Frost for a Thousand Years

"Wei Yixun, why are you so excited?"

In the Song family's old residence, the emperor, sitting in a chair, saw the ten-year-old Prince of Changsha happily twirling and waving a straight wooden stick in the courtyard, and asked him with a smile.

"Father," Wei Yixun stopped, and said with particular excitement, "I heard that the Monkey King will be there at today's land reclamation ceremony."

As soon as he finished speaking, the little eunuch standing next to him became a little nervous.

After all, this title is widely circulated among the common people and represents an idol in the hearts of countless people, but this is the royal family. The person in front of us is the real 'Son of Heaven'.

The Monkey King, wouldn't even the emperor be his son in comparison?
But the emperor didn't care at all, after all, this was his youngest son, so he said with a kind and benevolent expression, "It's that Sun Wukong, isn't it?"

"Father, have you also read 'Journey to the West'?" Wei Yixun asked curiously, as if he had found a kindred spirit.

"Father has only heard that the people of Dayu are reading this divine book." The emperor stretched out his hand and said, "Then tell your father what the 'Great Sage Equal to Heaven' is."

So Wei Yixun sat on the emperor's lap and began to recount the story with great interest: "Since Father hasn't seen it, let's start from the beginning, when the Monkey King jumped out of the crack in the rock."

"Very well, let's see how well you've learned your lessons, and whether you can perform on the street like a storyteller," the emperor joked.

Wei Ye was a very strict emperor, and he was extremely demanding of his sons.

If this were said to the other princes, they would surely tremble with fear: "Your subject knows his mistake and will never read such miscellaneous books again. He will definitely listen to the Master's words and read the books of sages and worthies."

But his aging and Wei Yixun's growth occurred almost simultaneously.

He showed the most loving and fatherly side to this young son who had no responsibility for the affairs of the nation.

This is the kind of happiness that even the King of Jin and the King of Wu could never experience in their entire lives when they talked about you.

Wei Yixun spoke, and the emperor listened attentively.

The father and son spent their time together quietly in the warm autumn sunshine.

"Of all these stories, which one about the 'Monkey King' do you like the most?" the emperor asked.

"Father, your son loves to cause havoc in the Heavenly Palace the most," Wei Yixun said with considerable pride.

"Why?" the emperor asked curiously.

"Because Sun Wukong is very powerful. He single-handedly turned the Heavenly Court upside down, and none of the heavenly soldiers and generals could do anything to him," Wei Yixun said.

“Except for the Buddha,” the emperor said with a smile.

"Buddha is too powerful, he was able to suppress the Great Sage Equal to Heaven under the Five Fingers Mountain..." At this point, Wei Yixun said with some frustration, "The journey to the West is also very interesting, but Yixun feels uncomfortable."

"why?"

"The mighty Great Sage was rendered helpless by just one spell on the headband," Wei Yixun said, quite displeased. "That Tang Sanzang, clearly just a mortal, didn't even believe the Great Sage and was deceived by demons many times. He's utterly despicable."

"Yeah, that Tang Sanzang is really muddleheaded..."

The emperor raised his head and sighed.

"Father, why are you unhappy?" Wei Yixun noticed the emperor's mood and asked.

"Because I also admire the Monkey King." With a slight smile, the emperor murmured to himself, "Come to think of it, I also have a Monkey King."

"Huh? Father Emperor has one too..."

"Your Majesty, shall we depart for the military colony ceremony?"

At this moment, Wei Le, the commander of the Imperial Guards, came over, knelt on one knee, and reported with his hands clenched into fists.

"Okay, let's go."

After the emperor patted Wei Yixun's head, he was helped to his feet by a eunuch.

Standing to the side, Wei Yixun was very curious to know who his father's Sun Wukong was.

Can he have eyes that can see through anything, be indestructible, and travel 108,000 miles in a single somersault?

But he didn't dare to ask, because he could tell that his father was feeling sad...

……

"Greetings, Your Highness Prince Jin."

When the eunuch saw that the Prince of Jin had come in person, he quickly went over and bowed to him.

"Hmm." Prince Jin nodded slightly.

Then, the eunuch looked at him, then at Wei Yiyuan, and cautiously asked, "Your Highness, was the play 'Three Battles with the White Bone Demon' presented by His Highness Prince Zhongping, or by either of your Highnesses...?"

Upon realizing that his credit was about to be taken away, Wei Yiyuan immediately became nervous.

“It belongs to Prince Zhongping, it all belongs to Prince Zhongping.” Prince Jin knew what the boy was resentful about, so he jokingly said in an impatient tone, “I didn’t contribute any money or manpower, how could I possibly take such credit?”

"Second Brother is joking, Second Brother is joking." Wei Yiyuan breathed a sigh of relief, then said with a grin.

"You all go about your business. The banquet must be strictly managed, and there must be no mistakes," Prince Jin said to the eunuchs.

"Yes, this servant will do my utmost," the eunuch said, bowing his head.

"Yiyuan, come with me."

As he spoke, the Prince of Jin tried to drag Wei Yiyuan away.

"Hey, second brother? I'm still acting..."

"come on."

Unable to resist the King of Jin's coercion, Wei Yiyuan was taken away from here.

Only the actors from the "Journey to the West" opera troupe remained, staring blankly ahead.

The Great Sage gripped his golden cudgel behind his back, the autumn wind making his monkey hair tremble like wild grass. Beneath his skin, a pair of deep-set black eyes stared intently at the Prince of Jin's retreating figure...

"Second brother, what's the matter that's so urgent?"

After boarding the Prince of Jin's carriage, Wei Yiyuan asked, quite puzzled.

"Right now, all your thoughts are focused on making the old man happy," Prince Jin glared at him, asking speechlessly, "Is that right?"

Wei Yiyuan, who had been quite nonchalant, smiled slightly after being questioned so seriously by his second brother. He opened the carriage curtain, made sure it was safe, and then looked at Prince Jin, asking, "Second brother, who is the old man?"

"..." The Prince of Jin was taken aback, then said, "Of course, he is wise and powerful, and decisive and efficient."

“Moreover, he is someone who absolutely does not trust others,” Wei Yiyuan said.

"Everyone knows that."

"So," Wei Yiyuan leaned closer and whispered, "he'll hand us over to Fourth Brother so he can handle it after he takes the throne. Or was it all arranged while the old man was still alive?"

Both the Prince of Jin and the Crown Prince are excellent.

If the old man had confidence in them, he would have given them complete control long ago.

It was precisely because the emperor was certain of what the future of the country would be like, and that future emperors would be unable to stabilize the court, that he acted so arbitrarily.

All his sons are useless, only he is good.

"Could it be that he intends to settle things with us at this land reclamation ceremony?" Prince Jin's heart leaped into his throat.

"Huh? Why do you think that?" Wei Yiyuan asked, completely bewildered.

"Then tell me first, how do you think His Majesty will deal with us in the end?" Prince Jin asked.

“Sort out Second Brother’s subordinates, and then sort out Second Brother’s brothers.” Wei Yiyuan said calmly, “Sort out Second Brother’s subordinates, we’ve already done that. Now, we’ll sort out Second Brother’s brothers.”

"Dismantle us? How can you do that?" the King of Jin asked.

The Prince of Jin had many brothers, but only Wei Yiyuan was an open member of the Prince of Jin's faction.

If anything needs to be demolished, it should be this one.

“Second Brother, you are from a noble family. Although you have been stripped of your power, your prestige and lineage remain,” Wei Yiyuan said with a self-deprecating laugh. “As for me, if you break it down, I have no supporters or followers. Therefore, you pose a greater threat.”

“Therefore, it is impossible for me to leave the capital,” said the Prince of Jin.

“The princes of Dayu do not have fiefdoms, but the practice of enfeoffing princes still exists,” Wei Yiyuan said with a smile. “If I really have to leave Sheng’an, I hope to go to a prosperous place with warm springs and beautiful ladies, and live as a carefree prince.”

So keeping the old man happy is crucial to his happiness in the second half of his life.

“Didn’t we say before that as long as we’re together, even if we do nothing, we’ll still have a chance?” Prince Jin asked, gripping his arm and somewhat angrily.

“I did say that before, but that was under the condition that the land reclamation was not so successful,” Wei Yiyuan said. “Now that the land reclamation is so successful, without the slightest flaw, what opportunity is there left?”

Indeed. They had considered the possibility of establishing military settlements.

But what they hope for is that the balance of the Great Yu remains unchanged.

But now, aristocratic families are being killed like dogs, and nobles who disobey will also be killed like dogs. These princes who once fought for the throne are also being killed like dogs if they are not obedient.

"By the way, Second Brother, why are you in such a hurry?" Wei Yiyuan asked suspiciously.

"Hua Zheng was summoned by the Crown Prince and has not returned yet," Prince Jin said grimly, lowering his head.

Wei Yiyuan's eyes widened, and he became somewhat nervous: "Why did it have to differentiate at this particular time..."

Why not try to win over East China University of Political Science and Law now?

Both of them started to panic.

"Our secrets are quite known to East China University of Political Science and Law as well."

After the Prince of Jin reminded him again, Wei Yiyuan became even more flustered.

The two brothers fell into a long, long silence inside the car.

.........

"Your Highness, this is the list of all those who participated in the banquet, along with their seating arrangements."

Xishan presented the list of officials and military officers who participated in the land reclamation ceremony to the Crown Prince.

The crown prince took the document from the table and examined it.

Below the emperor's throne, on the left and right sides, were the princes.

Below the steps, on the left and right, were the Duke of Li, and a high-ranking official who had accompanied him, an old civil official serving as the Minister of the Imperial Household.

The head of the nobility, and veteran comrades.

"Switch the position of Junior Chamberlain with Song Shi'an," the Crown Prince said.

"Your Highness obeys." After speaking, Xishan paused, then whispered a reminder, "Although Lord Song is highly respected, he is still relatively young and inexperienced, and his rank is only third grade..."

Placing a third-rank official in the first position among civil officials is an excessive show of favoritism.

"This land reclamation ceremony is to promote him to the first rank." The Crown Prince smiled. "Also, doesn't Eunuch Xi remember what happened because of the seating arrangement?"

There is indeed a historical precedent here.

Song Shi'an angrily berated Sun Situ.

That's definitely not someone you should mess with.

"Your Highness is right. I understand and will correct my behavior immediately."

"Hmm." The crown prince continued to look, then casually said, "It's almost done, but we're still missing one person."

"This servant is dull-witted, please enlighten me, Your Highness."

The Crown Prince smiled and handed him the list: "Xin Yue."

.........

Song Shi'an and Xin Yue stayed in their own courtyard, leaning against the recliner, lost in thought and not moving.

According to Xinyue, this is called waiting to die.

We've done everything we could.

The rest are things that cannot be done.

"Tell me, can Ji Yuan unify the world?" Xin Yue turned her head to look at Song Shi'an and asked curiously.

Ji Xiaozi has arrived.

“He just keeps ticking,” Song Shi’an said casually.

"What does 'tick-tock' mean?"

"It's possible for him to unify, but it's impossible for him to unify," Song Shi'an said with considerable disdain. "Since the world was divided, if it were to be unified, it wouldn't be the turn of these few countries."

"Then who can unify them?" Xin Yue asked curiously.

"They could be descendants of the Duke of Li, descendants of Minister Sun, or descendants of a powerful minister from Ji Yuan's side."

"What's the reason?"

"The emperor's cronies have no more titles to bestow."

History is not accidental.

And it is full of inevitability.

The one who ended the Three Kingdoms period was Sima Yi, a powerful minister of the Wei Kingdom; the one who ended the Wei, Jin and Southern and Northern Dynasties period was Yang Jian, a powerful minister of the Northern Zhou Dynasty; the one who ended the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period was Zhao Kuangyin, a powerful minister of the Later Zhou Dynasty; and even the one who ended the warlord separatism of the Northern Warlords was not an old warlord.

The Qin state was unique in that it had no precedent for unification.

“I understand now.” Xin Yue suddenly realized. “Now I understand everything. The emperor saw this pattern before I did, so he can’t tolerate you.”

“Our Xinyue is truly intelligent.”

Song Shi'an was at peace with all of this, so he didn't experience any emotional fluctuations.

"So, in the Emperor's eyes," Xin Yue said with a sigh, "the enemy of the Great Yu has never been the State of Qi."

"Therefore, we must be wary of anyone who shouts that the State of Qi is an enemy and advocates unifying the world."

"You knew it from the beginning."

“The emperor was right about that dream,” Song Shi’an said with a slight smile. “That dream kept him perfectly lucid from beginning to end.”

The question is, what if a powerful minister led a country to prosperity and unified the world? Or what if a dynasty unified the north and south amidst division?

What are the possible outcomes for someone like this?

First, the emperor voluntarily abdicated the throne.

Second, to make the emperor abdicate voluntarily.

Third, he wanted the emperor to abdicate, but he went too far and was slaughtered.

"Young Master, Eunuch Xi requests an audience."

At this moment, San Gou came in and reported.

"Let him in."

Song Shi'an slowly got up from the recliner.

Seeing him putting on such an act, Xin Yue also got up.

The two of them waited for Xishan to arrive in the courtyard.

"Xi Shan greets Lord Fu and Lady Xin Yue."

Xi Shan wished she could kill Song Shi'an a thousand times over, but as a eunuch, she still smiled.

"Grandpa Xi, it's been a long time."

Song Shi'an responded in a very easygoing manner.

However, he harbored no hatred towards him.

After all, their statuses were completely unequal.

His opposite was Wei Yiyun.

"His Highness told me that Lady Xinyue has made great contributions in Beiliang and Yan, and has assisted the Prefect for so long. She should be treated as an honored guest and participate in the land reclamation ceremony," Xishan said. "Furthermore, her seat should be right next to the Prefect."

Even if surrounded, Song Shi'an still had to be on guard.

And this woman is a remarkable woman not to be underestimated.

What the crown prince wanted was absolute centralized power.

After this, even if he really had some assassins hiding in this settlement area, it wouldn't be a problem.

Song Shi'an, however, responded to the Crown Prince's calculated scheme with complete indifference: "Fine." (End of Chapter)