I Am King Zhou, Human Emperor! Part 4

Whether he stuck his head out or pulled it back, the blade would still fall. He might as well fight to the death for a bright and clear world.

A day had passed in cultivation. Zi Shou did not continue cultivating, as he still had matters to handle.

At yesterday's Morning Court, he had ordered Su Daji to enter the palace. Today, he would also summon Marquis Su Hu of Ji Province.

Not long after Morning Court began, a minister reported that Marquis Su Hu of Ji Province was waiting at the Noon Gate.

Before long, Marquis Su Hu of Ji Province arrived in the great hall wearing prison clothes and knelt prostrate on the ground.

Within the great hall, the Ministers wore varying expressions. Some showed sympathy, some were furious, while others remained expressionless.

"Su Hu, you inscribed a poem opposing Great Shang and resisted the royal army. This is an unforgivable crime. What do you have to say for yourself?" Zi Shou asked in a deep voice.

Whatever his reasons, Su Hu's rebellion against Great Shang was a fact. It was a capital crime punishable by the extermination of nine clans.

If he was not punished, the other feudal lords would follow his example. Before long, all the feudal lords under heaven might rebel.

As soon as he finished speaking, Prime Minister Shang Rong stepped forward. "Su Hu rebelled against Great Shang and should be executed according to the law. But considering that he offered his daughter to atone for his crime, I beg The King to show mercy."

Zi Shou gave Shang Rong a deep look. He had already stated yesterday how Su Hu was to be dealt with.

He was merely questioning Su Hu now, yet Shang Rong had already impatiently stepped forward again. What was he trying to do?

"I will make my own decision. There is no need for you to say more," Zi Shou said expressionlessly.

Shang Rong could only withdraw. The gazes of the Ministers soon gathered on Su Hu.

"This criminal minister deserves death ten thousand times over. I beg The King for mercy!" Su Hu said tremblingly.

Su Hu naturally understood that his life and death were entirely at The King's whim.

"You do indeed deserve death ten thousand times over, but was I not also at fault? If I had not acted so perversely in the past, how could I have made you lose your loyalty?"

The Ministers were instantly shocked. From executing Fei Zhong and You Hun yesterday to speaking these words today—

Was this still the King they remembered?

"It is truly the fortune of Great Shang that The King has awakened to his errors. This is cause for celebration!"

All the Ministers revealed delighted expressions. Even Su Hu was inwardly stunned, so astonished that he could not speak.

"I have indeed committed many absurd acts in the past. I shall issue an edict and apologize to all the people under heaven," Zi Shou said.

He had long considered this. If he wanted to turn around the current situation, executing corrupt ministers alone would naturally not be enough.

Of course, he could also take things slowly, changing the situation bit by bit and becoming a wise ruler.

But he simply did not have that much time. If he wanted to reverse the situation as quickly as possible, this was the only way.

At this moment, every Minister stood dumbfounded, their eyes filled with disbelief.

The King would personally issue an edict to apologize to all the people under heaven?

This had never happened since ancient times. It would set a precedent for all ages!

"For The King to possess such awareness is truly cause for celebration! Why not submit a memorial to Heaven above and reassure the people below?" Shang Rong said.

Upon hearing this, quite a few Ministers secretly nodded, greatly approving of Shang Rong's suggestion.

These Ministers were truly frightened as well. They feared that after some time, The King would revert to his former self.

By submitting a memorial to Heaven above and reassuring the people below, this matter could be settled beyond dispute. Could The King still go back on his word?

"Submit a memorial to Heaven? Do you know what you are saying?" His expression immediately darkened.

He had already been somewhat wary of Shang Rong, and Shang Rong's suggestion only deepened his suspicions.

"Only by submitting a memorial to Heaven can The King demonstrate his sincerity. It will also let everyone know of The King's resolve to correct his past mistakes!" Shang Rong said.

At this moment, Shang Rong wore a solemn expression, presenting such a compassionate image that many Ministers secretly praised him.

"Even if I have committed some absurd acts, they are matters of the Human Race. I should naturally apologize to the Human Ancestors, such as the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. What does Heaven have to do with it?

If all under heaven are guilty, the guilt lies with me! I have failed all the people under heaven, so I should naturally apologize to the people. What does Heaven have to do with it?"

Throughout the entire hall, only his voice remained. At that moment, it resounded like the heavenly voice of the Great Dao, rumbling without end!

Every Minister stood dumbfounded, their eyes filled with disbelief.

Were these words that The King could say?

"The King has already angered Goddess Nüwa. You absolutely must not anger Heaven again..." Shang Rong hurriedly said.

He had originally wanted to continue persuading him, but upon seeing The King's icy gaze, he could not continue after only half a sentence.

"Say no more! Today, I shall issue an Edict of Self-Reproach, announcing it to all under heaven. I shall apologize to the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, and to all the people!

"As for Su Hu, his crimes are pardoned. Let him return to his fief. Should he disobey again, he will be executed without pardon!"

After saying that, he ignored the Ministers' reactions and turned to leave, abandoning a hall full of stunned officials.

A moment later, the Ministers came to their senses, and the hall immediately erupted.

"The King is going to issue an Edict of Self-Reproach? This will set a precedent for all under heaven, an act without equal since ancient times!"

"The King truly has changed. He is actually willing to apologize to the people?"

"Good! Excellent! With such wisdom, The King will surely govern diligently and restore Great Shang!"

The Ministers discussed fervently. Though they were shocked by The King's transformation, everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction.

He had executed corrupt ministers and would issue an Edict of Self-Reproach. With such a King, why should Great Shang fear that it would not flourish?

Only Shang Rong wore a worried expression as he muttered to himself, "If The King issues an Edict of Self-Reproach, then what are we?"

Zi Shou could guess how the Ministers would react, and he did not care much about it.

After returning to the Inner Palace, he eagerly entered the Hall of Heroes of the Human Emperors.

Upon closer inspection, the Luck Torch, which had once been only a tiny flame, had now grown several times stronger.

This undoubtedly showed that his decision to issue the Edict of Self-Reproach had indeed been correct.

"Su Daji has entered the palace. Does The King wish to see her?" Just as he was pondering, an attendant came to report.

The Nine-Tailed Fox had already entered the palace. Should he see her or not?

Should he see Su Daji? That truly was a problem!

Su Daji was no longer the Su Daji of the past. She had already been possessed by the Nine-Tailed Fox.

The Nine-Tailed Fox had cultivated for several thousand years. Her cultivation might not have been overwhelmingly powerful, but she at least possessed some skill.

He had only just begun cultivating. In terms of strength, there was no way he could match the Nine-Tailed Fox.

However, as the Human Sovereign, he was protected by Human Path Luck. The Nine-Tailed Fox would find it difficult to harm him in the slightest.

Otherwise, after being defiled, Goddess Nüwa would not have sent the Nine-Tailed Fox to beguile him. She would have directly ground his bones to dust.

Yet the Nine-Tailed Fox's true terror did not lie in the strength of her cultivation, but in her methods of bewitching others.

For now, before he possessed sufficient strength, he intended to leave the Nine-Tailed Fox waiting for a while.

Once inside the Hall of Heroes of the Human Emperors, he quickly immersed himself in cultivation and immediately sensed the difference.

Because he had issued the Edict of Self-Reproach, his own luck had increased, and the Luck Torch burned ever more brightly.

The most immediate benefit was that his cultivation had become more effective. His cultivation speed had actually increased several times compared to yesterday.

The Bodhi Ancient Tree swayed gently, and countless insights surged into his mind as he began cultivating the Sea of Wheels Secret Realm.

The Dao Palace Secret Realm cultivated the five viscera and was divided into five realms: the Heart Divine Palace, Liver Divine Palace, Spleen Divine Palace, Lung Divine Palace, and Kidney Divine Palace.

The heart belonged to fire, the liver to wood, the spleen to earth, the lungs to metal, and the kidneys to water. The five Divine Palaces corresponded to the Five Elements.

Once any Divine Palace was cultivated to success, it could give birth to Dao Palace Deities.

Beginning with the Liver Divine Palace, one deity after another was born within his Dao Palace, while his cultivation steadily rose.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the Inner Palace, a woman was waiting expectantly.

Her dark hair was piled high, her face was like an apricot blossom and her cheeks like peaches. Her brows were faint as spring mountains, her waist supple as a willow. She resembled a begonia drunk beneath the sun, or a pear blossom bearing rain.

She was clearly a peerless beauty, like an immortal maiden descending from the Nine Heavens to the Jade Pool, or Chang'e leaving the Jade Palace from within the moon.

At this moment, the woman was preparing to bathe and change. She gently loosened her robes, revealing skin whiter than snow.

When the beauty began to bathe, her form appeared and disappeared amid the mist, carrying an altogether different charm.

No matter what sort of man saw such a sight, he would likely feel his blood surge and his desire blaze.

The beauty spent a long time bathing. An ordinary person could probably have bathed several times by then.

"He really did not come?"

Her voice was gentle and clear, incomparably pleasant to hear, yet it carried a trace of surprise.

Ever since King Zhou had defiled the Nüwa Temple by inscribing lewd poems and erotic verses, he had become obsessed with lust, indulging in nightly revelry within the Inner Palace. Who under heaven did not know this?

This time, she had possessed Su Daji. She already had a beautiful body, and with the natural gifts of the Nine-Tailed Fox clan, she was certain she could bewitch all living beings.

She had calculated the timing perfectly. By bathing at this hour, if King Zhou saw her, the matter would be settled.