Die Geschichte der skrupellosen Gerichtsmedizinerin, die ihren Ehemann zerstörte

Kapitel 8

Fan Li, oh Fan Li, you really went to great lengths for the sake of the Yue Kingdom! She later learned that all she could do was try her best to conceal the truth.

However, not all the people of Wu were fools.

The woman's accusations left Xi Shi speechless, and she silently lowered her head. The woman took a long breath, her tone softening considerably, yet still accusatory: "Do you know how many people in Wu have starved to death because of this seed? Those crying, hungry children, those elderly, those women—they were even steamed or boiled to stave off hunger. You, even if you die a hundred times, it wouldn't be enough to atone for those lives!"

"But should the people of other countries die? Wu has been at war for years, killing countless people from Yue and Chu." Xi Shi suddenly raised her head, her gentle and beautiful eyes now burning with hatred.

"This?" The female assassin was speechless for a moment; this was something she had never considered. She had only seen and heard the Prime Minister speak of so-called treacherous and wicked people, so-called enemies of the Wu Kingdom. From a young age, she had been adopted by the Prime Minister, becoming a woman of ambiguous status in his household. The servants called her Miss, but the Prime Minister only used her to kill. How many people had she killed with her vicious withered wood palm and Wu hook hand? She couldn't remember, probably dozens or even hundreds.

"My name is Wu Yue." The female assassin Wu Yue finally realized that she was also an executioner with her hands stained with the blood of others. How could the Prime Minister have thought that those dissidents died so justifiably? "Just a tool..." Wu Yue said softly, looking at her fingers that had lost their normal shape, her expression somewhat resentful.

Under Xi Shi's care, Wu Yue gradually recovered. After recovering, Wu Yue never mentioned revenge again, but one day she left without saying goodbye and drifted away, as if she had never appeared in Guanwa Palace at all. Apart from Xi Shi, no one knew that there was an assassin named Wu Yue who had stayed in Guanwa Palace for several months.

Sometimes, the wheels of history turn regardless of human will. While Xi Shi pondered how to achieve peaceful coexistence between the states of Wu and Yue, Fan Li happened to send a message urging her to persuade King Fuchai to form an alliance with neighboring states, with Fuchai as the leader, thus ensuring peaceful coexistence. However, King Goujian of Yue, taking advantage of Fuchai's meeting with Jin, Lu, and other states at Huangchi, personally led his army to attack Wu. Prince You of Wu led his old, weak, and disabled soldiers to resist. The Yue soldiers, united in their hatred of the enemy, were unstoppable. Prince You of Wu was killed in battle, and the Wu army suffered a crushing defeat.

In another year, Goujian decided to launch a final attack to completely destroy the State of Wu. The Yue army won several battles in succession, pressing forward step by step, and besieged the city of Gusu, building city walls around it. After nearly three years of siege, the city ran out of food, and Fuchai risked breaking out of the siege, escaping to the Guanwa Palace on Lingyan Mountain. Goujian pursued relentlessly and surrounded Lingyan Mountain.

Having served King Fuchai for over ten years, Xi Shi was now nearly thirty years old, yet the King of Wu still doted on her as before. Even after the Yue people killed his son and seized his kingdom, he harbored no resentment or dissatisfaction towards Xi Shi. He truly loved this woman to the core, but unfortunately, he could no longer provide her with peace and prosperity.

"Xi Shi, you should leave. I doubt the Yue soldiers will harm you." King Fuchai sat disheveled in the Guanwa Palace, unable to sleep all night listening to the shouts of battle outside. Overnight, King Fuchai of Wu had transformed from a powerful and valiant ruler into a gray-haired, listless old man. Frustration and pessimism flickered on his face like the flickering light on the wall, and his words were no longer as forceful as before.

Xi Shi gently embraced Fuchai's head, her fingers slowly caressing his face, which was as rugged as his wrinkles and beard. Then, she glided over the tangled knots on his forehead, gently running her fingers through his hair, and sighed softly, "Your Majesty, you need not worry about my safety. Tomorrow I will go and negotiate with the King of Yue to spare our lives. Didn't Your Majesty spare him back then?"

“Hmm,” the light flickered in Fuchai’s pupils, igniting a strong will to survive. He gripped Xi Shi’s wide sleeves tightly, like a drowning child seeking help from his mother, his eyes weak and innocent, his tone gradually rising: “You can negotiate with him to let me go? Yes, I didn’t kill him back then, so he shouldn’t kill me today! As long as the Wu Kingdom’s ancestral temple and people can be preserved, I, Fuchai, will not have completely failed.”

A relaxed smile instantly spread across Xi Shi's face. She turned back to make the bed for Fuchai and coaxed him, "Your Majesty hasn't had a rest for several days. How can this continue?"

"Alright, I'll sleep. Tomorrow, I'll send Wangsun Xiong to go with you to see Goujian." Fuchai's face immediately lit up with a smile, and his tense nerves relaxed, and he quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Xi Shi knelt by the bed, gazing at Fuchai's sleeping face, her expression somewhat dazed. This man, the one she had been forced to submit to—what was her true feeling towards him? She knew his preferences, his every move, every part of his body, and his sincere heart towards her. Yet even so, she could not give him her heart; she had no heart left.

Before dawn, Xi Shi, escorted by Wangsun Xiong, traveled from Guanwa Palace to the residence of King Fuchai of Yue. She went with hope, but returned with despair. When she returned, Fuchai was still asleep, and she didn't know how to face him when he awoke. Should she tell him there was no hope and he had to die? Originally, Goujian had agreed to her request, preparing to give Fuchai a barren and small piece of land so he could live out his remaining years in peace, but Fan Li objected, arguing that one should not raise a tiger that will become a threat.

"Xi Shi! Xi Shi!" King Fuchai finally woke up and called out to Xi Shi before even opening his eyes.

Xi Shi trotted over to help him get dressed and get out of bed. Fuchai, still half asleep, asked, "What time is it? Don't forget that you're going to negotiate with King Goujian of Yue today."

"Your Majesty," Xi Shi knelt down abruptly, hesitating, unsure how to tell Fuchai the truth.

"You've already been there?" Fuchai was taken aback.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Xi Shi choked out, prostrating herself on the ground, not daring to look at Fuchai's face.

Fuchai sat there blankly for a while, then suddenly burst into laughter: "I shouldn't have sent you to beg for peace with that old man Goujian! What can I do if Heaven wants to destroy me! That old fellow Wu Zixu was right, hehe..."

"Your Majesty, I have failed you. Please grant me death." Xi Shi, filled with remorse, prostrated herself on the ground and stretched out her neck to accept her fate.

Fuchai looked down at her, then suddenly picked her up and strode over to the Clog Corridor. He tossed a pair of wooden clogs in front of her and said casually, "It's not your fault, Xi Shi, it was my overconfidence. Come, dance the Clog Dance for me, it's been so long since I've seen you dance!"

The clattering of clogs, like a joyful melody, once again arose beneath Xi Shi's feet. Enjoying the moment to the fullest, Xi Shi suddenly took a liking to Fu Chai at this moment. This Fu Chai was truly a hero; this Fu Chai was worthy of hearing the echoes of life emanating from her feet.

What night is this? I row my boat midstream, what day is this? To be able to share a boat with the prince. I am honored by this favor, yet I do not mind the shame. My heart is troubled and restless, for I have met the prince. There are trees in the mountains, branches on the trees, but my heart rejoices in you, though you do not know…

This was a song widely circulated in the Yue region, sung by women to their lovers. Xi Shi sang it for the first time to King Fuchai. Bathed in the song, King Fuchai slowly drew his sword. He called out "Xi Shi" one last time, and the blade slid across the last note, cutting out a handful of vibrant, hot blood.

"Xi Shi!" Fan Li led his men and was the first to rush into the Guanwa Palace. What appeared before him was a strange scene. Fuchai lay in a pool of blood, his sword in hand, his head rolled several feet away, yet his eyes remained wide open, staring intently at Xi Shi, who was dancing endlessly on the Xiangji Corridor.

"Xi Shi..." Fan Li hurried a few steps forward, embraced Xi Shi as she danced, and stopped her from continuing. Xi Shi's tireless feet finally stopped, and her originally bright white wooden clogs were now stained red with blood from her feet.

Xi Shi was finally brought back to the Kingdom of Yue. Upon her return, Xi Shi was warmly welcomed by the people along the way. Everyone shouted the name of the beautiful Xi Shi, hoping that their heroic Yue woman would glance at them.

Xi Shi sat expressionlessly in the luxurious carriage, holding a pair of blood-stained wooden clogs in her arms, the only thing she had taken from the Wu Palace.

The moon sank in the west; this was the darkest time before dawn.

Xi Shi stood at the bow of the boat, bound by a rope as thick as a thumb, the end of which was tied to a stubborn stone the size of a millstone. The former wife of Goujian, now the Queen of Yue, walked gracefully towards her from the cabin. In the torchlight, her round face was deathly pale, like a demon from hell who would snatch away souls.

"Miss Xi Shi, I will personally send you on your way. Is there anything you still wish to do?"

Why do I have to die?

"Because you are an ominous person, and Fuchai lost his country because of you, I don't want the king to be bewitched by your beauty again."

"Where is Fan Li? Isn't he coming?" Xi Shi looked towards the riverbank, the very place where Fan Li had sent her off to our country years ago.

"Oh, Doctor Fan is newly married, how could he possibly waste such a precious night to see you off? Do you know, he married my third daughter and became the prince consort of Yue." The Queen glared maliciously at Xi Shi. Over the years, she had lived a simple life, toiling like a true peasant woman, setting an example in response to King Goujian's perseverance. Her skin had long since become rough and calloused. Seeing Xi Shi's well-preserved and still beautiful face, how could she not be consumed by jealousy? Especially the sight of King Goujian's cat-like eyes, like those of someone who had seen fish, only fueled her anger.

Xi Shi must die.

[Ancient Chapter: 013 Song of the Yue People (6)]

"Oh, I see." Xi Shi looked down at the wooden clogs on her feet. It seemed that only these clogs would accompany her on the final journey of her life.

"Alright, you should be on your way now. Wenzhong, escort Xi Shi to the river." As dawn was about to break, the Empress waved her hand impatiently, her fake smile vanishing, and signaled her men to push Xi Shi into the river.

Just as Doctor Wen Zhong was about to order his men to act, the Empress, who was about to board the boat and leave, suddenly turned back. She smiled and said to Xi Shi, "Hehe, I almost forgot that you grew up by the river. With such simple ropes, it's hard to guarantee that you won't break free and escape. Wen Zhong, use a chiyi (a type of rope) to wrap Miss Xi Shi up, so that the fish won't eat your flesh."

The so-called "Chiyi" was a wine bag made of cowhide or horsehide, large enough to hold a person or two. Legend has it that after Wu Zixu committed suicide, not only were his eyes gouged out and his head cut off and hung on the city wall, but his body was also placed in a Chiyi and thrown into the river. Now, Xi Shi received the same treatment, causing her to secretly smile bitterly.

Does this river flow towards my hometown? Its clear waters can wash my feet, its clear waters can cleanse my hair, its clear waters can embrace my body. Xi Shi's ethereal smile was ultimately concealed by the treacherous Chi Yi.

With a loud thud, a deep splash echoed across the river before dawn. A pair of eyes, which had been watching from the shore for a long time, gleamed with a sharp, piercing light, and seized the opportunity to swiftly dive into the water.

The sun slowly rose from the east, and a small boat drifted on the gently rippling river. The fisherman at the helm wore a black, coarse cloth bodysuit, a straw raincoat, and a bamboo hat. His eyes, hidden beneath the hat, gleamed sharply as he surveyed the mist-shrouded riverbank.

Sure enough, someone came to the shore; it was Fan Li.

Fan Li, dressed in white mourning clothes, stood frozen on the shore, petals of peach blossoms falling from his hands. Just as the people on the boat were about to steer closer, the sound of horses' hooves approached from afar. A troop of soldiers, swords in hand, leaped from their horses, the leader kneeling on one knee before Fan Li.

"Doctor Fan, His Majesty has ordered that the Yue Kingdom is about to attack Chu, and you are ordered to return to the palace immediately for a meeting!"

Fan Li remained silent for a while, then suddenly said, "Please inform the King that Fan Li has lost interest in politics and can no longer assist him."

"Doctor Fan..." The leading soldier suddenly raised his head, his fingers involuntarily tightening their grip on his sword, and asked unwillingly, "Doctor Fan, are you going to betray the King?"

"I haven't betrayed anyone; I simply no longer wish to participate in those so-called matters of state," Fan Li said, then quietly turned away and continued scattering flower petals into the river. The petals, like small boats, drifted downstream.

The sound of a sword being drawn came from behind him. Fan Li did not move, a deep sorrow filling his heart. He knew that Goujian had already developed a wolfish heart towards him, one that would kill anyone who had not served him. However, the flash of the sword startled the fisherman on the boat. The small boat shot towards the shore like an arrow. As the sword flashed, the fisherman, leaping into the air, threw his straw hat at the two swords closest to Fan Li, forcing the soldier who had launched the sneak attack back two steps.

"It's truly a case of 'when the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away; when the cunning rabbit is dead, the hunting dog is cooked.' I never imagined that even the cunning and treacherous Minister Fan Li would come to this." The fisherman's voice was clear and melodious; he was actually a woman.

"I never expected to see 'Kumu Wu Gou Shou' here, and I never imagined that the master of assassination who struck fear into the hearts of the powerful nations was actually a woman." Fan Li nodded to Wu Yue without changing his expression.

"Aren't you afraid that I might also be one of the men sent by King Goujian of Yue to kill you?" Wu Yue waved Wu Gou's hand in the sunlight, startling the surrounding Yue soldiers who all took several steps back.

"It's not surprising that you killed Xi Shi back then, and now you're trying to kill me, Fan Li. People die for money, birds die for food. It's only right that you do what I'm paid for."

“I didn’t receive any money when I assassinated Xi Shi back then,” Wu Yue said urgently.

"Hehe, so you mean you were working for someone else back then, young lady?" Fan Li chuckled, feeling that although this 'Kumu Wu Gou Shou' was cold and ruthless, she also had a cute and innocent side.

"Actually, I didn't receive much money today. I just owe Xi Shi a favor and wanted you to keep her company." Wu Yue turned to the restless soldiers behind her and waved Wu Gou menacingly, saying, "Go back and tell your king that Fan Li's head is already on my tab!"

"Where does the young lady intend to make her move? The only person I, Fan Li, owe in this life is Miss Xi Shi. If I can use the young lady's help to fulfill my wish, I think it will comfort Miss Xi Shi's spirit in heaven." Fan Li raised his hand and threw the last peach petal into the river. He stood gracefully with his hands behind his back, closed his eyes, and waited for death.

"Xi Shi was put into a chiyi and sunk into the middle of the river. I'm sure Doctor Fan knows that. If we want to use your head as a sacrifice, it seems we'll have to go to the middle of the river again." Seeing that Fan Li did not resist, Wu Yue smiled mysteriously, reached out and grabbed Fan Li's belt, gently lifted him and threw him onto a small boat a foot away. Then she leaped back to the bow of the boat.

The soldiers sent by King Goujian of Yue to assassinate Fan Li watched helplessly as the light boat carrying Fan Li gradually sailed away. They thought that Fan Li would surely not survive in the hands of the female demon, and they would go back and say that Fan Li had been assassinated in the river to complete their mission. So they all left.

Watching the soldiers walk away, Wu Yue stopped rowing, kicked Fan Li, and coldly ordered him to get into the cabin.

The cabin was small, and a woman was hiding in a leather bag, peeking out with terrified eyes.

"Xi Shi!" Fan Li exclaimed, pulling her out of the bag. But Xi Shi, with her hair disheveled, struggled in terror and cried out, "Zi Pi, Zi Pi, give me back my Zi Pi!"

"Xi Shi! What's wrong with you? It's me, Fan Li! It's me, Fan Li!" Fan Li held Xi Shi tightly in his arms, but unexpectedly, Xi Shi started punching, kicking, scratching, and biting him.

"Can't you two bastards shut up? If you keep making a fuss, the boat will capsize!" Wu Yue, the female Rakshasa at the bow, struggled to balance the swaying boat and couldn't help but curse in her haste.

Fan Li had no choice but to let go, watching Xi Shi burrow back into the bag like a rabbit, curling up like an infant returning to its mother's womb.

"When I rescued her, she was already out of her mind. She only recognized the leather bag that wrapped her up and kept shouting 'leather bag, leather bag' all day long. It was so annoying. Now that we've crossed that mountain, you can be the boatman yourself. This old man is finally free," Wu Yue grumbled incessantly.

Fan Li was filled with mixed feelings of worry and joy. He stood up and bowed deeply to Wu Yue. He heard a long laugh, but when he looked up, Wu Yue had already disappeared.

"Zipi, Zipi, I want Zipi!"

"Alright, alright, I am Zipi, I am Zipi. Yiguang, be good and go to sleep."

"You're Zipi? Hehe, Chi Yi Zipi?"

"Chi Yi Zi Pi, Yi Guang's Zi Pi..."

The moonlight scattered across the river, gradually merging into the small boat bathed in its glow. From the cabin came a soft murmur; Xi Shi, who had been making a ruckus all day, had fallen asleep in Fan Li's arms.

[Ancient Era: 014 Female Slave (1)]

The wind was cold, so cold that it made one feel lonely.

The years spent at the border are cold and harsh, like the iron armor on a soldier's body. Touching it will produce a harsh echo, adding a touch of unspeakable helplessness and weariness to one's heart.

On the vast and fertile land, only lush wild grass grows. So many displaced refugees with no land to cultivate fled to the Central Plains, not because they had forgotten this fertile land, but because spring planting and autumn harvest had been completely cut off here.

It was war that robbed a region of its peace.

one,

A large cluster of mushroom-shaped tents stood in the middle of the withered, yellow grass.

With the soft rustling of footsteps, a soldier approached the tent.

"Reporting, General!"

"Come in."

Feilong carefully roasted half a wild rabbit over the charcoal fire. The rabbit meat glistened with a reddish-brown sheen and sizzled, releasing a delightful aroma.

"General..." He stared in astonishment at the utensil the general was using to roast rabbit meat, his mouth agape, speechless for a moment.

Feilong smiled slightly and gently blew off a bit of charcoal ash from the rabbit meat.

"Reporting, General!" The soldier's Adam's apple bobbed, and he swallowed hard. "That spy is a woman!"

Feilong frowned, listened intently, and sure enough, the sound of whips outside had stopped. He couldn't help but shout, "Who told you to stop?!"

“General,” the soldier took two steps back and whispered, “she’s a woman.”

The rabbit meat fell into the fire as the dragon angrily drew its sword. Oh, the general used his invincible weapon—the Bright Moon Sword—to roast the rabbit meat.

The rabbit meat squealed dramatically in the fire, but the dragon had no time to save it.

When Feilong lifted the female prisoner's chin with the tip of his sword, which smelled of rabbit meat, her beautiful eyes widened in surprise, then revealed a look of disdain.

"What's your name?"

"Reporting to the general, she won't say!" the soldier hurriedly replied.

“I asked her.” Feilong turned around and glared at her angrily.