越女剑-第7部分

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u。　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　Kou　　Chiang　knew　the　answer　anyway。　Feng　Li　said　“You　have　the　skill　of　your　master。　You　can　forge　a。　few　　swords　of　your　own。　They　might　not　be　inferior　to　those　owned　by　Wu。”Hsieh　said　“I　cannot　forge　swords　anymore。”Feng　Li　asked　“Why？”Hsieh　held　up　his　hands。　On　both　his　hands，　the　thumb　and　the　index　　fingers　were　gone。　He　said　sadly　“Thumbs　and　index　fingers　are　required　　for　forging　swords。　Iam　a。　cripple。”Kou　Chiang　said　“Did　you　enemy　cut　away　your　fingers？”Hsieh　said　“No，　my　fellow　student　did　it。”　“Your　fellow　student？　You　　mean　Fong　HuTzu？　Why　did　he　doe　it？　Ah！　It　must　be　that　you　have　greater　　skill　than　he。　He　beame　jealous　and　cut　away　your　fingers。”　Hsieh　remained　　silent。　Ko　Chiang　said　“I　was　thinking　about　inviting　Fong　from　Chuh，　but　now　　Isee　he　won”t　e　because　he　fears　your　vengeance。“Hsieh　said　”Your　Majesty　is　indeed　wise，　but　Fong　is　no　longer　in　Chuh。　　He　is　in　Wu。　Ko　Chiang　said　“He……He”s　in　Wu？　What“s　he　doing　there？”Hsieh　said　“Three　years　ago，　Fong　came　to　my　home　and　took　out　a。　precious　　sword　for　me　to　inspect。　Iwas　astounded。　That　sword　was　forged　by　my　master　　for　Chuh。　It　is　named　the　Flowing　Fabric。　The　blade　was　full　of　runes　that　　flowed　like　water。　Iheard　from　my　master　that　he　forged　three　swords　for　　Chuh。　That　was　one，　the　others　were　Dragon　Spring　and　Ching　Ah。”Kou　Chiang　said　“Then　the　king　of　Chuh　must　have　given　it　to　Fong。”Hsieh　said　“Indirectly。　Fong　said　that　after　the　army　of　Wu　broke　the　　capital　of　Chuh。　Wu　Tzushi　took　the　sword　from　the　grave　of　the　previous　　king。　When　he　returned　to　Wu，　he　heard　of　the　skills　of　Fong，　so　he　gave　　the　sword　to　him　as　a。　gift。　He　said　the　sword　was　a。　legacy　from　our　master　　and　that　Fong　was　the　rightful　owner。”Kou　Chiang　said　“Wu　TzuShi　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　TzuShi　wanted　in　　return　from　Fong？”Hsieh　said　“Wu　Tzushi　merely　said　that　he　admired　our　master。　Fong　　felt　grateful　after　he　received　the　sword，　so　he　went　to　Wu　and　thanked　　Wu　TzuShi　in　person。　Wu　TzuShi　treated　as　an　honored　guest。”Kou　Chiang　said　“That”s　how　he　make　people　bee　loyal　to　him，　even　　onto　death。“Hsieh　said　”Your　Majesty　is　wise，　but　Fong　didn“t　understand　Wu　Tzushi”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　Tzushi　that　he　had　little　skill　　except　forging　swords。　In　return　for　Wu　TzuShi“s　favors，　he　will　forge　　afew　precious　swords　for　him。”Kou　slapped　his　thigh　and　said　“Got　him！”Hsieh　said　“But　Wu　Tzushi　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　e　into　being　until　Mo　Yeh　　flung　herself　into　the　fire。　Wu　Tzushi　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　Tzushi　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　TzuShi　about　the　way　of　　forging　swords。　What　Wu　TzuShi　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　Tzushi　is　crafty，　he　is　not　wise　enough　　to　escape　Your　Majesty”s　schemes。“Kou　Chiang　laughed　”I　am　afraid　that　Ihave　never　been　Wu　Tzushi“s　　match。”Feng　Li　said　“Wu　Tzushi　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　Tzushi　my　name。　Wu　Tzushi　readied　lavish　gifts　and　asked　Fong　　to　invite　me　to　work　for　him　as　well。　Iremembered　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　Icounseled　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，　Iwould　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　TzuShi　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，　Iam　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，　Ican”t　even　wait　one　more　day……“　Adull　　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　pearllike　tears　and　her　　voice　was　soft　as　a。　whispering　stream　”Shao　Bo，　promise　me　that　you　will　　e　and　get　me　as　soon　as　possible。　Iwill　wait　for　you，　day　and　night。　　Say　that　you　will　never　for