"Your Majesty possesses both civil wisdom and martial strategy, your achievements will cover the ages, and your virtue is beyond reproach. The Three Sovereigns all acknowledge you as a peerless wise ruler and an unparalleled Human King! We ministers are shallow in learning and ability, and can only help Your Majesty shoulder a tiny portion of trivial matters concerning the common people and slaves. For matters as significant as this, which may shake the foundations of the state, we naturally must follow Your Majesty's plans. Only by following Your Majesty's plans do we dare act, can we act, and will we succeed."
Fei Zhong's eyes shifted. He hurried two steps forward, then dropped to his knees with a loud thump, launching into a torrent of flattery aimed at Di Xin.
Fei Zhong really is quick-witted. I need to study him carefully.
A trace of envy flashed across You Hun's face as he began seriously observing Fei Zhong's movements, expressions, and words.
Being a treacherous minister required skill, and Fei Zhong had mastered it completely! He needed to watch and learn more, then kick Fei Zhong out and successfully take his position!
The other officials looked at him with disdain, envy, or indifference. In short, they displayed every possible aspect of human nature, each in their own way.
As expected of the treacherous minister who had been favored by the previous owner of this body. His verbal skill and talent for flattery are truly refreshing.
Di Xin swept his gaze around, taking in the expressions of all the ministers below. He knew he had put on enough of an act, and it was time to get down to business.
"Rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Fei Zhong's eyes filled with delight. He rose in a fawning manner, backed away two steps, then stood calmly in the civil officials' ranks, looking smugly at the disdainful gazes around him.
Be envious of me. Be jealous of me. This confiscation of the strange people will definitely bring benefits to me, Grand Master Fei! The strange people's treasures are all rare and bizarre, worth cities in gold. As long as I skim off just a little, I, Fei Zhong, hahaha...
"I intend to build a pavilion called the Star-Gathering Pavilion! It will gather the strange people of the realm and have them serve Yin Shang, making use of their abilities to benefit the nation and protect the foundations of Yin Shang! I shall call this: Using the Strange to Control the Strange!"
Di Xin swept his sleeve grandly and rose from his throne. His gaze passed over the assembled officials, and the heroic spirit in his heart overflowed plainly in his expression!
In other words, his domineering aura was leaking everywhere!
"Strange people may be idle wanderers, proud and unruly, a scourge to one region, or recluses who have hidden away for their entire lives! May I ask Your Majesty, if you truly gather all the strange people of the realm into the court, how should they be screened? And after the screening, whom should you appoint to manage them?"
Prime Minister Shang Rong stepped forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with King Wucheng Huang Feihu.
"Your Majesty, although You Hun is unworthy, I am willing to help Your Majesty shoulder this burden!"
After receiving a meaningful glance from Fei Zhong, You Hun strode behind Shang Rong, bowed his head, and paid his respects. When he raised his head again, his face was full of ingratiation.
"Among my retainers are also some strange people. I am willing to add bricks and tiles to Your Majesty's plan and make it even more successful."
"Foolishness! The strange people possess great abilities, and gathering them together will make them incomparably dangerous. You Hun, you are merely a minor Grand Master, yet you dare meddle in this matter! Are you plotting rebellion?"
Royal Uncle Bi Gan was so furious that even his beard crooked. He stepped forward and pointed at You Hun's nose, berating him harshly.
He still remembered how You Hun had framed Fei Lian earlier. Now that he was using the same accusation against You Hun, it proved unexpectedly effective.
Live and learn. The ancients truly did not deceive me. (Derpy dog-head emoji)
You Hun jolted in fright and turned around with a deathly pale face. Fei Zhong had already lowered his head and shifted slightly inward!
That treacherous bastard actually set me up!
With a loud thump, You Hun hurriedly dropped to his knees and kowtowed like a pestle pounding garlic.
"Your Majesty! You know me well! I only wanted to help Your Majesty shoulder this burden. I absolutely had no intention of plotting rebellion, Your Majesty!"
These two started turning on each other over the slightest benefit. How ignorant!
Di Xin wanted to curl his lips, but remembering that he was in court, he could only use the universal sleeve flourish to cover up the small movement.
"That's enough. Rise. With your character, even if I gave you eight more courage, you wouldn't dare. Step down."
"Thank you, Your Majesty! Your Majesty is wise! Your Majesty is wise!"
Terrified, You Hun rolled and crawled back to his place in the ranks. He secretly glanced at Fei Zhong ahead of him, his eyes filled with venom.
Fei Zhong, just you wait!
"Since this is Using the Strange to Control the Strange, naturally a strange person must be appointed as its leader!"
A flash of a smile crossed Di Xin's face before he returned to his composed expression.
"According to what I learned through the Kongtong Seal, the General of Sanshan Pass, Kong Xuan, possesses formidable martial strength and profound supernatural arts. I will recall him to Chaoge and appoint him as Master of the Star-Picking Tower. He will be more than sufficient to command the strange people."
Kong Xuan is such a precious treasure. I can't let the Westerners lure him away. The Peacock Great Bright King? Hand him over!
"Your Majesty, may I ask what office and position Your Majesty intends to give Kong Xuan? How do you plan to settle him? And how will you attract the strange people of the realm?"
As soon as Di Xin finished speaking, another person stepped out from the civil officials' ranks. It was none other than Grand Master Mei Bo, who had once submitted a memorial recommending that Di Xin be made Crown Prince.
"In Yin Shang, rewards are given only after merit is achieved. Naturally, I will first have him produce results, then grant him an enfeoffment. Aiqing, rest assured. Since I have said so, I have already considered the matter carefully."
"Yes!"
Mei Bo gave Di Xin a deep look, his eyes filled with approval and satisfaction. Your Majesty, you are progressing farther and farther along the path of a wise ruler.
"Your Majesty, I am willing to accept the order to oversee the construction of the Star-Gathering Pavilion!"
As soon as Mei Bo stepped back, Fei Zhong seized the opportunity to stir up trouble again. A treacherous minister's keen nose told him that there was considerable profit to be made!
"Your Majesty, I am also willing to oversee the construction of the Star-Gathering Pavilion!"
You Hun never learned from his mistakes. Seeing Fei Zhong make his move, he naturally wanted to pry a share of the profit from him as well.
"Your Majesty, may I ask how you intend to build this Star-Gathering Pavilion?"
Prime Minister Shang Rong also sensed something fishy. With Di Xin making such a grand move, he naturally would not build one or two small towers and be done with it. Yet if it were built on a grand scale, it would inevitably... burden the people and waste wealth...
"The Star-Gathering Pavilion will be nine hundred and ninety-nine feet tall. It shall embody the meaning of 'the perilous tower rises a hundred feet, and one's hand can pluck the stars!'" (Around 169 meters by modern measurements.)
Di Xin raised a hand and pressed it down in the air. Before Shang Rong and the others could object, he spoke again.
"Grain Official, are my granaries still full?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, ever since Your Majesty ascended the throne, Yin Shang has enjoyed favorable weather every year. The granaries have long been full!"
A middle-aged man stepped out from among the civil officials and answered with cupped hands. He was the Grain Official of the Shang Dynasty, an official specifically responsible for food. (This is a novel, not history. Please excuse any inaccuracies.)
"What of my slaves? How many are there?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, there are fully several hundred thousand."
"With people and grain, gentlemen, is there really any problem with me building a tower less than a thousand feet high?"
Di Xin smiled broadly as his gaze swept over the many ministers. I've laid out the groundwork this thoroughly. Let's see who dares stand up and object!
"Your Majesty, this nine hundred and ninety-nine feet..."
"Has it reached a thousand feet?"
"No!"
"Then what's the problem? I know what I'm doing!"
Di Xin sat back down on his throne. With a turn of his right hand, he brought out the Kongtong Seal. Its hazy radiance shone as it intimidated everyone present.
"Transmit my decree. Within the lands of Yin Shang, all slaves may volunteer to participate in constructing the Star-Picking Tower. I grant them one hundred thousand positions!
"During construction, they will receive three full meals every day, until my Star-Gathering Pavilion is completed!
"If they are not my slaves, their masters will be granted one dou of grain. I will... buy the slave from them!"
Before you continue