What was identity?
Identity was the social standing others and oneself assigned to a person.
Sometimes, as long as others and oneself acknowledged it, one could impersonate-or even become-that identity.
For instance, if several students in school uniforms called a passerby "teacher," then to onlookers, that passerby was a teacher at their school.
Or if two famous actors both referred to someone as a director during an interview, the audience watching the show would believe that person was a director.
In this play directed by Wang Yang, Liu Zhao and Fourth Lady Xie were both famous actors, jointly vouching for Wang Yang, the unknown director.
That was far more convincing than Wang Yang's unsupported claims when Black Han and his soldiers had surrounded him in the woods.
Wang Yang snorted coldly. "Spare me that! You secretly colluded with the Prince of Jingling and falsely accused my uncle-"
"This humble officer would stake his life on the fact that he did no such thing! Please examine the matter carefully, Young Master Wang!" Jiao Zheng's voice rang out, revealing something of his military bearing.
Wang Yang looked doubtful and muttered to himself, "That can't be right. They clearly said his surname was Jiao..."
A thought flashed through Jiao Zheng's mind, and he hurriedly said, "May I ask, young master, who told you that I, Jiao Zheng, secretly informed the Prince of Jingling and falsely accused your uncle?"
"It was Jing..." Wang Yang pretended he had nearly let it slip, only to catch himself in time. "How could I tell you that?"
Could it have been someone close to the Prince of Jingling?
But if it was someone close to the Prince of Jingling, why would they pin this on me?
Was someone trying to harm me?
"Young Master Wang, how could a