An Actor's Self-Cultivation

A few days later, in the Nine-Bay Hall.

Zi Shou held court, assembling the Civil and Martial officials in their two ranks. The officials finished offering their salutations.

The gate official reported, "The time for this year's court audience has arrived. The Feudal Lords of the realm are all outside the Meridian Gate to offer their respects and await Your Majesty's commands."

Zi Shou said, "Summon the Feudal Lords of the Four Garrisons into the hall so I may inquire about local customs and the lives of their people. The remaining Feudal Lords shall offer their respects outside the Meridian Gate."

The Feudal Lords of the Four Garrisons straightened their court robes, their jade pendants swaying gently, then passed through the Meridian Gate and entered the hall. After thundering their salutations, they prostrated themselves.

After a round of formal greetings and reports on their work, Zi Shou asked about the selection of palace women.

The Feudal Lords of the Four Garrisons spent a while boasting about how beautiful, talented, and virtuous the women they had offered were. Then Zi Shou changed the subject. "Summon Su Hu, Marquis of Jizhou, into the hall."

This was bad.

Every official knew what had happened a few days earlier. According to the rumors in the streets, King Zhou had forcibly abducted the Marquis of Jizhou's daughter in broad daylight and nearly driven her to her death.

If not for his wise decision to replace the commander suppressing the North Sea rebellion, people would probably already have been calling him a foolish tyrant.

To salvage his reputation, Wen Zhong had repeatedly urged him to cancel the selection. They absolutely could not leave people with the impression that King Zhou lusted after beauty and indulged in unbridled debauchery.

But how could Zi Shou let him succeed? The more widely the story spread, the better! He reckoned that once settlement time arrived, he would receive an unprecedented windfall!

Upon receiving the command, Su Hu entered the hall for his audience. After completing the formalities, he prostrated himself to await orders.

Zi Shou said, "I hear that you have a daughter of quiet virtue and proper bearing, and I wish to select her to serve in the Imperial Harem. You would become a royal relative, enjoy the bounty of the throne and an exalted position, govern Jizhou forever, and live in peace and prosperity. Your name would resound across the four seas, and everyone under heaven would envy you. What say you?"

Some Civil and Martial officials flushed with embarrassment and could not help covering their faces with their long sleeves. What do you mean, you hear? Your Majesty, you abducted her in the street just a few days ago and nearly drove her to her death! How could you not know her? You summoned Su Hu precisely because you wanted his daughter!

Only now do you think to follow proper procedure? Too late!

Had none of that happened, Su Hu would surely have been delighted. But now? He was probably nursing a grudge. After conduct so unbefitting a sovereign, the king still wanted to take her into the Imperial Harem and humiliate her further?

At these words, Su Hu's expression grew solemn. Everything had unfolded exactly as Chong Houhu predicted!

Then he did his utmost to look troubled and submitted, "Your Majesty's palace already holds queens and consorts above, and concubines and attendants below. There are also no fewer than several thousand newly selected women waiting to enter the palace, all alluring and enchanting. How could they fail to delight Your Majesty's eyes and ears?"

"My daughter is but a frail willow, ignorant of etiquette, with neither virtue nor beauty worth mentioning. I beg Your Majesty to reconsider."

He refused?

Zi Shou froze. He had only meant to give it a try. After all, his earlier acting had been terrible, and Chong Yingbiao looked far too much like the culprit. Even if Zi Shou desperately scrambled beneath the falling pot of blame, he might not manage to shoulder it. Su Hu agreeing would have been good too-at least he would get the fox spirit into the Imperial Harem.

Yet, unexpectedly, Su Hu had refused. Judging by that attitude, had he believed the story?

How stupid did this man have to be?

Good! Splendidly stupid! It would be even better if he were stupid enough to write a poem rebelling against Shang in a moment!

After a little thought, Zi Shou formed a plan. "Since ancient times, who has not wished for a daughter to bring glory to his house? Besides, as a royal consort, her rank would rival the Son of Heaven's, while you would become a royal relative, enjoying unmatched distinction. Would that not be wonderful?"

Su Hu pushed his acting to the limit and rebuked him loudly. "I have heard that when a ruler cultivates virtue and diligently governs, the people submit gladly, all within the four seas follow him in admiration, and Heaven's blessings endure! In the past, Xia lost its way through debauchery, drink, and lust. Now Your Majesty follows that king of Xia down the road to ruin! A ruler who lusts after beauty will surely overturn the state! I fear that Great Shang's foundation of more than six hundred years will be thrown into chaos by Your Majesty!"

Su Hu was only a hair short of pointing at his nose and cursing his parents!

Hearing how fiercely Su Hu spoke, Zi Shou suppressed his delight and launched into his own performance. He grabbed something at random and smashed it to the floor, erupting in fury. "When your sovereign summons you, you dare not defy him! When your sovereign grants you death, you dare not disobey! How much less when he merely selects your daughter as a consort! You dare defy my decree with such words and compare me to Xia Jie, who lost his kingdom! No disrespect could be greater! Attendants, take him out through the Meridian Gate and deliver him to the Court of Justice for interrogation and sentencing!"

A broad-shouldered, thick-waisted Royal Guard advanced with the Overlord Step and seized Su Hu with his fleshy hands.

Su Hu suddenly discovered that, despite his considerable martial skill, he had no power to resist. The Royal Guard's arms were thicker than his thighs, and the man did not even seem to be exerting himself.

Truly worthy of being the Son of Heaven's Royal Guard!

Though Su Hu inwardly praised him, his expression was one of utter fury. He even added physical flourishes, struggling incessantly.

Seeing things going wrong, You Hun grew concerned. Though he was not particularly clever and had not thought as deeply as Chong Houhu, he had his sovereign's interests at heart and understood that King Zhou genuinely liked Su Hu's daughter.

Besides, all this was a misunderstanding. Although King Zhou had planned to send men to abduct her that day, Chong Yingbiao had acted first. King Zhou had not yet carried out his crime, so naturally he was not at fault. This should not be allowed to make sovereign and subject abandon propriety.

Wouldn't everyone be happy if they explained things properly later?

Just then, You Hun noticed Zi Shou repeatedly winking at him.

What did that mean?

Could it be...

You Hun immediately stepped forward, prostrated himself, and submitted, "Su Hu defied your decree and should indeed be punished. But this conflict arose because Your Majesty wished to select his daughter to serve you. If the realm hears of it, people will say Your Majesty values beauty over worthy men and blocks the path of remonstrance. Better to pardon him and let him return to his domain. Grateful that Your Majesty spared his life, he will naturally offer his daughter to the palace to attend you. The people will know that Your Majesty is generous and benevolent, accepts counsel, tolerates all voices, and protects meritorious subjects. This would kill two birds with one stone. I beg Your Majesty to approve my proposal."

Zi Shou let out a soft breath of relief. You Hun truly understood his intentions. Su Hu had to return to his fief. Then he could rebel as he ought to rebel and spread the king's reputation as a foolish tyrant as he ought to spread it. What could he accomplish locked up in Chaoge?

"As you advise. Pardon Su Hu at once and order him to return to his domain. He must not linger."

Every extra second Su Hu spent in Chaoge cost him who knew how much foolishness value. Hurry home and raise a rebellion!

At Zi Shou's instructions, the Civil and Martial officials all felt displeased.

Not only was he demanding that Su Hu send his daughter into the palace, he was also singing in harmony with You Hun. Refusing to give up his daughter was now a crime?

Wasn't Su Hu merely a little hot-tempered and forceful in his words?

Without the events of a few days ago, Su Hu's refusal to offer his daughter would indeed have constituted disobedience to his sovereign's command and a breach of a subject's propriety. But now, who did not know that King Zhou had nearly driven the man's daughter to her death?

This was not Su Hu's fault. It was King Zhou who had failed in sovereign virtue!

Standing at the head of the military officials, Wen Zhong did not know how to remonstrate. He had already submitted several memorials earlier, to no avail.

Now...

Was he supposed to say in front of everyone, Your Majesty, you did something vile a few days ago. You should not force the Marquis of Jizhou to offer his daughter. Hurry up and admit your mistake to clear your name?

The sovereign represented Great Shang. Having served three reigns, Wen Zhong had to preserve Great Shang's dignity.

He felt somewhat lost. Didn't my teacher specially send down a Jade Slip saying that the Investiture of the Gods had changed and that I should act as circumstances dictated?

But what was I to do with a sovereign so lacking in virtue?

Some officials began offering remonstrances, hoping King Zhou would change. This King Zhou was far too different from the wise and mighty ruler they had known before.

Many looked toward Prime Minister Shang Rong. As the head of the civil officials and the former overseer of ritual, he had the greatest authority to speak on this matter.

Yet Shang Rong said nothing. He merely stood there.

He believed he understood King Zhou better than most. King Zhou had previously reclaimed royal authority with thunderous force. How could he suddenly have become so foolish?

Everyone saw only that he had abducted a beauty and nearly driven her to her death. They failed to see that King Zhou could go months without entering the Imperial Harem. He was not a man obsessed with beauty at all.

Shang Rong calmly gazed at the sky. As he watched, his eyes happened to stray toward the Feudal Lords of the Four Garrisons.

Something suddenly occurred to him. Understanding dawned, and a vague suspicion took shape.

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