Chapter 283: Ji Chang Claims to be a King (1/2)

Chapter 283: Ji Chang Claims to be a King

Translator: TransnEditor: Transn

All the officials were in a hot debate after they heard Ji Chang's words. Bo Yikao stood up first and advised, ”Father, King Zhou must harbor malicious intentions by calling you suddenly. The last time he summoned you, you were trapped in You Li for seven years. By the God's blessing, you could come back safely. I'm afraid that you'll lose your life if you go to Zhaoge again.”

After Bo Yikao finished speaking, Ji Fa said, ”Father, King Zhou is foolish and tyrannical, and has no principle of righteousness. The Shang Dynasty is swaying, and plenty of vassals are rebelling against it. However, under your command, Xiqi is getting stronger day by day. The reason why King Zhou is summoning you now is that he fears the power of Xiqi. He aims to take you as a hostage, and if he succeeds, we won't be able to act against him to prevent him from harming you. You cannot head toward Zhaoge.”

Ji Chang could undoubtedly understand the crucial point in the words of Bo Yikao and Ji Fa. However, King Zhou was a king, if you did not follow the order of a king, it meant that you were a rebel. Ji Chang has been an official of the Shang Dynasty ever since the father of King Zhou, Emperor Yi, was alive. He was a little resistant to rebel against the Shang Dynasty. Hence, though he understood the critical point of this matter, he felt it was hard to make a decision. Therefore, he summoned his officials to discuss and saw if there were any perfect solutions.

Shen Gongbao was good at observing others' thoughts from their expression. He saw the hesitation in Ji Chang's eyes. After thinking for a while, he figured out the critical point. He stood up and said, ”Marquis, as the second master has said just now, King Zhou is brutal and heartless. If you go to Zhaoge now, you may lose your life. But since you have seen through both life and death, you are probably thinking that it is worth heading toward Zhaoge in exchange for the peace of Xiqi.”

After hearing Shen Gongbao's words, Ji Chang's facial expression changed. Shen Gongbao was right. But Shen Gongbao continued to say, ”However, you haven't thought about the reason why King Zhou fears Xiqi. The reason may not lie in you, but the wealth and power of Xiqi. Even if you're willing to sacrifice yourself, King Zhou won't let Xiqi go. He'll take you as a hostage and order his army to attack Xiqi. The people of Xiqi will suffer a lot. I beg you to consider carefully, for the ordinary people in Xiqi.”

Shen Gongbao was extremely smart. Ji Chang was nearly 100 years old, and he did not value life and death that much. He was willing to sacrifice himself for Xiqi. There would be little difference in his thoughts if he were persuaded to cherish his life. However, if he were convinced by using the security of the people in Xiqi, he would listen to the advice because of his kindheartedness. Shen Gongbao persuaded him because he had seen through this point, and apparently, his words hit Ji Chang's soft spot.

Ji Chang's expression distinctly changed after he heard those words. If what Shen Gongbao had said was true, Xiqi was destined to ruin. Bo Yikao and Ji Chang were obedient, how could they rebel against King Zhou and set his security aside. Ji Chang stared at Shen Gongbao and said hurriedly, ”Chancellor, this is His Majesty's order. If I don't go, the army of King Zhou will suppress us. Then, the whole world will be in chaos and Xiqi will suffer.”

Shen Gongbao sighed secretly. After all, Ji Chang was a mortal, although he specialized in the Eight Trigrams of Zhou Yi, his horizon was somewhat narrow. The Cultivation Tribulation had started, it was a power struggle of dynasties on the surface, but internally it was the competition of four religions. Even if the power of the Shang Dynasty was stronger than Xiqi now, with the support of the Clan of Enlightenment and the Western Religious Sect, Xiqi was not weak. If the two sides fought against each other, Xiqi might not even suffer any losses.

In fact, Shen Gongbao could tell that Ji Chang did not fear King Zhou. He merely didn't want to rebel against King Zhou. Even if he didn't want to be rebellious, things were destined to happen. King Zhou would be an excellent stimulant to make him a rebel. Shen Gongbao suggested, ”All you have to do is to reply to King Zhou that you're badly ill and cannot withstand the trudge and that you'll go greet him in Zhaoge after you have recovered.”

Ji Chang thought it was a good idea. So he replied to King Zhou with Shen Gongbao's words. But things did not go as entirely as he thought. Several months later, Ji Chang received King Zhou's expeditionary proclamation, in which King Zhou announced that he was a rebel and sent armies to suppress Xiqi. Suddenly Ji Chang felt terrible.