Since the fall of the former Zhou Dynasty, the various states in the Central Plains, while inheriting Zhou rituals, have been continuously reforming their systems to adapt to the ever-changing world.
As a result, the influence of the former Zhou can be seen in almost all the states, yet each has its own distinctiveness.
However, after years of reform, the states have largely diverged from the former Zhou's rituals, with only the state of Chu remaining heavily influenced by them.
The enfeoffment system of Chu can be said to be a direct copy of the former Zhou's system. Furthermore, positions such as Ling Yin and Shao Zai within Chu bear striking resemblances to the Grand Tutor and Grand Preceptor of the Zhou Dynasty.
In terms of ritual alone, Chu can be considered the true successor of the Zhou Dynasty.
It was within this environment that Prince Shen grew up.
Prince Shen was originally a son of the late King of Chu. From a young age, he displayed exceptional talent and was deeply favored by the late King.
Unfortunately, when the late King passed away, Prince Shen was still young and lacked sufficient power and influence within Chu. Consequently, he was unable to ascend to the throne of Chu.
However, the current King of Chu, upon his ascension, showed great appreciation for Prince Shen, nurturing him meticulously.
Prince Shen did not disappoint the expectations of his father and brothers. He enjoyed a stellar reputation among the nobles and common folk of Chu, achieved tangible results, and left no room for criticism.
Initially, Prince Shen stayed by the King of Chu's side, assisting his father and brothers in managing court affairs. Later, he was assigned to govern in various regions.
As such, Prince Shen was highly sought after both within and outside Chu. His name was even known to many in other feudal states.
It was through his continuous engagement with the internal and external affairs of Chu that Prince Shen became firm in his resolve to reform the state.
Through his personal experiences, Prince Shen truly felt the gap between Chu and Wei. This is why Prince Shen later advocated strongly for attracting skilled artisans from across the land to Chu.
He even granted them official positions. Of course, all this was done with the support of the King of Chu, who was also an ambitious monarch eager to achieve great things.
This led him to place such great importance and trust in his talented younger brother, even entrusting him with the position of Ling Yin.
Naturally, this was also because Chu was a noble-led state, where everything was decided by Chu's nobles.
In the eyes of Chu's nobles, Prince Shen was a benchmark figure, and thus they were all very supportive.
As for Chu's civil officials, they had little say and dared not obstruct even the granting of official positions to artisans, so they naturally did not hinder Prince Shen either.
Moreover, Prince Shen was knowledgeable in military matters and had made significant contributions on the battlefield.
The reason Prince Shen was appointed as the commander-in-chief of Chu's army against Yue this time was partly due to his status and position, and partly because he had a proven track record in warfare.
Before he ascended to the position of Ling Yin, Prince Shen served on the border for a considerable period. In his campaigns against the Yue army, he consistently emerged victorious.
He also did not suffer significant losses when engaging the Wei army, even achieving minor victories through surprise attacks on several occasions. Therefore, Prince Shen's deployment for military campaigns faced little opposition within Chu.