越女剑-第7章

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Feng　Li　put　the　sword　back　into　the　box　and　put　the　box　next　to　the　　feet　of　the　king。　Kou　Chiang　said　“Swordmen　of　the　great　kingdom，　you　are　　invited　to　the　next　hall　for　a。　feast　and　be　awarded　for　the　contest。”　The　　eight　swordmen　in　blue　bowed　and　left　the　hall。　Kou　Chiang　waved　his　hand，　　all　the　swordmen，　servants　and　ministers　left，　except　for　Feng　Li。　Kou　looked　at　the　sword　and　the　blood　on　the　ground　and　said　“What　you　　do　think？”Feng　Li　said　“Not　all　the　Wu　soldiers　are　as　good　as　these　eight。　Not　　all　swords　wielded　by　them　are　as　sharp　as　this　one。　But　from　this　small　　example，　we　can　see　the　rest。　The　most　terrifying　aspect　is　their　technique　　of　group　fighting，　they　used　the　methods　of　Sun　Tzu。　Ibelieve　that　they　　currently　have　no　match　in　the　world。”Kou　Chiang　said　“Fu　Chai　sent　these　eight　just　to　give　me　this　sword。　　What　does　he　have　in　mind？”Feng　Li　said　“He　wants　us　to　know　the　difficulty　of　vengeance。”Kou　Chiang　became　angry。　He　took　up　the　sword　and　made　a。　backhand　stroke。　　The　stroke　cut　up　the　half　of　the　back　of　his　chair。　He　shouted　“Even　if　　the　difficulty　is　one　thousand，　ten　thousand　times　greater，　Kou　Chiang　　will　not　retreat　from　his　goal！　One　day，　Iwill　capture　Fu　Chai，　king　of　　Wu　and　cut　off　his　heead　with　his　sword。”　Another　stroke　of　the　sword　cut　　the　chair　into　half。　Feng　Li　bowed　and　said　“Congratualations，　Your　Majesty。”Kou　said　in　surprise　“After　seeing　the　ability　of　the　Wu　swordmen，　what”s　　there　to　congratulate　about？“Feng　Li　said　”As　long　as　You　Majesty　have　the　determination，　anything　　can　be　acplished。　Concerning　this　difficulty，　Imust　discuss　it　with　　Minister　Wen。“Kou　Chiang　said　”Good，　summon　Minister　Wen。“　Feng　Li　left　the　palace　　and　ordered　the　palace　servant　to　summon　Minister　Wen　Chung。　In　a。　while，　　Wen　Chung　arrived　on　a。　speedy　horse，　then　the　two　walked　back　into　the　　palace。　Feng　Li　was　originally　a。　native　of　Wan，　in　the　Kingdom　of　Chuh。　He　　was　not　a。　man　concerned　with　the　details　of　etiquette。　Often，　he　did　things　　beyond　the　expectations　of　other　people。　People　of　his　homeland　called　　him　”Feng　the　Crazy“。　When　Wen　Chung　came　to　be　the　magistrate　of　Wan，　　he　heard　of　the　Feng　Li”s　reputation。　He　sent　subordinates　to　summon　Feng。　　The　subordinates　said　“That　Feng　is　the　famous　crazy　man　of　this　land。　　Nothing　he　does　makes　any　sense。”　Wen　Chung　smiled　“When　a。　man　try　to　do　　something　different，　other　people　always　say　that　he　is　mad。　When　he　has　　asuperior　opinion，　the　mon　of　wit　will　call　him　stupid。　How　can　you　　understand　Master　Feng？”　So　Wen　Chung　went　to　visit　Feng　himself，　but　Feng　　avoided　him。　Feng　expected　that　Wen　would　not　give　up　so　easily，　so　he　　borrowed　some　proper　clothes　from　his　brother。　When　Wen　came　back，　Feng　　was　ready。　The　two　talked　and　found　that　they　had　much　in　mon。　They　both　felt　the　kingdoms　were　weak。　The　kingdom　of　Chuh　was　large，　　but　chaotic。　The　only　kingdoms　which　could　rise　to　mand　the　rest　were　　located　at　southeast。　Wen　Chung　resigned　his　position　and　went　to　the　kingdom　　of　Wu　with　Feng　Li。　At　the　time。　the　king　of　Wu“s　favorite　was　Wu　TzuShi。　　The　two　lived　in　the　capital　for　a。　few　month　and　saw　that　Wu　TzuShi　was　　indeed　a。　wise　man。　They　were　not　necessarily　better　than　him。　After　some　discussion，　they　decided　that　although　Yueh　was　a。　smaller　　kingdom，　but　they　could　put　their　talents　to　use　there。　Kou　Chiang　received　　them　warmly　and　gave　them　both　high　positions。　Then　Kou　Chiang　ignored　the　advise　of　Wen　Chung　and　made　war　with　Wu。　　His　army　was　defeated　by　the　shore　of　Chiang　Tang　River。　Kou　Chiang　was　　surrounded　at　Kuai　Chi　Mountain　and　almost　died　along　with　his　kingdom，　　but　he　listened　to　the　advise　of　Feng　Li　and　Wen　Chung　and　bribed　the　Prime　　Minister　of　Wu。　Fu　Chai　then　listened　to　the　Prime　Minister　instead　of　　the　wiser　Wu　TzuShi　and　agreed　to　a。　peace　treaty。　Kou　Chiang　lived　in　　Wu　as　a。　hostage　for　a。　few　years，　but　he　was　released　later。　Then　Kou　Chiang　　slept　only　on　beds　made　of　thorny　branches　and　tasted　the　bitter　juice　　of　beef　gall　bladders　to　remind　himself　of　the　humiliations　he　suffered。　　He　used　Wen　Chung”s　Nine　Methods　to　subvert　Wu　and　strengthen　Yueh。　The　Nine　Methods　were。　One，　pay　respect　to　the　gods　and　spirits。　Two，　　give　Fu　Chai　vast　amount　of　money　so　he　will　feel　secure　as　well　as　being　　soft　in　luxury。　Three，　borrow　food　from　Wu　and　return　seeds　which　will　　not　grow，　causing　famine　in　Wu。　Four，　give　Fu　Chai　beautiful　women　such　　as　Si　Shi　and　Cheng　Dang，　so　Fu　Chai　would　be　paying　more　attention　to　　the　beautiful　women　rather　than　the　affairs　of　the　state。　Five，　give　Fu　　Chai　engineers　so　he　started　building　expensive　palaces　which　drained　the　　economy　of　the　country。　Six，　bribe　the　ministers　of　Wu。　Seven，　distance　　Fu　Chai　from　his　wise　ministers。　The　wise　Wu　TzuShi　was　eventually　forced　　to　mitt　suicide　as　punishment　of　a。　false　charge　of　treason。　Eight，　hoard　　food　so　the　kingdom　of　Yueh　will　have　great　reserve　available。　Nine，　make　　weapons，　train　soldier　and　wait　for　the　chance。　Eight　methods　have　succeeded，　　but　the　ninth　had　run　into　great　difficulty。　Everyone　could　tell　that　the　eight　warriors　of　Wu　were　better　than　anyone　　Yueh　could　produce。　Feng　Li　told　Wen　Chung　the　results　of　the　contest。　　Wen　Chung　frowned　“Brother　Feng，　the　sharpness　of　their　swords　is　a。　major　　problem，　also　the　way　their　swordmen　worked　together　in　groups　in　accordance　　to　Sun　Tzu”s　Art　of　War。“　Feng　Li　said　”Yes，　decades　ago，　when　Sun　Tzu　　helped　the　king　of　Wu。　They　destroyed　Chuh，　the　most　powerful　kingdom　in　　the　world　at　the　time。　In　his　book，　it“s　said　”If　Iconcentrate　my　forces　　and　the　enemy“s　forces　is　fragmented　into　ten　parts　then　Ican　use　my　unified　　one　to　attack　his　ten　fragments。　Then　Iwill　outnumber　my　enemy　and　the　　battle　will　be　over。”　Wu　used　this　principle　to　achieve　local　superiority　　against　our　swordmen。“When　they　talk　they　arrived　in　front　of　Kou　Chiang。　Kou　Chiang　was　staring　　at　the　gift　sword。　After　a。　long　while，　Kou　Chiang　lifted　up　his　head　and　　said　”Minister　Wen。　Years　ago，　Wu　had　the　husbandwife　team　of　swordsmiths，　　Keng　Chiang　and　Mo　Shei。　Yueh　had　OYeh　Tzu。　Now，　all　three　have　died。　　Wu　still　have　great　swordsmiths，　yet　we　have　no　one　to　succeed　OYeh　Tzu。“Wen　Chung　said　”I　have　heard　that　OYeh　Tzu　had　two　students。　One　is　　named　Fong　HuTzu，　The　other　is　called　Hsieh　Chu。　Fong　HuTzu　is　in　the　　kingdom　of　Chuh。　Hsieh　is　still　in　Yueh。“Kou　became　glad　and　said　”Summon　him。　And　order　someone　to　go　to　Chuh　　with　gold　so　we　can　get　Fong　HuTzu　here　as　well。“The　next　morning，　Wen　Chung　reported　that　he　already　sent　someone　to　　Chuh。　Meanwhile，　Hsieh　Chu　was　already　here。　Kou　Chiang　grant　Hsieh　an　　audience　and　asked　”Your　master　OYeh　Tzu　once　followed　my　father“s　ordder　　and　forged　five　swords。　How　do　you　grade　those　five　swords？”Hsieh　said　“I　have　heard　my　master　said　that　he　forged　five　swords　for　　the　king。　Three　large　swords　and　two　small　swords。　They　are　Trembling　Reed，　　Pure　Edge，　Defeater　of　Evil，　Fish　Intestine　and　the　Great　Tower。　Now，　the　　Trembling　Reed　is　in　Chuh。　Defeater　of　Evil　and　Fish　Intestine　are　in　Wu。　　Your　Majesty　still　have　Pure　Edge　and　Great　Tower。”Years　ago，　the　Prince　Ho　Lu　of　Wu　heard　of　the　swords　and　asked　Kou　　Chiang“s　father　for　some　of　the　swords。　Kou　Chiang”s　father　feared　the　　might　of　Wu　and　gave　Holu　Trembling　Reed，　Defeater　of　Evil　and　Fish　Intestine。　　Using　Fish　Intestine，　Ho　Lu　assassinated　his　cousin　the　king　and　took　the　　throne。　Trembling　Reed　fell　into　a。　river　and　was　acquired　by　the　king　of　　Chuh。　King　of　Chin　heard　of　this　and　asked　for　it。　Even　after　a。　few　wars，　　the　king　of　Chuh　still　refused　to　give　it　up。　Hsieh　said　“My　master　said，　of　the　five　swords，　Defeater　of　Evil　is　　of　the　highest　grade。　Pure　Edge　and　Trembling　Reed　are　next。　Fish　Intestine　　is　lower　and　Great　Tower　ranks　last。　When　Great　Tower　was　forged，　the　alloy　　was　not　pure，　so　it　was　only　a。　sharp　sword　and　not　a。　truly　precious　sword。”Kou　Chiang　said　“Are　you　saying　my　Pure　Edge　and　Great　Tower　are　not　　as　good　as　Fu　Chai”s　Defeater　of　Evil　and　Fish　Intestine？“Hsieh　dare　not　admit　that　Kou　Chiang”s　swords　was　inferior，　but