Xu Zhonglin or Lu Xixing
This chapter is titled "The Ill-Fortunes of the Grand Dukes". Seeing how King Zhou was to put Jiang Huanchu to death so blatantly, the other three grand dukes knelt before the king in shock and told the latter to reconsider his decision in the name of preserving his king-minister relationship. As Bi Gan spread forth their petition upon King Zhou's desk, he had little choice but to read it. Upon the reading of this petition, which elaborated the king's many wrongs, the latter flew into a great rage while tearing it to many pieces. Once the three dukes had been bounded immediately for such a slanderous petition, Yellow Flying Tiger and other princes knelt down and elaborated the grand duty and loyalty that the dukes fully showed throughout their many merits towards the name of the Shang Dynasty. After hearing their story, King Zhou came to a new conclusion: Ji Chang will be specially pardoned for his exceeded virtue and due loyalty while the other two dukes are to be executed at once as previously stated. Even with Yang Ren's continued plead to have mercy on the two remaining dukes, the king's decree was effectively carried out in efficient form none the less. Following King Zhou's return to his palace, each minister wept profusely at such a tragedy while the remaining attendants of the two newly deceased dukes fled immediately to their respective dukedoms in a chance to attain a future rebellion. As two grand dukes were thus buried and Ji Chang made preparations to head back to his dukedom, Fei Zhong approached King Zhou and suggested to him that Ji Chang should effectively be destroyed less he attempts to join forces with either Jiang Wenhuan of the east or E Shun in the south—the sons of the deceased dukes—due to his secret "inner treachery". By observing the former during his farewell feast, Fei Zhong could effectively determine if he was truly loyal to the dynasty; for if he seems the least bit treacherous, he should be disposed of immediately.
As Ji Chang thus presented his farewell to the king and Prime Minister Bi Gan, he rode to the Changting Pavilion where he was warmly welcomed by many high ranked ministers. With happiness and due dignity present within each minister's heart, Ji Chang was merrily treated to volleys of wine in a celebratory feast. Once both Fei Zhong and You Hun arrived shortly, each minister became displeased and dispersed immediately at the sight of such criminals in their presence. With Ji Chang now alone with Fei Zhong and You Hun, the latter presented forth an especially large jug of wine equipped with extra-large cups for the former to drink from. As Ji Chang thus happily guzzled down several glasses, and became somewhat drunk, Fei Zhong purposely asked the former the fate of the Shang Dynasty. After stating that King Zhou would be the last monarch of the dynasty, and his rule will last for another decade or so, Ji Chang additionally foretold the rather strange death that Fei Zhong and You Hun will experience in the future: they will be frozen to death in ice. With expressive condolences towards Ji Chang's prophecies, Fei Zhong and You Hun shortly returned to the Fairy Longevity Palace to tell the king how truly foul the duke was. As Chao Tian—one of the Chao Twins—was thus deployed to bring back Ji Chang immediately by decree of King Zhou, Chao Tian arrived shortly before Ji Chang and rode back to the capital. Once Ji Chang was presented before King Zhou, and received the death punishment, Bi Gan defended the former, saying that divination is simply meant to predict the success or failure of future events—and was most definitely not invented by Ji Chang or used for the sole purpose to create his own rash predictions whatsoever. After thus being forced to make a divination to see if it will come true, Ji Chang stated that the Ancestral Temple shall burn to ashes at noon the following day. With such a prophecy being reciprocated in real form, King Zhou flew back in astonishment at Ji Chang's sage-like qualities. However, it was concluded that Ji Chang will escape the death punishment—but will be forced to live within Morning Song's Yaoli District as to ensure no future trouble is caused through such divination. Once peace is to be restored in the capital, Ji Chang would be freed from such containment. Bowing in gratitude towards the king's grace, Ji Chang was welcomed merrily into Yaoli as a leader of the people who possessed voidful hate towards King Zhou. One day into the future, Prince Yellow Flying Tiger received a report that Jiang Wenhuan of the south is attacking Youhun Pass, while E Shun is present at Sanshan. Now being fully rational over the rebellion of four-hundred marquises at present, he sighed with discontent before ordering his generals to protect the passes with all due haste.
Categorized Events edit
- Execution of the Grand Duke of the East
- The petition concerning the Grand Dukes
- The pardon of Ji Chang and death of the Grand Dukes of the South and East
- Ji Chang's visit to the ancestral shrine
- Encounter with Fei Zhong and You Hun
- The Drunkenness - foretelling with the Trigram
- The King's anger - changing of fate
- Casting of the gold coins - burning of the Ancestral Shrine
- Youli District house arrest - seven years