During the Spring and Autumn period, King Ping of Chu, a weak and foolish ruler, was manipulated by the treacherous minister Fei Wuji into taking his own son Crown Prince Mi Jian's intended bride as his wife. When word of this scandal spread, it was considered a disgrace throughout the Chu court and among the people.
Grand Tutor Wu She, an upright and kind man who feared no authority and served as the crown prince's teacher, earned the enmity of the treacherous Fei Wuji. Fearing that Wu She would one day help the prince punish him, Fei Wuji urged King Ping of Chu to execute Wu She's entire family.
King Ping of Chu, fearing his crown prince Mi Jian would discover the truth, sent him to Chengfu. Still uneasy, the king dispatched assassins to kill him. Fortunately, Mi Jian learned of the plot in time and fled to Fancheng, where Wu She's second son, Wu Yuan, was stationed. Mi Jian told Wu Yuan everything, adding that the treacherous Fei Wuji, seeking to eliminate all threats, had sent his son Fei Dexiong to Fancheng with a forged imperial decree to lure Wu Yuan back to court and murder him. Wu Yuan trembled with rage and cursed, "The king is a blind tyrant!"
Soon, Fei Dexiong, acting on Fei Wuji's orders, came to see Wu Yuan. He falsely claimed that King Ping wanted to summon Wu Yuan back to court for a great reward due to his outstanding military achievements. Wu Yuan deliberately asked, "I haven't been to court for over half a year. I wonder how my family is doing?"
Fei Dexiong put on airs, claiming his family was thriving. Wu Yuan flew into a rage and cursed, "You treacherous villains murdered my entire family, yet you say they're thriving! If Mi Jian hadn't revealed the truth and exposed your lies, I would have nearly fallen into your inescapable trap."
Having said this, Wu Yun gave Fei Dexiong a thorough beating, then abandoned his official post and fled. King Ping of Chu sent troops in hot pursuit, but Wu Yun dodged and evaded, eventually shaking off his pursuers. Disguising himself, he escaped from Chu and arrived in the state of Wu, where he made a living by playing the xiao flute.
Soon after, Wu Yuan gained the favor of the King of Wu and raised an army to attack the State of Chu, avenging his grievances and settling old scores.
Later, people used the idiom "heaven's net and earth's snare" to describe a tight encirclement.
Source: *Xuanhe Legacy*, "First Collection"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "天罗地网" came to describe a tight encirclement.