Conferred Gods: Master Tongtian is my master

Saiki

In the main hall of Xiqi, the sunlight shines through the carved window lattices and falls on the solemn carpet, adding a touch of solemnity to this solemn occasion.

In the center of the hall, King Ji Chang of Xibo was sitting on the throne in gorgeous clothes. His eyes were deep, revealing a temperament of majesty without anger.

Below the stage, civil and military officials from various vassal states stood neatly in two rows on the left and right.

Some of them were wearing armor, while others were wearing court robes, but without exception, they all had respectful expressions on their faces, listening quietly to the speech of the Duke of Xibo.

Xibohou Jichang nodded slightly and said in a deep voice:

"My dear ministers, yesterday I was summoned by the king to go to Chaoge. What do you think about this?"

Although his voice was low, every word he said was like a hammer, striking everyone's heart.

His Highness's civil and military ministers looked at each other, and then discussions broke out.

They were either whispering or discussing in low voices, and everyone's face showed different emotions.

An elderly civil official stepped forward first. It was San Yisheng, Xiqi's think tank. He stroked his beard, his eyes gleaming with a sharp light, and bowed respectfully, saying:

"My Lord, I believe that the king's summons this time must be related to the strange phenomena that have occurred in Xiqi in recent days."

"The purple clouds and the sound of the phoenix are auspicious signs that are rarely seen in the history. In addition, the people have spread the word that the Holy Lord has appeared, which will definitely arouse the king's suspicion."

He paused, glanced at the ministers, and continued:

"I dare to speculate that the king summoned you to Chaoge, perhaps to test your attitude or to inquire about the details of the vision."

"For the Marquis, this trip is by no means as simple as an ordinary audience. In fact, it may not necessarily be a good thing."

King Ji Chang of Xibo listened quietly, his eyes deep and bright, as if he could see into people's hearts.

He nodded slightly, indicating his agreement with San Yisheng's words. Then, he said:

"What Doctor San said is absolutely right. After receiving the summons from the king, I was also full of doubts. So, I specially asked for divination, but the hexagram did not show a good omen, but rather..."

He paused, and the atmosphere in the hall suddenly became tense.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on him, waiting for his next words.

Ji Chang took a deep breath and continued:

"The hexagram shows a bad sign, not a good sign. This means that this trip to Chaoge is full of dangers."

Upon hearing the words of King Ji Chang of Xibo, the civil and military officials all looked solemn.

At this time, a burly general stood up. He was the Xiqi general, Nangong Shi. He had a frown on his face, and the worry on his face was evident.

He bowed to Chang and said in a deep voice:

"My Lord, since you know that this trip is going to be difficult, then report to the King and find an excuse to postpone this trip to Chaoge."

Although his voice was low, it was full of firmness and determination. In the hall, all the civil and military officials listened silently, with different expressions on their faces.

"No, the king has issued a clear order. If any prince refuses to go, we will immediately send troops to attack them. We must go to Chaoge." Xibohou Jichang said in a deep voice.

When the ministers heard what King Ji Chang of Xibo said, they looked worried.

Ji Chang saw this scene and said to everyone:

"My dear ministers, don't worry. Although there is a difficulty this time, it will not pose a threat to your life."

He paused for a moment and continued:

"After I leave Xiqi, all Xiqi affairs will be handled by my eldest son Bo Yikao, assisted by Doctor San and General Nangong."

When San Yisheng and General Nangong heard Ji Chang's words, they stepped forward to salute and expressed their willingness to fully assist the eldest son Bo Yikao.

Ji Chang nodded, gave some instructions to the ministers below the stage, and then left the court.

In the dormitory

King Ji Chang of Xibo sat upright in the main seat, his face calm and his eyes revealing unquestionable determination.

Then, he ordered his attendants to call his family. When everyone gathered together, Ji Chang cleared his throat and said in a steady and powerful voice:

"I have something to tell you. Yesterday, I received a summons from the king and need to leave for Chaoge as soon as possible."

As soon as these words were spoken, there was silence in the hall. Everyone looked at each other with worry in their eyes, because they learned from the subordinates what Ji Chang said when he went to court.

Seeing this, Ji Chang understood, smiled slightly, and said soothingly:

"You don't have to worry too much. Although this trip is risky, we have made all the necessary preparations and will definitely get through it."

Then, Ji Chang turned his gaze to Bo Yikao, and his tone became serious and earnest:

"Yikao, you are my eldest son and my most trusted successor. During my absence, you will be in charge of Xiqi's affairs. You must learn to be independent and shoulder this heavy responsibility."

After hearing this, Bo Yikao felt a little nervous, but more determined and resolute.

He knew that this was his father's trust and expectation of him, so he bowed and answered solemnly:

"Don't worry, father. I will live up to your trust and manage Xiqi's government affairs well."

Ji Chang nodded and smiled with satisfaction. He added:

"If you don't understand anything about government affairs, you can ask San Yisheng for advice. He is my think tank and knows Xiqi's government affairs like the back of his hand."

"If you have any questions about military affairs, just ask Nangong Shi. He is a capable general of Xiqi and has profound knowledge of military affairs."

After listening to Ji Chang's explanation, Bo Yikao bowed again to express his gratitude and said that he would keep his father's teachings in mind.

Ji Chang nodded with satisfaction, gave a few instructions to the rest of the people, and had them pack up and head to Chaoge.

……

Time flies, and several days pass by in the blink of an eye.

During this short period of time, Chaoge City was like a shining pearl, emitting lasting light.

On the streets, there is an endless stream of pedestrians and traffic, which interweaves with the cries of vendors and the conversations of pedestrians, forming a unique symphony.

Especially in recent days, various princes have been summoned to Chaoge, and the city has become extremely lively.

"Look, there's another group of people coming into the city."

A vendor pointed into the distance and spoke to the customer next to him.

I saw a team of knights in gorgeous armor, riding tall horses, slowly entering the city.

Their armor glittered in the sunlight like a flowing galaxy, attracting a lot of attention.

Pedestrians nearby heard the sound and looked over to see the convoy entering from the city gate and slowly driving deeper into the city along the central street.

"Have you heard? Recently, all the princes have been summoned to Chaoge."

A passerby said to his friend next to him.

"Oh, really?"

Friend B is a young scholar. He put down the book in his hand and looked at Passerby A curiously:

"Is this news reliable?"

"Absolutely reliable!"

Passerby A patted his chest with a confident look on his face.

"Yes, I heard about it too. It is said that the visit of the princes to Shang this time is related to the strange phenomenon that occurred in Xiqi." Friend C responded.

"Vision? What vision? What does it have to do with the princes' visit to Shang? Tell me quickly." Friend B asked in confusion.

Seeing how curious everyone was, Friend C lowered his voice and said mysteriously:

"I also heard it from a friend. He said that not long ago, strange phenomena occurred frequently in Xiqi. The sky was filled with purple clouds and the clear sound of phoenixes could be heard."

"Oh, so magical? Could it be that a fairy is casting a spell?" Friend B widened his eyes with an incredible expression on his face.

I have to say, Friend B revealed the truth!

Friend C continued:

"I'm not sure about this, but the people in the surrounding areas of Xiqi are talking about it, saying that this kind of strange phenomenon must be caused by the Holy Lord."

"You said that if this news reached Chaoge, the king would still be able to sit still. He must be summoning Xibohou to Chaoge."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded, with an expression of "I see".

"If that's the case, why not just summon Xibo Hou to the throne? Why do we need to ask all the princes to come to Chaoge?"

As soon as Friend B finished speaking, whispers and discussions began to emanate from the surroundings.

At this time, a middle-aged man named Lu Rending, dressed in gorgeous clothes, stroked his long beard, and walked slowly towards them.

He smiled and spoke in a steady and powerful voice:

"I'm afraid you don't know the reason behind this."

When everyone heard Passerby Ding speak, they all quieted down and wanted to hear his opinion.

"The king did this to see how the various princes would react to this matter."

Passerby Ding said slowly:

"After all, the Xiqi anomaly is of great significance. If rumors are allowed to spread, the world will surely change drastically. The king wants to take this opportunity to test the attitudes and positions of the princes."

"Secondly, the king also wants the princes to see the prosperity of our Shang Dynasty."

Passerby Ding continued:

"In recent years, under the guidance and help of the national master, our Great Shang has become stronger, its culture has flourished, and the people have no worries about food and clothing."

"Your Majesty wants the princes to see that our Great Shang is indestructible, so as to dispel their little tricks and prevent them from acting rashly."

After hearing what Passerby Ding said, everyone nodded in agreement. They were impressed by the king's foresight.

Just as everyone was discussing, a cry of surprise suddenly came from the crowd:

"Hey! Look, there's another person coming. Look at the logo on the carriage. It's Xibohou!"

Everyone's eyes turned to the direction where the sound came from, and they saw a simply decorated carriage slowly approaching.

The flag on the carriage fluttered in the wind, with Xibohou's exclusive logo embroidered on it - a phoenix with its wings spread out ready to fly. This logo shone brightly in the sun, and was extremely eye-catching.

"It really is King Xibo. I heard that King Xibo loves his people like his own sons. I wonder if it's true!" someone exclaimed.

As the carriage approached, the crowd around began to boil.

They all cast curious and awe-inspiring glances at the carriage, wanting to catch a glimpse of the King of Xibo.

But the King of Xibo in the carriage looked calm as usual, as if the noise from the outside world had nothing to do with him.

He sat upright in the car, his hands lightly placed on his knees, his eyes slightly closed, as if he was thinking about something.

Xibohou moved his lips slightly, and said to the attendants outside the carriage in a steady and powerful voice:

"Let's go to the post station to get some rest first, and then wait for the king to summon us before entering the palace."

When the attendant heard the order from the Marquis of Xibo, he immediately responded respectfully:

"Yes, my lord."

So, under the gaze of everyone, Xibohou's carriage slowly moved towards the post station.