Contents Map 1. The Zhou Confederacy circa 500 B.C.E. Map 2. The Kingdoms of the Warring States Period in circa 260 B.C.E. Introduction THE CURSE OF THE BAO LORDS Chapter One King Xuan of Zhou hears a children’s song and kills a woman for no good reason. Grandee Du becomes formidable as he protests his innocence. Chapter Two The people of Bao atone for their crimes by handing over a beautiful woman. King You lights the beacon fires to tease the feudal lords. Chapter Three The chief of the Dog Rong invades the capital at Hao. King Ping of Zhou moves east to Luoyang. AN INCESTUOUS LOVE AFFAIR AT THE COURT OF QI Chapter Four The Marquis of Qi gives Lady Wen Jiang in marriage to Lu. Lord Huan of Lu and his wife travel to Qi. Chapter Five The Honorable Wuzhi loses his privileges and joins a conspiracy. Lord Xiang of Qi goes out hunting and meets a ghost. THE WICKED STEPMOTHER, LADY LI JI Chapter Six  Lord Xian of Jin ignores a divination against establishing a principal wife. Lady Li Ji plots the murder of Shensheng. Chapter Seven Li Ke murders two infant rulers in succession. Lord Mu pacifies a civil war in Jin for the first time. THE FIGHT FOR LADY XIA JI Chapter Eight Lord Ling of Chen uses underwear to make a joke at court. An unfortunate remark to Xia Zhengshu causes many deaths. Chapter Nine After remonstrance from his ministers, King Zhuang of Chu restores order in Chen. Having married Lady Xia Ji, Wu Chen flees to Jin. THE ORPHAN OF THE ZHAO CLAN Chapter Ten After the siege of the Lower Palace, Cheng Ying hides an orphan. Having executed Tu’an Gu, the Zhao clan rises again. THE DOWNFALL OF THE KINGDOM OF WU Chapter Eleven 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. Chapter Twelve Having fallen into the trap laid by Yue, Xi Shi is much favored at the Wu Palace. Having killed King Fuchai, the ruler of Yue proclaims himself hegemon. RIVAL STUDENTS OF THE MASTER OF GHOST VALLEY Chapter Thirteen After saying goodbye to the Master of Ghost Valley, Pang Juan descends the mountain. In order to escape from disaster, Sun Bin pretends to have gone mad. Chapter Fourteen Tian Ji leads his forces to victory at Guiling. At Maling, Pang Juan is shot to pieces by crossbows. THE FAMILY TROUBLES OF THE KING OF QIN Chapter Fifteen Having hatched a cunning plan, Lü Buwei sends Prince Yiren home. Fan Wuqi circulates criticism in an attempt to punish the king of Qin. Chapter Sixteen Ai Lao uses a faked castration to bring the Qin palace to chaos. Mao Jiao removes his clothes to remonstrate with the king of Qin. THE ASSASSINS STRIKE Chapter Seventeen Tian Guang cuts his throat after recommending Jing Ke. Having presented a map, Jing Ke’s assassination attempt throws the Qin palace into chaos.

"Olivia Milburn has given us a delicious romp through history, this time in her sprightly translation of selections from the romance by the late Ming moralist Feng Menglong. The intrigues retold by Feng became the stuff of edifying proverbs in China and they became so celebrated in Europe that Voltaire adapted one for the Parisian theater. Now, at last, readers can feel the magic in this marvelous translation of an acclaimed book."—Michael Nylan, Sather Professor of History, UC Berkeley "Written by the great master of vernacular literature Feng Menglong, Xin Leiguozhi is one of the finest examples of China’s tradition of historical fiction. In this abridged edition, Milburn has selected the vast novel's most exciting episodes and presents them in a rollicking translation that does full justice to the original work."—Wilt L. Idema, Professor Emeritus of Chinese Literature, Harvard University