Genesis of the Gods

As Jiang Ziya looked at the project, King Zhou asked, "How long do you need for the construction, Jiang Shang?"

"It's a huge project, forty-nine feet high and with halls and towers of jade and agate. It'll take a great amount of labor and I think at least thirty-five years."

King Zhou turned to Daji. "My dear Queen! Jiang Shang says it'll take thirty-five years to complete the Happy Terrace. Time flies swiftly and pleasures are best enjoyed when young. If it takes so long, we'll be too old to enjoy it. There seems to be no point in having it built at all."

"Jiang Shang's a sorcerer and speaks only nonsense. How can it take so long! He's deceiving you and should be punished with the burning pillar."

"You're right, Queen. Guards, seize him and execute him by the burning pillar."

"Your Majesty, I must point out that thelabor required forthis project is enormous. It'll exhaust the people and waste a lot of money. Your Majesty must abandon thewhole idea," Jiang Ziya told the king."We're constantly troubled bywar, floods and drought, and the royal treasury's empty. The people are living in dire poverty. YourMajesty doesn't considerhow to help them and bring them peace but spends time on wine and women. You've estranged the loyal and trust only the wicked. You murder the faithful, breeddiscontent among the people and angerHeaven. Now another project at the instigation of that enchantress, and it'llbe your own ruin. As I've receivedyour favor, I'm duty-bound to risk death and make this frank admonition. I can't bear to watch the state change hands."

"You damned fool! How dare you insult me!" King Zhou ordered his guards, "Seize him and slice him in pieces."

As the palace guards moved up to arrest him, Jiang Ziya turned and ran downstairs.

"Look at that old wretch! He ran off the moment he heard the word 'seize,' completely ignoring the protocol. Have you ever seen anything like it?"- King Zhou was angry but also amused.

The guards chased Jiang Ziya past the Dragon Virtue Hall to the Nine Dragon Bridge. He was caught there at bay.

"Guards! There's no need to chase me. I'll take my own life," Jiang Ziya called, and vaulting over the railings, he threw himself into the river and sank beneath the surface.

The guards ran onto the bridge and gazed into the water but could see no trace of .him. Little did they know that Jiang Ziya had mounted an invisible water cloud and flown away.

"The old clod got off lightly," King Zhou commented when he learned that Jiang Ziya had drowned himself.

Four guards were leaning over the bridge gazing and sighing when Supreme Minister Yang Ren entered the palace and saw them.

"What are you looking at?" he asked.

"Junior Minister Jiang Shang just drowned himself in the water here."

"Why?" Yang Ren asked again.

"We don't know, sir."

Yang Ren went on to his office in the palace to read docu­ments and reports. Meanwhile, King Zhou was still discussing with Daj i as to who should be the overseer of the Happy Ter­race.

"I should think that no one's fully qualified to take up the task except Chong Houhu," Daji said thoughtfully.

King Zhou immediately approved the recommendation and ordered the secretariat to summon Chong Houhu to Zhaoge.

When the messenger reached the secretariat, he met Yang Ren.

"Whatdid Jiang Shang do to have offended the king that compelled him to commit suicide?" Yang Ren asked.