? King Qiu is actually like this."

"The late emperor has just passed away; this is far too arrogant."

"Yes, that's not good..."

The other kings felt a bit disheartened and began to shake their heads.

"That woman is just spouting nonsense! We believe everything she says!" Qiu Juzhu's subordinate roared. "I could say she tried to force herself on my king!"

"Samogi-ya—"

Just then, the old prince staggered in. Seeing his daughter like this, he immediately took the white tiger skin, knelt down in front of her, draped it over her body, and hugged his daughter, weeping.

Samogi leaned against her father, whimpering.

Only Sun's Ba King remained unmoved by her performance, watching coldly as she continued to perform.

However, the other kings were filled with righteous indignation and denounced Qiujuzhu.

"The Empress Dowager's husband has just died; Prince Qiu shouldn't be bullying her like this."

"He certainly has many soldiers and troops, but he still needs to show respect to His Majesty and the leader of the alliance."

"Yes, yes..."

"You...you're trying to incite a war!" Qiu Juzhu's men knew they had already aroused public outrage and couldn't win the argument here, so they turned to leave.

"Seize this treacherous king and minister who insulted the Empress Dowager!" Samoyed immediately ordered.

Dozens of people surrounded all of Qiu Juzhu's former followers.

They were terrified and huddled together in a tense huddle, back to back, forced to fight to the death.

Just then, Shamogi raised his hand and said, "The affairs of King Qiu are none of King Qiu's concern. Shamogi does not wish to provoke a war, much less to destroy the alliance of a hundred nations that the late emperor forged..."

Samoyed had no choice but to stop.

The others looked at this virtuous woman with admiration.

Upon seeing this, Qiu Juzhu's men quickly picked up Qiu Juzhu's body, then turned away angrily.

“Your Majesties, we have suffered such a terrible misfortune, it is truly a laughing stock of yourselves,” Shamoji pleaded. “In the future, we, a widow and her orphan, will need your help.”

"No problem, no problem."

"The late emperor was never unkind to us, and we will respect the current young master as well."

"However, since the Empress Dowager is now in charge of disciplining the young master, there are some things that need to be clearly explained, such as the difference between the Han and the barbarians."

"Mm." Samogi lowered his head pitifully and replied.

Then, the old prince led the barbarian kings away.

Here, only King Ba Sunzun, King Shamoyi, and the very cool Shamoji remain.

"Uncle, is something the matter?" Samoji asked, raising his hand.

Sun Zun said expressionlessly, "Empress Dowager, are there some things you dare to hear?"

"Samoi, get out," Samoiji said.

The Sand King glared at Sun Zun, then left.

Only two people remained.

"The late emperor, who always held a semi-Han identity, was criticized by Qiu Juzhu and others. They all said he was not the ruler of Baiyue, but rather a subject of the Yu state. Therefore, people like Qiu Juzhu used this to challenge his authority," Sun Zun said. "Now that the late emperor has passed away, the Empress Dowager is in power, and Qiu Juzhu is dead, what path should our Southern Yue take in the future?"

Samogi lowered her head and said quite honestly, "I don't know, I am just a woman."

“A woman, when offended by the barbarian king, was able to stab her neck three times with a gold hairpin, without missing a single spot, and apart from that, she had no other wounds.” Sun Zun didn’t believe it at all. “Empress Dowager, since you killed him, you must have made plans for what would happen after his death.”

"..." When asked this, Shamoji slowly stood up, wrapped the white tiger skin around his body, looked at the other party, and said, "Qiujuzhu is dead, and the Qiuwang tribe has no leader. Even if we unite, the other tribes will not follow him to attack me."

How to appease the kings?

“Go to Han,” Samogi said firmly.

"You're going to come to me too?" Sun Zun asked coldly.

“Uncle has barbarian blood in him, so why can’t he call himself a Baiyue person?” Shamoji retorted. “Do you look down on us barbarians?”

This is a crucial aspect of political correctness.

Do you want the Han or the barbarians?

Sun Tuo in the past could be considered a great ruler, because he managed to Sinicize China without alienating the barbarians, and he was able to achieve a balance.

Even though it couldn't be contained in the end, it still managed to last for so many years, which is quite remarkable.

"How did the late emperor die?"

Sun Zun stared into his eyes.

"He is my husband!" Shamoji roared. "Now our son has inherited the throne, not the Shamo family. Why does Uncle ask such a vicious question?"

“Swear an oath to the gods,” Sun Zun demanded, gazing at her intently.

"Shamogi swears to the gods." Shamogi raised his hand and solemnly said, "If the death of the late emperor is related to Shamogi, may Shamogi die a terrible death and never be reincarnated!"

Having stated it so confidently, Sun Zun couldn't say anything more.

"Your Majesty, Song Shi'an is not easy to deal with," Sun Zun warned.

“With my uncle’s help, he’s protecting my widow and her orphan.” Samoji softened and showed weakness again. “Samoji, don’t be afraid.”

Her alluring eyes made every man unable to resist making a mistake.

Even Sun Zun was somewhat shaken.

However, in the past few days, the emperor of Baiyue and the chieftain of the barbarian kings have died. He dares not risk a bloody death and follow in their footsteps.

"Southern Vietnam is in your hands, so don't let it perish."

After leaving those words, Sun Zun turned and left, muttering under his breath: "Empress Dowager!"

"South Vietnam will only get better and better in my hands."

Shamoji disdainfully peeled off the tiger skin from her body, a smug smile spreading across her face: "Song Shi'an, all spineless men in the world are afraid of you, but I'm not." ...

Inside the mansion of the Duke of Zhangping, in Guangfu City where the Duke resides.

He was having a meeting with several close confidants.

His chief advisor, Huang Cen, spoke up: "Duke, the current upheaval in Nan Yue is aimed at us."

"Yes." The Duke of Zhangping said calmly, "He's also after Song Shi'an."

“In that case, Shamoji will definitely try to sow discord between us and Song Shi’an,” Huang Cen said. “Otherwise, given the strength of this barbarian tribe, offending both us and Song Shi’an at the same time, even if it’s unnecessary to fight them, will still cause trouble in the end.”

“Yes,” a military officer said at this moment. “Her openly abolishing Sun Tuo’s methods and making such outrageous anti-Yu statements is to maintain her position and continue to be the so-called ruler of Baiyue. It’s not just a matter of words.”

“But if we really let her do that…” At this moment, a clerk said with some worry, “If the court loses its trust in us and spreads rumors, it will ultimately be detrimental to us.”

The reason for the disadvantage is simple.

These officials were not all veteran local officials.

Some of them were sent from Sheng'an, and their families were still under the control of the imperial court.

Even among the Duke of Zhangping's men, not all of them were anti-Yu.

However, the fact that the Duke of Zhangping brought in people who were not against Yu at this meeting, and held this expanded democratic life meeting, indicates that he did not intend to be purely against Yu.

“Continue,” said Zhangping Guogong.

"Duke," the chief clerk suggested after some hesitation, "the court's concern about our tribe is nothing more than the prince being away. If we send Prince Jiangling back to Sheng'an, this will put the court at ease and let them know that we have no ulterior motives, even if Shamoji tries to sow discord."

As soon as he said that, several people stared at him, some of them agitated.

However, at the same time, there was another person who seemed to agree with his plan, so he kept his head down and didn't say anything—not objecting meant tacit approval.

"I ask you, is there any logic to surrendering and losing half the stakes?" the Duke of Zhangping questioned directly.

“Yes!” a military officer said at this moment, “We haven’t done anything wrong. The court also has some problems. The late emperor has passed away, the crown prince has died, and the Prince of Zhongping has died. We are just feeling uneasy. If we hand over the Prince of Jiangling now, wouldn’t that be like a guilty conscience?”

"Moreover, the Prince of Jiangling is someone whom Song Shi'an fears about our existence. To hand him over so easily would be to cripple ourselves. If the imperial court sends troops then, we will be utterly unable to cope," Huang Cen said with great clarity.

The surrender faction fell silent, but they also did not respond.

This means they weren't convinced, they just didn't dare to speak up.

Everything was as expected.

The Duke of Zhangping was so grief-stricken at the time because he knew too much about the Baiyue people.

As long as Sun Tuo is alive, no matter how old he is, he will be able to keep Nan Yue in check with his methods.

The Duke of Zhangping even wanted this guy to live to be a hundred years old.

But he died, and after his death, South Vietnam's policies suddenly reversed 180 degrees, and the most difficult thing happened.

He now pretty much knows how Sun Tuo died.

Nasamaki is no weak woman.

Although she hasn't yet demonstrated much of her political acumen, the Duke of Zhangping doesn't consider her inferior to Sun Tuo.

On the contrary, the ruthlessness of this barbarian woman might cause even greater destruction.

"Gentlemen, you should all think that Sun Tuo and I have a deep relationship and that he has a lot of dirt on me."

When the topic of this sensitive subject came up, the Duke of Zhangping smiled and said, "It's not as terrible as you think. It's really not a big deal."

.........

"Prime Minister, something terrible has happened."

Ye Changqing walked up to Song Shi'an, ready to give a report.

Song Shi'an moved aside to make room for Ye Changqing, who then sat down and continued, "As I said before, I wanted my father's old subordinates to spread some rumors and incite hatred among the scholars of the South towards Nanyue. But something has indeed happened in the South."

"Is it about the previous barbarian alliance sending troops and then withdrawing them?" Song Shi'an asked.

"It's related to this, but the specifics have been clarified," Ye Changqing said. "After the withdrawal, it was reported that Sun Tuo was killed by the imperial physician halfway through the journey. And there is a woman named Sha Moji in Nanyue, who is from the Sha Mo family and is also the Empress Dowager. After that, her younger brother was made the King of Sha, and her father was made a prince. He also killed the King Qiu who had raped him."

"This desolate land has so many kings," Song Shi'an said with disdain. "But Qiu Juzhu is the one I originally intended to support."

"Yes, now that our best piece is gone, and Shamoji is using the banner of 'reconciling with Han,' it's very difficult for us to split up Nanyue again," Ye Changqing said with some regret.

The original plan was to wage a proxy war.

In order to weaken Sun Tuo, they promoted Qiu Juzhu.

Don't be fooled by Qiu Juzhu's anti-Yu slogan; he's only doing this to oppose Sun Tuo. His goal, at least initially, is to seize territory and prestige from Sun Tuo.

But this crucial person died because of a few games.

It's heartbreaking, truly heartbreaking.

“Now there’s one problem I’m worried about,” Ye Changqing said. “That Duke of Zhangping definitely has an affair with Sun Tuo. But with him around, things are actually alright. At least the southern border is safe. But now Nan Yue has been taken back into the hands of the barbarians, and judging from their methods… this Shamoji is definitely not a stupid woman.”

“If she’s smart, she’ll take this opportunity to instigate a war between me and the Duke of Zhangping,” Song Shi’an said.

“Yes, if that’s the case, then it’s the worst-case scenario.” Ye Changqing said with a heavy heart, “If this hadn’t happened, my father’s disciples and the powerful families in the south might have been able to cause trouble, but now that things are like this, it’s not good to act recklessly.”

The reasoning is actually as follows.

The reason they dared to incite public anger earlier was because the political situation was still stable.

But if the entire Southern Yue region becomes right-wing, and the Duke of Zhangping falls out with the court, then it will be very difficult for the wealthy families in the south to maneuver in politics.

It's like the whole world can oppose the US, but Colombia is better off not doing so.

A wise person doesn't stand under high walls or next to danger; one shouldn't speak carelessly.

"That depends on how the Duke of Zhangping thinks about it," Song Shi'an said.

"Prime Minister, the Duke of Zhangping is also watching to see what you think." Ye Changqing looked at him.

The Dark Forest has arrived.

If Shamoji really had something to hide and released it, hitting the Duke of Zhangping in a sore spot...

so what should I do now?
Song Shi'an said it was alright, Duke, that he didn't care and that they would fight the barbarians together. But did he really not care?

The Duke of Zhangping said, "Please believe me, all of that is false. I am still Yu Chen." But could he really still be Yu Chen?
This is the most ingenious aspect of the divide-and-conquer strategy.

The two of them can indeed be open and honest, saying that they are doing well.

But what if one of them really has murderous intent?

Even if I don't intend to kill, what if he thinks I do?

Even if I don't think he really has murderous intent, what if he's afraid of me, thinks I have murderous intent, and then actually has murderous intent towards me in order to protect himself?

There is no solution.

The only thing we can do is strike first!
Forget all that nonsense, killing him will at least ensure my own safety!

"Winter is coming, and Ji Yuan in the north is quiet. But Sha Mo Ji in the south is about to stir."

Song Shi'an sighed.

"Prime Minister, be prepared."

"Yes, we must be prepared at all times."

And so, Song Shi'an waited for everything at the Ministry of War.

Finally, several days later, a box belonging to Samogi himself was delivered by a barbarian messenger.

However, he was not able to meet Song Shi'an.

They stood defiantly outside several doors.

Xin Yue took the items and presented them to Song Shi'an.

Inside were letters.

"Why are there so many letters?" Xin Yue asked, puzzled.

When Song Shi'an picked them up, he discovered that they all belonged to the Duke of Zhangping.

He randomly opened one of the envelopes, read it, and handed it to Xinyue.

After reading it, Xin Yue was furious: "This Duke of Zhangping is just like this in the south. This is simply raising bandits to enhance his own power, and he was the one who instigated the chaos in Yizhou that killed so many people!"

“Yeah, he deserved it,” Song Shi’an said.

"Who are you fighting?" Xin Yue asked, somewhat puzzled. "This Samoji must have been watching you fight, right?"

"Who are you going to hit?"

After a smile, Song Shi'an said dismissively, "At worst, we'll just sink the Great Yu!" (End of Chapter)