The white-faced ape had barely approached when Zi Shou, already prepared, knocked it down with a punch.
Although Hong Yao's affair had not appeared in the original story, he remembered this scene vividly.
Daji was his wife. How could he let some filthy monkey get handsy with her?
Unfortunately, Hong Yao had not stripped. If he had stripped naked, struck a chime stone, and cursed King Zhou, that would have provided a sensational hook, ensuring the tale spread far and wide.
Just as he was thinking this, someone stepped out of the ranks and took off his clothes.
Zi Shou first covered Daji's eyes, then took a closer look. Tai Dian.
He remembered that Tai Dian, Hong Yao, San Yisheng, and Nangong Shi were known as King Wen's four friends. Nangong Shi was in Xiqi, while San Yisheng and Hong Yao had already launched into their denunciations and brazenly switched sides. Could Tai Dian be far behind?
The ministers covered their eyes, and Hong Yao was deeply puzzled too.
This had been an operation among their inner circle. Although Tai Dian had been close to them in his youth, he had later entered Shang's service, and they had scarcely remained in touch.
Hong Yao considered it. Like himself, Tai Dian had never been entrusted with important duties all these years. Had frustration over his thwarted ambitions led him to join them in throwing his lot in with Xiqi?
That would be wonderful news!
Tai Dian, however, walked up to Hong Yao, utterly unconcerned by everyone's stares, and declared in a ringing voice, "Brothers are like clothes, while one's sovereign is like one's head. Torn clothes can still be mended, but once a head is severed, how can it be reattached?"
"Today, my clothes seek to sever my head, so I