In early summer, a crystal clear stream flows slowly forward.
In the pavilion next to the stream, a young man was playing chess with an old man.
"General!"
Just listen to the old man swinging a chess piece.
The young man came up with a trick to get out of trouble.
"Again!" The old man's attack became more vigorous.
The young man pondered for a while and then responded with another move.
"Sure!" The old man jumped the "horse" to a position, laughed and said, "There's no solution this time."
The young man looked at the chessboard, thought about it carefully, and finally gave in: "I've lost, I've lost. I didn't expect that Father Zhong's chess skills are so good. I'm willing to lose."
This young man was none other than Ying Zheng, who was traveling incognito, and the one who accompanied him in playing chess was Lu Buwei, who was all-powerful back then.
"When King Wu gave Lu Pheasant this chess set, we studied the chess moves in our free time. Not to mention, it is really mysterious." Lu Buwei said with a smile.
Ying Zheng nodded and said: "It seems that we can really study a lot of formation changes from this."
"That's right." Lu Buwei said, "The variations of this formation are endless. If the king finds it useful in the future, feel free to study it."
"This is the best." Ying Zheng said with a smile, "Even if you don't study it now, it will definitely be of great use in the future."
Lu Wu on the side removed the chessboard and replaced it with a pot of tea. He was about to get up and leave, but was stopped by Ying Zheng.
"What is the king's order?" Lu Wu said.
Ying Zheng said: "I just said that Han Ting has been captured by us, but there are two things that we need to make plans for. One is Han Fei's final entrustment, which is to transfer what he has learned throughout his life to the future. Leave it to the most destitute person in the Han family."
"Another thing is that the former Han Prime Minister Zhang Ping had a request, which was to give his eldest son Zhang Liang a chance."
"But I thought, since it is in the future, it is better to arrange for them to assist Lu Pheasant and jointly assist Liu Bang."
Lu Wu instantly understood what Ying Zheng meant and asked, "What does the king mean, that after many years, I will help them and guide them?"
Ying Zheng nodded: "Lu Wen's identity will be revealed in the future because of Lu Pheasant, so you are the best candidate, but don't appear by your real name. It's best to change your name."
Lu Wu cupped his hands and said, "It all depends on the king's arrangements."
Ying Zheng looked at Lu Buwei and said, "There is one more thing I would like to ask Father Zhong to decide."
Lu Buwei smiled and said, "Your Majesty, please speak."
Ying Zheng thought for a moment and said: "After me, there will be no more inheritance from the Heavenly Heirs, and the surname and surname will be merged into one. The eight major families left by the ancestors of the Yellow Emperor have officially completed their mission. "
"Merging surnames?" Lu Buwei suppressed a smile, "In other words, for example, our Lu family with the surname Jiang can only keep one of them in the future?"
Ying Zheng nodded slightly and said, "That's right. Our family with the surname Zhao is also the same."
Lu Buwei sighed softly: "So, this surname that has been passed down for thousands of years needs to change its rules."
"I know that this is indeed difficult for various clans, especially the eight major families, to accept at the moment." Ying Zheng said with a bitter face, "But after all, the surname was created by the ancestors of the Yellow Emperor. How to move forward depends on the ancestors of the Yellow Emperor. It’s your will.”
"Okay." Lu Buwei said decisively, "Since it is the replacement of the old and new order, it is inevitable that the old rules will be changed."
Seeing that Lu Buwei was relieved about the matter, Ying Zheng continued: "There is another matter related to the Lu family. According to the wishes of the master, the Great Zhou Dynasty was founded by the Jiang family and died by the Lu family. And Liu Bang, who will succeed me in the future, will The dynasty established, I also want him to prosper under the Jiang family and die under the Lu family."
Lu Buwei and Lu Wu looked at each other, as if they didn't quite understand what Ying Zheng meant.
Ying Zheng explained: "In the future, Lu Fei will marry Liu Bang and control the direction of the court. This is why the surname Jiang is popular."
"And Liu Bang's dynasty will eventually be in trouble. If the world is in chaos again a few hundred years later, I will arrange for the descendants of the Sima family to reunify."
"As for Liu Bang's dynasty, I hope that the Lu family will destroy it. Let it also die at the hands of the Lu family, thus paving the way for the Sima family."
Lu Buwei frowned after hearing this: "Your Majesty, who can say accurately what will happen hundreds of years from now?"
Ying Zheng said with a smile: "At the time, the Grand Duke probably couldn't have planned what happened now, but he still left the Grand Duke's ancestral order, and that's how you and I came to be. So, what can we not control in future generations? ?”
Lu Buwei laughed: "So, the Lu family's Taigong ancestral order will continue for hundreds of years."
"That's exactly what I mean." Ying Zheng said as he took out a cloth bag from his arms.
Opening the bag, there was a dark and shiny Taigong Ancestral Order inside!
"This is what my master wants." Ying Zheng explained, "The one belonging to Father Zhong was given to Lu Fei, and this one should be given to Lu Wu."
Lu Wu knelt on the ground and took the Grand Duke's ancestral order with both hands.
Ying Zheng warned: "The mission of this ancestral order is to help the Lu family reunify the Sima family after the fall of Liu Bang's dynasty and restore peace to the people of the world."
"Lu Wu takes the order." In response, Lu Wu solemnly bowed three times to Taigong Zuling.
Lu Buwei asked: "Do you have any specific plans?"
"Not yet," Ying Zheng said, "We will discuss specific plans after we are unified."
Lu Buwei cupped his hands and said, "Then the Lu family will take the order."
Ying Zheng nodded and then said: "By the way, there is one more thing. Master said that he wants me to take three drops of Father Zhong's blood and give it to him."
Lu Buwei said in surprise: "Why is this?"
"Fu Zhong is the direct bloodline of the Jiang surname." Ying Zheng explained, "The energy of the five elements of the Celestial Eye needs to be reshaped, but the blood of the Ji and Jiang surnames needs to be fused to completely integrate the Celestial Eye and Jiuding."
Jiuding has always been a hurdle in Lu Buwei's heart. Although he already knew the secret of Jiuding, his curiosity was stronger than before.
"If that's the case, why don't I follow the king back secretly." Lu Buwei said, "Three drops of blood may not be enough. If I go, King Wu can take as much as he wants."
Ying Zheng knew what he was thinking, so it was difficult to refute him, but he still warned: "It's okay to go back, but you must cover your face and don't let anyone know that you are still alive."
Lu Buwei was noncommittal: "This is natural, let's go."
Ying Zheng returned to the city first, and then sent Zhao Gao with a carriage to pick up Lu Buwei.
Lu Buwei put on a mask, a cloak, and a bamboo hat, got into the carriage, and returned to Xianyang City.
The original Lu Mansion has now become the Sima Mansion, and now that he is back, he still has to be secretive. Lu Buwei couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
However, it was only a sigh, but there was no trace of resentment.
Entering the secret room, Ji Fa was already waiting here.
Lu Buwei took off all his outer clothes and then bowed to Ji Fa: "Senior, I heard that you wanted three drops of my blood. I was afraid that it would not be enough, so I came in person."
Ji Fa smiled and said, "I thought you would come, so let's take a look at the Jiuding first."
When he entered, Lu Buwei had already taken a few peeks, and felt that these nine cauldrons seemed different from before.
In response, he followed Ji Fa to Yuzhou Ding.
After carefully circling the Yuzhou Cauldron, Lu Buwei said: "It seems that this cauldron is a little different from before."
Ying Zheng smiled and said: "Didn't I tell you that this Jiuding has been activated by Master, and we used the unicorn horn to activate the Third Eye to reshape the five elements of energy for it."
Ji Fa continued: "The next step is to completely integrate the Jiuding and Tianmu, which requires the blood of the two of us to guide."
"What should we do, senior?" Lu Buwei asked.
Ji Fa pointed to the tripod ear on the Yuzhou tripod: "There is a relatively smooth pit on the inside of the tripod ear. Just apply blood there."
"This is easy to handle." Lu Buwei rolled up his sleeves and prepared to step up the ladder.
"Wait." Ji Fa stopped him, turned to Ying Zheng and said, "Zheng'er, go and put the third eye into the belly of the tripod, and then lock it."
Ying Zheng responded, turned around, took out the Tianmu, put it into the belly of the Yuzhou tripod, then closed the belly of the tripod and locked the outside lock.
After they were settled properly, Ji Fa and Lu Buwei climbed up the ladder.
The two of them pricked the pads of their thumbs, and then pressed on the small pit on the inside of the tripod's ear.
Strangely enough, the small pit was like a baby's mouth, gently sucking the blood outside.
Lu Buwei felt a little itchy and his expression was quite strange.
However, this strange scene only lasted for a few breaths and then stopped.
Ji Fa took off his thumb and said, "It should be ready, Zheng'er, start to increase the heat."
Ying Zheng helped Ji Fa and Lu Buwei off the ladder respectively, then lit a furnace of charcoal fire and placed it under the belly of the tripod.
"Take some more original grain seeds and add half a tripod of spring water." Ji Fa ordered.
Ying Zheng responded, turned around and went to the secret room outside to get the original grain seeds, and ordered the second watch and third watch to pick up the stored spring water.
Buckets of spring water were poured into the cauldron, stirring up waves, which then broke and gradually formed layers of mist.
When enough water was added, Ying Zheng poured a bag of raw grain seeds into it, and while pouring it, he joked: "Master, we have to make porridge again."
Lu Buwei also said: "If you use such a big cauldron to cook porridge, I'm afraid no one will believe it."
Ji Fa laughed and said: "After enduring it for a long time, Jiuding has eaten it all, and we can't taste it."
Lu Buwei was a little confused when he heard this. Why would Jiuding still eat porridge?
Ying Zheng explained: "The same method was used to reactivate Jiuding before. Later, the spring water and grain seeds were burned dry, and nothing was left."
"If that's the case." Lu Buwei nodded, "I really made it eat it, but where did it eat it?"
Ji Fa stroked his white beard and said: "This is a transformation of energy. The five elements of energy are all transformed into the Third Eye. This process is actually the same as when we eat."
"I understand the truth, but it's a little hard to accept at the moment." Lu Buwei said with a wry smile.
"The wisdom of our ancestors is beyond our imagination." Ji Fa said, "And this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are too many more profound things for you to know."
Lu Buwei sighed and patted the tripod with his hand, but seemed to have thought of something.
"There's a fire burning down here, but why is the temperature of the cauldron still the same as usual?"
Ying Zheng smiled and said, "Why did Father Zhong forget? You asked the Jing family class to try various methods before. Didn't the temperature of this big cauldron remain unchanged?"
"Even if the energy of the five elements is transformed, is it still the same?" Lu Buwei asked.
Ying Zheng nodded.
Ji Fa said: "It will take three days and three nights for the Third Eye and the Great Cauldron to merge with each other. If you don't want to leave, please stay here and talk to me."
Lu Buwei had this in mind and agreed happily.
"Zheng'er." Ji Fa turned around and said, "You have to make a hard trip to get Huashan's Celestial Eye. Let's continue concentrating."
"Okay." Ying Zheng agreed.
