The terrible news that Wen Zhong had burned himself to death at Juelong Ridge in martyrdom for Shang was rushed back to Zhaoge by galloping horses, and the entire court erupted in uproar.
When King Zhou heard that Wen Zhong—loyal to the bone, righteous to the marrow, who had spent half his life campaigning to protect Great Shang—was dead, his dragon countenance blazed with fury. He smashed the imperial desk with one violent slap, his roar shaking the Great Hall.
He immediately issued an edict, ordering Deng Jiugong to muster his troops at once, lead the army out against Xiqi, and punish the rebels.
After receiving the edict, Deng Jiugong did not dare delay. He swiftly assembled the three armies, and the soldiers under his command stood fully armed, ready to march.
Deng Jiugong's daughter, Deng Chanyu, was highly skilled in martial arts, adept at wielding the Five-Colored Stone, and brave in battle. She too followed her father with the army, hurrying toward the battlefield at Xiqi.
Night lay heavy. Candlelight flickered deep within the palace. King Zhou and King Wucheng, Huang Feihu, sat facing each other; the hall was silent, with only the fragrance of wine spreading through the air.
King Zhou lifted his wine cup, his gaze deep and grave, and spoke in a low voice:
"My beloved minister, the matter you have been preparing in secret—how does it progress now?"
Huang Feihu tilted his head back and drained the strong wine in his cup, then let out a bright laugh, his expression assured yet edged with hidden sharpness.
"Your Majesty may rest easy! The elite forces under my command have long since been properly hidden away, and in secret I have also made contact with the newly appointed commander of Sanshan Pass, Kong Xuan, so that we