In the Zhou Dynasty, which had been established nearly 3,000 years ago, the supreme ruler of the Zhou was not called an emperor but “Heavenly King”. Among these kings was King You of Zhou, a ruler infamous for his neglect of state affairs and obsession with pleasure.
A loyal minister’s warning and Imprisonment
King You cared little for governance; instead, he indulged in feasts, entertainment, and sent envoys across the land to seek beautiful women. One senior minister, Bao Xiang, dared to advise the king to govern wisely and treat the common people with compassion, warning against forcibly taking young women into the palace. Enraged by this criticism, King You imprisoned Bao Xiang.
For three years, Bao Xiang languished in jail with no hope of release. His family, desperate to secure his freedom, devised a plan: if the king loved beauty above all, they would offer him the most exquisite maiden they could find.
The rise of Bao Si
The Bao family scoured the countryside and discovered a stunning village girl. They purchased her, adopted her into their household, and named her Bao Si. Trained in music and dance, she was then presented to King You in the capital Haojing (near modern-day Xi’an, Shaanxi) as a gift to atone for Bao Xiang’s “offense.”
Upon seeing Bao Si, King You was utterly enchanted. He declared that all the beauties in his harem combined could not rival even a fraction of her grace. Immediately, he pardoned Bao Xiang and released him from prison. From that moment on, the king devoted himself entirely to Bao Si, treating her as his most precious treasure.
Yet Bao Si remained melancholic – she never smiled. Despite the king’s endless efforts to amuse her, she only sighed and wept in silence. Desperate, King You issued a proclamation: “Whoever can make the queen smile shall be rewarded with one thousand jin of gold.” (In ancient China, “gold” often referred to copper.)
The deceitful scheme of Guo Shifu
Many courtiers rushed to try their luck – telling jokes, making faces, performing farces – but Bao Si found them repulsive and dismissed them all. Then came Guo Shifu, a sycophantic and cunning official. He proposed a reckless plan:
“Long ago, beacon towers were built on Mount Li (in present-day Lintong, Shaanxi) to warn against invasions by the Western Rong tribes. If one tower lit its fire, the next would follow, summoning nearby feudal lords to arms. Now that peace reigns, these towers are idle. Let us take Her Majesty to Mount Li for leisure. At night, we’ll light the beacons. When the lords rush here with their armies only to find no enemy, their confusion will surely make the queen laugh!”
Delighted, King You agreed without hesitation.
A nobleman’s futile warning
Before their departure, Duke Huan of Zheng – also known as Ji You or Lord Zheng Bo – tried to intervene. As both the king’s uncle and a key administrator in the capital, he warned that misusing the beacon system could invite disaster. But King You, intoxicated by amusement, snapped:
“I’m merely relieving boredom with the queen. What concern is it of yours?”
Rebuffed, Lord Zheng Bo could do nothing but watch as the royal party headed to Mount Li.
The Beacon Tower Hoax
That night, Guo Shifu ordered the beacon fires lit. One after another, towering flames blazed across the hills, lighting up the sky. Alarmed, regional lords mobilized their troops and raced to the capital – only to find revelry, music, and no sign of invasion. Confused and humiliated, they were told by the king’s messenger:
“There is no enemy. The Heavenly King and the queen were merely enjoying a spectacle. You may return.”
Bao Si, witnessing the chaotic scramble of soldiers rushing pointlessly in all directions, finally let out a cold, ironic laugh:
“Hehe… truly amusing! Only you could think of such a trick.”
Mistaking her sarcasm for genuine joy, King You ecstatically awarded Guo Shifu the promised thousand jin of gold.
The true invasion and the collapse of Haojing
Not long afterward, the Western Rong actually invaded. When the first beacon flared, King You frantically ordered the signal fires relit – but this time, no lords responded. Convinced it was another prank, they ignored the call. With no reinforcements, the capital’s defenses crumbled.
Only Lord Zheng Bo led a desperate resistance. Outnumbered, he was surrounded and killed by arrows. His death caused panic among the remaining troops. The Western Rong flooded into Haojing, slaughtering civilians, looting homes, and enslaving the young. King You and Guo Shifu were both slain. Even Bao Si – the woman who had never truly smiled – was captured and taken away.
Thus ended the Western Zhou Dynasty, all because a king valued a false smile more than the trust of his realm.
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