Claiming the Throne of Gods, Starting from the Rebirth of Nezha

"Today I did not come for other matters, but because I see Your Majesty’s tyranny and cruelty, the people suffering, dissonance between ruler and ministers, and disconnection between the upper and lower classes of the nation.

Now Your Majesty uses such brutal punishments again; what crime did these palace attendants commit?

Yesterday I saw the people handing over snakes and scorpions with everyone expressing grievances. This year, droughts and floods are frequent, making life hard for the common people, let alone buying snakes from over a hundred miles away, disrupting their peace.

I have heard: ’When the people are impoverished, they become thieves, and when thieves gather, chaos ensues.’ Moreover, with foreign smoke and fire, the vassals are rebellious. In the southeast, there is no peace, and the people think of revolt daily, with warfare arising everywhere. Your Majesty does not cultivate benevolent governance but engages in daily tyranny. Since the time of Pangu, there has never been such a thing. What is the name of this punishment? Which generation of monarchs devised it?"

King Zhou’s voice grew cold, and he said, "What do you know of the palace’s internal issues? These palace attendants and mistress plotted rebellion, harboring deep grievances, long beyond remedy, hence I established this punishment, named ’Scorpion Pit.’"

Jiao Ge said, "People are all flesh and blood, born and raised by parents. Now entering the pit of snakes, being devoured by poisonous creatures, such suffering is heart-wrenching. How can Your Majesty bear to watch? How can you find joy in your heart?

Moreover, the palace attendants are all women, serving Your Majesty day and night in the palace, merely performing some menial duties. What major offense could they have committed to deserve such a cruel punishment?

I hope Your Majesty will show mercy to the palace attendants, display your vast benevolence, and embody the heavenly virtue of cherishing life."

King Zhou said, "Your counsel seems reasonable. But the affliction in our midst, when it erupts, often catches us unawares; how can we deal with it lightly? Besides, the Empress stated that these women are scheming and cruel-hearted. Without this, they won’t learn fear and might only become worse."

Mr. Fan’s friend, also fiery in temperament, seeing King Zhou disregard his advice, immediately grew furious.