[Clang~ Clang~ Clang~]
The system sounded.
Ji Zhao woke from his deep slumber. His pupils had gradually turned golden. "Was something major about to happen?"
A glance at the Zhou State's development told him everything. Its accumulated troubles had become all but irreversible, and its contradictions were on the verge of erupting.
All it would take was another unreliable ruler launching a major, failed reform, and it could very well die a sudden death.
History had changed somewhat, but the accumulation of social contradictions did not bend to human will. His understanding of the Mandate of Heaven had deepened over the years, and he knew everything would return to its proper course.
By his judgment, history was about to enter an age when rites collapsed and music fell into ruin, when the states constantly attacked one another's alliances. Even the Luo Clan would begin facing genuine crises.
The fortune accumulated since Luo Su's time had grown substantial, reaching three hundred and forty thousand. A quarter of it had come from Luo Su alone.
At a historical juncture like this, he still needed to prepare some items. "Spend three hundred thousand on draws. Leaving forty thousand for emergencies should be enough."
[You obtained a Yellow Tier item.] [You obtained a Yellow Tier item.] [...] [You obtained a mystic-tier item.] [...] [You obtained a mystic-tier item.]
Thirty ten-pulls guaranteed thirty yellow-tier items alone, besides the additional yellow-tier items and the two mystic-tier items he had drawn.
Ji Zhao's stockpile had become plentiful all at once.
First were the strongest Heaven Tier and Earth Tier items. He had obtained five in total and used one, leaving four. Heaven Tier items could reverse a dynasty's Mandate of Heaven, while Earth Tier items could alter human hearts and reality. Each possessed power beyond the fathoming of gods and ghosts.
[① Heaven tier · Celestial Card (How could anyone be like this unless he were an incarnation of a celestial?): Using this card instantly makes the user an embodiment of timeless wisdom, raising three attributes to 100. As chancellor, he can stabilize the nation, soothe the people, provide pay and provisions, and keep great armies' supply lines unbroken; as chief strategist, he can devise plans within the command tent and decide victories a thousand li away; as commander, he can unite a million troops, win every battle, and take every objective. ② Heaven-Tier Celestial Observatory Platform (With this, you are a god): A divine artifact that safeguards the nation. The user can build it according to its blueprints. Once completed, standing within it allows the user to regulate a nation's celestial phenomena and bless the dynasty with favorable winds and timely rain. ③ Earth tier · Heart-Knot (Even a tyrant infamous through the ages will not kill you. Never again fear that your achievements will overshadow your ruler): Using this item links you to one person, whose trust remains permanently at its maximum. ④ Earth tier · Heroic Spirit Card (Used, bound character: Luo Su): Reincarnation of Luo Su. Reincarnated character's potential attributes: Political Maneuvering: 99; Statecraft: 99; personnel management: 99; command: 80; martial prowess: 80; military strategy: 80.]
Mystic-tier items were not as powerful as Heaven Tier or Earth Tier items, but they were extremely scarce, and each was unique. These thirty rounds of draws had yielded only two mystic-tier items, which showed just how rare they were.
[① Mystic tier · Thousand-Li Talisman (Reach the ends of the earth in an instant. Assassinate a king, strike down a sovereign-he has nowhere to flee): Use this talisman and silently envision your destination to appear instantly at any location. ② Mystic tier · Five Thunder Righteous Law (Shatter the world's darkness with thunder. Every rebellious minister and traitor will tremble): The user must possess an exceptionally high reputation. By swearing on their life, they can command a bolt of lightning to kill one person. ③ Mystic tier · Divine Striking Talisman (With my life, sweep heaven and earth clean): Using this talisman raises martial prowess, command, and military strategy to 99 for four double-hours. ④ Mystic tier · Favorable Winds and Timely Rain (Favorable winds and timely rain bring peace throughout the realm): Blesses an area the size of one province with favorable winds and timely rain for ten years. ⑤ Mystic tier · Heavenly Soldiers (Not wrought by human hands, but formed by Heaven): The user can select three thousand people to become Heavenly Soldiers. After one month of training, they become a legion that obeys every command on the battlefield, fears no death, possesses strong bodies, and is proficient in weapons, warfare, and horsemanship.] III: Yellow Tier items (Duplicates permitted) Borrow the East Wind ×3: Summon a gale at a specified time and place, blowing in a specified direction. June Snow ×3: Bring a snowfall at a specified time and place. Universal Sweet Rain: Bring rain at a specified time and place. Attribute Card ×34: Using this card raises one of the six attributes by 1 point. The naturally highest attribute can be raised to a maximum of 90; the other five are capped at 80. Medicine Talisman ×2: Dissolve this talisman in water and drink it to eliminate difficult and complicated illnesses in an instant. Can save only one person. Guard ×12: Summon 10 puppet guards with martial prowess of 80 to serve as bodyguards. With enough cards, an elite assault squad can be formed. Speed Is the Essence of War: Increases the marching speed of an infantry legion of no more than fifty thousand by 30%, without consuming additional stamina. Blank Item ×384 (There are no useless items, only people who cannot use them. These items will bring unimaginable benefits.)]
Ji Zhao felt that relying on these items alone was still not safe enough. The further history progressed, the harder it would become for the Luo Clan to gain greater influence, slowing the rate at which he acquired items.
His lofty starting point had given Ji Zhao heaven-tier items outright, but it also meant many minor items could only be obtained through draws. Truly, misfortune lurked within good fortune.
Haojing.
After a palace attendant announced him, Marquis Luo Lin entered the hall to meet the Son of Heaven, Ci. Ci was seated before his imperial desk. Seeing Luo Lin enter, he smiled. "You seem so anxious, Marquis of Luo. Is there some pressing matter on which you wish to instruct me?"
After bowing, Luo Lin replied, "Your subject heard that the King wishes to campaign against the Dog Rong, so I have come to remonstrate.
"Five years ago, you interfered in the succession of a vassal ruler, leaving the lords resentful.
"If we now go to war with the Dog Rong, I fear it may bring unfavorable consequences.
"When my ancestor Duke Wen passed away, he admonished King Zhao that the Son of Heaven's army must not be deployed lightly, for defeat could bring unforeseen calamities.
"With Marquis Shen and the Marquis of Zeng in the northwest, why trouble yourself to lead a great army against them?"
Ji Ci was naturally displeased, but out of regard for the Luo Clan's standing, he restrained his temper.
Still, he said coldly, "I am no ruler like King Zhou or King Li. Even if your ancestors, the Sage King and Duke Wen, were alive, they would surely praise me as one of the Sage Kings. You worry too much, Marquis of Luo."
"Your Majesty is naturally one of the Sage Kings, but..." Luo Lin wanted to press his advice, but Ji Ci said outright, "You have just returned from South Shen State, Marquis of Luo. You must be tired. Go and rest."
Luo Lin could do nothing. With many renowned ministers of the restoration having passed away, the Son of Heaven, Ci, had increasingly monopolized decisions over the years and refused to hear his ministers' remonstrances. One lone tree could not hold up the falling roof.
Since Duke Wen of Luo's death, the Luo Clan's prestige within the royal court had also declined by the day.
The Luo Clan no longer held its former, undisputed position as foremost among the vassal lords.
Especially in Luo Lin's generation, during the joint regency under King Huang, he had ranked only fourth, losing even a place among the Three Dukes.
Now, though he knew problems were everywhere, it was like a house leaking rain: all he could do was patch and mend as best he could.
The sensation of a dull blade slowly slicing his flesh tormented him. There were too many problems, nowhere to begin. What use was even a divine artifact of the Mandate of Heaven in his hands?
Ji Zhao, whose influence on reality was growing ever stronger, shook his head. Luo Lin's innate talents were not those of a renowned minister capable of turning back the raging tide and restoring a dynasty. His present achievements were already the fruit of hard work.
[Luo Lin: Political Maneuvering: 82; Statecraft: 78; personnel management: 81; command: 79; martial prowess: 71; military strategy: 76]
These stats could hardly be called poor. For most families, producing someone of this caliber generation after generation would mean blue smoke was rising from their ancestral graves.
But for the Luo Clan, a house of vassal lords and high ministers that directed the dynasty's national policies, a patriarch with no weaknesses but only middling talent could not save a country sliding downhill.
In Ji Zhao's view, if it were Luo Su, given twenty or thirty years, he could probably just manage to extend its life by sixty or seventy years. After that, its accumulated troubles would truly be beyond remedy.
In the thirty-seventh year, the king campaigned against the Tiao Rong and Ben Rong, and was defeated at Qingyang.
In the thirty-ninth year, the king campaigned against the Tiao Rong and Jiang Rong, and was defeated at Qianmu.
The Zhou State, which had shown considerable signs of prosperity for forty years, suddenly sank beneath a deep pall. The vassal lords throughout the realm grew restless, while the Lords of the Royal Domain and high ministers discussed it incessantly.
The king died.
His posthumous name was "Xuan."
His eldest legitimate son, Ji Nie, succeeded him.
Luo State.
Within the palace, most people bore a vivid red dot between their brows, lending their bearing a touch of solemnity.
This was a strange manifestation that had appeared as Ji Zhao's influence on reality grew stronger. Every direct-line descendant of the Luo Clan developed this red dot. At present, there were only a few dozen in the entire ruling house.
Marquis of Luo Lin's face was aged. Clasping Luo Cheng's hand tightly, he looked at the members of the ruling house, his voice filled with unwillingness. "I am gravely ill. I fear I must go follow the Sage King.
"But I cannot accept it.
"I have held the ruler's position for fifty years and borne a halberd for the Son of Heaven for decades. I drove out a benighted tyrant like King Huang and governed alongside the Duke of Shao, Duke Ding, the Duke of Qi, the Duke of Jin, and the others.
"When His Majesty ascended the throne, he devoted himself to good government. Affairs ran smoothly and the people lived in harmony. We subdued the Yundi in the north and pacified the Dog Rong in the west.
"I lack the talent to weave heaven and earth together that our ancestors, the Sage King and Duke Wen, possessed, but I too rendered many services to the Zhou State, foremost among them thwarting Chu State's rebellion.
"What prosperity that was! The decline since King Huang's reign was swept away. The Rule of Wu and Kang appeared anew, with one of the Sage Kings governing the world!"
"I had already seen the Zhou State's flourishing future."
Every sob in the room ceased. Luo Lin's voice was now filled with bitterness. "As the Son of Heaven, he interfered openly in the succession within a senior minister's state, deposing the eldest legitimate son without cause. Was that what one of the Sage Kings should do?"
"It was King Xuan's fault that resentment spread through the vassal states. Without worthy men to assist him, how could there be a golden age under one of the Sage Kings?"
"That was what brought the two subsequent crushing defeats. Twenty years of achievement, destroyed in a single day."
At this, Luo Cheng felt the hand gripping his own tighten further and further, its veins even bulging. Marquis of Luo Lin swept his gaze over everyone before finally fixing it on Luo Cheng. "My abilities were shallow. I could not uphold the altars of state, and I failed the Sage King's expectations.
"But my son possesses Heaven-given brilliance, bearing the promise of the Sage King and Duke Wen. You can surely shoulder great responsibilities. In the days to come, advance boldly. My son, remember: our Sage King Old Ancestor is watching the descendants of our Luo Clan. Do not disappoint him!"
As he spoke, he removed the ring from his finger and placed it on Luo Cheng's hand. "This is the patriarch's token, passed down since the Sage King's time. Today, I give it to you."
Everyone said through tears, "My lord, why belittle yourself so? Our Luo State has grown strong and prosperous over these years, and our ruling clan has risen to prominence. All of this is your achievement. Even before the Sage King and Duke Wen, you could stand without shame."
Only Luo Cheng understood what his father meant. Gripping the ring tightly, he wept. "Rest assured, Father. I will spare no effort and will never fail our Sage King Old Ancestor. When I succeed, I will come before your grave and tell you."
"Good! Good!" Luo Lin gradually released Luo Cheng's hand and slowly raised his own into the air. A surprised smile suddenly appeared on his face, and he said joyfully, "Sage King, you have come to see me. Was I not so terrible after all? I..."
His voice cut off, and his arm fell. Ji Zhao sat cross-legged in the air in silence as sorrowful weeping filled the ruling house.
Another generation had passed. He had grown accustomed to it, yet found it increasingly difficult to remain detached.
As his influence on reality grew stronger, after Luo Su's death, he had appeared at the passing of almost every Marquis of Luo to see them off.
Apart from Luo Cheng, everyone thought Luo Lin had merely hallucinated before his death. Almost every Marquis of Luo had done so in his final moments.
"The Zhou State's Mandate of Heaven is burning fiercely. After its brilliance comes a flickering candle flame. Though faint, it has not yet gone out. Make the right choice, and there is still a sliver of a chance for revival."
Ji Zhao's voice sounded beside Luo Cheng's ear. Tears brimming in his eyes, Luo Cheng nodded firmly and whispered, "Sage King Old Ancestor, I understand. I understand."
Ji Zhao had actually lied. As the clan's existence stretched over more and more years, his understanding of this world had also grown deeper.
History could be changed. Luo State's existence had already altered many people's fates. But the overall trend would not change. Luo Su had enfeoffed the Jiang-surnamed Shen Clan and three clans of the Ying Lineage in Fenghao. That was the Mandate of Heaven at work.
Western Zhou's Mandate of Heaven was approaching its end. If the Luo Clan merely wanted to preserve itself, that would be easy. But reversing Western Zhou's Mandate of Heaven would require at least one heaven-tier item.
Heaven-tier items were true Mandate of Heaven Divine Artifacts, capable of counteracting the Historical Correction Force.
And Ji Zhao possessed only two heaven-tier items. He would not use them here.
[Founding ancestor: Ji Zhao, Luo Zhao Patriarch: Luo Cheng (Ninth-generation descendant of the Luo Clan, Ji surname) Noble rank: marquis (ruler) Nation: Zhou Dynasty (Luo State). Faction: royal clan. Ability attributes: Political Maneuvering: 84; Statecraft: 90; personnel management: 82; command: 80; martial prowess: 74; military strategy: 78. Faction reputation: hatred, coldness, neutral, friendly, respect, worship. Clan Head's Prestige: ① Royal court: neutral; ② Royal clan: neutral; ③ Vassal lords: neutral; ④ Army: neutral; ⑤ Citizens: friendly. Clan Prestige: ① Royal court: friendly; ② Royal clan: friendly; ③ Vassal lords: neutral; ④ Army: friendly; ⑤ Citizens: respect. Authorized item: Sumeru Mustard Seed. Held items: mystic tier · Thousand-Li Talisman. June Snow ×1, Borrow the East Wind ×1, Medicine Talisman ×1, Blank Item ×20, Guard ×2.]
With Luo Cheng's abilities, serving as a capable minister in a well-governed age would be no problem. But there was no hope of defying Heaven's course.
Perhaps these items could give him a sliver more chance of success.
Luo Cheng himself had no great reputation among the realm's vassal lords, especially within the Royal Domain's armies. The Lords of the Royal Domain had grown increasingly powerful over the years.
Nevertheless, the Luo State Ruling House still enjoyed a very good reputation throughout the royal court, royal clan, armies, and citizenry. The service of eight generations of Marquises of Luo, devoted to royal affairs, would not be erased.
Such a high clan reputation meant that Luo Cheng needed only to accomplish a few things before the eyes of the world for his own reputation to shoot upward like a rocket.
News of Luo Lin's death quickly spread to the vassal lords in every direction. Luo Cheng arranged his father's funeral, then put Luo State's affairs in order one by one before setting out for Haojing to take his father's place.
In former times, King Huang threw government into disorder, and the Zhou State declined. King Xuan brought restoration, reviving Zhou State's realm.
Yet he did not conduct the land registration at Qianmu, and lost his army in the southern lands. Thus the splendor of his restoration remained incomplete.-Records of the Grand Historian: Annals of Zhou
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