Chapter 550: Lifting a Stone to Drop on One's Own Foot

They poured out their hearts to each other, clearly having been separated for too long in the previous trial.

Zuan felt it even more deeply. He had lived alone for decades after her "death," and now, seeing the young woman before him, he could only smile foolishly. His scarred heart, broken in his past life, gradually began to heal and mend.

They had originally come to discuss serious matters, but their emotions took over. Neither of them spoke of anything else, only exchanging expressions of longing and affection for each other.

They nestled close, brimming with affection, and soon the temperature beneath the blankets began to rise.

Pei Mianman's breathing quickly became shallow, her eyes glazed over. Her youthful face exuded a natural allure. Although Zuan already knew of her beauty, this new charm still left him stunned.

Her face flushed slightly as she quickly pressed down on his hands, "Beast, I'm still so young, and you won't even let me go."

Zuan was both annoyed and amused. "We've been married for so many years; there's no need to say such things."

Pei Mianman recalled their previous life, where one was king and the other queen, and the enchanting intimacy they shared daily in the Yin capital palace. Her body softened, and she leaned into him willingly.

A moment later, soft laughter emanated from beneath the blankets. Pei Mianman giggled, shaking with mirth as she looked at her lover.

Zuan's expression darkened. He suddenly remembered that he wasn't very old in this world either, which was...

"Alright, don't think about that," Pei Mianman said with a smile, resting her face against his chest. She thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of being nestled in his embrace. "I just want to talk to you quietly."

Zuan couldn't help but smile, his mood gradually calming down. They continued to chat about what had happened to each of them since their separation.

The night passed quickly. Zuan quietly left before dawn; otherwise, if they were discovered, it wouldn't just be a matter of getting his legs broken. This era had many terrifying punishments.

For the next period, the two were inseparable, constantly together. People around them remarked on how strong the bond between the "siblings" was.

To avoid suspicion, whenever they appeared together in public, they brought along their "younger sister," Sancai, ensuring no one would get the wrong idea.

Sancai, naturally, was delighted to play with her elder brother and sister. Unfortunately, her young mind had no idea that in her "siblings'" eyes, she was merely a third wheel and a convenient prop.

One day, they took Sancai to play in the royal palace. After playing with her for a while, and once the surrounding palace maids had left, they persuaded her to go play in the mud nearby.

Zuan and Pei Mianman then went to talk elsewhere. The childish demeanor they maintained in front of others faded, replaced by the seriousness of adults.

"A'Zu, what do you think this trial is testing us on now?" Pei Mianman asked, a worried expression on her face. Although she knew that only an instant had likely passed in the real world outside, they had already experienced decades within the trial.

They didn't want to be permanently trapped in this trial. So, after spending days indulging in their longing for each other, their rationality gradually returned, and they began to consider serious matters.

Zuan said in a low voice, "I think the key still lies with the Zhou people."

"The Zhou?" Pei Mianman paused, surprised.

She then slowly recalled that in their previous life, during the reign of King Wu Ding, they had initially planned to deal with the Zhou people. Unfortunately, they were sidetracked by other matters and eventually forgot about it.

"Exactly," Zuan replied. "Although there's no clear evidence, it stands to reason that since the Shang was overthrown by the Zhou, their trial is likely connected to the Zhou."

Pei Mianman was puzzled. "This is a secret realm trial for the Shang people. If it's set up this way, it implies they knew they would be overthrown by the Zhou long ago. So why didn't they act sooner? And the time between their fall and the Zhou's rise was short; they probably wouldn't have had time for such a massive undertaking, would they?"

Zuan shook his head. "People generally believe King Zhou was the last emperor of the Shang. In reality, after the Shang suffered a devastating defeat in the Battle of Muye, and King Zhou and Daji immolated themselves on the Star-Gazing Terrace, the Zhou took control of the Central Plains. However, the Shang did not completely perish. King Zhou's crown prince at the time inherited the title of Shang King and continued to maintain the Shang dynasty's sacrifices. Additionally, later states like Song and Gija Joseon were established by remnants of the Shang people. So, they certainly had the capability to create this trial ground."

Pei Mianman nodded, then asked curiously, "So, in our previous life, did you deal with the Zhou people later on?"

Zuan looked a little embarrassed. "Naturally, other forces around the Shang dynasty were much stronger than the Zhou. At that time, the Zhou clearly weren't even considered a threat, so how would I deal with them? Plus, after you died in childbirth, I was like a walking corpse every day; I had no energy to think about anything else."

A trace of tenderness appeared in Pei Mianman's eyes, and she squeezed his hand tightly. "A'Zu, you've been through so much."

Zuan returned the squeeze of her soft hand and sighed. "You've suffered more, though. You experienced death firsthand."

Pei Mianman's eyes reddened, and she bit her lip. "That was indeed a bit terrifying. It made me not want to have children anymore."

"Then don't," Zuan said. "Besides, don't we have one now?" Looking at their "younger sister," Sancai, who was playing in the mud and getting covered in dirt, they both chuckled simultaneously.

Although they were called siblings, both had adult souls within their bodies, and they saw their youngest "sister" entirely as a daughter.

As if sensing their amusement, Sancai turned around, saw them nestled together, and immediately rushed over, covered in mud. "Brother! Sister! I want a hug too, I want a hug!"

Time flew by, and another ten years passed in the blink of an eye. Pei Mianman grew into an even more captivating beauty, while Zuan gradually regained his former dashing handsomeness.

Even Sancai, who used to spend her childhood days with a runny nose playing in the mud, had grown into a graceful young woman.

Zuan felt that time was passing unusually quickly. Ten years should be a long time, but to him, it felt like it had vanished in an instant.

It was like watching those TV dramas in his previous world, where the protagonist would be happily running in a field as a child, and then a caption would appear: "Ten Years Later..."

And the child would be replaced by the adult male lead.

Zuan shook his head, banishing the sense of absurdity from his mind. Although these years had passed quickly, he and Pei Mianman hadn't been idle; they had continuously been studying the Zhou people.

During the reign of King Wu Ding, Queen Fu Hao led thirteen thousand people and decisively defeated the Qiangfang. Although the Qiangfang were defeated, the Shang lacked the power to completely annihilate them.

However, after years of suppression by the Shang, the Qiangfang had splintered into many tribes, which occasionally harassed the northwest of the Shang dynasty.

At this time, the Shang dynasty mobilized various vassal states to help deal with these scattered tribes, and the Zhou people were one of these states.

Over decades and even centuries of campaigns, the Zhou people gradually distinguished themselves among the western vassal states. Taking advantage of the power vacuum created by the Qiangfang's fragmentation in the Shaanxi and Gansu regions, and with the Shang dynasty's influence unable to reach that far, they gradually encroached upon the former territory of the Qiangfang.

Of course, the Zhou weren't the only ones eyeing this territory; other vassal states were too. But the current leader of the Zhou, Jili, was like a reborn Dragon-Proud-Sky. He led his people on campaigns across the east and west, conquering vast territories. At the same time, he arranged marriages with nobles within the Shang dynasty and maintained good relations with other vassal states. He was, in essence, both a skilled warrior and a diplomatic genius.

Even the Shang King designated him as the Chief of the Western Vassals.

Seeing how powerful the once-small and remote Zhou people had become, Zuan and Pei Mianman were filled with worry. For years, they had been urging their "father," King Wen Ding, to be wary of and deal with the Zhou.

It was unclear whether their constant whispers had an effect, or if the Zhou's power had genuinely grown to a point where it alarmed King Wen Ding. He found an excuse to invite Jili to the capital, and then, using another flimsy pretext, had Jili killed.

Zuan and Pei Mianman were utterly speechless. They hadn't expected Wen Ding's methods to be so simple and brutal. The Zhou's power was evident; what good would it do to simply kill one leader? This action, on the contrary, greatly alienated people. With so many vassal states in the world, seeing Jili's fate, it was inevitable they would feel a sense of shared dread.

Zuan, in particular, knew clearly that if Jili was already so formidable, the even more powerful King Wen Ji Chang and King Wu Ji Fa of the Zhou had yet to appear.

Wen Ding, however, was unfazed. Even his entire court of officials didn't think executing a vassal king was a big deal. The Shang kings had always acted this way: alternately fighting and appeasing defiant vassal states. If a leader was disobedient, they simply killed him and replaced him. If a state refused to comply, then a war would settle it.

The fierce warriors of the Yin capital would teach those vassal states a lesson. Furthermore, the Shang dynasty's foundation relied on warfare to plunder vast numbers of slaves, whether for forced labor or as sacrificial offerings.

However, it soon became clear that they had miscalculated. The Yi people from the Huai River region to the east launched a massive invasion, their momentum unprecedented.

It was unclear whether the vassal states to the east, which served as a buffer for the Shang, failed to put in full effort due to sympathy for Jili's unjust death, or if they were truly no match. Regardless, they quickly collapsed, allowing the Huai Yi to invade the heartland of the Shang dynasty.

At the same time, bad news arrived from the west. Because their leader Jili had been unjustly killed, the entire Zhou nation was filled with immense rage. They prepared their troops and horses, ready to launch a pincer attack on the Shang dynasty.

Although the Shang dynasty was strong, the Huai Yi army's current momentum was overwhelming. If the Zhou were to attack from the west as well, leaving the Shang caught between two enemies, they clearly wouldn't be able to withstand it.

At this point, a minister proposed a solution: the Shang and Zhou had always had good relations, and their falling out was solely due to Jili's recent assassination. They could appease the Zhou through a marriage alliance, thus resolving the crisis in the west.

And Princess Mu, renowned for her captivating beauty, was the perfect candidate for this marriage alliance.