Yang Ge leaped onto the bow, his face flushed as he raised his saber and shouted.
The eight men on the little sampan stared at him in astonishment, seemingly unable to understand why this stubborn mule, who had resisted both persuasion and pressure without yielding an inch, had suddenly changed his attitude so drastically.
But realization soon struck all eight, leaving them speechless.
The only reason this stubborn mule's attitude could have changed so dramatically was the "reasoning" Old Six Ma had just offered.
Did that "reasoning" make sense?
Of course it did.
At least, they all believed they were in the right.
But did that reasoning matter?
Of course not!
Even Li Jincheng, the youngest and most hotheaded among them, had never taken that reasoning to heart.
Only children argued about right and wrong.
Had Chain Wharf seized control of the waterways of the Jiang and Huai because its reasoning was stronger?
Of course not!
It was because Chain Wharf's fists were hard enough, its blades sharp enough, and its underlings numerous enough!
Even the laborers hauling sacks on the docks could have spelled out something that simple.
That stubborn mule had already become a Thousand-Household Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. How could he not understand?
Yet none of them had expected him to dismiss the advantages and disadvantages they had solemnly laid on the table as bargaining terms.
Instead, he had taken seriously the very things they themselves thought little of.
He understood everything, yet could still be persuaded by such inconsequential things...
What kind of state of mind was that?
They could not quite understand it.
Instinctively, they thought him a little foolish.
Yet somewhere deeper, they felt a measure of admiration.
Some people were simply like that.
You might not understand them, nor wish to