Chapter 211: The Fourth Contender
Han Ruzi got dressed and waited to depart. Feeling bored, he asked Yang Feng, “Why do people refuse to do things that clearly have many benefits?”
Yang Feng stood by the bookshelf, turning around with a cup of wine in hand. “Because drawbacks always appear alongside benefits. Tell me what you’re thinking of.”
“There are many displaced people across the land. I suggested to the Grand General that we recruit them, support them with official provisions – this would both quell internal unrest and strengthen our forces. But Prince Donghai told me the Grand General fears trouble and is only paying lip service to the idea – he’ll never actually do it.”
“Prince Donghai is right. The Grand General won’t recruit the refugees, but not because he fears trouble – he fears suspicion.”
“Suspicion?”
“The people’s hearts are like a precious sword. The owner can play with it freely, a child might touch it and merely get scolded, but if others touch it, they’ll inevitably face suspicion. If it’s a common person, people might laugh at their presumption. But if it’s a skilled martial artist who merely looks at it twice, people will assume they have ulterior motives.”
“So because the people’s hearts are precious, the Grand General’s high position actually makes him more afraid to act, more afraid to ‘touch’ the people’s hearts?”
Yang Feng nodded.
“Heh, the Great Chu dynasty is in turmoil, the Han clan faces imminent danger. He dares to gather imperial clansmen to oppose the Champion Marquis, but doesn’t dare recruit refugees?”