Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

The king, no longer caring, let Daji do as she pleased. Yes, the queen was awakened by the pouring water, and the pain was unbearable. Daji thought the queen had probably confessed, so she quickly ordered people to drag Queen Jiang to the bronze furnace. But before the torture could be administered, Queen Jiang fainted again from the pain.

Lady Huang sent people to find out that Daji and King Zhou were torturing Queen Jiang. She secretly went to the place where the torture was taking place. When she saw half of it, she was so shocked by the horrific scene that she could not bear to watch any longer.

Back in her palace, Empress Huang was at a loss, pacing back and forth. She muttered, "What can I do? If this continues, Queen Jiang will surely die! Who? Who else?"

The personal maid had served in the palace for several years and was quite familiar with palace affairs. She stepped forward and whispered in the ear of the Empress, "Your Majesty, Queen Jiang's two princes are currently living in another country. If the two princes return, they might be able to save Queen Jiang's life." Upon hearing this, the Empress suddenly understood.

So Lady Huang quickly sent a trusted minister to deliver a letter to the two princes.

Chapter 1111 The Prince Nearly Falls into Daji's Hands

However, since Daji had killed most of the loyal officials of the previous dynasty, after many days of negotiations, with the help of her family, Lady Huang finally found a minister who could deliver the message.

However, during the process of sending the letter out of the palace, Daji heard about it and ordered the letter to be sent out as planned, but secretly sent someone to kill the minister who was delivering the letter. Furthermore, Daji used her power to frame Lady Huang once again in the same way. Because of her low status, Lady Huang was killed by Daji before she even saw King Zhou.

From then on, no one in the palace dared to oppose Daji. They all sided with Daji and dared not say anything more about Queen Jiang.

After Daji's close advisors learned about the mission, she sent men to ambush and kill the ministers en route.

However, the minister had anticipated this outcome and instructed his steward to secretly deliver a message to the two princes' residences via a side road under the guise of returning home. Empress Huang was thus confined to the palace. She instructed her servants, "Inform me of any news of the two young princes."

The old steward who delivered the message was unaware of what had happened in the palace. Upon seeing the two princes, he simply said, "Your Highnesses, Queen Jiang has been framed by Daji and is now being persecuted in the palace. She is unwell, and we urge you two to hurry to Chaoge."

Upon hearing this, Yin Jiao and Yin Hong were furious and asked, "Father, why are you not asking any questions?" The servant shook his head helplessly and replied, "You two princes, when you return to Chaoge, please do not act rashly."

The two princes traveled day and night back to Chaoge, only to discover upon entering the city that they were being followed. Sure enough, these two mysterious figures were spies sent by Daji.

They arrived at Daji's palace and replied, "Your Majesty, the two princes have already entered Chaoge. They have gone to Queen Jiang's palace." At this moment, King Zhou was holding court. Everyone heard that Queen Jiang was imprisoned. Although many ministers repeatedly suggested that Queen Jiang be released, King Zhou only nodded slightly to Daji each time.

He summoned a palace maid: "Let's go to King Zhou's palace. First, let's send Queen Jiang back to her palace." King Zhou agreed, and Queen Jiang returned to her palace. She was heartbroken and didn't know what to do. After thinking for a long time, she suddenly heard from outside: "Mother! Mother!" "It's your son!" Queen Jiang touched the steps beside her, her hands were bloody and mangled, but at this moment she didn't care about that.

Queen Jiang staggered to her feet and groped her way towards the door. Suddenly finding herself without support, she fell to the ground, a fall that brought forth all the painful memories and heartache of her recent days.

Yin Jiao and Yin Hong pushed open the door and exclaimed, "Mother, how could you do this?" Before they could finish speaking, the three of them huddled together, sobbing uncontrollably.

After calming themselves down, Yin Hong and Yin Jiao quickly summoned the imperial physician to treat their mother. After the medicine was applied, Yin Hong and Yin Jiao helped their mother to bed, and the two stayed by her side, stroking her hair. Queen Jiang couldn't hold back her tears any longer, and they streamed down her face like a flood, her hands trembling. The two men looked at their mother, their hearts burning with anger.

Queen Jiang, feeling her days were numbered, was deeply worried about King Zhou and the Shang Dynasty. Therefore, she told Yin Hong and Yin Jiao everything Daji had done recently. She said angrily, "She has killed loyal ministers one by one on trumped-up charges, and now your father is completely neglecting state affairs under this woman's influence."

Yin Jiao calmed his anger and asked with pity, "Then why is Mother like this? Does Father not even remember the kindness between you?" The Queen said, "Your father is not the same father he used to be. You must try to persuade him!"

While the mother and her two sons were talking, Daji's personal maid had already overheard everything outside the door. Upon discovering this, Yin Hong deliberately raised his voice and said, "That vixen Daji, I will definitely capture her and bring her to Mother for punishment."

Upon hearing this, Queen Jiang immediately stopped them. She slowly rose, embraced her two sons, and whispered in their ears, "You can find some of the most loyal ministers in the court recently and discuss with them how to save our Great Shang Dynasty."

Finally, Queen Jiang recounted the tortures of branding and whipping she had recently endured, and how cruelly Daji had gouged out her eyes. The more she spoke, the deeper her resentment grew, until finally, she could no longer hold back, and tears, mingled with hatred, remained forever on Queen Jiang's face. She departed forever, filled with anger and unease.

He went to that place where there was no pain, no Daji, no worries, only peace and kindness, to meet with the loyal ministers of the Shang Dynasty who had been unjustly killed.

Seeing this, Yin Hong and Yin Jiao's anger erupted, and they hugged their mother and wept bitterly for a long time. Yin Hong looked up at Yin Jiao, and their eyes met, as if they understood something.

Yin Hong picked up his sword, and Yin Jiao followed him, the two of them storming into Daji's palace. Before they even reached the inner hall, Yin Hong and Yin Jiao were stopped by Daji's guards. Yin Hong, who was in front, said, "How dare you! Don't you know who we are? Put down your swords!"

Just as the guards placed their swords at their waists, Daji shouted, "I want to see who dares to trespass into my inner palace!" Seeing that Yin Jiao and Yin Hong looked determined to kill Daji, the guards quickly stepped forward, ready to use force.

The moment the guard drew his sword from its sheath, Yin Hong and Yin Jiao seemed somewhat flustered.

The rows of soldiers made them suddenly feel their own weakness. A voice rang out: "They are King Zhou's princes! How dare you torture them in private?" It was Consort Yang from Xin Hui Palace. Daji, seeing this, retorted: "Do you know the grave crime of a prince trespassing into my inner palace?" Consort Yang, suppressing her inner trembling, rushed past the layers of guards and grabbed Yin Honghe. Yin Jiao was about to leave.

When a guard stepped forward to stop them, Lady Yang shouted, "Get out of the way! These are princes. Whatever crimes they have committed, the King will deal with them himself. How can you do whatever you want?" After saying that, Daji had no choice but to let them leave.

Stepping out of Daji's bedchamber, Consort Yang asked in a low voice, "Yin Jiao, Yin Hong, what are your plans?" The two looked blank. Yin Jiao thought for a moment and replied, "Before she left, the Empress Dowager instructed us to consult with loyal and virtuous officials in the court."

Chapter 1112 Yin Jiao and Yin Hong Arrested

After listening, Empress Yang weighed the pros and cons and decided to send Yin Hong and Yin Jiao to the court. She said to them, "Daji is determined to kill you now. It is almost impossible for you to escape. I can only send you to the court. You should act according to the situation."

Upon arriving at the imperial court, Yin Hong and Yin Jiao recounted Daji's crimes to the ministers, hoping that someone would join them in dealing with her. However, most of the loyal and virtuous officials died under Daji's sword.

Now, apart from Daji, almost everyone in the court is a cowardly rat. How could anyone conspire with them? Suddenly, General Fang Bi and Prime Minister Fang expressed their willingness to follow Yin Jiao and Yin Hong in raising an army to rebel. Fang Bi took the lead and stepped forward: "Your humble servant is willing to lend a helping hand to the two princes."

Upon hearing this, Fang Xiang, standing behind the Grand General, said, "Your subject will follow the Prince's lead." Although the two were saddened by the retreat of most of the court officials, with the support of Grand General Fang Bi and Fang Xiang, they felt they were not so isolated and helpless. So they summoned the two to a secluded place to discuss how to evade Daji, how to find troops, and how to persuade King Zhou.

As for Consort Yang, after sending the two princes to the court, she knew that Daji would never let her go, and that she would rather commit suicide than suffer torture to death. So she wrote a letter in blood and hanged herself with a three-foot-long white silk ribbon in her palace.

After receiving support from General Fang Bi and Prime Minister Fang, Yin Jiao and Yin Hong decided to escape Chaoge and head to Donglu to seek help from their maternal grandfather and maternal uncle. With the help of Fang Bi and Prime Minister, they successfully evaded King Zhou of Shang's pursuers and escaped Chaoge.

Upon learning that Yin Jiao and Yin Hong had fled to Donglu, King Zhou of Shang was furious. He swept everything off the table and roared, "A bunch of useless fools! You can't even keep an eye on two people with such a large army. What are you good for?"

Daji, who was serving him, gently patted King Zhou's back and said, "Your Majesty, don't be angry. They can't have gone far. Order a full-scale manhunt now and set up an ambush on the way to Donglu. We'll definitely be able to capture these two rebellious sons."

King Zhou felt much relieved after hearing Daji's words. He looked at the crowd prostrate on the ground and said, "Do as Your Majesty says. If you make any mistakes, you need not come to see me again."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, as if they had been granted a pardon, but remained kneeling, not daring to move. Daji sat down next to King Zhou of Shang and said coquettishly, "Your Majesty, I was truly frightened today. Please accompany me to rest for a while."

King Zhou's expression softened considerably, and he smiled, saying, "My beloved concubine is tired; I will accompany you to rest for a while." Then, he addressed the crowd, "Alright, you may all leave! I hope what you bring back will satisfy me." Upon hearing this, the crowd quickly withdrew, as if a monstrous flood were lurking behind them.

Daji and King Zhou returned to their inner chamber. Suddenly, Daji's eyes filled with tears, and she cried, "Your Majesty, you must avenge me!" She then tried to kneel down. King Zhou quickly helped her up and asked, puzzled, "My beloved consort, why do you say this? Tell me your grievances, and I will protect you."

So Daji said, "The matter of becoming queen is not what I wish for. I am only thinking of Your Majesty. I don't want Your Majesty to have to worry about these trivial matters after you finish dealing with court affairs and return to the harem."

As Daji spoke, she poured King Zhou of Shang a cup of wine, and continued, "However, the brothers Yin Jiao and Yin Hong will surely hold a grudge against me and seek revenge. If they gain support and establish their own power, I am not afraid of them causing me trouble, but I fear they will not even recognize Your Majesty!"

After hearing this, King Zhou of Shang's expression turned visibly grim. His eyes flashed with malice as he picked up his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp, as if he had made a momentous decision.

As for the brothers Yin Jiao and Yin Hong, they fled from Chaoge in a sorry state. Accustomed to a life of luxury, they were no match for their current plight. Penniless and ragged, they lived a miserable life, and no one would guess that they were the sons of the current king, the incomparably noble princes.

Yin Hong clutched his stomach and asked Yin Jiao weakly, "Brother, when will we arrive in Donglu? Will Grandfather and Uncle help us?" Yin Jiao replied confidently, "They will. They definitely will! Mother was killed by that Daji, I believe Grandfather will not stand idly by." Despite saying this, Yin Jiao was still uncertain, not wanting his younger brother to worry.

Now, their lives are as fragile as ants, easily bullied by anyone, and they could even lose their lives at any moment! The only way now is to move forward; only by moving forward can there be hope. After a while, Yin Hong said again, "Brother, I'm hungry." Looking at his younger brother's face, which was thin from hunger, Yin Jiao felt a pang of heartache.

He took out the two large pancakes the old man who sold them that morning, tore off a small piece, and handed it to Yin Hong. Yin Hong asked doubtfully, "Brother, aren't you hungry? You should eat too." Yin Jiao smiled and said, "Brother isn't hungry, you eat." He thought to himself that the road ahead was still long, and he had to eat sparingly to avoid collapsing from exhaustion, which would mean the end of all hope.

Yin Jiao and Yin Hong traveled for several days, deliberately taking secluded paths to avoid pursuers. Ironically, their own father was so eager to kill his own son.

They hurried on, eager to reach Donglu as soon as possible. Suddenly, they saw a small army escorting their carriages ahead; they didn't seem to be government officials. After several days and nights of travel, Yin Hong's body was failing him; he was growing weaker and weaker. Due to a lack of timely nutrition, Yin Hong's illness worsened, which greatly worried Yin Jiao.

Upon seeing the small group of troops ahead, Yin Jiao boldly went to investigate. At this moment, he seemed to have no other choice; he had to try, no matter what.

Yin Jiao ran to the middle of the road, blocking their way. The soldier at the head of the line, mistaking him for a beggar, angrily shouted, "Who are you? How dare you stop Lord Shang's carriage? Who gave you the audacity!"

Chapter 1113 The Prince is Arrested

As he was about to push him away, Yin Jiao shouted, "Is this Shang Rong, who resigned from his post and returned home?" Shang Rong thought to himself, "Who is this person? He actually knows that I just resigned from my post. He must be someone important."

Thinking this, Shang Rong ordered the carriage to stop. He got out, wanting to see who this person was. Yin Jiao saw Shang Rong alight from the carriage and bowed, saying, "Lord Shang, I am Yin Jiao." Upon hearing the name Yin Jiao, Shang Rong immediately knelt down and said, "Your Highness, this old minister was blind! Please forgive me!"

Yin Jiao quickly helped Shang Rong up, saying, "It was my rudeness, please rise, sir." Shang Rong looked at Yin Jiao's tattered clothes and asked, "What happened to the prince? Why are you in such a state?" Yin Jiao wanted to tell him his situation, but fearing Shang Rong wouldn't help, he said instead, "My brother and I wanted to go to Donglu to see our grandfather, but unfortunately we were robbed on the way, which is why we are in this state." After saying this, he helped Yin Hong over and said to Shang Rong, "My brother is seriously ill now, but fortunately we met you, sir. We hope you can take us in so we can travel safely to Donglu."

Upon hearing this, Shang Rongyi readily agreed and generously said, "Your Highness, rest assured, I will do my utmost to help you both and ensure your safe arrival in Donglu." He then gestured for the two to join him in the carriage back to his hometown.

Yin Jiao and Yin Hong had stayed at Shang Rong's residence for several days and were just about to leave. Suddenly, a large army poured in, completely surrounding the Shang residence. The leading soldier was sent by King Zhou of Shang and named Yin Pobai. He said, "Lord Shang, I have come here today not to offend you, but because the King has ordered the arrest of Yin Jiao and Yin Hong. If you do not wish to disobey the imperial decree, you will have to hand them over immediately."

Shang Rong looked bewildered, still unaware of what had happened. Yin Jiao and Yin Hong emerged. Yin Jiao said to Shang Rong, "Lord Shang, I did not mean to deceive you. I must thank you for your care these past few days." With that, he and Yin Hong, escorted by Yin Pobai, returned to Chaoge with the army.

Yin Jiao and Yin Hong were captured by Yin Pobai, a subordinate sent by King Zhou of Shang. After their capture, they were imprisoned. King Zhou was furious and ordered the jailers to torture the two brothers. Poor Yin Jiao and Yin Hong, they were princes, but because of that vixen Daji, they lost their mother and their father's favor. Their lives should have been smooth sailing, without any hardships. All of this was because of Daji.

"Your Majesty, I have imprisoned the two princes, but they appear to be in poor health. The exhaustion of these past few days seems to have worn them out. Your Majesty, perhaps you should send a shaman to examine them?" Yin Pobai, having imprisoned the brothers Yin Jiao and Yin Hong, came to report to King Zhou of Shang. He was still a man of conscience, and he told King Zhou the details of the brothers' condition, hoping that the king would send a shaman to treat his two sons. After all, these two princes were the future rulers of the Shang Dynasty, and one of them would inevitably inherit the throne after King Zhou's death.

"Those two rebellious sons, after such a long journey, are physically exhausted. I think they're terrified of being caught and executed, which is why they dared to rebel. Torture them severely and find out who they want to borrow troops from. Report back to me immediately after you've investigated. I'll send them food whenever they tell me." King Zhou of Shang was unmoved by Yin Pobai's words. Even though the sons in prison were his and the Queen's own, they didn't elicit any pity from him. Instead, he ruthlessly ordered them to be tortured to force them to reveal who was helping them rebel.

"Your Majesty...this...this..."

"What? You dare disobey me? Do you want to rebel against me?" King Zhou of Shang stared at Yin Pobai with wide eyes, his face full of anger.

"Your Majesty, I dare not... I obey your decree. I will go and do it now. I take my leave." Yin Pobai hurriedly said "I dare not" and took his leave.

After Yin's defeat, he had no choice but to pass on the orders given to him by King Zhou. The jailers dared not disobey, and so the two princes, who had just experienced the pain of losing their mother, began their miserable imprisonment. If it weren't for the involvement in court feuds, they could have peacefully studied abroad and returned to enjoy their rights and status upon their expiration. Alas, Daji appeared halfway through their journey; it was all fate's will, a cruel twist of destiny.

While enduring torture in the prison, the two princes deceived themselves into believing that their father would definitely release them. "Your...brother...are you...alright?" Yin Hong asked his brother.

"Brother Wang...I'm fine, but how are you...?" Yin Jiao endured his increasingly frail body, which had been subjected to torture, in order to reassure his younger brother.

"Brother Wang, it's good that you're alright. I'm alright too." Yin Hong comforted his brother sensibly, even though he was so badly beaten that he could no longer feel the pain.

Hearing Yin Hong's reply, Yin Jiao didn't speak again, but simply nodded to his younger brother, giving him a comforting look. As the pain returned, Yin Jiao's thoughts drifted back to when he and his brother were young. Back then, their father and mother, though not exactly inseparable, were very loving. Daji hadn't appeared yet, and their father doted on them. No matter how busy he was, he would visit their mother every day, talk to them, and sometimes even hold and play with them. Everything was wonderful.

But ever since Yin Jiao personally experienced his mother's death, witnessed Daji's ruthlessness and eloquence, and felt his father's cruelty and heartlessness, he realized that the tall, mighty, diligent, and country-loving King Zhou of Shang in his heart no longer existed. That great man had disappeared into power and beauty.

Yin Jiao, having been imprisoned and subjected to all sorts of torture, understood even more clearly how wise it had been for him and his brother to flee to find reinforcements to overthrow their father's tyranny.

Chapter 1114 The Death of Shang Rong

This man, who was their biological father, was no longer their protector, but their death warrant. King Zhou of Shang was unreliable. Yin Jiao slowly pressed his head against the wall, determined to maintain his dignity as a royal descendant despite being imprisoned. Gradually, Yin Jiao lost consciousness and ceased to think.

What the two people in the prison didn't know was that Shang Rong, who should have resigned and returned to his hometown, had returned to Chaoge at this time.

On his way back home, Shang Rong encountered two fugitive princes and learned the whole story. He learned that the queen's death was due to Daji and the king's cruelty in allowing a concubine to so humiliate a queen, ultimately leading to her brutal death. Shang Rong felt he could no longer remain silent; he had to do something for the Shang Dynasty. His resignation and return home had not awakened King Zhou's conscience or made him reflect on his actions. Instead, he lacked a loyal minister willing to speak frankly and remonstrate with him, regardless of the consequences. Therefore, Shang Rong decided to return to seek justice for the queen and to awaken King Zhou to the truth.

Shang Rong returned to his former residence, changed into the official robes he wore when he was an official in the court, and walked all the way to the palace gate. He lifted the hem of his robes, suddenly knelt down, and shouted, "This humble subject, Shang Rong, has important matters to discuss with Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty to grant me an audience." As he spoke, Shang Rong kowtowed, and after three kowtows, he repeatedly began to plead for an audience.

Because Shang Rong resigned voluntarily, and King Zhou of Shang agreed to his resignation, Shang Rong was now just a commoner and did not have the right to leave the palace at will. The guards at the gate would not let him in either, so he could only shout at the palace gate in order to ask King Zhou of Shang to agree to see him.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Shang Rong, who has resigned from his official post and returned to his hometown, is requesting an audience at the palace gate. He says he has important matters to report and asks for Your Majesty's instructions." A guard reported this to the palace steward, who then came in and informed King Zhou of Shang.

"Shang Rong, why is he back again? Didn't he resign and return to his hometown? What is he doing back now? He said he has important business to attend to, but I wonder what kind of problem it is this time?" Daji said casually while sitting next to King Zhou of Shang, her purpose being to leave King Zhou with the impression that Shang Rong's purpose was impure and to leave a bad impression.

"What my beloved consort says makes sense. This Shang Rong does indeed have problems. I'll meet him first and then we'll discuss it further. What do you think, my beloved consort?"

"Your Majesty's actions are commendable, and that's what I was thinking too. However, should I step back so that Your Majesty and Shang Rong can speak more freely?" Daji said with an expression that said, "I understand your situation."

"There's no need for that. My beloved consort, you can stay here with me. It's alright. I don't think Shang Rong would dare to say anything."

"Then I will obey your command." Daji leaned close to King Zhou of Shang, and the two chatted and laughed as they waited for the servants to bring Shang Rong in.

Before long, Shang Rong was led from the palace gate to King Zhou of Shang. After entering, Shang Rong bowed to King Zhou of Shang and said, "This humble subject, Shang Rong, greets Your Majesty."

"Lord Shang, there's no need for such formalities. May I ask what brings you here? Didn't you resign and prepare to return to your hometown? Is there anything you need to do upon your return to Chaoge?" King Zhou spoke to Shang Rong while stroking Daji's small hand.