《国语·越语·勾践灭吴》
于是派文种去吴国求和，说： 我们国君勾践没有人可派遣，派下臣我来，不敢当面与吴王谈，私下里跟他的办事人员说：我们国君的军队已不值得屈辱吴王亲自来讨伐了。
遂使之行成于吴，曰： 寡君勾践乏无所使，使其下臣种，不敢彻声闻于天王，私于下执事曰：寡君之师徒不足以辱君矣。
So he sent Wen Zhong to the State of Wu, to ask for conciliation, saying: "Our Monarch Goujian has no men to send, and he sent his servant to come. He did not dare to talk to King Wu personally, but secretly talked to his staff: Our Monarch’s army is no longer worth King Wu to personally come to attack.