Pre-Qin Mythology: Starting with the River God

"Young Master of Fate"

Quan Ming cupped his hands slightly, preparing to bow in return.

The Lesser Master of Fate leaned against the carriage, then slightly raised her hand to support half of Quan Ming's body, saying in a soft tone, "Just now I was discussing with the Greater Master of Fate how to guard the border... This is something I have never done before, and we talked about it in great detail. However, I did not expect that the immortals and gods of Luo Kingdom Dao Heaven would find a loophole and delay the opportunity..."

Is Shao Siming explaining something?

Zhang Xian was startled and somewhat at a loss. He had lived for so long and had never heard Shao Siming say so much.

Suspicion arose one after another. Could it be that the upper reaches of the Zhang River were really that important, and that the emperor had already chosen this place as a battlefield for the alliance meeting?

If it weren't for this, there would be no need for Shao Siming to personally guard it!

Shao Siming has never liked participating in war...

While Zhang Xian was still lost in thought...

As the boat moved forward, Quan Ming's small boat was only one body length shorter than Shao Siming's carriage. From this, one could see a little girl playing with a jade chime to Shao Siming's right. The little girl looked very similar to Shao Siming, but she retained an unparalleled childlike innocence. She waved the jade chime in her hand and tapped it lightly with a wooden mallet, producing a clear and melodious sound.

The music was full of vitality.

Hearing the sound, Quan Ming's fatigue vanished. He smiled and nodded slightly in gratitude. The little girl shyly hid behind the railing of the carriage. Quan Ming's smile deepened upon seeing this, and he naturally struck up a conversation with Shao Siming, explaining what had just happened.

I heard that Quan Ming possesses sacrificial vessels bestowed upon him by the Shang Dynasty when it enfeoffed the Quan Kingdom.

Shao Siming's expression flickered slightly.

But that's all... After all, this item has been worshipped by the Quan Kingdom for hundreds of years, and now only the Quan clan of the Shang Dynasty can control it, so it is beyond anyone's reach.

What he found strange was: "Transforming into mountains..."

"Hmm... Have you heard of the Three Changes? Do you know that the Dao Heaven is actually based on the Three Changes, which established the rules of heaven and earth, and is used to ensure the prosperity of the human race?"

Ok?

Upon hearing this, Quan Ming was taken aback.

Is this the origin of the Dao Heaven?

Yi Xiao: These things are not recorded in human books, and even the records in the palace of his kingdom are only recorded. He has never known these secrets before, but he did not expect Shao Siming to reveal them so easily.

On one side, Zhang Xian, who had already come to his senses and was controlling his own boat to follow behind, could not hear the conversation between Quan Ming and Shao Siming.

He wanted to steer the small boat forward.

However, the intimidating aura emanating from Shao Siming's carriage prevented him from making any rash moves.

……

Quan Ming pondered for a moment and said, "I naturally know the Three Changes. The ancients said: The Three Changes can explain the way of heaven and earth."

"In each dynasty..."

"Xia used the Lianshan hexagram as the basis for the Book of Changes."

"The mountain is the first hexagram, paying homage to the power of the eight mountains and gathering the sixty-four symbols; to observe the clouds emerging from the mountains, carrying their power into the sea, to assist the Xia Dynasty's fortune, which continues uninterrupted."

"The Shang dynasty used the Gui Zang (Returning to the Source) as its guide to the Book of Changes."

"Kun is the first hexagram, used to divinate the eight qi and the sixty-four images; when all things return to it... Shang used this as evidence to prove the mandate of heaven for man and to prolong the mandate of heaven for the country... This is also the origin of the term 'mandate of heaven' at this time."

"Zhou used the Book of Changes as his reference."

"Qian is the first hexagram, drawing upon the words of the Eight Commandments to establish the sixty-four hexagrams; Heaven is revered while Earth is humble, and there is a distinction between the noble and the lowly... All the feudal lords and states follow this principle... Even the state of Chu, or the state of Quan, a descendant of the Shang dynasty, followed this principle."

……

Quan Ming's statement was correct, and Shao Siming nodded in agreement.

But Shao Siming didn't say those words to test Quan Ming, but to reveal the true path of immortals and gods to him. She said, "You have rendered meritorious service in resisting the immortals and gods of Luo Kingdom today."

"This area north of Quanshui and south of Jingshan is the territory I guarded during the war. If I make a mistake due to the invasion of the enemy's immortals and gods, it will be considered my dereliction of duty... Daotian and Mo'ao will bestow rewards upon me afterward, but I will not be stingy here either."

"Consider today's words a reward."

"Remember, the law should not be bestowed lightly. This word should not be lightly given to an unworthy person."

Shaking her head slightly, Shao Siming said softly, "Of the Three Changes, the Lianshan and Guizang are naturally without error."

"But the Book of Changes..."

"The Dao of the Zhou Dynasty was not created by the Book of Changes, but by the Book of Heaven and Earth. This was the original Dao of King Wen of Zhou. The later Book of Changes was created by the Duke of Zhou, King Wu of Zhou, Ji Fa, Lü Shang and others, in combination with the affairs of the feudal lords in the world... Why was the Book of Changes bestowed to suppress the feudal lords? It was subordinate to the Book of Heaven and Earth, and was called the Book of Changes because it was a minister."

"Helplessly... At this moment, the greatest sovereign is Zhou."

"Humanity recognizes him."

"Therefore, Heaven and Earth are based on the Qian and Kun hexagrams. Our feudal states can only practice the Zhou Yi (Book of Changes). Otherwise, we are all heretics. The Zhou emperor has the right to wage war. He can conquer at will with just one word: 'barbarians.'"

"Um……"

Upon hearing this, Quan Ming frowned slightly.

He asked, "Did the Zhou emperor refer to the people of Chu as 'barbarians'?"

"Is the Daoist practice in the State of Chu still based on the Book of Changes?"

After hearing this, Shao Siming nodded slightly and praised, "The first thing Quan Xian thought of was not what this matter had to do with him, but to observe the situation. It is clear that your vision is not limited to this person. A mere Quan Shui Xian cannot support your... lofty will... that higher level of divine authority is what you desire."

"...You flatter me, Shao Siming." Quan Ming was secretly surprised.

This young master was very perceptive; she managed to discern his ambitions in just a few words.

He... certainly didn't just want to be the Water Immortal.

Quanshui is good, but it is always subject to regional control.

Everything in the territory belonged to the King of Chu and those clans, not to the powerful or his own Quan Ming... To put it bluntly, he only had the right to obey orders and use everything in the territory, but he had no absolute self-control.

Just like now, Quan County is under his control.

Acting in accordance with the will of Heaven and Earth...

In reality, however, he still needed to devise a plan, taking advantage of the greed of those foreign clans and the needs of the King of Chu, to get Qu Wan, the ambitious county magistrate, to take charge of the policies.

The variables involved need not be elaborated upon.

If everything is under his control, just like Shao Siming completely controls the right to life and reproduction in Chu, she will control how many lives are born in Chu today. If Chu wants more people, it is the King of Chu, the Chu clan, and the people of Chu who should worship and pray, to ask... to ask Shao Siming for blessings... instead of obeying the King of Chu's orders!

Lost in thought, Quan Ming noticed that Shao Siming wasn't responding.

He slightly raised his head to look.

He saw Shao Siming looking at him, her naturally sorrowful eyes now showing a rare hint of a smile.

Quan Ming was speechless.

He realized at that moment that he had no way to refute the argument.

Fortunately, Shao Siming didn't intend to make things difficult for him. She looked away and said softly, "This isn't wrong. Which deity is content with the present and doesn't look to the future..."

"Hmm...this is not wrong."

Shao Siming seemed to be talking about herself, but she quickly came to her senses.

He confided a secret to Quan Ming, a secret that made Quan Ming forget his panic at having his thoughts discovered, and he exclaimed in surprise, "The Chu Kingdom has always intended to change Dao Tian, ​​to make Dao Tian take the 'Lianshan' as its Dao!?"

Shao Siming nodded, her tone calm: "Otherwise, do you think that Xiong Chu, whose fiefdom was only fifty li, could have pacified the vast Yunmeng Marshland, and through hardship opened up the fertile land of Xiong Chu that stretches for hundreds of li today... a 'barbarian' that even the Zhou emperor had to take notice of and form an alliance to suppress?"

Quan Ming's mood also calmed down as Shao Siming became calmer.

He was puzzled as to why Shao Siming would tell him these things, and he also voiced his own doubts.

Shao Siming simply said, "Naturally, I am telling you the path to the future. Among the immortals and gods, if one does not think about change and clings to the old power, how can one enter the new Chu Kingdom Dao Heaven through hardship and struggle?"

"Enough... Today, I will impart to you a cultivation method of the 'Lianshan' form. In the future, you will understand... what the Daotian is and how to become an immortal god in this Chu land."

……

……