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"Sword of the Yue Maiden" (simplified Chinese: 越女剑; traditional Chinese: 越女劍; pinyin: Yuè Nǚ Jiàn;...

"Sword of the Yue Maiden" (simplified Chinese: 越女剑; traditional Chinese: 越女劍; pinyin: Yuè Nǚ Jiàn; Jyutping: Jyut6 Neoi5 Gim3) is a Wuxia short story by Louis Cha. It is first published in 1970 on the Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao. This short story is the last of Cha's Wuxia works together with The Deer and the Cauldron, but its historical setting, in the Spring and Autumn Period, is the earliest amongst all of Cha's works. Set during the Spring and Autumn Period of ancient China, the story tells of the struggle for power between the state of Wu and the Kingdom of Yue. A swordsman from Wu challenges Yue to send forth a swordsman to meet his challenge. Fan Li, an advisor in the Kingdom of Yue, finds a young maiden called A Qing to be the candidate to take up the Wu swordsman's challenge. A Qing is an expert swordswoman and she defeats the Wu swordsman with ease. It is revealed that A Qing learnt her swordplay while playing sword-fights with a white ape. Fan Li allows A Qing to train the soldiers of Yue in swordplay and A Qing gradually falls in love with Fan. King Goujian of Yue finally defeats Wu after enduring hardship and humiliation. Fan Li is reunited with his lover Xi Shi, who