Is “How was Zhai Rang murdered by Li Mi?” true?
According to the Old Book of Tang, Biography of Li Mi, Li Mi hosted a banquet for Zhai Rang, 'showed Zhai Rang a fine bow, and as Zhai Rang was drawing it to the full, Li Mi sent a warrior to strike him from behind.' Chapter 46 of Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties fully retains this historical detail, describing that Li Mi, under the pretext of viewing an eight-stone bow, took advantage of Zhai Rang 'leaving his seat to draw the bow to a full moon, and just as the bow was full,' arranged for Cai Jiande to 'strike him on the back of the head, felling him to the ground.' In this plot, the novel is highly faithful to official history.
The plot of Zhai Rang being assassinated by Li Mi using a fine bow as bait is completely copied from official history by the novel.
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