Marquis Shen returned to Haojing City with the bodies of Ji Nie and Bao Si. Ever since he had breached the city, that great snowfall had begun drifting toward Haojing.
The feeling that he was defying Heaven's will had turned his unease into outright agitation.
Then he learned that the Marquis of Luo's residence stood empty. Remembering that Ji Fu's body had not been found either, he put the two together.
He immediately realized that the Marquis of Luo had taken Ji Fu away.
The trace of smugness on his face vanished completely, and a deep sense of unease quietly crept into his heart.
A crown prince who had been invested less than a month ago shouldn't pose much of a problem, should he?
Though the news of Ji Nie's death shocked people, few wept for him. Among nobles and ordinary citizens alike, his prestige had been far too low.
"Father!"
Only Crown Prince Ji Yi threw himself before the carriage carrying Ji Nie's body and wailed, playing the dutiful son to perfection. He even fainted from excessive grief.
Moved, Marquis Shen said, "The crown prince is truly sincere and filial!
"With such a man as the Son of Heaven, how could Heaven fail to favor the Zhou State?"
As Marquis Shen returned to Haojing, the turmoil within the city gradually subsided. He spread a set of fabricated "facts," prepared long beforehand, throughout the city.
They were meant to soothe the old Zhou people who had lived there for more than two hundred years.
Because he had returned quickly enough, the finest parts of Haojing City had not yet suffered destruction at the hands of the Rong People.
Marquis Shen breathed a sigh of relief. As long as these nobles and the wealthiest citizens supported Ji Yi, there should be no major problems.
After displaying Ji Nie's body, Marquis Shen falsely claimed that Ji Fu had also died, then addressed the Dukes and Ministers and nobles:
"The Sage King once said that the mortal world cannot lack a Son of Heaven, just as the sky cannot lack the sun.
"I ask you all to join me in acclaiming the late king's legitimate son, Crown Prince Yi, as the Son of Heaven. He is the ruler Heaven has bestowed upon us."
To his surprise, this was where things went wrong.
"With the Grand Clan Head absent, how are we to sacrifice to Heaven?"
"Indeed, who will place the crown upon the Son of Heaven? Who will affirm the position of the Son of Heaven’s Greater Lineage?"
"With the Luo Clan absent, who will preside over the sacrifices to the Sage King? Without his protection, how can the Zhou State preserve its Mandate of Heaven?"
A flood of voices instantly drowned Marquis Shen out. He had never imagined that these Dukes and Ministers and nobles would use such excuses to put him off.
Who had placed a crown upon King Wu when he ascended the throne?
Although every Son of Heaven had received his crown from the Grand Clan Head since the Sage King returned power to King Kang, that did not mean the Grand Clan Head bestowed the throne. These people plainly saw that the Marquis of Luo was absent and refused to board Marquis Shen's ship.
Dream on!
Since persuasion would not work, he would turn to force. He had to bind these people to his war chariot.
In the end, beneath the gleaming blades of swords and sabers, they held their noses and acknowledged Ji Yi as the Son of Heaven.
An enthronement without the Grand Clan Head in attendance-a clumsy political joke.
While one farce after another played out in Haojing, Luo Cheng reached Lantian with Ji Fu and finally met the King-Protecting Army.
This King-Protecting Army was led by the Marquis of Western Zhou and the Count of Zheng, rulers of the two largest Marquisate States east of Haojing at present.
Both were startled to see the Marquis of Luo appear here. Then they noticed the child beside him, dressed in Crown Prince Fu's robes.
They had met Crown Prince Ji Yi before, so this child's identity all but announced itself.
Their hearts sank at once. It seemed Haojing City had already fallen, and the situation had rotted beyond repair.
They welcomed Luo Cheng and Ji Fu into a spacious room that was temporarily serving as the army's council chamber.
"Marquis of Luo, this must be Crown Prince Ji Fu? Truly a scion of the royal house, radiant and splendid, noble beyond words."
No sooner had they sat down than the Marquis of Western Zhou and the Count of Zheng began praising Crown Prince Ji Fu, and both spoke sincerely.
Bao Si's beauty had been something beyond the mortal world.
Though Ji Fu had inherited only part of his mother's looks, he truly deserved to be called beautiful.
Crown Prince Ji Fu knelt shyly beside Luo Cheng. His nature was somewhat gentle and yielding, but a thread of resolve ran through that softness, much like his mother's.
"Marquis of Luo, why have you appeared here with Crown Prince Ji Fu? What is happening in Haojing City? Is the King in danger?"
Tears fell from Luo Cheng's eyes. "The allied forces of Marquis Shen and the Western Rong breached Haojing City. The King and I broke out separately.
"The King entrusted the crown prince to me. I do not know how he fares now.
"That traitor Shen must have gone after the King."
But he immediately wiped away his tears and said solemnly, "If the King has passed away, Marquis Shen will certainly put Ji Yi on the throne.
"Marquis Shen murdered his sovereign, and Ji Yi murdered his father. Are rebellious ministers and traitors who overturn human relations and throw the clan order into chaos fit to ascend the throne?
"If the lords within the Zhou State fail to avenge their sovereign, the histories will record them as regicides. Heaven cannot tolerate such a thing.
"Marquis Shen led the Rong People to breach the capital of the common sovereign of All Xia. Between him and me, there can be no peace until one of us is dead. Otherwise, how could I face the Sage King after my death?"
"Marquis of Zhou, Count of Zheng, we are all lords of the Ji lineage. Once we meet the Marquis of Jin and the Marquis of Zhang, we must smear our lips with blood and swear an alliance to uphold and protect Crown Prince Fu together."
In truth, all of them understood that the Son of Heaven, Ji Nie, was most likely dead.
That meant Crown Prince Fu was now the future king, still only in his teens. How much this resembled King Zhao's situation!
A regency!
The word instantly sprang into both men's minds.
The Marquis of Western Zhou bowed. "Marquis of Luo, you are the Grand Clan Head, entrusted with the Mandate of Heaven of the Zhou State. The King also charged you with protecting his son. We are all kinsmen of the Ji lineage. How could we refuse to follow you?"
The Count of Zheng went further, tearing a sleeve from his robe as he spoke with deep emotion. "Crown Prince, Marquis of Luo, how hard-won All Xia has been!
"Since the days of the Three Kings and Five Emperors, All Xia struggled to survive. Only when King Wu conquered Shang, the Sage King appeared, and Heaven bestowed its favor did we gain the prosperity we enjoy today.
"Our ancestors gathered in Haojing and swore before the Sage King to uphold together the dignity of the Son of Heaven’s Greater Lineage, serving as the Son of Heaven’s bulwark for generation upon generation.
"I cannot speak for others, but for two hundred years, the Wei-no, the Zheng State has not dared forget this for a single day.
"My only wish is to contribute to All Xia.
"If most of the Zheng State had not already moved east, I would surely muster every soldier in the state to rescue the Son of Heaven from the Rong People."
His words brimmed with feeling, and the Count of Zheng even choked up as he spoke. The other three were moved as well, tears falling from their eyes.
Luo Cheng turned to Crown Prince Ji Fu and said earnestly, "Crown Prince, look at these two ministers.
"They are both your uncles, willing to die in your service.
"This is the loyalty of the Ji-Surname Feudal Lords.
"In the Zhou State's two hundred years, every king supported by the Ji-Surname Feudal Lords succeeded, and every king rejected by the lords failed.
"You must learn from these lessons.
"When you ascend the throne, you must treat the Ji lords well. These royal kinsmen and noble relatives will be your support in the years ahead."
The Luo Clan had always moved with the tide. However the Shen-Rong Alliance ended, the collapse of the Son of Heaven's authority and the complete depletion of the royal house's strength were realities they would have to face.
The royal house now lacked even the power to act as arbiter. To survive in peace, it would have to rely on these lords.
With the Luo State mediating between them, the Son of Heaven's position as common sovereign of the realm would still be secure.
Moved to tears, Crown Prince Ji Fu wiped his eyes and bowed to the Marquis of Zhou and the Count of Zheng. Luo Cheng simply ignored this breach of the rites.
His face solemn, Ji Fu said gravely, "Mother once said that only in times of peril can you see who truly treats you well.
"Now I have seen it. In times of peril, only one's own kin can be trusted.
"If I can ascend the throne, I will richly reward my kinsmen of the Ji lineage.
"Marquis of Zhou, I promise you that once we recover the Royal Domain, I will grant you vast tracts of fertile land.
"Count of Zheng, you are a noble lord among the Ji-Surname Feudal Lords. The rank of count does not befit your standing.
"I will grant you the exalted rank of marquis. Wherever your state moves, I will grant you ten cities."
These promises pleased the Marquis of Zhou and the Count of Zheng greatly. They felt that this Son of Heaven would be a benevolent king.
Luo Cheng was about to speak when he suddenly coughed, and a thread of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
The others were startled and hurriedly asked, "Marquis of Luo, what is wrong? Is your health all right?"
Luo Cheng waved a hand. "Earlier, in Haojing City, I sacrificed to August Heaven and the Sage King. Our ancestor brought down Heaven's might, making snow fall upon Haojing in the sixth month.
"I am merely a mortal. Even one ten-thousandth of Heaven's might bearing down upon me would shorten my life.
"Do not worry, Crown Prince. Nothing will happen to me for another ten or more years. I will certainly see you ascend the throne and peace restored to the realm."
The Marquis of Western Zhou and the Count of Zheng both felt a chill. They had heard about this on the road. This was true heavenly might. The Luo Clan was indeed unfathomable, and they would have to treat it with still greater caution.
Looking at Luo Cheng before him, Crown Prince Ji Fu remembered his mother again. "Fu, you must entrust important duties to the Marquis of Luo. He is a capable and loyal minister."
"Marquis of Luo... I... I truly do not know how to..." Crown Prince Fu choked out, "If you do not fail me, I will not fail you. Should I break this oath, may Heaven trample me down."
A Son of Heaven who valued affection was what everyone hoped to see, and the smiles on the faces of the Marquis of Western Zhou and the Count of Zheng grew brighter still.
After this exchange, all unfamiliarity between the four had vanished. The four leaders of the King-Protecting Army now shared a common goal.
When they spoke of Haojing City, the Marquis of Western Zhou, deeply influenced by the Sage King, said bitterly, "Marquis Shen is truly loathsome! Even if he was dissatisfied with the Son of Heaven, how could he bring in the Western Rong to attack?
"This was a family matter within All Xia, yet he dragged outsiders into it.
"Even tearing him apart with chariots would not repay one ten-thousandth of his crimes."
The Count of Zheng sighed deeply. "What should we do now? March straight to Haojing to drive out the Rong People, or wait for the other armies coming to aid the king?"
Haojing City had lords serving as bulwarks on all four sides. Now the northern lords had rebelled and even breached the city.
The southern and eastern lords were headed by the Zheng State and Western Zhou, while the Jin State, Zhang State, and others lay to the northeast. These two groups could join forces.
Finally, there were the Marquisate States founded by clans of the Ying Lineage to the west.
As for the states east of Luoyi, only the Wei State was relatively close. The Song State, Luo State, and Qi State were all too far from Haojing.
Moreover, they had to guard against the Yi peoples to the southeast and those regional states vastly different from the Zhou State, such as the Xu State.
This Xu State had shared a lineage with the Xu State enfeoffed west of Haojing more than two hundred years ago, but they were now entirely different.
Luo Cheng immediately rejected the idea of marching on Haojing City. "The first principle of warfare is steadiness. With our present army alone, we are probably no match for the Shen-Rong Allied Army. We cannot wait for the western lords, but we must still wait for the Marquis of Jin and the others."
This was not merely to ensure victory in war. It was also to ensure that Ji Nie died.
Moreover, the Shen State had committed virtually its entire strength to this attack on Haojing and rallied its allies throughout the northwest. States such as the Zeng State had all joined it.
With the strength of the Western Rong added to theirs, this force was truly beyond what a single King-Protecting Army that had not mobilized its full strength could match.
The Zheng State in particular was powerful, but roughly half of it had already moved east of Luoyi. The Count of Zheng had brought only half its strength.
Once they decided to join forces with the Jin State first, they dispatched scouts northeast of Haojing to contact its army.
They sent other scouts to investigate the current situation in Haojing City.
At last, the armies marching to aid the king joined forces at Tongyi.
They were led by the Marquis of Luo, the Marquis of Jin, the Marquis of Western Zhou, the Marquis of Zhang, and the Count of Zheng, rulers of five great Ji states, with smaller states such as those of the Count of Chen and the Count of Xu supporting them.
More than twenty lords gathered there to smear their lips with blood and swear an alliance. With one hundred thousand armored soldiers and three thousand war chariots, their imposing military might filled everyone with confidence.
As Crown Prince Ji Fu held an exalted status, everyone gathered around him while Luo Cheng introduced those present one by one.
"This is the Marquis of Zhang, a kinsman of the Ji lineage. His house was enfeoffed during King Zhao's reign. He has come to aid the king this time, and you must remember that, Crown Prince."
"This is the Marquis of Jin, also a kinsman of the Ji lineage. His house was enfeoffed during the Sage King's regency and has rendered countless services to the Zhou State over two hundred years. His is the strongest state among our Ji kinsmen. You must rely on him more in the future, Crown Prince."
Luo Cheng also introduced the lords of other lineages to Ji Fu one by one. He could even name which generation had married into the royal house, or had marriage ties with the Bao State, the family of Crown Prince Ji Fu's mother.
Everyone could not help admiring him. No wonder every generation of the Marquis of Luo excelled at coordinating relations among the Marquisate States.
These lords had already learned of the promises exchanged earlier between Crown Prince Ji Fu, the Marquis of Luo, the Marquis of Western Zhou, and the Count of Zheng.
They were very pleased with Crown Prince Ji Fu's attitude and thus treated him warmly.
After these introductions, Crown Prince Ji Fu felt much greater affection for the gently spoken lords. The lords, having made themselves known to the future Son of Heaven, were equally satisfied.
The scouts previously sent to Haojing City also returned to the army's camp, bringing the news everyone had expected.
The Son of Heaven, Ji Nie, had died amid the chaos of battle. Queen Bao Si had also died, and Marquis Shen had already installed Ji Yi as king.
"The Marquis of Luo is the Grand Clan Head, yet they held an enthronement without him? To which Heaven did they sacrifice? Which Sage King did they worship?"
The Marquis of Zhang could not resist mocking them, and the lords laughed derisively. With the Luo Clan standing on their side, they felt deep down that the Mandate of Heaven was theirs.
"His Majesty died amid the chaos of battle?
"That is merely the traitor Shen's attempt to cover his tracks. He plainly murdered his sovereign, yet still offers such deceitful words."
At this point, nothing more needed to be said. They simply had to break camp and march to Haojing for a decisive battle against the people of Shen and the Rong People.
The Shen State had been away from the Central Plains for too long, leading Marquis Shen to underestimate the prestige the name Luo Clan held there.
He believed that Crown Prince Fu had been invested only a month ago, whereas Crown Prince Yi had held his title for years and exchanged letters with many lords, both of the Ji-Surname Feudal Lords and other lineages. Even if the relief armies reached Haojing, they should acknowledge Crown Prince Yi.
Under normal circumstances, that would indeed have been the case.
But he could never have imagined that Luo Cheng needed only the name Luo to command the lords on every side and make them acknowledge Crown Prince Ji Fu's legitimacy.
Not to mention that word of the earlier sudden snowfall had already reached the allied lords' camp.
That miracle made the Luo Clan, long shrouded in a mysterious aura, seem even more unfathomable.
It further heightened the Luo Clan's prestige. Besides, Crown Prince Ji Fu stood alone, and his attitude toward the lords pleased them greatly. With all these factors combined, the lords who had marched to aid the king chose Crown Prince Ji Fu.
United in purpose, the allied lords' army skirted Mount Li, passed through Lantian, and reached Haojing.
By then, the lords of the Ying Lineage and the Si Clan west of Haojing, led by the Marquis of Fei, had raced along the Wei River and finally reached Quanqiu north of Mount Zhongnan, facing Haojing City across the river.
Three armies encamped on the Three Rivers Plain, and the situation instantly grew tense.
King Yi was gentle, worthy, and kind. His rule rested on five principles: reverence for Heaven, service to the ancestral temples, regard for kin, acceptance of remonstrance, and love for the people. Thus he held the realm, surpassing what the former kings had achieved.-Records of the Grand Historian: Annals of Zhou
This chapter contains quite a lot of information. Beneath the heartfelt performances, the main point is that Luo Cheng negotiated an exchange of interests with the Ji-Surname Feudal Lords on Crown Prince Ji Fu's behalf.
By promising the Ji-Surname Feudal Lords grants of land and devolving power to them, he secured their support for Ji Fu. I think I made that fairly clear.
You can also take a look at the assessment of Ji Fu in the Annals of Zhou at the end. There is quite a lot packed into it.
Reverence for Heaven and service to the ancestral temples meant listening to Luo Cheng. Regard for kin meant maintaining relations with the Ji-Surname Feudal Lords. Acceptance of remonstrance meant he had few opinions of his own, and love for the people meant his temperament was on the soft side.
I also chose his posthumous title according to his character. "Gentle, worthy, and kind is called Yi"-that is my final judgment of him.
As for the extra updates everyone has been asking about, the plan is to launch paid chapters on the 21st. Once that happens, I will definitely update at full speed. After all, every word means a little money.
Before you continue