When Shrewd Fox was young, she went from country to country, looking for a land worthy of her talents. The ruler of the Land South of the Clouds had over a hundred sons by various wives and concubines, all of whom were flighty and worthless. Having heard her boast that she could turn anyone into soldiers, he challenged her to do so with his offspring. “Give me absolute authority over them,” she said, “and I will.” When, on the first day of training, she ordered the young men to form up in orderly lines, they laughed and mocked her. So she had the two oldest immediately put to death. Within a month, the king’s sons were as disciplined a group of soldiers as any in his land. —STRANGE TALES OF THE SECOND WARRING STATES PERIOD FREE HISTORICAL operas were performed in the city squares every day for a week, and there were fireworks every night to celebrate the arrival of peace and, not coincidentally, help reconcile the citizens of Opera to the sudden and unexpected change of rulers.
