Soon afterward, everyone received another piece of news. Liu Shan had made no statement, but members of the Left Prime Minister Faction had spread word that, since the grave threat of the Barbarian Race had not been fully eliminated and the Second Battle of Two Worlds Mountain was about to begin, they were asking Liu Shan to don black mourning robes and take up military service for his country.
During the Spring and Autumn period, Duke Wen of Jin had died and had yet to be buried when Duke Xiang of Jin needed to dispatch troops to seize an opportunity in battle. To honor both battlefield necessity and ritual propriety, he wore mourning robes but dyed the white robes black. He ultimately defeated the Qin Kingdom, then buried Duke Wen of Jin while still wearing his black-dyed mourning robes.
The mourning sash was the belt worn with mourning robes, and by extension referred to the entire mourning attire.
Throughout the armies of successive kingdoms, whenever a major crisis arose, officers and soldiers could not return home even if their parents died. This was known as donning black mourning robes to take up military service.
The practice had evolved into praise for the spirit of devoted service to country and people, but Liu Shan's use of it now left everyone thoroughly disgusted.
Fang Yun and his companions had received the messages a hundred li outside the capital. They now read them as they flew toward the city.
Chen Youdao, who was returning with them, frowned and asked, "Void Sage Fang, that old scoundrel Liu is full of schemes. He probably spread this rumor himself to test us. If he insists on taking up military service in mourning, we may still have to contend with him at court."
Many nodded slightly. His