Discussing Aid for the King

Ji Zhao had once wondered how the system would help him endure the long, lonely passage of history. He had never expected such a tremendous surprise. From the moment he entered the void, increases in Fortune Points did more than change the numbers on his status panel. They also supplied him with mysterious yellow qi, which he could use to strengthen his soul. During that process, he felt no passage of time at all.

This reminded him that the game's final Easter egg was becoming a god upon completing it. Perhaps, in reality, that was no joke. The possibility made Ji Zhao take things even more seriously.

Moreover, the system actively advanced time, as though dragging a progress bar forward. Without any major events, decades might pass in a few brief moments.

The system's notification sounded again. Ji Zhao slowly awakened and began reviewing the key events of the intervening years.

Under the revised enfeoffment system he had devised, the Zhou Dynasty should have had no trouble running smoothly for a hundred years.

After his death, the next two Sons of Heaven had faithfully followed his institutions. The Zhou Dynasty had operated peacefully for sixty years, and the Rites of Zhou had taken deep root in people's hearts. The hierarchy of Son of Heaven, feudal lords, ministers, great officers, gentlemen, and commoners remained firmly in place.

Wherever the Son of Heaven's decrees reached, most feudal lords obediently complied. Without deploying a single soldier himself, he could have the lords campaign against one another and subdue the disobedient.

But after the fourth Son of Heaven took the throne, he had wanted to accomplish something of his own. Unfortunately, he dismantled the old institutions without establishing new ones, then died after a reign of just eight years.

His eldest legitimate son ascended the throne, becoming Zhou State's fifth Son of Heaven. His name was Ji Wan.

Ji Zhao felt that this Son of Heaven was not even one-thousandth the man King Wu had been-a complete waste of space.

An army clad in armor rode chariots around a luxurious carriage as it left Luoyi, following the Imperial Road built over the years toward Luo State.

The carriage belonged to the fourth Marquis of Luo, Luo Su. Ji Zhao had awakened at his birth and personally chosen him as the heir.

Ji Zhao had bestowed a blessing upon him. That blessing caused his elder brother, the previous Marquis of Luo's eldest legitimate son, to fall from a horse and become lame, costing him his right of succession.

Luo Su's innate potential and growth attributes were simply far superior to his brother's. After upgrades and updates, the system had expanded to six attributes. Following years of cultivation, Luo Su's six attributes were [Political Maneuvering: 91 (95); Statecraft: 90 (96); Personnel management: 92 (95); Command: 40 (42); Martial prowess: 54 (62); Military strategy: 46 (50). Figures in parentheses indicate the limits of innate potential].

For a ruler who did not need to command troops, these six attributes were exceptionally good. With such an outstanding direct descendant available, Ji Zhao could only sacrifice his eldest great-grandson to earn enough fortune.

The official posts of Zhou State had undergone some changes. Because Ji Zhao had once served as Grand Steward, King Kang had established the Three Excellencies after his death: the Grand Tutor, Grand Preceptor, and Grand Guardian. Only dukes and marquises could hold these lofty posts. As one of the most important Ji-surnamed feudal lords, Luo Su was the current Grand Preceptor.

Ever since the present Son of Heaven had taken the throne, Luo Su had devoted himself to keeping Zhou State functioning. He was a master of Political Maneuvering, and after he dealt with the opposition a few times, they became meek and compliant. Skilled in Statecraft and Personnel Management, he could keenly identify problems at court and select the right people to address them. His prestige had grown immensely over the years.

But he had an unyielding temperament, while the Son of Heaven was far too stupid and incompetent, so he often spoke out against him. This time, utterly disappointed by the Son of Heaven's continued refusal to heed his remonstrances, he had simply resigned. He intended to return to Luo State and wash his hands of the Royal Domain's affairs.

Traveling with him was Duke Shuang of Song, one of the Son of Heaven's Royal Aides. They traveled together because Luo Su's wife was Duke Shuang of Song's younger paternal cousin, and the two men had always advanced and retreated together.

Because of their ancestors, relations between Luo State and the former states of Yin Shang had long been rather strained.

Duke Shuang of Song was a wise man. He had noticed that although Zhou State had been established for over seventy years, Song State had never managed to enter the circle of Ji-surnamed feudal lords. This was detrimental to Song State.

The root of the problem was that the Ji lords were uncertain how Song State viewed King Wu and the Sage King's Eastern Campaign. But Duke Shuang of Song believed that although Song State consisted of former Yin Shang subjects, the grudge belonged to King Zhou's branch, not theirs. Without the Sage King, they would not even have their present standing. He therefore began seeking ties with major Ji-surnamed states, with Luo State naturally among his chief targets.

Luo State had always intermarried with Qi State, but the current generation of Qi State had only one marriageable legitimate daughter, and she had already married the Son of Heaven. The other daughters, born of concubines, were suitable as accompanying consorts, but plainly lacked the standing to become a principal wife.

Thus, Luo State married a daughter to the Heir of Qi to maintain the marriage alliance between the two sides, while looking elsewhere for a suitable wife for Luo Su.

The Rites of Zhou also prohibited marriage between people of the same surname. Given Luo State's standing, finding a legitimate daughter of a major state to marry was no easy task. Luo and Song therefore hit it off at once, bringing about this marriage alliance.

Now the two men sat in the carriage, both with a trace of gravity in their eyes. The present Son of Heaven was fond of war. That alone was not a major problem, but being warlike without the ability to match was.

A man needed to know his own limits. Luo Su never involved himself in warfare. Whenever military matters arose, he remained silent and simply prepared supplies and provisions. But the present Son of Heaven craved grand achievements and was stubbornly self-willed. This was a tremendous danger.

Luo Su could not remain calm. He might well have been the most loyal feudal lord in all Zhou State. He slammed his fist down and said bitterly, "Our ancestors established the feudal states to protect the Son of Heaven's Royal Domain from the ravages of war. The tribute system ensured that he had sufficient wealth to maintain his army. That way, he would always retain military superiority over the feudal lords and deter those harboring disloyal intentions.

"But the key was that the Son of Heaven had to avoid participating directly in war whenever possible. Even if he wished to train his troops, sending generals to lead one army on rotating campaigns would have been enough.

"Why must he lead a vast army on campaign himself? That is a road to disaster. If he loses, his authority will suffer terribly. Even if he wins, what benefit can he gain?

"That foolish ruler is courting death himself, so why must he drag more than a hundred thousand State People to their deaths with him? One crushing defeat could shake the foundations of the state. How many Zhou People would die then? We have not even taken possession of all the land Heaven bestowed upon us, yet we are already wasting our strength from within. It is sheer folly."

After a moment's silence, Duke Shuang of Song sighed. "Chu State has repeatedly provoked us and even usurped the title of king. The present Son of Heaven certainly cannot tolerate that."

"Hmph!"

Luo Su snorted coldly. "The King and the feudal lords of the Central Plains are truly to blame for matters reaching this point.

"The Former King mistreated the southern lords, regarding their states as barbarian lands. Viscount Xiong Dun of Chu possesses great talent. He campaigned against the Southern Barbarians and expanded the territory of All Xia. He should long ago have been promoted to marquis and granted the title Bearer of the King's Mandate to reward his achievements.

"When the Sage King governed the realm, if a worthy man of such caliber came to see him, he would rush outside barefoot before he could even swallow his food, asking what sound policies the man had for Statecraft. That was how Zhou State achieved peace.

"But what did the Former King do?

"Xiong Dun answered the summons and came to the capital to attend the assembly of feudal lords, yet the Former King sent him to tend the fire for the sacrifice to Heaven and barred him from the formal assembly. Is humiliating a feudal lord like that something a sage ruler should do?

"My late father spoke frankly on the matter, and I, too, remonstrated with the King, only to be brushed aside with excuses. Is that how one treats an important state of Zhou?

"The Viscount of Chu usurped the title of king, annexed surrounding states in defiance of the law, and stockpiled arms and troops. He has long exceeded the rule limiting small states to a single army. All of this is the fault of the Former King and the present King!

"Even if he wished to campaign against Chu State, he could simply order the feudal lords to muster troops at Luoyi. Why must he deploy the Son of Heaven's Six Armies?

"The Son of Heaven's strongest weapons are titles and legitimacy, yet all he knows is reckless warfare. Clearly, he has not the slightest compassion for the State People. I do not believe Heaven will favor him."

Faced with Luo Su's indignation, Duke Shuang of Song could only sigh and do his best to soothe him. Fortunately, Luo Su soon calmed down and began considering how to deal with the aftermath.

He had already concluded that the Son of Heaven would lose this war. After briefly weighing the possible consequences, he said to Duke Shuang of Song, "Brother, the Son of Heaven insists on having his way. He knows nothing of warfare, yet is stubbornly self-willed, and he has flatterers like You and Ji beside him. I am certain he will lose this campaign. But Luoyi must not fall. The foundations of our Zhou State matter more than the Son of Heaven.

"Brother, as the Bearer of the King's Mandate charged with overseeing the eastern lords, summon them when you return home. I will add my signature and seal to the summons. I will contact the Marquis of Qi myself. If anything goes wrong, we can immediately come to the King's aid."

"Aid the King?" Duke Shuang of Song's voice suddenly rose. He had not expected Luo Su's assessment to be so dire. Startled and doubtful, he said, "The Son of Heaven's Six Armies are elite forces rarely matched. Strong as Chu State may be, it is only one feudal state. Surely it has no more than two armies at most, and its armor cannot possibly compare with that of the Six Armies. Even if they lose, surely they can withdraw intact!"

Luo Su shook his head. "Luo State and Chu State do share a measure of old goodwill. Xiong Dun is one of the finest fighting generals in the realm today, with courage no host of men can withstand. His soldiers come from harsh mountains and treacherous waters. They can endure bitter fighting, wear three layers of armor, and fear no death. They are a formidable army.

"I have heard that Xiong Dun led three thousand soldiers to rout a coalition of fifty thousand Southern Barbarian tribesmen in a head-on battle. I have also heard that his three thousand men annihilated the Marquis of Hui's eight thousand armored troops in a single engagement. How could an ordinary man defeat such a god of war?

"As for the Son of Heaven, even with a powerful army in his hands, getting thirty percent of its strength out of it would be no easy feat. Worse still, the Six Armies pride themselves on outnumbering the enemy several times over. They are already arrogant troops. Though I know nothing of battlefield command, even I understand that pride brings defeat.

"Most frightening of all, the Son of Heaven actually intends to cross a river to attack Chu State. Our ancestor the Sage King's Battle of the Luo River was fought beside the water. On such terrain, a defeat is certain to cause immense casualties. Even during the crossing, the slightest mistake could bring complete destruction!"

Luo Su's reasoning was sound, and Duke Shuang of Song was convinced. He could not help beginning to calculate how much he might gain from the upheaval that could follow.

Watching unseen, Ji Zhao found the scene quite interesting. After reviewing the preceding events, he had reached the same conclusion as Luo Su. He was curious what this descendant of his would do next: serve as a loyal minister to the Son of Heaven, or to Zhou State.

For now, Ji Zhao had no intention of helping this descendant. If a clan head with such excellent attributes still needed assistance, he would have to become pessimistic about his own chances of completing the game.

He had originally chosen Luo Su as heir because an outstanding clan head could earn more Fortune Points, and Luo Su had not disappointed him. Over these years, he had already earned more Fortune Points than his father and grandfather had earned in their entire lives combined. By the end of his life, the fortune he could bring in would surely be considerable. Though Ji Zhao mainly relied on a steady trickle over time, he would certainly not refuse a sudden windfall.

In fact, successive clan heads had all vaguely sensed that their ancestor seemed not to have died-or perhaps had truly ascended to Heaven-and sometimes watched over them. Clever men like Luo Su, in particular, harbored deep suspicions about certain events that had occurred.

But it was too bizarre, and there were too many long stretches without any response, so they kept these thoughts to themselves. Still, they acted far more cautiously and dared not overstep many of the rules their ancestor had laid down.

This was why Luo Su exhausted himself maintaining the Son of Heaven's authority and safeguarding the authority of Zhou State's central government. Only that could keep order stable throughout the realm, allowing Luo State to endure within that order for countless generations.

Although Luo Su felt some sympathy for Xiong Dun's treatment, such defiance of superiors and provocation of the entire system of rites and music had to be firmly suppressed. He therefore had no hesitation about contacting other feudal lords to form a coalition against Xiong Dun. They would curb his arrogance first and discuss everything else afterward.

Luo Su naturally had no idea that his ancestor was watching him. After traveling at speed and parting with Duke Shuang of Song in Song State, he did not return to Luo State first. Instead, he headed straight for a city on Qi State's border. Marquis Lü Bai of Qi had already received his letter and was waiting there.

"Uncle!"

The moment he saw Lü Bai, Luo Su called out warmly. His mother was Lü Bai's younger sister, making them uncle and nephew by blood.

"You are the ruler of a state now. Show a little composure." Marquis Lü Bai of Qi was delighted as well. The previous Marquis of Qi had had very few children-only the two siblings-so they were exceptionally close. After inviting Luo Su to sit, he asked, "Is your mother in good health?"

Luo Su picked up the warmed wine and poured some for his uncle. "Rest assured, Uncle. Mother is in excellent health. She wrote a few days ago that she was brewing wine, the kind Grandfather often drank when he was alive. Once it is ready, she wants to send some for you to taste."

Lü Bai could not help smiling. "Good, very good. I will certainly try it when the time comes. Now, tell me: what is this important matter you mentioned in your letter?"

The current Marquis of Qi held no post in the Royal Palace, instead concentrating on expanding along the shores of the Eastern Sea. Over several decades, the Eastern Yi tribes had weakened dramatically and now fell far short of the feudal lords in overall strength. Qi State deserved much of the credit, though its news from the Royal Domain was somewhat delayed.

Luo Su explained the situation in the Royal Domain to Lü Bai, then related what he and the Duke of Song had discussed. Qi State absolutely could not be left out of the effort to aid the King. Twenty years earlier, Qi State had firmly become the strongest state in the east. Since then, the title Bearer of the King's Mandate had passed back and forth between Luo State and Song State, never again being granted to Qi State. Still, as the Son of Heaven's most important state connected by marriage, Qi State's importance was beyond question.

Lü Bai's brows furrowed deeply. The news struck him hard. He absolutely did not want anything to happen to the Son of Heaven. Among all the feudal lords in the realm, the Jiang-surnamed Lü Clan of Qi State enjoyed the closest relationship with the Son of Heaven, even surpassing the other Ji-surnamed states. Under the present order, Qi State's standing could almost be called the highest among all states!

The same principle applied to Song State. The foundation of its existence was Zhou State's institution of the Two Kings and Three Revered, so its rulers would instinctively defend the institutions and regime that benefited them.

The Marquis of Qi did not keep Luo Su waiting long. He soon made his decision. "A Su, you are right. Since we cannot stop it, we must deal properly with the aftermath and prevent the situation from spreading. Above all, Luoyi must not fall. After all, those western lords have always wanted the Son of Heaven to move back to Haojing. We cannot give them that excuse."

Luoyi had originally been built to monitor the old Yin Shang clans while campaigning against the Eastern Yi. Unexpectedly, Song State had remained peaceful for decades, and successive Dukes of Song had treated the Son of Heaven with reverence. The other old Yin Shang clans had all migrated south, farther south even than Hui State, to places whose names Zhou State did not know.

As for the Eastern Yi, the feudal states had battered them so badly that, compared with the barbarians to the west, north, and south, they no longer posed a threat. The Dog Rong in the west fought the western lords year after year. Some lords had already submitted petitions asking the Son of Heaven to move the capital back to Haojing City and concentrate their strength against the Dog Rong.

But by now, the eastern lords were unwilling to let the Son of Heaven leave Luoyi. Having the capital in the east proved that the east was the center of the realm. Countless benefits flowed there, allowing everyone to reap rich rewards.

Moreover, the western lords paid court to the Son of Heaven once every three years, while the eastern lords did so annually. Presenting tribute and beautiful women was easier for them as well, so the Son of Heaven naturally grew closer to the eastern lords.

Hearing his uncle agree to the assembly, Luo Su said happily, "A wise decision, Uncle. Duke Shuang of Song has the authority to convene the feudal lords. We will each muster our troops and assemble at Qiyan for drills, keeping constant watch on the war in the south. Once the beacon fires are lit, we will immediately lead our armies into the Royal Domain to ensure the safety of Luoyi and the Son of Heaven."

Lü Bai understood what Luo Su meant. Their chief concern was safeguarding Luoyi and the foundations of Zhou State. As for the Son of Heaven, if he remained safe, that would prove he had not yet lost the Mandate of Heaven. If he met with an accident while fleeing defeat, there would be nothing they could do about it.

Watching this scene, Ji Zhao laughed in satisfaction. Decisively abandoning rulers who lacked ability yet loved giving orders was the surest way to stay alive.

Having reached an agreement, Luo Su prepared to return home. The coalition of feudal lords would naturally have a large advisory staff. Though he did not understand military affairs, he could not leave his troops entirely in the allies' hands. Otherwise, by the time the war ended, his army might be dead as well.

Once home, he would have to recall the generals stationed elsewhere, prepare provisions for the campaign and all manner of supplies for the troops, and decide which army to mobilize based on the surrounding situation. Some armies guarded crucial passes and could not be moved lightly.

While Luo Su was conferring with the Marquis of Qi, Duke Shuang of Song was moving just as swiftly. Immediately upon returning home, he affixed his seal and dispatched letters of alliance to the various feudal states.

In fact, large assemblies of feudal lords had become rare over the past ten years. The title Bearer of the King's Mandate had become a tool for the regional overseers to win support, and they usually invited only lords who were close to them.

None of the lords who received the letters had expected Duke Shuang of Song to invite every lord under his jurisdiction this time.