483 BC - The Capital of Yue State
Fan Li, Wen Zhong, and King Goujian realized that their soldiers' sword skills were not adequate to deal with the Wu soldiers.
Fan Li had heard of a maiden from the forests of southern Yue whose swordsmanship was praised by all. Later he urged Goujian to find the woman. Therefore, Goujian sent some men to invite the maiden to come to the capital to demonstrate her skill in sword and spear.
When Yue Maiden arrived at court, Goujian and his ministers were surprised to see the famous swordsman. The so-called Maiden of the Southern Forest was a woman in her thirties. She dressed in plain simple clothing with a simple hair ornament, with a natural beauty that made her looked so lovely
"People called you as Yue Maiden. I didn't expect to see that you're not a young girl!" Goujian said.
The woman lowered her head and said, "It's my late husband who called me - Yue Nv (Yue Maiden), therefore no matter how old I am, I won't change my name!"
Goujian and Fan Li laughed when they heard it. The woman was a typical of a person who lived in the forest. She was straightforward and didn't beat around the bush.
When Yue Maiden heard their laughter, she raised her head and saw Fan Li. She was dumbstruck. "Ejun, she mumbled," disbelieved what she saw.
Fan Li, the Minister of Yue, possessed knowledge and erudition. Not only was he excel in literature and swordsmanship, but he was also an eloquent talker and a good looking elegant man. In short, he's a man of talent.
Fan Li was originally from Chu State. He dressed like the Chu people. And that day, with his blue embroidered robe, he looked so similar to Ejun Zixi - the late husband of Yue Maiden.
"Sir, who are you?" Yue Maiden asked Fan Li.
Fan Li bowed at Yue Maiden and gave respect, answered, "My humble name is Fan Li!"
"Oh, you're Minister Fan! I've heard so much about your wisdom!" Yue Maiden said.
Fan Li smiled and said, "I've also heard so much about you! The best swordsman in the whole kingdom!"
Yue Maiden could not take her eyes off Fan Li. He reminded her a lot of her late husband.
Goujian asked Yue Maiden, "I heard that your sword and spear skills are excellent. Where did you learn it?"
"I lived in the forest since I was a baby. I learned how to use a spear since I was very young. Then my father taught me how to hunt. I always use my skill to hunt and to survive. My mastery in spear comes all of a sudden out of nowhere. While for my swordsmanship skill, I learned it from my late husband. But since I learn swordsmanship, it is my secret passion to be a master in swordplay. Therefore, I invented quite a lot of new skills with my sword!" Yue Maiden answered.
"Could you tell me in detail about your technique?"
"My technique is quite subtle and simple. But it is veiled and profound. Once someone masters my technique, one person could subdue at least ten persons in combat!"
Goujian asked Yue Maiden to demonstrate her skills. Yue Maiden showed her sword skills, and she easily could beat a hundred Yue soldiers.
"Superb swordsmanship!" Goujian praised her. "Kindly explain to me your swordsmanship theory!"
Yue Maiden explained to Goujian her theory. The more she explained, the more Goujian and Fan Li admired the woman.
"Start from now, every commanding soldier and the best soldiers in our troops will have to learn swordsmanship from you!"
Yue Maiden agreed. Goujian gave her a house for her to stay not far from the palace.
Yue Maiden started to train the military officials in her house. Every day, she trained those men from morning to sunset.
Yue Maiden had lived by herself for a long time. She didn't like to communicate with people if unnecessary. She didn't know how to read and write. In her leisure time, she only learned swordsmanship, martial art, or do housework.
Fan Li and Goujian sometimes visited her and practiced their swordsmanship with her.
Fan Li found out that Yue Maiden was an interesting woman. She didn't know how to read and write. But she could recite many poems from Chu State - the hometown of Fan Li.
"Yue Maiden, how come you're familiar with the poems from Chu State?" Fan Li asked.
Yue Maiden sighed and said, "My late husband was a Chu person!"
"Ah," Fan Li said. "No wonder you could recite so many poems from the Chu. But I don't understand why didn't you learn how to read or write? Didn't your husband teach you how to read or write?"
"We lived in the deep forest before. Besides, …" Yue Maiden paused and sighed. "He didn't want to teach me. He said that the more knowledge you have, the more agony you get!"
Fan Li knitted his eyebrows, "Oh, how come?"
"My husband was a talented and upright man. As a result, he became intrigued by the political court struggle. He had to die because of it," Yue Maiden said in a low voice.
"I'm sorry to hear it!" Fan Li sighed. He knew that working in court was not easy. Had not he just had to lose the woman he loved? Thinking about how he had to let the woman he loved to be sent as a tribute to another country and serve another man , made Fan Li disconcerted.
As time went by, Fan Li often visited Yue Maiden in his leisure time. Besides monitoring how she trained the soldiers, he's also observing her unique lifestyle. She loved to grow fish and weaved her clothes from kudzu fiber. They often played music together, Fan Li played a guqin, and Yue Maiden played a flute.
One day, when Fan Li went to her house, Yue Maiden was not at home. She went hunting. Fan Li decided to find her and join her hunting.
Who would have thought when he arrived there, rain fell. He went further deep into the valley and saw a small creek flowing.
Fan Li could not help but enjoy the beautiful view of the valley with its creek and the drizzle spring rain.
Seeing the beautiful view, Fan Li couldn't help but recall his memory with Xi Shi. How's Xi Shi now? Thinking that she's in Wu with Fuchai made Fan Li grief.
"Spring rain in the third month.
A flowing stream of a creek in the valley.
For whom the rain fall, and the creek flow?
Missing the beauty far away there
For whom her smile and sweet voice?
Sighing in the wind
I hope the raindrops and the creek stream
Will wash away my agony."
Fan Li closed his eyes, opened wide his arms, and lifted his face to the sky. How he wished the rain fell on his body would wash his agony.
He forgot that in the forest, he was an easy target for wild beasts. He was absorbed with his thought when suddenly he heard a noise from behind.
Fan Li turned his body to check the noise and saw a big wild boar was running toward his direction.
Seeing a boar running towards him, Fan Li swung his body to the side to avoid the boar attack.
He immediately took his arrows and bow intended to kill the boar. But the boar turned out to have been injured, so it just attacked anyone randomly.
Before Fan Li could shoot the boar, the boar had butted his left leg with his tusks. Fan Li fell to the ground while the boar began to retreat to prepare to attack him again.
Fortunately, it was not a fatal injury for Fan Li. He tried to stand up to run away.
Unfortunately, the injured boar kept on butting savagely. Fan Li fell on the ground again, and the boar almost stuck its tusks to his stomach when suddenly a shadow quickly speared the boar.
Using that opportunity, Fan Li rolled to the side, pulled his knife tucked on his waist to stab the boar's neck.
The boar made a long noise and then stopped moving.
"Minister Fan, are you alright?"
"Yue Maiden, it's you!" Fan Li was a bit surprised to see the one who speared the boar was Yue Maiden.
Yue Maiden helped Fan Li to stand up. The rain was still pouring, and the blood on his wound streamed like a creek. "Your wound…"
"It's a small wound," Fan Li said. "My wound is not that deep!"
"But you're bleeding a lot!" Yue Maiden said. "We have to find a place to shelter!"
Fan Li nodded. He moved his leg to walk, but apparently, his wound was more severe than he previously thought.
He gnashed his teeth tried to hold the pain. Yue Maiden supported Fan Li and helped him walked. They arrived in a small cave where they could take shelter.
She gathered some brushwood she could find in the cave to make a fire. She cut her sleeve to put a bandage on Fan Li's wound.
"Yue Maiden, thank you for all your help!" Fan Li said.
Yue Maiden only smiled and said nothing. She observed Fan Li, disbelieved how similar he was to her late husband, Lord Ejun.
She started to ponder as there are so many things that she could not understand. Thirty-two years ago, she and Lord Ejun were ambushed by some Chu soldiers who wanted their death. Lord Ejun then knocked her head and dealt with the soldiers. He was alone and outnumbered. He was killed.
Then when Yue Maiden regained her consciousness, she tried to find Lord Ejun and found out that the Chu soldiers just killed him. Yue Maiden then fought the Chu soldiers, but a sword stabbed her from her back, and her throat was slashed.
She was supposed to die. Yet, she didn't die. When she woke up, she found no wound on her body. She was alive, while Lord Ejun had died, and she buried him in a secluded place.
Everything was like a dream for Yue Maiden. Now,'Lord Ejun' appeared in front of her. Could it be that all of these were dreams?
Fan Li saw how the woman in front of her was dumbfounded, staring at him. He smiled and asked, "Yue Maiden, what are you looking at?"
His voice was so tender, just like Lord Ejun's voice.
"Ejun, where have you been these days?" Yue Maiden asked in a low voice. "I miss you! Day and night I miss you!"
"Ejun? Who?"
Fan Li didn't get her answer. Instead, he got a warm, passionate kiss that landed on his lips.
A heartbroken lonely man, and a widow who missed her late husband. Under the rain, they just forgot everything under the spell of the moon and breeze.
After they returned home, Fan Li took Yue Maiden as his wife.