Zong Ce swept his broad sleeve. "It's fine. Only three people heard those words today. If each of us repeats them once, naturally no one will inform on anyone..."
Liu Zhao shot him a sidelong glance, his expression plainly saying, Are you joking?
Caught up in his excitement, Zong Ce ignored Liu Zhao, little flames of enthusiasm dancing in his eyes. "I'll go first! He who steals a belt hook is executed! He who steals a state becomes a lord!" With that, he looked at the manservant.
The manservant obediently repeated the words. Zong Ce then turned to Liu Zhao.
"I won't say it! This is sheer nonsense!" Liu Zhao rebuked him angrily.
Zong Ce laughed heartily and told Wang Yang, "It's fine. Pedant Liu won't betray us. Don't worry-go on."
Wang Yang, too, secretly regretted his careless words. Still, he had merely quoted Zhuangzi and genuinely meant no veiled criticism. Could a single sentence really bring everything crashing down on him? Come to think of it, did literary inquisitions exist in this era?
Whatever the case, caution could do no harm. Reminding himself to watch his words, Wang Yang concluded:
"He who knows his own foolishness is not utterly foolish; he who knows his own confusion is not utterly confused.
The utterly confused remain unenlightened all their lives!
The utterly foolish remain insensible all their lives!
Zhuangzi grieved for the world's foolishness and mourned its confusion, grieving for its misfortune and mourning its refusal to strive.
His eyes were utterly cold, his heart utterly warm.
His eyes were cold, so he stayed out of disputes over right and wrong.
His heart was warm, so countless sorrows and indignations stirred within him.
Though he knew it was futile, he could not forget his feelings; in the end, his warm heart