37 A Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (part 2)

Fuchai, who was on a trip, was informed about the Yue attack.

At that time, Xi Shi was accompanying Fuchai on the trip. She was with Fuchai when a messenger brought the report. She was surprised and disbelieved that Goujian would attack Wu in a moment like that. Her face turned pale.

Fuchai also disbelieved that Goujian - whom he had treated kindly for these past few years, would suddenly attack his capital when he was away.

"Tell me what's going on! Was there any border conflict or anything? Why out of the blue Goujian launch an attack against us?" Fuchai asked.

"There was a small incident in the border. Also, during the incident, our soldiers killed many of the Yue's civilians. But in my humble opinion, that incident is not big enough to incite a war!" the messenger said.

Fuchai sighed. Suddenly he recalled everything that Wu Zixu said.

"Goujian has started by drinking my king's urine, but he will end up eating my king's heart. He has started by tasting my king's stool, but he will end up devouring my king's liver," Wu Zixu's voice haunted Fuchai.

Fuchai turned his head, and he saw Xi Shi's pale and distressed face. "Consort Shi, you go out first! I need to discuss state affairs with my men!" He said in a low voice. He sighed and pondered, "Wu Zixu had warned me about the beauty trap. Could it be that Xi Shi and Zheng Dan are beauty traps?"

Xi Shi complied and left the room, while Fuchai started to call an urgent meeting with his high officials who were following him on the trip.

Fuchai and his officials discussed the matter thoroughly. They were all worried that Fuchai would never be chosen overlord if the other kings got informed of what had happened in Wu. Or if Fuchai suddenly wanted to return to Wu during the meeting.

The council decided to keep everything quiet until the meeting was over. At the same time, they sent emissaries to Yue for a ceasefire.

That night when Fuchai went back to his room, he saw Xi Shi was crying.

Xi Shi could not describe her feeling. She didn't know if she should be happy or sad if Wu was destroyed. She knew her duty as the daughter of Yue; she should accomplish her mission to weaken Fuchai and Wu. Yet after living in Wu for some time, she realized that Wu peoples were also human. If Wu collapsed, what would happen to them?

Xi Shi hurriedly kneeled in front of Fuchai and still sobbing, she said, "My king, please forgive me! I…I really didn't know that King Goujian would send his troops to attack our capital! I…I..," she could not continue as she didn't know what to say.

Fuchai saw how distressed her face was and took pity on her. "My beloved, of course, you didn't know! If you had known it before, that means that you're a spy!" Fuchai tried to smile to comfort her.

"My king, the late Minister Wu, always warned you that Zheng Dan and I are beauty traps that are sent by King Goujian to spy you and Wu State!" Xi Shi said. "My king, you should sentence me to death if you think that I'm a spy!" Her tears flew from her beautiful face.

It was a sincere tear. Xi Shi was indeed a spy, a beauty trap that Goujian sent to destroy Wu. She's a woman in virtue, and although she believed that her mission was right, yet she felt guilty that she had to betray her husband. She felt guilty and ashamed that she sowed discord between a loyal minister like Wu Zixu and Fuchai that led to Wu Zixu's death. Her conscience disturbed her.

"Even if you are a beauty trap, that's not your fault. Not to mention that I've never believed that you are a spy," Fuchai said, and he gently wiped Xi Shi's tears.

Xi Shi threw herself in Fuchai's embrace and cried. Fuchai's love moved her heart.

She didn't love Fuchai. She only loved Fan Li and Yue State. Yet, the destiny of the two states lied in her shoulders.

===================

Xuanye indeed was a crouching tiger hidden dragon - a hidden talent. He had always positioned himself as the mere assistant of Wu Zixu. Except for some people who worked closely with Xuanye and Wu Zixu, many people didn't know that Xuanye contributed to many of Wu Zixu's successes on battlefields.

Wu only managed to organize twenty thousand troops to defend and counterattack Goujian. And many of the soldiers were old, weak, and inexperienced soldiers. Yet under Xuanye's commandership, they managed to defend the capital city.

The Yue had sieged the Wu capital for eleven days. There's no sign that Wu could be defeated. Their defense was too strong.

Goujian and Fan Li, who led the campaign against Wu, were surprised and had never expected that Wu could resist. They had gotten reliable information that the capital only had old, weak, and inexperienced troops. How could now Wu resisted their attack?

"This is unexpected!" Fan Li said to Fan Li. "Bo Pi said that it is General Yan, the right hand of Wu Zixu who leads the war - supported by Crown Prince You. Never had thought that he's such a capable man. They only have twenty thousand troops now, yet they could resist us. I'm afraid that if the war is taking too long, we can't control the situation. Fuchai might be back in less than a month! With that, Wu will have a full force to counter-attack us!"

"Who is that Yan Xuanye? I've never heard about him before!" Goujian said.

"He's an assistant of Wu Zixu," Fan Li explained. "I heard that Wu Zixu relied on him a lot in many battles. He's the key success of Wu Zixu, although he's very low profile. He retired after Wu Zixu's death. It's Crown Prince You who brings him back to court and have him lead the troops!"

"Hmm, it seems that Crown Prince You is not as stupid as his father," Goujian said.

"He is not stupid!" Fan Li said. "Crown Prince You is a hindrance for us!"

"Send more gifts to Bo Pi and the other ministers of Wu. Crown Prince You has to be handled. Also, sow discord between Fuchai and General Yan. It is better if he could get rid of him!" Goujian said.