Zhang Kui's Journey to the West in the Investiture of the Gods

Youli City has high and thick walls, numerous arrow towers, and stern-armored soldiers, exuding a stern and cold aura.

When Zhang Kui's cavalry arrived outside the city, the city gates were tightly closed, the drawbridge was high, and the guards on the city walls watched this suddenly appearing elite force with vigilance.

"Who goes there? This is a forbidden area of ​​Youli. No one is allowed to approach without permission!" the guards shouted.

Zhang Kui spurred his horse forward, took out his military seal, and announced loudly, "I, Zhang Kui, the Deputy Commander of the Northern Army, have been ordered by the Central Military Commission to transfer to Youli and take charge of the city's defense. Open the city gates immediately."

A commotion arose on the city wall, indicating that the order had been given beforehand. Moments later, the heavy city gate slowly opened, and the drawbridge lowered in response. A middle-aged civil official in official robes with a fair complexion, accompanied by several subordinates, quickly stepped forward to greet Zhang Kui, who sat atop a unicorn-shaped black beast: "Zhao Qi, the magistrate of Youcheng, respectfully welcomes General Zhang."

Zhang Kui's gaze swept over Zhao Qi. The man's aura was weak, his eyes flickered, and he seemed to have a hint of flattery and unease.

"No need for formalities, Chief Zhao." Zhang Kui's tone was calm, yet carried an inherent authority. "I am new here and need to settle my troops and familiarize them with the defenses first. The prisoner Ji Chang will be under my care for the time being. You can send someone to the camp to hand him over first thing tomorrow morning."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qi's face showed a hint of difficulty: "General, this... according to the law, criminals must be immediately registered in Youli Prison to prevent..."

"Hmm?" Zhang Kui's voice rose slightly, and he released a bit of the pressure from his Celestial Realm cultivation. Although it wasn't directed at Zhao Qi, it caused the surrounding air to freeze instantly. Zhao Qi immediately felt his breath catch in his throat, as if he were being pressed down by an invisible mountain. He swallowed the rest of his words, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

"I've said it before, the handover will take place tomorrow," Zhang Kui repeated, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Military affairs have their own rules. Chief Zhao, do you have any objections?"

"No, no! Your humble servant obeys." Zhao Qi bowed hurriedly, not daring to utter another word.

Zhang Kui ignored him and ordered, "Wenhua, you take the brothers to the camp outside the city and enforce strict military discipline. Without my order, no one is allowed to enter Youli City or disturb the people."

"Yes, General!" Wu Wenhua accepted the order in a deep voice and immediately commanded the troops to move like precision machinery, heading towards the designated military camp outside the city. Their actions were swift and deadly, which made Zhao Qi and the others secretly alarmed.

Zhang Kui, accompanied by a small squad of personal guards, escorted Ji Chang's prison cart directly to a relatively isolated military training ground located west of Youli City. This would be Zhang Kui's future training ground and posting location.

After settling in, Zhang Kui ordered his men to remove Ji Chang from the prison cart and bring him into the central military tent, where simple food and drink were prepared. The prison cart had been jostling all day, and Ji Chang looked exhausted, but his eyes remained clear.

"My lord, the conditions are simple; please make do for the night." Zhang Kui personally poured Ji Chang a cup of warm wine. "You must have been frightened by what happened today."

Ji Chang took the wine cup, looked at Zhang Kui, and said with a wry smile, "General, there's no need for such formalities. If you hadn't arrived in time, I would already be a withered bone in the mountains. I will never forget your life-saving grace." He raised the cup and drank it all in one gulp, then sighed, "However, I feel uneasy about dragging you into this vortex of trouble."

Zhang Kui waved his hand and said, "Your Excellency flatters me. Protecting the loyal and virtuous and stabilizing the state is the duty of a military general. Moreover, this relocation to Youli is also the will of the central government; training troops and preparing for the border is our responsibility." He paused, then asked, "Now that Your Excellency is imprisoned, what are your plans for the future?"

Ji Chang put down his wine cup, gazing at the deep night outside the tent. His tone became distant: "The ups and downs of officialdom, glory and disgrace, rise and fall, are but fleeting clouds. This calamity may be Heaven giving me a chance to reflect. My Ji family has a profound and extensive tradition of studying the Book of Changes. I have long desired to delve into it and unravel its intricacies, but I have been entangled in worldly affairs in Xiqi and have not been able to do so. Now, in Youli, it is a peaceful place."

"The Book of Changes?" Zhang Kui's heart stirred. He knew that Ji Chang later developed the Eight Trigrams into the Sixty-Four Hexagrams and wrote the Book of Changes, which became a treasure of Chinese culture.

He asked curiously, "I have also heard of the Book of Changes, which has a long and rich history. I wonder if Your Excellency is studying the Lianshan or the Guizang?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Ji Chang's eyes. He hadn't expected that Zhang Kui, a mere military general, would know the names of *Lianshan* and *Guicang*. He stroked his beard and said, "General, you are very knowledgeable. *Lianshan* was passed down by the Earthly Sovereign Shennong, beginning with the Gen hexagram, like the continuous mountains, emphasizing the earth's energy and spirit; *Guicang* was passed down by the Human Sovereign Xuanyuan, beginning with the Kun hexagram, like the earth's storage and containment, emphasizing the storage of life force. Both originate from the *Pre-Heaven Bagua* of the Heavenly Sovereign Fuxi, but their paths have diverged. I am not talented, but I often think that heaven and earth are the gateway to all living beings, and I feel that perhaps we can explore another path, trying to use the Qian and Kun hexagrams as a starting point to deduce the principles of the generation of heaven and earth and the nurturing of all things. Qian represents heaven, the ultimate Yang and strength; Kun represents earth, the ultimate Yin and yielding. Only when heaven and earth are positioned can all things take shape..."

When Ji Chang spoke of the Book of Changes, he immediately became radiant, all his previous dejection vanished, and his words revealed a profound understanding of the laws of heaven and earth and a grand ambition to establish a new school of thought.

Zhang Kui listened intently, his heart surging with emotion. He could sense that Ji Chang's words were not empty talk; his spirit seemed to resonate with the unseen Dao, and a subtle Daoist aura flowed around him. When Ji Chang expounded on the virtues of Qian and Kun, Zhang Kui was struck by a sudden inspiration, recalling a famous saying from his past life, and blurted out: "As heaven's movement is ever vigorous, so should a gentleman constantly strive for self-improvement; as earth's condition is receptive, so should a gentleman cultivate virtue and bear all things with magnanimity."

Upon hearing this, Ji Chang was thunderstruck.

He suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing with a sharp light, his body trembling slightly with excitement. "The movement of heaven is ever vigorous... Thus the superior man makes himself strong and untiring... The nature of earth is receptive... Thus the superior man carries the world with magnanimity..." He repeatedly pondered these two short sentences, feeling that the artistic conception contained within them perfectly interpreted the spirit of Qian and Kun that he had been pondering for so long, even more profound and grand than he could express.

"Wonderful! Wonderful indeed!" Ji Chang slammed his hand on the table, his beard trembling with excitement. "Self-improvement and virtue! These words point directly to the origin of heaven and earth, and fully express the essentials of a gentleman's conduct! General Zhang, where...where did you get these words? They are truly words bestowed by heaven."

Zhang Kui felt a slight chill, realizing he had spoken out of turn. However, seeing Ji Chang's reaction, he knew his words had deeply affected him, which was a good opportunity to build a closer relationship. He smiled modestly and said vaguely, "This humble general spoke offhand. I must have heard some wandering hermit mention it before. Today, seeing Your Excellency discussing the Dao, I was moved and remembered it. It would be my honor if I could offer any inspiration to Your Excellency."

Ji Chang disregarded all of this. At this moment, he regarded Zhang Kui as a close friend. He grabbed Zhang Kui's hand and said urgently, "General's words are like the sun breaking through the clouds, enlightening this old man. These words contain supreme wisdom."

That night, the lights in the central command tent remained burning all night. Ji Chang regarded Zhang Kui as a close friend with whom he could discuss the Dao, and he explained his deductive ideas on the I Ching without reservation, from the eight trigrams and their positions to the sixty-four hexagrams, from the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang to good fortune, misfortune, regret, and shame. Although Zhang Kui was not very familiar with the specific hexagram deductions, he came from an era of information explosion, had a broad mind, and practiced the Dao of Golden Elixir. He had his own understanding of the rules of heaven and earth, and often offered some insights that went beyond the established framework, or used cultivation terminology to analogize the principles of the I Ching, which made Ji Chang nod frequently and greatly inspired.

Zhang Kui truly witnessed the wisdom and magnanimity of this future King Wen of Zhou. He was not merely deducing hexagrams, but constructing a grand system for understanding the world, interpreting its laws, and guiding behavior. The meticulousness of his thinking and the loftiness of his vision were truly beyond the reach of ordinary people. No wonder Confucius praised him as "a hero of three dynasties," a model of "inner sage and outer king." A feeling of admiration arose spontaneously within him.

The two talked about everything from the beginning of heaven and earth to the vastness of the universe, from governing the country to cultivating oneself. The more they talked, the more they clicked, and they forgot about the passage of time.

It wasn't until dawn broke outside the tent and a guard reported that the two realized they had been talking all night.

"I have benefited greatly from my conversation with the General." Although Ji Chang had not slept all night, he was in good spirits and his eyes were bright. "As a prisoner, to have met the General is truly a stroke of good fortune amidst misfortune."

Zhang Kui solemnly replied, "Your Excellency's learning is profound and I have benefited greatly from it. In the future, whenever I have free time, I will definitely visit you to seek your guidance."

At this moment, a report came from outside the camp that Zhao Qi, the chief of Youli City, had arrived with his men to hand over the prisoners.

Zhang Kui and Ji Chang exchanged a glance, their unspoken understanding unspoken. Zhang Kui personally escorted Ji Chang out of the camp gate.

Seeing that Ji Chang was in even better spirits than yesterday, Zhao Qi was suspicious but dared not ask any questions. He simply said respectfully to Zhang Kui, "General, I will take the criminal to the prison immediately."

Zhang Kui nodded and cupped his hands to Ji Chang, saying, "My lord, please take care. Although conditions in Youli Prison are harsh, since you are here, make the best of it. I will give orders that all your food and supplies be provided according to regulations, and no one will mistreat you. If you have time, I will come to visit you again."

His words were addressed not only to Ji Chang but also to Zhao Qi, serving as a clear warning and a form of protection.

Ji Chang gave Zhang Kui a deep look, nodded and said, "General, you have gone to great lengths. I will remember it." After saying that, he walked towards the gloomy prison under the escort of Zhao Qi and others.

As the sun rose, Zhang Kui watched Ji Chang's departing figure and knew in his heart that "King Wen was imprisoned and then wrote the Book of Changes." In this Youli City, this future King Wen of Zhou would write a magnificent chapter in the history of Chinese culture.

It's time for me to plan my own path carefully.

Turning back to camp, Zhang Kui said to Wu Wenhua, who was waiting nearby, "Pass down the order to issue a recruitment order. Recruit able-bodied men and train a new army in accordance with the authorization of the central government. Also, collect as much information as possible about the flow of goods and taxes in Youli City and the surrounding area."

"Yes, General!" Wu Wenhua accepted the order. Although he didn't know why the general was suddenly interested in the accounts, he didn't ask any further questions and turned to make arrangements.