SWDnovel Chapter 4 King Wu's Conquest of Zhou
Chapter 4 King Wu's Conquest of Zhou
Six months after Zhang Chengsi's birth, King Zhou of Shang once again launched a military campaign against the Eastern Yi, transferring all of the country's main forces to the east.
Moreover, in the two years since Ji Fa reviewed the troops at Mengjin, Emperor Zhou had become increasingly licentious and tyrannical. Wei Zi Qi repeatedly advised him, but Emperor Zhou did not listen. Therefore, Wei Zi Qi, after discussing with the Grand Tutor and the Junior Tutor, left the Yin Shang Dynasty.
When Bigan saw that Wei Zi had left and Ji Zi had feigned madness, he sighed and said, "To not remonstrate with a ruler who has made a mistake is not loyalty; to practice benevolence and righteousness and to restrain oneself with morality, as a subject, one should remonstrate even at the cost of one's life."
So he kept advising Emperor Zhou.
Perhaps provoked by Bi Gan's advice, Di Xin angrily said to Bi Gan: "I have heard that a sage's heart has seven orifices, is that true!" So he killed Bi Gan and cut open his chest to examine his heart.
It would have been better if Bi Gan hadn't died; his death would have ruined the Shang Dynasty.
Bi Gan was a wise minister revered by the feudal lords, yet Emperor Zhou cruelly dissected his chest to examine his heart.
This gave the feudal lords who wanted to rebel but dared not to see an opportunity. In addition, Emperor Zhou launched a military campaign against the Eastern Yi. After receiving this news, Zhang Zhao immediately sought an audience with Ji Fa and said, "Your Majesty, the time has come to attack Shang."
Grand Tutor Jiang Shang shared the same view, and so after a small court meeting, in January of that year, Qi Zhou dispatched 300 chariots, 45,000 armored soldiers, and 3,000 elite warriors, allied with the states of Yong, Shu, Qiang, Mao, Wei, Lu, Peng, and Pu, and marched eastward in a grand procession!
As a Sima, Zhang Zhao was also required to follow the royal army in its campaign against the Shang dynasty. He was positioned in the rear of the central army and his responsibility was to coordinate all logistical arrangements for the entire army.
All essential tasks, including supply convoys, replenishment of weapons, replacement of warhorses, and care for the wounded, had to pass through his office. This was his first time truly participating in a large-scale military operation, and it would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous.
Fortunately, he had Ji Dan.
Although Ji Dan was young, he demonstrated remarkable talent in coordination and planning.
The grain and fodder were gathered from various parts of Guanzhong, concentrated in Fengyi, and then transported eastward in batches.
Ji Dan devised a "segmented transport" method—setting up multiple grain stations along the route, with each station storing enough grain for the army to last for three days, and using carts and horses to connect the stations, which reduced the losses during long-distance transport and ensured that the front line never ran out of food.
When Zhang Zhao saw this plan, he sighed inwardly: This future "Duke of Zhou" is indeed no ordinary person.
……
On the eve of the expedition, the Zhang family mansion in Fengyi was brightly lit with candles.
Si Hao held Zhang Chengsi in her arms and stood at the entrance of the main hall, watching Zhang Ke carry stacks of bamboo slips and silk books into Zhang Zhao's study.
Those were all documents from the Sima Office: accounts of military provisions, lists of carts and horses, inventory of weapons, and intelligence reports from scouts in cities along the way.
Zhang Zhao sat at his desk, finalizing the grain allocation plan.
His brow furrowed slightly as his charcoal pencil flew across the wooden board. He would pause occasionally to ponder for a moment before continuing to write.
"Husband," Si Hao called softly as she walked to his side, carrying the child.
Zhang Zhao raised his head, his gaze first falling on his son's sleeping face, then shifting to his wife's face, a hint of reluctance flashing in his eyes.
"Madam, I will be heading east with the army early tomorrow morning. I don't know when I will be able to return. I entrust everything at home to you." He put down his charcoal pencil and took Sihao's hand.
Sihao bit her lip, and after a long while said, "My husband, go in peace. Uncle will take care of things at home. Chengsi and I will wait for you to come back."
She didn't cry, didn't try to stop her, and didn't even say a word of reluctance.
Zhang Zhao knew that this wasn't because she wasn't worried, but because she knew that as a wife, she couldn't let her husband be distracted before he went to war.
He took his son from her arms, held him close, and carefully examined his rosy little face.
Zhang Chengsi was fast asleep, his little mouth slightly open, breathing evenly.
"My son, your father is going to fight a great battle." Zhang Zhao's voice was very soft, as if he were whispering to his son. "When you grow up, your father will tell you these stories."
The baby was sleeping soundly, but a faint smile was on his face.
Sihao stood to the side, looking at her husband and son, her eyes slightly red, but she never let the tears fall.
As night deepened, Zhang Zhao handed his son back to his wife, sat down at his desk again, and continued to check the documents.
Si Hao did not return to her bedroom, but sat down on the mat next to him, picked up her needle and thread, and began to sew a cloak for him to wear on his campaign. The coarse, ginger-yellow cloth was thick and durable, and the stitches were dense and tight.
The firelight flickered, casting the shadows of the two people on the wall, one large and one small, quietly nestled together.
……
During the march, Ji Fa consulted a shaman for divination, and the oracle he received was inauspicious. Later, they encountered a violent storm, which caused the morale of the army to waver. Fortunately, Zhang Zhao and Jiang Shang persuaded Ji Fa to continue the march.
After that, the wind and rain stopped, and the army advanced with unstoppable momentum, encountering little resistance.
On the day of Wuwu in the twelfth month, the entire army crossed the river and arrived at Mengjin Ferry. All the neighboring lords had already arrived. Ji Fa then made the "Oath of Mengjin" with the lords to announce it to the world.
The Oath of Mengjin is the same as the three chapters of the Tai Oath recorded in the Book of Documents.
Afterwards, the army continued from Mengjin and, before dawn on the 27th, quickly reached Muye, which was only about 70 li away from Chaoge, by means of a forced march.
Upon receiving the urgent report, King Zhou of Shang hurriedly returned from the east, assembled 170,000 men (claiming 700,000 to the outside world), and prepared to fight Ji Fa's army at Muye!
Ji Fa, holding a large yellow axe in his left hand and a military flag in his right, commanded the army, saying, "How far away are you, people of the western lands."
"Ah! My allied rulers, ministers, ministers of state, ministers of war, ministers of state, chiefs of the army, chiefs of the army, chiefs of the army, and people of Yong, Shu, Qiang, Mao, Wei, Lu, Peng, and Pu."
"Raise your spears, line up your shields, and raise your lances, and I swear this oath," Ji Fa said. "As the ancients said, 'The hen does not crow at dawn.'"
"If a hen crows at dawn, the family will decline." Now, Prince Shou of Shang only listens to the woman's words, abandoning the sacrifices to his ancestors and no longer caring about them, and dismissing his elders and brothers from the same clan, no longer employing them.
"Only the most heinous fugitives from the surrounding vassal states were praised, respected, trusted, and appointed as high officials and ministers. These people were cruel and inhumane to the people and committed crimes and rebellions in the cities of Yin Shang."
"Now I, Ji Fa, will carry out Heaven's punishment. In today's battle, if we advance no more than six or seven steps, we must stop and regroup."
"Keep fighting, soldiers! After no more than four, five, six, or seven battles, we must stop and regroup."
"Strive on, soldiers! You are mighty and mighty, like tigers and leopards, like bears and grizzly bears, advance into the outskirts of Shang."
"Do not attack those who surrender from the enemy, lest they be used as servants in the West. Strive on, soldiers! If you do not strive, you yourselves will be killed by the enemy."
After making the vow, Ji Fa personally led three hundred chariots and three thousand warriors to fight against Emperor Zhou at Muye.
The army of Emperor Zhou consisted mostly of slaves from the Eastern Yi tribes. These people defected one after another, causing chaos in the Shang army's formation, which led to their defeat by the Zhou army!
After the defeat at Muye, Emperor Zhou fled back to Chaoge, only to find his troops scattered and realizing that there was no way to reverse the situation.
Unwilling to suffer humiliation, he put on the precious jade robe, went to the Deer Terrace, and burned himself to death.
When Ji Fa arrived in Chaoge, the people of Chaoge were waiting for him on the outskirts. Ji Fa then sent his ministers to tell the people of Chaoge, "Heaven has bestowed blessings upon us!"
The merchant knelt and kowtowed again, and Ji Fa returned the bow. After entering the city, Ji Fa arrived at the place where Emperor Zhou had immolated himself. He found Emperor Zhou's body, and Ji Fa personally shot three arrows at it. Then he got off the chariot, stabbed Emperor Zhou a few times with his light sword, and used a bronze axe to cut off Emperor Zhou's head, which was then hung on the large white flag.
Ji Fa then went to the residence of Emperor Zhou's two favorite concubines, who had already hanged themselves. Ji Fa shot three arrows at them, stabbed them a few times with his sword, and then chopped off their heads with a black axe, hanging them on a small white flag.
After completing these tasks, Ji Fa left the Shang capital and returned to his army. The next day, he cleared the roads and repaired the place where the earth god was worshipped, as well as the Shang Zhou's palace. At the appointed time, one hundred warriors led the way, carrying the Yunhan banner.
Ji Fa's younger brother, Shu Zhenduo, drove the chariot for Ji Fa, while Ji Dan held the large battle-axe and Bi Gong held the small battle-axe, standing on either side of Ji Fa.
Zhang Zhao, San Yisheng, Tai Dian, and Hong Yao all carried swords to protect Ji Fa. After entering the shrine, Ji Fa stood on the south side of the shrine, to the left of his personal guards, with guards on both sides following him.
Mao Shuzheng held up clean water, Wei Kangshu laid out the straw mat, Zhao Gongshi helped to offer the sacrifices, and Shi Shangfu led the sacrificial animals.
Yin Yi read the sacrificial text on the bamboo slips, saying: "The last descendant of the Shang dynasty was named Zhou. He destroyed the virtuous conduct of the former kings, neglected to offer sacrifices to the gods, and harmed the people of Shang. His crimes are clearly known to the Heavenly Emperor."
Ji Fa then kowtowed and bowed again, saying, "I respectfully obey Heaven's mandate to abolish the Shang Dynasty and accept the wise will of Heaven." Ji Fa kowtowed and bowed again, and then left the ancestral temple.
Ji Fa enfeoffed the remnants of the Shang dynasty to Lu Fu, the son of King Zhou of Shang, to govern the state. Since the new Shang state had just been established and was not yet stable, Ji Fa appointed his younger brothers, Guan Shu Xian and Cai Shu Du, to assist Lu Fu in governing the Shang state.
Soon after, he ordered Duke Shao to release Ji Zi from imprisonment and Duke Bi to release the people from imprisonment, and erected a sign in Shang Rong's village to reward them.
He ordered Nangong Kuo to distribute the wealth of Lutai and the grain from Juqiao to relieve the poor and weak.
He ordered Nangong Kuo and Shi Yi to display the Nine Tripods and precious jade. He ordered Hong Yao to rebuild Bi Qian's tomb and ordered the Zongzhu to perform sacrifices in the army.
Thus, the Shang Dynasty, which had lasted for more than 600 years, came to a complete end with the self-immolation of Emperor Zhou, an event known in history as "King Wu's conquest of Yin".
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
"King Zhou became increasingly licentious. Wei Zi repeatedly advised him against it, but to no avail. He then conspired with the Grand Tutor and Junior Tutor, and subsequently left." — *Records of the Grand Historian: Annals of Yin*
"In the eleventh year, King Wu attacked Yin. On the day of Wuwu in the first month, the army crossed the Mengjin ferry and composed the three chapters of the Tai Shi (Great Oath)." — Shangshu (Book of Documents), Tai Shi
"King Wu led three hundred chariots and three hundred elite warriors to fight against Shou at Muye, where he made the Muye Oath. The Muye Oath: At dawn on the day of Jiazi, the king arrived at Muye, the outskirts of Shang, and then made the oath. The king held a yellow battle-axe in his left hand and a white banner in his right, saying: 'Far away, people of the western lands…'" — *Shangshu* (Book of Documents), "The Muye Oath"
"King Wu's younger brother, Shu Zhenduo, escorted the chariot, with Duke Dan of Zhou holding the large battle-axe and Duke Bi holding the small battle-axe, flanking King Wu. Wen Zhao, San Yisheng, Tai Dian, and Hong Yao all held swords to protect King Wu. After entering, they stood south of the altar of the god of soil, with the main guard to the left and Duke Bi to the right." — *Records of the Grand Historian, Basic Annals of Zhou*