Chapter 2

Not only can it be traced back to Yang Jia, but it can even be pushed back to Yang Jia's brother's father, Zu Ding, and their clan uncle, Nan Geng, none of whom have direct descendants surviving. In the violent upheaval of the capital relocation fifty years ago, the blood of countless princes stained the surging Jishui River. The only one remaining with the closest blood relation, who can succeed the current king, is the legitimate great-grandson of Nan Geng's father, Wo Jia, this young prince who has been exiled to the countryside.

The shamans spent their entire lives struggling against royal authority, and they rarely complied willingly with Xiao Yi's commands. However, for the long-term stability of the nation and the continuation of the ancestral temple and state, they immediately accepted Xiao Yi's last words. Thus, their lineage was altered, changing from descendants of Wo Jia to descendants of Zu Xin. After all, history is written by the historians, and when royal authority has not yet completely surpassed divine authority, history, even if it develops and is recorded according to the monarch's wishes, must still be documented according to the shamans' intentions.

Thus, historical records state: the next generation of monarchs is the son of Xiao Yi, his legitimate son. In order for this prince to personally experience the hardships of the people, he was sent by Xiao Yi to the barren countryside at a very young age, where he endured considerable suffering. ... After Xiao Yi passed away, the prince, who had been honing his skills outside, finally returned. He naturally became the new generation of monarch for the Yi people, the noble ruler of the various tribes and Xia, and a formidable enemy to the Qiang and Di tribes

Indeed, allowing this young man, who has no foundation, no prior status, and not even a name, to inherit the throne is the best choice and a rare opportunity for the officials and shamans who hold power in the state. Especially for the shamans, in order to reclaim the divine authority that has been gradually tainted by royal power, they must support a ruler from the common people, one who has no ability to rival the established monarch. Since the relocation of the capital during the reign of Ban Geng, for a full fifty years, this is the only time that the high-level rulers have reached a consensus and decided to welcome this young man named "Lai" as the successor to the current king. Especially for the shamans, in order to reclaim the divine authority that has been gradually tainted by royal power, they must support a ruler from the common people, one who has no ability to rival the established monarch. Since the relocation of the capital during the reign of Ban Geng, for a full fifty years, this is the only time that the high-level rulers have reached a consensus and decided to welcome this young man named "Lai" as the successor to the current king

However, he was not merely a puppet for the shamans to manipulate, nor was he the passive sovereign envisioned by the ministers and officials. Throughout his life, through relentless effort and bloodshed, he ultimately trampled the divine authority beneath the royal power, forcing the historical clans to use the term "Wu," which carries a somewhat positive connotation, as his posthumous title. He even dismissed the shamans who acted as intermediaries for the divine, claiming that he was the true representative of God on earth, referred to as "Lower Emperor." From then on, the title of the sovereign of the Yi people was no longer "King" but transformed into the divine title of "Emperor." He even dismissed the shamans who acted as intermediaries for the divine, claiming that he was the true representative of God on earth, referred to as "Lower Emperor." From then on, the title of the sovereign of the Yi people was no longer "King" but transformed into the divine title of "Emperor."

After finishing this sentence, the old man's white beard trembled, and a terrifying "gurgling" sound emerged from his throat, and he immediately breathed his last. He did not receive a posthumous title; due to his minor lineage, he was simply given the prefix "Little," the same as the previous monarch, Little Xin. This was not because he achieved nothing during his reign—though his accomplishments were limited—but because he inherited the will of Ban Geng and deliberately suppressed the power of the shamans, repeatedly expelling the three major clans of diviners, historians, and priests, praying directly to the deity for divine omens. The assignment of posthumous titles was controlled by the historian clan, which is why they erased all of Ban Geng's achievements and used the event of the most killings and the greatest turmoil caused by the relocation of the capital as the basis for the title, naming him "Ban," which can also be written as "Pan." For the subsequent two monarchs, they were even less inclined to expend effort, simply labeling them with the dismissive prefix "Little" to seal their fates.

The character "1 'clothing'" refers to Yin, and the character Yin only appears in literature from the Zhou Dynasty, while it has never been found in oracle bone inscriptions from the Shang and pre-Zhou periods.

When they were still completely in the dark about the situation, they were surrounded by soldiers and hurriedly taken to the royal capital, entering the magnificent palace overnight. The king lay on a mat, his complexion so pale that he seemed to have already passed away. He extended his claw-like right hand, grasping the approaching hand, and with a terrifying smile, he said: "Is it him? Good, good, hehe—he is my son, he is indeed my son"

In fact, he did not leave this barren village, where he had lived for many years, of his own volition. That evening, as he was preparing to meet the Seer by the Qishui River, a group of soldiers suddenly surrounded his residence. He lived at the far west end of the village, with the nearest household half a mile away—this was solely because he was the only Zhu Yi in the village and could not truly integrate into the community of the Xia people.

This is the twenty-second monarch after the Shang Dynasty established its rule over the Central Plains. After He-Tu-Shu passed away, he was buried on the eastern side of the royal tomb, and a day was chosen for the sacrificial rites, hence he is historically referred to as Yin Gaozong, Emperor Wu Ding.

Therefore, this recently deceased monarch is henceforth recorded as "Little Yi." Although he is also buried in the western part of the royal tomb and enjoys sacrifices on the day of Yi, in comparison to the founder of this nation, the conqueror of the various Xia, the great "Great Yi" or written as "Tian Yi," he is truly in the clouds while the other is in the mud

What was once deemed an unattainable hope has inexplicably become a reality; his true identity and status have been restored overnight. In fact, if one were to understand the internal dynamics among the ruling elite, it would be easy to comprehend how such a dreamlike event was bound to occur. The current king has no heirs, and his elder brother, the former monarch Ban Geng, as well as Xiao Xin, also have no descendants. The eldest brother, Yang Jia, did have two sons, but they were mercilessly beheaded by Ban Geng during the bloody struggle for power. The current king has no heirs, and his elder brother, the former monarch Ban Geng, as well as Xiao Xin, also have no descendants. The eldest brother, Yang Jia, did have two sons, but they were mercilessly beheaded by Ban Geng during the bloody struggle for power.