Chapter 231 Heart-cutting pain
Bigan knew that today's matter would not end well, but he was still unwilling to give up his last effort: "Your Majesty, I know my crime, but if I don't change the status quo, I'm afraid the Shang Dynasty will fall into a greater crisis in the future."

Emperor Xin's anger seemed to be growing more and more intense. He waved his hand fiercely, signaling the palace guards to come forward and said, "Come here, drag Bigan away and interrogate him thoroughly to find out who ordered him to be so presumptuous in front of me!"

Bigan was dragged roughly by the palace guards. Although his heart was filled with helplessness, he was more worried about the future of the Shang Dynasty.

Feeling the iron-chain-like restraint on his wrists, Bigan suddenly felt a surge of anger in his heart.

He struggled to stand up and faced Emperor Xin, his voice loud and powerful: "Your Majesty, I am your uncle, my blood flows with you, and my heart is connected with the Shang Dynasty. I would rather die than live in humiliation!"

The guards were intimidated by Bigan's power, and their tightly clenched arms involuntarily loosened a little.

They looked at each other, hesitation and uneasiness in their eyes, and no one dared to step forward.

Bigan took advantage of this brief opportunity to kneel down to Emperor Xin again, but this time, he raised his head and looked directly into his eyes: "Your Majesty, the heaven and earth can bear witness to my loyalty. I am willing to sacrifice my life to give you advice, and I hope Your Majesty can turn over a new leaf and become the wise and powerful king again. The people of the Shang Dynasty need you, and the country needs a true leader!"

Emperor Xin stared at Bigan, the anger in his eyes seemed to weaken, replaced by a hint of hesitation.

Ripples appeared in his heart. Bigan's words were like a heavy stone, thrown into the depths of his heart.

At this moment, Fei Zhong quietly walked to Emperor Xin's ear and whispered: "Your Majesty, Bigan is relying on his status as the king's uncle to control the court. His mind is deep! If Your Majesty listens to him, won't he succeed?"

Emperor Xin's hesitation was broken by Fei Zhong's words. His eyes became cold and ruthless again, and he angrily rebuked Bigan: "You have evil intentions. Are you trying to usurp the throne? I have finally seen your true colors today!"

Facing Emperor Xin's angry rebuke, Bigan felt sad. He knew that his honest advice was unpleasant to hear, but he knew even more clearly that if he could not awaken Emperor Xin's conscience, the future of the Shang Dynasty would be irreversible.

He sighed deeply, a trace of tragic grandeur flashed in his eyes: "Your Majesty, if I had any wolfish ambitions, heaven and earth would not tolerate it. What I said today is out of loyalty, and I will die without regrets."

Emperor Xin's voice was cold and heartless. He stared at Bigan who was kneeling on the ground and said sarcastically: "People's hearts are hidden in their stomachs. How can I see your loyalty? Why don't you take out your heart and show it to me!"

When Bigan heard this, he was shocked. He raised his head with disbelief in his eyes: "Your Majesty, are you going to sentence me to death?"

Emperor Xin sneered and replied, "I just want to see your heart."

Bigan's face was pale, and his voice was trembling: "If you cut open your abdomen and remove your heart, you will die. Your Majesty, why do you have to..."

Emperor Xin interrupted Bigan and said coldly: "You keep saying you are loyal, but when I want to see your loyalty, you can't show it."

Bigan was silent, for he knew that he had no way to retreat. Faced with the cruelty and irrationality of Emperor Xin, Bigan's heart was filled with despair.

He slowly lowered his head, his voice calm and firm: "Since Your Majesty wants to see my heart, please ask the guard to bring the knife."

The atmosphere in the palace became even heavier. The guards looked at each other in bewilderment. Although they were accustomed to Emperor Xin's cruelty, they were still in awe of Bigan's loyalty and courage.

Finally, a guard took out a short knife with trembling hands and handed it to Bigan.

Bigan took the knife, and the strength in his hand was unusually steady. He knew he was about to die, but his eyes remained firm. He slowly stood up, faced Emperor Xin, and bowed deeply: "Your Majesty, if I have two hearts, heaven and earth will not tolerate it. Today's action is to prove my loyalty."

After that, Bigan closed his eyes and pointed the knife at his chest. Emperor Xin looked at this scene, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes, but he didn't say anything in the end, just watched quietly.

Bi Gan took a deep breath and stabbed hard - the tip of the knife cut his skin and blood splattered, but there was no pain on Bi Gan's face, only a firmness that transcended the world.

As the wound expanded, colorful rays of auspicious light escaped from Bigan’s chest, illuminating the entire hall, as if a miracle had occurred.

The guards and courtiers in the hall were all stunned. They had seen blood and cruelty, but had never seen such a bizarre scene.

Everyone's eyes involuntarily focused on Bigan's chest, where a crystal clear heart was beating. With every beat, colorful light flowed through it. It was the legendary seven-orifice heart.

"Is this the legendary seven-orifice heart?" someone whispered, his voice full of shock and awe.

"Does such a magical object really exist? Lord Bigan actually possesses such a heart!" Discussions arose one after another, and everyone's eyes revealed disbelief.

Emperor Xin's originally cold and ruthless face also showed surprise at this moment. His eyes were fixed on the beating heart with seven orifices, and the fire of greed in his heart was ignited.

Upon seeing this, Fei Zhong immediately stepped forward, his voice trembling but full of awe: "Your Majesty, this Seven-Aperture Heart is the greatest treasure in the world. Legend has it that it can cure all diseases and prolong life. If you can obtain this heart, your majesty will be healthy and live as long as the Southern Mountains."

There was a glimmer of greed in Emperor Xin's eyes. He had indeed indulged himself excessively in the past few years, and his health was no longer as good as before.

Now after hearing Fei Zhong's words, the desire in his heart was like a wildfire, difficult to contain.

"Bigan, since you are so loyal, then take out a piece of your heart and give it to me." Emperor Xin's voice was full of commands, and there was no hesitation in his eyes, only the desire for life and power.

Bigan's face became even paler. He knew that he could no longer escape the fate, but even so, he still tried his best to maintain the dignity of a loyal minister.

He coughed up blood in pain, his eyes piercing Fei Zhong like a sharp sword, his voice full of anger and disdain: "Fei Zhong, you despicable villain, you actually took advantage of His Majesty's greed and incited him to destruction!

Do you think that if you get the Seven-Aperture Heart, you can live forever? Ridiculous!"

He turned his head and glared at Emperor Xin, his voice even higher and more excited: "Your Majesty, do you really think that if my heart is hurt, I can still stand in front of you alive?"

Emperor Xin's face was gloomy and his voice was cold: "Bigan, I am just lending you a piece, what's the big deal?"

Bigan was so angry that he was shaking all over and shouted angrily: "You are a fool, you are drunk and lustful, you are a stupid dog! If you lose your mind, I will die!

Can't you see?"

There was a flash of anger in Emperor Xin's eyes, and his voice was like a sword in the cold winter, chilling to the bone: "If the king orders his subjects to die, they will not be loyal if they do not die. You slander the king on the stage, which is a betrayal of your loyalty! Bigan, your death is not a pity!"

After that, Emperor Xin waved his hand and ordered, "Come here, do it!"

Although the guards were reluctant, the emperor's order was as heavy as a mountain and could not be disobeyed. They walked forward slowly, their eyes full of apology.

Bigan knew that he could not change the outcome, but his eyes were extremely firm. He looked directly at Emperor Xin and said in a tragic voice: "Your Majesty, Bigan's death is not a pity, but have you ever thought about the future of the Shang Dynasty?"

Emperor Xin's expression changed slightly, but soon returned to indifference. He turned his head and no longer looked at Bigan.

Bigan took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Although his heart was filled with disappointment towards Emperor Xin, he was more concerned about the people of the Shang Dynasty.

The guards hesitated for a moment, but finally raised their knives.

There was no hope left in Bigan's heart. He knew that his death was near, but he did not want to be humiliated in front of these villains.

With a cold gaze, he said to the hesitant guards, "Everyone, step back. I'll do it myself."

The guards looked at each other, and finally slowly retreated, leaving space for Bigan.

Bigan's hands were trembling as he slowly reached towards his chest. His movements were firm and resolute, as if he had transcended life and death.

A dull tearing sound was heard, and Bigan's arm was covered in blood. There was no pain on his face, only a sense of relief.

He took out the seven-aperture exquisite heart emitting colorful light from his chest and threw it on the ground. The blood dyed the gold brick red.

Bigan wrapped himself in clothes, his body shaky, but still holding his head high, and stumbling out of the palace.

His face was as pale as paper, but there was a determination in his eyes that he had never seen before.

He found his mount, and although he was extremely weak, he forced himself onto the horse's back and slowly drove away.

His target was Yang's business, and he was looking for Mr. Jiang.

Yesterday, Mr. Jiang told him mysteriously that he would be in great trouble and also gave him a talisman.

That talisman was the only thing that kept him alive until now. His heart was full of trust in Mr. Jiang, and he believed that Mr. Jiang could save him.

Suddenly, the sound of a vendor selling water spinach came from the street. Bigan's heart was shaken. He reined in his horse and asked the vendor, "Can a person live without a heart?"

The vendor was busy hawking his wares. He was stunned for a moment when he heard the sudden question. Then he smiled and said, "Sir, although this water spinach is hollow, it can still live well. People have no heart? Ha, then they can't live."

When Bigan heard this, he screamed and fell off his horse, blood gushing out, and he was about to die.

At this moment, a soft light flashed, and a peerless beauty appeared like a fairy from the sky. She held a golden pill in her hand, and with quick and graceful movements, she flicked the golden pill into the wound on Bigan's chest.

The blood from the wound suddenly dimmed, and golden light flowed on Bigan's chest like a golden stream, slowly healing his wound.

In just a moment, Bigan's wound disappeared. He felt a warm current flowing through his body, and his spirit became refreshed.

He slowly opened his eyes and saw the woman who saved him from danger, and he couldn't help but feel grateful.

Bigan struggled to get up from the ground and bowed deeply to the woman: "Thank you very much for saving my life, fairy. May I know your name?"

At this moment, a gentle voice came from not far away: "This is my senior brother's wife."

When Bigan looked up, he saw that it was Mr. Jiang—Jiang Ziya. He was wearing a Taoist robe, looked calm, and his eyes gleamed with wisdom.

Bigan suddenly realized that the woman in front of him was the mistress of the Yang's business. He had seen her several times in the business, but he had never imagined that she had such magical powers that could save people from dire straits.

Bigan bowed deeply to the woman again and said, "It turns out to be Madam Yang. I am sorry for my impoliteness. If it were not for your help, I would have been dead. I will never forget your kindness in this life."

Yun Hua smiled slightly and waved her hand, indicating that Bi Gan did not need to be polite: "Master Bi Gan, you are too polite. Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. My husband always said that Master Bi Gan is loyal to the country and the people. He is a pillar of our Shang Dynasty. How can I let you die like this?"

Jiang Ziya stepped forward and patted Bigan on the shoulder: "Bigan, your loyalty is known to heaven and earth. Although what happened today was thrilling, it was also a disaster. From now on, your fate will change."

After hearing this, although Bigan was confused, he knew that Mr. Jiang was not an ordinary person and there must be a deeper meaning behind his words, so he said no more and just silently remembered these words in his heart.

Yunhua's figure disappeared into the air like a gust of wind, leaving Bigan and Jiang Ziya standing there.

Jiang Ziya looked around and saw people coming and going. He frowned and said to Bi Gan, "There are too many people here, so we shouldn't stay here for long. Let's find a quiet place and talk in detail."

Bigan nodded. Although he was still weak, his heart was firm. The two walked side by side, passing through the bustling streets, and soon arrived at the secret courtyard of Yang's business.

In a quiet and elegant room, Jiang Ziya brewed a pot of fragrant tea, handed a cup to Bigan, and then slowly said: "Bigan, does Your Majesty intend to issue an edict of self-blame to show the world?"

Bigan smiled bitterly and shook his head, his eyes revealing a hint of helplessness: "Mr. Jiang, that tyrant has lost himself in desires and will not listen to any honest advice. He is beyond help." As he spoke, Bigan recounted his experiences in the palace.

Jiang Ziya listened to Bigan's narration, and the worry between his brows became more and more serious. He nodded, and his voice was a little heavy: "As expected, the end of the Shang Dynasty has already appeared. This is the will of heaven and cannot be reversed by human power."

Bigan was shocked when he heard this and asked hurriedly, "Why do you say that? Is there really no possibility of saving it?"

Jiang Ziya took a deep breath, his eyes deep: "Bigan, you and I both know that the rise and fall of a country is closely related to the virtue of the king.

Emperor Xin's tyranny had angered heaven, and disaster was imminent.

The demise of the Shang Dynasty is probably only a matter of time."

Bigan's heart sank to the bottom, and a trace of sadness flashed in his eyes, but he soon regained his determination: "In this case, even if Bigan dies, it is still an honor. I am willing to do my last bit to save the people from the water and fire."

Jiang Ziya smiled and patted Bigan on the shoulder: "I understand your intention, but your fate is not over yet.

Although what happened today is dangerous, it is also the beginning of your turning point. You still have a long way to go, and in the future you will become a key figure in changing this dynasty. "

When Bigan heard Jiang Ziya's words, an inexplicable power surged in his heart, and his eyes were filled with hope again.

He knew very well that although the road ahead was bumpy, as long as there was light in his heart, the darkness would eventually dissipate.

The two sat opposite each other, carefully discussing their future plans. The sky outside gradually darkened, but in this elegant room, there seemed to be a beam of light flickering, illuminating their way forward.

……

next day
The Shang Palace
Lutai is magnificent and splendid, covered with jewels and precious stones.

In the center of the palace was a huge wine pool, the water was crystal clear, yet it exuded an alluring aroma of wine. Beside the pool, a variety of delicacies were placed, forming a forest of meat, the aroma was overflowing, and it made people salivate.

The palace maids were dressed in light gauze, like fairies in the clouds. They danced gracefully, singing and dancing to the melodious sound of stringed instruments.

Their dance steps changed with the rhythm of the music, sometimes like flying butterflies, sometimes like gurgling water. Every turn and every glance back was full of endless charm.

King Di Xin of Shang was wearing a luxurious imperial robe and a golden crown on his head. His face was handsome but a little cold. His eyes wandered over the palace maids, sometimes admiring their dancing and sometimes indulging in fine wine.

His laughter echoed in the palace, sounding particularly harsh.

By the wine pool, the servants were busy pouring fine wine into the pool, making the water more mellow.

From time to time, Emperor Xin would throw the golden cup in his hand into the pool, letting it float on the water, then reach out to pick it up and drink it all.

There was a satisfied smile on his face, as if he was enjoying all the good things in the world.

On the walls of the palace are hung all kinds of rare treasures, each of which is priceless.

However, beneath this luxurious scene, there lies a deep crisis.

The successive tyrannies and extravagance have caused dissatisfaction among the people. No matter how loud the laughter and joy are, they cannot cover up the precarious situation outside.

However, King Di Xin of Shang did not seem to care about these things. He was immersed in his own world, enjoying the pleasure brought by power.

Emperor Xin suddenly thought of something and waved to the guards around him, signaling them to summon Fei Zhong and You Hun.

Soon, two favorites hurried into the palace with flattering smiles on their faces.

"Are Fei Zhong, You Hun, and that villain Bigan still alive?" Emperor Xin's voice was low, revealing a hint of unquestionable majesty.

Fei Zhong quickly knelt down, touching his head to the ground, and said in a hurried voice: "Your Majesty, Bigan has been rescued by someone from Yang's company."

You Hun also knelt down quickly, a sinister look flashing in his eyes: "Your Majesty, Yang's Company must have colluded with Bigan and plotted something bad. Not only did they refuse to lend money and food, they also wanted Your Majesty to issue an edict of guilt. They are simply courting death!"

When Emperor Xin heard this, his face suddenly became ferocious. He slammed the table, stood up, and said in a voice full of anger: "Yang's business, how dare they do this! Who do they think they are? How dare they go against me!"

Seeing this, Fei Zhong lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty, the whole world belongs to the king. Everything in Dashang is yours, and Yang's business is naturally yours as well. How dare he disobey your order?"

Emperor Xin's anger subsided a little, and a gleam of success flashed in his eyes: "Fei Zhong, you are right. I want to let this Yang family business know that their fate is in my hands!"

After saying this, Emperor Xin waved his hand and ordered the civil servants around him to quickly draft an edict, requiring the Yang family business to immediately hand over Bigan and pay a huge amount of gold, silver, treasures, money, grain and cloth to show their loyalty to the Shang Dynasty.

The civil servant wrote the edict quickly with trembling hands. Emperor Xin personally sealed it with the imperial seal and ordered someone to deliver it to Yang's business immediately.

Emperor Xin turned around and said to Fei Zhong and You Hun: "Go, take my golden armored guards and personally deliver the imperial edict to the Yang family business. Let's see if they dare to disobey my order!"

Fei Zhong and You Hun took the order and left, they were very happy because in their opinion, this was a great opportunity to make a lot of money.

Everyone knows that during the more than ten years of rapid rise of the Yang family business, a large amount of wealth was accumulated. Although most of it was used for charity, even the remaining part is still a huge sum.

This time they went to convey the imperial edict, and with the protection of the golden armored guards, they could naturally rest assured and make money with peace of mind.

Emperor Xin sat back on the throne, his eyes beginning to wander among the dancing of the palace maids again, as if his anger just now was just a show, and he was immersed in his own joy again.

Outside the palace, the Golden Armored Guards set out in a mighty procession. Their armors shone brightly in the sun, like shooting stars, heading straight for the Yang Company.

In the study, Jiang Ziya and Bigan were facing a magnificent map, discussing the next plan in detail.

Suddenly, a burst of hurried footsteps broke the silence in the room, and the housekeeper rushed in panting, his face pale.

"Sir, it's bad! There are thousands of soldiers outside, surrounding our house, and Fei Zhong and You Hun are personally leading people to rush in!"

The butler's voice was filled with panic.

When Bigan heard the sudden news, his face turned pale instantly. He blamed himself in his heart: "It is me who has caused trouble for Mr. Jiang. If it were not for me, your company would not have suffered such a disaster."

Jiang Ziya's expression remained unchanged. He waved his hand gently, signaling the housekeeper and Bigan to calm down: "It's okay. My Yang's Company is not a place where they can act arrogantly."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a noisy sound outside the courtyard. The Golden Armored Guards led by Fei Zhong and You Hun were searching like wolves and tigers. They had only one goal, which was to find Bigan and plunder all the wealth of the Yang family business.

Bigan clenched his fists and was about to step forward, but Jiang Ziya shook his head gently, stopping his recklessness: "Bigan, your identity is special. If you show up, it will only make things more complicated.

Sit down, I will take care of everything."

Jiang Ziya's voice was full of unquestionable majesty. Although Bigan was extremely anxious, he had to suppress his anxiety and sat back in his chair.

At this moment, a loud shout came: "Jiang Ziya, quickly hand over Bigan, and bring all the gold, silver and treasures of your company to me!"

Fei Zhong's voice was full of arrogance. He was obviously full of confidence, thinking that he could do whatever he wanted since he held Emperor Xin's order in his hands.

However, when they rushed into the study, they saw Jiang Ziya still sitting upright in the chair, looking calm, not at all affected by the noise from the outside world.

"Fei Zhong, You Hun, you have come here with such fanfare. Are you going to rob openly?" Jiang Ziya's voice was calm and deep.

Fei Zhong and You Hun looked at each other. They didn't expect Jiang Ziya to be so calm, and they couldn't help but feel a little fearful.

"Jiang Ziya, don't play tricks on me! We are here today on the orders of His Majesty. If you are smart, just hand over Bigan and the treasure!"

You Hun said through gritted teeth.

Jiang Ziya smiled slightly, his eyes staring into the abyss: "Do you think that there are only gold and silver treasures in this Yang's business?"

Fei Zhong and You Hun looked at each other. They didn't understand the meaning of Jiang Ziya's words, but they sensed an ominous aura.

Seeing that Jiang Ziya was still calm, Fei Zhong was furious. He glared at Jiang Ziya fiercely and shouted, "How dare you disobey my order? You are stubborn and unyielding! Golden Armor Guards, listen to my order, confiscate this Yang's business!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the golden-armored guards immediately rushed around like wolves and tigers. Their iron boots stepped on the ground, making a heavy sound, and the whole mansion seemed to tremble under the vibration.

Seeing this, Bigan was extremely anxious. He knew that his presence would only make the situation worse, but he could not just sit back and watch. Just as he was about to stand up, suddenly, a beautiful figure fell from the sky and landed in the yard.

She was a woman of extraordinary beauty, with a slender figure and a stunning face. With just a slight wave of her hand, an invisible force spread out. All the golden-armored guards who rushed into the house were instantly dizzy, and one by one they staggered and fell to the ground like drunkards.

The scene suddenly became chaotic. The originally ferocious faces of the golden-armored guards now looked ridiculous. They struggled to stand up, but were like puppets that had lost control and were unable to move on their own.

Fei Zhong and You Hun were terrified when they saw this. Their faces turned pale as paper, their legs became weak, and they could hardly stand.

They had never seen such a magical scene, and the fear in their hearts surged like a flood.

"What, what is this?!" You Hun's voice trembled and his eyes were full of fear.

Fei Zhong's eyes widened. He originally thought that he would be able to succeed easily by bringing the Golden Armored Guards here, but he didn't expect to encounter such an incredible scene.

His lips trembled and he wanted to speak, but found that he couldn't even utter a complete sentence.

The woman's eyes swept over Fei Zhong and You Hun. There was no emotion in her eyes, as if she was looking at two insignificant ants.

She turned to look at Jiang Ziya and Bigan and nodded slightly, indicating that she had the situation under control.

This woman was none other than Yun Hua, who had saved Bigan's life before. The Yang Company was the hard work of her husband, so she would naturally not sit idly by.

Bigan was filled with gratitude towards Yunhua. He knew very well that if Yunhua had not appeared in time, the current situation would have been difficult to handle.

He took a step forward and bowed deeply to Yunhua: "Bigan would like to thank the immortal for saving my life."

Yunhua waved his hand gently, indicating that you're welcome.

Her gaze once again fell on Fei Zhong and You Hun who were still in panic. She waved her hand again, and an invisible force wrapped up Fei Zhong and You Hun. The next moment, they flew out of the house like stones thrown by a huge force and disappeared into the distant sky.

(End of this chapter)