Frost for a Thousand Years

At this moment, at the Song family's ancestral home.

The old emperor sat in the main hall, and kneeling before him on one knee was Shen Kang, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Like Zuo Ziliang before him, Shen Kang was also a member of the imperial family, the son of a princess. However, unlike Zuo Ziliang, who was his grandson, Shen Kang was the son of the emperor's sister.

This is the special nature of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Imperial power is like a grand edifice.

The foundation of the building rests on the Wei clan, and its apex is the emperor.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard was one of the many pillars.

When the Great Yu Empire collapsed, they absolutely perished along with it. Therefore, generally speaking, their loyalty was beyond question, even surpassing that of the princes who were not the crown prince.

Therefore, Zuo Ziliang's previous mistake can almost be described as unforgivable, and was undoubtedly a betrayal.

That sentence, "I admire him."

It saved Zuo Ziliang's life.

This also shows that as long as Song Shi'an is still around, Zuo Ziliang will have almost no way to replace Shen Kang as the top leader.

The advantage is that he can survive no matter who comes to power.

"Did Lian Song's death frighten you?"

The emperor's single sentence instilled a sense of fear and oppressive power in Shen Kang.

Immediately, he slammed his head heavily on the floor and cried out, "Your Majesty, I know my crime!"

"So you knowingly committed a crime?"

Although the emperor was in the deep palace and said he didn't care about the crown prince and had completely relinquished power, he couldn't completely ignore the country, so he was fully aware of everything.

His eyes were fixed on every corner of the empire.

Shen Kang's actions could already be considered as those of a child emperor.

"Your Majesty, I beg you to punish me!" Shen Kang dared to act sloppily with the Crown Prince, but he dared not act sloppily in front of the Emperor, so he directly admitted his mistake.

"Raise your head," the emperor said, extending his hand.

"Yes." Shen Kang looked at the emperor tremblingly.

"Lian Song died on the road, because of whom?" the emperor asked.

"On the surface, it was his incompetence that caused the chaos in the military farms," ​​Shen Kang said. "In reality, it was due to the disagreements between Song Shi'an and His Highness the Crown Prince regarding political affairs."

The Crown Prince won; Song Shi'an lost power.

Song Shi'an won, and the Crown Prince lost some of his power.

The death of Lian Song is one manifestation of the loss of power.

"What do you think?" the emperor asked.

"Your Majesty is my henchman and my claws, and I dare not presume to discuss state affairs. I will do whatever Your Majesty commands," Shen Kang said.

"But I don't have much time left," the emperor said sternly. "You should do whatever the Crown Prince tells you to do."

"..." Shen Kang swallowed hard and solemnly promised, "Your Majesty, I am willing to die for His Highness the Crown Prince to atone for his sins!"

Finally, the emperor's expression softened somewhat.

"Shen Kang." Gazing at this Imperial Guard who had served him for most of his life, the Emperor said, "The Crown Prince is still young, but he won't stay young forever. He is no longer as naive as he once was."

"Your Highness is forever wise and forever right. It was I who had selfish thoughts!" Shen Kang's eyes couldn't help but redden.

"No." The emperor shook his head and said with a smile, "I assure you that he can protect you. And you will never be the next Lian Song."

The Crown Prince's real problem wasn't that he lost a lot, but that he lost miserably.

Because it was so tragic, Lian Song had to take the blame with his own head.

It was precisely because Shen Kang saw this that he wavered and dared not break ties with Song Shi'an, thus failing to monitor and counter him from the perspective of someone in a high position.

How can we ensure that the Crown Prince doesn't suffer a crushing defeat?

"Your Majesty," Shen Kang said sincerely, "Song Shi'an is indeed talented, and land reclamation is a national policy of the Great Yu. However, under no circumstances should he bully the monarch and bring shame upon His Highness the Crown Prince in front of the world. I feel extremely guilty and ashamed for failing to share His Highness's burden in this matter!"

Even if Song Shi'an did 9,990 things right, there was one thing he did wrong that was to coerce the emperor.

“Song Shi Anzhong was from Dayu, not the emperor,” the emperor said.

"But without an emperor, there would be no Great Yu," Shen Kang said forcefully. "He either chooses to be loyal to the emperor or he chooses to disappear."

The conflict is now irreconcilable.

Although the emperor was involved in every step of this process.

Even without him doing these things, Song Shi'an would still be the powerful and loyal minister of the Great Yu, who was independent of any party or group, and even without a ruler or father.

Like Bai Qi, like Huo Guang, like Yue Fei.

They are indeed great.

But the emperor could not tolerate it.

"His achievements are too great to be erased," the emperor said. "The Great Yu still needs to maintain its most basic dignity."

"Yes," Shen Kang said. "No matter what, we will never harm Lord Song's life."

"Not even a single hair can be lost," the emperor said sternly.

"Yes!"

So, the emperor's meaning is quite clear.

Remove all power from Song Shi'an and Wei Wusheng.

But no one was punished.

Even so, it cannot affect the Song family's wealth and status.

At most, members of the Song clan and their descendants will no longer be able to participate in the core decision-making of the empire.

"What he ultimately wants is up to them," the emperor said. "Before that, send someone to do one thing."

After the emperor finished speaking, a eunuch came out.

In his hands were four imperial edicts.

After a moment of surprise, Shen Kang raised his hands and accepted the imperial edicts.

He knew the emperor was about to make a move.

In fact, the Crown Prince is now overseeing the country, so it can be said that the Crown Prince's orders are no different from imperial edicts, and can be used to command and mobilize at will.

But why was it an imperial edict instead of a crown prince's decree?
The emperor must take action personally.

He personally took the blame for the crown prince.

Take on all this ugliness and indecentness.

All the Crown Prince will need to do then is enjoy the practical benefits his father will gain from losing face.

And, play the good cop.

"Four imperial edicts, personally delivered by four Imperial Guards, will be sent to the four military settlements to completely strip Wei Wusheng of his military power," the emperor said coldly.

The empire's army can only be mobilized for two things.

Tiger Talisman.

Wei Wusheng had done nothing wrong; he was a military general appointed by the court to oversee agricultural settlements, and his tiger tally was of course valid for mobilizing troops.

Imperial decree.

Even without the tiger tally, the imperial edict is present, and the commander-in-chief is not present; naturally, he can control everything.

A turning point in the development of the empire is about to arrive.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Shen Kang knew he had no other choice.

This matter must be done well.

If he doesn't do a good job, he'll lose his head.

They might even be accused of "falsely conveying imperial edicts."

However, he was not afraid.

After this incident, I will surely be protected by the royal family.

Such a breach of trust with the world will cause the court's credibility to plummet to rock bottom in a short period of time.

The empire will also enter a dark age in which the emperor, along with his nobles and powerful families, completely dominates.

The Great Yu Dynasty had no chance of unifying the world.

What are the benefits?
The dynasty will last for at least several more generations.

"Go back."

"My minister retire."

Shen Kang went down to work. After he left, the emperor's expression gradually became serious.

That dream must have been shattered by myself.

Since Wei Wusheng and Song Shi'an's power has completely fallen into the hands of the Crown Prince, the struggle for the throne will no longer be in doubt.

"When a man is about to die, his words are good."

The emperor gave a bitter smile and murmured.

He truly never imagined that the 'reputation' he valued so much would be so completely abandoned in order to protect his son...

Was he a good father, not a good emperor?

.........

Such a selfish father, yet he went to such lengths for himself.

The crown prince couldn't help but feel a little moved.

Moreover, it wasn't just a passing fancy.

He may have made this decision as early as a year ago.

Otherwise, why would he allow himself to completely hand over military and political power to An Sheng?
The Emperor had already planned this out: after they completed the large-scale land reclamation project for him, he would use his imperial power to replace them on his deathbed.

Ultimately, all power was transferred to his son.

This land reclamation ceremony was also part of his plan.

From this day forward, there will be no more peace.

However, there is peace.

“Shi An is right, Ji Yuan’s desire to destroy us has never died,” the Crown Prince said. “This time, he personally led an army of 100,000, and deliberately stirred up trouble while our garrison was reaping a good harvest. It seems he won’t give up until he takes down Beiliang.”

"What are Your Highness's plans?" Song Shi'an asked.

“General Xiao Qun has been preparing in Liangzhou for a year and a half, and Huai County has a bumper harvest with abundant grain and provisions. Even if Ji Yuan comes with great force, we are not afraid,” the Crown Prince said with considerable confidence.

“Your Highness,” Song Shi’an said proactively, “Although war is imminent, I believe that the military farming should not be disrupted. The grain and military supplies in the north are currently sufficient. I think the military farming ceremony should continue, and the harvesting of grain and business with merchants should proceed at a leisurely pace.”

“That’s right.” The Crown Prince nodded and said, “I was wrong before, but I won’t be wrong now. I won’t change people easily until this matter is over. After all, the merchants and common people trust you, Song Shi’an, not the Huai County government.”

“Your Highness, once the grain distribution to the people is fair and settled, the people will surely trust the government and the court in the future,” Song Shi’an said hastily, fearing that he would be flattered.

"That's natural, but it's also your achievement," the Crown Prince said cheerfully.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

“I should be the one thanking you,” the Crown Prince said. “But I can’t just thank you verbally.”

While Song Shi'an was somewhat confused, the Crown Prince said, "I have already submitted a memorial to His Majesty, and I will personally appoint you as the Governor of Sizhou for this grand ceremony of military colonization."

The 22-year-old regional governor has arrived.

There are only six prefectures in the entire Dayu, and Song Shi'an is going to occupy one of them.

However, this position is very delicate.

The concept of a municipality directly under the central government did not exist in Dayu; the capital of Sizhou was Sheng'an.

The magistrate of Sheng'an was directly under the emperor's jurisdiction.

In the remaining prefectures, the commanders were all officials directly under the imperial court.

The governor only had administrative power.

However, Huai County, a unit under the jurisdiction of Sizhou, had long exceeded the scope of authority of a county and was classified as a "national-level new area" with secondary fiscal authority.

Therefore, in terms of the power and authority associated with the position, this governor can only be considered a T2 among all governors.

Of course, they are also high-ranking officials with real power.

"Then, Your Highness, what about the military farms in Huai County?" Song Shi'an inquired.

The Crown Prince wanted to clear himself of the matter, and he understood this clearly.

"From now on, you will be in charge of Changqing, and he will take charge of it," the Crown Prince said with a smile.

To be honest, Song Shi'an really felt at ease letting Ye Changqing come.

If it were a while ago, anyone who accepted it would have failed.

The company has already achieved results in the first year and made up for the funding gap. It will soon start to turn a profit. With Ye Changqing's talent, even if he is inevitably corrupted by powerful families, he will not be too corrupt in the short term.

“If it is Lord Changqing, Shi’an is very reassured.” Song Shi’an smiled slightly.

How could you accept it so readily...?

The crown prince was somewhat surprised and nervous at the same time.

Could it be that he already foresaw what his father was going to do?
"Shi'an, in this land reclamation project, your Song clan members have all moved to other counties, and in order to fully support the land reclamation, many of your family's tenant farmers have been separated." The Crown Prince said with great sympathy, "Next year, I will hold a special imperial examination for candidates. Those Song clan members who support the land reclamation project but have not yet passed the examination, as long as they prepare well for the exam, the court will not treat them unfairly."

When these words were spoken, even the crown prince felt somewhat speechless.

Song Shi'an is a man who tricked his clansmen into believing they were from Qi. Would he care about such a petty gain?
Moreover, this is more or less the kind of conformity he hates most.

He was prepared to be rejected...

"Thank you, Your Highness," Song Shi'an said with a smile. "I was previously cornered in the ancestral hall by my clansmen who wanted to punish me according to family law, saying I was an unfilial son. If Your Highness could take care of my Song family members, it would truly be a great help."

They actually agreed?

The crown prince was quite surprised.

At the same time, they realized that Song Shi'an must have sensed the crisis!

Wait a minute, how did Father's intentions get exposed?
The action to strip military personnel of their power has not even begun!

No.

The prince suddenly realized the truth.

Song Shi'an had long known that his power would be taken away on the day of the land reclamation ceremony.

Then why did he still do it?

Why did he threaten to resign and then return to office?

This is completely unreasonable.

There is only one explanation: he genuinely wanted to bring this land reclamation project to a successful conclusion.

He had no selfish motives.

With this in mind, the crown prince made up his mind.

Even if An Sheng is separated, Song Shi'an can still serve as the prime minister of Da Yu.

He will definitely protect this person.

The key to the problem lies with Wei Wusheng.

"Wusheng and you too have made invaluable contributions to the large-scale agricultural development project," the Crown Prince praised.

"Your Highness, I simply followed Shi An's instructions," Wei Wusheng said modestly.

“Strict military discipline, with superiors setting an example for subordinates, is something not everyone can accomplish,” the Crown Prince said. “But I hope that you will not only manage the army, but also govern the country on my behalf.”

"Your Highness is mistaken. I am filled with trepidation..." Wei Wusheng lowered his head and said cautiously.

“No, you are fully worthy,” the Crown Prince said sincerely. “I have also advised His Majesty that at the ceremony of the military colonization, you should be formally enfeoffed as the Prince of Qin and appointed as the Minister of the Imperial Clan to manage all affairs of the imperial clan.”

Song Shi'an was a first-rank official, and for the time being, he was still a powerful regional official.

Wei Wusheng's "superior rank" was purely an honorary title.

Of course, the position of Zongzheng (宗正) is extremely prestigious.

When the emperor dies, the country is in danger, and there is a crisis of division, he is qualified to step forward and establish an emperor.

But in normal times, he has no real power.

The prince has revealed his hand.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Wei Wusheng naturally accepted it.

They didn't even ask a single extra question.

The crown prince was very pleased because they had made the right choice and had not caused him any trouble.

Moreover, there are absolutely no problems with the program itself.

Even though they were stripped of their real power, they were still promoted, and Song Shi'an's title of 'prefect' was a genuine regional governor.

If it ended here, it would be a wonderful ending.

But the most crucial problem has not yet been solved.

"Shi An, Wu Sheng."

After calling out those two names, the Crown Prince's expression gradually turned serious, and he said very solemnly, "There's something I haven't told you yet, but Qin Kuo, the Prefect of Shuojun, and General Dangbei have been impeached by many people, suspected of disobeying orders and establishing their own regime." (End of Chapter)