Chapter 4

In order to meet with Fu Shuo, Wu Ding gradually began to express his preference for architecture. He personally created designs to construct a magnificent palace on the northwest side of Dachen, along the southern bank of the Huan River. The ministers, officials, and shamans had no need and were unwilling to oppose such demands from the monarch— a ruler engrossed in hunting and architecture is far safer than one preoccupied with politics and military affairs

The official of the royal family, known as Ban, occasionally managed to attain the position of Ban Zheng, and thus naturally adopted the surname Ban. Ban himself had a very peculiar appearance, with a flat nose and a wide mouth, and particularly notable were the hunches on his back, resembling a hunchback—hence, people of the time remarked that he looked like a fish, with high fins protruding from his back.

On the left is the toad dragon, and on the right is the giant turtle. The small person is caught in the middle, too afraid to escape, and can only retract his head. Fortunately, these two beasts seem to pay no attention to the small person, merely glaring at each other in anger, yet each wary of the other, neither daring to strike first. The small person lies hidden among the reeds, half-submerged in the water; if these two beasts do not leave, I will eventually freeze to death...

The beast raised its brow in confusion, not understanding the meaning of Fu's words, and wiped the cold sweat from its forehead, letting out a long sigh: "That was close. If those two brutes had discovered you, your life would be in danger." Fu was about to have him foolishly echo his words, but instead, he laughed and replied: "In fact, they discovered me a long time ago; they just don't take me seriously."

The petty person enjoys fishing. Not far to the west, there is a small tributary of the Huan River, with shallow waters and slow currents, flanked by reeds on both sides. Yesterday, upon hearing that our king would be visiting today, the petty person, after finishing work, went into the water to catch some fresh delicacies to present to our king. I spotted a large carp, and was filled with joy as I lay in wait among the reeds to catch it, when suddenly the water surface rippled, and a massive figure appeared before me

The term "5 'yuan'" refers to the soft-shelled turtle (also known as the Chinese turtle).

Fu Shuo was an excellent orator, skilled in storytelling. What would ordinarily be a mundane event transformed into a tale full of twists and turns, filled with tension and excitement, especially since this story was anything but ordinary; he had crafted it over an entire night. Wu Ding was captivated, greedily devouring the meat in his bowl while fixated on Fu Shuo's mouth, which was constantly opening and closing. He then heard Fu Shuo continue to speak

Beast Yu was left dumbfounded, while Wu Ding lowered his head and continued to eat meat, not even glancing at Fu Shuo again. However, Fu Shuo was well aware that the ruler had not only heard every word but had also carefully pondered each one in his heart. He smiled and tossed out his final burden: "I was truly flustered and, in a moment of desperation, I reached down to the bottom of the water and boldly threw a clump of mud between those two beasts. With a 'splash,' both beasts thought the other had attacked, and immediately pounced on each other. The entire surface of the water surged violently, turning a bright red. In less than the time it takes to eat a meal, those two beasts actually fought to the death, exposing their white bellies!"

However, the ugliness of his appearance stands in stark contrast to the wealth of knowledge he possesses within. Fan Shuo was already renowned for his wisdom; he was kind, generous, and always used his exceptional intellect to help others resolve seemingly insurmountable issues. As a result, his reputation grew, eventually reaching the ears of Shouyu, who recommended him to King Wu Ding. Later, King Wu Ding honored Fan Shuo as his mentor, just as King Da Yi honored Yi Yin as his mentor. Thus, his fame continued to expand, ultimately reaching Shouyu, who again recommended him to King Wu Ding. Subsequently, King Wu Ding regarded Fan Shuo as his teacher, akin to how King Da Yi revered Yi Yin as his teacher. To distinguish him from the royal family's tutors and other positions, Fan Shuo was thereafter referred to as "Fu Shuo".

"1. 'Xia Hou', referring to the monarch of the Xia dynasty, where the character 'Hou' originally held the same meaning as 'Wang' (king)."

The Beast Master Fu Shuo met with King Wu Ding and said to him: "I have heard that you are well-read and knowledgeable, full of interesting stories, and the King has specially come to listen and relieve his boredom." Fu Shuo quickly replied respectfully: "I have heard that those who lose their ability to speak often gradually lose their hearing as well, but their vision greatly improves, allowing them to see even the smallest details. My King, with your noble eyes open, can see from the East to the sea, from the South to the Yangtze River, from the West to Mount Qi, and from the North to Mount Yin. What is there that you cannot see? Why would you need a mere commoner to recount his shallow experiences?"

The "2nd edition" refers to the framework for rammed earth bricks, with the term "edition" denoting the minor officials responsible for overseeing construction matters

At that moment, I was truly terrified, as it turned out that the enormous figure was none other than an adult toad dragon 4. I, like a small creature, dared not move a muscle in the reeds, fearing that the toad dragon would open its gaping maw and take my life. Fortunately, the toad dragon's target did not seem to be me; its piercing gaze was fixed in another direction. Gathering my courage, I peeked out from the reeds and saw that directly opposite the toad dragon was a large soft-shelled turtle 5 floating nearby. Thankfully, the toad dragon's target did not seem to be me; its piercing gaze was fixed in another direction. Gathering my courage, I peeked out from the reeds and saw that directly opposite the toad dragon was a large soft-shelled turtle 5 floating nearby.

Then, Wu Ding used the excuse of personally supervising the construction site and, accompanied by Shou Yu and several other trusted aides, arrived at the site. During their first meeting, Fu said he had set up a large pot beside the construction site, cooking some food. From a distance, Wu Ding sniffed the air and found the aroma of the meat to be extraordinary

The term "4 'Tuo' sound" refers to the crocodile.

Upon hearing this, Shouyu let out a sigh of relief. Fu said with a smile, "It took no effort at all for me to drag two beasts ashore and prepare this pot of unusual flavors, which I present to my king today. Such an opportunity is rare in a hundred years; to cook both toads and turtles together is something my king cannot find elsewhere."

The Yu Yi clan can be said to be the first recorded clan conquered by merchants. Through this conquest, Shang Jia not only avenged his father, Zu Hai, but also captured over ten thousand slaves, beginning to challenge the authority of the Xia dynasty. These slaves of the Yu Yi clan, due to their early submission, gradually became classified as barbarians, and most had long since shed their status as slaves—if even the Yu Yi clan could not become a multitude, then the number of multitudes in the world would indeed be too few. These slaves of the Yu Yi clan, due to their early submission, gradually became classified as barbarians, and most had long since shed their status as slaves—if even the Yu Yi clan could not become a multitude, then the number of multitudes in the world would indeed be too few

Wu Ding picked up a small piece of meat with three fingers, took a bite, and found it exceptionally delicious, so much so that he almost exclaimed in praise. He looked at Fu, inquiring with his eyes, "What kind of meat is this?" Fu replied with a smile, "The story of how I came by this meat is quite interesting in itself..."

Wuding remained silent—he had not spoken for nearly three years—when Shouyu urged Fu to refrain from merely offering flattery and to quickly tell the ruler a story. Fu served a bowl of meat boiled in a large pot and handed it to Wuding, saying: "My king dines daily on fine food and may look down upon this rustic fare, but it is not the words of a petty person; such food may not necessarily be available even in the royal palace."

The term "氏" represents the social status of men; in ancient times, men were referred to by their "氏," while women were only referred to by their "姓," which signifies clan lineage.

Wu Ding nodded slightly, returned the meat bowl that had been licked clean to Fu, and then gave a thumbs up—perhaps this was a compliment on the delicious flavor of the meat

Wuding smiled knowingly, aware of the true intent behind Fu Shuo's dramatic fabrication. The shamans strive to limit royal power in order to safeguard their divine authority, yet the beneficiaries of royal power are not solely the monarch. Officials at various levels, such as the ministers and the nobility, also constitute a part of the royal power, harboring various contradictions with the shamans. Recently, the existence of Wuding, this powerless monarch, has brought the struggle for power to the surface.