The contradiction between Wu Zixu and King Wu deepened day by day. Wu Guoxi Keqiang Chu, east to destroy Baiyue, obtain a large number of materials, expand the power to the north, has formed a three-legged situation of Jin, Qi, and Wu.

Coupled with the use of iron farming tools, a bumper harvest has been achieved year after year. The state of Wu is already very powerful.

At this time, it was natural for King Wu to be obsessed with Xi Shi and indulge in pleasure. Wu Zixu asked the king to work hard and live an ascetic life for a while, which was unacceptable to King Wu.

Isn't it just for pleasure to conquer cities and conquer cities and conquer cities?

Having lost the trust of King Wu, Wu Zixu rarely intervened in general state affairs. Plunged headlong into the army. Train the troops, train hard, and constantly improve their combat effectiveness.

As an old minister of the former dynasty, he has an old account, as long as there is an invincible army in the world, he can guarantee that nothing major will happen to the Wu State.

He had an almost paranoid idea. The Jin State and the Qi State in the north, and the Chu State in the west, he didn't take it to heart, and he was only angry about the Yue State, which had become a vassal state.

He has always believed that Gou Jian is a virtuous and strong-willed monarch, Fan Li and Wen are smart, capable and very loyal virtuous ministers, with such a combination of monarchs and ministers, Yue Guo will not live under the people for a long time.

As it turned out, Wu Zixu's concerns were right. But the bad thing is that others don't think so. Especially King Wu, he no longer believes Wu Zixu's alarmism.

Wu Zixu immersed himself in training.

Fight alone, in teams. Combat in formation, repeated drills.

Wu Zixu began to ponder weapons again, and this pondering found many things that needed to be improved. For example, when fighting in a team, your weapon can lock the opponent's weapon, and others can easily destroy the opponent. To achieve this, a hook is added to the spear or halberd that can be closed.

He was thrilled with his invention. Just do it! Wu Zixu came to the iron workshop with a spear.

When the soldiers saw Wu Zixu coming, they hurriedly saluted and greeted: "See Lord Xiangguo." ”

The blacksmiths also came to pay their respects. Wu Zixu said to the blacksmiths, "Come here, I have something to say to you." ”

The blacksmith door surrounded him: "Your Excellency, please give me orders." ”

Wu Zixu said: "Now this commander wants to make some improvements to the weapon. ”

"How are you going to improve it?"

Wu Zixu said: "Ben Shuai plans to add a hook that can be closed on this spearhead, and its function is to lock the opponent's weapon." ”

Wu Zixu explained his idea in detail, and finally said, "Do you understand?" ”

"Understood." The blacksmiths said.

Wu Zixu said: "Okay, you can still make twenty pieces first, make them and we will try them, and if there are shortcomings, we will improve them." ”

Look at me at the blacksmith door, I look at you, shake their heads one by one, and have the audacity to say: "If you go back to your lordship, add a hook on it, we can, but we will add a hook on it that can be closed, we won't." ”

"You won't?"

"We won't, because we don't have the craft."

Wu Zixu was inexplicably surprised: "The official family gave you food and drink, and you can use it, you say that you don't have that skill, are you not in arrears?" ”

The blacksmith lowered his head: "My lord, it's useless for you to kill us, if you don't have that skill, you don't have that craft." ”

Wu Zixu looked like he was about to sneeze: "This is strange, there is a huge Wu country, is there no one who knows this craft?" ”

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Wu Ban."

"What about others?"

"Dead!"

So the blacksmith door told about the fire a few days ago, and Wu Ban was burned to death.

Finished! Wu Zixu felt a chill in his heart. He is not sad that an excellent craftsman is unfortunately killed, but the person who leads the army to fight is hard-hearted, and he will not be sad because of the death of a few people. Rather, they are anxious about the frustration of their plans.

"Wu Ban's craftsmanship is the best?"

"In the country of Wu, his craftsmanship is the best."

"Whew! You guys, why don't you learn from Wu Ban in normal times? "It's pure blaming.

The blacksmith men looked at each other, and at the soldiers, all of them bowed their heads and did not speak.

Wu Zixu saw the signs and said to a few soldiers: "Get away, hurry!" ”

The soldiers walked away, and they couldn't hear them talking, Wu Zixu said: "I can see that the masters have grievances, and life is not comfortable, and now they are talking to me in their hearts, and they are telling me what they want, I am the Xiangguo of Wu State." If what you say makes sense, I'll help you. ”

The craftsmen lowered their heads and did not speak, they did not trust Wu Zixu, and when they said it in their hearts, they didn't know whether it was a blessing or a curse.

But Wu Zixu did not give up, and kept asking, and in the end, the craftsmen told Wu Zixu about their suffering.

They work like cattle, the wages are very low, the most important thing is that no one treats them as human beings, everyone discriminates against them, looks down on them, and the soldiers have to take care of them like slaves, they are beaten if they want to be beaten, they are scolded if they want to be scolded, and pigs and dogs are not as good.

Everyone is trying to find a way to get out of this industry, who still has the heart to work hard in their craft. Don't say that Wu Ban's craft can't be learned, even if he can learn it, no one can learn it.

After listening to everyone's story, Wu Zixu was silent. He suddenly felt that things were much more serious than he had imagined.

He said to the blacksmiths, "I have written down what everyone has said, and I will ask the king for you to improve your condition." ”

Regardless of whether it can really improve the situation, it is already very good that Sangkook can say such things. Kneel down together: "Thank you for your mercy!" ”

Wu Zixu sighed and said, "Get up, you guys talk about it, don't we have a craftsman like Wu Ban in our Wu Kingdom anymore?" ”

A blacksmith said: "I heard that Wu Ban also has a senior brother named Gongsun Zhi, whose craftsmanship is better than him. ”

"Oh?" Wu Zixu saw a glimmer of hope in his disappointment, "Tell me, where is Gongsun Zhi now?" ”

The blacksmiths shook their heads, saying they didn't know. Suddenly, a blacksmith said, "I once heard Wu Ban say that his senior brother seems to be working in an ironworks. ”

Wu Zixu said: "Can you be sure? ”

The blacksmith said, "I can't be sure, Wu Ban said this to me, and I don't know if it's true or not." ”

Wu Zixu said: "Okay, I will go to the king now, ask the king, and improve your situation." ”

Wu Zixu left the workshop. didn't go back to the house, so he went directly to the palace to meet King Wu.

King Wu was annoyed when he saw Wu Zixu: "Xiangguo, hurry to see the widow, is there any good news?" ”

Wu Zixu said: "King, the minister has brought you bad news. ”

King Wu was taken aback: "Say, what's wrong?" ”

Wu Zixu said: "One of the best craftsmen in Wu has died. ”

King Wu said: "Xiangguo, if you have nothing to do, go and have fun, don't be so startled to scare the widow." Is it worth all the fuss that a craftsman died? ”

Wu Zixu said: "He is the best craftsman in Wu Kingdom. Without him, many of our difficulties would not have been solved. Fortunately, he also has a senior brother named Gongsun Zhi, who is said to work in the ironworks. The old minister wanted to ask the king for permission to go to Gongsun Zhi. ”

King Wu said, "What are you looking for him?" ”

Wu Zixu: "Improve the weapons of our army. ”

King Wu said: "This is the right thing, you arrange the matter." Anytime you go"