Frost for a Thousand Years

Song Shi'an's army and scouts were already close to the border under the jurisdiction of Guangfu, the Duke of Zhangping, but they still hadn't come up with a banner that could be compared to 'suppressing the rebels,' which made his generals very uneasy.

Therefore, Huang Cen, the military strategist, and Zhao Ke, the General of Zhen'an, went together to find the Duke of Zhangping.

After Huang Cen gave him a wink, Zhao Ke spoke up: "Duke, Song Shi'an has already attacked, and those powerful families in Jiangnan have also made arrogant statements, saying that they will 'annihilate' us Qinzhou rebels in one battle. Duke, we really can't remain silent any longer."

After he finished speaking, Huang Cen said somewhat heavily, "The people in the two cities under our jurisdiction and the several counties under our control are refusing to cooperate. If we do not punish them, the soldiers and officers in the army are all terrified, and there are even rumors that... our army is unjust."

The Duke of Zhangping's behavior is extremely perplexing.

Even his subordinates, especially those who advocated for war, began to worry whether he had any solutions.

Take these two men, for example. Zhao Ke was the adopted son of Xun Hou Zhao Lun, who was also Zhao Xiang's father. He was from Qinzhou and knew that Zhao Xiang's family had been basically wiped out, so he was someone who absolutely could not be surrendered to.

Surrendering means certain death.

Huang Cen was also a staunch advocate of war, because as the chief strategist, he had been involved in far too many matters. Moreover, he believed that this battle would definitely not be one-sided.

After all, the border army was very strong, the Duke of Zhangping was also good at managing his troops, and there was also the option of retreating to Nanyue.

Just like those warlords who, after suffering repeated defeats, would choose to retreat to Vietnam and Burma.

With their strength, it wouldn't be difficult for them to carve out a piece of land and become king among those foreign tribes.

"Duke," Zhao Ke said excitedly, seeing the duke still hesitating, "it's not as if he thinks we're unjust. We still have His Highness. He has the Emperor, we have the Prince. In this battle, there are no rebels; whoever loses is the rebel!"

Seeing their reaction, the Duke of Zhangping sighed softly.

After a long while, he finally spoke, "Gentlemen, do you think I want to fight this battle?"

They all fell silent.

As proponents of war, they were filled with despair at such statements.

"Then let me ask you again, do you think Song Shi'an wants to fight this battle?" asked the Duke of Zhangping.

“He would definitely prefer to fight them rather than them,” Zhao Ke muttered. “If we don’t fight, the troops are already pressing in front of us.”

However, Huang Cen knew that Song Shi'an's reluctance to fight was almost as strong as that of the Duke of Zhangping.

The Duke of Zhangping was originally not afraid of fighting, but because of that despicable Sha Moji, who exposed his collusion with Sun Tuo, he is now at a disadvantage and has become the target of the people's condemnation. Without the support of the people, this battle is particularly difficult to win.

“Song Shi’an would rather stabilize the south than attack us, and then attack Ji Yuan,” Huang Cen said.

The Duke of Zhangping stood up, picked up a sword, walked to a sand table, and slowly traced the sword's edge across it before suddenly launching two cities into the air.

Those were the two fortified cities where they were stationed.

Zhao Ke was somewhat confused by this action, while Huang, with his hands in his sleeves, calmly said, "The late emperor allowed the Duke to guard the south for more than ten years, granting him such great power that he could almost become a powerful figure with his own army. This was because he only needed to risk the rise of a powerful minister to take control of the entire southern part of Dayu, especially the wealthy Yangzhou."

Most people think that the emperor is too magnanimous to let a duke govern the south for so long and even send him his son. Doesn't this just increase the risk of rebellion?

It should be noted that when the Great Yu unified the south, it did not even send a large army across the Yangtze River.

Yangzhou has a great deal of autonomy, so much so that the imperial court can hardly intervene.

If these people from Yangzhou had remained peaceful, things would have been fine.

If problems arise in the northern war, and Ji Yuan's momentum breaks through Qinzhou and threatens the Central Plains, these people of Dayu will become an extremely troublesome bomb.

Therefore, by sacrificing such a small amount of military power, the unity of the Great Yu can be maintained. Isn't that a huge profit?

Moreover, the Duke of Zhangping was indeed able to prevent the invasion of the Nanyue Kingdom.

The people of Yangzhou had no choice but to support this army that protected them, providing it with continuous financial support.

“Song Shi’an’s goal is to unify the world, but he will not lose Yangzhou for the sake of Qi,” the Duke of Zhangping said solemnly.

“But he’s already been put on hold, so even if he doesn’t fight, there’s nothing he can do,” Zhao Ke said. “Besides, after he fights, he can just send troops to pacify the south himself; wouldn’t that have the same effect?”

"After he defeated me, he still had troops to pacify the south with his own men, as if he had simply changed the master of this southern border, is that right?" the Duke of Zhangping asked contemptuously.

Zhao Ke knew he had said too much, so he quickly lowered his head: "If the Duke goes to war, Song Shi'an will definitely not be able to do it so easily, and will certainly pay a heavy price!"

Given the terrain of Nanyue and the years of management by the Duke of Zhangping, even if Song Shi'an were a military genius, he would not have been able to pass through the pass unscathed, or with only minor injuries.

It will definitely take a long time, and the victory will be achieved with severe injuries and disabilities.

Isn't this exactly what the people of Yangzhou want?
The people of Qinzhou and Sizhou will fight until the main road is destroyed, and then they will come out to reap the rewards.

"But is Song Shi'an really someone we can talk to?" Zhao Ke asked.

The Duke of Zhangping looked at the two of them with a deep expression. After a while, he picked up a letter from the table and handed it to them.

Huang Cen took it with both hands and looked at it first.

Zhao Ke was a little anxious, so he went over to take a look as well.

After reading it, Zhao Ke's eyes widened: "This guy is cunning. He actually wants to meet us with our food and army, then join forces and head south to fight the Baiyue."

“This has fooled almost everyone…” Huang Cen said, “and it can also give the world an explanation.”

They said all of this was fabricated by Shamokji to frame loyal officials, and that foreigners were determined to destroy them!

But the key issue is...

“But this guy doesn’t trust us,” Huang Cen said indignantly.

In his letter, Song Shi'an said that he could not trust any of the previous envoys or spies unless the Duke of Zhangping sent a true confidant.

What defines a true confidant?

The pro-war faction.

Only when those who are unlikely to surrender approach Song Shi'an with the intentions of the Duke of Zhangping can Song Shi'an believe in their sincerity.

"We don't trust him either."

Huang Cen raised his head, looked into the eyes of the Duke of Zhangping, and slowly said, "May I ask a question, even if it is presumptuous?"

"Most of the letters between me and Sun Tuo are written in different handwriting and have no signatures," the Duke of Zhangping said solemnly. "But there is only one letter that has been preserved as evidence."

Why keep one letter as evidence?
This is because it shows sincerity to Sun Tuo.

But this is also irrefutable evidence of his rebellion.

"This..." Zhao Ke said, his voice trembling slightly, "Could it be... in Song Shi'an's hands?"

“It’s in Samogi’s hands,” said Duke Zhangping. “But he may have already given it to Song Shi’an.”

As long as this thing exists, the Duke of Zhangping and Song Shi'an will inevitably develop a dark forest-like mutual suspicion.

“That woman, Shamoji, has truly stirred up the politics of my Great Yu.” When Huang Cen realized that the Duke of Zhangping really had a weakness, the pressure was immense. “Fighting is the last resort. Guangfu has well-trained soldiers and ample provisions, with high walls and strong fortifications, so I am not afraid of fighting,” said the Duke of Zhangping. “But if we can negotiate, then both Song Shi’an and I can win.”

"Has the Duke decided who to send?"

When Huang Cen tentatively asked the question, he kept a close eye on the other person's expression.

Because they are the most suitable for a clandestine mission.

After all, he was a pro-war faction member who would never betray the Duke of Zhangping, and his status carried enough weight.

“I intended to send Chen Wang,” the Duke of Zhangping replied, “but… never mind.”

“If you go, young master, you will indeed be able to convince Song Shi’an.” Zhao Ke thought this method was good.

However, Huang Cen knew it was best not to.

They were aligned with the Zhangping Kingdom; if peaceful coexistence was impossible, Huang Cen and Zhao Ke were staunch advocates of war.

But if the Duke of Zhangping sends out his son and fails to reach an agreement, and the other side kidnaps his son, then the Duke of Zhangping will have a very difficult time winning this battle.

If he's difficult to defeat, what about his pro-war subordinates? Won't they suffer along with him?
We must advance together or retreat together. What do you mean by "my son is on the other side and I'm mentally collapsing, sob sob"?
"I have made my decision. I will send Wang'er. If the negotiations fail, I will use the Prince of Jiangling as a banner to issue a purge of corrupt officials from the court," said the Duke of Zhangping. "Gentlemen, you must keep today's words a secret and not divulge a single word. Otherwise, this battle will truly be lost without a fight."

"Your Excellency, Your Excellency," Zhao Ke replied firmly, clenching his fists.

He wasn't afraid that the Duke of Zhangping wouldn't fight; he was afraid that the Duke of Zhangping would give up.

Now that he has a solution, his subordinates are no longer so panicked.

“Duke.” Although Huang Cen believed these things to a great extent, he was still somewhat suspicious, so he asked again tentatively, “Judging from the current situation, Song Shi’an has almost the upper hand, so why is he so not so tough this time?”

Even if this battle was a loss, he was clearly the one in control. Why was his attitude towards the Duke of Zhangping so equal? ​​This was not like his usual style.

The Duke of Zhangping remained silent.

Slowly, he untied his belt and handed it to the bewildered Zhao Ke.

“Tear it open,” said the Duke of Zhangping.

With a bewildered expression, Zhao Ke untied the belt.

Among them was a piece of silk.

Upon opening the silk, the words and seals on it once again shocked Zhao Ke.

And this time, the level of shock was a hundred times greater than before.

Huang Cen's pupils dilated in shock, but he still murmured softly, "The seal of the Prefect of Huai County is very genuine, and the handwriting... is basically the same as in the letter just now..."

"This Song Shi'an is the real traitor!" Zhao Ke's face flushed instantly, quite agitated.

"General, keep your voice down..." Although Huang Cen reminded him like this, he was also so shocked that his mind went blank. "This thing matches perfectly. It matches perfectly. As evidence, it can also be used to label Song Shi'an a traitor. And it would be even more serious."

“After all, he’s connected to Qi…” Zhao Ke shook his head and said.

"But how did something so crucial end up in the Duke's hands?" Huang Cen asked, puzzled. "It's certain that this thing exists, but it's also very possible that it was stolen and used to threaten people."

"Just as you thought," said the Duke of Zhangping. "This was sent by Ji Yuan."

“If that’s the case, then everything makes sense.” Huang Cen nodded.

Song Shi'an needed such a thing to issue that order.

Evidence cannot be left unrecorded.

Such a dangerous item would risk someone's life; if given to Ji Yuan, he would surely receive a considerable amount of gold.

Isn't this what political infiltration is all about?

Which of the states, Dayu or Qi, doesn't spend a fortune on this kind of espionage?

This is the result of espionage.

“I don’t understand. Ji Yuan gave this crucial information to the Duke… Did he want the Duke to have evidence to purge the court of corrupt officials?” Zhao Ke said. “But Shamoji then gave Song Shi’an the Duke’s weakness…”

“They are both people who thrive on chaos,” Huang Cen said with delight. “They know that after extricating themselves from the situation, the only place in the world that can mediate and negotiate is the Duke who has the Prince of Jiangling in his hands. But they didn’t expect that the handle they painstakingly gave away would just happen to allow us to achieve a balance with Song Shi’an.”

Ji Yuan wanted the Duke of Zhangping to rebel against Song Shi'an, so he gave the Duke of Zhangping evidence of the other party's plot to rebel.

Shamoji wanted Song Shi'an to destroy the Duke of Zhangping, so he gave Song Shi'an evidence of the other party's rebellion.

This serendipitous turn of events made both sides, who were already looking to make peace, even more eager for tranquility.

Although, if one were to fight a fierce battle and win, and then claim that the other party had forged the letter, the document could be rendered invalid.

But this is something that both sides are wary of.

Knowing that he is still alive always makes people uneasy.

This is why Cao Cao burned all the letters between officials and Yuan Shao during the Battle of Guandu, in order to win back the hearts of the people.

Being a loyal subject is very easy.

As long as the evidence of my past treachery no longer exists, I can be absolutely loyal.

The Duke of Zhangping reached out and took back the letter.

At this moment, Huang Cen said, "In that case, I am willing to go as an envoy and meet with Song Shi'an privately."

This was what the Duke of Zhangping wanted, but he did not agree directly. He slowly turned around, his back to the two men, and said, "In the army, I need the two of you to oppose Song Shi'an in order to counterbalance those who surrender."

The Duke of Zhangping was not a surrenderist; he was a collaborator.

But there were indeed surrender factions among his subordinates.

Therefore, during meetings, the voices of the pro-war faction must be loud enough to counter the opposing side.

“My lord, we must be able to secure Lingnan forever,” Huang Cen insisted. “Since we can reach a consensus with Song Shi’an on the issue of interests, I am confident that I can persuade him.”

After a moment's thought, the Duke of Zhangping slowly turned around and said to Zhao Ke, "I don't trust others, just like Song Shi'an doesn't trust those aristocratic families. Zhao Ke, take some soldiers and escort him there."

This plan is called "Crossing the Sea Under Cover of Darkness".

It was the people of Qinzhou and Sizhou who deceived all the people of Yangzhou, secretly forming a cooperation, and finally going together to fight the Nanyue people.

This plan will surely succeed!

"Yes."

After exchanging glances, the two men simultaneously bowed to the Duke of Zhangping. (End of Chapter)