Spring and Autumn Era: Part 5. Arise, Vengeance, 卧薪尝胆. 越王灭吴

Music: Red Lotus Theme

Your kingdom can live...if your King~ his Majesty becomes a slave.

Now come the last of the Hegemons: the cycle would end- with a King who was made a slave. Arise, vengeance of King Goujian, and crush Sun Tzu's army.

Now we enter the late game of Spring and Autumn period. The Axial Age of sages and kings in China when Laozi, Sun Tzu, and Confucius all walked with the realm's last Hegemons. The rise of the last will also be the most dramatic in this age, for it began with the killing of the recently empowered previous Hegemon.

IN THE WAKE OF DAVID AND GOLIATH

In 506, the Zhou realm witnessed a triumph like that between David and Goliath. To everyone's astonishment, Chu, the eternal boogiemen of the Zhou realms and one of the largest and most formidable states of the Spring and Autumn era was utterly defeated on the field by an upstart. Wu- a wet land of marshes and forking rivers, seen little more than a backwater of civilization had, under the tutelage of an extremely capable Chu refugee Wu Zixu, and the legendary strategist Sun Tzu, repeatedly destroyed the Chu army in 5 major defeats near the Chu capital. 

506 BC. A brief, but profound humiliation. For nearly a century, the backwater of Wu (yellow) was locked in a mortal strife with the mammoth state of Chu (purple) to its west. At Chu's time it had not only been the largest of all Spring and Autumn states but it had doggedly unnerved its neighbors in all directions. 

In 506, under an energetic king and 2 brilliant ministers, Wu suddenly plunged into the Chu heartland via river transports then defeated the massive Chu army 5 times. After this series of stunning defeats, the Chu king fled and its capital looted. But the intervention from Qin to the west and palace intrigue at home forced Wu to retreat back. Despite the briefness of the campaign, all of the realm saw the brilliant rise of Wu. A new world order had risen.

In turn the Chu capital was sacked and the Chu king fled from the seat of his power. In the wake of the Chu's profound humilation, Chu's scourge, the energetic Wu king Helü then became the next Hegemon of the realm. In the next 10 years, Wu would bent on a spree of expansion in multiple directions, rapidly vassalizing or absorbing many of the smaller states on its periphery. However, one of such states did not take such aggression without riposte. Remarkably, it would be a war between 2 brotherly peoples, and another David and Goliath struggle in miniature. 

THE CUNNING KING GOUJIAN

Prince Goujian ascended his throne in peril. His father offended the most powerful man in the realm. War chose him. 

The war between Wu and Yue began like a Homeric episode-  and began when a Yue princess, who was married to one of the princes of the neighboring Wu, left her husband and fled back to the State of Yue. This became the spark for the war to come. Wu, at the time eager to assert its Hegemony and cow the nearby states in submission promptly viewed Yue's refusal to return her as an insult. This, combined with the Yue king's posture to strengthen its own armies, also greatly antagonized the two states. When Yue's ambitious King Yunchang died and the throne passed to the young and inexperience prince Goujian - sensing Yue weakness, Helü instantly leapt on the opportunity and organized a massive punitive expedition to overawe Yue. It was here the young prince made his name in Helü's blood.

Unlike other strifes in the Spring and Autumn period, the people of the kingdom of Wu and Yue, are very culturally similar. They spoke a mutually intelligible language, wrote in a distinctive bird and worm seal script 鸟虫篆 and also had nearly identical customs in worship and funerary rites. Both people were known for their exquisitely crafted swords and spears, which were the foremost in China at the time, tattooing was also practiced by these peoples. Today the culture remains disctinctive and is known as the Wuyue culture and is characterized as being delicate, graceful and refined, having preserved many unique cultural traditions nonextant in other regions of China.

Music: In the Chess Court

Wu in the 490s. Wu (yellow) aggressively expanded in the wake of its defeat of Chu, taking 1/3 of what was Chu lands in the west and subdued and overawed many of its neighbors. Although they are one people in culture, Wu vastly dwarfed Yue in development and assimilation into the mainstream Zhou Chinese culture. With the recent bad blood between Helü and King Yunchang, in Yunchang's death and the accession of the young king Goujian, Helü invaded the much smaller kingdom of Yue (red) with a mighty host.

BATTLE OF ZUILI (槜李之战)

Flushed with confidence, Helü breached into Yue with perhaps the most well trained army at the time. An army that was trained and long drilled for decades by none other than Sun Tzu himself. And although according to tradition that Sun Tzu was said to be already dying at this time (it was more likely that Sun Tzu was in reality a stand in for Wu's talented Chancellor Wu Zixu) it was an army that should under no circumstances be underestimated. Predictably, the expertly trained Wu army was able to overawe all of Yue's armies in its path and lay waste to Yue's lands. This would drive the young Goujian into desperation, however in desperation, Goujian attempted a stunning maneuver. Goujian would face the victory- flushed Wu army in a meadow battle (extremely irrational and dangerous considering the asymmetrical numerical disadvantage and the better quality of the Wu army.)

In 496BC, Mighty confidence turned to ash, the Hegemon himself was wounded in battle - commanded by none other than the very next Hegemon

At Zuili (now Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province), Goujian faced Helü with his own smaller force. Before the 2 armies came to blows, the frontline of Yue army composed of "死士"  Sishi - as recorded by the Sima Qian's "Record of Grand Historian" marched out, took off their helmets, and took out their swords. Upon a single loud order these Sishi soldier proceeded to cut open their own necks in the full sight of the Wu army and died kneeling. "死士"  Sishi is literally translated as "Death Soldiers"- some modern interpretations have suggested they were only criminals, but it was far likely that Sishi meant fanatical soldiers. 

Having seen this, even the well disciplined Wu army was stunned and thrown into disarray. Taking advantage of this precise moment, Yue launched a surprise ambush against the Wu army, and then proceeded to attack the disoriented Wu in full force from several directions. The Yue attack was so fierce that attackers even reached close to King Helü and wounded him in the foot, severing his toe. With Helü visibly injured, the Wu army retreated. Helü would soon die that very year, coincidentally before his death, making his son and heir prince Fuchai swear an oath that he would "Never Forget Yue" and avenge his death. 

WU'S REVENGE

Music: In a Box

Wu's new King Fuchai would not take the insult face down. Two years after Zuili in 494BC, the Wu army was restored to strength and this time cut off Yue in a preemptive invasion of Wu, this time the Wu annihilated the Yue army in battle at Fujiao 夫椒 (southwest of modern Wuxian 吴县, Jiangsu.) Wu prestige and primacy was restored. The defeated Goujian was only able to retreat with some 5,000 soldiers. With the rest of his shattered army Goujian withdrew to Guiji 会稽, at the foot of Mount Kuaiji. When the Wu army followed and surrounded the mountain on all sides, Goujian offered a truce. However, although Wu considered the Yue terms, one of the conditions for Wu to accept Yue's surrender stipulated that King Goujian himself must become a slave to Fuchai and become his hostage in the Wu court. 

The story of Fuchai and Goujian was one of 2 oath- sworn sons, each fighting and killing to preserve their father's legacy. Although the conflict was kindled by their ambitious respective fathers, upon the 2nd round of blood letting it became deeply personal. Incidentally both of the famous monarch's exquisite weapons: the famous Sword of Goujian, and the Spear of Fuchai, were both preserved into the modern day. When the lacquered scabbard containing the Sword of Goujian was discovered in 1965, unsheathing the sword revealed an untarnished blade, despite the tomb being soaked in underground water for over 2,000 years. In fact it was so sharp it drew blood from one of the archeologists and was able to easily rip apart 20 layers of folded paper with ease. 

Yue lands were situated on the precarious coastal mountains in what is today's Zhejiang Province. At the time, it was considered the absolute southern fringe of the Chinese civilization. A backwater and an unpopulated haunt, Yue was savage even by the standard of its own Wuyue culture. The forbidding Mount Kuaiji served as a vital foundation to Yue's tradition and culture.

NOW DESCEND A SLAVE

If Wu's offering sounded somewhat merciful, especially considering they were on the cusp of fully annihilating the Yue remnants on Mount- it was because Fuchai's decision was actually heavily influenced by a hand that was favorable to Yue. Right after Wu's initial series of victories, at Fan Li's (one of Goujian's closest advisor's) suggestion, Goujian sent one of his loyal ministers: Wen Zhong to bribe the Wu chancellor, Bo Pi, in order to obtain more favorable terms. With the hefty bribe, Bo accepted the gifts and promised to help Goujian's case. 

After Fuchai withdrew his men from Yue, Goujian took his wife and the minister Fan Li to the Wu court to serve his opponent. A traditional legend has that before Goujian crossed the border into Wu, he disrobed from his regalia and in turn took the clothing befitting that of a servant/ slave. Before crossing into Wu, a despondent old man grabbed 2 palms of earth and asked to brush them over Goujian's cheeks. Goujian accepted the 2 palmful of earth which was rubbed over his face so that he would never forget the homeland of Yue.

The corrupt Bo Pi took advantage of Fuchai's insecurities. Despite Wu's recent face- saving victories in the south, its hold on power was still very precarious. Wu had many disloyal recently incorporated vassals, and a dangerous northern border with Qi- one of the richest and most populous northern states. Fuchai cannot waste too long committing his army to besiege a literal mountain fortress. Plus, his aim of cowing Yue in a decisive battle had already met its goals to restoring Wu prestige.

Because Fuchai had been more anxious to expand northward against Qi, he accepted Bo's advice to make a favorable peace with Yue rather than engage in the lengthy pacification campaign that would have been necessary to annex the state of Yue in full. Thus Goujian accepted Wu's terms and bent his knee to become a slave to Fuchai as well as turning Yue into a tributary vassal of Wu. After Fuchai withdrew his men from Yue, Goujian took his wife and the minister Fan Li to the Wu court to serve his opponent. 

Music: A Peaceful Place

WU CAPTIVITY- ANOTHER WORLD

Even in modern times: Suzhou was known as a city of water: crisscrossed by canals and scholar's courted mansions the city was often dubbed "Venice of the East" because of the numerous canals- pleasure boats and beautiful scenery.

The capital of Wu- in contrast to even the largest cities in Yue was likely unfathomable to Goujian. A massive recent metropolis located beside the great Lake Tai. The area had long been the cradle of the Wu culture, and where some of the 1st Wu settlement were born. Only 1 generation ago, under the close supervision of Wu King Helü and his trusted councilor Wu Zixu, they converted the patchwork of settlements into a vast walled metropolis, one of the largest in all of the Zhou realms. 

HEART OF THE ENEMY

The refrain that much of Wu itself was under Wu Zixu's influence was not wrong, because Wu Zixu was instrumental in brining Wu to primacy in the realm, Wu Zixu's ears and eyes were everywhere watching Goujian for any excuse to have Goujian executed. A desicive man known for his lateral and ruthless approaches in problem solving, Wu Zixu was a dangerous watch dog for Fuchai's interests. During the Wu Yue wars Wu Zixu saw Yue as the most pressing threat to Wu and petitioned many time to Fuchai to have Goujian killed.

With tall, turreted walls and crisscrossed by canals, the city was a wonder of its age. One of the most scenic corners, named "Tiger Hill" was converted into a massive mausoleum where Fuchai laid Helü to rest. The seat of this awe- inspiring metropolis would become what is today's Suzhou. After 20 years of vigorous development, the city was a pet project of the former Wu Chancellor Wu Zixu, under whose stewardship, the capital was transformed into a nexus of power. 

Master's Ease: Goujian made sure he maintained a low profile, giving his master no problem nor complain at all so that in time, Fuchai's attention again turned to the north. For Wu, its leadership had always viewed the larger and stronger northern states as bigger foes to its geopolitical ambitions.

The chancellor converted the great half moon shaped lake Tai into a base for Wu's legendarily invincible navy and then dug great canals extending from it to every major nearby river in the region: allowing massive Wu flotillas to freely and suddenly appear (and police) all across the lands of Wu. 

Wu Zixu also made sure that these canals irrigated the previously unusable brackish wetlands and swamps and turned them into fertile farmlands. Despite the fact that Wu long experienced famines, during Wu Zixu's tenure the people never experienced starvation and lack of food. In comparison to Yue, Wu's developments and infrastructural achievements must have seemed astonishing. 

THE INOFFENSIVE SLAVE

Goujian humbly submitted to Fuchai and became his obedient slave, dutifully performing all that was asked of him by his master.

At the Wu court Goujian made sure he maintained a low profile, giving his master no problem at all so that in time, Fuchai's attention again turned to the north. For Wu, its leadership had always viewed the larger and stronger northern states as bigger foes to its geopolitical ambitions. It was likely he slavishly ingratiated himself to win Fuchai's confidence and never gave his master any trouble at all. During his absence trusted ministers ruled in his stead and Yue paid tributes to Wu and obeyed. However, although Fuchai seemed to be placated by Goujian's docility- encouraged by the corrupt Bo Pi, Goujian was very paranoid of the old Wu Zixu: whose faction at court regarded him as a threat that must be dealt with.

3 years of hard toil thus passed inside the Wu court, with Goujian obediently carrying out his master's every wish and command. Traditionally it was said that in order to prove his total soulless and obsequious devotion to Fuchai, when the Wu monarch was bed ridden by a sickness, Goujian even volunteered to taste Fuchai's own stool in order to deduce the health of his master. Which Goujian remarked that Fuchai would soon return to his good health. Upon Fuchai's return to health, Goujian was permitted to return to his native home in Yue. 

Music: Fresh Air

SLEEPING ON BRUSHWOOD AND TASTING BILE

When Fuchai slipped Goujian back to Yue, Fuchai probably imagined that Goujian~ now seemingly broken and made docile, would run a tributary cash cow on Wu's behalf. However, upon Goujian's return, he began to secretly reforming his kingdom. After the defeat at the hand of Wu, Yue had been through much hardship and its capability was far from its old strength. While Yue obediently carried out Wu's wishes as an obedient subject, Goujian slowly began a soft process to undermine Wu.

After Goujian returned to rule his kingdom, Goujian never relished kingly riches, but instead ate food suited for peasants, as well as forcing himself to only sleep on brushwood and daily tasted bitter bile from a hanging gall, in order to remember his humiliations while serving under Wu. He led a life of total frugality and inspired his people by working his own fields as his wife made thread and wove by hand. The common Chinese idiom, wòxīn-chángdǎn (卧薪尝胆, "sleeping on sticks and tasting gall"), refers to Goujian's perseverance and absolute determination to remake his destiny.

Upon resuming his rule, King Goujian quickly appointed skilled politicians as advisors, such as Wen Zhong and Fan Li, to help build up the kingdom. Fan Li was a brilliant economist and drafted many policies that both reduced the burden of the people as well as cleverly replenished the coffer and grain yields within the realm. Under the surface pretext of defending itself against its other neighbors, the nearly broken Yue army was again drilled for aggression with the aim of restoring it to its old strength. While Goujian presided over the re- strengthening of his realm in these raw sectors, he gave lavish tributes and gifts to Fuchai, including whatever was requested of him to supplement Wu's expensive clashes with Qi northward and Wu's massive canal building projects. 

THE BEAUTY PLOY 

During this time, Goujian's ministers also worked to weaken the State of Wu internally through bribes and diplomatic intrigue. Already secure in their former dealings with the corrupt Wu minister Bo Pi, Yue made use of him as a vital channel. It was here that one of the most beautiful women in Chinese history entered the stage. 

Xi Shi 西施- "Lady Shi of the West" was, according to legends, one of the renowned Four Beauties of ancient China. 

Goujian's minister Wen Zhong suggested training beautiful women and offering them to Fuchai as a tribute (knowing that the hedonistic Fuchai could not resist beautiful women). His other minister, Fan Li, found Xi Shi- one of the most beautiful women in Yue, Goujian ordered the court musicians to teach her singing, dancing, and refined court etiquette, after three years he then sent her to Fuchai via Bo Si in 490 BC along with dozens of other beauties. Although Xi Shi herself was likely an amalgamation of several beauties of this period (for the first time she was mentioned was centuries later after this period and she was not named in the contemporary records)  she could be seen as a shorthand for some of the stunning beauties Yue introduced to Fuchai. Bewitched by the beauty and kindness of Xi Shi, Fuchai forgot all about his state affairs. 

Xi Shi's beauty was said to be so extreme that while leaning over a balcony to look at the fish in the pond, the fish would be so dazzled that they forgot to swim and sank below the surface. She was likely an amalgamation of several legendary unnamed beauties of the era trained and sent by Yue to undermine Wu. 

Yue's use of beautiful women as agents of subterfuge were by no means uncommon at all, for during this exact moment, right on the northern borders of Wu another great power was doing the same to one of its rivals. The state of Qi- seeing the efficient and temperate governance of the nearby foe of Lu (which was personally under the stewardship of none other than Confucius himself as its able Chancellor) sought to destroy Lu from within. So Qi sent a huge entourage of 80 beautiful dancers and 120 prized stallions to the Duke of Lu, after been bewitched by them, the Duke abandoned all governance and spent all of his time cavorting with his beauties and riding chariots. This led to to ostracization of Confucius from his sovereign and prompted his self imposed exile from Lu. Lu would loose most of its territories in only 1 generation after this fatal bewitchment. 

Fuchai spent day and night with her and several other dozens of great Yue beauties. To please them, he even constructed an isolated and scenic palace lodge on the exquisite Lingyan Mountain in Suzhou.  Lingyan Mountain itself has always been known for its delicate scenery, and the entire scenic mountain resembled that of a Bonsai miniature- their veritable snow globe separated from the Wu court and the rest of Wu's worries.  Beside Fuchai, exorbitant bribes were simultaneously also paid to Bo Pi's estates, and he was made to continuously only speak positively on Yue's behalf to his king. 

SATIATING ALL OF FUCHAI'S NEEDS

During this time, Yue drilled its soldiers constantly and passed many critical reforms that strengthened its army. Yue also began to stockpile for a confrontation

When the megalomaniacal Fuchai- so eager to outdo his father in deeds and achievements began to build a massive wooden palace on Tiger Hill (near where his father was buried) he faced a shortage of hardwood to fulfill his ambitious architectural dreams. When Goujian was made aware of this he immediately sent a generous bonanza of exquisite timber to Fuchai. This pleased Fuchai greatly. 

In 486 BC when Fuchai initiated a massive canal building projects northward as a permanent riverine invasion highway to Qi ran into supply shortages (Fuchai had intended to allow a massive fleet to sail right beside Qi's borders with a constant supply of men and grain) Yue provided all that Fuchai needed to keep his attention northward. The ploy served 2 aims, not only was Fuchai's attention directed northward, but it also kept the Wu populace exhausted and busy with construction, thus unable to reap much in harvests (or likely stockpile enough in the heartland's granaries, since much of the grain will be requisitioned for Fuchai's campaigns.) Because of these ironclad supply lines, Wu decisively defeated Qi army in the battle of Battle of Ailing. Despite the clever guile of Yue, none of their ploys were missed by the sagacious Wu Zixu. 

EXIT WU ZIXU  

All of Yue's ploys were not lost on Wu Zixu, who- whenever he was made aware of Yue's maneuvers instantly raised a fuss to his sovereign, much to Fuchai's annoyance. Conversely, every time Wu would make such accusations, his claims would be disputed by the corrupt Bo Pi. Unlike with Fuchai's father- who formed a dynamic duo with Wu Zixu, Fuchai himself and Wu Zixu never had the same level of rapport, and by extension, the same level of trust between sovereign and his right hand. With the monarch's esteem placed solely on one who was directly benefiting from a parasitical conspiracy with Yue, Wu Zixu was shut off these key levers of power despite the enormous esteem he held with many Wu ministers. Though Wu tried to dispel Yue's influence with Fuchai and argued many times that Yue should be vanquished and Goujian slain, all of his entreaties were unheeded or bluntly rebuffed. 

Wu Zixu, who was never convinced of the sincerity of Goujian's submission, always kept his eyes on the petty monarch to his south. The fact that Goujian was both able to be suicidally ruthless and kill 1 Wu king then a totally soulless obedient husk to another Wu king and have the 2 duplicitous aspects in one meant Goujian was capable of being both when the time needed. 

Wu should not turn its attention elsewhere while such a latent power remain unchecked, especially when it seemed the whole of Wu's court was suspiciously rigged in their favor and toward turning its attention north. But for Fuchai- who only focused on appearance's, it was illogical that he should turn his blade against a slavish henchman who was totally willing to fulfil his every need. So long as his wishes were being fulfilled, to Fuchai, Goujian as king was the same slave Goujian he (thought he) knew.

Music: Mako's Sacrifice

Wu Zixu's streak of ruthlessness was not unwarranted. He fled to Wu many decades ago in his youth because his father was framed by the King of Chu and his clan was unjustly purged on trumped up charges. Homeless, Wu Zixu came to Wu and became one of its eternally steadfast pillars. His reforms with King Helü eventually propelled Wu to its astonishing heights as the Hegemon of the age. It was very likely that Wu Zixu did not trust Goujian because he personally knew how the embers of deep grudges and wrongs cannot be truly dispelled, despite whatever appearances.

By 484 BC, in one of Wu Zixu's frequent altercations with his King about invading Yue Fuchai was so annoyed and enraged that he gave Wu Zixu a sword and ordered him to commit kill himself, saying his constant obstructive behavior amounted to sabotage. This Wu Zixu dutifully obeyed, and took the sword (as was the custom of this age) to his throat. Before Wu Zixu committed suicide, Wu Zixu asked King Fuchai to remove his eyes after his death and hang them on the city gate so that he could watch the capture of the Wu capital by the Yue army. Thus died the pillar of Wu, who had been so inseparable from its soar. 

A folk tradition maintained that after his death, Wu Zixu was denied a burial and thrown into the river. Another stated that before he slew himself, he gave a cryptic advice that if~ some how that the capital would ever be under siege, that the defenders would do well to "dig near the base of the capital's might walls." The meaning of these words would only be revealed in the next phase of our tale, when the capital was indeed put to siege, by none other than the one that Wu Zixu spent all of his last days warning of.

Music: Warriors

GOUJIAN READIES HIS STATE 

In all of the 10 years since Goujian's return, he had never relaxed the drilling of his army. With the greatest pillar within Wu removed, the path of Yue's revenge laid open. Ironically as the coiner of Yue's greatest rival army had personally penned in the "Art of War": Yue had made its intentions impenetrable as night, and, soon, would fall like a thunderbolt.

BRAVE SWORDS 

The army that Goujian readied was a reinvigorated one. In the "Record of Wu and Yue of Spring and Autumn" written in the Eastern Han period, it stated that an extremely talented swordswoman appeared in the Yue court- Yuenü 越女 (literally: "Maiden of Yue") that having demonstrated her peerless skill with her blade in front of the king, Goujian appointed her to train his army officers, who in turn, instructed his army.

As described by Sima Qian in the "Record of the Grand Historian"  -"(After) Ten years of reforms; the (Yue) state was rich, the warriors well-rewarded. The soldiers charge in the face of arrows were like thirsty men heading for drink."

As an aside, it should also be noted that Wu's old enemy, Chu- which had been badly bloodied by Wu decades ago and had its capital looted was also keen to support Yue against Wu and offered much aid.

CASE OF THE BURROWED GRAIN

Immediately after Wu Zixu's death, in 483BC when Goujian was notified that Fuchai was preparing a great summit to cow the many states to the north, Goujian knew his time had come. Wu's preparations were extensive, and it would be part of Fuchai's bid to be recognized as Hegemon. Fuchai had hoped that in impressing many of the vacillating states with his massive marching army, he would be officially recognized by the influential states of the Central Plains, specially Jin- and be acknowledged as the overlord of the realm. 

The preparations were exhaustive and Fuchai's guards and entourage composed of both naval and land columns. Before Fuchai departed, Goujian sent missives to Fuchai complaining of a great famine that had hit Yue lands and pleaded that Yue require aid in grain relief. However, as a good show of assurance from Yue. Yue would pay back the allotted grain amount in full at a later time once the famine had been averted. This Fuchai agreed. With this done, Wu marched north in a gambit for Hegemony. And in due time, the repayment grain from Yue began to arrive back in a slow trickle. 

ARISE VENGEANCE

Fuchai's northern expedition began favorably, his massive army allowed him to arrogantly cow many of the smaller states to the north in line- including an episode where he rudely misbehaved in Confucius' Lu court and disrespecting its sacred rituals. During the great conference that year in 482BC, Fuchai's visible strength successfully challenged the Duke of Jin (the other powerful great lord of the realm) for the status of Hegemon at Huangchi.

Music: Inside

FALL LIKE A THUNDERBOLT 

It was precisely at this time that Goujian invaded Wu with a mighty army into what was a mostly defenseless Wu. It was extremely unfortunate for Wu that not only is its capital situated very close to Yue but also that the metropolis was largely defended by lower quality troops. Worse yet, that the enemy pinning them was someone who knew well of the city in his 3 years here as a slave. 

All of the Wu garrisons encountered by Goujian's army were destroyed and their great misfortune were exacerbated by the fact that a famine broke out across the Wu heartlands. It had turned out that the grain which was returned by Yue had all been boiled. So that once the grain seeds were planted nothing would grow. The onset of famine, repeated military defeats compounded the situation and brought Wu to its knees in only months. 

When Fuchai- who was still in attendance during the lordly summit was informed that most of the Wu garrisons had been defeated and that Goujian had captured and executed Fuchai's heir Crown Prince You, the embarrassed Fuchai hastily raced back with his army to a Wu that was on the verge of collapse. The Wu home army was no more and many pocket of Wu was too deep in a famine to render any supplies to its returning expeditionary army. With nothing to throw against Yue, Fuchai (again under the persuasion of the corrupt Bo Pi) hastily concluded an unfavorable treaty- ceding much of Wu's lands to the south and east to Yue control. Retaining only the heartland near the great walled Wu capital at Suzhou where it could be resupplied from water as well as hold off for a very long siege. 

WU VANQUISHED 

Yue's decision to not take Wu in one fell swoop owed to the fact that despite Yue's strength, it was still not in a position to besiege the metropolis/ capital at Suzhou and simultaneously commit to full battle with Wu's still formidable army in the field. Although the first foray had constituted more akin to a deep strategic raid, where vital garrisons, resource sectors, and even the Wu royal family tree were destroyed. Goujian opted to be patient in the long arc of his revenge against Wu. 

For many centuries, oral traditions in Suzhou stated that during the starving siege inflicted by Yue upon the doomed city of Suzhou, that one of Wu Zixu's friends remembered the old minister's cryptic words to dig around the base of the walls. It had turned out that the fillings between large block of stone were actually made from pounded sticky rice gel: an admixture that was so sticky that it both retains its freshness while also keeping the strongest materials tethered together. It was also totally and ideally edible for a starving population. Thus Wu Zixu saved his adopted people and the city he built and loved even long after his death. For thousands of years after this fabled age, in honor of Wu Zixu, rice cakes were eaten every year during the annual Dragon Boat Festival, and rice cakes wrapped in bamboo leaves were often thrown into the rivers to honor Wu's wronged spirit.

Music: In a Box

For 10 years, the rump state of Wu languished, with Fuchai's crown prince's status passed to another son. However, Wu was unable to muster enough to stand up to Yue again. Yue would harass then annex Wu piecemeal. As Goujian had anticipated, Wu was so damaged that it would never rise again to its former state. Goujian's army reappeared again outside of Wu capital later in 473 BC, this time with the aim of vanquishing the Wu state. Again the Wu field armies near the heartland were all blown away by the Yue army. This time the prepared Yue army dug in and surrounded the Wu capital for a proper siege. 

A long siege thus commenced, but despite the long resistance by the Wu citizens, the long arc of the outcome was already decided. Yue surrounded both the capital and Fuchai himself on all sides, and all of the countryside were in Yue's hands. There would be no reinforcements, nor reinforcing supplies coming from any direction and any prolonging of the agony would only delay the inevitable. Fuchai asked for terms but Goujian's key minister Fan Li's steeled Goujian's resolve against any clemency. In the end, Fuchai- not wishing to be captured nor made into Goujian's slave, commit suicide with his sword and the kingdom of Wu- which had stood for centuries and only recently reigned as the brilliant Hegemon of the realm was annexed by Yue. Fuchai's other princes would forever renounce their claim to Wu and leave in exile, mournfully changing their last names simply to "Wu."

Music: Farewell Hero

ARISE THE LAST HEGEMON 

In Xuzhou, modern Shandong, Goujian assembled the regional lords and declared himself Hegemon of the realms.

According to the "Record of the Grand Historian" before Fuchai slew himself he had lamented that he did not heed the counsel of Wu Zixu and covered his face as he died because he dared not face Wu in the afterlife. The Record- which was written in Western Han dynasty in the 2nd century BC also stated that upon Goujian's entrance into the surrendered Suzhou he had the corrupt Wu minister Bo Pi executed, ironically for taking bribes and consorting with a foreign ruler. This was done because Goujian could never trust having such a traitor under his roof. However, the contemporary Spring and Autumn era Zuo Zhuan- directly disputed this, and recorded that in 471 BC Bo Pi was promoted. The once backwater of Yue had now tripled in size by incorporating most of what was Wu. Wu was no more and all of what was China's east coat belonged to Goujian. 

Thus, in 473BC with his power indisputably asserted, Goujian became the last of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn era. Goujian would move his capital to the opulent Suzhou. After splitting up Wu with its new neighbor Chu, Goujian would spend the rest of his life consolidating his gains along the east coast of China. 

THE PRECIPICE OF AN AGE OF CALAMITY: WARRING STATES

Despite other great powers of the era offering him recognition for his status as the greatest among them, the rest of Goujian's reign was riddled with disquietude and paranoia. A warrior king by nature, the gnawing anxiety at court eventually led Goujian to persecute his ministers. During his late life he ordered one of his key ministers, the capable Wen Zhong to commit suicide. While Fan Li, knowing that Goujian was a man who can share woes but not wealth together, left Goujian after the defeat of Wu and disappeared from history. Tradition has it that Fan Li fell in love with Xi Shi and the two of them eloped together on a fishing boat, freely roaming the misty wilderness of Lake Tai in the style of the Taoist immortals 仙. It is well and good that one of the important characters was able to leave the stage in what perhaps was a truly happy ending. Because for many, for the many million within the realm the last days of this age would herald a monstrous new one, one of endless wars and injustices.

It was with the ascension of Goujian- the 5th and last of the Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn era, the death of Confucius, and the Partition of Jin in 3 that many historians would agree this poetic age ended. With Goujian's death also went some of this age's most brilliant minds, including that of Laozi, Confucius, and Sun Tzu (only a while ago.) Blowing away with these lofty sages and romantic kings were the last veneers of what could be ascribed as... civility in what had already been an age of constant strife. But little did these men all know, the age that would follow was one singularly distinguished by ruthlessness: An age of endless wars between the greatest warlords of the realm that have all crowned themselves as kings. In the next age, where the last pretenses were dropped: all were Hegemons in their respective spheres. As the famous poem by William Butler Yeats stated: 

Music: Mandate of Heaven

Turning and turning in the widening gyre   

The falcon cannot hear the falconer;

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere   

The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst   

Are full of passionate intensity.

The Warring States period would be an evil crucible where so much of the best and brightest of humanity, and all that had flourished, that were lovingly written in this age would twist down the gyring whirlpool of destruction and die. Rest assured, all of those who consecrated their worth in survival during the next age, even the best were monsters. 

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