The grass grows beside the official road, and the graceful shadows of the trees sway in the sun.
The motorcade carrying the banner bearing the surname Ji stopped beside a stream.
Ji Chang got off the troika and went to the stream with the help of Ji Kao.
Watching the attendants washing the horse's nose, Ji Kao's mind was not here and he said worriedly:
"Second brother, he..."
Ji Chang shook his head and took out a turtle shell from his arms with a few copper coins in it:
"I haven't fully understood this divination method yet, so I have no way of knowing Fa'er's safety."
He put away the turtle shell and whispered:
"What if I knew?"
Ji Kao remained silent.
Da Zhu’s orders cannot be violated.
If Di Xin asked them to commit suicide, they could still curse the unjust and foolish king and rise up.
But if Da Zhu asks them to die, he will be criticized by thousands of people if he hesitates.
No morality can override the will from the ancestral temple.
"Dad, what Da Zhu said must be true?"
Ji Kao suddenly asked.
Ji Chang turned to look at his son with complicated eyes.
Ji Kao's growth process completely avoided Da Zhu's active time.
But Ji Chang himself understood the significance of Da Zhu to the Yin and Shang royal family better than anyone else.
With Da Zhu here, the royal family is not a piece of sand. Even if there are many conflicts among the various branches internally, they will be twisted into an iron rope externally.
Da Zhu can be said to be the banner of the royal family. As long as it is erected, they will have endless motivation to fight for it.
In the fourth year of Kangding, Ziyao was appointed as the Great Zhu, and ordered the four princes to each offer their right eye to show their loyalty to the ancestors of the ancestral temple.
From the tenth to the fourteenth year of Wu Yi, Ziyao patrolled the world and held great sacrifices in the four major vassal states. A total of 80,000 slaves, a strange god, and a Xibohou were sacrificed.
In the eleventh year of Taiding, there was a severe drought. King Shang was seriously ill, and Ziyao took charge of the government. He ordered the queen to burn herself on fire to pray for rain, and there was sweet rain everywhere in the world.
In the fourth year of Emperor Yi's reign, Ziyao ordered the princes to pay tribute with human sacrifices. In the national sacrifice, a total of 130,000 slaves were killed to build an altar, and tens of thousands of strong prisoners of war were selected as sacrifices to pay tribute to the fate of the country.
In June of the fourth year of Emperor Yi, Ziyao fell into a deep sleep.
Ji Chang looked at the green mountains in the distance, feeling worried.
The current Da Zhu has killed far more than anyone before him.
Its frequent conquests made it completely impossible for the four major vassal states to recuperate.
Even his great-grandfather was chopped into pieces by quilt medicine because he protected the alien god.
During that time, the entire Xiqi was shrouded in the shadow of killing, and the nobles were cleaned up from top to bottom.
He could have had many relatives.
While I was thinking wildly, an old beggar in tattered clothes walked by the roadside.
"My lord, please be kind..."
Before the beggar could reach Ji Chang, he was stopped by the guards.
Ji Chang came back to his senses and frowned:
"Let the old man come over. If there were assassins, I would have died in Chaoge."
The guards looked at each other and had to let him go.
The beggar came to Ji Chang tremblingly, grabbed his sleeves with dirty hands, and stared at him eagerly:
"Sir, please do me a favor and give me something to eat..."
Ji Chang sighed, did not dislike it, and said to Ji Kao:
"Go get him some food and water."
Ji Kao nodded and left.
Ji Chang asked the beggar in confusion:
"This place is not far from Chaoge. It is still within the territory of Wangji. The land is fertile and the weather is good. Why did the old man end up here?"
The beggar's expression stiffened for a moment, then he let go of Ji Chang and sighed:
"Because my daughter-in-law was beautiful, she was attracted by the court official. When my daughter-in-law refused, the official came to rob her. My son was beaten to death on the spot, and all the family property was confiscated. I went up the mountain to cut firewood and escaped..."
Hearing this, Ji Chang showed compassion and sympathized with the old man's plight.
"Why don't you come back to Xiqi with me? No official there would dare to bully the people like this."
The old man was surprised and said:
"Xiqi?"
It was as if his eyesight suddenly became better. He stared at Ji Chang's dragon robe and said:
"A bright yellow dragon embroidered with gold, sir, could it be..."
Ji Chang smiled:
"The old man is indeed from Chaoge. He knows more than people in other places. I am Ji Chang."
The old man immediately nodded excitedly and bowed:
"Common people see Xibohou!"
Ji Chang helped him up and said:
"Xiqi's people are simple and honest. Old man, it's better to go back with me and start a new life there."
At this time, Ji Kao came over with a piece of cake and a pot of water.
He had no airs like Prince Xiqi, and said with a warm smile:
"It's not enough."
Instead of taking the food, the old man laughed and said something strange:
"You two are indeed kind people."
He straightened up, and the turbidity in his pupils was swept away.
Then a burst of light lit up, and the filthy old man instantly transformed into a Taoist priest with white hair and a childlike face.
Guang Chengzi nodded in approval towards the two of them and said:
"He is kind-hearted and loves his people like his own son. He is worthy of his destiny."
Ji Chang and Ji Kao looked at each other, and from their eyes, they came up with the same sentence:
Guessed it.
Ji Chang pretended to be surprised and said:
"Your Excellency is actually from outside the country?"
Guangchengzi, a man of celestial demeanor, bowed his head:
"Guangchengzi, a poor Taoist, heard that the Marquis of Xibo was a wise and saintly person with the qualities of Yao and Shun. When I saw him today, it turned out to be true."
"Don't take it seriously, don't take it seriously," Ji Chang lowered his attitude and apologized: "I didn't know the immortal was coming, so I only offer dry cakes. I hope the immortal will come back to Xiqi with me and arrange a banquet to make amends."
Guangchengzi stroked his beard and declined:
"Xiqi won't go. Pindao still has something to do. He just passed by here and wanted to see the person who was destined to be his."
Every sentence is inseparable from destiny, as if Ji Chang is really destined to achieve great things.
But this is not a subordinate country, and the word destiny is as harsh as it is to Ji Chang.
It was as if the great Zhu who had massacred countless people was staring at him to see how he would react.
Ji Chang said something strangely:
"Destiny...haha, my son Ji Fa serves as the vanguard under Da Zhu's tent. He really complies with the destiny of Da Shang. I, Xiqi, am blessed."
Seeing this, Guangchengzi's eyes darkened slightly.
Why did Ji Fa go to be a pioneer for Yin Shang?
It turns out that this is the "chaos" that Master asked me to clear up.
"Master Marquis, go slowly, I will say goodbye."
After that, Guangchengzi left in a puff of his sleeves.
Ji Chang took a long breath and returned to the carriage with Ji Kao's help.
Trembling, he took out the turtle shell in his arms, which was a divination magic weapon originating from the Fire Cloud Cave.
Just now, the tortoise shell kept getting hot. Even if he had not yet understood the divination method, he could understand that this was warning him to be careful, otherwise his life and death would be in grave danger.
Ji Chang smiled bitterly:
"Slow down? How dare you go slow? The military orders are like mountains."
He opened the car tent and after seeing no one around him, he lowered his voice and said solemnly to Jikao:
"Among the people accompanying him, there is Da Zhu's spy."
Ji Chang is not only extremely smart, but his reactions are much faster than ordinary people.
As soon as the turtle shell alerted him, he deduced the reason.
Once he admits the destiny mentioned by Guangchengzi, the rejuvenated Da Zhu will know the news within half a day at the latest.
Even if he can escape back to Xiqi by then, Ji Fa's life will not be saved...
Ji Kao's face turned pale and he quickly recalled whether his words and deeds just now were out of line.
Over the years, many gods have told them that Xiqi has a destiny.
Over time, Ji Kao himself felt that this was true.
But since he saw Di Xin and Ziyao looking down at the ministers, he became confused again...
Facing those two people, how could Xiqi be successful?
The father and son returned home filled with sorrow.
…
In the sky above Chaoge, Guangchengzi didn't realize that not far behind him, there was a tall and heroic man following him.
Kong Xuan, who had just performed a miracle, stared at Guang Chengzi in confusion:
"What's this guy doing here at Chaoge?"
