Dong Wencong sat in the carriage for a long time, then took up his Official Seal and entered the Discourse Ranking to recount what had happened over the past two days. At the end, he appended a quotation from Confucius.
"To govern is to set things right. If you lead by being upright, who would dare not be upright?"
These words explained Confucius's understanding of those in power: to govern, to hold office, one must first be upright and fair oneself. If a ruler's words and deeds were upright and his handling of affairs fair, setting an example, then the officials and people throughout the land would stand tall and straight, never straying onto crooked paths.
Before long, large numbers of scholars replied beneath Dong Wencong's post.
"Two years ago, this old man thought him merely a child of extraordinary talent. Today, I have abruptly awakened to my mistake. Before Void Sage Fang, I am nothing but a white-haired common fellow. Prefect Dong ended with Sage Kong's words, perhaps to say that Void Sage Fang is upright himself and naturally serves as an example. He has already set foot upon the Confucian Sacred Way!"
"Fang Yun punished not one official and harmed not one citizen. With his own example, he proved the officials' capabilities; with his actions, he dispelled the people's worries. He bears the stature of a great worthy!"
"Only today did I understand what it means to say, 'When he himself is upright, things proceed without orders; when he himself is not upright, even his orders go unheeded.' Void Sage Fang was upright himself. Even without personally ordering the people to leave, they departed of their own accord. The officials of Xiang Prefecture were not upright themselves, so even after repeated orders, no one left."
"They took to