Once upon a time, in the ancient state of Wu during the Spring and Autumn period of China, a tale of courage and conspiracy unfolded that would be remembered through the ages. This is the story of the Banquet of the Brave. In the heart of Wu, a usurper king named Liao sat on the throne, having deceitfully taken it from his nephew, Prince Guang. Resolute in reclaiming his rightful place, Prince Guang plotted to overturn this injustice. Advised by the wise Wu Zixu, Prince Guang took under his wing a warrior of unmatched bravery and skill, named Zhuan Zhu. Zhuan Zhu, a man of Yue who had seen his share of struggles, was entrusted with a mission of grave importance. He was to master the art of cooking a great carp, King Liao's favorite dish. The prince intended to use this culinary allure as a means to draw the usurper into a trap. The fateful day arrived when King Liao was invited to a grand banquet at Prince Guang's residence. Despite his suspicions, the allure of the famed carp
Before ascending to the throne, Duke Yi of Qi had a bitter rivalry with Bing Yuan, the father of Bing Ru, over a piece of land. Duke Yi lost and harbored a grudge. After becoming the ruler and long after Bing Yuan had passed away, Duke Yi desecrated his grave by severing the corpse's feet. Yet, he employed Bing Ru as his charioteer. Meanwhile, Yan Zhi had a beautiful wife whom Duke Yi took for his own pleasure, assigning Yan Zhi to oversee his carriage trains during royal outings. In the spring of 609 BCE, Duke Yi visited Shen Pond. While soaking in the hot springs, his two charioteers, Bing Ru and Yan Zhi, taunted each other. Yan Zhi sneered, "Son of a Disgrace!" Bing Ru retorted, "Wife-Stealer's Lackey!" Both men were consumed by shame and resentment, fostering an urge to kill Duke Yi. On the way back, they seized the opportunity to assassinate him, leaving his body in a bamboo forest before fleeing, their fates unknown. Explanation: "Son of a Disgrac