Chapter 128: Jiang Taigong Fishing, Waiting for the Willing to Take the Bait

Feeling deeply dejected, Ji Fa bade farewell to his father and brother before riding out of the city alone, galloping aimlessly into the distance.

Before he knew it, Ji Fa had arrived at a remote and secluded forest. Looking around, he saw lush greenery and heard the chirping of insects—a perfect place to ease a restless mind. He loosened the horse’s reins and breathed in the fresh mountain air, feeling his gloom begin to dissipate.

As he wandered further, a pool of water appeared nearby. To his surprise, someone was fishing by the bank. The angler was an old man with striking white hair. Curious, Ji Fa approached and offered a greeting: "Greetings, elder... eh?"

The man was fishing without a hook. What was going on?

"Ahem... elder, why is there no hook on your line? How can you fish like this?" Ji Fa asked, utterly astonished.

The old man smiled leisurely. "Haha... no matter. The angler uses no hook; those who are willing take the bait."

"No hook? Those who are willing take the bait? Eh... elder, your words seem to hold deep meaning. I apologize for my abruptness. May I ask your name?"

A simple sentence contained such profound wisdom—a sage hidden in the mundane. Ji Fa immediately sensed that this white-haired old man was no ordinary person.

"My surname is Jiang, and my given name is Ziya."

Jiang Ziya? A fine name. Ji Fa bowed to him. "Greetings, Master Jiang!"

"Heh heh! Greetings to you, Second Young Master of the Ji family."

Jiang Ziya remained as calm and steady as a mountain, seeing through Ji Fa’s identity in an instant. Ji Fa was even more shocked. "Ah... wait, Master Jiang, how did you know I am the Second Young Master of the Ji family?"

The problem was that he hadn't introduced himself at all. Such behavior was truly uncanny.

Jiang Ziya pulled in his line, cast a knowing glance at the bewildered Ji Fa, and smiled. "Second Young Master, please forgive my presumption. I hope I haven't caused you any alarm."

"No, no, that’s not it. I’m just curious..."

"Second Young Master, what are your thoughts on the current state of the world? Could you share a few words with me?" Jiang Ziya posed a rather strange question.

"My thoughts on the world? This..." Ji Fa pondered for a moment, then continued, "How should I put it? The world tends to unite after long division and divide after long union—this is the natural trend. My father has also spoken of the fate of the Great Shang..."

"Did your father tell you that the fortune of the Great Shang is nearing its end? That it shows the signs of a fallen kingdom?"

"Ah... you... Master Jiang, how do you know that?" Ji Fa was thoroughly startled.

Could this unremarkable, white-haired old man discern the trends of the world? Or could he perhaps divine the future? Was such a person a friend or a foe? If he were an enemy, he would be terrifying indeed.

"Heh heh, Second Young Master, please set your mind at ease. I bear you no ill will, especially not toward your Ji family."

"It is true. What your father said was correct; the Great Shang did indeed show signs of collapse earlier. But for some reason, even though the signs of ruin were clear, the tide was turned."

"I suspect that a master of great ability must have orchestrated this. It is said that King Zhou encountered a man of high virtue and prestige, and from that moment on, the fate of the Great Shang was reversed."

"Therefore, I am certain that the one who turned the tides and orchestrated these events is that very mysterious and unfathomable master."

Reflecting on his own mentor, the Primeval Lord of Heaven, who could not calculate the origins of this mysterious "master," Jiang Ziya felt a brief moment of frustration. Since he could not divine the truth, he could only conclude that this mysterious individual’s cultivation and arts must surpass his own—perhaps even standing on par with his own master.

"Ah... can the fate of a falling kingdom truly be reversed? This..." Ji Fa was stunned.

If that were the case, this reclusive "master" was truly formidable—and perhaps too overbearing. The Yin-Shang was rising; what was to become of their Xiqi? Was he destined to live under their shadow for the rest of his life, waiting on the whims of the ruler in Zhaoge? Ji Fa struggled with these thoughts.

He refused! He would rather die than live a life as lowly as a dog.

Jiang Ziya seemed to see right through the schemes swirling in Ji Fa’s mind and smiled slightly. "Second Young Master, what if I told you that I, too, have a way to turn the tides for Xiqi?"

"What? This..."

Hearing this, Ji Fa’s heart was shaken to its core. After a long silence, he asked tentatively, "Master Jiang, are those words true? Can you really..."

"Indeed! Let me put it this way: nothing in this world is absolute. Take the Yin-Shang, for example. I once observed the stars and saw a baleful star hanging high over them, bright and piercing."

"But later... that star shifted and moved toward the east... it was inconceivable."

"The Yin-Shang, whose fortune should have been exhausted, suddenly saw a comet rise, and their national destiny soared. To this day, I cannot fathom how it happened."

"Later, word spread in Zhaoge of a 'Saintly Ruler' appearing to protect the Great Shang. Only then did I begin to piece together the truth behind these bizarre events."

"The reason the signs of the Great Shang’s fall changed was undoubtedly due to the machinations of that Saintly Ruler, who ultimately altered their fate."

To be able to change the outcome of a kingdom's destruction—such a master could not be underestimated.

After Jiang Ziya finished speaking, Ji Fa felt dazed, as if he had been listening to celestial riddles. "Master Jiang, though I don’t fully understand all you’ve said, I have gathered this: the fate of the Yin-Shang changed because a master was working behind the scenes. That is the crux of it, isn't it?"

If so, then Xiqi could do the same. They could emulate the Great Shang and create a new dynasty capable of rivaling them. This was the metaphor the old man had been laying out all along.

"Second Young Master, the reason I have explained all this is to tell you one simple fact: we can use human effort to change the final outcome, just as happened with the Yin-Shang."

As he spoke, Jiang Ziya kept his gaze fixed intently on Ji Fa, waiting for the young man’s response.

Ginger is indeed spicier when it’s old. Jiang Taigong goes fishing, and those who are willing take the bait.