Frost for a Thousand Years

Song Shi'an's army gradually arrived outside the valley and set up camp along the river.

Meanwhile, the 15,000 soldiers in the valley remained motionless, constructing fortifications in place.

At the same time, a grain transport route and a water pipeline were built inside and outside the valley.

The grain transport route resembled a one-way fast passage, with stones piled on both sides and wooden beams supporting it. Soldiers would then transport grain through this passage.

The grain was delivered during the day and returned by the grain carts at night.

The water pipes were even more ingenious, using thick bamboo tubes, each about five meters long. Utilizing the difference in elevation and the principle of a waterwheel, water from the riverbank could be automatically diverted to a valley several miles away along a horizontal channel.

In this way, it is possible to resupply almost endlessly.

Moreover, the grain transport routes and water pipes were very secure and difficult to damage. Even if barbarians sneaked up the mountain and threw stones down, they would be unable to cause any damage. Even if they were lucky enough to attack the water pipes, they could be quickly replaced.

The Duke of Zhangping was somewhat stunned as he watched the thousands of workers and soldiers brought by Song Shi'an busily carrying out large-scale infrastructure construction.

Having lived in the south for so long, he suddenly felt somewhat disoriented.

Has Sheng'an really developed into this state?
Zhou Cheng, the Director of the Military Selection Department, introduced to the Duke of Zhangping: "These are the soldiers of the Ministry of Works proposed by the young Grand Secretary. These people are completely subordinate to the Ministry of Works and are responsible for cooperating with the Ministry of War in combat."

"How is this different from the auxiliary soldiers of the past?" asked the Duke of Zhangping.

“The auxiliary soldiers are soldiers who provide support. Although they are also responsible for building bridges and roads, they are not professionals. In fact, they are composed of soldiers who are not elite troops. The engineers of the Ministry of Works are selected from middle-aged and young soldiers who are skilled in woodworking, earthwork, tile making, and masonry. They are only responsible for paving roads and building bridges, and establishing fortified towns and post stations. They have no combat duties,” Zhou Cheng said.

After being given the explanation, the Duke of Zhangping looked at these people again, his expression gradually becoming serious: "Although the number of people is not large, their efficiency is extremely high, no less than that of tens of thousands of people working at the same time."

"Of course, some transportation and excavation work still has to be done by soldiers and laborers," Zhou Cheng added.

In other words, it means assigning the simplest tasks to everyone.

The most ingenious work is done quickly by professionals.

Meanwhile, the main force of the Imperial Guard and the Border Army were only responsible for combat.

This allows those who are capable to conserve their energy and focus entirely on the battle.

This allows laborers and soldiers, who rely solely on brute force, to maximize their practical skills.

The engineer role is even more ingenious.

Infrastructure construction is actually very dangerous, and people can die at any time, but not in battle can provide these people with the greatest psychological protection.

The longer these people work and the longer they live, the more skilled they become.

The establishment of the Six Ministries was just like the national policy of "military agricultural settlements" that Song Shi'an had previously vigorously promoted.

This man is doing something unimaginable.

That is to make everyone in Dayu dedicate everything to his grand ambition.

"Song Shi'an is truly a genius."

The Duke of Zhangping gave this young man extremely high praise.

In fact, he knew that these ideas were not difficult; the difficulty lay in how to actually implement them.

Did Your Majesty not know back then that by giving him such a push, Yizhou would really riot, many people would die, and the foundation of the Great Yu's rule would be shaken?
He must know.

However, when people from Yangzhou, Qinzhou, Qi, Northern Yan, and Southern Yue each possess their own will and the strength to challenge others, the only way to avoid compromise is to overturn the table.

Everyone knows that the people of Yangzhou were able to solve the food problem in Yizhou and end the locust plague. But if they really accepted this good intention and invited the guests in, would they be able to invite them out again?
Zhou Cheng could only accept such praise with a forced smile.

Just then, a military officer under the Duke of Zhangping arrived. After bowing to him and Zhou Cheng, he whispered, "Duke, the brothers have some ideas..."

"Everything will proceed according to the young Grand Secretary's arrangements. You only need to obey orders," the Duke of Zhangping interrupted directly.

The current troop deployment is as follows: the vanguard is stationed inside the valley, commanded by the Duke of Zhangping; the central army is stationed outside the valley, with Song Shi'an in command.

All military orders were issued by Song Shi'an's Ministry of War.

In other words, the command center was Song Shi'an and his staff (general staff).

However, whatever decision Song Shi'an made, he would discuss it with the Duke of Zhangping and some senior generals.

After all, this army was not entirely composed of imperial guards, and Song Shi'an could not truly rule alone.

In fact, even religions in ancient times could not be ruled by a single authority.

Therefore, when making certain military decisions, in order to achieve the desired effect, what is more important than individual brilliance and talent is the overall command of the army, the coordination of factions, and the achievement of unity of purpose and obedience to orders.

"General, Duke." Seeing his reaction, Zhou Cheng quickly said, "The young Grand Secretary hopes that all generals will offer any good strategies or different opinions. Everything is for the sake of the Great Yu."

How could Zhou Cheng not understand?
He accompanied the Duke of Zhangping on a tour of the Ministry of Works' infrastructure. At that moment, a general came over and asked a question. Wasn't this a way of conveying the Duke of Zhangping's question through his words?

Moreover, the Duke of Zhangping was able to extricate himself from the matter, making a clean break and appearing even more detached from worldly affairs.

"Then let's have a proper talk with Lord Zhou," said the Duke of Zhangping.

"Yes." The general then said, "Lord Zhou, what we want to ask is that Shamogi isn't that strong, and his allies aren't really loyal to him. Our army is already in position, so why not launch a direct attack? Won't this waiting make Shamogi and his men... even more united? And, wouldn't all the internal problems of the Southern Yue Kingdom be resolved in the process?"

His implication was that Qiu Juhuan was now fighting with all his might.

If this drags on any longer, what if Samoji kills him?
With Qiu Juhuan dead, the Southern Yue Kingdom will no longer have any power capable of rivaling Shamoji.

Don't be fooled by the fact that some kings are quite rude to Shamogi and even dare to take advantage of him. That's because Qiu Juhuan, their biggest threat, is still around. Shamogi isn't absolutely invincible, so they can still be somewhat controlled.

If Qiu Juhuan is killed, Shamogi will quickly revitalize Southern Vietnam, unite the two countries, and fight against Song Shi'an.

Do not underestimate the determination of these barbarian kings to resist the Song Dynasty.

If Song Shi'an doesn't come, they will indeed have to be Shamoji's underlings.

But if Song Shi'an comes in, then we'll have no choice but to be his dogs.

Besides, being a dog isn't so easy.

These Central Plains people are so damn wicked. They don't want to turn everyone into dogs at all. Instead, they take in a few of the most loyal dogs, fatten them up, and then make them work as other dogs.

The purpose was to reduce the number of dogs and decrease their threat to the Central Plains.

They've been practicing the art of diplomacy for so many years, they've long since developed PTSD.

"Oh, that's the matter," Zhou Cheng said. "I can give the general a reply without needing to ask you, Young Master."

"Please enlighten me, sir," the general said respectfully.

"The young Grand Secretary is waiting for General Ran Jin and Lord Ye Changqing. After they have regrouped the troops in Yizhou, we will launch our attack southward," he said. "With two forces advancing simultaneously, we are sure to achieve a great victory!"

Upon hearing this, the general exclaimed in sudden realization, "I see!"

“I’ve already told them that the young Grand Secretary has his own plans. Just tell them and do it accordingly,” said the Duke of Zhangping. “The young Grand Secretary has won far more battles than you have.”

"Yes!" With that, the military officer withdrew.

The Duke of Zhangping also looked over, and Zhou Cheng smiled at him.

Zhou Cheng then reported the matter to Song Shi'an exactly as it was told.

“The Duke isn’t unaware of my true intentions; he simply needs a response to appease his subordinates,” Song Shi’an said. “He can’t say those things directly; only we can answer them.”

The Duke of Zhangping's title far surpasses Song Shi'an's, and now that he has become Song Shi'an's vanguard general, his subordinates naturally feel threatened, hence their somewhat discontent. This is quite normal.

When General Su was commanding a large army, there was some resistance at first, and he often fell into the deepest loneliness. However, because he had strong support, he suppressed all those contradictions and concerns.

Thus, the famous saying "Chen (referring to aged grain) and millet (referring to aged grain) are inseparable" came about.

The only difference is that the Duke of Zhangping now wants to settle down smoothly, keep a low profile, and not participate in these factional struggles. Therefore, he does not want to make certain promises or take sides, nor does he want to show that he and Song Shi'an are a powerful duo.

After all, what Song Shi'an was about to do was a monumental undertaking that, if successful, would bring him eternal fame, but if he failed, would result in the extermination of his entire clan and subsequent reckoning.

For him, not opposing is equivalent to supporting.

“But General Ran’s side also quickly got into position,” Zhou Cheng said hesitantly. “Isn’t this a bit too risky?”

"Do not."

Song Shi'an smiled slightly and replied, "Some things are coincidental, seemingly coincidental, but in reality, they are inevitable."

"What does Your Excellency mean?"

"That's right, just wait."

.........

"King Qiu, good news!"

An envoy from the Central Plains, dressed in plain robes, rushed to Qiu Juhuan's royal court and said excitedly.

Qiu Juhuan immediately stood up and asked excitedly, "Has King Song arrived?!"

The unofficial title "King Song" refers to Song Shi'an.

Similar to the Heavenly Khan of the Hu people.

These barbarians love to do things like randomly crowning people.

Because their kings are everywhere.

It's like how Shamogi bestowed the title of 'King of Zhang' upon the Duke of Zhangping.

Qiu Juhuan also bestowed upon Song Shi'an the title of Heavenly King, a rank below His Majesty and above the vassal kings.

This demonstrates their absolute submission.

“My young master has joined forces with the Duke of Zhangping and set up camp in front of the North Gate. They are ready to attack at any time,” he said.

"I don't mean I can attack anytime, I mean I want to attack now!" King Qiu said urgently. "That Samoyed is like a dog, constantly biting me. And didn't they say that as long as King Song's army is at the city gates, those tribal kings will withdraw their troops? Why haven't they withdrawn yet!"

Logically speaking, Shamogi's allied forces should indeed withdraw their troops.

After all, people are naturally inclined to seek advantage and avoid harm.

However, when it came to implementation, they did not retreat immediately.

Because the fighting on Samoyed's side was indeed very effective. After receiving orders (messages) from the front, the kings and generals who followed Samoyed chose to continue fighting.

This was not disobeying orders, but a subjective decision made amidst a disagreement between the ruler and his subjects.

Why does it often happen that generals in the field disobey the orders of the emperor?

Because only those on the front lines truly understand the situation.

Samoyed is truly capable of completely leveling Kyushu.

Given enough time.

"King Qiu, please calm down!" the envoy said solemnly. "My young Grand Secretary is not refusing to send troops, but is waiting for Yizhou to incorporate the remaining troops of the Duke of Zhangping before launching a simultaneous attack. With a two-pronged attack, that wicked queen will surely be caught between two sides and flee without a fight!"

“Time, oh time,” Qiu Juhuan said. “My men are dying every day, and tribes are being lost one after another.”

"Three days, just three more days!" the envoy said earnestly. "After three days, we will surely begin the siege!"

"..." Qiu Juhuan had no choice but to grit his teeth and clench his fists. "King Song, I've staked my life on you. You can't sell me out!"

"King Qiu, you must launch a counterattack! Retreating and defending all the time will only demoralize your troops!"

Qiu Juhuan had no other choice but to continue to fight against the South Vietnamese allies and relentlessly confront Samoi.

He also had intelligence and inside contacts, and knew what was happening at the front and whether Song Shi'an had actually made a move.

Three days later, and a few days later, there was still no news of Song Shi'an attacking the city.

He wanted to question the messenger, but the messenger sent him 500 gold coins and said that the young Grand Secretary had already launched a fierce attack in some areas, and that he should wait for good news.

With no other option, he could only continue to hold out, personally leading his elite confidants in a fierce battle against Samoyed.

Five more days passed, but there was still no movement from Beiguan.

He was about to confront the messenger, but the messenger said it was because his information was inadequate; a few days earlier, Song Shi'an's army had launched a general offensive. The evidence, he said, was that one of the allied forces attacking Qiu Juhuan had already withdrawn.

He believed it.

So, another five days passed.

More than half a month passed between the two trips.

Damn it, there's still not a single piece of news about the fierce fighting at the front!
His territory has been reduced by half, and nearly 40% of his people have died.

Of course, the Allied casualties were also very heavy, especially the main force of Samoi, whose corpses were piled up as high as a city.

"Your Majesty, what is Song Shi'an dawdling about?" His subordinates finally couldn't hold back any longer and rushed over, their faces covered in blood and wounds.

"What are you dawdling about?" Qiu Juhuan roared. "He hasn't even considered resolving the matter of our survival!"

"Huh? Then why did he send gold to the King and secretly send him intelligence? He even warned us to be careful of Shamogi's impending move... and Shamogi actually did make his move." The subordinate asked, puzzled.

"You idiot, do you think Song Shi'an is a good person? He only got rid of Shamoji for me so that I could become the King of Nanyue?"

Qiu Juhuan was so angry that his face was contorted with rage. He roared, "Song Shi'an never intended for anyone to replace Shamoji. He just wanted us to fight like dogs until both sides became useless, just like those tribal chiefs. Then he would take advantage of the situation to enter the pass and take us all as his dogs!"

"..." The subordinate suddenly realized, not expecting Song Shi'an to be so insidious. "So we're just going to be manipulated by him?"

"What else? If we don't resist now, Samoyed can skin us alive, he won't even spare our earthworms, he'll split them all horizontally!"

It can only be said that under the scheme of Song Shi'an, a selfish and despicable man, Chen Huo was prescient, Sha Moji was unaware, and Qiu Juhuan was only aware after the fact.

Those who are prescient and insightful will at least not have a bad ending.

Those who were unaware of the danger were killed instantly.

Those who are slow to realize the danger will be drained of their life force by Song Shi'an until they are skin and bones. After defeating the brother tribe, they will be kicked out without hesitation—sorry, I don't have such trashy brothers.

His subordinates were already in despair, not knowing what the future held.

At this moment, Song Shi'an's messenger rushed in, excitedly proclaiming, "King Qiu, the northern pass is about to fall!"

Qiu Juhuan clenched his fist, almost raising it, but restrained himself and lowered it: "You'd better be!" (End of Chapter)