Portal:Investiture of the Gods/Chapter 4

This chapter is titled "The Fox Sprite Murders Daji". As Su Hu took leave from Jizhou, Black Tiger promised to the former that he would return his son immediately after arriving back at camp. With reciprocated dignity, both Su Hu and Black Tiger headed their separate ways to mark their conflict's true conclusion. Once Black Tiger had arrived back at the Shang camp, he explained the resolution of Su Hu and thoroughly reprimanded his elder brother for his disgraceful incompetence—vowing to never see him again. With Black Tiger now returning to Caozhou, Chong Houhu felt immense shame and embrassment at his former actions and would thus return to his dukedom immediately after filing a report to King Zhou. After Su Hu met with his newly freed son, Su Quanzhong, and explained to him about leadership over Jizhou while he was away, the former would enter the inner palace to discuss the situation with his wife. The next morning, Su Hu, and his tearful-eyed daughter, Daji, would head out in a carriage with three-thousand soldiers and five-hundred officers to make quick pace to the capital. Following the passage of many days Su Hu and his entourage would arrive at a courier station within Enzhou and stay their for the night. However, their had been a rumor of an evil sprite that was lurking within this station for the past few years, and Su Hu thus constantly exchanged moments of reading his book of military strategy to ensuring his daughter's safety throughout the night -- never daring to sleep for a single moment. Suddenly during the second watch at night, each candle flickered constantly throughout the halls and people screamed at the sight of a supposed ghost flying about.

Immediately with due vigor, Su Hu grabbed his iron staff and rushed to Daji's rear hall room—but his lamp would suddenly burn out forcing him to order a new lamp with due haste. Upon the entering of his daughter's room, he would be overjoyed to hear that she was only recently awoken once her father rushed into her room. As Su Hu thus returned to his room in relief at such a good omen that his daughter remained safe, little did he realize that the thousand-year fox had already seized Daji's body once Su Hu was busy attaining his secondary lamp. After several days following their setting out from Enzhou, Su Hu and his entourage would finally arrive at Morning Song and present themselves before Prince Yellow Flying Tiger. Once Su Hu had thus stationed his troops outside the city while Daji remained in the Golden Reception House, Fei Zhong and You Hun became angry at their lack of presents from the former following his arrival -- and thus successfully encouraged King Zhou to put him to death the following day. As the following day arrived, Su Hu presented himself before the king in convictual robes stating that he deserves death for his past defiance. With Shang Rong's immediate defense, Fei Zhong declared that if Su Hu's daughter is indeed very beautiful, she would be taken in while the former is freed; but if she lacks eloquentness on the contrary, both of their heads should be displayed before the city's gates. As Daji thus bowed before the king with her full condolencses, the latter could barely control his inner lust and amazement at her collosal beauty and elegance. After immediately pardoning Su Hu for his crimes and placing him back at his original rank, King Zhou took Daji's hand and headed back to the Fairy Longevity Palace to fully enjoy his first night with her. With greatly displeased ministers, civil and military affairs were continuously ignored throughout the future as King Zhou enjoyed great pleasure with Daji from time to time. By thus setting aside exceedingly urgent matters, it seemed as if the Shang Dynasty itself was rapidly sinking into chaos...

封神演義/卷004