BEAUTY OF BEAUTIES (LADY WEST)
SYNOPSIS OF THE PLAY
In 496 B. C., King Holu of Wu was killed in a battle with Yueh and his son Fuchai succeeded to the throne. To avenge his father, Fuchai waged war against Yueh two years later and vanquished the enemy in the Battle of Fu-chiao.
King Kouchien of Yueh capitulated and proceeded to the Cou t of Wu as a pledge of his country's submission. He remained there till 490 B. C., when King Fuchai relented and permitted him to go back to Yueh as a satellite ruler.
After his return, Kouchien secretly planned with his loyal ministers Fan Lai and Wen Chung for retribution. To begin with, Kouchien sent Fan Li as his envoy to the Court of Wu with a tribute of two peerless beauties, Lady West and Lady Cheng Tan, who represented the flower of Yueh's m idenhoo
Like Mark Antony, King Fuchai was so infatuated with Lady West that he magnaninmgously spared Yueh and launched a northward expedition to wrest the interstate leadership from the powerful Kingdom of Chin.
While he was away to North China, King Kouchien of Yueh launched a surprise attack upon Wu and laid siege to its capital. Where upon Fuchai hastened back to save his country but he was ambushed by the Yueh forces and was killed in action. The news so demoraliseed the Wu defenders that they surrendered to the enemy without further struggle.
As the triumphant Yueh warriors marched into the capital of Wu, Land West found herself in a new dilemma: the people of Wu hated her for having spelt ruin to their country; the people of Yueh detested her because she had lost her hea t to their No. 1 enemy, Fuchai. She was alone, not wanted.
In the darkest moment of her sorrow, Fa Li came to her to apologise for having been the autaor of her plight, for he was the talent scout who discov¬ered Lady West for King Kouchien.
As Kouchien was a jealous ruler, Li was aware of the danger of “ eing a blood-th:rsty hunter's harrier when the last hare had been killed" He had, therefore, tendered his resignation to Kouchien and made the deter ination to a distant Land in permanent exile. And he invited Lady West to join him.
Thus ended the sad story of Lady West, the most celebrated beatty in the history of China.