Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

"This humble subject has come to discuss important matters with Your Majesty. I apologize if my words have offended Your Majesty." Shang Rong first tried to sow discord among King Zhou of Shang, but to his surprise, the king did not take it to heart at all.

"Hmph! Speak!"

"I have heard that Your Majesty has imprisoned Princes Yin Jiao and Yin Hong in the Heavenly Prison. I wonder what Your Majesty plans to do with them?"

"Oh? What does Shang Rong mean?"

"This humble subject believes that Your Majesty should act with caution. The two princes are the eldest sons of the Queen. If nothing unexpected happens, one of them will inevitably inherit the throne. They cannot be dealt with so hastily. I beg Your Majesty to be lenient," Shang Rong earnestly said to King Zhou of Shang.

"How dare you! This is my family matter, and I can handle it however I want. How dare you, a mere commoner, interfere? You'd better not say anything more, pack your bags and go back to your hometown. I won't pursue your crime of insubordination." King Zhou of Shang waved his hand at Shang Rong, indicating that he should leave. But Shang Rong was not about to give up so easily.

"This humble subject has offended Your Majesty, and I deserve to die. However, I must advise Your Majesty to reconsider your actions. Please listen to my explanation." King Zhou of Shang did not stop Shang Rong. He wanted to see what else Shang Rong could say before punishing him as well.

"This humble subject originally presented His Majesty with a memorial resigning from office, which His Majesty accepted. Therefore, this humble subject did not linger. After returning to his residence to pack his belongings, he drove away from Chaoge City. The journey was arduous, and out of consideration for the servants in the residence, this humble subject rested halfway. Unexpectedly, he suddenly encountered the two princes, Yin Jiao and Yin Hong, who were disheveled and dirty. This humble subject was greatly alarmed and quickly inquired about the details. The two princes told him the truth. During this journey, Yin Pobai, sent by His Majesty, came to the place where this humble subject was staying and captured the two princes. This humble subject knew that something was wrong, so he followed them all the way back to Chaoge City." Shang Rong clearly explained his purpose and told King Zhou of Shang everything he knew.

"Then what is the purpose of your visit? Is it just to plead for those two wicked sons? Don't you already know that these two wicked sons fled to borrow troops to rebel against my Shang Dynasty? They actually dared to plot rebellion. I am already being lenient with them because they are my children. If it were anyone else, I would have killed them long ago." King Zhou of Shang had an expression that said, "I have already shown you great mercy, and you still look unsatisfied."

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please calm down! Your Majesty, please spare the two princes for the sake of the late Queen!" Shang Rong tried to move King Zhou of Shang with the image of the deceased Queen, hoping to evoke his compassion. However, this was undoubtedly a foolish act.

"You dare mention that vile woman to me? She actually tried to murder me. I let her die so easily, and I let her get away with it. Even on her deathbed, she didn't forget to incite my two children to rebel." King Zhou of Shang was furious.

Chapter 1115 Shen Gongbao Enters the Court

"Your Majesty, please calm down. Don't let these ignorant people upset you. If you're unhappy, why not just kill Shang Rong? That would be the end of it and save Your Majesty from worrying." Daji, standing by, fanned the flames and suggested to King Zhou that Shang Rong be killed.

King Zhou of Shang was a brainless fool who couldn't resist Daji's instigation. In a fit of rage, he ordered Shang Rong to be killed: "Guards, drag this old scoundrel away! I want to tear him to pieces and let him know how powerful I am!"

The guards outside rushed in to take Shang Rong away, but Daji spoke up, "Your Majesty, why not give him the torture of branding with hot irons? Otherwise, there's really no way to erase his crime of disrespecting Your Majesty. What do you think, Your Majesty?"

"My beloved concubine is right. I cannot appease my hatred without giving him a cruel death. All of you, get out of here! Did you hear what I said? Give him the torture of branding with hot irons. Do not report back to me until he is dead."

Thus, Shang Rong, who had served as an official his entire life, not only lost his official position but also suffered such a cruel death.

When King Zhou of Shang announced Shang Rong's fate, Shang Rong could hardly believe it. As a veteran official who had served three dynasties, he had thought that even if he could not serve in the court, he could at least live a peaceful life and be worshipped by future generations. However, he never expected that King Zhou of Shang would be so cruel. Not only did he kill Mei Bo, but he also wanted to execute him. It was a misfortune for the country. When he was about to die, Shang Rong shouted to the sky: "The Shang Dynasty is in danger! King Zhou is tyrannical! The Shang Dynasty is in danger!"

And so Shang Rong vanished from the annals of history. Although his death seemed like a farce, it undoubtedly left a profound mark on the brutal Shang Dynasty. It was as if a group of drowsy people were suddenly struck by an alarm bell. If they did not act, only two fates awaited them: one was to continue living in a daze, at the mercy of a tyrannical and incompetent ruler; the other was that someone would open a door for them, and they would swarm forward, tearing each other apart, and tirelessly striving for a more democratic future.

Undoubtedly, there were still some intelligent people who were deeply affected by Shang Rong's death. Some even went so far as to speak to King Zhou, but it is conceivable that King Zhou would not acknowledge their sobering thoughts.

This alienated many people from the Shang Dynasty, causing them to become disaffected. Daji seized the opportunity to promote and place these people in important positions. Gradually, Daji and her cronies took control of the court, creating a scene of utter chaos.

Not only that, Daji also bewitched King Zhou of Shang into wanting the treacherous minister Shen Gongbao to become the national advisor: "Your Majesty, look at the court of my Shang Dynasty, there are hardly any people who obey and follow you. Why not replace them with someone who is loyal to you? I think Shen Gongbao is quite good. What do you think?"

"The person recommended by my beloved consort is certainly no problem. I will issue an edict to bring him in, as you wish, to serve as the Imperial Advisor. Are you satisfied now, my beloved consort?"

"Then I thank Your Majesty."

By this time, the local feudal lords had all heard about the recent events that had occurred in the Shang Dynasty, and they were gradually becoming dissatisfied with it. They were all accumulating power, intending to one day replace it. Among them, King Wen of Zhou's power was the most prosperous.

"It is said that Ji Chang, the Marquis of Xibo, was skilled in divination, and all the things he calculated came true."

"The Marquis of Xibo treats his people well, and it is said that he has gathered many talented and extraordinary people under his command!"

"Yes, yes, the Marquis of Xibo often adopts homeless and abandoned children. I heard that there are already dozens of them."

……

During his travels, Ji Chang, the Marquis of Xibo, had heard many similar remarks. He sat in his carriage, stroking his beard in silence. Heaven had bestowed upon him the ability to divination using the Eight Trigrams, which indeed allowed him to know unusual weather phenomena and predict future events. However, given the current incompetence of King Tang of Shang and the chaos in the court, he should not be too ostentatious to avoid causing unnecessary trouble.

"Our lord is truly remarkable; all the people along the way have been praising you," a servant who was driving the horse said proudly.

Ji Chang sat in the carriage, looked up at the sky and said, "It's going to rain soon. Let's hurry and go to the dense forest ahead to take shelter from the rain."

"Your Excellency is joking. The sky is cloudless, how could it rain?" The servant looked at the sky, not quite believing it.

A giant sun hung in the sky, its rays shining brightly on the earth; it certainly didn't look like it was going to rain. "The Marquis said it was going to rain, so it is going to rain. Hurry up and get the horses moving!" said one of Ji Chang's servants.

The servant flicked the horse's tail, and the horse neighed and galloped into the depths of the dense forest. Deep in the forest was a thatched hut where Ji Chang and his men stopped. By then, dark clouds had gathered and rain was pouring down. "Your Excellency is indeed a man of great wisdom and strategy, otherwise we would all be soaked to the bone," the servant exclaimed.

Ji Chang did not speak. He looked up and observed the rain scene. After a short while, the rain stopped and the sun peeked out from behind the clouds. The servant said to Ji Chang, "My lord, the rain has stopped. We can go now."

Ji Chang nodded, and just as he was about to get up, several thunderclaps appeared out of nowhere in the sky. The thunder was louder and the lightning was brighter than usual. After they dissipated in the blink of an eye, the sound of a baby crying came from the dense forest.

The servants and house slaves found it strange and looked at Ji Chang. Ji Chang pondered for a moment and said, "Go and take a look."

"My lord, the sound seems to be coming from this side," a servant said to Ji Chang, pointing to a wooden stake. Ji Chang and his men went over and saw vines entwined under several withered trees. On the vines was a straw basket about the size of a wooden basin, and the baby's cries became clearer.

Ji Chang hurriedly went closer and saw that there was a full-term baby in the wastebasket. The baby was radiating light. Ji Chang was overjoyed and immediately said to the servant behind him, "Quick, quickly bring a piece of cloth."

Ji Chang held the infant in his arms and examined him closely. The baby had extraordinary bones and a full forehead. Upon seeing Ji Chang, the infant stopped crying and smiled. Ji Chang was very pleased and said to the child, "Good boy, good boy~"

Chapter 1116 Designing Ji Chang

"My lord, this is a child bestowed upon you by Heaven!" a servant said from the side. Ji Chang smiled broadly, looked up at the sky, which was cloudless and clear, with distant mountains standing straight and tall. Ji Chang said, "Afternoon thunder resounded through the sky, so let's name this child Lei Zhenzi."

Everyone cheered. Ji Chang was about to take the child back when he saw a man flying down from the sky. He was dressed as a Taoist priest, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, and was definitely not an ordinary person.

Li Xiuyuan descended from the sky and landed in front of Ji Chang, saying, "I am Li Xiuyuan from Zhongnan Mountain."

Seeing Li Xiuyuan's otherworldly demeanor and the fact that he was already a Taoist priest at such a young age, Ji Chang couldn't help but respectfully bow and say, "Greetings, Taoist Priest."

"Just now, after the rain and thunder, I knew this was a star destined for greatness, so I came to find it. May I take a look?" Li Xiuyuan took a closer look and couldn't help but praise, "He's a good child. May we name him?"

“Lei Zhenzi,” the Marquis of Xibo replied.

Li Xiuyuan smiled knowingly, "Good, good name. I believe that Your Excellency will soon face a calamity, but Your Excellency is kind-hearted. This child is Your Excellency's beloved son. In the future, when Your Excellency is in trouble, this child will surely come to your rescue and help Your Excellency achieve a lasting legacy."

After saying this, Li Xiuyuan flew away and disappeared, leaving only the echo of his voice in the sky: "My Lord, we'll meet again someday..."

As expected, under Li Xiuyuan's guidance, the Marquis of Xibo adopted more than a hundred sons. Some he kept by his side and taught them martial arts, while others were handed over to Li Xiuyuan to be taught immortal arts and Taoist magic. Until one day, an imperial edict came from Chaoge, ordering the Marquis of Xibo to go and pay homage to King Zhou.

"His Majesty has instructed You Hun and me to entertain you here. Come, you must be tired from your journey, Marquis of Xibo, let's drink some wine to relieve your fatigue." At a post station in Chaoge, Fei Zhong and You Hun were receiving Ji Chang, the Marquis of Xibo.

Ji Chang raised his wine cup to toast the two ministers. He had already heard before coming that these two were favorites of King Zhou. The Marquis of Xibo had divined his impending doom before his trip to Chaoge, and he was now even more cautious. "Ah, Lord Fei, you are too modest. Although I am far from Chaoge, I have long heard that you have risen to the position of Vice Chancellor. It should be me congratulating you," Ji Chang said, tilting his head back and downing the cup in one gulp.

"What else did the Marquis of Xibo hear?" Fei Zhong continued to ask.

"Oh, that's all," Ji Chang replied cautiously.

After several rounds of drinks, You Hun said to Ji Chang, "I've heard that the Marquis of the West is skilled in interpreting celestial divination and divination techniques. Is that true?"

"Oh," Ji Chang smiled modestly. "Master Fuxi's Yin and Yang and the Eight Trigrams are infinitely varied and integrated. I only have a slight understanding of them and cannot claim that every hexagram is accurate."

"The Marquis of Xibo is too modest. Your great name has long been known throughout Chaoge. Why are you so humble today?" Fei Zhong pointed to himself and You Hun and said, "Please tell us how our lives will turn out."

The Marquis of Xibo smiled, picked up the tortoise shell he always carried with him, and began to carefully calculate. He placed the tortoise shells one by one on the table and started his calculations. He frowned and said, "This divination is very strange!"

Fei Zhong and You Hun were very nervous and hurriedly said, "Tell me, tell me." Fei Zhong added from the side, "No matter how strange the divination is, I, Fei Zhong, won't care."

The Marquis of Xibo carefully examined the tortoise shell, pondered for a while, and then said hesitantly, "The Prime Minister and Lord You will be frozen by the cold in the future. They will be placed in icy water in the dead of winter and die from the cold."

Fei Zhong and You Hun's expressions changed drastically. They thought to themselves, "How dare Ji Chang curse us!" Bigan, who was drinking with them, noticed the tense atmosphere and quickly said, "Unbelievable, unbelievable..."

“If you believe, it will work; if you don’t believe, it won’t,” the Marquis of the North quickly added.

"Hahahaha!" Fei Zhong's expression immediately changed, and he burst into laughter. "Life and death are in the hands of fate, not in one's own hands." Fei Zhong looked at Xibo Hou with ill intent. "Xibo Hou, have you calculated your own funeral arrangements?"

"I've calculated it. Ji Chang's life won't be very smooth, but he will be able to die peacefully in his old age," Ji Chang said honestly.

"Fine, if you predict your own fate, it will be a peaceful death, but if you predict mine, it will be a terrible one." You Hun thought to himself that the King had summoned the Marquis of Xibo this time precisely to put him to death, so he might as well add fuel to the fire. In the blink of an eye, a plan came to his mind, and he said to the Marquis of Xibo, "Some things are indeed hard to fathom. Fate is like this. Alas, I wonder if the fate of the nation can be predicted?"

After saying that, Fei Zhong stood up and poured Ji Chang another large cup of wine. "Come, Marquis of Xibo, let's have a drink." Ji Chang had no choice but to down the wine in one gulp. "Let's test the fate of the nation next time."

"Since we have nothing better to do, and now that the mood has struck, as subjects of the Shang Dynasty, we naturally care about the fate of our nation. Why don't we, Marquis of Xibo, divine the future of our dynasty once more?" Fei Zhong finished speaking and refilled Ji Chang's cup. Ji Chang drank the strong liquor in quick succession, his consciousness gradually clouding. "To be honest," he said, "I have already divined the fate of this dynasty. It's not that I'm unwilling to speak of it, but if I were to truly reveal it, it would be truly chilling..."

Seeing this, the Marquis of the North quickly stopped him, saying, "It seems the Marquis of the West is a bit drunk. It's been a few years since we last met, and the Marquis of the West's drinking capacity is not as good as before."

Fei Zhong glared at the Marquis of the North, then continued to Ji Chang, "Come, tell me, tell me."

Ji Chang downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, sighed, and said, "The fate of the nation is arduous, the future is bleak, the Shang dynasty will only last for a short time, and even its rulers will find it difficult to maintain it to the end..."

Although Fei Zhong and You Hun were greatly alarmed by the news of the nation's fate, they couldn't help but feel smug, knowing that this would finally give them leverage against them.

"Brother Ji Chang, have you had too much to drink?" Bei Bo Gou quickly came to his rescue. Ji Chang realized his slip of the tongue and hurriedly said, "Oh, I, Ji Chang, am not a good drinker. I misspoke while drunk, I really did misspoke while drunk, you two..."

Fei Zhong and You Hun waved their hands repeatedly, saying "It's alright," but a sinister smile appeared on their faces.

As expected, the next day in the court, King Zhou personally questioned Ji Chang in front of all the civil and military officials, "You audacious Ji Chang, do you know your crime?" It turned out that Fei Zhong and his companion had entered the palace overnight after the banquet and told King Zhou that Ji Chang was deceiving the world, boasting shamelessly, and slandering the court, which enraged King Zhou.

Ji Chang immediately knelt down. "I released you to return to your hometown and granted you land and fiefdoms, yet you do not think of repaying my kindness. Instead, you spread rumors and slander me. Confess the truth!" King Zhou said loudly.

Ji Chang was greatly alarmed and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, this old minister is foolish, but I know that there is Heaven above, Earth below, and the ruler in the middle. I dare not speak nonsense, how could I dare to slander Your Majesty!"

Chapter 1117 Ji Chang Imprisoned

"Still dare to argue!" King Zhou shouted, flicking his robes. "Who said that the Yin Dynasty's rule was only for one generation, and that you, my lord, would not have a good end?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Chang's clothes were soaked with sweat. He realized that it was Fei Zhongyou who had made the accusation, and he was speechless for a moment.

The Marquis of Bei hurriedly stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, what Ji Chang said yesterday was based on the Eight Trigrams of the ancient sage Fu Xi. Ji Chang is a straightforward gentleman. Moreover, he spoke nonsense while drunk and cannot be trusted. I hope Your Majesty will forgive him.”

But King Zhou ignored the words of the Marquis of the North and continued, "As the saying goes, 'In vino veritas,' how can one speak what one doesn't want to say? What Ji Chang said must be what he truly thinks. The foundation of the Shang Dynasty is as solid as a rock; how can we allow him to slander us at will? This man's crime is unforgivable! Guards, seize Ji Chang, take him to the execution ground, and behead him as a warning to the public!"

"Your Majesty, Ji Chang must not be executed!" Prime Minister Bi Gan also stepped forward to persuade him, "Your Majesty, executing the Prime Minister is a small matter, but the safety of the state is of utmost importance. Marquis of Xibo is a local lord. If we rashly execute him, it will invite gossip and criticism."

At this moment, Shen Gongbao stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, Ji Chang is spreading heresies and disturbing the people's hearts. He should be beheaded and the whole world should be informed so as to silence the slander."

"No, Your Majesty!" Huang Feihu rushed forward upon seeing this. "Two of the four great lords have already been beheaded. If another lord is beheaded, six hundred of the eight hundred lords in the land will be uneasy, and the land will be instable!"

“Your Majesty, General Huang’s words make sense,” Bigan quickly added. “Your Majesty, if there is any doubt about the Eight Trigrams of Fuxi, you can have Ji Chang calculate the current fortune. If it is accurate, he shall be pardoned. If it is not accurate, he shall be charged with spreading heresies and misleading the public. The entire court of Chaoge shall be prohibited from performing the Eight Trigrams.”

Immediately, the courtiers echoed, "We beg Your Majesty's permission! We beg Your Majesty's permission!"

Seeing that King Zhou was wavering, Bigan stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, approving Ji Chang's calculations is the act of a wise ruler. Even if Ji Chang is convicted in the future, everyone will accept it willingly."

King Zhou turned back to his dragon throne and said, "Very well, Ji Chang, you shall cast a divination."

Ji Chang breathed a sigh of relief. He took out his tortoise shell, closed his eyes, and concentrated on deducing the omens. After a while, he placed the tortoise shell in his hand and said, "Your Majesty, there will be a fire at the Imperial Ancestral Temple tomorrow afternoon. Please move the ancestral tablets and shrines immediately to avoid destroying the foundation of the Shang dynasty's state."