When Zhao, the king of Chu, lost his lands, the butcher Yue went into exile with him. When the ruler regained his kingdom, he decided to reward those who were faithful to him in exile. The turn came to Yue, and messengers from the ruler came to him. But the butcher said this:
- When our sovereign lost his kingdom, I lost my shop. When he regained his kingdom, I regained my shop. The neighbors respect me as before; I earn the same amount as before. I don’t understand why the gentleman wants to reward me?
Upon learning of such insolence, the ruler was indignant:
- Make him accept the reward! - he ordered.
But Yue begged:
“It’s not my fault that our master lost his kingdom, so I didn’t deserve punishment.” And it’s not my merit that he regained power, so there’s nothing to reward me for.
Then the ruler ordered the obstinate butcher to be brought to him.
But Yue continued to be stubborn even here.
“According to the law,” he said, “only a person who has received an award for great merit can appear before the sovereign.” But I would not have enough wisdom to rule the kingdom, I would not have enough courage to go out to fight the robbers. When enemies captured our capital, I fled from the robbers, and did not follow the sovereign of my own free will. And now the great sovereign, in violation of all laws, wants me to appear before his eyes. I've never heard of anything like this!
Then the ruler said to his minister:
“Butcher Yue is a man of low rank, but he speaks extremely wisely.” Go and ask him to take a place among my closest advisors.
But even here Yue refused.
“I know,” he said, “how honorable the title of royal adviser is.” I also know how much more a councilor’s salary is than a butcher’s income. But if I allow myself to have such a rank and salary, my sovereign will be called recklessly wasteful! I’d rather go back to the market and slaughter sheep.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru