Although the Wu army was defeated in the Battle of Li and the monarch was killed in battle, at this time, his son was already in his wings, and the domestic situation was still generally stable. Wu Zixu and other famous ministers were diligent and diligent, and the Wu army still maintained a strong combat power that surpassed that of the Yue Kingdom. He drank hatred and died, inspiring his husband to work hard. In 494 B.C., the ever-expanding strength of the state of Wu made Gou Jian like a man. And the news that Wu was preparing to raise troops to crusade against Yue also reached Gou Jian's ears.

Gou Jian, the king of Yue, naturally understood that the sneak attack of his country had brought tragic losses to the Wu country, and the dream of several generations of Wu people to fight for it was ruthlessly shattered by himself. In the ensuing battle of Mao Li, the Ming monarch of the Wu State who opened up the territory and expanded the territory was also seriously injured and died. This blood feud can only be washed away when the blood of one party is exhausted.

After thinking about it for a while, Gou Jian decided not to continue to passively wait for the Wu army to press the border. At this time, Fan Li and Wen Chong had faintly discovered that there was still a gap between the two armies of Wu and Yue in terms of combat quality and strength, and the defeat of the Wu army back then was only a surprise victory, and it was extremely difficult to replicate it again. So the two of them gave advice, hoping that Gou Jian could lead the Vietnamese army to defend the danger and wait for a better opportunity.

Fan Li and Wen Chong were not fully trusted and recognized by Gou Jian, and the Vietnamese army still went out to fight. Sure enough, the preemptive Yue troops did not continue to stage a miracle, but were attacked head-on by the Wu army at Fujiao (near present-day Dongting Mountain in Taihu Lake, Jiangsu) and suffered heavy losses. The remnants of the Yue Kingdom were defeated all the way and withdrew to the capital Huiji. However, Wu Wangfucha, who had a strong hatred for the Yue Kingdom, led his troops in hot pursuit, and the flames of revenge burned the sky south of the Yangtze River.

Huiji was quickly lost under the siege and onslaught of the Wu army, and more than 5,000 remnants of the Yue army protected the Yue royal family to break through the siege and retreat to the north of the city on Huiji Mountain, resting and defending. It is known as the "Battle of Fujiao" in history.

Wu was humiliated with a hearty war, and countless people of Yue were wailing under the iron hooves of the Wu army. The blood made the sky above the water town in the south of the Yangtze River also filled with patches of scarlet mist. On Huiji Mountain, Goujian, the king of Yue, was full of regret for his previous decision, and the painful defeat and the impending death of the country kept the ambitious king silent. At this time, under the account of King Yue, Wen Chong and Fan Li did not run away, and still accompanied him. However, it seems that the outcome of this war and the fate of the destruction of the Yue Kingdom could not be changed at all because of the two loyal courtiers and the more than 5,000 remnants of the soldiers outside the tent.

Fan Li and Wen Chong once again admonished, advising Gou Jian to rest the sword soldiers, seek peace with grievances, and save a glimmer of life. Gou Jian, who had already paid enough price, realized at this time that Fan Li and others' previous analysis of the strength of the two countries was objective and accurate. So, Gou Jian sent an envoy to Wu Wangfu's mission to ask for a strike.

However, Wu Wangfucha also understood that if he agreed to Yue's request for peace, it would obviously not achieve the goal of revenge. As two neighboring countries, no one wants to always have a poisonous snake lurking around them that may be attacked at any time. Moreover, Wu Zixu also tried his best to persuade King Wu to cut the grass and eradicate the roots. As a result, Gou Jian's request for peace was rejected by the husband.

The Yue envoys, who had not completed their diplomatic mission, returned to Huiji Mountain in disgrace and reported to Gou Jian Wu Guo's merciless refusal. Gou Jian was a little desperate, and he decided to kill his relatives and relatives with his own hands, burn the treasures, and then fight to the death. Although he also knew that in this desperate battle, it would only be himself who would be killed in the end, but at this time, King Yue seemed to have a bloody courage inspired by the dignity of the emperor.

At this time, Fan Li stood up again, and he stopped Gou Jian's behavior of killing his wife and burning treasures and fighting to the death. Once again, he put forward an admonition to Gou Jian to completely give up his dignity and glory as an emperor, endure shame and insult, and only ask Wu Guo to release a glimmer of life. And proposed, ask King Yue to use heavy treasure wealth to bribe the close ministers around King Wu, and divide the military forces led by Wu Zixu and the political forces led by Dazai Boyao. Bo Yao really accepted the heavy gift from Yue Guo, and Bo Yao, who was worried that his status would be shaken, advised King Wu to accept the surrender of Yue State, and at the same time, he also slandered Wu Zixu and had resentment.

After defeating the Yue State, Fucha, whose strength had risen greatly, was at the time when he was full of ambition, and the idea of accepting the surrender of the Yue State and saving troops to go north to fight for hegemony put forward by Bo Yao was also full of temptation. And the king of Yue even agreed to serve by his side like a slave, which also made him quite a different kind of revenge pleasure, what is more joyful than enslaving and insulting his father's enemy? If you don't kill Gou Jian, but make him suffer as a slave, it is obviously more relieving than giving him a knife.

The situation in the north also made Fu Cha a little nervous, and Wu Zixu's growing authority also made King Wu a little relieved. He didn't completely fail to hear Bo Yao's jealousy, but he still decided that it was time to deal with the military ministers with heavy troops. The state of Chu has collapsed, and the state of Yue has also bowed down, and with the current strong national strength, it seems that Wu Zixu is no longer needed so much. At least, the threat to imperial power brought by Wu Zixu has exceeded the value that he can bring by leading troops to govern the army.

As a result, Gou Jian's request for peace for slavery was agreed, but Wu Zixu was more and more excluded under the suspicion of his country's civil officials and kings, and it also laid the groundwork for him to get the sword given by Wu Wangfu in the future, and he committed suicide with his sword.

Soon after, Gou Jian agreed to go to Wu as a slave. Before leaving, Fan Li once again made a suggestion, and the literature that he originally intended to accompany was denied by him, and he and Gou Jian began their slave career in Wu.

Gou Jian entered the country of Wu and was humiliated, but he was always stoic, suppressed, and obedient to his husband's words, without showing any objection. He lived in a dilapidated thatched hut next to the tomb of Helu, and raised horses and stirrups for his husband, completely as if he was groveling for his life and being humiliated. Even when the husband came to recruit Fan Li, he was silent, and Fan Li also skillfully rejected King Wu's solicitation, and put on a low-voiced and frustrated posture of atonement.

It's not that Gou Jian is really willing to completely obey Fan Li's opinion, nor is it that Fan Li's behavior as a slave moved this once stubborn King Yue. But at this time, Fan Li successfully weighed the interests and transformed the former King of Yue from a noble monarch to an unscrupulous hero to achieve his goals.

Gou Jian's wish is no longer a small Yue King in a corner of peace, and through this painful lesson, he understands what the most powerful force in this world should be pursued. All forbearance and suffering are the ones that can accumulate strength in the future. At this time, all the opinions and strategies put forward by Fan Li are just means to achieve this grand goal. As for whether this method is enough to preserve dignity and whether it will be despised in the future, he doesn't care at all. The so-called fame and dignity will be written by the victors. There is nothing more important than living, as for the noble name of King Yue, it is even more important to make Fucha look down on himself more and give himself more humiliation.

The so-called uprightness, the so-called dignity of the emperor, the so-called rather than broken jade, and the so-called everything are not completely related to their own interests. How can it be more valuable to die in battle in order to retain the dignity of the emperor than to control the country of Wu and even the world in the palm of his hand after revenge in the future? For Gou Jian, all of Fan Li's suggestions are to help bring himself closer to this goal. Therefore, Gou Jian chose to completely follow all of Fan Li's suggestions. Therefore, even if the husband makes more excessive demands, as long as Fan Li thinks that this is beneficial to the future recovery of the Yue Kingdom, Gou Jian will immediately agree and work hard to be a good slave.

Fan Li was able to make Gou Jian completely obey the advice, relying only on Gou Jian's own desires and ambitions.