Chapter 33: Princes are united
Shen Hou brought the bodies of Ji Nie and Bao Si back to Haojing City. After he conquered Haojing City, the heavy snow began to drift towards Haojing City.
This feeling of defying God's will made his uneasiness rise to the point of irritability.
Then I learned that Luo Hou’s mansion was deserted, and I thought about it, Ji Fu’s body was not found either.
He immediately knew that Luo Hou had taken Ji Fu away.
This completely eliminated the smug look on his face, and a strong sense of uneasiness quietly crept into his heart.
There shouldn't be any big problems for a prince who has been enthroned less than a month ago, right?
Although the news of Jine's death was shocking, not many people cried for him. His prestige was too low, whether among the nobles or among ordinary people.
"Father!"
Only Crown Prince Ji Yi lay in front of the carriage carrying Ji Nie's body and cried bitterly, acting like a filial son. He even fainted from excessive grief.
Lord Shen was moved and said, "Your Highness is truly sincere and filial!
If such a person becomes the emperor, will God not favor the Zhou Dynasty? "
As Shen Hou returned to Haojing, the chaos in the city gradually subsided, and Shen Hou widely publicized the set of fabricated "facts" that he had thought of long ago in the city.
Used to appease the old Zhou people who have lived in the city for more than two hundred years.
Because he returned quickly enough, the most essential part of Haojing City had not been destroyed by the Rong people.
This made Shen Hou feel relieved. As long as these nobles and the richest people in the country could support Ji Yi, there would probably not be any major problems.
After Shen Hou showed Ji Nie's body, he lied that Ji Fu had passed away and said to the nobles:
“The King of Su once said that the world cannot lack an emperor, just as the sky cannot lack the sun.
I ask you all to join me in nominating the late king’s legitimate son, the Crown Prince, as the Emperor. This is the master sent by Heaven.”
I didn't expect something to go wrong here.
"How should we offer sacrifices to the gods when the Grand Master is not here?"
"Yes, who will put the crown on the emperor's head? Who will show the emperor's status as a great clan leader?"
"Without Luo, who will preside over the sacrifice to the Su Wang? Without the Su Wang's blessing, how can the Mandate of Heaven of Bang Zhou be maintained?"
The discussions instantly drowned out Shen Hou. He had never expected that these nobles would use these excuses to foist him off.
Who put the crown on King Wu when he ascended the throne?
Although successive emperors had received the crown from the Grand Master of the Imperial Clan since King Su returned the throne to King Kang, this did not mean that the throne was granted by the Grand Master of the Imperial Clan. It was clear that this group of people did not want to get on board with Marquis Luo because he was no longer around.
dream!
Since the gentle approach doesn't work, he will resort to force. He must tie these people to his chariot.
In the end, under the glaring swords, they had to grudgingly acknowledge Ji Yi as the emperor.
An enthronement ceremony without the presence of Da Zongzheng was a crude political joke.
As farces were unfolding one after another in Haojing, Luo Cheng walked to Lantian wearing imperial robes and finally met the army that was defending the king.
This army to support the king was led by Xi Zhouhou and Zheng Bo, which were also the two largest vassal states east of Haojing.
When the two saw Luo Hou appear here, they were shocked for a moment, and then they saw that he was bringing a child dressed in prince's clothes.
They had met Crown Prince Ji Yi, so the identity of this child was obvious.
The two of them felt a sinking feeling in their hearts instantly. It seemed that the city of Haojing had been lost and the situation had completely deteriorated.
The two men welcomed Luo Cheng and Ji Fu into a spacious room, which was temporarily used as a meeting place for the army that came to support the king.
"Lord Luo, this is the Crown Prince's dress, right? It is truly the royal family's noble one, shining and glorious, and priceless beyond words."
As soon as she sat down, Xi Zhouhou and Zheng Bo praised Crown Prince Ji Fu, and both of them were sincere in their praise.
Bao Si's beauty is simply not something that can be found in this world.
Although Ji Fu only inherited part of his mother's appearance, he can truly be described as a beautiful man.
Crown Prince Ji Fu knelt beside Luo Cheng somewhat shyly. He had a somewhat weak character, but there was also a hint of strength in his weakness, which made him very much like his mother.
"Lord Luo, why are you here wearing the Crown Prince's clothes? What's the situation in Haojing City now? Is the King in danger?"
Luo Cheng shed tears and said: "The coalition forces of Lord Shen and Xirong broke through the city of Haojing, and the king and I broke out separately.
The king entrusted the prince to me. I don't know how the king is doing now.
That thief Shen must have been chasing after the king."
But he immediately wiped away his tears and said in a serious tone: "If the king dies, Lord Shen will definitely support Ji Yi to ascend the throne.
Shen Hou killed the king, Ji Yi killed his father. Are such traitors who violated human ethics and patriarchal laws qualified to ascend the throne?
If all the princes within the Zhou territory fail to avenge their monarch, it will be recorded in the history books as regicide, which is something that God cannot tolerate.
Marquis Shen led the Rong people to attack the capital of the common leader of the Xia states. I have been fighting him to the death. Otherwise, I don't know how I will face King Su after I die!
Duke Zhou and Duke Zheng, we are all vassal states of the Ji clan. When we meet Duke Jin and Duke Zhang, we must swear an oath of blood and jointly support the crown prince."
In fact, everyone knew that there was a high probability that Emperor Ji Nie had collapsed.
So now Prince Fu is the future king. He is only in his teens, and he looks so much like King Zhao.
regent!
This word instantly popped up in the minds of both of them.
Xi Zhou Hou bowed and said, "Lord Luo, you are the Grand Master of the Zhou Dynasty, holding the Mandate of Heaven, and you are entrusted by the King. We are all relatives of the Ji clan, so how could we not obey you?"
Duke Zheng even tore off the sleeves of his robe and said emotionally, "Prince, Marquis Luo, it is so difficult for the Chinese people.
Since the time of the Three Kings and Five Emperors, the Chinese people struggled to survive until King Wu conquered Shang, King Su was born, and God blessed them, allowing them to enjoy their current wealth and prosperity.
Our ancestors gathered in Haojing and swore an oath before King Su to jointly safeguard the dignity of the emperor and serve as his shield from generation to generation.
I don't know about the others, but for the past two hundred years, Zheng State has never dared to forget it for a single day.
I just hope to contribute to the Chinese people.
If most of Zheng had not already moved east, I would have mobilized all the troops in the country to save the emperor from the hands of the barbarians."
Zheng Bo even choked up while speaking, and the other three were also moved and had tears in their eyes.
Luo Cheng looked at the Crown Prince Ji Fu and said earnestly, "Crown Prince, take a look at these two ministers.
They are all your uncles and are willing to die for you.
This is the loyalty of the princes of the Ji clan.
During the two hundred years of the Zhou Dynasty, any king who was supported by the princes of the Ji clan would succeed, and any king who was rejected by the princes would fail.
You need to learn these lessons.
When you ascend the throne, you must treat the princes of the Ji clan well. These relatives will be your support in the future."
The Luo family has always gone with the flow. No matter how the Shen Rong Rebellion is handled in the end, the emperor's authority has plummeted and the royal power has been completely drained away. This is a reality that must be faced.
Now the royal family doesn’t even have the ability to act as a judge. If they want to survive safely, they must rely on the power of these princes.
With Luo State acting as the coordinator, the emperor's position as the common ruler of the world was not a problem.
Crown Prince Ji Fu was so moved that he shed tears. He wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and bowed to Marquis Zhou and Duke Zheng. Luo Cheng simply ignored this unethical behavior.
Ji Fu's face was full of solemnity, and he said solemnly: "My mother once said that only when you are in danger can you see who is good to you.
I now realize that in times of crisis, only one's own relatives are trustworthy.
If I could ascend the throne, I would definitely reward my relatives with the surname Ji generously.
Marquis Zhou, I promise that if you take back the royal territory, I will reward you with a large piece of fertile land.
Duke Zheng, you are a distinguished vassal of the Ji clan, and the title of Earl cannot match your status.
I will reward you with the high position of Marquis, and wherever your country moves to, I will reward you with ten cities."
Duke Zhou and Duke Zheng were very satisfied with this promise and felt that the emperor would be a benevolent king.
Luo Cheng was about to speak when he suddenly coughed and a trace of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.
Several people were startled at first, and asked quickly: "Lord Luo, what happened? Is there anything wrong with your body?"
Luo Cheng waved his hand and said, "Earlier in Haojing City, when offering sacrifices to Lord Haotian and King Su, the ancestor brought down the power of heaven and made it snow in June in Haojing City.
I am just a mortal. Even if one ten-thousandth of the power of heaven were to fall upon me, my life would be shortened.
Don't worry, Prince. Nothing will happen in the next ten years. I will definitely see you ascend the throne and the world be at peace."
Marquis Xizhou and Duke Zheng were both startled. They had heard about this incident on the way. This was the true power of heaven. The Luo family was indeed unfathomable and they had to treat it with greater caution.
Looking at Luo Cheng in front of him, Crown Prince Ji Fu thought of his mother again, "Fu'er, you should make use of Luo Hou, he is a capable and loyal minister."
"Lord Luo... I... I really don't know what to do..." The prince choked up and said, "You will not let me down, and I will not let you down. If you break this oath, God will make it happen."
Everyone hopes to see an emperor who values feelings, and the smiles on the faces of Xi Zhouhou and Zheng Bo were even brighter.
After this, the unfamiliarity between the four people has completely disappeared, and the four senior leaders of the Qinwang Army have already had a common goal.
Talking about the city of Haojing, Xi Zhouhou, who was deeply influenced by King Su, said bitterly: "Shen Hou is really abominable! Even if he was dissatisfied with the emperor, how could he lead the Western Rong troops to attack?
This is a family affair between the various Xia people, yet outsiders have been involved.
His crimes are so serious that even being torn to pieces would not be enough to pay for even one ten-thousandth of them."
Duke Zheng sighed and said, "What should we do now? Should we go directly to Haojing to drive out the Rong people, or wait for the troops from other routes to come to support the king first?"
The city of Haojing is surrounded by vassal states as barriers. Now the vassal states in the north have rebelled and have even breached the city of Haojing.
The princes in the south and east are led by Zheng and Western Zhou, as well as Jin and Zhang in the northeast. These two groups of princes can reconcile.
Finally, there are the vassal states established by the Ying clan in the west.
As for the countries to the east of Luoyi, only Wei was relatively close; the other countries, such as Song, Luo and Qi, were too far away from Haojing.
They also had to guard against the barbarians in the southeast and those states that were very different from the Zhou Dynasty, such as the Xu State.
This Xu State and the Xu State located west of Haojing were of the same clan more than two hundred years ago, but now they are completely different.
Luo Cheng immediately rejected the idea of marching into the capital of Hao. "The first key to fighting a war is stability. Relying solely on the current army, I'm afraid we are no match for the Shen-Rong coalition. The princes in the west can't wait, but we still have to wait for the Marquis of Jin and his men."
It was not only to ensure victory in the war, but also to ensure Jine's death.
Moreover, this time the State of Shen attacked Haojing with the whole country's efforts, and he also gathered his allies in the entire northwest, such as the State of Zeng, all to follow him.
Adding the power of the Western Rong to that, this force is really not comparable to the army that is sent out to support the king even if it is not fully mobilized.
In particular, although Zheng State was strong, basically half of its troops had moved to Luoyi and head east, and now Duke Zheng only brought half of the force.
After making the decision to make peace with the State of Jin before the State of Jin, he sent scouts to the northeast of Haojing to contact the State of Jin's army to come to the rescue.
In addition, send out scouts to investigate the current situation in Haojing City.
Finally, the army came to support the king and met in Tongyi.
It was headed by the monarchs of the five major countries with the surname Ji, namely Luo Hou, Jin Hou, Xi Zhou Hou, Zhang Hou and Zheng Bo, and assisted by the other small countries such as Chen Bo and Xu Bo.
More than twenty princes gathered here to swear an oath of blood, with one hundred thousand soldiers and three thousand chariots. Such a powerful military might gave everyone confidence.
The Crown Prince Ji Fu had a noble status, so everyone surrounded him. Luo Cheng introduced everyone present to him one by one.
"This is Marquis Zhang, a relative of the Ji clan, who was conferred a title during the reign of King Zhao. This time he is here to serve the king, so the Crown Prince should remember him."
"This is the Marquis of Jin, also a relative of the Ji clan. He was granted the title during the reign of King Su, and has made countless contributions to the Zhou state over the past two hundred years. He is the strongest vassal state among the relatives of the Ji clan. The prince should rely on him more in the future."
Luo Cheng also introduced those princes of different surnames to Ji Fu one by one, and even told which generation of theirs had intermarried with the royal family, or with the Baoguo, the mother's clan of Prince Ji Fu.
This made everyone admire him. No wonder every generation of Luo Hou was good at coordinating relations among the vassal states.
These princes already knew about the promises made earlier between Crown Prince Ji Fu, Marquis of Luo, Marquis of Xizhou, and Duke of Zheng.
They were very satisfied with Prince Ji Fu's attitude, so they treated him very kindly.
After the introduction, Crown Prince Ji Fu became more fond of these gentle and kind-hearted princes. The princes were also very satisfied to show their faces in front of the future emperor.
The scouts who were previously sent to Haojing City to gather information also returned to the camp where the army was stationed, bringing the expected news.
Emperor Ji Nie died in the chaos of war, Queen Bao Si also passed away, and Marquis Shen had already made Ji Yi the king.
"Lord Luo is the Grand Master, but he was not present for the coronation ceremony? Which heaven are they offering sacrifices to? Which Su Wang are they worshipping?"
Marquis Zhang could not help but sneer, and the other princes began to laugh. The Luo family's standing on their side gave them a hint from the bottom of their hearts that this was their destiny.
"The king died in the chaos of the army?
This is just the words of Shen the traitor to cover up. He was the one who murdered the king, yet he still said such hypocritical words. "
At this point, there is no need to say anything else. We can just move camp and head to Haojing to fight a decisive battle with the Shen and Rong people.
The State of Shen had been away from the Central Plains for too long, which led to Lord Shen underestimating the prestige of the Luo family in the Central Plains.
He believed that Crown Prince Fu had only been enthroned for a month, while Crown Prince Yi had been enthroned for many years and had been exchanging letters with many princes of the Ji clan and other surnames. Even if the army to support the king came to Haojing, they should have recognized Crown Prince Yi.
Normally this is indeed the case.
But he would never have imagined that Luo Cheng could intimidate the princes from all sides and make them recognize the orthodox status of Prince Ji Fu with just one word "Luo".
Not to mention that the sudden heavy snowfall had already reached the camp of the coalition forces of the princes.
This miracle made the Luo family, which had always been shrouded in a mysterious aura, even more mysterious.
This made the Luo family's prestige even more outstanding. Moreover, Crown Prince Ji Fu was alone, and his attitude towards the princes also made them very satisfied. With the support of various factors, the princes who were loyal to the king chose Crown Prince Ji Fu.
With the princes working together in unison, the coalition forces bypassed Mount Li, passed through Lantian, and arrived at Haojing.
At this time, the princes of the Ying and Si surnames, led by Fei Hou, rushed westward along the Wei River and finally reached Quanqiu in the north of Zhongnan Mountain, facing Haojing City across the river.
The three armies were stationed in the Sanhe Plain, and the situation suddenly became tense.
…
King Yi was gentle and virtuous. He governed by five principles: respecting Heaven, honoring the ancestral temple, respecting relatives, listening to advice, and loving the people. That’s why he ruled the country, which was beyond the reach of previous kings. - "Records of the Grand Historian: Annals of Zhou"
This chapter contains a lot of information. In the affectionate performance, Luo Cheng mainly represents the Crown Prince Ji Fu and reaches an exchange of interests with the princes of the Ji clan.
In fact, what I wrote was quite clear, that I would grant land and delegate power to the princes of the Ji clan in exchange for their support for Ji Fu.
You can also take a look at the evaluation of Ji clothing in "The Book of Zhou" at the end, which contains a lot of information.
Respecting Heaven and honoring the ancestral temple means listening to Luo Cheng, valuing relatives means paying attention to maintaining the relationship with the princes of the Ji clan, listening to advice means having no opinion of his own, and loving the people means he has a soft character.
The posthumous title was also chosen by me based on his personality. "Yi" means gentle and virtuous, which is my final judgment on him.
In addition, the additional update that everyone is paying attention to is planned to be released on the 21st. After it is released, the author will definitely update it with all his strength. After all, every word counts.
(End of this chapter)
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