The thousand-year-old family began with King Wu's conquest of King Zhou.

Chapter 41 The Eternal Lineage

Zhang Ruotuo's campaign against Zhao was unsuccessful, and coupled with Fan Ju's slanderous remarks, Zhang Ruotuo was ultimately stripped of his rank by one grade as punishment.

After that, Zhang Ruotuo secluded himself and refused to see any guests, ignoring all matters of state and other affairs.

"This child is more obedient than Zhang Du."

Inside the ancestral temple, Zhang Zhao looked at all this and nodded in satisfaction. If Zhang Ruotuo had disobeyed orders like Bai Qi, the Zhang family might have suffered a great calamity!

Zhang Zhao brought up the panel and checked the Zhang family's current destiny value.

The Mandate of Heaven is unlocked after the clan's reputation exceeds 30,000 points. According to the panel description, as long as the Mandate of Heaven value reaches 100 points, the Zhang family can rule the world.

Of course, this comes with certain conditions.

Just like Zhang's current destiny value is 2.

This year's forecast: +0

Within the Nine Provinces, there exist other kings/emperors who are not vassals of our side: -41/year

Capital of Heavenly Mandate: Hanzhong (Control level: 85%) +21/year

Water Virtue Sign: +20/year

Related information: Independence of vassal states: -5.11

The maximum limit of destiny is determined by dominance, and the current limit is 10.

Offering sacrifices to Heaven and ancestors can enhance one's destiny.

The higher the Heavenly Mandate, the stronger the city's morale, and the greater the influx of population!

This is a necessary condition for increasing Destiny Value. If you want Destiny Value to break through the upper limit and reach 100 points, there are other conditions.

Once your destiny value reaches 100 points, you can rule the world.

There are two branches to ruling the world.

Firstly: The Mandate of Heaven Has Been Awarded

Condition: 1. Our national affairs have not been taken over by a regent/minister.

2. We are not a vassal state of any other country.

3. Our rank is at least King.

4. We have at least four hundred cities.

5. This operation requires 100,000 clan reputation points.

6. No decree of Heaven's Mandate has been issued.

7. Our territory is one of the following: "Central Xia", "Eastern Yi", "Southern Man", "Western Rong", or "Northern Di".

8. Our side represents the forces of various nations.

9. Our cultural stage is no lower than the "Etiquette and Law" stage.

10. Our side is not in any dynasty or is the emperor of any dynasty.

11. Our ruler is in a normal and idle state.

12. Our Fate Value reaches 100

Performing this action will issue an edict of pacification to all nations. Those who surrender in accordance with the edict will become our vassals and will be granted new fiefdoms.

Those who refuse to obey the edict will lower the morale of all cities in their area, increase the riot value and rebelliousness, and be labeled as rebels.

The first branch followed the feudal system.

The second branch is interesting.

[Secondly: Uniting the Nine Provinces]

condition:

1. Our side represents the forces of various nations.

2. Our ruler is in a normal and idle state.

3. Our national affairs have not been taken over by a regent/minister.

4. We have no ongoing alliances.

5. We are the emperor.

6. Our control over the state where the capital is located reaches 75%.

7. Our Fate Value reaches 100

8. Our territory is one of the following: "Central Xia", "Eastern Yi", "Southern Man", "Western Rong", "Northern Di", or "Man Yi".

9. Our cultural stage is no lower than the "Etiquette and Law" stage.

Effect: By accepting the urging of his ministers, he will become the ruler of all the lands. If he acts with "tyranny," the strong will be respected, and he will establish alliances with the feudal lords, thus gaining the title of "Overlord."

If one follows the "Way of the King," then the benevolent will be invincible, and will share land with the feudal lords and ministers to jointly defend the world, thus earning the title of "Sage King."

If the imperial way is followed, then governance will be based on laws and decrees, the state will be abolished and prefectures established, the whole world will be unified, and the emperor will be honored with the title of "Emperor Taizu".

If one follows the imperial path, then the nation's name will also be unlocked.

If a capital or secondary capital exists in the Liangzhou region, and the Hanzhong, Shuzhong, and Bazhong regions are unified, the nation can be named "Han"! When the nation is named Han, our ethnic territory changes to "Zhongxia," and our dynasty's virtue changes to "Fire Virtue."

If a capital or secondary capital exists in the Yuzhou region, and the Heluo, Guanzhong, and Xiaohan regions are unified, the state name "Zhou" can be established! When the state name is Zhou, our ethnic territory changes to "Zhongxia," and our dynasty's virtue changes to "Fire Virtue."

If a capital or secondary capital exists in the Yuzhou region, and the Hedong, Hexi, and Heluo regions are unified, the state name "Xia" can be established! When the state name is Xia, our ethnic territory changes to "Zhongxia," and our dynasty's virtue changes to "Wood Virtue."

If a capital or secondary capital exists in the Yuzhou region, and the Hedong, Hexi, and Heluo regions are unified, the state name "Shang" can be established! When the state name is Shang, our ethnic territory changes to "Zhongxia," and our dynasty's virtue changes to "Jin De."

If a capital or secondary capital exists in the Yuzhou region, and the Hedong, Hexi, and Henan regions are unified, the state name "Yu" can be established! When the state name is Yu, our ethnic territory changes to "Zhongxia," and our dynasty's virtue changes to "Earth Virtue."

If a capital or secondary capital exists in the Yongzhou region, and the Guanzhong, Longxi, and Shangluo regions are unified, the state name "Qin" can be established! When the state name is Qin, our ethnic territory changes to "Zhongxia," and our dynasty's virtue changes to "Water Virtue."

If a capital or secondary capital exists in the Yongzhou region, and the Taiyuan, Hedong, and Hexi regions are unified, the state name "Tang" can be established! When the state name is Tang, our ethnic territory changes to "Zhongxia," and our dynasty's virtue changes to "Earth Virtue."

If a capital or secondary capital exists in the Yuzhou region, and the Henan, Huai-Si, and Huai-Bei areas are unified, the state name "Song" can be established! When the state name is Song, our ethnic territory changes to "Zhongxia," and our dynasty's virtue changes to "Wood Virtue."

If a capital or secondary capital exists in the Jizhou region, and the Hedong, Shangdang, and Taiyuan regions are unified, the state name "Jin" can be established! When the state name is Jin, our ethnic territory changes to "Zhongxia," and our dynasty's virtue changes to "Fire Virtue."

If a capital or secondary capital exists in the Jingzhou region, and the southern, Jiangxi, and Huainan regions are unified, the state name "Chu" can be established! When the state name is Chu, our ethnic territory changes to "Zhongxia," and our dynasty's virtue changes to "Fire Virtue."

If a capital or secondary capital exists in the Qingzhou, Yanzhou, and Xuzhou regions, and the Jiaodong, Jibei, and Taishan regions are unified, the state name "Qi" can be established! When the state name is Qi, our ethnic territory changes to "Zhongxia," and our dynasty's virtue changes to "Wood Virtue."

If a capital or secondary capital exists in the Yangzhou region, and the Jiangdong, Donghai, and Huainan regions are unified, the state name "Wu" can be established! When the state name is Wu, our ethnic territory changes to "Zhongxia," and our dynasty's virtue changes to "Wu Virtue."

You may also establish your own nation's name, but the name must be consistent with your clan's territory and moral character; otherwise, your destiny value will decrease!

Inside the ancestral temple, Zhang Zhao stood with his hands behind his back in the void, with a panel that only he could see floating in front of him.

Nothing else mattered; the main thing was the Destiny Value column. The number wasn't large, but it weighed heavily on his heart.

"2 o'clock," he murmured.

Ninety-eight points away from 100.

Each year, the Water Virtue Omen steadily increases by 21 points. Combined with the 21 points provided by the Hanzhong administration, the annual increase is 42 points.

However, those forces within the Nine Provinces that claim to be kings or emperors have to deduct forty-one points each year.

All things considered, the number of points remains unchanged throughout the year. At this rate, when will it ever be possible to accumulate 100 points of Destiny?

Most importantly, the Zhang family is currently only a subject of the Qin state. As long as the Zhang family remains a royal family of a vassal state, their destiny value can continue to rise steadily.

Zhang Zhao then looked at the two branches.

The Mandate of Heaven has been bestowed upon them, following the old path of the enfeoffment system. Those who surrender by imperial decree will be granted land and fiefdoms, while those who refuse to comply will be labeled as rebels! This is the path of King Wu of Zhou, which is safe but has endless future troubles.

The feudal lords who were granted fiefdoms would inevitably become too powerful to control sooner or later, as the Zhou dynasty had already demonstrated. The Zhang family, who were once feudal lords in the state of Liang, were well aware of the intricacies of this scheme.

But the three paths that unite Kyushu are what truly captivated him.

Domineering, the strong rule, and dominating the feudal lords—this was Xiang Yu's path.

The way of the king is that the benevolent are invincible, and that the land is divided and the world is jointly protected. This is the path of the Zhou emperor.

The imperial way, governed by laws and decrees, abolished the state and established prefectures, unified the four seas, and was honored as "Grand Ancestor". This was an unprecedented path, and no one had ever walked it since the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.

In the future, a ruler of Qin will embark on this path.

"The Imperial Way..." Zhang Zhao chewed on these two words repeatedly.

The phrase "abolishing the states and establishing prefectures" carries more weight than Mount Tai. Eight hundred years of Zhou dynasty enfeoffment had deeply ingrained the division of power among feudal lords; Qi, Chu, Yan, Han, Zhao, and Wei—which of these states hadn't existed for centuries?

To abolish all these states and replace them with prefectures and counties appointed by the central government, what is needed is not only military force, but also an unprecedented system, a group of officials capable of implementing this system, and a monarch capable of withstanding the backlash from the entire world.

The Zhang family lacks such a powerful leader, so now is not the time for them to rise to prominence, nor do they have the resources to do so.

But precisely because no one has ever walked this path before, once it is completed, it will truly be a lineage that lasts for eternity.

Zhang Zhao's gaze lingered on the words "Emperor Taizu" for a long time.

This posthumous title is not something anyone can use. The Shang dynasty had a Grand Ancestor, that was King Tang. The Zhou dynasty had a Grand Ancestor, that was King Wen. Since then, no one has dared to claim the title of Grand Ancestor. And the "Grand Ancestor" on the panel corresponds not to the ruler of a single country, but to the ruler of all the lands of China.

He brought up Zhang Ruotuo's panel and glanced at it again.

Positioning oneself as a patriot, cultivating both ink and weapon skills, and prioritizing righteousness in character—such descendants are rare, appearing only a handful in the Zhang family over twenty generations.

But such a descendant was nothing more than Lord Jingning of Qin, who conquered cities and territories for Ying Ji. After the country was established, he was stripped of his title and forced to close his doors to guests.

Ying Ji could take away his title with a single word, and he could also take his life with a single word; Bai Qi's fate serves as a cautionary tale.

Working for someone else always ends up like this.

Zhang Zhao turned off the control panel and sat back down in front of the chessboard.

He didn't draw a conclusion immediately. With only two points of destiny value, it was too early to talk about ruling the world.

But a seed had already been planted in his heart: Zhang could not work for others forever.

Over a dozen generations and more than four hundred years of accumulation, from a corner of Hanzhong to now standing firmly in the Qin court, the road of prosperity and decline has been very difficult.

If given the chance to break through one hundred in destiny value, Zhang must take the path that no one has ever taken before—not the path of tyranny, not the path of kings—but the path of emperors.

As for when, let's wait until the First Emperor begins to walk the path of imperial rule!

Zhang's primary goal now is—to live, to live, and to damn live.

Live until the day the opportunity comes, live until the world is in chaos!