Meanwhile, King Zhou, far away in Chaoge, was still unaware that Great Shang had lost Wen Zhong—the pillar that held up the sky and the golden beam that calmed the seas. He was still indulging himself every night with his Daji, lost in a world of dissipation and luxury!
It was not until Tao Rong and the others returned with the army, and the figure of Wen Zhong was nowhere to be seen, that King Zhou was jolted awake in terror. He flew into a great rage, swearing to make Xiqi pay in blood and avenge Wen Zhong.
As it turned out, Wen Zhong and Tao Rong had long since agreed upon a plan: Tao Rong and his companions would falsely report that Wen Zhong had met a tragic death at the hands of Xiqi. The hope was to startle King Zhou awake, make him turn back from his misguided path, rouse his spirits, and reorganize the realm of Great Shang, so that he would no longer be obsessed with the intoxicating beauty of Daji.
Chapter 117