Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents v
3. Map: The Zhou Confederacy circa 500 b.c.e. ix
4. List of Main Characters x
5. Chapter Sixty. Xun Ying divides the army and prepares to encounter the enemy. Three generals perform great deeds below the city walls of Fuyang. 1
6. Chapter Sixty-one. Lord Dao of Jin travels to meet the Chu army at Xiaoyu. Sun Linfu forces Lord Xian of Wey into exile because of a song. 19
7. Chapter Sixty-two. The aristocrats unite and lay siege to the capital city of Qi. Ministers in Jin join together and hatch a plot to get rid of Luan Ying. 38
8. Chapter Sixty-three. Old Qi Xi uses a forceful argument to rescue Yangshe Shuhu. Young Fan Yang captures Wei Shu with a cunning ploy. 55
9. Chapter Sixty-four. Luan Ying and his family are killed at the city of Quwo. General Qi Liang dies in battle at the Qieyu Gate. 71
10. Chapter Sixty-five. After murdering Lord Zhuang of Qi, Cui Shu and Qing Feng take control. Having returned Lord Xian of Wey to power, Ning Xi monopolizes the government. 90
11. Chapter Sixty-six. After the killing of Ning Xi, the Honorable Zhuan flees into exile. Having murdered Cui Shu, Qing Feng monopolizes the government. 108
12. Chapter Sixty-seven. Lupu Gui presents a plan to get rid of Qing Feng. King Ling of Chu holds a great meeting of the aristocrats. 125
13. Chapter Sixty-eight. To celebrate the construction of the Diqi Palace, Music Master Guang composes a song. To gain the hearts of the people of Qi, Chen Wuyu disburses his family’s property. 147
14. Chapter Sixty-nine. King Ling of Chu engages in deception to destroy Chen and Cai. Master Yan Ying of Qi uses clever rhetoric to control the southern barbarians. 163
15. Chapter Seventy. Having killed his three older brothers, King Ping of Chu takes the throne. After ravaging Qi and Lu, Lord Zhao of Jin calls for a blood covenant. 185
16. Chapter Seventy-one. Master Yan kills three knights with two peaches. King Ping of Chu marries a new bride and expels his crown prince. 206
17. Chapter Seventy-two. Wu Shang is killed after hurrying to his father’s side. Wu Zixu crosses the Zhao Pass in plain clothes. 228
18. Chapter Seventy-three. Wu Zixu plays the flute and begs for food in the marketplace of Wu. Zhuan Zhu presents a fish and stabs King Liao. 247
19. Chapter Seventy-four. Nang Wa, terrified of being slandered, executes Fei Wuji. Yao Li, in the hope of becoming famous, stabs Prince Qingji. 271
20. Chapter Seventy-five. Master Sun Wu beheads two beautiful concubines when training an army. Marquis Zhao of Cai gives hostages in order to get help from the Wu forces. 290
21. Chapter Seventy-six. King Zhao of Chu abandons Ying and flees to the west. Wu Zixu desecrates a tomb and whips a corpse. 309
22. Chapter Seventy-seven. Bursting into tears at the Qin court wins Shen Baoxu an army. On the withdrawal of the Wu forces, King Zhao of Chu returns to his capital. 330
23. Chapter Seventy-eight. At the meeting at Mount Jiagu, Confucius deals with the threat posed by Qi. Having reduced the walls of three cities, Confucius asserts law and order. 349
24. Chapter Seventy-nine. Thanks to a gift of women musicians, Li Mi manages to get rid of Confucius. With the king holed up at Mount Kuaiji, Grandee Wen Zhong offers bribes to Chancellor Bo Pi. 372
25. Chapter Eighty. King Fuchai of Wu forgives Yue in the teeth of all remonstrance. King Goujian of Yue racks his brains for ways in which to serve Wu. 396
26. Chapter Eighty-one. Having fallen into the trap laid by Yue, Xi Shi is much favored at the Wu Palace. Rhetoric allows Zigong to persuade the feudal lords to a new course of action. 417
27. Chapter Eighty-two. After executing Wu Zixu, King Fuchai argues over precedence. After the installation in power of the Honorable Kuaikui, Zhong Zilu holds on to his hat. 439
28. Chapter Eighty-three. After murdering Prince Sheng, the Duke of Ye brings peace to Chu. Having killed King Fuchai, the ruler of Yue proclaims himself hegemon. 465