Chapter 402 Surprise
"King Wu summoned Shen Gongbao. What important matter do you wish to instruct him on?" Shen Gongbao was too lazy to waste words with Ji Fa. His junior brother needed him to give him a nudge to solidify his resolve to rebel, and ideally, Jiang Ziya should be sent to Yin Shang tomorrow.
"This matter is of utmost importance. Please come closer, Grand Tutor." Ji Fa was hesitant to do anything wicked, especially something extremely evil.
Shen Gongbao raised an eyebrow and leaned closer, wanting to see what Ji Fa was up to.
"Grand Tutor, do you have a way to secretly kill Emperor Xin?" Ji Fa placed high hopes on Shen Gongbao.
"What?! Assassinate the King?" Shen Gongbao was shocked. He couldn't believe that Ji Fa wanted to undermine the King's power. Indeed, the Shang Dynasty was now entirely dependent on the King. If the King were to die, the Shang Dynasty would surely descend into chaos. Moreover, with the Nine Yi tribes rebelling, Ji Fa would have an even greater opportunity.
"Hiss..." Someone in the shadows hid even deeper in the concealed area.
Shen Gongbao's eyes flickered slightly, glancing casually at a certain spot, then he pretended not to notice. An assassin? Here to kill Ji Fa? That's interesting.
"Grand Tutor, keep your voice down. If word gets out and Emperor Xin becomes prepared, this plan will fail." Ji Fa was sweating profusely; to be honest, he was still a little guilty.
"Grand Tutor probably thinks that such tricks are beneath him. I am forced to do this. Tongguan has been attacked for a long time without success. The morale of the Yin Shang is soaring. It would be better to kill Di Xin to eliminate his hopes. Once there is no hope, the morale will be exhausted, and Xiqi will have hope." This idea had been swirling in Ji Fa's mind for a long time, but he could not find a suitable candidate.
Shen Gongbao twitched his lips. "King Wu, you've come to the wrong person for this matter. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't do it." Shen Gongbao sighed deeply.
"Why is that?" Ji Fa asked hastily. He had finally made up his mind, and once the thought was on his mind, it was hard to shake it off.
"We cultivators, who dares to kill a human emperor? No one can bear the karmic consequences." Shen Gongbao looked at Ji Fa as if he were a fool.
"Is that so?" Ji Fa hesitated and doubted. All the previous emperors died when they were supposed to. Who had ever heard of someone living forever? Was the emperor really that peculiar?
"We can't touch cultivators, but King Wu can touch mortals." Shen Gongbao was full of bad ideas. Their king was wise and powerful, and had secretly achieved success in cultivation. If he wanted to die, let him go. They couldn't even get close to him, and it would only add another crime to Ji Fa's list. Why not?
Ji Fa's eyes lit up, like clouds dispersing to reveal the blue sky. "Grand Tutor, you really have a way. I wonder if you, Grand Tutor, who has been in Yin Shang for so many years, have any capable people at your disposal?"
“This…” Shen Gongbao pondered for a moment, “I wonder if King Wu has any hidden forces in Chaoge? I do have one or two people in Chaoge, but unfortunately, they are few and far between and have no strength to even kill a chicken. I have the will but cannot do anything.”
"Is there anyone who can help us? Could it be the Shang Dynasty royal palace?" Ji Fa was overjoyed.
Shen Gongbao nodded. If you know what's good for you, quickly hand over the spies hiding in Chaoge so he can give them to the king and earn another merit.
Ji Fa immediately sat down and wrote down several names and contact information, unaware that for every name he wrote, Shen Gongbao would send a message.
Shen Gongbao didn't know what the king would do, but he knew that Xiqi's secret agents in Chaoge were finished. If they captured one person, His Majesty's secret guards could follow the clues and uncover a whole group of them. Besides, Ji Fa had now filled a whole scroll of bamboo slips with writings.
"This is a spy that Xiqi planted in Chaoge. I hope Grand Tutor will make good use of him. I await your good news." Ji Fa placed high hopes on Shen Gongbao, his eyes full of eager anticipation.
Shen Gongbao took the bamboo slip and reassured Ji Fa: "King Wu, please wait for my good news. In addition, I will help you persuade your senior brothers and sisters to go down the mountain to help Xiqi. King Wu, please rest assured."
"Then I'll leave it to the Grand Tutor." King Wu turned around from in front of the table and made a gesture of bowing.
"Of course, of course." Shen Gongbao raised his hand and touched Ji Fa, preventing Ji Fa from actually bowing to him. Ji Fa was not a magnanimous person, and he didn't want Ji Fa to hold a grudge later. If Ji Fa doubted the trust that he had worked so hard to build, Shen Gongbao would have nowhere to cry.
Upon leaving Ji Fa's tent, Shen Gongbao immediately adopted a worried expression and went directly to find Jiang Ziya. Alas, Ji Fa harbored thoughts of secretly assassinating the king. As his righteous senior brother, he was in a very difficult position and could only come to his junior brother, the prime minister, to discuss the matter.
He didn't care what the man in black hiding in Ji Fa's tent was up to. Even if that man killed Ji Fa with one blow, Shen Gongbao could just support another Ji. Xiqi had nothing else but many sons of the Marquis of Xibo.
"Junior brother..." Shen Gongbao barged into Jiang Ziya's tent without announcing his arrival, startling Yang Jian and Jiang Ziya.
"So Yang Jian is here too..." Shen Gongbao tapped his palm lightly with the bamboo slips rolled up. These two are a bit suspicious.
"Senior brother, what urgent matter do you have to discuss with your junior brother so late at night?" Jiang Ziya was initially guilty, but then realized it was nothing. He was just asking about the deeds of the Human Emperor and didn't say anything else.
"This matter is of great importance, and I don't know who else to talk to, so I had to come and have a heart-to-heart talk with you, junior brother." Shen Gongbao looked fragile, like a small white flower swaying in the cold wind, ready to disappear at any moment.
They're putting on an act.
Yang Jian felt nauseous for some reason and immediately stood up. "Prime Minister, I'll take my leave now."
"Alright, be careful on your journey. If you want to borrow any more books, feel free to come to my place." Jiang Ziya escorted Yang Jian to the tent entrance.
Yang Jian cupped his hands in greeting, turned and left without a word, still feeling that Shen Gongbao was a bit strange.
"Senior brother, what happened?" Jiang Ziya quickly asked Shen Gongbao.
"Junior brother, it breaks my heart..." Shen Gongbao clutched his chest. "I invited so many senior brothers and sisters from the Jie Sect, but only one senior brother, Dingguang Xian, is left behind. I have no words to say to Master." Shen Gongbao began his unique performance.
"Senior brother..." Jiang Ziya racked his brains but couldn't find any good words to comfort him, so he could only sit silently to the side and wait for Shen Gongbao to calm down on his own.
Shen Gongbao gritted his teeth and stopped his performance in anger, getting straight to the point, "Junior brother, I regret that I acted rashly and came all the way from Yin Shang to Xi Qi just to prove myself to the king."
Jiang Ziya felt guilty. He hadn't expected his senior brother to notice that King Wu was acting strangely so quickly. And he only realized tonight that none of the things Ji Fa had told him were true.
“Junior brother, Ji Fa said he wants to send someone to assassinate the King. Tell me, should I stop him or stand by and watch? The King is an exceptionally benevolent ruler, and I truly cannot bear to do it…”
Jiang Ziya was dumbfounded. His image of Ji Fa had completely collapsed. Instead of thinking about defeating the Human Emperor and overthrowing the rule of Yin Shang in a fair and square manner, Ji Fa resorted to these insidious schemes. This was not the behavior of the king he admired.
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