Looking at his younger brother's sulky expression, Zhong Yu said calmly:
"Shiji, Father passed away when you were still very young. Before he died, he entrusted you to me... told me I must take good care of you."
"Even if I haven't done a good job, I believe I've done my best."
"For these past decades, you've sailed with the wind and the current, never suffering a single setback."
"I know you're talented and proud, but having everything go too smoothly isn't necessarily a good thing. You've never considered the consequences of your actions. You aren't afraid of anything going wrong, or of failing."
"If I'm gone, there will be no one left to clean up after you. You must be more cautious before you act."
"If you encounter setbacks and suffer failures, don't lose your edge. Don't grow discouraged. Find a way to overcome them."
But Zhong Hui could listen no longer. He sprang to his feet.
"Elder Brother, must you go this far just to make me obey?"
Zhong Yu's face was pale. He chuckled. "This is my bitter meat stratagem. Is it clever?"
"Not at all. It's clumsy and riddled with holes. Someone who could still ride a horse yesterday claims he's too sick to leave his bed today. Who would believe that?"
"Shiji, even as the foremost of the ministers, you must discuss matters with His Majesty before acting. Don't sit in the Imperial Secretariat issuing orders on your own. Even if you're doing it for His Majesty, you cannot bypass him, or you'll bring disaster upon yourself."
"All right, I understand. Now get up!"
Zhong Hui spoke irritably.
Only then did Zhong Yu slowly sit up and look at his younger brother.
Seeing his elder brother sit up, Zhong Hui seemed even angrier.
"Aren't people