Clear wine sat on a small table, the brothers seated across from each other.
Wang Tai raised his cup, his expression earnest:
"Younger Brother, I deeply admire your great talent! With this brimming cup, I salute you, Worthy Younger Brother!"
Wang Yang pushed his wine cup away:
"I won't drink this wine."
Wang Tai looked surprised:
"What's wrong?"
Wang Yang sighed:
"My heart isn't at ease. Drinking would have no savor."
Wang Tai was furious:
"Who has upset my brother?! Tell your Elder Brother! I'll vent your anger for you!"
Wang Yang said mournfully:
"With anyone else, it would be easy enough. Repay resentment with justice, settle love and hatred as freely as I please, and do whatever needs doing. But with this person, I really can't quite bring myself to..."
Wang Tai looked positively righteous:
"If you can't bring yourself to do it, your Elder Brother will do it for you! Just give me the name!"
Wang Yang looked at Wang Tai:
"Elder Brother, your name is truly difficult for me to utter."
Wang Tai was shocked, his eyes full of disbelief:
"Ah! Younger Brother, are-are you talking about me?!"
"You had me fabricate testimony and write statements, then pushed everything onto me, and even said that I and the Eastern Palace-"
"Younger Brother! Let your Elder Brother explain! I was going to discuss this with you! When I first heard something had happened to you, my tears soaked my robes! That's true. If you don't believe me, summon the servants right now and ask-"
"Tears of joy?"
"Yes-no! What joy! There was no joy!!! Branches and leaves share one root, flourishing and withering together! We share one bloodline, one heart! When a brother meets disaster, the liver and guts are torn inch by inch! When a pillar of