Son of Heaven Ji Bai, Qi's inferiors defy their superiors (bonus chapter for alliance leader Dimuxiang

Zhiren)

Luoyi, that mighty city situated at the center of the world, had grown dilapidated under the erosion of time. Especially after the Royal House declined, it had devoted all its energies to pleasure.

The Zheng State Envoy met the reigning Son of Heaven, Ji Bai, an old man who looked utterly dispirited. He had none of the supposed majesty of the Son of Heaven, and the rites and music in the Royal Palace were exceedingly dull.

As for the so-called rites and music of the Son of Heaven, who besides Luo State had not heard them by now?

Among the states today, even a grandee overstepped the bounds of ritual propriety. The collapse of rites and ruin of music had reached an extreme; only the Son of Heaven's crown had yet to hit the ground.

As for the lineage system, it had long since collapsed completely. Otherwise, the ruling houses of Chen State and Zheng State would never have done such things so openly.

Although many cursed them after those incidents, it seemed more like an effort to distance themselves: look, I cursed him, so I have never done anything like that.

From what Luo State alone knew, there was no telling how many such incidents had occurred in Qi State.

As for the prohibition on marriage between people of the same surname, its destruction was even more complete. Apart from marriages between states, where the tradition was still maintained, marriage institutions within the states had long since been destroyed.

Following the prescriptions of the Rites of Zhou, the Zheng State Envoy offered a full ceremonial bow to the Son of Heaven of Zhou, chanting loudly, "Heaven and the Sage King above, may the Son of Heaven live ten thousand years, and may radiant glory be bestowed upon you!"