Who held the Mandate of Heaven?

After leaving the royal court and returning to his residence, Luo Cheng felt the unease in his heart growing stronger.

He had only recently arrived in Haojing and had not yet had time to lay his plans. This sudden turn of events was truly beyond his ability to handle.

Luo Cheng's greatest strengths lay in enriching a state, purging corruption from its administration, and reforming its finances.

In any dynasty, he could have earned a reputation as an able minister who brought peace and prosperity, but his skill at power struggles and managing men fell short of that standard.

He could manage well enough with an ordinary ruler and court.

But faced with a ruler like Ji Nie, capable of bringing a state to ruin, and a court so thoroughly rotten, he could not properly balance the relationships within it.

His greatest strength, governing a state, was of no use. And the coordination and military strategy most needed now were not areas in which he excelled.

That was his predicament. He could only watch helplessly as the entire situation slid toward the abyss.

He could not help recalling his ancestor's words: the Zhou State's Mandate of Heaven was burning fiercely. Soon it would flicker like a candle flame, but it would not go out.

At his wits' end, Luo Cheng finally turned his attention to the divine artifacts of Heaven's Mandate. "The divine artifacts bestowed by our ancestor are the only way to salvage this situation."

As though sensing Luo Cheng's thoughts, Ji Zhao turned his gaze toward him. How could the few Mystic Tier and Yellow Tier items in Luo Cheng's possession possibly defy Heaven?

Luo Cheng was already mired in the situation, his judgment clouded by his involvement. He could not stand by and watch Haojing fall to the Rong People.

"Thousand-Li Talisman!"

Luo Cheng's gaze fell first upon this divine artifact. As long as he could pinpoint Marquis Shen's location and send a powerful assassin, perhaps he could have him killed outright.

"No!"

Luo Cheng abandoned the idea almost as soon as it arose. "Marquis Shen isn't worth using such a precious divine artifact on."

In the years to come, the Luo Clan might encounter enemies it could not withstand. The Thousand-Li Talisman would be immensely useful then.

He could not selfishly squander such a precious item here.

Besides, killing Marquis Shen would not resolve the current situation.

The Shen State had already bound itself to the Rong People. They had to breach Haojing, or they would die.

"June Snow!"

Luo Cheng's gaze finally settled on this item. He recalled the account in his clan's records: his ancestor, Duke Wen of Luo, had once turned a bamboo slip into ice and persuaded Xiong Dun of the Chu State to retreat.

"People half believe and half doubt the Mandate of Heaven. If Marquis Shen truly witnessed such a miracle, fear might take root in his heart, and perhaps he really would withdraw his army."

If that failed, they would fight the rebels. After all, armies would eventually arrive to aid the king. The Zhou State would not perish.

Most of the nobles and Dukes and Ministers at the royal court understood perfectly well that, despite the ferocity of Marquis Shen and the Rong People's advance,

the only person truly in danger was the Son of Heaven, Ji Nie.

Even if the Son of Heaven, Ji Nie, died in battle on the spot, the Zhou State would not perish.

After more than two hundred years, the Zhou State's legitimate Mandate of Heaven had long since taken root in people's hearts. Marquis Shen and the Rong People could not possibly defeat the armies coming from across the realm to aid the king.

Once Marquis Shen and the Rong People left, those armies would enthrone a new king, and a renewed Zhou State would emerge.

After leaving the royal court, these nobles and Dukes and Ministers sent members of their ruling houses back to their fiefs to bring some of their private troops to Haojing.

The rest remained in their fiefs to guard against any enemies that might come.

Their main reason for transferring their elite private troops to Haojing was to protect their property.

Marquis Shen had risen in arms so decisively, pitting a single state against All Xia. In truth, many had already guessed what he intended.

He wanted only to kill the Son of Heaven, Ji Nie, and Crown Prince Fu, then place Crown Prince Yi, who was in his hands, on the throne.

Crown Prince Yi had been heir apparent for so many years that he naturally had a body of supporters. If Marquis Shen could make his accession an accomplished fact, the armies coming to aid the king would have no choice but to hold their noses and accept it.

After all, Crown Prince Yi would then be the sole heir to the throne. What else could they do?

Once they had deduced Marquis Shen's objective, they knew that nobles like themselves were in no danger.

The new king would still need the support of great nobles like them. They had brought their private troops over chiefly to prevent their residences from being overrun amid the chaos.

They feared not nobles like Marquis Shen, but the rank-and-file soldiers, who might not recognize their status.

If one of them were cut down with a single stroke, his death would be a truly bitter injustice.

Such thoughts could not be voiced to outsiders, but everyone understood them without a word.

The army led by Marquis Shen and the Rong King advanced far too quickly.

From the upper reaches of the Jing River, broad, level roads stretched all the way onward. These Rong People had so many horses and chariots that they could arrive in the blink of an eye.

The Marquisate States that had guarded the Son of Heaven here a hundred years earlier had long since vanished amid successive Wars.

Some had moved into the Royal Domain. Some had seen their rulers slain and their states destroyed. Others had lost their states, after which their ruling houses went to serve as ministers in other vassal states.

They encountered no meaningful resistance along the way. The allied army charged straight toward Haojing City.

The vassal lords within the Royal Domain simply let the Shen-Rong Alliance's troops pass. Marquis Shen and the Rong King naturally knew that these men were probably planning to strike them from front and rear.

But they had brought such an enormous army that, as long as they stormed Haojing outright, those men could pose no threat to them.

The Shen State was simply too close to Haojing. While the armies coming to aid the king were still on the road, the Shen-Rong Allied Army had already reached the foot of Haojing City's walls.

On Haojing's gate tower, the Dukes and Ministers of the Royal Domain stared at the densely packed army surging toward them just beyond the city. Every one of them was aghast.

Somewhat panicked, Ji Nie asked, "Duke of Guo, how many men are there?"

He had spent his life deep within the palace and had never witnessed the perils of a battlefield. The allied forces of the Shen State and the Rong People blanketed the land, stretching beyond the reach of his gaze.

All he could see were forests of weapons, mighty chariot after mighty chariot, and great banners streaming in the wind.

Guo Shifu knew nothing of such matters. He could only answer vaguely, "Your Majesty, I fear there are a hundred thousand troops. But we have more chariots. We can still fight the rebel army."

"Marquis of Luo!"

Ji Nie's gaze fell upon Luo Cheng. Luo Cheng said nothing, merely giving a slight nod.

Marquis Shen and the Rong King gazed at Haojing City before them, their eyes brimming with triumphant satisfaction. They ordered the army to make camp and rest before attacking.

Even they had not expected to reach Haojing City so smoothly. Judging by when the beacons had been lit, the armies coming to aid the king were still far from arriving. They had ample time to breach Haojing.

The Shen State's senior officials were discussing the coming assault and what to do after the city fell.

A messenger entered the command tent, knelt on one knee, and said, "My lord, a letter from Haojing."

"What does that fatuous king Ji Nie have to say?"

"The letter must be full of insults!"

"Damn them! Let them swagger a little longer."

Upon hearing that another letter had arrived, the Shen State's ministers began cursing Ji Nie inside Haojing City.

Marquis Shen unfolded the letter and glanced at it. "It is a letter from the Marquis of Luo."

Hearing that the letter came from the Marquis of Luo, everyone stopped their tirades and asked curiously, "A letter from the Marquis of Luo? Is he asking us to surrender?"

Marquis Shen quickly finished reading the letter and said in an unreadable tone, "The Marquis of Luo wishes to come to our camp and speak with me."

At those words, laughter filled the command tent.

"What is there left to discuss now?"

"Surely the Marquis of Luo isn't planning to imitate Duke Wen of Luo's old feat of persuading Xiong Dun to retreat!"

The laughter in the tent suddenly faltered. Back then, Duke Wen of Luo had made Xiong Dun suffer a crushing setback and withdraw, despite holding every advantage.

Xiong Dun had even left behind the words, "Revere Heaven and understand its mandate."

To this day, the Chu State remained one of the states that believed most deeply in the Mandate of Heaven, and that story was still widely told.

"A fatuous king like Ji Nie has ascended the throne. Is that not proof that Heaven has withdrawn its favor from the Zhou State?

"My grandson is a virtuous gentleman. He is the king chosen by Heaven's Mandate.

"We lead our troops against a fatuous ruler and enthrone the true king as Son of Heaven. That is how we follow Heaven's will."

After briefly reassuring his ministers, Marquis Shen smiled at the letter in his hand. "Send the Marquis of Luo a reply. Since he wishes to see me, let him come to our camp. I, too, would like to hear what he has to say."

And so, under the eyes of countless onlookers, Luo Cheng arrived at Marquis Shen's camp.

To avoid any suspicion, Marquis Shen not only had every minister of the Shen State present, but also invited the Rong King.

Luo Cheng walked through the forest of blades without a change in expression.

"What bearing you have, Marquis of Luo. You have braved danger to enter my tent. Have you come to persuade us to surrender?"

A solemn look touched Luo Cheng's face as he declared, "Marquis Shen, I have come to offer the Zhou State and the Shen State a thread of hope for survival."

A sneer appeared on the Rong King's face.

The states of All Xia had always held a measure of reverence for the mysterious Luo Clan. But as one of those ruled under the principle of Xia lords and Yi people, he had an innate dislike for the clan.

Luo Cheng paid no attention to this and continued, "Marquis Shen, the Jiang line descends from the Shennong Clan.

"The Shen Clan is one of the great branches of the Jiang line. Even among All Xia, yours is a bloodline worthy of being called noble.

"When Heaven's Mandate shone upon Yin Shang, the Zhou State was still merely a small state near Qi Mountain. The ancestors of the Jiang and Ji lines struggled together to survive in Western Qi.

"How ancient and enduring are these bonds of blood!

"More than a hundred years ago, my ancestor, Duke Wen of Luo, enfeoffed the Shen Clan in the lands along the Jing River, laying the foundation for the Shen State today.

"How deep are the ties between the Ji and Jiang lines, between the Luo Clan and the Shen Clan!

"Are you willing to destroy those bonds?

"The Son of Heaven, Nie, was deceived by flattering villains. That was why he committed such wrongs and drove you to lead your troops to Haojing.

"This is the Son of Heaven's fault, and Heaven will naturally punish him.

"The Zhou State's Mandate of Heaven still shines as brilliantly as the sun. If you insist on breaching Haojing, I fear Heaven will immediately send down calamities to punish you."

Marquis Shen did not grow angry. He merely asked with interest, "Did Duke Wen of Luo also use the Mandate of Heaven to persuade Xiong Dun to withdraw all those years ago?

"King Zhao was indeed an enlightened ruler of his age. It was only natural that Heaven should protect him.

"But since Ji Nie ascended the throne, the Three Rivers have run dry, Qi Mountain has collapsed, and he has trampled the laws of lineage, deposing the legitimate heir in favor of a concubine's son.

"Ten days and ten nights would not suffice to recount his crimes.

"Would Heaven favor such a ruler?

"I do not believe that is right!"

The Rong King had been quietly watching the show from the side, but could not resist sneering, "You Zhou People are such a bother. Your Mandate of Heaven is probably false. You would be better off learning from us and worshipping deities."

The Rong King's words made everyone in the command tent glare at him. In their hearts, the Shen State's ministers still took pride in their status as nobles of All Xia.

"Heaven does not favor you. The ruin of the Rong People is foreordained."

Luo Cheng delivered that sentence coolly, disregarding the Rong King's reaction, then looked at Marquis Shen. "When I came to the Royal Domain, our ancestor, the Sage King, appeared to me in a dream. He said that Ji Nie lacked virtue, and so Heaven had sent calamities to punish his dynasty.

"If you are willing to withdraw, Marquis Shen, then without Heaven's favor, Ji Nie naturally cannot remain on the throne.

"I am willing to lead the vassal lords in enthroning Crown Prince Yi as Son of Heaven."

"You jest, Marquis of Luo!" Marquis Shen said dismissively. "The Luo Clan is indeed a pillar of the Zhou State, but why would the other vassal lords heed your call?"

Luo Cheng looked around and sighed. "It seems that you doubt not the Luo Clan's prestige, Marquis Shen, but the manifest Mandate of Heaven. How, then, could you possibly escape defeat?"

Marquis Shen was about to speak when a sudden clamor broke out beyond the tent.

"Where did this stone stele come from?"

"There is writing on it!"

Marquis Shen hurriedly sent a minister to see what had happened. The minister soon came rushing back in a panic, but merely stared at Luo Cheng in horror, unable to utter a word.

Seeing this, everyone hurried outside the tent, then froze where they stood. A stone stele stood before the tent.

The stele was magnificently carved, with a grand and imposing beauty. Upon it were inscribed sixteen great characters: "Rebels raise troops, scourging the Zhou State; frost falls in June, revealing Heaven's might."

"Surround this stele at once! No one is to spread word of it!"

Marquis Shen snapped out of his daze and immediately issued his order. A shadow flickered through Luo Cheng's eyes as Marquis Shen approached and asked, "Marquis of Luo, what is this?"

From Marquis Shen's actions, Luo Cheng already knew he would probably return empty-handed. Still, he made one final effort. "A divine object has appeared from thin air to warn the world. This is perhaps Heaven's last chance for you, Marquis Shen."

Marquis Shen glanced at the Rong King and saw that even he stood rooted to the spot. Yet Marquis Shen knew that if he dared suggest withdrawing, the Rong King would turn on him then and there.

"Destroy this stele at once!"

"Marquis of Luo, do you know how much hardship the Shen State has endured since moving out of the Royal Domain to reach where it stands today?"

Marquis Shen looked at Luo Cheng and said, "The Shen State has rendered service to the Zhou State. The Sage King said that the Son of Heaven and the vassal lords would share wealth and honor.

"When Duke Wen of Luo had my ancestor leave the Royal Domain, he also promised that we would enjoy Heaven's Mandate forever.

"Can those words now count for nothing?"

Luo Cheng fell silent for a moment, then looked toward the Rong camp. "Marquis Shen, the great principle of All Xia is Xia lords and Yi people.

"This is a family matter of All Xia. You should not have brought the Rong People with you. Otherwise, I would not be here."

Marquis Shen understood. Luo Cheng did not care whether that fatuous ruler Ji Nie lived or died.

Had the Rong People not been present, Luo Cheng would have stood by while he breached Haojing. He might even have helped cover up the killing of the Son of Heaven, Ji Nie.

After all, Ji Wan had died amid the chaos of battle, and the Marquis of Luo at the time had held no one accountable.

For a moment, Marquis Shen felt regret. Then he smiled. "The Luo Clan truly leaves me with nothing to say."

"I understand your answer, Marquis Shen."

Marquis Shen had already given his answer. Even if Heaven's Mandate truly lay with the Zhou State, it did not necessarily lie with Ji Nie. Ji Yi was also a legitimate heir to the throne.

Once certain things began, they had to be carried through. There was no room to turn back.

He would storm Haojing, take Ji Nie's head, and ask Heaven where its mandate lay!

Shen and Rong led their troops forth, scourging the Royal Domain. Heaven sent down a Divine Stone bearing these words: "Rebels raise troops, scourging the Zhou State; frost falls in June, revealing Heaven's might."

Marquis Shen would not heed it and died at Fenghao.

Heaven's might was unfathomable, vast as mountains and seas. -Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou States