Chapter 550: Return of the Bride, Great Misfortune!

As Zu An listened to Bo Yikao's account, his eyelids twitched, and a furious anger swelled within him. He finally understood how Sancai had truly died that year. The story of her dying in childbirth was nothing but a complete fabrication.

After Ji Chang brought Sancai back to Xiqi from the Wei River, he specifically built a palace for her. Sancai was initially very happy, thinking this showed Ji Chang's great regard for her.

However, over the next period, she gradually felt that something was amiss. Ji Chang's courtesy and treatment of her were impeccable in every respect, and in public, they appeared as an affectionate couple at various important events. But in private, he never visited her bedchamber. They had the name of husband and wife but none of the intimacy. Ji Chang seemed to treat her like a revered statue.

Sancai didn't mind this. She didn't truly like Ji Chang anyway, and living alone in the palace was rather carefree. From time to time, she would write letters to her elder brother and sister to express her homesickness. Of course, to prevent them from worrying, she didn't mention this situation.

After the initial happy period, Sancai gradually recalled the true purpose of her journey: first, to gather intelligence on Western Zhou, and second, to thoroughly improve relations between their two states. So, she proactively tried to get closer to Ji Chang, but he remained impenetrable, preventing her from uncovering anything or fostering a closer relationship.

One day, however, an unexpected event occurred: Sancai overheard Ji Chang discussing the plan to conquer Shang with his trusted strategist. It turned out that Western Zhou's grand plan to conquer Shang had begun generations ago, with Ji Chang's grandfather. At that time, Western Zhou already harbored the ambition to replace Shang. However, constrained by Shang's formidable strength, they could only proceed slowly and strategically.

Taking advantage of the decline of the Qiang people's power, the Guanzhong region entered a power vacuum. Under the guise of helping Shang clear out Qiang remnants and protect the borders, Western Zhou spent decades gradually absorbing the former territories of the Qiang. They then began to win over various feudal lords, establishing good relations.

Unfortunately, an accident occurred midway: Ji Li (Ji Chang's father) was killed by the Shang King, dealing a severe blow to Zhou's plan to conquer Shang. They also realized that the Shang people were becoming wary of their rise. Since the two sides were not yet on equal footing, they had not decided to make a complete break. Their plan was to first let the Huaiyi people in the east exhaust Shang's strength, while they themselves seized the opportunity to accumulate power. Therefore, when Shang proposed a marriage alliance, they immediately agreed.

Agreement notwithstanding, Western Zhou naturally could not allow the bloodline of a Shang princess to become their heir and jeopardize their century-long plan to conquer Shang, which had spanned generations. That was why Ji Chang kept his distance from Sancai, maintaining only a nominal marriage.

What chilled Sancai to the bone even more was that Ji Chang's trip to the Wei River for the welcoming ceremony was not for her sake at all, but an opportunity to observe the local terrain and prepare for future attacks. Building a pontoon bridge across the Wei River, though seemingly romantic, was actually the Zhou people taking the opportunity to practice river-crossing assault tactics.

Realizing all this, Sancai felt a chill spread through her body. She knew her country was truly in danger. Having heard her elder brother and sister discuss the threat of the Zhou people since childhood, she had been somewhat dismissive, thinking they were overly concerned. Little did she know the situation was far more serious than they had described!

She was desperate to inform Yin Du of everything she had discovered, but unfortunately, her actions were exposed, and Ji Chang and others found out. Consequently, Ji Chang completely placed her under house arrest, forbidding her from any communication with the outside world.

Sancai exhausted every method to contact Yin Du, but all failed. She knew her fate would be to remain imprisoned until her death. She refused to die a meaningless old age like this. So, one day, she made up her mind and committed suicide in the palace. She knew she couldn't inform her homeland, and this extreme method was her only option. Ji Chang could place her under house arrest, but he couldn't conceal the news of her death. Once the news of her death reached Yin Du, it would surely alert the Shang kingdom. Especially since her clever elder brother and sister would surely guess her intentions...

She just hadn't expected Ji Chang to use the 'death in childbirth' story to deceive everyone. Although Zu An and Pei Mianman didn't believe it, they quickly moved to the next world and couldn't avenge her at the time.

Having heard the story of that year, Zu An and Pei Mianman were already in tears.

“My foolish sister, how could we not know of the Zhou people's wicked ambitions? There was no need for you to remind us at the cost of your life!” Zu An and Pei Mianman’s hearts were torn as they thought of their beloved younger sister, with whom they had grown up, and how desperate she must have felt alone in a foreign land. She sacrificed her lifelong happiness for her country, and later, even her life. At such a young age, she bore far too much than she should have.

Zu An abruptly stood up. He was going to settle accounts with Ji Chang.

At this moment, a jailer asked, “Your Majesty, what shall we do with Bo Yikao?”

Zu An's expression turned cold: “Mince him into meat paste!”

Since this was his historical fate, let him return to history.

Bo Yikao was terrified upon hearing this and burst into curses: “Tyrannical and unenlightened ruler! You are untrustworthy! You will not die a good death...”

Rage value from Ji Bo Yikao +1024+1024+1024...

Zu An remained expressionless. At this moment, all he wanted was to kill.

After a while, Zu An arrived at Ji Chang's cell. Although Ji Chang had injuries, he wasn't being tortured at the moment. Instead, he was sitting cross-legged in a corner, arranging pebbles into what looked very much like an eight trigrams pattern.

Zu An's expression turned cold: “Who allowed him to rest?”

The jailer beside him cautiously reported, “Prince Bigan just visited. He said that a Western Marquis of such standing should not endure this kind of punishment and was about to come intercede with Your Majesty. It seems he missed you.”

“Bigan?” Zu An's eyelids twitched. In history, Bigan was synonymous with loyal ministers, having repeatedly offered direct counsel to King Zhou, only to be disemboweled and killed.

However, Zu An had no time for Bigan now. He approached Ji Chang, looking down at the eight trigrams pattern on the ground: “The Book of Changes?”

Ji Chang looked somewhat surprised: “I didn't expect Your Majesty to recognize this art. You know, this is something I deduced after years of synthesis.”

Zu An didn't answer him, instead asking, “I've heard the Book of Changes can tell fortunes. It seems you just cast a divination. What was the outcome?”

Ji Chang lowered his head, looking at the hexagrams on the ground, and smiled bitterly: “Gui Mei hexagram, greatly inauspicious.”

Zu An was taken aback. He hadn't expected Ji Chang to genuinely possess some skill. This was indeed greatly inauspicious, and it related to the Maiden Returning hexagram. At another time, he might have sought an opportunity to learn the Book of Changes from him, knowing that Ji Chang was its founder and that his version clearly contained mysterious power.

Unfortunately, he was in no mood for such things now. He casually waved his hand towards the outside, and soon a subordinate brought in a food box. He said coldly, “Western Marquis, I see you suffering hardships in this cell. I have specially had some meat pies made for you. Eat well to restore your health.”

Immediately after, a jailer brought a plate of steaming hot meat pies to Ji Chang, clearly freshly made. Ji Chang stared at the meat pies before him, his face instantly changing dramatically.

Zu An sneered, “What, is the Western Marquis afraid I've poisoned them?”

Ji Chang sighed, “Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven. When a ruler wishes a minister to die, the minister must die; there would be no need for poison. Your humble servant thanks Your Majesty for your grace.”

His hand trembled as he reached for a meat pie, bringing it to his mouth, his face showing hesitation multiple times. Zu An stared at him, surprised to find himself becoming the tyrant from historical records. He didn't know why the historical King Zhou of Shang committed such cruel acts, but he had a reason to do so: to give justice to his beloved younger sister.

Ji Chang sighed, finally made up his mind, and ate the meat pies bite by bite. He then couldn't hold it in anymore and rushed to the side to vomit profusely.

Zu An sneered, “What, are they not to the Western Marquis's taste? This meat was freshly slaughtered, very fresh.”

Ji Chang: “...”

He took a deep breath and said, “The pies bestowed by Your Majesty are delicious, but my own body is somewhat...”

Before he could finish, Zu An directly interrupted: “Since they are delicious, have a few more.”

Ji Chang: “...”

Rage value from Ji Chang +999!

Even with his deep composure, he couldn't help but feel enraged. However, he remembered his mission: if he could just survive this ordeal, he would certainly seek revenge against the Shang kingdom in the future, dismembering this tyrant and his wicked consort. What did temporary honor or disgrace matter now? So, he ate all the remaining meat pies before him, expressionless: “Thank you for Your Majesty's bounty.”

Zu An looked at him: “Do you know what kind of meat these pies are made from?”

Ji Chang's heart skipped a beat: “I don't know, and I don't want to know.”

Zu An said coldly, “Do you think by eating these pies as I commanded, I would mistakenly believe you have completely submitted to me? Then release you, so you could return to Xiqi, bide your time, and eventually destroy our Great Shang?”

Ji Chang was secretly thinking this was bad when he immediately heard Zu An's next words: “However you harmed Sancai back then, I will make you repay it twofold!”

“Guards! Subject the Western Marquis to the Minced Punishment!”