In the last years of the Shang Dynasty, a confusing story quietly circulated among the government and the opposition. It's a tale of loyalty, intrigue, and a strange fate, and its protagonist is a loyal minister named Bigan. Bigan, who had been loyal to the king of Shang all his life, was deprived of his heart in a fit of rage, which was supposed to be the end of his life. However, fate does not seem to end there. Under the protection of the mysterious rune paper given by Jiang Ziya, Bigan miraculously survived, but he lost his mind and began to wander the streets, becoming an unsolvable mystery.
A sunny day. Bigan, wandering aimlessly through the streets, as if looking for something. Suddenly, he stopped in front of an old woman selling water spinach. This seemingly mundane encounter turned into a fatal turn in the following moments. Bigan asks the old woman a question that seems to be related to fate, and the old woman's answer seems to trigger a deadly curse, causing Bigan to fall to the ground in an instant.
1. The dispute over the main hall: the confrontation between Bigan and the king of Xu
During the golden age of the Shang Dynasty, the atmosphere in the main hall was extremely tense. Bigan, a loyal minister who worries about the country and the people, stepped into this palace of supreme power with a heavy heart. His gaze was firm, but his steps revealed a hint of heaviness. The magnificence of the main hall seems to be particularly oppressive today.
In the hall, on the throne of the King of Zhou, the golden light shone, but the expression of the King of the Xuan was dim, and his eyes were not as sharp as before, only chaos and confusion. Bigan stood there, looking at the monarch who had once been admired by the people, but now he was a tyrant blinded by power and lust.
The guards in the temple stood silently, their eyes filled with awe and fear. There was an indescribable sense of oppression in the air. Bigan took a deep breath, he knew that the move he was about to make could have disastrous consequences, but his conviction was strong, and he had to speak the truth in his heart.
Just as Bigan was about to speak, light footsteps came from outside the hall. Su Daji's figure appeared at the entrance of the temple, her beauty was like a blooming flower, but her eyes flashed with cunning and calculation. Her arrival immediately attracted the attention of the King of the Ring, and the expression of the King of the Ring changed from indifference to gentleness, but there was a dangerous aura in this gentleness.
When Bigan saw this scene, his heart was even heavier. He was aware of Su Daji's influence, and knew that she had tremendous control over the words and actions of the Emperor. But Bigan can't back down, he must make his voice heard for the sake of the country and the people.
"Your Majesty!" Bigan's voice rang out, sonorous and powerful, breaking the silence in the hall. His eyes were firm, looking directly at the king, which was a kind of persistence in truth and insistence on justice. "Your Majesty, what you have done has been far from the morality and benevolence that a monarch should have!"
The air in the hall seemed to freeze all at once. The guards exchanged horrified glances, and Su Daji's expression became grim. The Emperor's face began to turn ugly, his brow furrowed, and a hint of anger flashed in his eyes.
Second, the righteousness of Bigan: loyalty to the ear
Inside the main hall, the air suddenly became even more dull, and Bigan's blunt words confronted the wrath of the King of Xu. The king's brow tightened, and his eyes flashed with anger and distrust. His voice was as piercing as the winter wind: "Do you know what you're talking about, Bigan, you're questioning your king!"
Bigan stood there, facing the roar of the King of the Ring, his body casting a determined shadow in the light of the temple. His voice remained firm: "Your Majesty, loyal ministers speak bluntly, I must speak the truth in my heart. What I say is all for the sake of the future of big business. ”
As if the king's anger was ignited, he stood up with heavy steps, as if every step was on Bigan's heart. He glared at Bigan with disbelief in his voice: "How dare you speak to me like that? Do you know what the consequences of your words will be?"
Bigan took a deep breath, he knew the risk he was facing, but he couldn't back down. He said firmly: "Your Majesty, Xia Wei's experience of the past is vivid. He lost the world because of his brutality and immorality. Your Majesty, if you continue like this, I am afraid that the future of Dashang will also be in jeopardy. ”
The king's eyes widened with rage, and his anger seemed to burst out of his eyes. Bigan's words were like a sharp sword that pierced his heart. At this moment, the entire hall seemed to be waiting for the response of the King of Xu. There was a sense of oppression in the air, as if it was hard to breathe.
Suddenly, Su Daji walked lightly to the side of the King of the Ring, with a hint of cunning in her eyes. She whispered softly in the King's ear, and his expression changed from anger to contemplation. Su Daji's presence seems to have given the King of Su another option.
Seeing this, Bigan knew that Su Daji's words had an unusual influence on the King of Su. He spoke again: "Your Majesty, the world is not the world of one person, but the world of the people. If His Majesty can return to benevolent government, he will be able to regain the hearts of the people and rebuild the glory of Dashang. ”
The Emperor's eyes wandered between Bigan and Su Daji, and his heart seemed to sway between contradictions and struggles. The atmosphere in the hall became even more tense, and everyone held their breath and waited for the decision of the Emperor.
3. The wrath of the king: Bigan's heart was plucked
The King's fury erupted like a burning volcano, his face contorted, and his eyes shot flames that could burn almost everything. Under the domination of this anger, the king issued an earth-shattering order - to take out Bigan's "Seven Exquisite Hearts".
In the court, this order was like a thunderbolt from the sky, shocking everyone. The guards looked at each other in disbelief for their ears, but the king's orders could not be disobeyed. The atmosphere in the palace was suddenly extremely cold, and everyone's hearts were filled with fear.
Bigan was held tightly by the guards, and although his body was restrained, his eyes were still steadfast. The guards trembled their hands and began to carry out the cruel order. Bigan's chest was sliced open, and blood gushed out like a spring. During the whole process, Bigan didn't make a sound, his eyes were fixed on the king, and those eyes were full of unyielding and pity.
At this thrilling moment, the "Seven Exquisite Hearts" in Bigan's body were taken out. The king's order was carried out, but Bigan did not die as the king had hoped. All this is because of the mysterious rune paper given by Jiang Ziya. The paper shimmered silently in the placket of Bigan's clothes, and it protected Bigan's life, allowing him to miraculously survive this desperate situation.
But Bigan's fortunes did not change for the better. Having lost his heart, he roamed the streets like a walking corpse. His eyes were hollow, and his hands were constantly throwing silver taels, which shimmered coldly in the sun. The people on the streets were shocked by this scene, they couldn't believe what was in front of them.
Fourth, the turning point of fate: the last moments of Bigan
Walking on that bustling street, Bigan's steps seemed a little staggering. His gaze was hollow, as if he had lost the brilliance of life. Pedestrians on the street cast curious and even horrified glances at him, but Bigan didn't seem to realize it. His heart only echoed Jiang Ziya's warning back then: "If one day you donate your heart and meet a woman selling cabbage, you must ask, 'What will happen if people have no heart'." ”
On that day, the sun was shining, the crowd was bustling, and Bigan wandered aimlessly through the streets. Suddenly, his eyes fell on a woman selling water spinach. The woman was dressed in modest clothes and had a kind smile on her face, and a basket of fresh water spinach was laid out in front of her stall. Seeing this, Bigan's heart moved, and he walked towards the woman.
Bigan stood in front of the stall, and the woman looked up at him, smiled and asked, "My lord, do you want to buy some water spinach?" Bigan's voice was a little hoarse, but his words were clear: "What happens if people don't have a heart?" The question seemed to be a difficult mystery to solve, hanging above the bustling market.
The woman's smile froze slightly, and she looked into Bigan's eyes and replied slowly, "If a person has no heart, he will die." This sentence seemed to carry a mysterious power, echoing in the air.
Hearing this answer, Bigan's body shook suddenly, and his face turned pale, as if all his life force had been withdrawn at this moment. His eyes became more hollow, and his body began to sway. The crowd around them felt unusual and gathered around, but they couldn't comprehend what was happening in front of them.
At this moment, Bigan's body fell to the ground with a bang, and his life was like a severed thread, broken in an instant. There was a burst of exclamations from the surrounding crowd, but soon all this was calm again. Bigan, the former minister, ended his life journey in the eyes of the people.
5. The Revelation of the Conspiracy: Su Daji's Last Resort
In the corner of the market, the woman who had been selling water spinach disappeared into the crowd without a trace. Her figure swayed in the shadows of the alley until she entered a hidden courtyard. At that moment, the shocking truth was revealed: this seemingly ordinary woman was actually Su Daji, the incarnation of the nine-tailed fox.
Suda had regained her original form in the dark room, her eyes flashing with cunning and coldness. She learned about Jiang Ziya's plan and Bigan's fate. This scheming woman, using her extraordinary transformation technique, turned into a vegetable seller, waiting for Bigan's arrival.
When Bigan asked the decisive question, Sudaji gave the fatal answer: "If a person has no heart, he will die." This sentence was not only the end of Bigan's life, but also the destruction of his last hope. Su Daji's behavior is not only aimed at Bigan's personal despair, but also symbolizes the end of an era and the decline of morality.
Suda stood in the room, without any compassion or sympathy in her eyes. Her mind was unfathomable, and she knew that this move would change the course of history forever. Bigan's tragedy was not only his personal tragedy, but also the tragedy of the entire Shang Dynasty. His death became a symbol of moral decay and the decline of the dynasty in that era.
Resources:
1. Historical Records, Volume 4, Yin Benji
2. 《山海经》
3. Collection of Ancient Chinese Myths and Stories
4. "Brief History of the Shang Dynasty"