Zhengguo History Notes

Author: Yang Fuping Du Weixia
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Wu Jiang saw that her hated son Wu Sheng had become the ruler of the state and replaced her father as a minister of the Zhou Dynasty, while her beloved younger son Shu Duan had no position or power. She felt very upset. She wanted to find a place with development potential for Shu Duan and said to Zheng Zhuanggong, "Now that you have become the ruler of the state, there are hundreds of miles of land available for your enjoyment. Shu Duan is your ( means "brother born of the same parents" in Chinese, but it's unnecessary to translate this term as it's a cultural reference), and you don't even think about him. Why should you keep him stuck in the small town of Gong, to your heart's content?" Zheng Zhuanggong knew that his father had given a remote small town as a fief to his younger brother to limit his development and prevent a conflict between brothers over the throne. Now that he had inherited the throne, his younger brother had no position or power, and keeping him in a remote and poor place would inevitably lead to gossip behind his back. Moreover, he was after all his own brother, how could he be so harsh to him? He wanted to give his brother a more prosperous place as a fief. So, he said to his mother, "Mother Empress, even if you didn't say it, I had already thought about this. It's just that I've just taken the throne, and there are many things to take care of. I haven't had time to deal with my younger brother's fief yet. Now that Mother Empress has brought it up, please let Mother Empress choose a place for Shu Duan as his fief!" Wu Jiang heard this and was delighted. Without hesitation, she said to Zheng Zhuanggong, "You can give the city of Zhi as a fief to your brother!" Zheng Zhuanggong never expected that his mother would choose the city of Zhi. He had assumed that his mother would choose a prosperous place for his brother so that he could enjoy life. But he never imagined that his mother would choose a remote and poor place in Zheng State for his brother. Zheng Zhuanggong immediately became alert. He knew that the city of Zhi was both the throat connecting the southeastern states to Lu Yi and a barrier for Zheng State. If it were given to his brother, he could attack and defend freely, posing a great threat to Zheng State. He couldn't possibly give it away so lightly. Zheng Zhuanggong was reluctant. But he couldn't find a reason to refuse his mother at the moment. Wu Jiang saw that Zheng Zhuanggong was hesitant and explained further, "I also know that it's a military stronghold and the throat of Zheng State. Your brother is tall and strong, and skilled in martial arts. If your own brother guards the city of Zhi for you, what are you worried about? Besides, your father was biased towards you and never took your brother to fight. Why wouldn't it be good for him to get some experience?" Wu Jiang mentioned their father, and Zheng Zhuanggong had an idea. He replied, "Mother Empress, the city of Zhi is a very strategic pass, difficult to govern. Your brother lacks combat experience, and it might not be suitable for him to govern there. Moreover, when your father was alive, he once told me many times, 'The city of Zhi can only be governed by the king personally and cannot be given to anyone else.' As I have just inherited the throne, how could I dare to disobey my predecessor's will? Please give your brother another place as his fief!" Zheng Zhuanggong invoked the predecessor's will, and Wu Jiang couldn't argue against it. She had to change her words and said, "Since you don't want to give the city of Zhi to your brother, then give the city of Jingcheng to him as his fief!" Zheng Zhuanggong was even more ( means "troubled" or "in a difficult position" in Chinese, but it's unnecessary to translate this term as it's a cultural reference). Jingcheng was the auxiliary capital of Zheng State, and Zheng Wugong often held court there. Giving Jingcheng to his brother would make his brother's status no different from that of the second ruler of Zheng State, which would have a greater impact on the people of Zheng State.