Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

Bo Yikao ordered people to sprinkle water on the chariot, and after a while, a fragrant scent was indeed released. Everyone was amazed, and King Zhou nodded in praise, "Brilliant! Brilliant!"

Bo Yikao then said to the second treasure, "Your Majesty, this is a sobering felt. Even a person who is completely drunk can lie on this felt and become as sober as a normal person in less than ten minutes."

King Zhou immediately sent men to bring in a drunkard and place him on a felt mat. Shen Gongbao cast a spell on the drunkard, but after counting to ten, the drunkard was still fast asleep. King Zhou's expression changed. "Bo Yikao, what do you have to say now!"

"Your Majesty, may we look at the next one first? Perhaps the next one is the real one," Prime Minister Bigan pleaded hastily.

King Zhou nodded, and a snow-white ape was led over by someone. "Your Majesty, this is a white ape. This monkey can sing three thousand short songs and eight hundred long songs, and it can sing and dance at the same time to relieve people's worries and sorrows."

At first, the white-armed ape was indeed agile and intelligent, but for some reason, it suddenly became savage and pounced on Daji, scratching her arm. King Zhou was furious and threw Boyi Kao into prison.

After Boyi Kao was imprisoned, Daji remained depressed. When King Zhou asked her why, Daji lied and said that Boyi Kao had been teaching her the zither the previous day, using insulting language and repeatedly making suggestive advances. King Zhou was even more furious and ordered Boyi Kao to be torn to pieces immediately. Daji was still not satisfied and suggested to King Zhou, "Chop Boyi Kao into mincemeat, wrap it in a pie, and give it to the Marquis of Xibo. Tell him it's venison that Your Majesty hunted. He can perform divination, right? Let's see if Ji Chang will eat it. If he does, it means he can't perform divination at all, so send him back to Xiqi immediately. If he doesn't eat it, kill him immediately to prevent future troubles."

"My beloved consort's words are exactly what I wish for. Guards, make pies as my beloved consort has instructed, and send them to Youli," King Zhou commanded.

In Youli, Ji Chang had already deduced the conspiracy between King Zhou and Daji. In front of the soldiers, he painfully swallowed the poison.

Chapter 1120 Return to Xiqi

Ji Chang pretended to be nonchalant in front of the soldiers, but after they left, he broke down in tears, spitting blood and crying out "My son..." His voice was so mournful that it brought tears to the eyes of all who heard it.

Ji Chang escaped from Daji's clutches. Huang Feihu and others had been waiting outside the palace gates for a long time. Seeing that Ji Chang was completely exhausted, someone suggested, "Why don't we let Ji Chang rest in Chaoge for the night and make plans for tomorrow?"

Huang Feihu said, "As far as Daji is concerned, she won't let Brother Ji Chang go. I think we should leave tonight." After discussion, the group decided to send Ji Chang out of the city first.

After Huang Feihu and his men escorted Ji Chang to his carriage on his way back to Xiqi, they all departed. Halfway there, the coachman called out, "Lord Ji Chang!" and drew a knife from the carriage. In the moonlight, the knife reflected a gleam. Ji Chang realized that Daji must have overheard his conversation with Huang Feihu, and that she had sent someone to kill him. So Ji Chang jumped from the side of the carriage, and with a "thud," the assassin abandoned the carriage and chased Ji Chang to a cliff face.

"Help! Someone help!" Ji Chang frantically cried out for help. The assassins drew closer, their eyes filled with malice. Having already experienced the pain of losing his son, Ji Chang seemed to sense death approaching once more. Suddenly, Li Xiuyuan, wielding the Divine Demon Spear, appeared before Ji Chang like a timely rain, instantly killing the assassins. Ji Chang couldn't believe it, staring repeatedly at Li Xiuyuan.

"May I ask who you are?" Ji Chang asked, calming himself down. "I am Li Xiuyuan." Ji Chang smiled knowingly. "Thank you, Great Immortal Mo, for saving my life."

Li Xiuyuan calculated that Daji would ambush Ji Chang on his way back to Xiqi, so he escorted Ji Chang all the way back to Xiqi, killing the assassins sent by Daji multiple times.

Along the way, Li Xiuyuan and Ji Chang discussed many things about the Shang Dynasty. Ji Chang sighed helplessly and said, "The Shang Dynasty is different now. Daji is interfering in politics. King Zhou is licentious and tyrannical, the people are suffering, and loyal officials have no way to serve their country." "Don't worry," Li Xiuyuan said earnestly, "this situation is actually an opportunity to recruit talented people from all over the world. You should seize the opportunity."

"I have gathered the best talents in the land; could it be that I truly intend to rebel?" Ji Chang retorted. Li Xiuyuan looked at Ji Chang with a resolute gaze and said, "The current situation in the world is just as you have said, Marquis. If you do nothing, what will the people of the world do?"

Ji Chang pondered for a long time, his mind filled with images of the two different versions of Chaoge, past and present, and the loyal generals who had died at the hands of Daji. He looked up at Li Xiuyuan and said, "Although I have the ambition to serve my country and have made some friends, judging from the current situation, the Shang Dynasty is still very powerful. What should I do now?"

"My lord, do not be hasty. After you return to Xiqi, first recruit talents widely. Gather your strength and then make your move. When the time is right, my lord will be able to conquer the world and defeat the Shang Dynasty without any problem," Li Xiuyuan said calmly.

Before they knew it, Li Xiuyuan and Ji Chang had arrived in Xiqi. After confirming Ji Chang's safety, Li Xiuyuan gave him several treasures and then left.

As for Daji, although her attempt to assassinate Ji Chang failed, the fact that King Zhou made her his empress was enough for her to forget about other unpleasant things.

King Zhou, knowing everyone in the harem, grandly appointed Daji as his queen, holding an unprecedentedly lavish investiture ceremony. The newly crowned queen, Daji, indulged in pleasure every day, intensifying her schemes to harm loyal officials. She even began ordering the construction of the Deer Terrace.

When officials of the former Shang Dynasty heard that Daji intended to spend vast amounts of manpower and resources to build the Deer Terrace, many submitted memorials impeaching her. However, King Zhou, under Daji's influence, believed that the Deer Terrace was for worshipping the gods, praying for the prosperity of the Shang Dynasty and the well-being of the people. He rebuked the ministers, saying, "Such a beneficial undertaking has not been opposed by you repeatedly. If anyone disagrees again, I will execute them to pray for the well-being of the people."

Most of the ministers below dared not say anything more, except for Daji's supporter who stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that the Queen's actions are for the benefit of the people of Shang. The people will surely be grateful and understand the good intentions of the Queen and Your Majesty." After he finished speaking, King Zhou finally showed a slight smile, while the others in the court could only sigh silently.

After King Zhou granted permission for the construction of the Deer Terrace, Daji ordered her palace servants to conscript men from the populace indiscriminately. Regardless of age or gender, anyone capable of labor was brought to Chaoge. Countless people fled the area, some even breaking their own legs or cutting off their fingers to avoid forced labor. The people suffered terribly, yet the daily reports from the court stated: "Hearing of the Queen's plan to build the Deer Terrace, the people are flocking to Chaoge to participate in its construction." King Zhou, upon hearing this, declared in court, "Daji is a blessing to our Shang Dynasty." Little did he know, the people hated him, hated the Shang Dynasty, and hated Daji even more. Some refugees fled to Xiqi, recounting their ordeal to the locals. Soon after, Ji Chang learned of this situation and resolved to consult with Li Xiuyuan.

Despite this cruel exploitation, the Deer Terrace was completed ahead of schedule after several months. Daji led the people in preparing for a sacrificial ceremony. King Zhou led his ministers to the Deer Terrace, and Daji stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, an immortal has descended upon the Deer Terrace today." She then pointed to a high point on the Deer Terrace for King Zhou to see. "Indeed," King Zhou replied happily. "My beloved ministers, let us quickly proceed to the Deer Terrace and kneel before the great immortal."

When the group arrived at the Deer Terrace, they indeed saw something extraordinary, and they all began to kneel in worship. As everyone knelt, Minister Bigan suddenly felt unwell.

Bigan's heart was pounding abnormally. He looked up at the so-called immortals on the Deer Terrace and noticed something amiss. After careful examination, he realized that the immortals on the Deer Terrace were actually foxes in disguise. Seeing this, Bigan dared not act rashly. After returning to his residence and discussing the matter with his trusted confidants, he decided to go to the foxes' dwelling place and capture them all in one fell swoop.

It is said that Li Xiuyuan, after discussing with Ji Chang, decided to go to Chaoge to find out what was going on. Upon arriving in Chaoge, he learned that Bigan intended to kill the fox with his own power, so he hurried to Bigan's residence.

Chapter 1121 Ruthlessly Seizing the Seven-Skill Exquisite Heart

“My lord, please don’t be anxious. We should first plan how to find the fox den and what methods to use to kill them all,” Li Xiuyuan suggested.

“What you say is quite true. May I ask who you are?” Bigan asked. Someone beside him whispered, “It’s Li Xiuyuan, Immortal Mo, isn’t it?” Bigan quickly stepped forward: “So it’s Immortal Mo.” Li Xiuyuan smiled without saying a word.

Finally, Li Xiuyuan explained the location of the fox den to Bigan and taught him how to attack it with fire.

Bigan, leading dozens of men, arrived at the fox den. Initially, they placed a large amount of hay near the entrance. The foxes, overjoyed after receiving the homage, were all drinking the wine bestowed upon them by Daji, some already completely drunk and unconscious. Upon learning of this, Bigan ordered, "Fire!" One after another, flaming arrows flew towards the fox den, instantly filling it with smoke. The drunken foxes, oblivious to everything else, panicked and scattered in all directions. But Bigan had already sealed off all four entrances.

A voice came from inside the cave: "Who dares to act so recklessly?" Bigan replied loudly into the cave: "I am Bigan, what are you going to do about it?"

Some foxes that had cultivated themselves for many years in the cave escaped the fire and finally made it outside, only to be caught in a trap set by Bigan.

After the fire subsided, the screams from inside the cave gradually subsided, and Bigan entered with a group of men. The cave was a mess, with a foul stench emanating from it. Some foxes were completely charred, while others had been burned to ashes. As for the foxes that had escaped from the cave and were caught, Bigan ordered his men to bring them back.

The next day, when Bigan went to court, he brought these items with him. Upon seeing the king, he stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have recently acquired some fine fur products and wish to present them to Your Majesty."

The personal eunuch took the fur and handed it to King Zhou. King Zhou touched it and said, "It is indeed a fine item. Lord Bigan's gift is quite good. I wonder what Lord Bigan would like me to reward him with?"

Bi Gan smiled broadly and replied, "If Your Majesty is pleased, I am already overjoyed. There is no need to discuss rewards." With that, he withdrew.

When King Zhou received this item, he naturally thought of Daji, so he took the gift given to him by Bigan to Daji's palace.

"Your Majesty, I have received some fine items from Lord Bigan and would like to share them with you." With that, he ordered his men to bring out fox fur products.

Upon returning to Chaoge, Bigan devised a plan: he would make the captured fox into accessories and present them to the king and Daji, hoping to intimidate Daji, weaken her power in the court, and perhaps even curb her arrogance.

So Bigan called the butcher over and said, "Pluck all the fur off these foxes, but don't damage them." The butcher was a little worried, but seeing Bigan's determined eyes, he agreed.

Subsequently, Bigan found a craftsman with excellent tailoring skills and ordered him to "weave these furs into various warm or decorative items".

When Daji saw that the palace servants had brought her fox fur, she felt weak all over, and her eyes blazed with fury. But she couldn't let King Zhou see it, so in a fit of anger, she collapsed to the ground. The king was greatly alarmed by this and summoned the imperial physician to treat her.

Under Daji's instigation, the imperial physician told King Zhou, "Your Majesty, the Queen suffers from a heart ailment. With my limited medical skills, I am currently unable to cure her." Upon hearing this, King Zhou ordered the physician to be killed.

Shen Gongbao, who was standing nearby, whispered to Daji, "Your Majesty, Bigan has a heart with seven orifices." Daji understood immediately what he meant.

"Your Majesty, my illness has been a long time coming. However, a celestial being once told my father that only by finding someone with a heart that has seven orifices and exquisite beauty can medicine be used to save his life," Daji said in a weak voice.

After a moment's thought, King Zhou said, "Is what my beloved concubine said true? Is it the very shrewd and insightful mind of Lord Bigan?"

Daji feigned ignorance and asked, "Lord Bigan? Would he be willing to risk his life to save me?"

"Bi Gan is known for his kindness, he will surely agree," King Zhou replied.

Subsequently, King Zhou summoned Bigan to the inner palace. Knowing that his journey was fraught with danger, Bigan made all the necessary arrangements before heading to the palace. However, the first person he encountered was Daji.

Daji looked at Bigan with a smug expression and said, "Bigan, you burned down my fox den and skinned the fox just to provoke me. This time, I will make you pay the same price."

“Woman, do you really think the King will only listen to you? I’ve done all this so that the King can see your true colors,” Bigan retorted.

So Bigan left Daji's place and came before King Zhou.

King Zhou had already prepared the meal, but next to the table was a dagger and a small amount of white cloth. Upon seeing this, Bi Gan smiled.

King Zhou looked at Bigan and said, "Lord Bigan is known for his benevolence in our Shang Dynasty. Now there is someone who urgently needs your help. Lord Bigan, would you be willing to lend a hand?"

Seeing that King Zhou seemed to already know what was going on, Bigan said, "Since the founding of the Shang Dynasty, Bigan's greatest hope has been to assist Your Majesty in establishing great achievements and ensuring the Shang Dynasty's eternal existence. I wonder what Your Majesty intends for Bigan to do?"

Seeing this, King Zhou said, "Now, the Queen of my Great Shang Dynasty, Daji, has fallen ill with a heart ailment. A celestial being has advised that Lord Bigan's heart is extraordinary. I hope that Lord Bigan will use his love for the people to help the Queen Mother."

Bigan was furious and said, "Daji is a demon queen. The fox fur I seized is the best proof. I hope Your Majesty will think about it carefully. Moreover, the people on the Deer Terrace that day were a group of fox demons, not immortals."

Upon hearing this, King Zhou thought that Bigan simply did not want to offer up his seven-aperture exquisite heart, and said, "How could I not distinguish between a demon and a celestial being? If you do not offer up your seven-aperture exquisite heart today, I will have no choice but to issue the order. Why not use your heart to show your loyalty, otherwise I will find it hard to believe in your loyalty to my Great Shang Dynasty."

At this moment, Bigan seemed to finally see the King Zhou in front of him clearly. He was no longer the same king as before; he had been blinded by Daji.

With his last breath, Bigan said, "Before Daji entered Chaoge, our Great Shang was powerful and none of our neighbors dared to disturb us. Now, Great Shang is besieged on all sides. All the loyal ministers of our Great Shang have died at the hands of Daji. Does Your Majesty not understand this now?"

Chapter 1122 The Ministers' Discord

After speaking, Bigan was heartbroken. He longed to use his own life to awaken the former emperor. So Bigan left behind the words, "Your Majesty, Daji will not stay," and picked up the dagger on the table, plunging it into his heart. He proved his resolve with his death.

His heart was ripped out. Bigan, holding his still-beating, bleeding heart, walked toward King Zhou. The eunuch took Bigan's exquisite heart in a presentation vessel. Bigan glanced at King Zhou and walked out of the palace without looking back.

Upon reaching the palace walls, Bigan could no longer hold on and collapsed by the roadside. Passersby, seeing this, quickly picked him up; his clothes were soaked with blood, and everyone was astonished. Together, they carried Bigan back to his residence. Upon learning the truth, the people were filled with rage, silently cursing Daji and King Zhou.

Despite the great events that had occurred, King Zhou seemed unconcerned and ordered that Bigan's exquisite heart be delivered to Daji's palace. Daji looked at Bigan's heart and sighed deeply.

"I've avenged you, no one can oppose me now." With that, she threw Bigan's heart into the vessel, and Daji's dog came and snatched it away.

Upon seeing this, one of Daji's palace maids fainted from fright, while the eunuch carrying the vessel dropped it on the ground and immediately knelt down to beg Daji for forgiveness.

Daji laughed loudly, a hint of smugness and malice flashing in her eyes.

News of Bigan's death quickly spread throughout Chaoge. Those who had helped Bigan during his lifetime, as well as those who were on good terms with him, lost faith in the Shang Dynasty after hearing about his fate. In their eyes, the Shang Dynasty's demise seemed to be imminent.

Some court officials, unwilling to serve Daji and yet unwilling to prolong their lives, moved their entire families to Xiqi. They heard that Ji Chang of Xiqi treated scholars with respect, valued talent, and that the people lived in peace and prosperity. Thus, they flocked to Xiqi.

When King Zhou heard about this situation, he decreed: "All officials of Chaoge who wish to leave the city must first obtain my permission."

In an instant, Chaoge became a truly dead city. No one in the palace dared to speak of the reality for the common people. Their lives were filled with misery, everyone living in constant fear. Only King Zhou felt his life was good and had nothing to worry about.

Those who wanted to contribute to the Shang Dynasty also left upon seeing this situation. Jiang Ziya is one of them who must be mentioned.

Although Jiang Ziya was advanced in years, he still harbored a strong ambition to achieve great things. However, after telling him about Bi Gan, he left Chaoge with his wife.

As they walked, they pondered their destination. Along the way, they heard that Ji Chang of Xiqi was known for his respect for scholars and officials, so they headed towards Xiqi. Upon arriving in Xiqi, however, Jiang Ziya found himself in dire straits as the time was not yet ripe.

Jiang Ziya's wife, seeing him fishing with a straight hook all day long, said, "Since ancient times, fish have only been able to catch fish when they encounter a hook. How can you catch fish with a straight hook? Forget about serving your country, if you continue like this, you won't even be able to eat human food."

Jiang Ziya replied optimistically, "I am no ordinary person. The fish I catch must be willing to take the bait." He then looked quite pleased with himself.

Jiang Ziya's confidence in achieving great things in the future stemmed entirely from what he saw of Ji Chang's actions after arriving in Xiqi. He believed that one day, Ji Chang would need his assistance in governing the country, and that Ji Chang was a trustworthy leader.

With Li Xiuyuan's guidance, Ji Chang returned to Xiqi and worked diligently to govern the country.

Finally, the time was ripe, and Li Xiuyuan said to Ji Chang, "Now you have many capable generals under your command, and the time is almost right."

After thinking for a long time, Ji Chang said, "Master Mo, although I have military generals, I feel that I still lack a strategist under my command, so the timing is not quite right."

Li Xiuyuan pointed to the east and said, "What you say is right, my lord. However, I can recommend a strategist to you. His name is Jiang Ziya, and he is currently in Xiqi. He has been waiting for you for many days." After saying this, the two got up to find Jiang Ziya.

Jiang Ziya himself, however, has been fishing by the river every day since he came to Xiqi with a straight hook. Although he has been ridiculed by his wife and others countless times, Jiang Ziya has never given up.

That day, ripples suddenly appeared on the river's surface. A fish bit the bait on the hook, but unlike other fish, it didn't release the hook and swim away after eating. Instead, it was hoisted up along with Jiang Ziya's fishing rod.