63 The Final Fate of the Yue Beauties
Ying was thinking of her future. She knew that she couldn't stay in Yue for too long. Her task to help Goujian to win the war was over. Above anything else, she had settled with her past. She knew she had to move on with her life as an immortal.
"The world is big. But where should I go? Mister Yao and Madame Ling had said, that I'm not a child anymore. I have to seek my purpose in life and fulfill my destiny. But then…where should I go?" Ying sighed and pondered.
As she was pondering where she's going to go, the queen came to see her.
"Ying, why are you daydreaming in this broad daylight?" the queen smiled when she saw her.
"My queen," Ying greeted her. "What brings you here? I was just planning to see you and King Goujian tomorrow!"
"Oh? Why do you want to see us? Anything we could do to help you?" the queen asked.
"The war is over. I don't see any reason why I should stay here. I want to say goodbye!"
"Where are you going?" the queen surprised. "You should not leave! Stay here!"
"I have nothing to do here! I'm bored!"
The queen looked at her. She's also a woman, and she knew that Ying must be uneasy these days because of Fan Li and Xi Shi. Although she had never said anything and always tried to show her emotionless countenance, Ying's eyes couldn't lie. And the queen could see from her eyes that she adored Fan Li. But Fan Li only liked Xi Shi. Not only Fan Li who liked Xi Shi but also her husband King Goujian also liked Xi Shi.
Unlike Ying who always put distance from everyone, especially to men; Xi Shi was a friendly woman. And her friendliness and openness made her approachable. These days, King Goujian followed Xi Shi all the time and become like her shadow. Yue Queen was so displeased because of this.
Yue Queen pondered. This woman in front of her was a good blacksmith and useful for her country. Fan Li was also a well capable minister. Only this Xi Shi was a wedge in her heart. With her beauty, Xi Shi had managed to make Fuchai - the king of Wu to lose his kingdom. What about in the future? The more she pondered, the more her heart became uneasy.
"Ying, I could understand if you want to leave. But please, could you wait until at least another fifteen days?" Yue Queen asked.
Ying nodded and agreed to stay a bit longer.
Meanwhile, the queen had made a plot to get rid of Xi Shi. Get rid of her forever from her husband, and her kingdom. On the contrary, she wanted to keep Fan Li and Ying to continue to work for her kingdom.
One day, when King Goujian had an audience with his ministers, the queen asked her maid to call Xi Shi to join her for a meal near the garden by the river. Xi Shi accepted her invitation and came to meet the queen.
"Xi Shi greets the queen," Xi Shi said and bowed to the queen to pay respect.
The queen smiled at Xi Shi and said, "Xi Shi, you're a great woman who sacrificed your youth for the sake of your country. Your name and your beauty will always be remembered!"
Xi Shi lowered her head. She didn't know what to reply. She was confused why the queen wanted to see her.
"Not only Fuchai and Fan Li who are attracted to your beauty," the queen laughed. "Even my husband, King Goujian, also now become like a dog tailing you wherever you go!"
"My queen," said Xi Shi in a low voice. "The king is only trying to convey his gratitude for my help!"
The queen smiled. "You are a beauty who collapsed a nation. I will not let Yue collapse in your hands!"
Xi Shi's face turned to pale. "My queen, what do you mean?"
"Guard, tie this woman! I want to immortalize her beauty! At the same time, I won't let her destroy my country and my husband!" the queen ordered.
With her word, some people ambushed Xi Shi. They bound Xi Shi's hands and feet and put her in a sackcloth and tied some big stones on her body.
Inside the sackcloth, Xi Shi tried to free herself and shouted. But she's helpless. She could only cry. She knew that she had to die, as she had spilled the blood of a righteous man like Wu Zixu.
"Now, you don't have to grow old! You will be immortalized as the beauty who collapses a nation!" the queen said while waving her hand to let her men throw Xi Shi's body.
Xi Shi was then thrown into the river. The beauty that destroyed a country, died drowning in the river. Just like how Wu Zixu; whose body was drowned in the river, Xi Shi's body also drowned in the river and could never be found.
Xi Shi the daughter of Yue
Her beauty collapsed a nation
With her smile, she wiped off Fuchai's kingdom forever
Her reflection on the pond dazzled the fish that they forget how to swim
Now she drowned in the river
Her beauty will be remembered
Her name and her deeds are immortalized forever.
