Portal:Investiture of the Gods/Chapter 8

This chapter is titled "Princes Take Flight". As Jiang Huan and Queen Jiang were thus placed before the West Palace together, the Queen and Lady Huan wrathfully rebuked Huan for his evil treachery. At this same point in time, Crown Prince Yin Jiao and Yin Hong, who were playing chess, were immediately informed by Yang Rong of the current situation—and thus ran to the Western Palace in quick pace to meet with their mother. Gazing at their mother laying forth in a large pool of blood, the queen stated her final words to the crown prince to attain revenge before uttering one last breath before death. In unparalleled blood lust towards his mother's death, Yin Jiao grabbed his sword and sliced the neighboring Jiang Huan into two pieces after being informed of the latter's treachery. Once Yin Jiao had impulsively shouted his additional desire to kill Daji, Chao Tian and Chao Lei—dubbed as the "Chao Twins"—immediately ran to the king at the Fairy Longevity Palace in fear and elaborated the crown prince's intentions. In resoundful rage, King Zhou handed the Chao Twins his Dragon-Phoenix sword to personally put an end to both princes through decapitation. With the twins thus heading to the Eastern Palace, Lady Huang heard the king's newest decree and quickly told the two princes to take shelter with Concubine Yang at the Fragrant Palace for a few days. As the princes thus arrived at Concubine Yang's residence, Chao Tiang and Chao Lei arrived shortly for inspection—but were barked away for their rude insolence. After the princes left to a greater area of safety—the Grand Hall with Yellow Flying Tiger—Concubine Yang decided to hang herself less she were to be found out at a later time that she sheltered the princes. At this same point in time Lady Huang informed King Zhou of Queen Jiang's last saying before death, and the Chao Twins were ordered to head to the Grand Hall after elaborating their past failure. The princes arrived shortly before the Grand Hall and were met by Yellow Flying Tiger and many other ministers who angrily vowed to see His Majesty after hearing the former's unfortunate story.

Once Fang Bi and Fang Xiang—dubbed as the "Fang Brothers"—roared into the Grand Hall stating that King Zhou should be overthrown for his blatant tyranny, Yellow Flying Tiger and others stood silent in great frustration if such an action would truly be right. In justice's name, the two fang brothers each grabbed hold of one prince and charged forth from the palace gates stating boldy that they would escort the two princes to East Lu before raising their own army to uproot the evil tyrant. As each minister sat in astonishment at what had just taken place, Yellow Flying Tiger solely stood forth in admiration of the Fang Brothers' exceeded loyalty. With the immediate arrival of the Chao Twins, they were informed of the incident with the Fang Brothers; being in a difficult situation, the two headed to see King Zhou in quick pace. After ensuring Yellow Flying Tiger with this task, the former headed out alone atop his divine Rainbow Ox. Following his immediate arrival before the two princes in the wilderness, he pleaded for the two children to put an end to their own lives; for if he were to kill them himself, his conscience would never be the same; but if he were to refuse the king's order, he would receive death. After Prince Yellow Flying Tiger sat in frustration, he told Fang Bi to head to Jiang Huanchu at East Lu with the two princes while Fang Xiang was to see E Chongyu to encourage him to lead a two-directional force against the capital with the former. Handing Fang Bi his jade pendant as an expense, he headed back to the capital to report his failure—to the ministers' delight. Upon his report to King Zhou that evening, Daji suggested to the king that two generals should be sent immediately that night to pursue the two brothers with three-thousand soldiers in assistance. Once these two less generals—Yin and Lei—approached Yellow Flying Tiger that night, the latter ensured their supply of men and horses to be ready at the fifth watch the following morning—less his plans were to be foiled. Being equipped with old and infirmed men the next morning as soldiers, the two generals simply sighed to themselves with the knowledge that they had no other choice but to continue

Traveling for the past two days with the young princes, the four individuals arrived at a fork in the road: one direction leading east, and the other leading south. The Fang Brothers decided it best that the two princes solely traveled either paths while they both traveled to the west; for the precious jade piece given by Yellow Flying Tiger may be a risky expense less anyone in the future realized who it truly belonged to. Thus telling the princes their resolution, they informed them that they will take refuge in any neighboring dukedom along the way and join their vanguard upon it's future advance to Morning Song. Following their tearful farewell, Yin Jiao declared that he will continue to head east until he meets with his grandfather, and Yin Hong should head to the south. Once his grandfather were to begin his troop mobilization upon the capital, Yin Jiao promised to inform his younger brother of his route so that he could additionally join in the attack. Thus parting their separate ways, Yin Hong arrived shortly at a small village and sat down to eat a meal after declaring to the cottagers that he was none other than the younger son of King Zhou. Following his immediate leave once paying his obeisance, Yin Hong entered the Temple of Emperor Xuanyuan along his way and slept their for the night in comfort. While Yin Jiao meanwhile continued his journey towards East Lu, he found himself in front of a Grand Tutor's mansion -- as displayed from a board hanging from its gate. Being late into the night, the prince decided it best to rest at this mansion for now while he resumes early into the following morning. Knocking continuously without any answer, Yin Jiao decided to open the gates where he heard someone reciting over a poem. Walking closer and elaborting the reason upon his arrival, Yin Jiao entered the mansion and saw none other than former Prime Minister Shang Rong standing before him to his immense surprise. As Shang Rong sat down to listen to the prince's story, he stamped his foot in unparalleled rage—and thus vowed to Yin Jiao that he would return to the capital with the former and directly petition His Majesty to abandon his course of action to save the kingdom. With Shang Rong thus forming his petition, Generals Yin and Lei meanwhile decided to split their forces into two--one halve leaving the east, and the other to the south—after arriving at the original tripe fork road. Thus leaving their separate directions, they decided to meet at this specific fork road as an area of regroup after the princes were captured.