When Goujian and his wife felt discouraged, Fan Li would encourage them, instilling the idea that “without weathering storms, how can one see rainbows?” He would say: “Those who haven’t experienced loneliness lack grand ambitions. Those who haven’t experienced great sorrow and joy lack comprehensive thinking. Which ancient sage didn’t experience adversity?”
Fu Chai greatly admired Fan Li.
Fu Chai was a man who could recognize talent.
He tried to persuade Fan Li to switch sides, arguing that people naturally seek advancement. Fu Chai said: “Master Fan, why do you still follow Goujian? He will never rise again. Someone like you should be wise and join the winning side. Come to Wu, and I’ll give you a high-ranking position.”
Fan Li directly refused: “I am a minister of a fallen state. How dare I expect wealth and honor?”
Fortunately, Fu Chai was in a good mood and didn’t become angry, or Fan Li would have lost his head.
Fan Li was a strange character. With his intelligence and capability, he could be sought after anywhere, yet he willingly followed Goujian as a defeated minister.
The next day, Fu Chai was idle and stood on a high platform. He saw Goujian and his wife sunbathing, with Fan Li respectfully standing behind them. Despite their disheveled appearance, they were still his superiors, and Fan Li was unwilling to neglect the etiquette between ruler and subject.
Fu Chai thought Fan Li was truly rare – he did not look down on people or kick them when they were down.
Xi Shi was the last one to toast Fan Li, softly saying, “Doctor Fan, take care.”
Fan Li tried to put on a smile and gently replied, “Miss Xi Shi, you take care too.”
Xi Shi felt a bitter ache in her heart. But on the surface, she forced a smile: “Thank you, Doctor Fan.” Not far away, Fu Chai was watching her intently.
Fu Chai simply did not want to take his eyes off Xi Shi. Fu Chai felt he was experiencing love, and it was sweet.
When Fan Li was about to leave, Fu Chai smiled and said to Fan Li: “When Doctor Fan returns to Yue, tell your king that I am very satisfied with the beautiful woman you presented, especially Xi Shi. Who would have thought that your small Yue state would hide such a beautiful woman?”
Fan Li suppressed his inner anger and responded superficially: “I will certainly convey the message. As long as the king is pleased.”
He finally gritted his teeth and left with a heart full of helpless grief. In his heart, he secretly swore: Xi Shi, wait, we will soon attack Wu state and rescue you! By then, Xi Shi, you will be mine, and no one can take you away!
Because of Xi Shi and Zheng Dan’s arrival, all of Fu Chai’s concubines were overshadowed. Fu Chai gradually neglected those concubines, like all lustful men who love the new and tire of the old.
Zheng Dan’s subtle demeanor and Xi Shi’s charming beauty deeply attracted Fu Chai.
Fu Chai unknowingly fell into their gentle embrace.
Xi Shi was skilled at dancing in wooden clogs, often performing for Fu Chai in the palace. With crisp bell sounds, Xi Shi would arrive, her footsteps creating a bright and agile rhythm. At this moment, she was like a crystal beauty – crystalline and lovely.
Zheng Dan loved sword dancing. Her sword dance was fluid and ethereal, like a cold light pouring through the air. When Zheng Dan danced with a sword, she was heroic, with the demeanor of a national heroine.
Between Zheng Dan and Xi Shi, Fu Chai was especially fond of Xi Shi, almost to the point of being infatuated. Initially, Fu Chai tried to be fair, arranging both Zheng Dan and Xi Shi in the Wu palace. But gradually, he spent more and more time in Xi Shi’s bed. Eventually, Fu Chai lavished all his affection on Xi Shi, even building grand structures for her – first the luxurious Gusu Terrace, then the magnificent Guan Wa Palace on Ling Mountain, where he moved in with Xi Shi.
Fu Chai said to Xi Shi: “My beauty, I dreamed of you last night. Guess what I dreamed?” Like a teenager in love, despite being in his forties.
Xi Shi giggled.
Even if she didn’t like or even despised Fu Chai, she couldn’t show it. She said coyly: “What did my lord dream about? Tell me, I can’t guess.”
Wu Zixu was an extraordinary person, famous in history, with two legendary stories passed down: one of turning white-haired overnight, and another of digging up a grave to flog a corpse. Wu Zixu was not a native of Wu, but a refugee from Chu who fled to Wu. The king of Chu, known as Chu Ping Wang, listened to slanderous advice and had Wu Zixu’s father and brother executed. Wu Zixu was fortunate to escape before Chu Ping Wang could kill him, and he fled to another country, with Chu Ping Wang’s soldiers pursuing him.
Perhaps Wu Zixu was not meant to die, and at a critical moment, he was saved by Bian Que’s disciple, Dong Gao Gong, who brought him to his home. It was in Dong Gao Gong’s home that Wu Zixu’s hair turned white overnight. He was anxious, worried that if he couldn’t escape from Chu and reach Wu, his head might not remain on his shoulders.
Escaping to Wu was not easy. Between Chu and Wu was Zhao Guan, a large river. Zhao Guan was guarded by Right Prime Minister Yuan Yue, and Wu Zixu, being a wanted man with wanted posters everywhere, found crossing the pass more difficult than ascending to heaven.
Now, having transformed from a young man to an old man overnight, Wu Ziqu could pass unrecognized without disguise. With the help of Dong Gao Gong and his friend Huangfu Ne, who looked similar to Wu Zixu, he successfully passed through Zhao Guan and arrived in Wu, becoming a traitor.
Being a capable man, he never worried about survival or position. Wu Zifu quickly became close to Prince Ji Guang, the father of Fu Chai, and helped him seize the throne through his intelligence.
The passionate Wu Zixu believed a true gentleman must seek revenge. Later, together with Sun Wu, the famous military strategist who wrote “The Art of War”, he led troops to attack his homeland – Chu, and won. What frustrated Wu Zixu was that Chu Ping Wang had already died, whether in heaven or hell, no longer in this world.
Wu Zixu was not satisfied. Even if Chu Ping Wang was dead, he would still seek revenge. So, he dug up Chu Ping Wang’s grave, removed his corpse, and flogged it three hundred times to vent his anger.
It is said that the origin of “thousand-gold lady” is also credited to Wu Ziqu. While fleeing Chu and seeking refuge in Wu, Wu Ziqu encountered a laundry girl.
Seeing food in her basket and being extremely hungry, he had to humble himself and beg the girl for food. The girl, being kind-hearted, generously gave him something to eat.
However, after giving Wu Ziqu food, she suddenly realized that male-female contact was socially unacceptable. So, she picked up a stone and jumped into the river, feeding herself to the fish.
Wu Ziqu was deeply saddened and wrote a blood letter: “You washed clothes, I begged; I was full, you drowned. Ten years later, a thousand gold will repay your kindness!”
Wu Ziqu indeed kept his word and later threw a thousand gold coins into the river where the girl had jumped. This story spread, and eventually, unmarried daughters from wealthy families became known as “thousand-gold ladies”.
War, When Will Vengeance End (1)
Fu Chai deeply loved Xi Shi, building her a palace on Ling Yan Mountain, spending every evening with her. Fu Chai’s concept of love was ahead of his time; he wanted the person he loved to be happy, and his own happiness depended on her happiness. To make Xi Shi happy, Fu Chai went to great lengths, constantly creating new experiences: today digging a pond for her to appreciate the moon, tomorrow opening a deep well for her to see her reflection.
Such a husband’s infatuation might only be rivaled by King You of Western Zhou.
