This was all part of his plan. Once Ji Chang arrived in Chaoge and brought up Daji and Boyi Kao to King Zhou, King Zhou would be furious. Then King Zhou would arrest and kill Ji Chang and his elder brother Boyi Kao, and the position of Marquis of Xiqi would naturally fall to him. That's why Ji Fa was so happy and took the initiative to offer Ji Chang a plan.
But things didn't go as he planned. Ji Chang was indeed captured, but not killed. Instead, Bo Yikao was killed. Ji Fa was disappointed when he heard the news, but he was also very excited. With Bo Yikao dead, according to custom, the right to inherit the title of Marquis of Xibo would fall on his head. Although things were not perfect, they were more than half done.
Since Ji Chang was not dead, Ji Fa still wanted to save him. After learning that Ji Chang had been captured, King Wen's mother, Lady Tai Jiang, ordered Ji Fa to rescue Ji Chang no matter what. Ji Fa originally did not want to save him, but he had no choice but to comply with Lady Tai Jiang's request. Although Lady Tai Jiang did not participate in court affairs, her prestige was not much less than that of the Marquis of Xibo. Now that Ji Chang was not around, people in the court would more or less have to follow the wishes of this old lady.
Ji Fa racked his brains but couldn't think of a good way to save Ji Chang, so he came to San Yisheng for help. Upon seeing him, Ji Fa quickly knelt down and said, "Sir, save me."
San Yisheng was terrified by Ji Fa's appearance. With Bo Yikao dead, Ji Fa would be the future heir to the marquisate. The proper etiquette between ruler and subject could not be disregarded. He dared not accept Ji Fa kneeling before him. He quickly helped Ji Fa up and prevented him from kneeling, saying, "Your Highness is too kind to me. With the lord gone, Your Highness is the ruler. How can you bow to a subject?"
Ji Fa didn't actually intend to kneel; he was just putting on an act. He was pleased with San Yisheng's reaction, but outwardly said, "Sir, save me."
San Yisheng said, "It is my duty to share your burdens, young master. You are in trouble, so I should help you. Please tell me how I can help you."
Ji Fa said bitterly, "My father was ordered to attack Su Hu of Ji Province a few days ago, but the Su family and my family are related by marriage. My father really did not want to fight him, so he only took a thousand soldiers to persuade Uncle Su to stop his troops and return to Chaoge with him to apologize to King Zhou. Who knew that King Zhou was so foolish that he imprisoned my father and could not get out. He also executed my elder brother and made him into meat pies to feed my father. He was truly depraved. This is an irreconcilable hatred, but my father is still in Chaoge, and I dare not not save him."
He knelt down again and said, "Sir, you are very talented. Please teach me how to save my father." He then bowed again.
San Yisheng, not wanting him to bow, quickly stopped him, saying, "Young master, please don't be hasty. This matter needs to be discussed at length."
After thinking for a moment, San Yisheng said, “King Zhou now favors the two traitors Fei and You. The ruler is muddle-headed and has wrongly impeached them. How can he not incur their resentment? The best course of action now is to first send an official with a heavy bribe to secretly communicate with Fei and You, so that they can cooperate from the inside out. I will then write a letter, earnestly pleading with them. If the treacherous official accepts the bribe, he will surely explain things to King Zhou with kind words. The old king will naturally return to his country. At that time, he can cultivate virtue and practice benevolence. When King Zhou’s evil deeds have reached their limit, we can then unite the feudal lords of the world to attack the tyrant. Raising an army to comfort the people and punish the guilty, the world will naturally respond. We can then depose the incompetent ruler and establish a virtuous one, and the people will be pleased and convinced. Otherwise, we will only bring about defeat and destruction, leaving a bad name for posterity and becoming a laughing stock for the world.”
Ji Fa said, "Sir, your teachings are excellent, enlightening me greatly. They are truly invaluable. I wonder what gifts should be given first? And which officials should be appointed? Please tell me clearly." Yi Sheng replied, "I will use pearls, white jade, colorful satin lining, gold, and a jade belt, divided into two portions: one portion to be sent by Tai Dian to Fei Zhong; the other portion to be sent by Hong Yao to You Hun. Have the two generals secretly enter the five passes under cover of night, disguised as merchants, and secretly proceed to Chaoge. If Fei and You accept these gifts, Your Majesty will soon return to the country, and all will be well." The prince was overjoyed and immediately began preparing the gifts. Yi Sheng wrote a letter and dispatched the two generals to Chaoge. A poem says: [The poem continues...]
Pearls and jade, along with gold, were secretly used to bribe sycophants in Chaoge.
Slowly, the God of Wealth appears, and even ghosts can manipulate him; indeed, worldly greed moves people's hearts. (Ancient)
The Shang dynasty's state was reduced to a flickering candle, while the Western Zhou's lands flourished like a dense forest.
It wasn't for Yi Sheng's brilliant strategy; Heaven ordained that King Zhou of Yin would be captured on his own.
Meanwhile, Tai Dian and Hong Yao, disguised as merchants, secretly carried gifts and traveled under cover of night to Sishui Pass. The pass officials discovered their presence and allowed them to enter. They traveled without incident, passing Jiepai Pass, then eighty li to Chuanyun Pass, then Tong Pass, and one hundred and twenty li to Lintong Pass. They passed Mianchi County, crossed the Yellow River, reached Mengjin, and finally arrived at Chaoge. The two generals dared not stay at the official inn, but instead rested at a guesthouse, secretly preparing their gifts. Tai Dian sent a letter to Fei Zhong's residence; Hong Yao sent a letter to You Hun's residence.
Now, Fei Zhong left the court at dusk and returned to his residence with nothing to do. The gatekeeper announced to his master, "A messenger from Xiqi, San Yisheng, has delivered a letter." Fei Zhong laughed and said, "Too late! Let him in." Tai Dian arrived before him and had no choice but to bow and pay his respects. Fei Zhong asked, "Who are you, coming to see me in the dead of night?" Tai Dian rose and replied, "This humble general is Tai Dian, the Divine Martial General of Xiqi. I am here on behalf of the Grand Master San Yisheng, carrying a letter of gratitude. I am deeply grateful to the Grand Master for saving my lord's life, for his boundless kindness. I have always thought of how I can do nothing to repay this debt, and thus I have specially sent this humble general with a letter to deliver." Fei Zhong ordered Tai Dian to rise and opened the letter to read it. The letter read: Ancient...
"This humble servant of Xiqi, San Yisheng, bows a hundred times and writes to the Venerable Fei Gongsi, the Grand Master: I have long admired your great virtue, yet I have not yet had the chance to pay my respects. I am ashamed of my inadequacy, and my longing for such a position is immense. I hereby write: My lord, Ji Bo, has offended you with his words, and his crime is unforgivable. I am deeply grateful for your grace in saving me, and I have been spared. Although I am imprisoned in a remote place, it is truly a second life bestowed upon me by you. I am overjoyed and dare not hope for anything more. Because we are in a remote corner, we have not been able to express our gratitude, and day and night we can only look towards the capital and wish you a long and prosperous life. Now I have specially dispatched the Venerable Tai Dian with the most humble gifts, two pairs of white jade, and one hundred yi of gold, to express our sincere wishes to the people of the Western Regions. I hope you will not find any offense of disrespect. However, my lord is in his twilight years and has been imprisoned in a remote place for a long time, and my feelings are truly..." "How pitiful! Moreover, there is an elderly mother relying on her home, and a young son, a lonely minister, all of whom yearn day and night for him, hoping to see him again. This is also what all benevolent and virtuous people pity. I earnestly pray that Your Excellency will show great mercy and compassion, granting leniency beyond the law, and with a single word, grant him a pardon and allow him to return to his country. Then Your Excellency's virtue will be as vast as the sea and your benevolence as a mountain, and all the people of the Western Lands will be forever grateful for your kindness. I am filled with trepidation as I write this, awaiting your command! Respectfully submitted." Fei Zhong looked at the letter and the list of gifts, thinking to himself, "These gifts are worth ten thousand gold pieces; how can I act now?" After pondering for a long time, he instructed Tai Dian, "Go back and pay your respects to the Grand Master of the Palace. It is inconvenient for me to write a reply. I will make it convenient for you to return to your country as soon as possible, and I will certainly not fail the trust you have placed in me." Tai Dian bowed in thanks and took his leave, returning to his quarters. Before long, Hong Yao also returned from delivering gifts to You Hun. The two generals talked and said the same thing. The two generals were overjoyed and hurriedly packed up to return to Xiqi. (This is not described further.)
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