The Song Ends, and Parting Comes (IV)

"We humbly submit that the Holy Dynasty governs the world with filial piety... The court is recruiting talented individuals from Shu Region, intending to transform Shu Region into a second Jiangnan."

" In the Northern Frontier, the teachings emphasize filial piety as one of the eight virtues of a gentleman. It symbolizes the return of spring, the inheritance of ancestral bloodlines, gratitude for the nurturing grace, strengthening the foundation and cultivating the source, stabilizing the foundation of the Way, and healing the wounds of the Way."

Filial piety is the Spring Radiance Heart; the imperial court generously funded the inscription of this law on stone, scattering Spirit Stone stones and materials to spread its teachings throughout the land!

Sima Canglan sat high on the throne, listening to Chief Clerk Li report on the intelligence gathered from the Northern Frontier in recent days, his expression shifting between light and shadow.

"Stop reading it."

Sima Canglan's voice was low and he was increasingly alarmed, a cold smile curving his lips.

"Chengzhao, you little brat, are quite the show-off! Third Brother truly lives up to his title of [Spring] True Lord; his methods are subtle and effective. We wouldn't have known this if we hadn't investigated carefully!"

"With the gentle warmth of spring and the bright sunshine on the outside, and filial piety and virtue shining like spring sunshine on the inside, I've unknowingly done so many things!"

Chief Clerk Li bowed respectfully and said cautiously, "Your Majesty, the ceremony of presenting captives in Luoyang has been approved. However... these barbarians..."

Sima Canglan sneered.

"Barbarians? As I said, we will conscript large numbers of barbarians from Huainan, Jiangnan, and the Ruin Realm areas. If that's not enough, we'll capture some similar-looking barbarians to make up the numbers."

"I have already laid out my conditions, and Luoyang has agreed. That proves that this grand and widely known ceremony of presenting prisoners of war is about to be held!"

Chief Clerk Li's heart tightened.

"Your Majesty, isn't this self-deception, this concealment..."

Sima Canglan looked at him, her gaze cold.

"Deception? That's my ancestral temple, my family's foundation! Am I not a member of the Sima Clan?"

"People in the world only see the surface; if they don't understand, they'll live a mediocre life! Even if they do understand, they dare not speak out."

He stood up and used his Law Power to lift the scroll.

The waterways of the Jianghuai Rivers are densely packed, with countless sails racing, causing some stagnation in the waterways for a time.

The grain and wealth from Jiangnan were being continuously transported north through his hands, and then deployed to the Northern Frontier and Shu Region.

"This emperor, who was stationed in Huainan, plundered resources to support the entire nation. He was highly meritorious and had a tarnished reputation, but the real benefits went to Luoyang."

"He, Sima Chengzhao, a son of a concubine, became famous throughout the land simply by playing a single tune on the zither?"

"Does this man not deserve compensation?! What harm is there in taking more?"

He turned around and looked at Chief Clerk Li.

"Chief Clerk Li, you've served me for so many years, have you ever seen me fail to grasp the situation?"

Chief Clerk Li quickly replied, "Your Majesty's strategic planning and wisdom are extraordinary."

Sima Canglan gave a cold laugh.

"Then it will be done. I want the world to know that the Great Jin not only has Illustrious Martial, but also the loyal Azure Waves of Jianghuai."

Merit is never about how much you've done, but about how much the world knows you've done.

No matter how fiercely Sima Chengzhao fought in the desolate Northern Frontier, how many of the Aristocratic Clan in Luoyang and the common people of the land actually witnessed it? How many of them personally experienced it?

"The ceremony of presenting captives is different."

"At the grand ceremony, prisoners knelt on the ground, banners blotted out the sun, and music shook the heavens. At that time, the world will only remember that it was I, Sima Canglan, who presided over this grand event. It was I, Sima Canglan, who made the barbarians bow down and submit."

"That will also be the time when I achieve the Golden Core stage!"

He paused, then changed the subject, his gaze suddenly turning fierce.

"Lately, I've felt that things aren't going well, and sometimes I can't be compassionate."

Chief Clerk Li was taken aback.

"What does 'Supreme' mean..."

Sima Canglan sneered.

"My second brother is trapped, but he's not dead. His son is a threat; he'll be a menace eventually. Sooner or later, he'll have to be eliminated."

Chief Clerk Li felt a chill run down his spine and quickly replied, "Yes."

The Prince of Wei.

Sima Linxun sat upright at his desk, holding the imperial edict in his hand, reading it carefully word by word.

Hanging on the desk was a line of small characters written by him:

The land is drunk amidst music and song, but who understands the frost that covers the Northern Frontier?

"What exactly is Grandfather plotting...?"

He murmured softly, his gaze fixed on the two characters "Illustrious Martial".

The old servant, who had served him for many years, whispered, "Your Prince of Wei, Prince Illustrious Martial is a rare talent among the imperial family. He is proficient in both literature and martial arts, and he uses the zither to attain enlightenment and defeat enemies with his music."

This great victory is known throughout the land. If the Prince's residence faces any future troubles, it may become a powerful ally.

Sima Linxun smiled gently, raised his eyes, and his gaze was calm.

"Aid?"

"He is my uncle, and I am his nephew. If I need anything, he will come."

The old servant nodded silently.

The Prince of Wei's residence is located in the very heart of Luoyang, comparable to a second central hub. With just a thought, one can overlook the capital.

The city of Luoyang was brightly lit, with the faint sounds of music filling the air, presenting a picture of a prosperous and flourishing era.

Sima Linxun, basking in the city's dazzling lights, murmured softly:

"Linxun was young and had never seen the beauty of the Qinhuai..."

He paused, his voice growing colder.

"I have never seen the snow and wind of Northern Frontier..."

"But knowing that Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on this person, it will test their will, starve their body, leave them destitute, and thwart their endeavors..."

"I have received nothing but the beauty of the world, the kindness of heaven and earth, and the deep gratitude of my relatives. I am Linxun."

It is imperative to accomplish something great and achieve something extraordinary. If Heaven is aware of this, let it serve as a warning and a guiding principle for our grand ambition!

As he spoke, Sima Linxun suddenly laughed, a light laugh that concealed a profound understanding of the ways of the world.

"A royal general who could defend the Northern Frontier and win every battle; a role model who could win over the people, establish authority, and silence the world."

"This person cannot be me. I am too young. Nor can it be my father... My father... was unfit for great duty but compassionate at heart, and was only made a high-ranking deity in the temple."

"It can only be Illustrious Martial."

"I wonder how many people heard Illustrious Martial's clear and melodious tune, and how many eyes it attracted."

Yangzhou, Zhong Mountain Courtyard.

Ye Jinyu passed the intelligence to Yu Liang.

"Sima Chengzhao, son of Sima Honglin, is the garrison commander of Youyan. He Purple Mansion Middle Stage, cultivates Cold Qi, and is proficient in the art of the zither. This time, he defeated the enemy with the zither, and his fame has spread throughout the world."

Yu Liang seemed to be deep in thought.

"Young Master, you mean..."

Ye Jinyu shook her head.

"You are a renowned scholar, possessing great talent. Let me test you a bit. If you were a chess player, how would you play this game? Or what do you see in it?"

Yu Liang remained silent for a moment.

"Young Master, I believe we need not rush into this game."

"Oh?"

Yu Liang's gaze was steady, and he possessed a profound understanding of things.

"The Sima Clan's domestic affairs were nothing more than a means of checks and balances; some dirty and private matters could not be exposed."

"Although the Ye Clan is powerful, they are still outsiders. If outsiders get involved, they'll only get burned and provoke a united front against them!"

But we can wait.

"Wait until they are both severely weakened, and then strike at the right moment."

"Observe the success or failure, wait for the opportune moment, cultivate your strength in the Jiangnan, and accumulate power."

Ye Jinyu nodded.

"Yuangui, you learn quickly. That's what I meant too. Getting involved too early will only bring trouble."

Yu Liang bowed.

"It's all thanks to your guidance, young master; I will never forget it."

Ye Jinyu nodded.

"So tell me, what should we do now?"

Yu Liang raised his head.

"A grand banquet in the Jianghuai, showing courtesy to the virtuous and talented, can win over the hearts of the people. We can also take advantage of the chaos in the Northern Frontier to generously reward the officials and seize some scarce, blocked resources from the Jiangnan."

The Jin Court now places the greatest importance on the Shu Region, as it is the largest territory!

Secondly, they secretly recruited refugees and commoners in the north, and monks and aristocratic Aristocratic Clan sought refuge in Jiangnan, where they were placed under the control of the Ye Clan.

The Cangxuan filled with trillions of beings, countless races, and geniuses as numerous as carp crossing a river, one in a million, and countless others.

The Jiangnan is prosperous, but the ancient land of Yan and Zhao is located in the Northern Frontier. Since ancient times, it has produced many generous and tragic heroes. With the help of military Secret Method, it can train the most valiant warriors in the world!

Regardless of whether it's a path of benevolent rule or imperial dominance, the cultivation speed of immortals still can't match the speed of forging Dao Soldiers!

Upon hearing this, Ye Jinyu showed her appreciation and smiled.

"Hahaha, (Yu Liang) Yuangui, not bad, these words are exactly what I thought!"

"Let everyone know that the young master of the Ye Clan is in Yangzhou, in Zhong Mountain, waiting for all the heroes of the world to fall into the Ye Clan's trap."

Jidu.

The imperial edict has arrived, Sima Chengzhao needs to return to the capital to receive his orders and rewards.

"In this world, merit has never been the deciding factor."

Looking out over the vast grassland, although the Hu tribe had retreated, the lingering gaze that seemed to be watching him had never disappeared.

"The sounds of refined music, elegant and authentic..." he murmured. "Is it so hard to find a kindred spirit?"

Sima Chengzhao could roughly guess who the owner of those eyes was!

Then he looked up abruptly. At that moment, the Northern Frontier horizon was covered in a vast expanse of snow and wind, with nothing in sight. A chill that penetrated to the bone rose from the bottom of his heart.

"Your Highness, please proceed with caution on your journey back to the capital!"

The lieutenant behind him clenched his fist and spoke in a low voice.

Zhao means Ming. Warrior means Gong.

"Father, do you want me to be a wise person, or a tool?"

The wind blew by, carrying away Sima Chengzhao's voice.

Even more unexpectedly, the faint sound of a huqin (a type of reed pipe) could be heard, sounding desolate, sorrowful, and even with a hint of pity.

"The music ends, the song fades, and I depart amidst a blanket of snow."

He said softly.

"I, the king, should not have felt the cold."

The wind and snow continue.

Only the jade zither swayed gently at her waist, emitting a clear and melodious sound.

Like a high mountain stream.

Like the moon shining on the cold river.