Chapter 8 wins people over with virtue

Upon hearing these words, the previously clamorous Seventh Clan, who had insisted on going to the countryside together to seek justice from the local magistrate, fell silent for the time being

Goodness, great goodness

At this moment, they saw several people wading across from the south side of the Chengguo Canal, and it was the father and son of the Eighth Clan. These two had already watched a play for an entire afternoon, having taken on the role of bystanders; what were they coming over for now

Fifth Lun merely smiled and said nothing, as he had already learned from the clan members about what had just transpired. He straightened his attire and then sternly glared at the Seventh Clan brothers, saying: "Seventh Clan, do you not yet realize your mistake?"

... ...

The fifth Ba immediately understood and responded loudly, "What does the county magistrate want with you?"

If you are unwilling, there is no need to trouble the village steward. I will report this matter to the county magistrate and directly bring it to the county court.

It turns out that the Fifth Lun came together with the Capital Water Official, but deliberately urged his horse to go a few steps ahead, precisely to set a trap for the Seventh Biao

The Fifth Overlord also served as a local official. Upon careful consideration, the reason becomes clear, and he laughed heartily, saying: "No wonder he is my grandson; he is indeed wise"

Fifth Lun laughed joyfully: "Resign!"

Fifth Lun only shook his head: "There is only one thing I do not understand. Since Seventh Biao is a food inspector, he should be aware of some legal regulations and hidden rules. How could he not have thought of this?"

With an imposing presence that was no less than that of his grandfather, he strode forward with great strides, first bowing to the Fifth Overlord, and loudly proclaimed: "Grandfather, I have returned from the county magistrate's office!"

Regardless of the benefits previously gained by the Diqi family, once it affects the official advancement of the county magistrate, even close relationships become difficult to navigate, and immediately someone is dispatched to order the Diqi family to cease their water disputes

A great humiliation! It is not only a disgrace to the family, but also to the local officials.

After the Water Official left with the heads of the seventh and sixth families, this contest of wits finally came to an end

The eighth straight could only, in a somewhat idealistic manner, praise: "Indeed, Bo Yu can be said to be the wind over the grass of this region."

Disputes over inheritance among brothers, quarrels between spouses, and estrangement between fathers and sons—these matters, which the officials of the government are reluctant or unable to manage, were resolved by the three elders and the principles of filial piety, serving as mediators in the Han Dynasty

He truly did not expect this. The Fifth Dominator understands those two brothers better: "People are different. The Seventh clan does not enjoy studying, they are bold and ruthless in their official duties, do not study the laws properly, and are even unaware of the local customs. Furthermore, they have long ceased to regard the Sixth clan as relatives, bullying them wantonly, which is what led to this taboo being violated.

Seeing that the seventh officer was still dawdling, the water official could only give him a glance and say: "What are you still dawdling for? If you delay any longer, you will lose your position as the pavilion chief!"

This is also the reason why the two positions of the Three Elders and Filial Piety must exist. Once there are signs of disputes among relatives, someone must be dispatched immediately to mediate, and it must never be taken to court. If mediation fails and the situation escalates, the county magistrate, the steward, and the Three Elders will face dire consequences, either blaming themselves or being reprimanded by their superiors.

Upon introspection, although he and the county magistrate's father are old acquaintances, which family in the county does not have some connections with the magistrate? Why, today, does he stand on their side? It cannot possibly be due to an appreciation for Fifth Lun.

In fact, I have already reported the matter to the county magistrate; you might as well see what the county magistrate has to say first

The sixth calf was still in a daze when the fifth tyrant stepped on its foot, and only then did it come to its senses, responding joyfully and eagerly.

The eighth correction believed it to be true, and held even greater admiration for the fifth Lun: "The Master said, 'The virtue of a gentleman is like the wind, while the virtue of a petty person is like the grass. The wind over the grass must bend it.' Here, the gentleman refers to Bo Yu."

The humiliation of the ruler is a disgrace to the minister, which caused all the officials, stewards, elders, and those who uphold filial piety in the entire county to feel guilty, leading them to bind themselves and plead for forgiveness. The brothers involved in the lawsuit, under pressure from their clan, also acknowledged their mistakes, expressed deep remorse, and offered their apologies to Han Yanshou, willing to transfer their land to the other party, and vowed never to dispute again.

If everything can be wrapped in a layer that conforms to the Confucian virtue of benevolence, then success will be assured in all endeavors

In this era, the harmony and closeness among clan brothers is a virtue of filial piety and brotherly love, worthy of praise. But what can be said about brothers turning against each other and engaging in conflict

Filial piety and brotherly love have fallen far short; they are merely honorary titles, elected from among the virtuous in the county, a practice that dates back to the reign of Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty. As the deputy of the three elders of the village, there is no official position, and not even a fixed salary is provided. It was only during the reign of Emperor Yuan Cheng, under the strong advocacy of the Chancellor Kuang Heng, that filial piety and brotherly love were allowed to "restore their status," which meant exemption from corvée labor and taxes, along with a modest grant of two or three bolts of cloth during festivals, and nothing more.

The eighth was somewhat awkward, while the eighth Jiao bowed to the fifth Lun, curious about how he had successfully repelled the seventh brothers.

This young man truly believes that by performing a small act of filial piety, he can issue orders to me, completely unaware of the strong connections I have with the county

Fifth Ba beckoned Fifth Lun to come over, first glancing at his half-seal, which was indeed genuine. He then quietly asked, "Lun, how did you manage to sway the county magistrate to your side?"

In comparison, one is a child of heaven, while the other is a local official of education; the disparity is too great

"Sue if you want to." The Seventh Biao continued to hold his ground. In his view, it made no difference whether this matter escalated to the village or the county; it was merely a contest of whose family had greater backing and which county magistrate was inclined to assist whom. With his family's connections, coupled with the support of the First clan, he had nothing to fear. Who was Fifth Lun trying to intimidate by bringing up the county magistrate?

The eighth is merely hinting that the local steward and the head of the first clan have always been narrow-minded. The fifth clan has recently been so high-profile, even attacking the vicious dog raised by the steward, the seventh brother. It is better to resolve enmities than to deepen them; the fifth clan should adopt a more humble stance. After all, having shown filial piety and brotherly love, they will become subordinates of the local steward in the future, so they should be cautious of any tricks that the steward's family might play against the fifth clan.

What grass is blowing in the wind, I am still flying above the grass

This matter has been celebrated as a fine story, yet it has also set a bad precedent—being established as a benchmark by the court

The seventh officer exclaimed: "The magistrate cannot listen to the one-sided words of this child; I want to see the county lord, I want to explain to him..."

After looking back for a moment, the fifth Lun suddenly smiled

The seventh leopard wiped away the blood, pulled a few leaves, and stuffed them into his nostrils, appearing particularly ridiculous. However, this person did not feel pain and jumped up again. Seeing that the fifth Lun was not tall, he said in a deep voice: "You young brat have quite a big mouth; is this matter for an adult something a child like you should meddle in?"

Upon seeing the fifth Lun also bring out the "reliance on a powerful backer," the surprise on the face of the seventh Biao gradually faded, even giving way to a hint of amusement

Fifth Lun did not think much of it, the matter was settled, and Fifth Ba called for the people of the clan to return. However, he stated that there was still a task to be accomplished, and it was not to the eastern villages, but rather to the northern county.

Boldly! Upon hearing the words 'litigation', the water official immediately became furious, pointing at the seventh sergeant and saying: 'Seventh pavilion chief, do you dare to defy the order of the county lord?'

Fifth Lun sneered: "Seventh Biao, have you thought this through? Do you really want to take this matter to court?"

Everyone was momentarily taken aback, but they were not overly surprised, after all, this is about filial piety and brotherly love, not about integrity and honesty.

Although I do not understand why, despite being in the right, we must go together to apologize to the county magistrate, the process is inconsequential; the result is what matters most. If this can ensure that the Seventh Clan can no longer contest water rights with us, then it is a good thing

Fifth Lun removed the object tied around his waist, which caught the attention of the Seventh Clan brothers: it resembled a square seal cut in half, thus taking the form of a rectangle, and was referred to as a half-seal, held by low-ranking officials. The inscription on it read "Lin Qu Xiao Ti" consisting of four characters.

The seventh soldier held the item in his hand, completely stunned, only able to stammer an explanation: "It's all water, he... the fifth uncle just gave this to me, I haven't had the chance to..."

Fifth Lun spoke with great firmness: "Seventh Clan, the only path before you now is one!"

"The county lord truly wishes to see you," the water official shouted. "Seventh Biao and Sixth Du, you two must immediately go to the county and apologize to the county magistrate for today's matter! Furthermore, you must make a vow that you will never dare to dispute again for the rest of your lives"

This is the task assigned to the county magistrate Xianyu Bao by Di Wu Lun, which perfectly aligns with his reputation for humility and the virtue of sharing knowledge.

Be quiet! The water official has no patience to listen, and is even more afraid that the Seventh Biao will say too much and make mistakes, revealing the sordid details between them, and immediately reiterated the county magistrate's order

Indeed, when he described the matter as a dispute over water among clan brothers, the county magistrate Xianyu Bao immediately turned dark-faced

It was not until this moment that Wu Lun took out the wooden tablet from his waist, and what was stamped on it was not the half-communication seal, but the bright red seal of the county magistrate!

Furthermore, the Seventh Biao, as the pavilion chief, often traveled to the county town and had a few meals with the county magistrate. Xianyu Bao received bribes from the Seventh family, which were indeed received every year

Fifth Lun Dao: "Grandfather, I merely described the ordinary two-mile water dispute as a conflict among brothers and clans, even exaggerating that it would lead to loss of life."

The technology of embellishing the eighth straight is indeed remarkable. He thoughtfully reminded the fifth Lun: "Since Boyu has become a local official, although he holds no rank or salary, he should report to the township tomorrow and meet with the steward and the three elders."

What a coincidence, I really can manage it

During the reign of Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty, Han Yanshou served as the Left Fengyi, overseeing the regions that are now Liewei and Shiyi counties. While administering the counties, Han Yanshou encountered a case where two brothers were in litigation over the dispute of land inheritance. Han Yanshou believed that such conflicts among brothers over wealth arose from his failure to properly educate the people. Therefore, he set aside his official duties and closed himself off to reflect on his shortcomings.

The title of "Xiaolian" is indeed remarkable, as it represents a legitimate path for selection and advancement in officialdom. Each year, there are only two slots available in the prefecture, making it significantly more challenging than gaining admission to the Imperial Academy. Once recommended, one can enter the court as a junior official without the need for examinations. After serving in the capital for a year or two, one is typically assigned to a local post, starting at a minimum of 400 shi as a county magistrate or deputy magistrate, with the majority beginning as county governors at 600 shi.

After the establishment of the Xin Dynasty, the governance of the world was based on the moral standards of Confucian classics, and conflicts among relatives were regarded as a sign of moral decay in education

Fifth Lun is adept at observational learning; he has gradually discerned the preferences and behavioral norms of people in this era: all laws and principles are set aside, with everything prioritized according to morality

That small half-seal was treated as a toy by the Fifth Lun, twirling it between his fingers: "What else can be done? Naturally, I will return this small seal to the county magistrate, and then..."

Galloping back and forth between the county town and the Chengguo Canal, the fifth gentleman's clothing was covered in dust kicked up by the hooves of the horse, his headscarf askew, and with the wind blowing against his face, it appeared somewhat pale.

Just now, I was appointed by the county magistrate as the filial and benevolent official of Linqu Township

The grandfather and grandson exchanged a glance, and the fifth one pouted, shouting from a distance: "Eighth straight, you finally arrived. I was wondering why there was no sign of you. It turns out you spent several hours crossing the channel? Has the water risen? That's a good thing!"

The Seventh Biao could only grit his teeth and bow his head to the water official, responding with a single word: "Yes!"

Fifth Lun immediately went over to report the villain: "Du Shui, I showed the county magistrate's notice to Seventh Biao, but he refused to comply and even threatened to go to the county to contest the case"

Listen to my grandfather's advice, this matter should be settled privately, and both families should agree to restore the water division as in previous years

Although filial piety and brotherly respect lack actual power, they are indispensable. From the era of Emperor Yuan of the Han Dynasty to the Xin Dynasty, for decades, the governance of the state has relied on virtue. The Three Elders and the principles of filial piety and brotherly respect have been regarded as models for the people, promoting these individuals as moral exemplars and calling upon the populace to learn from them

Thus he merely said: "A good idea from Xiao Xiaoti, since it cannot be clarified here, going to the county temple is not a bad option either"

Fifth Dominance Doubt: "Do we still need to go to the county town? What is the purpose of going there?"

If there were no connections, how could the Seventh Clan possess iron weapons? How could they have dominated the countryside for over ten years without any officials troubling their family? If he did not establish a good rapport with the county water official in advance, how could he dare to openly compete with the Sixth Clan for water?

Fifth Lun only revealed the seal of filial piety and brotherly love, laughing and saying: "There is nothing else, but to win people over with virtue!"

The seventh officer took the wooden tablet in a daze, and before he could even look at the characters on it, he heard the sound of hooves approaching. The onlookers were parted, and several officials dressed in black with black caps entered with swords in hand, led by the county's water official, whose face was marked with a dark expression.

The Seventh Clan and the Sixth Clan immediately ceased their dispute over water and restored the old agreement from previous years