Changing commanders

Beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, in Taisu Heaven, stood Wa Huang Palace.

Nuwa had returned from Fire Cloud Palace, where she had paid her respects to Fuxi, the Flame Emperor, and Xuanyuan, the Three Sages of Humanity.

She dismounted from the Azure Phoenix and took her seat in the jeweled hall, where the jade maidens and golden boys finished paying their respects.

Catching sight of the verses on the whitewashed wall of Nuwa Palace in the mortal realm below, she recited them softly.

Nuwa had never paid much attention to mortal affairs. She had not expected someone like King Zhou to exist among mortals, someone who could understand her.

The poem portrayed an immortal heroine who had joined the army in her father's place, a figure both steeped in legend and genuinely moving.

Mulan was both an extraordinary woman and an ordinary person, both a heroine and a common girl, both a vigorous warrior and a lovely daughter.

She was hardworking and kind, steadfast and brave, honest and unassuming, quick-witted and lively. She loved her family and served her country, caring nothing for high office or lavish rewards, cherishing a peaceful life instead.

Wasn't that just like me?

What was wrong with being a woman? Women had heroes like Mulan among them, and sages of heaven and earth like me.

The more Nuwa read the poem, the more she liked it.

When the nation faced calamity, Mulan had disguised herself as a man and enlisted in her father's place, winning glory and defending her country so its people could live in peace.

When heaven collapsed and earth caved in, Nuwa had been unable to bear seeing living beings suffer. She had refined the Five-Colored Stone to mend the sky, broken off the divine turtle's legs to support the four corners of the world, quelled the floods, and slain the savage beasts, allowing all living things to dwell in peace.

As for the foolish ruler Zi Shou had deliberately written into the poem, Nuwa ignored him entirely.

Poetry surely required some artistic embellishment. In Nuwa's eyes, King Zhou had willingly tarnished his own image to flesh out Mulan's heroism. How could a king capable of writing such a poem possibly be a foolish ruler?

People were like that. Praise a woman until she was happy, and everything about you would look pleasing to her.

Nuwa suddenly shook her head. "Zi Shou, the King of Shang, is a wise and virtuous ruler. He cultivates his character and establishes his virtue to safeguard the realm. Alas, Cheng Tang conquered Jie and became sovereign of the world, and his dynasty has endured for over six hundred years. Its allotted fortune is already exhausted."

The more Nuwa thought about it, the more she regretted it.

Unable to sit still any longer, she summoned the Bixia Attendant and rode an azure cloud toward Chaoge.

Zi Shou returned from Nuwa Palace in his royal carriage, feeling gloomy.

According to established custom, the common people were to pay homage to their king. Zi Shou carefully studied their expressions. Damn it, every last one of them was happy from the bottom of their heart.

Next came the consorts of the three palaces to pay their respects: Queen Jiang of the Central Palace, Consort Huang of the Western Palace, and Consort Yang of Xinqing Palace. All three looked beside themselves with joy.

That was understandable. Once the Ballad of Mulan came out, these women were bound to be happy. But how much influence could women really have?

Zi Shou was simply waiting for the poem at Nuwa Palace to stir up trouble. In a few days, once the censorial officials caught on, they would jump out and give him a thorough dressing-down.

After the consorts of the three palaces, Yin Jiao and Yin Hong came to pay their respects to their royal father.

Yin Jiao was twelve, and Yin Hong was ten. Zi Shou found that a little hard to accept.

He was only in his twenties himself, yet he already had two children ten or older. It was honestly...

Just then, Nuwa arrived at Chaoge. Looking down, she happened to see Yin Jiao and Yin Hong paying their respects to their royal father. Two beams of red light shot into the heavens, and she seemed to glimpse a wisp of purple aura as well.

She counted upon her fingers and immediately understood that King Zhou still had twenty-eight years of fortune remaining.

Returning to Wa Huang Palace, Nuwa summoned an attendant to bring the Golden Gourd. She placed it below the vermilion steps, lifted its lid, and pointed at it.

A streak of white light emerged from the gourd. Suspended above it was a banner called the Demon-Summoning Banner.

Before long, mournful winds rustled, dismal mists swirled, and dark clouds gathered on every side. After several gusts passed, all the demons under heaven arrived at the palace to await the goddess's decree.

Nuwa instructed her attendant to dismiss the demons from every region, retaining only the Three Demons of Xuanyuan Tomb to attend her.

The three demons entered the palace and paid their respects. "May Your Ladyship enjoy boundless longevity."

These three demons were the Thousand-Year Fox Spirit, the Nine-Headed Pheasant Spirit, and the Jade Pipa Spirit.

Nuwa said, "Three demons, hear my secret decree! Cheng Tang's fortune has dimmed. Heaven's will is settled, and the dynasty's allotted fate has brought this about. Yet King Zhou is a wise ruler. You may conceal your demonic forms and enter his palace, guiding his heart toward righteousness and preserving his wealth and honor for twenty-eight years."

Once the goddess had finished her instructions, the three demons kowtowed in gratitude. They, too, had seen the poem inscribed on the wall, and it had touched their hearts.

Having cultivated to their level, they knew all too well how difficult it was.

The three demons turned into a cool breeze and departed.

Zi Shou selected three hundred Royal Guards and taught them how to walk with a swagger that disowned all six branches of their kin.

They did not have to march in step, but they absolutely had to look arrogant.

"You are the Son of Heaven's Royal Guards!"

Zi Shou also had to cultivate an attitude of looking down on everyone else in them.

The Royal Guards had all been selected from among the common people and carried an ingrained sense of inferiority. Even if they managed that kin-disowning swagger, it had no soul. He had to make them understand that they were the Son of Heaven's Royal Guards, giving them a sense of honor and pride.

Ideally, they would develop the attitude that heaven ranked first, earth second, and they themselves third.

As for the intensity of their training, naturally, he would drill them within an inch of their lives. If they could not endure it, threw down their duties, and outright rebelled, that would be perfect.

Now he also had an excuse not to attend court. I'm training troops!

Then came the first tally of his foolishness value.

[Foolishness Value: 10]

Ten points?

Zi Shou searched through the shop for a while. Ten points would not even buy the cheapest item.

Those ten points were probably just the proceeds from skipping court for several days straight.

Zi Shou suddenly realized that even if he did not attend court, it was filled with capable ministers. Nothing could really go wrong.

Besides, if he stayed away, the censorial officials would have no opportunity to berate him. Wouldn't that mean he had written that poem praising women for nothing?

No, no. I have to attend court tomorrow.

Let the censors scold me a little, then see whether I can promote a few treacherous ministers.

The next day, he attended court.

Shang Rong again.

Shang Rong was the first to step forward. "In the second month of spring, Yuan Futong and the other Seventy-Two Route Lords of the North Sea rose in rebellion. Grand Tutor Wen went to suppress them, but has achieved no result to this day."

Seeing the worry on Shang Rong's aged face, Zi Shou felt excited.

The first order of business was not criticizing him. That meant the war in the North Sea was going very badly.

Grand Tutor Wen was a veteran minister who had served three sovereigns, possessed both ability and prestige, and was even a Jie Sect Disciple. If such a formidable man had spent a month or so suppressing the rebellion without finishing it, didn't that mean the rebels were a tough nut to crack?

That's exactly what I want.

"The Grand Tutor is old and cannot endure a prolonged campaign. I wish to have him return to court for a temporary rest and appoint another man to replace him."

Shang Rong's brows knotted like the gnarls of an ancient tree. Changing commanders in the midst of battle was unwise, but it was also an indisputable fact that Grand Tutor Wen had spent months campaigning without results.

The ministers remonstrated again, urging King Zhou to wait patiently for news.

Zi Shou silently committed these men to memory. Almost all the ministers trying to dissuade him knew something of military affairs. He absolutely could not let them command troops.

In the end, Zi Shou overruled every objection. Citing Grand Tutor Wen's advanced age, he issued twelve Golden Order Tablets in succession to recall him.

These Golden Order Tablets were something he had only just devised. They could be used only for the most urgent commands. With twelve issued in succession, there was no fear that Wen Zhong would refuse to return to court.

These were things that could recall even Yue Fei.

As for the replacement commander...

Zi Shou swept his gaze across the ministers. The civil and military officials stood in separate ranks. A military official was definitely out of the question, so he would choose from the civil officials.

After scanning their ranks, he picked out the skinniest, most shriveled civil official.

You're the one.

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