King Zhou was no true sovereign

Civil officials and military officers alike offered remonstrances. Su Hu was clearly intent on rebellion. How could they not send troops?

Even if the king wished to demonstrate his tolerance and magnanimity, surely they should at least make preparations and put on a show of force!

Wen Zhong felt he had discovered a new flaw in King Zhou-he was far too forgiving.

Even a little naive, believing that a lord who had inscribed a Rebel Poem would refrain from rebellion simply because his beloved daughter had entered the palace.

The merciful could not command armies. King Zhou excelled at selecting worthy men and putting their talents to use, but lacked a keen nose for military affairs.

Of course, that was no great problem. It was precisely the sort of burden a general should shoulder for his sovereign.

Thus, Wen Zhong stepped forward without hesitation, hoping to take charge of suppressing the rebellion.

Zi Shou felt his head swelling.

More than half the civil and military officials at court were urging him to send troops and guard against Su Hu declaring independence.

Why did my mighty Great Shang have so many loyal officials?

Even frantically signaling Fei Zhong and You Hun proved useless. Fei Zhong had some sense and dared not speak. He knew that if he supported King Zhou's policy of leaving Su Hu alone, the assembled officials would assail him with a storm of words.

That alone would have been tolerable, but some reckless brute with no scruples might even slip a sack over his head and beat him on his way home.

The brothers Fang Xiang and Fang Bi, the Palace-Guarding Generals, for instance.

Both brothers stood eight feet tall and eyed Fei Zhong and You Hun like tigers watching their prey, clearly ready to greet them with heavy fists if they dared voice their support.

Military officers like these thought in simple terms: His Majesty was wise, selected worthy men, and made good use of their abilities. He was an enlightened ruler. Seizing a woman was a blemish, certainly, but what sovereign could be utterly flawless?

After his transfer to the Astronomical Bureau, Wan Nian had plenty of leisure. Idle men grew talkative, and whenever he met a colleague, he would recount how King Zhou had rekindled his original aspirations and how, under the king's wise direction, he had worked out the Calendar.

Wan Nian's tireless praise had greatly softened the impact of the king's forcible seizure of a lord's daughter.

Everyone wanted to follow Wan Nian's example, accomplishing great deeds under King Zhou's leadership and becoming civil officials or military officers whose names would endure through the ages. Whenever they spotted an oversight on the king's part, they naturally sought to plug the gaps.

Zi Shou knew nothing of this, of course. Had he known, he would certainly have tossed Wan Nian off to the North Sea.

Right now, he was simply miserable. With a court full of loyal officials who could spot a sovereign's foolish conduct at a glance and promptly dissuade him, how was he supposed to play this game?

Even if he wanted to crush opposition with royal authority and rule by his own decree, he needed enough supporters!

His earlier decision to summon the Feudal Lords to Chaoge ahead of schedule had also been an arbitrary decree, but its nature was different. An early audience had little impact, and all he needed to do was send messengers to notify the various Feudal Lords. He could enforce it despite his ministers' objections.

This was different. Treason was no trifling matter. One misstep could topple the realm. Civil and military officials had to take it seriously and could not possibly let King Zhou run wild.

Unless Zi Shou could find a barely acceptable excuse, like the one he had used when appointing Fei Lian commander.

Back then, he had made Fei Lian commander on the pretext of reading his face and observing Purple Qi. Surely this time he could not claim that a night's stargazing had assured him Su Hu would never rebel?

Reading the stars was not like reading faces. It was a technical craft, with established methods recorded by the Astronomical Bureau. There were no gifted amateurs; only professionals could do it.

Zi Shou could only compromise, ordering Wen Zhong to station troops near Jizhou to deter Su Hu.

Several days later, Zi Shou welcomed Daji into the palace.

Under Great Shang's rites, only the marriage to a principal queen, the first wife, warranted an elaborate ceremony. Consorts of the Imperial Harem merely followed their escorts into the palace to serve the sovereign.

But Zi Shou refused to settle for that. He wanted to arrange one for Daji too.

After all, he had never experienced it himself. The previous King Zhou had been the one to enjoy the ceremony for marrying his first wife.

Some ministers tried to dissuade him, but Zi Shou rejected their advice on the grounds that it would reassure Su Hu.

After that, no one objected again. What if Su Hu truly abandoned rebellion because his beloved daughter had entered the palace and received such favor?

Zi Shou had his own intentions. Beyond enjoying the novelty and experiencing what it felt like to take a consort, he was signaling to his ministers that their sovereign lusted after beauty.

He had to gradually establish the image of a lecherous king. Otherwise, he would remain an enlightened ruler in his ministers' eyes, and that first impression would color their judgment.

But Zi Shou failed.

The ministers prepared the ceremony with great earnestness, its scale only slightly below that of his original marriage to Queen Jiang.

In their eyes, King Zhou was using a remarkably gentle approach to soothe Su Hu's anger and avert war.

Such a notion was naive, but was it not also a form of mercy, born of concern for his soldiers and an unwillingness to see them die in battle?

The Ballad of Mulan and the Northwest Protectorate's Three No's Principle showed just how compassionate and war-averse their present King Zhou was.

Perhaps reality was cruel, and perhaps war was unavoidable, but that did not stop the ministers from striving to preserve this innocence in King Zhou. This was a sovereign's virtue!

Moreover, the ceremony showed that King Zhou had repented and felt guilty, wishing to make amends to Daji, whom he had nearly driven to her death. Did that not prove their earlier remonstrances had worked?

He embraced good counsel as readily as water flowed downhill!

Thus, everyone was delighted to take part in the ceremony, their faces glowing with joy.

Zi Shou was utterly baffled. I'm making such a fuss over marrying a mere consort, exhausting the people and squandering wealth. Is that really worth looking so pleased about?

Wen Zhong attended the ceremony as well, but sensed that something was amiss. There was something strange about Consort Su.

At once, he opened the third eye between his brows. Several inches of white light flashed forth, capable of discerning treachery from loyalty and the darkness or purity of human hearts.

Wen Zhong detected a demonic aura on Daji. Though he could not be certain she was a demon, he still earnestly remonstrated with the king, hoping to halt the ceremony.

Zi Shou refused.

I want a fox spirit to throw the court into chaos!

Besides, she's beautiful and exactly my type. Why shouldn't I bring her into the Imperial Harem?

The ministers saw no problem either. Demonic auras and demons were elusive things. Noble Consort Su had only just entered the palace and had done nothing at all, yet Wen Zhong had already stepped forward to criticize her. That was rather excessive!

Wen Zhong could do nothing. He had no evidence, nor could he be in two places at once. The provisions were ready, and he had to lead his troops north.

Still, he was not particularly worried. If that demon made any move, bewitching King Zhou and throwing the realm into turmoil, he could simply subdue her upon his return to court.

In an imposing residence somewhere in Chaoge.

"Royal Brother, why have you summoned me?" Zi Yan asked, clasping his hands in greeting, dressed in splendid robes.

Zi Yan was Di Yi's second son and Zi Shou's second elder brother. He ordinarily behaved like a pampered young noble and had little ambition.

Zi Qi said nothing, merely ushering Zi Yan into the room.

Zi Qi was Di Yi's eldest son and Zi Shou's eldest brother, renowned far and wide for his virtue.

Under the system in which a son succeeded his deceased father, he should rightfully have inherited the throne.

But Shang Rong, Mei Bo, Zhao Qi, and the other veteran ministers had jointly vouched for Zi Shou, insisting on making him the King of Shang.

Zi Qi did indeed have a longstanding reputation for virtue, but a virtuous reputation did not mean having no desires-especially when what he desired was a throne that should have belonged to him in the first place.

Of course he could not accept it, particularly since he had deliberately cultivated that virtuous reputation to secure his succession to the great inheritance.

"King Zhou is no true sovereign."

Zi Qi lifted his sword and calmly regarded his younger brother, Zi Yan.

Ji Chang had noticed the warning signs and felt he had been too aggressive. After Su Hu escaped from prison, he shut himself away to avoid suspicion.

But there were always people who failed to notice the warning signs, such as Zi Qi.

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