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 forget me， forever and ever。“Vengeance against Wu could wait， as far as Feng Li was concerned， but Yi Kwan，that”s his name for Si Shi， was in the embrace of King Fu Chai。 Love and jealousy gnawed at his heart。 He must find to way to make as many sharp swords as possible， even sharper than those wielded by the invincible Wu swordmen……
He walked aimlessly on the street。 Eighteen armed guards followed him faithfully。 Suddenly someone was singing a。 Wu song “My sword is sharp！ My enemy has no courage！ My sword is sharp！ My enemy has no head！”Eight men in blue， arm in arm， swaggered down the street， showing no concern for the pedestrians who were hurrying out of their way。 They were the eight Wu swordmen。 They were obviously very drunk。 Feng Li frowned。 He could feel his anger rising。 The eight swordmen stopped in front of Feng Li。 One of them looked sideways with his drunken eyes and said “You……you are Minister Feng？” Then he broke into uncontrollable giggles。 Two guards leaped in front of Feng Li and said “Don”t be so rude。 Make way！“The eight swordmen merely laughed and mimicked their words ”Don“t be so rude。 Make way！”Two guards pulled out their swords and cried “By royal decree， those who dare to interfere with Minister Feng”s welfare is to be executed！“One of the Wu swordman”s body swayed as he said “Execute you， or me？”Feng“s mind was working。 ”They were the subjects of Wu。 Even though they are rude。 We cannot affford to fight them。“ Before he could tell his guards to pull back， a。 bright sword flashed。 The guards screamed。 Then their swords dropped to the ground。 One of the Wu swordman returned his sword into the sheath， his face was full of gloating pride。 The rest of Feng Li”s guards pulled out their swords and surrounded the eight Wu swordmen。 The leader raised his head and laughed “We never planned to return to Wu alive anyway。 Let”s see how big an army you need in order to kill us！“ With a。 shout， eight swords leaped out of their sheaths。 Eight swordmen stood back to back， forming a。 circle。 Feng Li thought ”If one could not endure small slights， then one would never achieve great things。“ He shouted ”These eight are ambassadors from the Great Kingdom。 Don“t treat them with ill manners。 Back！” Then he retreated to the side of the street。 His guards were angry enough to spit fire from their eyes， but they dare not disobey him。 Reluctantly they retreated to the side of the street as well。 The they heard the cries of a。 herd of goats。 Ayoung maiden dressed in pale green robe herded tens of goats down the street。 The goats started to go around the eight Wu swordmen。 One swordman was feeling cheated of agood fight， so his sword moved and a。 goat was neatly bisected。 The cut was so neat that even the nose of the goat was severed into two precisely equal parts。 His seven friends cheered。 Even Feng Li could not fault his sword skill。 The young maiden“s bamboo stick moved and herded the rest of goats behind her。 Then she said ”Why did you kill my goat？“ The voice was feminine and clear， but it also contained anger。 The goat killer cut his sword into air a。 few times and laughed ”Little girl， Iwill cut you into half just like this goat！“Feng Li cried ”Lady， please e over here。 They are drunk。“The maiden said ”Even if you are drunk， that“s no excuse to behave rudely。”The swordman“s sword circled above her head。 ”I was thinking of cutting off your head， but now Isee you“re quite pretty， so Ichanged my mind。” His seven friends laughed again。 Feng Li looked at her。 She had an oval face， long eyelashes and clear， white skin。 Her face was pretty and her body was slende， even seemingly frail。 He cried again “Lady， over here。” The maiden said “Of course。”The Wu swordman“s sword reached out toward toward her belt。 ”Why……“ Before he could finished， the maiden”s bamboo stick flickered and stabbed into his wrist。 The swordman only felt a。 sudden pain on his wirst and dropped his sword。 The bamboo stick raised upward， followed by another stab into the swordman“s right eye。 The swordman screamed as he covered his blinded eye。 The maiden”s movement might be simple， but for some reason， the Wu swordman could not block or even avoid her bamboo stick。 The other seven swordmen was much surprised。 One of them pulled back his sword and thrusted it toward the maiden“s right eye。 As the sword sped forward， everyone could hear aloud whoosh， signaling the strength behind the thrust。 The maiden didn”t even move her feet。 Her bamboo stick moved again。 This time she stabbed at the swordman“s shoulder。 The stab was so fast that although it started after the thrust， it arrived well before the thrust could reach her。 The swordman cried out in pain as all the strength went out of his thrust。 Then the maiden”s wrist flicked and the bamboo stick went into his right eye。 The swordman screamed like a。 butchered pig as his two fists waved aimlessly。 Now， the maiden made four moves and two Wu swordmen were disabled。 The spectator only saw her making some movements with her bamboo stick。 Even though she moved too fast to be seen clearly， but the technique she used was clearly derived from some sort of high sword skill。 Feng was both surprised and gladdened， but now he saw that the maiden had to face six Wu swordmen。 He hurriedly said “Swordmen of Wu。 It would be bad for the honor of Wu if the six of you gang up on a。 defenseless girl。 Even you win with you superior numbers……” He clapped his hands together。 His guards leaped into the street and surrounded the Wu swordmen。 The maiden smiled “Even the odds of six against one is not enough for you。” Her left hand lifted slightly。 The bamboo stick on her right hand thrusted toward yet another swordman“s eye。 She moved her stick and stabbed toward another swordman”s chest。 Three swords sped toward her。 She moved agilely and avoided all three sword， then she counterattacked。 One swordman was stabbed on the wrist and lost hold on his sword。 Feng Li“s guard was ready to leap into battle， but they could not perate into the sword formed by the Wu swordmen。 The maiden moved between the six swordmen。 Her long sleeves and long belt waved in the wind beautifully。 Then the cries of pain came from one after another Wu swordmen as their swords dropped to the ground。 The fight was over。 Each of the Wu swordmen lost an eye。 Some lost the right eye。 Some lost the left eye。 The maiden pulled back her bamboo stick and said ”You killed my goat。 Now pensate me。“The Wu swordmen were angry and scared。 Some were roaring in fury。 Some were shivering in fear。 These eight were battlehardened veterans。 Ordinarily they would not lose control of their demeanor even if someone cut of both of their hands， but what happened to them was so beyond their prehension that they had not idea how they should act。 The maiden said ”If you don“t pensate me for my goat， Iwill take your other eye。” The Wu swordmen jumped back involuntarily。 Feng Li said “Lady， Iwi