Story4
Kou Chiang said "Wu Tzu-Shi let the sword go? He is truly a great hero to let such a treasure go." Then he laughed "Fortunately, Fu Chai has already taken care of him for me." Then he asked "What did Wu Tzu-Shi wanted in return from Fong?"
Hsieh said "Wu Tzu-shi merely said that he admired our master. Fong felt grateful after he received the sword, so he went to Wu and thanked Wu Tzu-Shi in person. Wu Tzu-Shi treated as an honored guest."
Kou Chiang said "That's how he make people become loyal to him, even onto death."
Hsieh said "Your Majesty is wise, but Fong didn't understand Wu Tzu-shi's true intentions, so he asked again and again how he could repay the great favor done to him. Wu Tzu -Shi merely said he would not ask anything of an honored guest."
Kou Chiang said "The old fox!"
Hsieh said "Fong finally said to Wu Tzu-shi that he had little skill except forging swords. In return for Wu Tzu-Shi's favors, he will forge a few precious swords for him."
Kou slapped his thigh and said "Got him!"
Hsieh said "But Wu Tzu-shi said the kingdome of Wu already had many precious swords and needed no more. Besides, the forging of a precious sword is a tremendous labor. Years ago, when Keng Chiang and Mo Yeh were forging their sword, the sword refused to come into being until Mo Yeh flung herself into the fire. Wu Tzu-shi had no intention of repeating that kind of tragedy."
Kou Chiang said "He didn't want Fong to forge swords for him? Strange."
Hsieh said "Fong was baffled too. Then Wu Tzu-shi visited him again. They said that the army of Wu was fully capable of fighting with superpowers like the kingdoms of Chi and Jin. Wu's warriors were courageous, but their skills in chariot warfare were inferior. Moreover, their swords and spears were not sharp enough. Fong began to talk to Wu Tzu-Shi about the way of forging swords. What Wu Tzu-Shi wanted wasn't a few precious swords with mysterius powers, what he wanted was thousands and thousands of sharp swords."
Kou Chiang understood and looked at Feng Li and Wen Chung. Worry filled Wen Chung's face. He asked "Minister Feng, what do you think?"
Feng Li said "Even though Wu Tzu-shi is crafty, he is not wise enough to escape Your Majesty's schemes."
Kou Chiang laughed "I am afraid that I have never been Wu Tzu-shi's match."
Feng Li said "Wu Tzu-shi is already dead. What more can he do to threaten Yueh?"
Kou Chiang laughed "True. Hsieh Chu. Did Fong finally started forging swords?"
Hsieh said "Yes. He went to Mt. Mo Keng. He saw one thousand swordsmiths working there. He corrected and improved their techniques. After this, every sword in Wu is sharper than anything made in other kingdoms."
Kou Chiang nodded "So that's why."
Hsieh said "After one year, Fong became too fatigued to continue, so he told Wu Tzu-shi my name. Wu Tzu-shi readied lavish gifts and asked Fong to invite me to work for him as well. I remembered the hatred between Wu and Yueh. If Wu's sharp swords could kill the people of Chi and Jin, they could also kill the people of my home, so I counseled Fong not to return to Wu."
Kou nodded in approval "You have foresight."
Hsieh said "Thank for your praise, Your Majesty, but he didn't listen to me. That night he slept in my home. In the middle of the night, suddenly he put his sword at my neck, then he chopped off four of my fingers so I'll never forge another sword."
Kou Chiang became angry "If he fell into my hands, I would chop him into meat paste!"
Wen Chung said "Master Hsieh, even though you cannot forge swords by yourself, but you can teach our swordsmiths. We, too, can make as many sharp swords as the Wu swordsmiths."
Hsieh said "Minister Wen, both Yueh and Wu produce the necessary iron needed for sword blades, but Yueh produces copper and Wu produces zinc."
Feng Li said "Wu Tzu-Shi is guarding the zinc mines and forbids any private mining, is that right?"
Hsieh showed surprise on his face "So you knew already."
Feng Li smiled "No, I am merely speculating. Now that he's dead, his order may not be followed anymore. We now can purchase zinc, if we're willing to pay for it.."
Kou Chiang said "But a source of water far away cannot extinguish a nearby conflagration. By the time we gather all the materials, train the swordsmiths and start production, at least two or three years would have passed. That's not counting any setbacks along the way. If Fu Chai died before we're ready, wouldn't that be the greatest regret in our lives?"
Feng Li and Wen Chung bowed deeply "Yes, we will find another way."
Feng Li walked out of the palace, thinking "His Majesty couldn't wait two or three more years? Why, I can't even wait one more day...." A dull pain came to his chest as he remembered the image of that unmatched beauty which could stun the world.
Her name was Si Shi. She lived next to Huan Sha River He found that woman who gathered all the beauty of the land of Yueh into her person and he had to send her away into the palace of Wu.
The road from the capital of Yueh to the capital of Wu was not long, only a few days by river, but that was long enough for love to grow beyond control. The white face of Si Shi was full of pearl-like tears and her voice was soft as a whispering stream "Shao Bo, promise me that you will come and get me as soon as possible. I will wait for you, day and night. Say that you will never forget me, forever and ever."
责任编辑：wangpeng6151
