A Song to Drown Rivers

Author/Guide: Ann Liang

Why a Booktrail?

Ancient China: Inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China

ISBN: 978-1035050390
Genre: Fantasy/Sci Fi

Comment

What you need to know before your trail

Since birth, Xishi’s extraordinary beauty has been seen as a blessing. When Xishi draws the attention of the famous young military advisor Fanli, he presents her with a rare opportunity: to use her beauty as a weapon. One that could topple the rival neighbouring kingdom, improve the lives of her people and avenge her sister’s murder. All she has to do is infiltrate the enemy palace as a spy and seduce their immoral king.

What neither Xishi nor Fanli expect is the doomed attraction that ignites between them. Even worse, Xishi soon finds herself under the hungry gaze of the king and his advisors. Despite his gentleness, a brutality lurks and Xishi knows she can never let her guard down. But the higher she climbs in the court, the further she and Fanli have to fall. And if she is unmasked as a traitor, she will bring both kingdoms down . . .

Locations

Reset

Travel Guide

The Four Legends of China

The Four Beauties or Four Great Beauties are four Chinese women who were renowned for their beauty. The four are usually identified as Xi Shi, Wang Zhaojun, Diaochan, and Yang Yuhuan.

Xi Shi lived around the 7th to the 6th centuries BCE. She was said to be so entrancingly beautiful that fishes would forget how to swim and sink below the surface upon seeing her reflection in the water.

Xi Shi was from Zhuji, the capital of the Ancient Yue Kingdom. Goujian, the King of Yue wanted revenge on the king of Wu. So, she sent Xi Shi as a gift to Fuchai, the King of Wu, hoping that he would become so infatuated with her that he forgot about everything else. Since he was so distracted, Goujian was able to defeat Fuchai in battle.

According to the legend, Goujian then killed Xi Shi. However, some say that she escaped with a lover and went into hiding.