越女剑-第5章

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ll　go　out　there　and　　find　out　more　about　Chinese　culture，　history　and　legend。　The　process　of　　finding　out　will　not　be　easy，　but　Iassure　you，　what　you　will　find　will　　never　be　dull。　Background：This　story　is　based　on　real　historical　events　that　occurred　during　the　　5th　century　B。C。　It　”s　a。　period　between　what“s　known　as　the　Spring　and　　Autumn　period　and　the　Warring　Kingdoms　period。　China　was　yet　to　be　united　　under　the　First　Emperor。　The　socalled　Han　race　didn”t　exist　yet。　China　　was　divided　into　big　and　small　kingdoms，　dukedoms　and　counties　which　warred　　with　each　other　constantly。　It　all　started　when　the　king　of　Chuh　slept　with　his　son“s　fiancee。　Bad　　move，　for　any　era。　The　king　now　feared　that　his　son　will　turn　against　him。　　The　fear　was　fanned　into　action　by　the　allegations　of　an　ambitious　minister　　who　wanted　to　destroy　the　crown　prince”s　faction。　The　resulting　purge　destroyed　　many　clans　and　families。　One　of　the　family，　almost　peripheral　to　the　whole　　thing，　was　the　House　of　Wu。　The　youngest　son，　Wu　TzuShi，　escaped　and　vowed　　bloody　vengeance。　After　a。　long　and　dangerous　journey　through　several　kingdoms　unwilling　　to　help，　he　arrived　at　the　newly　founded　kingdom　of　Wu　（No，　the　Chinese　　characters　for　the　Wu　in　Wu　TzuShi　is　actually　different　from　the　character　　Wu　in　the　Wu　kingdom）。　He　helped　Prince　Ho　Lu　to　assassinate　his　cousin　　the　king　in　a。　convoluted　power　struggle。　Then　he　built　up　the　kingdom　of　　Wu　from　a。　barely　civilized　kingdom　to　a。　modern　kingdom　with　the　best　trained　　army　in　the　known　world。　Sun　Tzu，　who　wrote　the　immortal　Art　of　War，　served　　in　Wu　at　this　time。　When　Wu　TzuShi　was　ready，　he　managed　to　convince　King　Ho　Lu　to　invade　　Chuh。　At　the　time　Chuh　was　a。　superpower　and　Wu　was　an　upstart　kingdom，　　but　the　upstart　kingdom　managed　to　destroy　Chuh“s　army　utterly。　Unfortunately，　　Wu　Tzushi”s　vengeance　was　hollow。　The　object　of　his　vengeance　had　already　　died　several　years　ago。　In　his　rage，　Wu　TzuShi　exhumed　the　body　of　the　　dead　king　and　flogged　it　until　it　fell　to　pieces。　The　kingdom　of　Wu　proved　itself　incapable　of　absorbing　the　far　larger　　kingdom　of　Chuh，　so　Wu　TzuShi　had　to　take　his　army　back　to　Wu。　Then，　Ho　　Lu　began　a。　series　of　wars　to　establish　hegemony　over　the　rest　of　China。　　It“s　in　one　of　those　wars　when　he　ran　into　the　kingdom　of　Yueh。　The　Yueh　　people　was　then　even　more　primitive　then　Wu　was　a。　few　decades　ago，　but　　they　were　great　fighters。　They　were　ruled　by　King　Kou　Chiang。　In　a。　pitch　　battle，　King　Ho　Lu　was　struck　by　a。　poison　arrow　and　died。　Ho　Lu”s　son　Fu　Chai　became　king。　He　was　intent　on　avenging　his　father。　　Apersonal　guard　was　ordered　to　remind　him　of　this　fact　periodically　by　　saying　“Fu　Chai，　did　you　forget　to　avenge　the　death　of　your　father？”　Fu　　Chai　then　rallied　his　army　and　destroyed　the　army　of　Yueh。　King　Kou　Chiang　　became　a。　prisoner　of　Fu　Chai　for　several　years。　However，　Fu　Chai　was　not　　abrutal　man。　Instead　of　annexing　the　kingdom　of　Yueh　and　turning　Kou　Chiang　　into　a。　slave，　he　released　Kou　Chiang　after　extracting　an　oath　of　fealty　　from　the　king　of　Yueh。　Unfortunately，　that　gesture　of　mercy　was　pletely　　lost　on　King　Kou　Chiang。　Kou　Chiang，　like　Wu　TzuShi　and　Fu　Chai　before　　him，　was　possessed　by　the　burning　desire　to　avenge　the　wrongs　done　him。　Kou　Chiang　hired　two　wise　men　from　the　kingdom　of　Chuh。　One　of　them　　was　Feng　Li，　the　other　was　Wen　Chung。　The　two　began　to　build　up　the　barbaric　　kingdom　of　Yueh　so　one　day　their　king　could　challenge　the　power　of　Wu。　　Many　legends　are　associated　with　this　period　of　history。　One　of　the　legends　　was　the　legend　of　the　Yueh　Maiden。　Story：“After　you。”The　two　swordmen　turned　the　point　of　their　blades　downward。　Their　right　　palm　holding　the　sword　hilt，　their　left　palm　covered　their　right　palm，　　then　they　bowed　deeply　to　each　other　in　a。　warrior“s　salute。　Even　before　the　two　straightened，　a。　sudden　flash　of　white，　then　the　　sound　of　clanging。　The　two　swordmen　each　retreated　one　step。　The　audience　　gave　out　a。　soft　cry。　The　swordman　in　blue　cut　three　times。　The　liveried　swordman　blocked　　each　cut。　The　swordman　in　blue　shouted　and　slashed　his　sword　from　the　upper　　left　corner　straight　downward。　The　slash　was　powerful　and　fast。　The　liveried　　swordman　was　too　agile　to　be　caught。　Asimple　jump　got　him　out　of　the　way。　　His　body　bounced　barely　after　his　left　feet　touched　the　ground。　He　returned　　two　slashes。　The　swordman　in　blue　stood　still　with　a。　grim　smile。　He　moved　　his　sword　lightly　and　blocked　the　attack。　The　liveried　swordman　suddenly　began　running　around　the　swordman　in　　blue。　He　ran　faster　and　faster。　The　swordman　in　blue　merely　stared　at　the　　point　of　his　enemy”s　sword。　He　was　ready　to　strike　anytime　that　point　moved　　to　attack。　The　liveried　swordman　at　first　ran　one　way，　then　the　other。　　The　swordman　in　blue　started　to　feel　a。　bit　dizzy　and　said　“Are　you　fighting，　　or　running　for　your　life？”　The　liveried　swordman　continued　running。　The　　swordman　in　blue　attempted　to　cut　him　down　a。　few　times，　but　his　sword　always　　fell　short。　The　swordman　in　blue　pulled　his　sword　back　to　the　side　of　his　body　and　　bowed　his　right　leg　slightly。　The　liveried　swordman　thought　he　saw　an　opening　　and　lounged　at　his　left　shoulder，　the　swordman　in　blue　was　merely　luring　　his　enemy。　His　sword　circled　into　a。　direct　thrust　at　the　liveried　swordman“s　　throat。　The　thrust　was　too　fast　to　be　avoided。　The　liveried　swordman　was　　surprised。　He　threw　his　sword　toward　the　heart　of　his　enemy。　The　liveried　　swordman　hoped　to　force　the　swordman　to　abort　the　thrust　in　order　to　save　　his　own　life。　Unexpectedly，　the　swordman　in　blue　didn”t　attempt　to　defend　himself。　　With　a。　move　of　his　arm，　the　point　of　his　sword　entered　the　liveried　swordman“s　　throat。　Then　the　liveried　swordman”s　thrown　sword　hit　his　chest　with　a。　　loud　clang　and　fell　to　the　ground。　The　swordman　in　blue　laughed　coldly　　and　pulled　his　sword　back。　He　was　wearing　a。　round　plate　of　iron　in　front　　of　his　chest，　just　under　the　garment。　That“s　why　the　sword　did　him　no　harm。　　The　liveried　swordman”s　throat　spurted　blood　and　his　body　convulsed。　The　　servants　stepped　in　to　remove　the　body　and　began　to　wipe　up　the　blood　on　　the　ground。　The　swordman　in　blue　sheathed　his　sword。　He　stepped　forward　and　bowed　　toward　the　north　of　the　hall　where　the　king　sat。　The　king　wore　a。　purple　　robe。　He　is　of　strange　appearance。　His　neck　was　excessive　long　and　his　　mouth　was　sharp　as　a。　bird“s　beak。　He　smiled　and　said　in　a。　croaking　voice　　”The　strong　one　has　wonderful　sword　skill。　Award　him　ten　pounds　of　gold。“　　The　swordman　in　blue　knelt　down　on　his　right　knee　and　bowed　”Thank　you　　for　the　award。“　The　king　waved　his　left　hand。　An　official　on　his　right　　shouted　”Swordmen　of　Wu　and　swordmen　of　Yueh，second　contest！“From　the　east　end　of　the　hall，　another　liveried　swordman　walked　out　　from　his　group。　This　man　was　tall　of　stature　and　held　a。　great　sword。　The　　sword　was　nearly　four　feet　in　length。　The　blade　was　extremely　thick　and　　was　obviously　quite　heavy。　From　the　west　of　hall，　another　swordman　in　blue　　walked　out。　He　was　of　medium　height。　His　face　was　crisscrossed　by　at　least　　twelve　or　thirteen　sword　scars。　The　face　seemed　no　longer　human。　He　must　　have　fought　hundreds　of　battles　with　countless　swordmen。　The　two　knelt　　to　the　king，　then　they　saluted　each　other。　The　swordman　in　blue　straightened　his　body　and　smiled。　His　face　made　　the　smile　seemed　ugly　and　cruel。　The　tall　swordman　shivered。　Then　he　sighed　　deeply　and　held　his　sword　with　both　hands。　Suddenly　the　swordman　in　blue　howled　madly　like　a。　wolf　and　thrusted　　his　sword。　The　tall　swordman　cried，　lifted　his　great　sword　and　cut　down　　toward　his　opponent”s　head。　The　swordman　in　blue　dodged　while　his　sword　　made　a。　slash　from　left　to　right。　The　tall　swordman　lifted　the　great　sword　　and　whirled，　making　the　sounds　of　a。　great　wind。　The　great　weight　of　the　　sword　didn“t　slow　him　down　in　the　slightest。　The　two　made　thirty　passes　at　each　other。　The　swordman　in　blue　couldn”t　　oppose　the　weight　of　his　opponent“s　sword。　He　kept　retreating。　All　the　　other　liveried　swordman　began　to　show　hope　on　their　faces　as　they　anticipated　　their　side　to　win　at　last。　Then　the　tall　swordman　made　a。　great　cry　like　the　s