Secret Formula

Once upon a time in ancient China, there was a family in the Song Kingdom known for being in the cloth-bleaching business for many generations. Every day, the family workers soaked textiles in a special bleaching solution and then took them into the river to let the flowing currents wash away the bleach. Old clothes and bedsheets ended up looking as good as new.

When winter came around, most businesses that depended on the river would close for the season. The weather would get so cold and dry that wading into the river would cause the skin to split into painful cracks, thus making work impossible. This family was the exception to the rule, because they had a special ointment to protect their hands. This ointment was made from a secret formula passed down through the generations, and it allowed them to work through wintertime.

One day, a traveler who had heard about the ointment came to visit the family. He offered to buy the secret formula for a hundred gold pieces. The head of the family was amazed by this offer. Normally, it would take him decades to save up that much money.

He discussed it with family members: “We’ve been working in this cloth-bleaching business for generations, and we can barely make ends meet. Now we only need to sell the formula and we’ll get a hundred gold pieces. Surely it cannot get any better than this!” He looked around the room and saw that everyone was nodding in agreement. It was a deal.

The transaction took place. The money changed hands; the cloth bleacher brought out the secret formula and made a careful copy. The traveler went on his way, and life returned to normal for the family.

The traveler went to the palace of King Wu and sought an audience. In the royal chambers, he presented the secret formula and explained how to produce massive quantities for the king’s army. King Wu had been at war with the neighboring Yue Kingdom for many years but could never gain the upper hand. Now, with his entire army using the ointment, he launched the first winter offensive ever in the history of the two kingdoms.

The armies clashed over the bordering river. The ointment worked as expected and protected Wu soldiers, while Yue soldiers lacked this protection and were fully exposed to the elements. After only a few days, many Yue soldiers developed such painful cracks that they could not even hold their weapons. Soon, King Wu decimated the Yue army and unified the two territories under his rule.

In gratitude to the traveler who played such a pivotal role in his victory, King Wu granted him a large estate and made him a noble. As the traveler settled into his new, privileged life, he reflected on the path that took him there. Endless wealth was his, acquired with the secret formula for only a hundred gold pieces. Surely, he thought, it could not get any better than this!