Читать книгу Wisdom's Way - Walton C. Lee - Страница 9

The Prophecy Becomes True

Tang Dynasty618 A.D. to 907 A.D.

In a traditional society, people often used superstitions to rationalize the unexplained. An ordinary person’s superstition would, at most, affect only a family. However, when an emperor was superstitious, the whole country might suffer dearly. This story took place at the end of the eighth century A.D.

One day, a man reported to Emperor Tang-Teh,¹ that a famous general, Bai Chi,² who had died over a thousand years ago, had appeared to him in a dream. The general informed this man that barbarians on the western border would soon invade their country.

The emperor was skeptical about this story, but as a precaution he reinforced that part of the frontier. In less than a month, barbarians actually attacked there, but were immediately repelled thanks to the army’s increased readiness. Amazed, the emperor handsomely rewarded this person and intended to build a temple to commemorate this deceased general. With sincerity and enthusiasm, he discussed this matter with Prime Minister Lee Mee,³ who was surprised by his master’s lack of sophistication.

Acting seriously and holding back a smile with some difficulty, the prime minister pretended to ponder for a long while, and then spoke.

“Your Majesty, improving and revitalizing a country depends on the cooperation of people. The enemy was defeated by our competent generals and courageous soldiers. Their gallant behavior needs to be honored. If Your Majesty credits the victory to this legendary general, I’m afraid that the soldiers will feel indignant and ignored. Our servicemen’s morale will be greatly dampened. Furthermore, to build a temple for him, Your Majesty is promoting superstition and ghost-worship. That will eventually destroy the self-confidence and self-reliance of our people, which is the most valuable resource that an emperor could possess. The consequences could be hazardous. By the way, I have heard there is a weather-beaten old shrine on the outskirts of the capital city which honors this general. To pay respects, Your Majesty could quietly send some servants to restore it, which won’t cost much and will not raise people’s suspicion.” The emperor duly accepted this recommendation.

This prime minister was both farsighted and very sophisticated. Daring not to go directly against his master’s naive idea, he objectively and diplomatically presented his opinions, step by step. He scrupulously upheld his own principles but shrewdly yielded on a few trivial points. For example, if the emperor didn’t pay respects to this dead general at all and his army suffered a great loss in the next military encounter, this prime minister for sure would blamed and even lose his head because of poor advice. Therefore he cleverly advised his master to update a shrine, satisfying the emperor’s simple-minded belief.

As an old saying goes; “When confronting a problem, it is much more reliable to seek help from one’s self than from gods or ghosts.”

Deal With The Wicked

Southern Sung Dynasty1127 A.D. to 1279 A.D.

In the old days, eunuchs held a very unique position in Chinese society. They were typically undereducated or illiterate, and often came from extremely impoverished areas of the country. By castration, they could work in the political power center—the imperial palace—and had an opportunity to approach, win the trust of, and influence the emperor or his family.

Unlike the eunuchs, government officials were appointed by passing rigorous national examinations, which required tens of years of study and memorization of classical literature. They were always well-educated, and often looked down on the unlearned, upstart eunuchs. However, when an eunuch became influential enough to easily sway his master’s opinion, which was not unusual in Chinese history, the officials had to flatter the eunuch to get their proposals reviewed by the emperor. It was a delicate and bitter relationship. This incident occurred in the middle of the twelfth century A.D.

Serving in the royal medical court, a notorious eunuch clandestinely sent many servants down to southern China to purchase well-trained carrier pigeons for his own personal purposes. Nobody knew the reason and all suspected Emperor Sung-Kao’s⁴ involvement. Rumors promptly spread.

Although this incident was swiftly reported to the palace, the emperor’s reputation was at stake. Out of indignation, a hot-tempered, senior general immediately suggested that the eunuch’s head be chopped off. A variety of other punishments were also proposed. However, a clever official, Chau Din,⁵ advised otherwise.

“Your Majesty, this affair is not as simple as it seems on the surface. The real intention of this eunuch is less important than the effect of all this gossip and unrest. Our first objective must be to crush these rumors. If we don’t discipline the accused eunuch, people will think, as gossip indicates, that Your Majesty dispatched him on a secret mission. Your Majesty’s reputation will be greatly damaged. On the other hand, since we don’t have any evidence of wrongdoing, we can’t punish him. The best course, in my humble opinion, is to relocate the eunuch far from the capital city and start an investigation. After sifting through the whole situation, if he is innocent, we can receive him again. Otherwise, we can give him a fair punishment without being guided by gossip and innuendo.” Pondering for a moment, the emperor accepted this recommendation and ordered the eunuch to resettle himself at once in a remote province.

In private, with great puzzlement and resentment, the general complained and questioned the official. “Why spare this rascal? He and his cronies are arrogant and unscrupulous. They deserve total extermination. If I could, I would torture and slaughter every one of those shameless swine.”

“You don’t understand eunuchs,” the official calmly explained. “We know many of them are corrupt. However, if we behead this eunuch without a fair trail, we would alarm and alert the others. Thinking that we wish to destroy them all, they would unite against us. They might even influence the emperor and, for upholding their own interests, rescue their friend. But by removing him from the palace, the center of endless power struggles, we will please his peers and opponents who eagerly want to succeed him. If we wait, the absence of that eunuch will cause the others to brutally compete against one another. With the accused eunuch out of favor, he will be alienated by the others. None of them will re-admit him to their circles. We can sit back and enjoy watching these eunuchs weaken themselves as they jockey for position. After the whole investigation is over, even if it proves that the eunuch is innocent, on returning to the palace he will, to his distress, find out that his influence has been greatly reduced, if not totally destroyed by his rivals and peers.” Laughing and applauding, the general shouted with joy and praised this official for his insight.

Divide and create contradictions among your opponents. You can sit back and watch as they compete with one another. Their internal dispute will eventually lead to their destruction.

Local Maps

Northern Sung Dynasty960 A.D. to 1127 A.D.

We should encourage friendship and do our best to assist our friends. However, when too much cordiality might harm national security, we must draw a line. This episode happened in the middle of the eleventh century A.D. In that period, transportation was human legs or horseback. Printing was in its primitive stage. Maps were hand-drawn and primarily used for military purposes.

A team of Korean diplomats, on an annual visit, came to China’s capital city to present gifts to the emperor. Passing through cities and towns, they courteously requested the local mayors or regional commanders to supply them with territorial maps. They claimed that they could study those maps for sightseeing along their route. As a gesture of good will, this solicitation, which had never been made before, was promptly granted.

Before approaching a mid-sized southern city, these diplomats sent the same request by messenger.

“I don’t have one on hand. And, to tell you the truth, I don’t even know how to prepare one,” said Chern Shen-Jee,⁶ a commander in the city. Feigning embarrassment, he suggested to the messenger “If you can let me see the other maps, I will be more than delighted to imitate them and draw one with similar details for you.” The messenger returned and reported this to his masters. A few days later, the messenger came back with the maps that had been collected.

Accepting the maps, the commander immediately ordered his guards to burn them all, regardless of the astonished messenger’s violent protest. The messenger was expelled from the city after a solid reprimand. This incident was abruptly reported to the central government. The commander was highly praised for his alertness and others, for their heedlessness, were punished according to the laws.

As an old Chinese expression says: If you hold your sword or spear at the wrong end, another person can easily grasp the handle and threaten your life with it. Giving maps to assist the foreigners on their trips, those local officials foolishly exposed the locations of mountains, rivers, harbors and other strategically important facts, which would have given potential invaders a military advantage.

With a Sense of Discreteness

Northern Sung Dynasty960 A.D. to 1127 A.D.

Most people dream of a tranquil and wealthy life. However, a far-sighted man will feel uneasy about that tranquillity and wealth. Why? Allow me to present this case. In the eleventh century A.D. China was frequently disturbed by neighboring barbarians. One night while working late, the vice prime minister Wong Dan,⁷ who didn’t even have time to eat his dinner, sighed and murmured “Alas! The heavy load of work is killing me. Sooner or later I will die of exhaustion. When will our country enjoy peace again?”

“Oh, you are not joking, are you?” interrupted the prime minister Lee Hang⁸ with a profound smile. “You should consider yourself lucky. Constant but manageable trouble is actually a good thing for a person as well as a country. With a few problems on our shoulders, we keep alert all the time. If the country eventually becomes peaceful, it will only develop hidden crises, which will be much more difficult to deal with in the future. After I retire, you probably will assume my position. At that time, our current skirmishes will most likely be over. Our country will be strong and prosperous. Our young Majesty will be spoiled by absolute power and carefree prosperity. Please, be aware of that.”

Though disagreeing with his superior, the fatigued vice prime minister dared not to argue, and merely responded with a courteous nod. The farsighted prime minister often deliberately presented all the current disasters, such as floods, fire, drought, or mutiny, to the emperor, who was frightened and dumbfounded.

“Your Highness,” the vice prime minister privately asked, “Why should we present those misfortunes to annoy Our Majesty? In my humble opinion, it is not decent….”

“You are much in mistake,” the prime minister immediately cut him short. “Our emperor is in his early teens, an age of innocent optimism. Without those calamities to constantly remind him that governing the dynasty is a demanding and strenuous job, I am afraid that Our Majesty will gradually become lax, and even neglectful of his duty. I will be retired very soon. It will become your responsibility. Be careful.”

A few months later, the prime minister retired and the vice prime minister was promoted. Northern barbarians made peace treaties with China. Without war or other natural disasters, the national economy grew rapidly. The country enjoyed prosperity. With few matters of state to worry him, the young emperor began to visit famous mountains and rivers. Cunning eunuchs and crafty officials, who knew how to flatter their master, clandestinely approached the unsophisticated emperor and quickly won his trust. Favoritism developed. Regardless of their ability, unscrupulous power mongers employed their compatriots in government positions. Gradually, they occupied most of the influential positions. They encouraged the young emperor to build another grand-scale imperial palace and many extravagant mansions. The new prime minister was powerless to control this rapidly deteriorating situation. He wanted to resign but couldn’t bear to watch the dynasty collapse. He then understood that his predecessor’s farsighted concern had been most warranted.

A similar case happened in the chaotic Spring and Autumn period, 770 B.C. to 476 B.C. A strong country, after years of struggle and numerous bloody battles, finally conquered one of its equal-sized neighbors. The triumphant lord Gin-Li⁹ intended to massacre every single one of the prisoners of war and enslave all of the citizens.

“Please, Your Lordship, for our own ultimate benefit, spare your enemy,” a commissioner named Fan Shieh (Fan Win-Zye)¹⁰ politely suggested. “Only an all-wise man could always keep a country free of troubles. For an ordinary statesman, there are always troubles either externally or internally. But by sparing our enemies, keeping them alive but weakened, we shrewdly create an opponent, which will constantly remind us of the importance of our self-existence and keep us alert. Otherwise, a carefree period will follow. We might become spoiled and even, if I may say, be destroyed by our own prosperity.”

The lord sneered at this prediction and mercilessly ordered his soldiers to slaughter the conquered people and devastate the city. After this absolute victory, the country’s reputation and prestige was at its peak. Ranking among a handful of the most powerful rulers, the lord became arrogant and wasteful. His people felt glamorized by their new status among the nations. They became egotistic and extravagant. Government became corruptive and citizens greedy. Lots of money was wasted in needless projects. As a result, heavy taxes were imposed on the laboring class, who had no political voice and suffered greatly.

During a period of natural disaster, many farmers, who couldn’t pay their overdue taxes, rebelled against the government. Soldiers were called to handle them. Thousands of people died in the conflict. In another rebellion, the lord was murdered and his regime was overthrown.

An ambitious person must always possess a sense of discretion. He or she has to be fully prepared to confront any trouble, and to be aware of potential crises. Too much carefree living can gradually corrode discretion and eventually become a source of ruin.

We Manipulate It

Tang Dynasty618 A.D. to 907 A.D.

In the late eighth century A.D., China was suffering through period of chaos and confusion. The emperor Tang-Teh¹¹ was a hostage to a handful of powerful and ruthless warlords. A well-known general, Lee Chan,¹² rapidly assembled tens of thousands of loyal infantrymen and indignant citizens and stationed this motley army on the outskirts of the capital city, which was under the rebel’s control. This mixed army patiently waited for a proper time to start an assault to repossess this heavily-populated and well-constructed city.

In the old days, astrology was highly regarded and was very popular among educated gentlemen. The government had special posts for astrologists. Most educated people had some general knowledge of astrology. It became a custom before executing any important plan that the performer—from emperor, general, administer, civil servant, even ordinary people—would observe, study and interpret the specific movements of stars or hire an astrologer to do it. The astrologer would choose the best time to start the task, which people generally believed could bring good fortune and secure the success of this task.

Having waited for over a week, the army made no move. The soldiers were bored. The food supply was rapidly decreasing. Health conditions were deteriorating. There was rumor of a potential mutiny if this tedious and fruitless delay continued. All of the low-level officers were both depressed and distressed.

During this time, an astrologist approached the commanding general. “Congratulations, sir. Last night, I carefully studied the stars for hours and learned that you will win the coming battle in the next few days. Please, accept my premature but very sincere greeting….”

“Nonsense!” the general, obviously annoyed and disgusted, abruptly cut the astrologer short and scolded him. “How dare you, try to use superstition to butter me up? The existence of our dynasty is at stake. By all means, we must do our best to rescue Our Majesty. I don’t give a damn about those twinkling stars.”

Astonished, this aged astrologer, with embarrassment and uneasiness, grumbling for a moment, excused himself and left. A few days later, the general initiated a full-scaled attack. After winning several bloody military engagements, they finally recovered the capital city and saved the emperor. All of the commanders and assistants gathered to congratulate the general. One close associate, out of curiosity, asked him the reason behind his harsh reaction toward that astrologer’s accurate prediction.

“Maybe you are too young to understand this. However, I can try to explain to you. There is something that we all know but couldn’t comment on it,” the general, with a profound smile, calmly explained. “I didn’t rebuff him because of his forecast, but I am totally against him expressing it so publicly. As a common practice and a tradition, we indeed sometimes have our military plans correspond with the stars’ movements. When it is favors us, we will boldly launch an assault. However, if I allowed our soldiers to comprehend this, I would totally forfeit the control of our army. If someday in the future an ill-fated sign was spotted in the sky, the soldiers would be scared, demoralized, and eventually lose their will to fight. Our army might collapse right in front of the enemy! How could we expect to win a war in a situation like that?”

“To keep that from happening, we must never place ourselves under the mercy of the heavens. We can use customs and superstitions for our own advantage but never allow it to upset our determination. To prevent my soldiers from relying on the stars, I had to openly deride the astrologer, although I privately agreed with him.”

“Sir, you are really clever and farsighted,” called his associate, and all his compatriots praised the general in unison.

A Voluntary Sucker

Ming Dynasty1368 A.D. to 1644 A.D.

In this contemporary, material-oriented society, money is a symbol of success and prestige. However, it was not always so. In the old days, education was essential and money was regarded as an distasteful necessity. Chinese society was generally divided into four categories; intellectual, farmer, worker, and merchant. The goal of the educated class was to successfully pass three extremely competitive national examines and become government officials. Through step-by-step promotions, they might eventually high ranking positions, which carried both power and prestige, and could more efficiently serve the country.

On the other hand, for merchants, who were mostly meager peddlers, the expectation was totally different. Merchants were at the bottom of the social ladder, even those with lots of money. Laws prohibited them from wearing certain types of materials, hat colors, shoes, and jade. Even with wealth, they weren’t truly respected by other levels of people. This small but interesting episode occurred in the late sixteenth century A.D.

In the capital city of Peking, an opulent merchant intended to move his family to a distinguished area of the city, where high-ranking officials had their homes. A real estate broker informed him that there was by chance a mansion available. The owner asked for 700 ounces of silver. After a brief inspection, the merchant, satisfied, promised to deliver the seller 1000 ounces of silver the next morning.

“Uncle, why be a sucker!” one of his nephews asked, hearing of the arrangement. “You could have had it for the original price. Why waste another 300 ounces of silver for nothing?”

The elder merchant laughed. “You don’t understand how to do business at all, my nephew. In any business deal, you must be prescient, valiant and generous. The first rule of thumb is to get your objective accomplished at all costs. The price itself is merely secondary. My objective is to enter that neighborhood. The quality of the surroundings is much more important than the house. To be more precise, the neighbors’ acceptance of us is critical for the family future. I am buying prestige and the recognition of our high-society neighbors. The owner, a retired high-ranking government official, could sell it to another gentleman of the same social status. Why favor me, a base-born and stinking-rich merchant? If I purchased it with 700 ounces of silver, I would invite endless problems. Other arrogant neighbors would be hostile to us. After we move in, they would complain, protest and isolate us. With the extra 300 ounces of silver, I more than satisfy the owner, who will speak well of us to our new neighbors. I will live there for generations to come. To secure a long-term tranquillity is much more important than the extra money, which will eventually be canceled out by coming inflation. Nephew, be farsighted and broad-minded. Never let money manipulate you. For a successful businessman, you must learn how to master your money. Spend it wisely and boldly for your ultimate long-term advantage.”

Buy Your Own Fish

Spring and Autumn Period770 B.C. to 476 B.C.

A competent prime minister, Gonsong Yee¹³ very much enjoyed eating fish. Every morning, many people lined up at his front doors, eagerly presenting gifts of expensive and exotic fishes to him. Observing this, with great uneasiness, Yee calmly thanked them for their kindness but flatly refused to receive any one of those fish. This lack of social courtesy deeply surprised and annoyed his young brother, who lived with him. One night, after dinner, he curiously asked his elder brother for the reason.

“It’s very simple,” the prime minister revealed. “To avoid potential trouble, a wise man should never let his inclinations or hobbies be known by the public. I fail miserably on that point because my taste for fish is common knowledge. Knowing my likes, those gift-givers will try to satisfy them. If I accept their gifts, I owe them favors. When making a decision, I would inevitably or subconsciously have their concerns on my mind. I might bend a law to return a favor. If this continues, I risk getting caught and losing my position and reputation. Who then will bother to give gifts to a disgraced and powerless prisoner? Therefore, I must vigorously decline their generosity. Without owing them any gratuity, I am my own master. Making appropriate and unbiased decision, I can keep my post much longer and continue to buy my own fish.” His brother promptly apologized for his shortsightedness.

Merit is earned, not given. So is success. There is no free meal in the world. One should always count on oneself, not anybody else, because others have their own interests in mind.

The Unfaithful Bodyguard

Yuan Dynasty1206 A.D. to 1360 A.D.

When one’s master betrays the country, what should one do? In the old days, the bond between servant and master was very close. This intimate relationship often lasted a lifetime, and even extended to their offspring. This episode happened in the middle of the fourteenth century A.D., near the end of Yuan dynasty.

In Canton, two ambitious men assembled tens of thousands of grumbling farmers and started to raid cities and towns. A local gentleman, Ho Zan,¹⁴ rapidly reported this revolt to his governor and meanwhile collected a few thousand labor hands to cope with this chaotic situation. They had a few skirmishes with the rebels with indecisive result. The government duly dispatched several thousand well-trained soldiers, along with tens of thousands of local military forces. After many bloody battles, the imperial army repossessed territory after territory and eventually besieged the rebel’s headquarters, a mid-sized city.

Killing one of the rebel leaders, the government soldiers encircled this city. However, the city was well-fortified, and the desperate rebels held off the army for months. To bring an end to this situation, Ho Zan publicly announced that he would provide a handsome bounty of eight thousand ounces of pure silver to whoever captured the other ringleader, a man named Wong Chen,¹⁵ who was hiding in the besieged city with a few thousand diehard rebels.

A week after Ho Zan’s announcement of a reward, the rebel ringleader was sent, heavily bound, to Ho Zan’s camp by one of the rebel’s own bodyguards.

“Look at yourself! How pathetic and helpless you are.” the gentleman remarked in mockery. “Even your own servant betrayed you. How can you expect to accomplish anything at all when you can’t even trust your own men?”

Shamefaced and sweating all over, Wong Chen dared not utter a word. After rewarding this bodyguard, Ho Zan ordered his assistants to prepare a caldron of boiling water and place it on a horse-drawn cart. Believing it to be prepared for himself, the ringleader shivered and trembled with terror. “Oh, by the way,” called Ho Zan to the departing bodyguard, “you must stay here for a little longer.” Several soldiers seized the man and brought him back to their master. Wrathfully staring at him, this gentleman, with obvious contempt, reprimanded him.

“You picked the wrong time to become so moral. Why didn’t you turn yourself in and expose your master’s conspiracy to the local authority while it was in the bud? You didn’t do so because you wanted to enjoy the glory with your master. However, you didn’t want to share the misery with him. What an unprincipled crook! By turning in your own master for a bounty when he was cornered, you instantly become a double-crosser, a heartless traitor who abuses your master’s trust. Your disloyalty is the single most unforgivable crime any subordinate could possibly commit. I must punish you and teach other cunning servants a dear lesson. This spa is prepared for you, the betrayer.”

With a gesture this gentleman ordered his servants to tie up this astonished bodyguard and throw him into the caldron, which would be drawn through some of the most crowded streets of the city. The unlucky bodyguard was slowly boiled alive while his crime was loudly and repeatedly declared on the road. From that day on, no servants dared to betray their masters.

Raise Pigs in the Palace

Northern Sung Dynasty960 A.D. to 1127 A.D.

In the old days, the size of an imperial palace was so enormous that even an emperor might not visit every corner of it during his regime. This interesting story happened in the middle of the eleventh century A.D. The emperor Sung-Shen¹⁶ was strolling around the royal garden and surprisingly discovered a pigsty. With astonishment and exasperation, he immediately directed one of his assistants to summon the responsible supervisor. Minutes later, the supervisor hurriedly arrived, and fell to his knees trembling with anxiety.

“What’s wrong with you,” the emperor sternly questioned “raising those filthy and stinking pigs in my royal garden, right besides these expensive and exotic flowers! Are you out of your mind? This is my imperial palace, not a shoddy farmer’s vegetable garden. Why are these offensive animals here?”

“Your Majesty,” the supervisor nervously explained, “it’s not my idea at all. I didn’t make this pigsty. It has been here for generations. They said that Your Majesty’s ancestors built it and started this strange custom. I only faithfully follow it. We raise the pigs until they reach maturity. Then, we slaughter them and eat their meat. I really don’t understand the reason behind maintaining this pigsty, but it is custom.”

Shaking his head, the emperor allowed the supervisor to stand up and pardoned the man. The supervisor courteously bowed and backed away from his master. Still disgusted, the emperor directed his assistants to tear down that pigsty.

Several years later, one night in the palace, servants complained of a ghost appearing in a locked room. They testified that they saw some suspicious long shadows flying and floating there. An older servant said that fresh pig blood splashed all over the possessed room would effectively exorcise any evil spirit. After an anxious search of the enormous imperial palace, all the servants and eunuchs reported that there were no pigs to be found. The incident was duly reported to the emperor, who suddenly recalled the sty he’d removed, and then understood the importance of having those pigs in the garden.

The emperor’s ancestors were really farsighted. Although those pigs were never used, this measure of precaution was indispensable. The same mentality could also be applied to ordinary people. Without obvious and immediate troubles, you may ignore simple precautions that could have been of benefit in a future crisis.

An Uncommon Present

Northern Sung Dynasty960 A.D. to 1127 A.D.

In the old days, to maintain a friendly relationship with its neighbors, China routinely exchanged presents with them. This amusing episode occurred in the early eleventh century A.D.

In a diplomatic communication, the country of Vietnam mentioned that they would like to deliver a live Kirin, a legendary animal of good luck, to the Chinese emperor next year. The Kirin, a symbol of fortune and prosperity, had never been seen before, and was known only through stories and in folklore.

If indeed the Kirin existed, it would be a magnificent gift and would bring great honor to the nation. But if this were a trick, China would be embarrassed in front of all her neighbors. Whether or not to receive this unusual present became a touchy issue. In a royal conference, the emperor asked his commissioners for suggestions. Most of the officials were silent. They truly didn’t know how to handle this unique and delicate dilemma.

After a period of silence, Syma Guang,¹⁷ the sophisticated prime minister spoke up. “Your Majesty, why should we be honored with such an unusual gift? According to mythology, a Kirin only appears in a country that is blessed. Since it appeared in Vietnam, it must be for them. We are not entitled to it. On the other hand, if this Kirin is fraudulent and we accept and worship it, we will make complete fools of ourselves. In either possibility, receiving it is not in our best interest.”

“I understand what you are saying,” spoke the emperor, “but what should I do?”

Syma Guang smiled. “We can use this incident to our advantage. Vietnam’s real intention is no concern of ours. We must play along with them, treating this proposal as genuine and sincere. Your Majesty should publicly express your appreciation, but formally decline to receive this ‘exceptional’ present. Furthermore, Your Majesty should bestow on them a generous award for their thoughtfulness. As a result of this unselfish action, other neighboring countries will be deeply impressed and even surprised by Your Majesty’s integrity and generosity. In the future, they will admire us for our selflessness and broad-mindedness, which is a gain for our dynasty’s reputation. If this proposal is insincere or even mischievous, our southern neighbor will feel embarrassed upon receiving our lavish award.”

After carefully listening to this perceptive suggestion, the emperor was delighted, and immediately instructed his diplomat to do all as the prime minister said.