During the Spring and Autumn Period, the struggle between the two vassal states of Wu and Yue in southeast China lasted for more than 20 years (496-473 BC).。In the end, the state of Yue destroyed the state of Wu。There were many reasons leading to the downfall of the state of Wu, one of which was the corruption of the chief magistrate 嚭。
    First, in 496 BC, Wu and Yue fought against Li (now Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province), and the Wu army was defeated, and King Helu was wounded and died。After his son Fuchai took the throne, he was determined to avenge his father。Two years later, in 494 B.C., Fuchai led a massive assault。The Yue army was defeated and Goujian, king of Yue, retired Kuaiji (now Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province) with only 5,000 warriors left.。He sent the Yue doctor Wen Zhong to the Wu army to plead for peace with Fu Chai, willing to submit to him。Believing that Yue had lost its ability to resist, Fuchai intended to agree to Goujian's terms and retain its state as a vassal state to serve him。At this time, Wu Zixu, the minister of the State of Wu, said loudly to Fu Chai: "Now is a God-given opportunity to destroy the state of Yue, you must not agree to his request for peace.。Wen returned, Gou Jian despair。Decided to kill his wife and children, burn treasure, and lead 5,000 men to fight to the death with the Wu army。The writers said to Gou Jian, "It is not time to despair。The chief magistrate of Wu Jun 嚭 is greedy and can be seduced by treasure to speak well of us before the king of Wu。Please allow me to go to the Wu Army again, secretly through him to achieve our purpose。Goujian then let Wenzhong with beauty treasure secretly meet Bo 嚭, in the face of beautiful beauty and valuable, beautiful and magnificent treasure, bo 嚭 smile, readily agreed to the request of Wen。He brought the literature to the king of Wu again。Wen Zhong bowed his head and said to the king of Wu, "Please forgive Gou Jian's SINS, and we will offer all the treasures of the state of Yue to your king. If Gou Jian's SINS are not forgiven, he will kill his wife and children, burn the treasures, and lead 5,000 warriors to fight to the death.。Once such a result occurs, the Wu army will also have to pay huge sacrifices!"Bo 嚭 took the opportunity to persuade the king of Wu, saying, "If you can pardon Gou Jian and make the state of Yue submit to the state of Wu, it will be a great good thing for the state of Wu。The king of Wu was moved and promised to Sue for peace。Wu Zixu objected to Bo 嚭 and remonstrate: "If the state of Wu does not destroy the state of Yue today, it will certainly regret it later.。Gou Jian was a good king, Wen Zhong and Fan Li were good ministers。If we let them keep the country, there will be no end in sight。The king of Wu would not listen。He ordered Gou Jian to be pardoned and returned to Wu proudly with the beautiful treasure given by Yue。
    King Gou Jian of Yue accepted the lessons of the defeat of Kuaiji, "suffering the body to think" and "suffering the hardships to taste the courage", and gradually regained his strength。At the same time, King Fuchai was proud of his victory, coveted the crown of the overlord of the Central Plains, and led his troops north to attack the State of Qi。Wen Zhong in order to test whether the king of Wu Yue rest assured, deliberately proposed to borrow grain from Wu, Wu king regardless of Wu Zixu's remonstrance, but generously agreed to borrow grain requirements。Wu Zixu warned: "The king does not listen to the remonstrations, three years later the state of Wu will become a ruin!"Bo 嚭 then stood up for the defense of the state of Yue, and Wu Zixu fierce debate。At the same time to the king of Wu said: "Wu Zixu this person seems loyal, but the actual is very selfish and cruel, he even his own father and brother do not care, how can care for the king?？Some time ago, when the King attacked Qi, he urged him to stop it. Now that Qi had won, he resented the King for this。If the king does not guard Wu Zixu, he will make trouble。The king of Wu was doubtful and ordered Wu Zixu to go to Qi。When the king of Wu heard that Wu Zixu would entrust his son to the aristocrat Bao Shi of Qi, he flew into a rage and gave Wu Zixu a sword to commit suicide。Wu Zixu face unreasonable Wu Wang, grief and anger inexplicable。Before committing suicide, he said to the emissary, "Please take off my eyes and put them on the east gate of Wu's capital, so that I can watch the Yue invade Wu."After the death of Wu Zixu, Bo 嚭 more by the trust of the king of Wu, dictatorship domineering。At this time, the king of Wu ignored the threat of Yue, but still several times to the north of the Central Plains for hegemony, a thousand miles of expeditions, greatly depleting the national strength。However, after years of preparation, Goujian took advantage of King Fuchai's northern alliance in 482 B.C., and the opportunity of Wu's internal emptiness, his troops divided into two ways to attack Wu, and Wu's army was defeated。Fuchai rushed back from the north and surrendered Gusu Mountain。He asked his minister Gongsun Xiong to Sue for peace with Gou Jian。He begged Gou Jian to forgive himself as the king of Wu had forgiven him, and to preserve the state of Wu。Gou Jian was ready to accept the king's request, but Fan Li remonstered, "When Heaven offered Yue to the State of Wu, the State of Wu did not accept it。Today, Heaven gives Wu to Yue, can Yue disobey？The order was given to continue the attack。Goujian was still a little reluctant to bear it, and sent messengers to inform the king of Wu, ready to place him in Yongdong, with hundreds of people for him to drive。The king of Wu, unwilling to live in such humiliation, committed suicide in 472 BC。
    Goujian buried the Queen of Wu, Bo 嚭 full thought will be rewarded by the king of Yue。However, Gou Jian put him to death unceremoniously。Because in Gou Jian's view, Bo 嚭 such a corrupt and shameless person can not be a role model for the minister in any case, killing him is a warning to the minister。
Bo 嚭 although he got a lot of treasure from the state of Yue, it cost him his own head。Where is his treasure？It is not recorded in the historical books, but the most likely is that it was retaken by Gou Jian。(Author: Meng Xiangcai)

来自：Shi Yuan Tuoying