Chapter 8: Winning People Over with

After riding his horse back and forth between the county town and the Chengguo Canal, Diwu Lun's clothes were covered in dust kicked up by the hooves, his headscarf sat crooked, and his cheeks were a little blue from the wind blowing in his face.

Yet his bearing was not the least bit weaker than his grandfather's. Striding forward with great vigor, he first bowed to Diwu Ba and said loudly, "Grandfather, your child has returned from the County Magistrate!"

Diwu Ba understood at once and also answered in a loud voice, "What did the County Magistrate want with you?"

At these words, the Seventh clan, who moments ago had been shouting and demanding that all three families go to the township to seek judgment from the Bailiff, quieted down for the time being.

Diwu Lun only smiled and said nothing. Having already learned from his clansmen what had just happened, he straightened his clothes and cap, then glared at the Seventh brothers and declared with righteous severity, "Seventh clan, do you still not know your fault?"

Seventh Bao had wiped away the blood, plucked a few leaves, rolled them up, and stuffed them into his nostrils, looking utterly ridiculous. But the man never remembered pain and jumped up again. Seeing that Diwu Lun was not tall, he said in a muffled voice, "A callow youth with no small boast. Are the affairs of adults something a child like you should meddle in?"

"As it happens, I really can meddle."

Diwu Lun took down an object tied at his waist and flashed it before the eyes of the Seventh brothers: it resembled a square seal cut in half, oblong in shape, thus called a half-seal, carried by low-ranking minor officials, and bore the four characters "Linqu Filial and Fraternal."

"Just moments ago, I was just recruited by the County Magistrate as the Filial and Fraternal Exemplar of Linqu Township!"

The crowd could not help but be taken aback, yet they were not overly astonished — after all, this was Filial and Fraternal, not Filial and Incorrupt.

Filial and Incorrupt was something else entirely — it was the proper path of recommendation for official advancement. Each commandery had only two slots a year, far harder to obtain than entering the Imperial Academy. Once recommended, one could bypass examinations and directly enter the court as a Palace Gentleman. After a year or two in the capital, one would be sent out to the provinces, starting at the very least as a 400-bushel County Commandant or Assistant Magistrate, and more often as a 600-bushel County Magistrate.

Filial and Fraternal Exemplar was far inferior — merely an honorary title, conferred upon those of virtuous conduct selected within the county, existing as far back as the time of Emperor Wen of the Former Han. It served as an assistant to the township Elder, had no official rank, and did not even come with a fixed salary. During the Yuancheng era, at the strong urging of Chancellor Kuang Heng, Filial and Fraternal Exemplars were granted "exemption of person," meaning exemption from corvée and taxes, with a reward of two or three bolts of cloth during festivals — nothing more.

Comparing the two, one was a pride of heaven, the other a minor local moral instructor — the gap was enormous.

Yet though Filial and Fraternal Exemplar held no real power, it was indispensable. From the Yuancheng era of the Han to the Xin Dynasty, for decades the realm had been governed by virtue. The Elder and the Filial and Fraternal Exemplar were held up as teachers of the people, treated as moral exemplars to be publicized, calling upon the common folk to learn from them.

Matters like brothers quarreling over property, husbands and wives fighting, or fathers and sons growing estranged — things that the government clerks and law officers found inconvenient or unwilling to handle — were resolved by the Elder and the Filial and Fraternal stepping in. They served as the mediators of the Han era.

This was the assignment the County Magistrate Xianyu Bao had arranged for Diwu Lun, perfectly matching the virtuous reputation he had earned by yielding the pear and yielding his academy place.

Diwu Lun spoke with absolute firmness: "Seventh clan, there is now only one road before you!"

"Heed my and my grandfather's counsel: settle this matter privately. Let the two families draw up a covenant restoring the water division of previous years."

"If you are unwilling, there is no need to trouble the township Bailiff. I shall report this matter up to the County Magistrate and bring suit directly at the county court."

Seeing that Diwu Lun had also brought out his "backer," the surprise on Seventh Biao's face slowly faded, and he even felt like laughing.

"This boy is indeed young. He thinks that just because he's become a petty Filial and Fraternal, he can give me orders, unaware of how solid my connections are in the county."

Without some channels, where would the Seventh clan's iron weapons have come from? How could they have run roughshod over the township for over ten years without any official troubling their family? And if he had not smoothed things over in advance with the county Water Officer, how would he dare so openly contest the water with the Sixth clan?

Moreover, as Precinct Chief, Seventh Biao often went to the county town and even had the acquaintance of the County Magistrate over a few meals. The bribes Xianyu Bao received from the Seventh clan came year after year, after all!

So he merely said, "Young Filial and Fraternal, a fine idea. Since we cannot make things clear here, going to the county office is not out of the question!"

Diwu Lun gave a cold laugh. "Seventh Biao, have you thought this through? You truly wish to litigate this in court?"

"Litigate it is," Seventh Biao continued to bluff. In his view, whether this matter went to the township or the county made no difference. Wasn't it just a contest of whose family's backing was stronger, of whom the County Magistrate was inclined to help? With his family's connections, plus the First clan's support, he was not afraid at all. Diwu Lun bringing up the County Magistrate — who was he trying to scare?

"Good. Very good indeed."

Diwu Lun glanced back once, then suddenly smiled.

"In truth, I have already reported the matter to the County Magistrate. Why don't you first see what the County Magistrate has to say?"

Only then did Diwu Lun pull out the wooden slip from his waist. What was stamped on it was no half-seal, but the bright red official seal of the County Magistrate!

Seventh Biao took the wooden slip in a daze. Before he could even read the words on it, he heard the sound of hoofbeats approaching. The crowd of onlookers parted, and several black-clad, black-capped clerks strode in bearing swords, led by the county Water Officer, his face full of dark fury.

It turned out Diwu Lun had come together with the Water Officer but had deliberately spurred his horse ahead a few steps — precisely to set a trap for Seventh Biao.

Diwu Lun immediately went over and, like the villain filing suit first, declared, "Water Officer, I showed Seventh Biao the County Magistrate's slip, but he refused to obey the order and even threatened to go to the county to dispute the suit."

"Insolence!" At the words "dispute the suit," the Water Officer flew into a great rage. Pointing at Seventh Biao, he said, "Precinct Chief Seventh, do you mean to defy the County Lord's command?"

Clutching the slip in his hand, Seventh Biao was utterly dumbfounded. He could only stammer an explanation: "Water Officer, he… Diwu Boyu just gave this thing to me, I haven't had time to…"

"Silence!" The Water Officer had no patience to listen, and feared even more that Seventh Biao, in talking too much, would blurt out more blunders and expose the shady dealings between them. He immediately repeated the County Magistrate's order.

"The Seventh clan and the Sixth clan shall immediately cease fighting over the water and restore the old covenant of previous years!"

Seventh Biao was greatly alarmed. "Superior Clerk, you cannot listen to this brat's one-sided account! I want to see the County Lord, I want to explain to him…"

"The County Lord does indeed wish to see you." The Water Officer barked, "Seventh Biao, Sixth Calf, you two shall go at once to the county seat and beg the County Magistrate's forgiveness for today's affair! And swear an oath that you will never dare to dispute again until death!"

Sixth Calf was still in a daze when Diwu Ba stepped on his foot. Only then did he react, and with great delight he assented.

Though he did not understand why, when his family was clearly in the right, they had to go together to beg the County Magistrate's forgiveness, the process did not matter — the result was what counted most. To make the Seventh clan unable to ever again contest the water with his family was a good thing indeed.

Seeing that Seventh Biao was still standing there frozen, the Water Officer could only shoot him a meaningful glance. "What are you still standing there for? One moment later, and your Precinct Chief seal is gone!"

Seventh Biao could only grit his teeth, bow his head to the Water Officer, and answer, "Aye!"

…

After the Water Officer led the two family heads, Seventh and Sixth, away, this dispute over a snail's horn was finally over.

Diwu Ba beckoned Diwu Lun over. He first glanced at his half-seal — it was indeed genuine — then asked in a low voice, "Lun'er, how did you get the County Magistrate to side so completely with us?"

If he asked himself honestly, though he and the County Magistrate's father were old acquaintances, the County Magistrate had some degree of connection with every family in the county. Why would he stand on their side today? It could not possibly be out of admiration for Diwu Lun.

Diwu Lun said, "Grandfather, I simply described an ordinary water dispute between two hamlets as a fraternal clan feud, and exaggeratedly claimed it was about to cost lives."

Diwu Ba had also served as a township official. After thinking it over carefully, he understood the reason and laughed heartily. "Worthy grandson indeed. Truly clever."

In this era, for clan brothers to live in harmony and affection was the virtue of filial piety and fraternal duty, worthy of praise. And what was it when brothers turned against each other and fought?

A supreme disgrace! Not only to the family, but also to the local officials.

Diwu Ba recalled one incident — during the reign of Emperor Xuan of the Former Han, Han Yanshou served as Left Pingyi, whose jurisdiction covered precisely the present-day Liewei and Shiwei commanderies. While touring the counties, Han Yanshou encountered two brothers suing each other over a dispute for farmland. Han Yanshou believed that such a dispute between brothers had occurred because he had failed to properly morally instruct the common people. He therefore set aside his administrative duties, shut his door, and reflected upon his faults.

When the lord is disgraced, his subjects feel shame. This caused all the senior clerks, Bailiffs, Elders, and Filial and Fraternal Exemplars of the entire commandery to feel self-reproach, and they all bound themselves and asked to be punished. The two brothers in the lawsuit, under pressure from their clan, also expressed that they recognized their fault, felt deep remorse, bared their shoulders to beg Han Yanshou's forgiveness, and were willing to give the farmland to the other, swearing never to dare dispute again until death.

This incident was passed down as a fine tale, but it also set a bad precedent — it was established as a benchmark by the court.

After the Xin Dynasty was founded, it governed all under heaven according to the moral standards of the Confucian classics, and regarded feuding among relatives as a sign of the decay of moral instruction even more seriously.

This was also the reason the two posts of Elder and Filial and Fraternal had to exist. The moment any hint of a lawsuit between relatives appeared, people were sent at once to counsel them; it absolutely could not go to court. If it was not dissuaded and blew up, then the County Magistrate, the Bailiff, and the Elder would be in dire straits — either they had to take the blame themselves, or they would be reprimanded by their superiors.

Diwu Lun was good at observing and learning. He had gradually figured out the preferences and codes of conduct of the people of this era: laws and reason, all of it, step aside — morality above all!

If one could wrap every matter in a skin that conformed to Confucian benevolence and virtue, then nothing could stand in one's way.

Sure enough, when he described this matter as a water dispute between clan brothers, County Magistrate Xianyu Bao's face immediately darkened.

No matter how many favors he had taken from the Seventh clan in the past, once it affected the County Magistrate's career advancement, no matter how close the relationship, it became hard to speak on their behalf. He at once dispatched men to order the Seventh clan to cease fighting over the water.

Diwu Lun only shook his head. "There's just one thing I don't understand. Di Qibiao is a petty official drawing a grain stipend — he should know something of the hidden rules in the statutes. How did he not think of this?"

"He genuinely didn't think of it." Diwu Ba knew those two brothers better than he did. "People differ. The Diqi clan don't enjoy study; they serve as officials by brute courage and ferocity, never properly learning the ordinances, and they know nothing of the commandery's old precedents. On top of that, they long ago stopped treating the Diliu clan as kin and bullied them at will — that's how they blundered into this taboo."

Just then, they saw several men wading across from the south side of the Chengguo Canal — it was the Diba father and son. Those two had spent the whole afternoon watching the show, with a distinct air of sitting on the hill and looking on. What were they coming over for now?

Grandfather and grandson exchanged a glance. Diwu Ba curled his lip and, while they were still far off, shouted: "Diba Zhi, so you've finally come! I was wondering why I hadn't seen a trace of you — turns out you spent several hours crossing the canal? The water's risen — good news, eh!"

Diba Zhi looked a little awkward, while Diba Jiao bowed to Diwu Lun, curious as to how he had succeeded in driving off the Diqi brothers.

Diwu Lun merely flashed the Filial Piety and Fraternal Duty seal and laughed. "Nothing to it — I simply used virtue to win them over!"

Diba Jiao, however, took it as truth and grew even more admiring of Diwu Lun. "The Master said, 'The virtue of the gentleman is the wind; the virtue of the petty man is the grass. When the wind blows over the grass, the grass must bend.' The gentleman spoken of here — that is you, Boyu."

Diba Zhi could only add a half-hearted compliment: "Just so. Boyu may be called the wind over the grass of this village."

Wind over the grass? More like 'Grass-Skimmer'!

Diba Zhi's skill at adding flowers to brocade was truly something. With great solicitude, he reminded Diwu Lun: "Now that Boyu has become a village official, though it carries no rank or salary, no matter what, you should go to the village seat tomorrow to report in and meet with the Bailiff and the Elder. That would be best."

Diba Zhi was hinting that the Bailiff of this village, the head of the Diyi clan, had always been narrow-minded. The Diwu clan had been conspicuously high-profile of late and had even beaten the Diqi brothers, the vicious dogs the Bailiff kept. Better to resolve enmity than to deepen it; Diwu Lun ought to lower his posture a little. After all, now that he had become Filial and Fraternal, he was henceforth a subordinate of the village Bailiff — he had to be careful the man didn't trip him up.

Diwu Lun paid no mind. The matter was settled. Diwu Ba called for the clansmen in the hamlet to head back, but Diwu Lun said he still had one thing to do. He was not going east to the village seat, but north to the county town.

Diwu Ba was puzzled. "You're still going to the county town? What for?"

That tiny half-seal was being toyed with by Diwu Lun, spinning on his fingertip. "What else? Naturally, to return this little seal to the County Magistrate, and then…"

Diwu Lun's smile was utterly delighted. "Resign!"

……

PS: Thanks to Alliance Masters Archimedes Smashes the Vat, Qiu Huai Han Meng, Feng Qiyue, and all the other readers for their tips.

Everyone, do check out Feng Qiyue's books "Greetings, Cult Leader" and "The Great Sage of the Netherworld" — double the Qiyue, double the joy.