The Guzhu Kingdom was a small vassal state north of Great Shang. Founded long ago, it held considerable territory and had a fairly developed economy and culture. It boasted many musicians skilled at playing the zither, a livestock industry that raised large numbers of animals, and agricultural produce plentiful enough to leave surplus grain for brewing wine.
It might have originated as a fief granted to a member of the Shang Dynasty's royal clan. Its ruling family had originally borne the surname Zi, but had since changed it to Motai.
Jizi was on good terms with the Guzhu Kingdom's ruling line. If events followed their normal course, he would flee there after Shang fell and lead people to develop neighboring North Korea.
That was all a story for later. For now, over the question of presenting tribute through the Flower and Stone Transport, the ruler of the Guzhu Kingdom had sent his eldest son, Motai Yun, and his third son, Motai Zhi, to Chaoge to make inquiries and gather news while they were at it.
Motai Yun and Motai Zhi were the men later known as Bo Yi and Shu Qi. For ease of understanding, they would still be called Bo Yi and Shu Qi.
After arriving in Chaoge, Bo Yi and Shu Qi first visited the elderly royal uncle, Jizi. They were no fools. News reached the Guzhu Kingdom slowly, leaving them ignorant of major events in the Central Plains. King Zhou's sudden change to the tribute arrangements surely meant something had happened.
Yet after hearing Jizi recount a series of events, both men felt dissatisfied.
King Zhou did have his merits. The North Sea was not far from the Guzhu Kingdom, and they had long known about the suppression of the rebellion. They had also heard vague rumors