Wu Zixu said to Helu: "The King of Chu (Gong Zizhen) is on the run, and the remaining forces in various parts of the Chu State are still active. These people are always thinking about restoring the country. To completely destroy the Chu State, the King of Chu must be found and punished.
"
Helu was also worried about this, so he ordered Wu Zixu to lead an army to find the whereabouts of King Zhao of Chu.
Wu Zixu led his soldiers and horses around for more than half a month, but could not find even the shadow of King Zhao Zhao of Chu. However, he discovered the whereabouts of Nang Wa. Someone told him that Nang Wa had fled to Zheng State. Wu Zixu thought, Nang Wa was in Zheng State.
country, maybe King Chu Zhao would be with him. Wu Zixu once stayed in the State of Zheng. He knew that the State of Zheng was already weak. With the soldiers and horses he had, he was enough to defeat the State of Zheng. So he decided to march against the State of Zheng.
.
There was another reason that prompted Wu Zixu to fight against Zheng. At that time, he and Prince Jian took refuge in Zheng. Prince Jian was deceived by the people of Jin, and he actually prepared to act as an internal agent for the people of Jin and help Jin overthrow Zheng.
, but was killed by the Zheng people. Wu Zixu began his escape. Wu Zixu became angry when he thought of this incident.
With these two reasons, Wu Zixu felt that the immortal Zheng State felt uncomfortable. It happened that his troops were close to the Zheng State, and he was too lazy to report to Helu, so he led his troops to Zheng State.
country.
A few days later, Wu Zixu's soldiers and horses broke through Hulao Pass. The news of the sudden killing of Wu soldiers and horses caused Zheng Guo's government and everyone to panic. Zheng Dinggong quickly convened a court meeting to discuss countermeasures.
Zheng Dinggong said: "We can't defeat Chu alone. Wu actually destroyed Chu. Isn't that more powerful than Chu? What can we do?"
The ministers of Zheng Guo looked at each other and said nothing. In fact, everyone was confused and didn't know what to say.
When Zheng Dinggong saw that everyone was silent, he continued to ask: "We have no enmity with Wu State, why do they want to attack us?"
After a period of silence, a minister stood up and made an analysis. He said: "My lord, I thought that Wu Zixu came here for Nang Wa. This Nang Wa was the magistrate of Chu State and had a bad reputation. When he came, I
I thought that this person would make people angry, and now it seems that it is indeed true. Wu Zixu must have come here because of this person. I thought that as long as I presented the bag to Wu Zixu, he might retreat."
These words reminded Zheng Dinggong, and he said: "It's probably because of this person. In this way, Nang Wa will be captured first. It will be used as a bargaining chip in future negotiations with Wu Zixu. At the same time, we will step up preparations for war. We really can't sue for peace, so we have to fight. Wu Guoren has passed
After reaching Hulao Pass, it is no longer time to send people to Jin to ask for help. We have to find a way ourselves."
The ministers agreed, and the matter was settled. After the dynasty dispersed, Zheng Dinggong sent people to arrest Nang Wa and put him in prison.
Nang Wa stayed in prison for two days. After thinking about it, he felt that he could not escape this disaster and had to die. Nang Wa thought: "Wu Zixu didn't even let go of the bones of King Ping of Chu. He will definitely not let him go. Instead of living, he will die."
If you are humiliated, it is better to end it on your own." So he committed suicide in prison.
Zheng Dinggong was very angry when he heard the news of Nangwa's suicide. Now, he didn't even have any bargaining chips. In anger, Zheng Dinggong ordered the jailer to be punished. Then he sent envoys to take Nangwa's body to the Wu military camp and ask Wu Zixu
retreat.
Unexpectedly, Wu Zixu refused to make peace. Wu Zixu thought, since I invaded Zheng, I might as well destroy it in one go. So he sent away the Zheng envoy and ordered his troops to continue attacking Xingyang, the capital of Zheng.
Now Zheng Dinggong and the courtiers panicked and sent for help. It was too late, Wu Zixu had already arrived at the door of the house. The ministers were divided into two groups, one group advocated peace and the other group advocated war. The two sides quarreled endlessly. The warring group proposed to mobilize
The soldiers and civilians of the whole country fought to the death with Wu Zixu.
Zheng Dinggong was hesitant and gave an ambiguous order: "Whoever can ask Wu Zixu to retreat will be given a heavy reward."
This order was announced in the form of a notice and posted on the four gates of Xingyang City. The notice was posted for three days, but no one came to reveal it.
On the fourth day, a young fisherman unveiled the notice. The soldiers brought him to see Zheng Dinggong. Zheng Dinggong saw that he was wearing a short coat, a pair of straw sandals on his feet, and a rowing hand in his hand. He thought to himself
, this person came here as a joke. But then he thought again, now he has reached the point of desperation. Regardless of whether he is true or not, as long as he is willing to intercede, he might as well give it a try. So he asked.
"What do you do?"
"The fisherman on the river."
"How can you, like you, tell Wu to withdraw its troops?"
"Don't underestimate others, princes. Everyone has his or her own tricks."
"How many troops, horses, and chariots do you need?"
"Your Majesty, I don't need those things. With this wooden oar in my hand, I am sure I can make Wu Zixu retreat."
"Well, this is not a joke. It is related to the survival of the country and is not a child's play."
"The prince might as well let the villain try. If it doesn't work, it will not harm the country. If it is done, it will be the blessing of our country and the blessing of the people."
"Since you are so confident, I will send an envoy to take you to the Wu military camp tomorrow."
Early the next morning, the Zheng envoy took the fisherman to the Wu military camp. After the announcement, the group entered the Wu army stronghold. As soon as the fisherman entered the camp gate, he sang:
By the Wujiang River, there are reeds;
How to cross the river when the pursuers are in a hurry?
Ferryman, operating a wooden oar;
Seven Stars Inscription on the Sword,
Talk about pictures and repay kindness.
Alas, my father-in-law has passed away and the years have passed;
Hey, it's God's will that the general is here.
When Wu Zixu heard the singing, he was surprised and couldn't help but think of what happened back then. It was when he and Gongzi Sheng had just passed Zhaoguan. They walked quickly and came to the edge of a big river. At this time, General Xue was chasing him.
Soldiers, there is a big river in front of them. When the sky is not responding and the earth is not working, a small boat comes out of the reeds. The old fisherman on the boat crosses the river. When they get off the boat, Wu Zixu and Gongzi Sheng kneel down.
Thank you on deck.
The old fisherman smiled and said: "General, you don't have to be polite. Your portrait is posted on the Zhaomen Gate, and we have all seen it. I heard that your father and brother were killed and you have a great hatred. We all sympathize with you. You and this young master should leave quickly.
.”
Wu Zixu did not stand up, but twisted around and pulled his own baggage, and pulled out a long object wrapped in black cloth. He placed the object horizontally in front of him, and unfolded it three times, five times five times two times. It turned out that
It's a bronze sword.
When the old fisherman saw the sword, he couldn't help being surprised and his eyebrows jumped. He saw that the scabbard was dark, engraved with patterns, and inlaid with gems. Even in the dim night, the glimmer of the gems was still visible. Wu Zixu held the sword in his left hand.
With a slight pull of his right hand, the sheath appeared, and the blade of the sword appeared. It was really cold. The old fisherman waved his hand subconsciously and asked: "General, what are you doing?"
Wu Zixu put the sword into the scabbard with a cry, and said to the old fisherman: "I won't hide my identity anymore, I am Wu Zixu. This sword was given to my father by the King of Chu. It is inlaid with precious stones, and there are four on the scabbard.
The three diamonds on the hilt are worth at least one hundred taels of gold. I have nothing else of value, so I will give this sword to the old man." With that said, he held up the sword with both hands and handed it to the old fisherman.
The old fisherman stepped back and said: "The notice says that if I catch you, I will reward you with fifty thousand dan of grain and you can also be made a doctor. Isn't this more than your one hundred taels?"
Wu Zixu said: "Old man, I have no money and only this sword is left. If I become rich in the future, I will be rewarded generously."
The old fisherman laughed and said: "The general underestimates me. If I am greedy for reward, you will not be able to cross this river. I heard someone said that the general is the queen of Zhongliang, so I respect you. I saved you and never thought of repaying you."
.General, please put away your sword and get on your way quickly. Don’t delay."
Wu Zixu had mixed feelings at that moment. He really didn't know what to say, so he bowed his head and bowed again. Gongzi Sheng also knelt down and kowtowed to the old fisherman repeatedly to thank him. Wu Zixu bowed three times and said, "Old man, at least leave your name for me.
, let me at least have something to think about."
The old fisherman said: "What name should I leave for a fisherman on the river? No need."
Wu Zixu thought of this and asked secretly: "Are they the descendants of the old fisherman who came?"
Sure enough, when the fisherman came to Wu Zixu's Chinese army tent, what he said was exactly what happened when Wu Zixu and Gongzi Sheng met the old fisherman by the river. Wu Zixu recalled what he said to the old fisherman before leaving.
if:
"Old man, in this vast world, where will I find you in the future?"
"I make a living by fishing and wandering around. I can't tell where I will be in the future."
"That's not possible. The grace of saving my life will never be forgotten. If I live, I will definitely come back to repay my kindness in the future. Please leave a mark so that I can find you."
The old fisherman said: "If you really want to find me, just remember this wooden oar. There is a mark on the handle. Seeing this mark is like seeing me."
Wu Zixu touched the mark carved with the knife with his hand and remembered it firmly in his heart. Then, he and Master Sheng kowtowed to the old fisherman and hurried on the road.
Wu Zixu thought of this and asked the fisherman to bring over the wooden oar. Wu Zixu took the oar and molded it onto the handle. He couldn't help but trembled in his heart - it turned out to be the old fisherman's wooden oar. He asked excitedly:
"This wooden oar is correct. Why didn't the old fisherman come?"
"My father has passed away, and I am his son."
"Oh, it's a pity. It's my fault."
"Why did the general say that?"
"I wanted revenge, but my enemy died; I wanted to repay kindness, but my benefactor died again. It's really a dilemma to repay grudges. Isn't this fate?"
"General, don't you still have me?"
"Oh, by the way, there's you too. Just tell me. Whatever you want, whether it's money, an official position, or anything else, as long as I can do it, I'll agree to it."
The fisherman said: "I only have one request, and that is to ask the general to withdraw his troops. Back then, after my husband crossed the river with the general, he was worried about being discovered by the Chu people, so he wandered to Zheng State, where he still made a living by fishing. Over the years,
I have always regarded the State of Zheng as my home. If the general destroys the State of Zheng, I will be considered a slave of the country. So I ask the general to withdraw his troops."
Wu Zixu asked: "Is this your request?"
The fisherman said: "That's it. Nothing else."
Wu Zixu scratched his scalp, hesitated, and then said: "Okay. Your father gave me a 'life-saving' gift back then, and I will give you a 'national-saving' gift in return today. You saved Zheng Guo, Uncle Zheng
I will definitely reward you generously. You will have no worries about food and clothing in the future."
The fisherman quickly knelt down and kowtowed, thanking him repeatedly. Wu Zixu gave the fisherman some money and sent someone to take him back to Zheng. Before leaving, Wu Zixu specifically told his subordinates that they must inform Zheng Dinggong why he wanted to
The withdrawal of troops was all based on the fisherman's favor.
The next day, the fisherman was escorted by Wu Zixu's people to Xingyang, the capital of Zheng State. The military academy on duty informed Zheng Dinggong of Wu Zixu's decision to withdraw his troops, and told him the whole story. Zheng Dinggong was overjoyed at first, and then fell into silence.
After a pause, he said: "It's not that I don't trust General Wu, it's just that this matter is a bit strange. I will go to the Wu military camp tomorrow in person and ask General Wu to surrender. Please go back and tell General Wu."
The military academy said: "General Wu has specifically stated that this fisherman is his benefactor. Please, Uncle Zheng, must abide by his words."
Zheng Dinggong smiled and said: "Of course. He saved Zheng Guo. I should be very grateful. Please also convey this to General Wu."
The Wu State Military Academy agreed and left. As soon as he returned to the military camp, he went to report. After the report, he asked with doubts: "General, I told Uncle Zheng that you are going to retreat. He still wants to surrender. What does this mean?"
"
Wu Zixu smiled and said: "He is worried about us. After all, this thing is such a coincidence. He is worried that there is fraud in it."
The military academy also laughed and said: "Zheng Guo must have been frightened by Chu and Jin. He does not believe that we are benevolent and righteous at all."
Wu Zixu said: "Let's see tomorrow. I'm sure he will come."
There was no talk that night. On the next day, Zheng Dinggong led several ministers and fishermen, and under the protection of the guards, they rushed towards Wu Zixu's camp. When they arrived at the gate of the camp, Zheng Dinggong got off the carriage and led everyone on foot.
After entering, Wu Zixu greeted Wu Jun's central tent with a smile. He first saluted Zheng Dinggong and said, "Uncle Zheng came here in person, which shows his sincerity in making good friends. My soldiers have spoken in advance, saying that they should withdraw their troops.
Just withdraw your troops and never break your promise."
Zheng Dinggong also returned the courtesy and said: "I came here just to see General Wu with my own eyes. The general is really a man who enjoys grudges. I really admire him and am willing to form an alliance with Wu." After saying this, he turned back to a minister and said:
"Offer."
Minister Zheng held an exquisite wooden box, stepped forward, presented it to Wu Zixu respectfully, and said: "General Wu came the same way. Zheng is a poor and weak country, and it is only a small gift, which is not respectful. Please don't dislike it, general."
Wu Zixu took the gift box and handed it to his subordinates. Then he said to Zheng Dinggong: "Uncle Zheng, let's make a contract. Please!"
Zheng Dinggong immediately smiled and followed Wu Zixu into the Chinese army tent. The other ministers of Zheng followed closely and filed in...
After Wu Zixu withdrew his troops, Zheng Dinggong fulfilled his promise to the fisherman. He originally wanted to give the fisherman some kind of official title, but the fisherman was illiterate and did not dare to become an official. Zheng Dinggong then moved the fisherman to the riverside far away from the capital of Zheng.
A small piece of mountain land was given to a fisherman. From then on, the fisherman became a landlord. The people of Zheng were very grateful to the fisherman and called him "fisherman".
After this incident, there were rumors among the people that Wu Zixu had a strong temperament, a clear sense of grudges and grudges, and he would repay kindness and revenge. He was a good man. This legend diluted to a certain extent Wu Zixu's bad reputation for digging up the tombs of King Chu Ping and whipping corpses.