Free Web NovelChapter 1201: Chapter 1183: A Difference in Understanding
Zhou Chong arrogantly said: "I don’t think they can, even if Mao Hong steps in, it won’t reconcile. Wang Cheng is, after all, their uncle, and the enmity of killing a relative is irreconcilable. I say, Wang Dun is acting so recklessly, even if he claims it’s for the Great King’s good, it’s too overbearing and fierce. When Wang Cheng was murdered, he should have been arrested and dealt with according to the law, preventing today’s disaster."
Zhou Yi replied: "Although you’re right, at the time Wang Dun held a large army; do you think he would have surrendered without resistance?"
If Wang Dun hadn’t surrendered and revolted, could King Langya have maintained control?
Without much thought, Zhou Yi could give the answer, which was definitely not. After all, his reliance upon coming to Yangzhou was on Wang Dao and Wang Dun.
Zhou Yi said: "Blind fighting without regard for consequences, how is it different from the likes of Liu Kui and Diao Xie?"
Zhou Chong, seeing that he was being compared to Liu Kui and Diao Xie, was instantly furious, "How can you compare me to such scoundrels? I advocate punishing Wang Dun for the sake of law, while their actions are all about currying favor. How can you say it’s the same?"
Seeing his eyes redden with anger, Zhou Yi quickly admitted his mistake and then said, "You should go back first, I’ll go see Mao Hong."
This time, Zhou Chong didn’t stop him and left, shaking his sleeves, heading home himself.
Zhou Yi walked to the vicinity of Wang Dao’s residence, seeing a crowd gathered quietly sitting on the ground at the entrance, he couldn’t help shaking his head, turned, and went to the side door, knocking on it.
In the end, Wang Dao let Zhou Yi in; they were good friends, and he understood Zhou Yi. If it were a trivial matter, Zhou Yi would have sat at the front door instead, only insisting on seeing him if it was something that couldn’t be ignored.
Zhou Yi followed the servant inside, greeted by Wang Dao who was supposedly too ill to see guests, leisurely sitting on a mat under a tree drinking tea.
Zhou Yi approached and disdainfully asked, "Why drink tea and not wine?"
Zhou Yi was quite fond of alcohol, to the point of obsession. Before he came, Wang Dao indeed was drinking wine, but he took it away as soon as he decided to see him.
He didn’t want Zhou Yi losing composure at his place.
"This is a new trend from Jiangbei. It’s heard that Zhao Hanzhang is very fond of tea but not wine, especially fond of clear tea, so many tea leaves are now grown in the mountains of Yu State and Xuzhou, and even Shu has started planting tea," Wang Dao said. "I was curious about what’s so mysterious about tea, so I asked someone to bring some to try."
At this time, tea culture was not yet very popular. Compared to tea, scholars preferred wine when socializing, but it was a fashion that caught on because Zhao Hanzhang liked it. She served tea to her guests and drank tea when visiting others, gradually making drinking tea a trend.
Although Jiangnan was some distance from Luoyang, they quickly picked up this trend.
Zhou Yi sat opposite him, picked up a cup of tea, sniffed it, sipped a bit, savored it for a moment, then smiled, "It’s crisp and sweet, indeed quite flavorsome."
With that, he drank the tea in one go.
Wang Dao couldn’t help but laugh, pouring him another cup, and said, "Shall we switch to tea in the future?"
Zhou Yi shook his head directly in refusal, "Tea is good, but wine is better. Besides, why should I have to choose between the two? I can have both."
"You, you," Wang Dao laughed, shaking his head, yet still advised, "Better to drink less alcohol to avoid harming your health."
Zhou Yi, seeing him avoid the topic to save him from embarrassment, brought it up himself, "I thought you’d say to avoid losing face." freewebnovёl.ƈom
Wang Dao looked slightly embarrassed, instead feeling sheepish when Zhou Yi, without concern, mentioned it.
Zhou Yi shook his head and said: "I was impeached by Liu Kui, but indeed I was wrong, and each time you were impeached, it wasn’t without cause."
Wang Dao remained silent.
Half a year ago, Wang Dao took Zhou Yi to a friend’s house where Zhou Yi, perhaps excited by the wine or something added to it, lost control despite friends’ attempts to stop him, stripping off his clothes at the feast, causing a scene.
After the banquet, Liu Kui impeached Zhou Yi for his misconduct, resulting in enmity between Zhou Yi and Liu Kui.
However, that was what the public thought. In reality, while Zhou Yi disliked Liu Kui, he didn’t think Liu Kui was wrong to impeach him.
Furthermore, Liu Kui frequently impeached Wang Dao because the impeached Wang Bin, Wang Yi, Wang Ying were from the Wang clan, and as the leader of the Wang house in Jiangnan, Wang Dao failed to discipline his clan;
Also Zhou Yan, Liu Yin, and others, whom Wang Dao recommended, and were under his command, when subordinates err, the superior bears responsibility.
For the first time, Zhou Yi spoke candidly with Wang Dao about these matters, "Liu Kui... sigh, his actions are lawful without fault, but what’s wrong is that Jiangnan’s situation isn’t suitable for enforcing the law, but this was the Great King’s intention; Wang Clan’s opposition to Liu Kui is essentially opposition to the Great King."
In Zhou Yi’s view, the conflict between Wang Dao and King Langya stemmed first from differences in understanding and then from conflicts of interest.
Wang Dao wanted to govern through people first, then incorporate law once Jiangnan was well-managed and under control, knowing there would be sacrifices and instances that didn’t conform to legal principles;
Conversely, King Langya wanted direct governance through law, his privileges, and interests explicitly written into law, hence his reliance on Liu Kui and Diao Xie to resist the nobility led by the Wang house.
Yet, Liu Kui and Diao Xie, possessing little wisdom, blindly revered the top while suppressing the powerful.
But how can governing a country be so black and white, a method of all or nothing?
Zhou Yi clearly saw that the root of the conflict between Wang Dao and King Langya was their differing governance strategies. Wang Dao wanted to take the lead, letting Jiangnan follow his vision;
King Langya also aimed to wield power and govern Jiangnan according to his plan.
They two were good friends, if it were merely their own disagreement, perhaps one could eventually persuade the other. The issue was they weren’t acting just for themselves—behind Wang Dao was the Wang clan and numerous noble families, while King Langya had many confidants and dissenting officials.
Even as both controlled their clashing forces, matters grew increasingly grave, and the continuous struggles intensified the tension between King Langya and Wang Dao, deepening their conflict.
Wang Dao put down his teacup, gazing at Zhou Yi, "What’s happened outside?" causing Bo Ren to come here to talk about these things?
After all the preamble, Zhou Yi finally said, "There’s a military report just entered the city; Wang Xuan leads the Jingzhou Army attacking Wuchang County, capturing four cities, while Wang Yi retreats consistently."
Wang Dao was startled and asked: "What about Jiangbei..."
"Only Jingzhou," Zhou Yi paused with a look of complexity, "because the Yangzhou Army seized the tax grain en route from Jingzhou to Luoyang."
Wang Dao: ...
Seeing his reaction, Zhou Yi couldn’t help but sigh, saying, "Since you claimed illness and stopped going out, the Great King has been depressed, while Wang Dun often speaks words of resentment. Mao Hong, if the Wang family isn’t restrained, it may lead to chaos, and by then, can the Wang family truly preserve itself?"
Wang Dao said nothing.
Zhou Yi didn’t wait for his answer, leaving after the reminder.
Wang Dao hastily got up to escort him to the side door. Just after sending him off, Si Bo quietly said, "Lord, most of the people at the front door have left, only a few from the Wang family remain."
Wang Dao replied: "They must have heard the military report."
In Jiankang City, there are few whose news is genuinely delayed; instead, it’s he, hiding in the mansion, who is slow with the information.
