We delve into the story of the one-armed assassin and the guy who kicked his butt AFTER being assassinated.

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Welcome to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms Podcast. This is a supplemental episode.

In this episode, we’re going to talk about a famous assassin, Yao (1) Li (2). His story was invoked by the Wei general Jia (3) Kui (2) in episode 123, when he tried to talk some sense into his commander Cao Xiu. Cao Xiu had been fooled by a governor from the kingdom of Wu who said he was going to surrender his territory to Wei. To convince Cao Xiu of his loyalty, this governor had cut off his hair, which as we discussed in episode 123, was no small thing. So Cao Xiu believed him. But Jia Kui told Cao Xiu, “Look, cutting off hair is NOTHING. Just look at the story of Yao (1) Li (2), who cut off his arm to assassinate a man.”

So, let’s look at the story of Yao Li, and there’s a lot more to it than just cutting off an arm to assassinate a man. And if you thought cutting off an arm so you could kill a man is cringe-inducing, just wait.

Yao Li lived during the Spring and Autumn period, that famous period of division that has given rise to so many idioms and references in our novel. Yao Li lived sometime in the early 500s B.C., in the southern state of Wu (2). And yes, I know. We also have a state of Wu in the Three Kingdoms era. They both occupy somewhat similar territories, which is why the state in the Three Kingdoms adopted the name of a state that existed centuries before.

Anyway, to talk about Yao Li, we must first talk about the king of Wu at this time. This king came to the throne by assassinating his own cousin. But his cousin’s son, who was named Qing (4) Ji (4), fled to another state. Qing Ji was known as a man of courage and smarts. It was said that he once managed to capture an elk AND a rhino on a hunt, though I’m not sure where you would find a rhino along the Yangzi River delta. While in exile, Qing (4) Jin (4) raised a big army with the intent of coming back home and doing the, “You killed my father, prepare to die” thing.

This of course, was a problem for the king of Wu, and he desperately wanted to do away with Qing Ji. His top adviser told him, “Hey, I found this butcher slash fisherman who would be perfect for the job.”

This, of course, was Yao (1) Li (2), and his resume sounded pretty good. His father was apparently a professional assassin, so he’s got that going for him. He apparently also was quite clever and very courageous. So the king summoned him. But when Yao Li arrived, he did not exactly strike an imposing figure. He was short and skinny, and very ugly. But he talked a good game, and after the king laid out the job for which he was being considered, Yao Li eagerly volunteered.

The king, though, wasn’t so sure. Aside from Yao Li’s appearance, there was also the fact that his target, Qing Ji was notoriously suspicious, and it was nearly impossible for anyone to earn his trust to get close enough to him to make an attempt on his life. But Yao Li had a great idea.

“My lord,” he said to the king, “you can kill my wife and then cut off one of my arms. That will eliminate Qing Ji’s suspicion.”

Ok, I think we can go with … WAIT, WHAT?! You want me to … kill your wife … and cut off one of your arms. Uhh, maybe you should consider the possibility that your work-life balance is a little out of whack?

“You’re helping me to eliminate an enemy; how can I kill your wife?” said the king,