Threading the Needle
The Four Gentlemen of the Warring States. As the name itself suggests, it referred to the four renowned lords who dominated the Warring States period: Mengchang Jun of Qi, Pingyuan Jun of Zhao, Xinling Jun of Wei, and Chunshingun of Chu. Each commanded vast numbers of retainers, enjoyed the fervent support of the people that rivaled even their kings, and commanded prestige recognized across all the states. All but Chunshingun were of royal blood, and each had accomplished great deeds for their respective nations. Though not flawless, they were far from empty vessels; their abilities were genuinely outstanding. Their true strength lay in their capacity to mend conflicts and forge alliances in their own names. In particular, their ability to leverage reputations that transcended borders and draw multiple states into coalitions revealed the essence of the Four Gentlemen. Even Jianxin Jun, who currently enjoyed considerable influence with a host of retainers rivaling Pingyuan Jun's, could not reach that level.
Though Pingyuan Jun had withdrawn from office after bearing responsibility for the Battle of Changping, he remained the most beloved and prestigious power in Zhao. It was true that his actual authority paled beside that of the kings and marquises who ruled the states. Yet the Four Gentlemen had built positions through their all-encompassing fame that, in some respects, surpassed even those of kings. If we could secure Pingyuan Jun's support, we might yet slip free of the invisible snare tightening around our necks.
At the suggestion of a breakthrough, Han Jing could no longer contain his excitement and sprang to his feet as if ready to charge out at once.
"Pingyuan Jun! So he was the answer!"
"It's not that simple."
"What? But if it's Pingyuan Jun, even the King of Zhao couldn't ignore him..."
"Listen, Han Jing. When the King of Zhao refused an audience, I turned to Jianxin Jun next. The reason was simple: as Shangfang, Jianxin Jun had an obligation to attend to our affairs. Pingyuan Jun does not."
Pingyuan Jun, having stepped away from practical duties, now lived a leisurely life. He had no obligation to meet with us.
"That makes it even more advantageous for us, doesn't it? We can simply go to him."
"Have you forgotten? I couldn't even meet Jianxin Jun. Do you think the King of Zhao and Jianxin Jun wouldn't have anticipated that we'd seek out Pingyuan Jun?"
"Ah... So you're saying they've already taken measures against Pingyuan Jun as well?"
"Exactly. And we must consider the worst case."
The worst case would be if the scheme to suppress us had not been orchestrated by the King of Zhao or Jianxin Jun, but had been devised by Pingyuan Jun himself. Though retired from office, Pingyuan Jun remained a member of the royal family and one of the Four Gentlemen, someone who could advise the king at any time. If he had planned this entire affair, there would be nothing left for us to do.
Watching Han Jing's expression harden with each passing moment, I gave a small laugh.
"Well, the odds of that are low."
"Why is that?"
"It's simple."
Han Jing had been too busy preparing for his hostage life and gathering information to notice certain things. In contrast, I had been observing the situation around me ever since before entering the Zhao palace. Though I had not spent much time in Zhao, enough days had passed since we first crossed into its borders for me to notice several facts.
"Jianxin Jun and Pingyuan Jun do not get along. If this had been Pingyuan Jun's scheme, Jianxin Jun would have granted us an audience."
Both Jianxin Jun and Pingyuan Jun maintained the stance of being the King of Zhao's retainers, so there was no open conflict. Yet from Pingyuan Jun's perspective, Jianxin Jun was a rival who had seized the position of Shangfang by currying favor with the king during his absence. From Jianxin Jun's perspective, Pingyuan Jun was a political enemy who had to be eliminated to solidify his own position as the highest authority beneath the king. For the two to reconcile, they would need a dramatic reconciliation like the one between the previous generation's Lin Xiangru and Lian Po. Of course, neither seemed inclined to do so.
"As expected of the young master once called a prodigy back home. To have already seen through Zhao's internal rivalries like this..."
Under Han Jing's admiring gaze, I felt a twinge of guilt. My understanding of the relationship between Pingyuan Jun and Jianxin Jun had not come from any superior powers of observation or analysis. In my previous life, I had not known much about the history of this period, but I did have some knowledge of the Four Gentlemen. Thanks to that, from the moment I arrived in Zhao, I had focused on gathering information about Pingyuan Jun. It was like taking an exam with a single-page cheat sheet.
As I fell awkwardly silent, Han Jing pressed on.
"Young master, strike while the iron is hot. Shouldn't we move before our supplies run out?"
Han Jing had hoped I would leap up as he had and carve out a path forward, but I remained seated and shook my head.
"Before that, two things are needed."
I raised my index and middle fingers and continued.
"The first is a way to meet Pingyuan Jun. As I said, the King of Zhao and Jianxin Jun will have taken some measures regarding Pingyuan Jun. Even if they didn't act directly out of consideration for his status, they would have at least taken indirect steps. The most obvious would be the soldiers assigned to us under the pretext of protection."
"We'll need a way to shake them off."
Some of the excitement had faded from Han Jing's voice, and he spoke with a measure of regained composure.
"The easiest method, but there are many ways to lose a tail. So it's best to assume that at least one of Pingyuan Jun's attendants or retainers has already been bought."
"Surely they wouldn't go that far?"
"I hope not, but we can't be certain. We must consider the worst case."
I folded my middle finger, leaving only the index raised.
"The second is a method to persuade Pingyuan Jun. Going to him empty-handed will only bring harm. It would merely alert the King of Zhao and Jianxin Jun. If they realize we're not simply bowing our heads but seeking another way out, they might make it so we can't move at all from now on."
"Indeed... There's no guarantee Pingyuan Jun will help us..."
The bold, confident demeanor from moments ago had vanished. Han Jing let his words trail off, his frustration plain. The anxiety and unease of being cornered on all sides had dulled the sharp intellect he usually displayed. Though Han Jing was a talented scholar trusted enough to serve as my teacher and attendant, he was ultimately a hothouse flower who had never weathered the harsh world. It was only natural his resolve would waver before this first taste of helpless reality.
Feeling a pang of sympathy for him in my heart, I chose the safest option among those immediately available.
"For now, let's lie low and endure."
"You mean to wait until they let their guard down?"
"That, and people naturally want to care for the weak. If they see we're living a hard life, even Pingyuan Jun might feel a touch of sympathy and look upon us more kindly."
After hearing my explanation while standing, Han Jing let out a long sigh and sank back into his seat.
"Truly, nothing comes easily..."
I approached the bowed Han Jing and patted his back. Then, with a sigh of my own, I muttered,
"You're telling me..."
After receiving my comfort in silence, Han Jing finished his mental calculations and agreed.
"As you said, young master, we can only hope Pingyuan Jun feels compassion for us."
"Compassion?"
"Ah, have we not covered this in our lessons yet? Since things have come to this, we might as well use the opportunity for a lesson."
Han Jing straightened his posture and pulled a bamboo slip from his bundle. The room was so small that he could reach it without standing. The heading on the slip read "Mencius."
"Though Meng Ke sometimes spoke nonsense, his teachings contain a deep understanding of people."
Han Jing referred to Mencius by his personal name, Meng Ke, showing a critical view of his scholarship while acknowledging the depth of his insights.
"Meng Ke claimed that people possess an innate sense of compassion and are born good. Compassion is one aspect of this innate goodness, arising from benevolence; it means feeling pity and distress at the sight of another's suffering."
If I left him to it, he seemed ready to lecture all day, so I quickly cut him off.
"No, I know what compassion is. More importantly, wait a moment. I think I have an idea. Just be quiet for a bit."
I covered Han Jing's mouth and fell into thought. As I pondered, my brow furrowed on its own. Something useful from my past life's memories flickered at the edge of my mind. The first thing that came to me was, of course, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. But I soon judged it the wrong answer. More precisely, it was only a half-right answer.
'In the novel, Liu Bei draws attention by singing in the streets.'
Should I try the same?
'But what song would make Pingyuan Jun take notice?'
Besides the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the only classic I knew was the Chu-Han Contention. I had only heard the names of Water Margin and the Records of the Warring States; I had never actually read them. And my knowledge of the Chu-Han Contention came only from a rough manga adaptation, so it was too shallow. All I could recall were the major events and the names of central figures.
The last piece of knowledge I could use was the various anecdotes my calligraphy instructor had shared during my past life's hobby of calligraphy lessons. I had a feeling one of them could be put to use now.
'Compassion... Mencius... Confucianism...'
The calligraphy lessons had not been about mechanically repeating characters; they had been about unpacking the stories behind the phrases. Resenting my past self for only half-listening, I traced back through my memories until a particular phrase suddenly surfaced.
"Ah..."
After considering the anecdote and meaning behind that phrase, I felt certain. I had threaded the needle.