485 BC - Helu City, Wu Kingdom
Fan Li escorted Xi Shi and Zheng Dan to Helu City, the capital of Wu Kingdom.
It was not an easy journey for Fan Li and Xi Shi. They loved each other, yet their patriotic aspiration was more significant than their personal lives.
King Fuchai had heard that Goujian had prepared many valuable things from Yue – including the two most beautiful girls from Yue. He was excited and curious to see them.
An official welcoming ceremony was held for Fan Li - the special messenger from Goujian.
Fuchai was familiar with Fan Li since Fan Li also served at Fuchai's horse stable to take care of his horses when Goujian was in Wu.
Fuchai and his ministers were happily welcome Fan Li, who brought a lot of tribute gifts to them. They knew that each one of them at least would get two beautiful women from Goujian.
"Great king, my lord has been working hard to serve you. And today, I come here to show our loyalty to you," Fan Li said. "Besides those gifts that I had delivered to the state treasury, my country still wants to give you the best things from our land. "
"Oh, what is that?" Fuchai asked excitedly.
"My king, Goujian, privately possesses heaven-sent Xi Shi and Zheng Dan. As a poor and shabby land, Yue does not deserve them. Therefore, my king, Goujian offer them to Your Majesty with reverence. The two girls, our Yue beauties, are outside now!"
"Bring them in!" said Fuchai.
Xi Shi and Zheng Dan were brought in front of Fuchai. Just as they were entering the room, all of the officials could not help but praised their beauties. The girls walked elegantly.
When Fuchai saw Xi Shi, he couldn't believe what he saw. He had never seen a woman like her.
Behold the beauty of Yue,
Her figure is neither plump nor thin
Her stature is neither short nor tall
On her face, there's no blemish
Peach blossoms rosy cheeks
That gives her an air of natural beauty
Two gold rings, set with pearls
Hanging low beneath her ears
She only had to move her fingers
And the king's heart would jump
She only had to sit near the river
And the fishes would forget how to swim***
***Xi Shi's beauty was said to be so extreme that while leaning over a balcony to look at the fish in the pond, the fish would be so dazzled that they forgot to swim and sank below the surface.
Not only Fuchai, but almost all of the people who were in the room were astonished when they saw Xi Shi and Zheng Dan.
Among all the ministers in Wu court, only Wu Zixu was not happy with all those things. Wu Zixu looked somber once he saw how beautiful Xi Shi was. He knew from Fuchai's facial expression that the downfall of Wu was just starting.
The King of Wu gripped his sword.
Eager to cut off ten thousand enemies' heads.
How a heart made of iron and stone.
Could yet be melted by a flower?
Wu Zixu sighed and secretly left the palace to return to his house.
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Wu Zixu returned home with a heavy heart. He went to his study room and drank his wine alone.
"Why my lord is so upset?" someone asked. "If my lord wants to get drunk, at least my lord has to invite me to join!"
Wu Zixu turned his head and saw his trusted aide, Yan Xuanye. He laughed and said, "Come, let's have a drink till we drunk!"
Xuanye took a seat in front of Wu Zixu and poured some wine for both of them. "Come, my lord! Toast!"
"Xuanye, how long do you think this kingdom would last?"
Xuanye smiled and said, "I saw Fuchai's face when he saw those Yue beauties. I guess it won't be too long."
"Just take a look at Di Xin of Shang! He only had to meet with Daji, and his bravery come to naught. And his kingdom came to an end," Wu Zixu sighed. "Besides those Yue beauties, there's Goujian, Fan Li and Wen Zhong. They will work hard to see Wu collapsed!"
" I think, as long as you are still the prime minister of Wu, then this kingdom is safe!"
"But what if I no longer be a prime minister?"
Xuanye sighed, "Then the maximum will be eight to twelve years!"
"Hmm? Tell me about your analysis! Why not three years of five years?"
"Because Goujian is not ready yet. He needs at least eight years from now to have an adequate number of soldiers to deal with us. Also, their weapons' qualities are not good. Therefore to deal with our soldiers, they need at least three-four times as many as our soldiers."
"Aye, Xuanye! You're my good aide. You've been following me for years, and you've never failed me. Now that I don't have a bright future in this state, then you could always leave any time you want to!"
Xuanye put his wine vessel and kowtowed politely in front of Wu Zixu said, "Lord, you are my master. I've been learning a lot of military skills from you. Therefore, no matter what, I will follow you!"
"But what about your wife and children?"
"They could leave Helu City and go to another place. I will stay here and accompany you!"
"I already have nothing to offer to you!"
"Lord, I'm compiling and writing the military strategies that we've been discussing for years. That knowledge is more valuable than anything," Xuanye said.
"You're not only my reliable adjutant but also a good friend!" Wu Zixu's eyes grew dim. "I was a fugitive who fled from the Chu. And the late King Helu treated me kindly. Remember those days, when we marched together and destroyed the capital city of Chu?"
Xuanye laughed, "How can I forget those days. We fought fearlessly and won the battle against the Chu, and we even forced them to abandon their capital!"
"Great victory! Good old days!" Wu Zixu. "Unfortunately, Fuchai doesn't have the spirit of his father!"
"You understand Fuchai so much. You know the enemy and know yourself, then why do you still bother to remind Fuchai about Goujian? He would not listen to you. You should retire and live peacefully outside!"
"I can't remain quiet! His father was like a brother to me!"
"Then, we better just enjoy our wine now and see what we can do tomorrow!" Xuanye said. "Come, toast!"
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Meanwhile, in the palace, Fuchai could not wait to see Xi Shi in her nuptial chamber.
Fuchai entered the room and saw her :
Glossy, black, raven hair
Dark and curved, new moon eyebrows
Clear, bright almond eyes
On her ruby lips she wore no rouge;
But looked as though she did wear rouge.
A straight, full, alabaster nose
A light flowerlike figure
With a cuddlesome waist
Fuchai approached her and said, "I heard that you are the most beautiful girl in Yue! But I think, not only in Yue; you could be considered as the most beautiful girl in this century!"
Xi Shi put a light smile while lowering her head, "Your Majesty is too flattering! I'm just an ordinary woman. I hope that Your Majesty will treat me kindly!"
Fuchai lifted up her chin softly and said, "How can I not treat a woman like you kindly?"
The king of Wu happily cuddled her waist and kissed her lightly.
How delighted he was to get the Beauty of Yue.
For Xi Shi, her days of agony had just begun. She knew that the king would treat her kindly. But for a woman of virtue like her, the more the king treated her kindly, the more guilty she was.
"The royal house of Shang came to an end because of Daji. And many years from now, the sacred altars of the state of Wu will perish on account of Xi Shi and Zheng Dan," Xi Shi said in her mind, while she let the king kissed her lips and took off her robes.
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