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Story 41: Xishi Shenjiang

Xishi Shenjiang

Author: Hongdou

The last years of the Warring States Period. Heroes compete for the throne, and war breaks out.

Jiangnan.

Zhuluo Village.

In the early morning of March, a thin white mist enveloped the entire small village, and the weeping willows by the river stood quietly and enchantingly. There are crystal drops of water rolling in the apricot stamens, like the hazy and charming eyes of a girl.

There were soft footsteps in the distance, and a slim and graceful woman came through the flowers and willows. Her figure is more graceful than a weeping willow, and her eyes are more translucent than dewdrops. She put down the bamboo basket in her hand and combed the white yarn with her delicate white fingers.

“Yi Guang (Xi Shi’s nickname), it’s so early today!” crisp words came, and a slender figure flashed out from behind the willow branch, with a delicate smile on her face as beautiful as a spring flower.

“Yes!” Xi Shi smiled, “Dan’er, you little lazy boy, you didn’t get up until now.”

The girl named Dan’er secretly stuck out her tongue, put down the gauze basket in her hand, and started rolling the gauze side by side with Xi Shi. The sun is rising higher and higher.

“Xi Shi, Zheng Dan, you are all here!” A young man appeared by the river.

“Brother Dongji, what’s the matter?” Zheng Dan stood up and asked with a smile.

“I…I’m going to join the army.” Dongji lowered his head and said.

“What?” Zheng Dan was startled, “You are the only strong man left in your family. If you leave again, what will Old Man Yue do?”

“Alas.” Dong Ji sighed, “The Yue Kingdom is retreating steadily. Your Majesty has ordered that all men from fifteen to fifty in the country go to the battlefield to fight against the enemy and save the country.”

The three of them were silent.

After a while, Xi Shi said: “Dong Ji, you can go in peace, we will take good care of Old Man Yue for you.”

Zheng Dan also rushed to say: “Yes, Dongji, you must come back soon.” Her eyes were full of affection. Dong Ji took a deep look at Xi Shi and turned around resolutely.

The next day, Dong Ji left Zhuluo Village together with other young people in the village and embarked on a long journey. Since then, there has been no news from him.

Soon.

The State of Yue was defeated and surrendered. King Gou Jian of Yue was taken as a hostage by King Wu Fucha and brought back to the State of Wu to serve as a groom. Fan Li, a senior official of the State of Yue, accompanied him. Gou Jian endured the humiliation in the Kingdom of Wu and showed his loyalty to the King of Wu.

Three years later, Fu Chai believed in Gou Jian’s loyalty and decided to let King Yue return to his country. Prime Minister Wu Zixu tried every means to stop Gou Jian but failed, and secretly sent people to hunt Gou Jian, but he was resolved one by one by the resourceful Fan Li.

After Gou Jian safely returned to the country of Yue, he was determined to restore the country. He worked hard and worked hard, and the country of Yue gradually became stronger and stronger.

It’s March again, and the scenery in the south of the Yangtze River is full of red flowers and green willows, and long grass and flying orioles. Gou Jian and Fan Li walked along the clear blue river in casual clothes. In the past six months, they have been conducting private interviews in private to explore people’s hearts and minds.

The two walked into an apricot blossom forest and were confused and lost their way. I saw someone by the river from a distance, so I walked over.

Seeing that it was a girl, Fan Li said softly: “Sorry to bother you, girl.”

The girl stood up and turned around. Fan Li and Gou Jian were briefly dizzy as if they were dazzled by bright light. When the girl saw the two of them looking dumb, she pursed her lips and smiled, as if a hundred flowers were blooming, and she was as magnificent as ever.

Fan Li came to his senses first, saluted and said, “The two of you are lost here. I hope the girl can give you some guidance.” Seeing his polite look, the girl pursed her lips and asked, “Where do you want to go?”

Fan Li was startled and could only say: “I am going out with my master for an outing. I don’t want to get lost here. Please ask the girl to show me the way back to the city.”

The girl stretched out her slender finger to point in the direction, turned around and was about to continue washing the yarn, but she screamed: “Ah, my yarn!”

Fan Li and Gou Jian looked up and saw that the girl’s yarn had drifted away while they were talking. Seeing the girl’s frown, Fan Li jumped into the water without hesitation. When he handed the gauze to the girl, all wet, the girl looked at him deeply with her big eyes, smiled, then turned around and floated away like a cloud.

“Girl, what’s your name?” Seeing Fan Li in a daze, Gou Jian quickly shouted.

“My name is Xi Shi.” The girl’s voice floated over from afar, and the apricot blossoms in the forest fell one after another.

After that, Gou Jian and Fan Li went to Zhuluo Village many times and became familiar with all the villagers. The two discovered that there were beauties in Zhuluo Village. Although the other girls in the village were not as outstanding as Xi Shi, they were all extremely beautiful. Xishi’s good friend Zheng Dan is even more beautiful, and Xishi is as beautiful as spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, and each is good at winning.

During these days, the handsome and extraordinary Fan Li won Xi Shi’s favor, and the relationship between the two gradually heated up until they vowed to be in love with each other. This made

Gou Jian, who was enamored with Xi Shi, very unhappy.

One day, Gou Jian and Fan Li were discussing the plan to restore the country at their residence.

Gou Jian said: “I have a new plan. A honey trap!”

Fan Li was in a daze. Gou Jian smiled, fiddled with the gall hanging above the pile of firewood and said, “The King of Wu is lustful. If we offer him a stunning beauty, the King of Wu will be so lustful that he will waste his government and create opportunities for the restoration of Yue.”

Fan Li was shocked: “What does your Majesty mean?”

“Xi Shi, Zheng Dan!” Gou Jian said one word at a time.

“No!” Fan Li took a step back instinctively.

“General Fan, the restoration of the country is the most important thing.” Gou Jian stared at Fan Li, who lowered his head in pain.

Zhuluo Village.

Xi Shi stood quietly in the apricot blossom forest, her beautiful face full of sadness. Gou Jian told her that Fan Li accidentally killed Wu Liang, the ambassador of Wu who wanted to rape a Yue woman. King Wu Fucha led an army to attack him, and Yue fell into another crisis of destruction.

“Only you can save him, otherwise, I will have to hand him over to King Wu. I can’t watch the people of Yue suffer from the war.” Gou Jian’s face was filled with sadness.

“Okay, I agree.” Xi Shi said with difficulty. The wind blew, and the long hair flew.

In the apricot blossom forest, falling flowers are like rain. Gou Jian’s face showed the smile of a winner. Fan Li, who was standing behind Gou Jian, raised his head in pain. The sky was filled with haze and there was no sunlight at all.

“I promise you that after the Yue Kingdom is restored, I will take you to live in seclusion in the mountains and live in idle clouds and wild cranes for the rest of your life.” When Xi Shi got on the carriage and left Zhuluo Village, Fan Li held her hand and said.

Xi Shi smiled slightly and looked up at the road ahead. The wind is blowing loudly, the setting sun is like blood, the decaying grass is lingering on the ancient road, and the cold smoke is desolate. The carriage drove away, raising a cloud of yellow sand. Fan Li stared blankly, tears sliding down his face.

When Xi Shi appeared in front of King Wu Fu Chai wearing a gauze, she knew from Fu Chai’s eyes that she could save Fan Li and save the people of Yue. Fu Chai was fascinated by Xi Shi’s peerless appearance and soft words. The other beauties from Yue who entered the Wu Palace with Xi Shi were not in Fu Cha’s eyes.

Soon, Fu Chai learned that the Jin Palace was more luxurious and beautiful than the Wu Palace. He was very unhappy. He refused to listen to Wu Zixu’s good advice to build a water conservancy project to benefit the country. Instead, he accepted the advice of the treacherous minister Gui Kun and built the most luxurious palace in the world specifically for Xi Shi. palace.

The palace was completed, with carved beams and painted buildings, and was extremely luxurious. It was named “Guanwa Palace”.

From then on, Fu Chai stayed in Guanwa Palace, singing and singing day and night without thinking about government affairs. Wu Zixu continued to persuade Qu Fucha and reminded him to pay attention to the movements in Yue.

Fu Chai laughed loudly every time and said, “The Prime Minister is worrying too much!” and then ignored it. Wu Zixu and the queen were helpless. They plotted to assassinate Xi Shi, but each action was blocked by an unidentified man in black. The two were very angry, but they did not dare to show it openly, so they had to endure it secretly and wait for the opportunity.

Xi Shi faced the promiscuous Fu Cha day and night, and she could only confide her pain and longing for Fan Li to Zheng Dan, who was also in the palace. The two often held each other’s hands and cried.

Fan Li, who was in the country of Yue, also missed Xi Shi day and night. Once when he went to the State of Wu to pay homage as usual, Fan Li took advantage of his husband’s mission to give a banquet to the ministers. He left under the pretext of being too drunk and sneaked into Guanwa Palace.

This move could not escape the eyes of Wu Zixu and the queen who monitored Xi Shi day and night. The two were overjoyed and felt that the time had come to get rid of Xi Shi. When Xi Shi and Fan Li held hands and expressed their feelings, Wu Zixu led his troops into Guanwa Palace and sent someone to sue Fu Cha.

Fu Chai was furious and hurried to Guanwa Palace.

Fan Li was tied up and thrown into the hall. Xi Shi stood aside quietly, her face pale. Wu Zixu and the queen had triumphant smiles on their faces.

“Fan Li, you are so bold, how dare you seduce my beloved concubine!” Fu Chai roared through gritted teeth.

“No…” Fan Li’s voice seemed a little lacking in confidence.

“Then why did you sneak into Guanwa Palace?” Fu Chai went crazy, waving the sword in his hand.

Fan Li fell silent. Xi Shi closed her eyes, feeling death coming towards her. She glanced at Fan Li affectionately and smiled. At least they can die on the same day, same year, same month, and become a pair of mandarin ducks with the same fate.

“He came to see me!” A clear voice sounded at the door of the palace.

Everyone was shocked and turned around.

A stunning girl wearing a white gauze stood beside the door, her gauze dancing in the wind, fluttering like a fairy.

“Zheng Dan?” Everyone was shocked.

Zheng Dan walked up to Fan Li, stroked the scars on his body and said, “General Fan, it was I who harmed you.” She walked up to Fu Chai, smiled softly and said, “Your Majesty, it’s me who misses my hometown and wants to invite you. General Fan came to talk about things in his hometown. He was afraid that the king would not allow it, so he secretly made an appointment.”

Wu Zixu and the queen were shocked and urged Fu Chai to kill Fan Li and Xi Shi immediately.

Fu Chai was dubious, but when he saw Fan Li’s upright look, and the sound of his beloved Xi Shi singing in wild geese beside him, expressing his longing for his hometown, and the pear blossoms in the rain, Fu Chai’s heart was filled with knots. He ordered Fan Li to be released, and said to Fan Li with a smile: “From now on, when General Fan enters the palace, he can come to Guanwa

Palace to accompany his beloved concubine and talk about his family life, so as to make his beloved concubine happy.” Wu Zixu argued hard, but Fu Chai had already made up his mind, so he had no choice but to walk away angrily.

It has been ten years since Xi Shi entered the palace.

The state of Wu encountered a major locust plague. Fan Li felt that the time had come for the restoration of the Yue state, so he asked the state of Yue to pay tribute to the state of Wu in large quantities of boiled grain seeds. Then, Wu and Jin had conflicts over trivial matters. Fan Li seized this golden opportunity and asked his men to disguise themselves as Jin troops and invade Wu. Fu Chai immediately ordered Wu Zixu to lead an army to conquer Jin. Wu Zixu tried to remonstrate with him, but was cut off from his military power by Fu Cha.

Fu Chai and his minister Gui Kun personally led the troops to the expedition. Wu Zixu fell to the ground again to persuade him, but Fu Chai sentenced him to death. When he was dying, Wu Zixu asked the executioner to hang his body on the tower so that he could see the Yue army invade Wu with his own eyes.

Fu Chai Gui Kun was not good at war, and he soon lost in a mess. Gou Jian took the opportunity to attack Wu. Fu Chai was pinched at both ends and was quickly defeated. At the critical moment, Gui Kun broke into Fu Chai’s account with a sword and wanted to take his head and offer it to Gou Jian for his favor.

Fortunately, the loyal minister Changfeng arrived in time to kill Gui Kun. Fu Chai was injured and fled back to Wu.

In the empty Wu Palace, Fu Cha raised his sword high and pointed it at Xi Shi’s beautiful chest. Xi Shi closed her bright eyes peacefully. Fu Chai’s hands trembled in the air.

Suddenly a bloody sword tip emerged from Fu Chai’s chest. He looked back with difficulty: “Zheng Dan, you?!”

Zheng Dan held a gleaming sword in his hand, his face expressionless.

“Actually, I won’t kill Xi Shi at all, because I love…” Fu Chai fell down with his eyes wide open. Zheng Dan picked up Xi Shi who was in tears and ran out of the palace.
Met the Yue army head-on.

“Your Majesty has an order to bring Xi Shi and Zheng Dan back to the palace to wait for your Majesty’s visit.” A sergeant said expressionlessly.

Xi Shi and Zheng Dan looked at each other and smiled bitterly. The Palace of Wu will soon become the Palace of Yue, and the King of Yue will soon become another King of Wu.

When Xi Shi saw Fan Li again, he was more heroic than before and looked proud of himself.
Xi Shi’s heart kept sinking.

“Fan Li, do you still remember what you promised me?” Xi Shi asked desperately, “Now the Kingdom of Wu has been destroyed, and the Kingdom of Yue has been restored.”
Fan Li paused, avoided Xi Shi’s gaze, and murmured: “The king likes you.” Really Xishi, I really want to be with you, but even if we go to the end of the world, the king will not let us go. ” he said with some pain.

Xi Shi looked at Fan Li with a painful look on his face and suddenly smiled strangely.

“Okay.” She said, and then ignored Fan Li again.

The next day, the boat carried Xi Shi to the country of Yue.

Arriving at the middle of the river, Xi Shi stood on the bow of the boat, dressed in cloth, still extremely beautiful. The wind blew her long hair and danced gracefully, as if she was about to ride the wind away.

The storm is surging.

Xi Shi fell lightly into the water, and the Yue soldiers were in a panic. Fan Li stood blankly on the bow of the ship. Where the sea and the sky met, the setting sun was like blood, and a few solitary swans flew diagonally past.

The soldiers could not find Xi Shi. She seemed to have turned into water droplets and melted into the blue waves. Fan Li knew that Gou Jian would not let him go if he returned, so he turned around and sailed away. From then on, he lived in seclusion and did business, and became the ancestor of merchants, known as Tao Zhugong in the world. This is something.

“Xi Shi, Xi Shi.”

Xi Shi opened her eyes to the familiar sound of running water, and what came into view was a smiling face that seemed like she was from another world.

“Dong Ji? Why is it you?” Xi Shi was puzzled.

“Actually, I have sneaked into Wu Palace a long time ago and have been secretly protecting you by your side.” Dong Ji, dressed in black, said with a naive smile.

“Ten years?”

“Ten years!”

Xi Shi raised her face, straightened her hair, and put on the brightest smile.

It is bright.

Not far away, Zhuluo Village stands quietly, with weeping willows and gurgling rivers.