Chapter 42 You Are Not Like Your Father

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Dinner that evening was simple and hurried.

There was not much time left, and Emperor Wu of Han had no intention of wasting it on a meal.

Beneath the poplar tree in the courtyard stood a square stone table. On it sat a pot of fine wine, two pottery cups, and a bowl roughly the size of two fists, filled with ice.

Affluent households often had their own ice cellars. They stored ice during the winter and used it in the summer.

Mixed with wine, the ice lowered its strength while also quenching thirst and dispelling the summer heat.

A servant came over carrying several bamboo scrolls. These memorials had all been carefully revised by Emperor Wu of Han, and their contents varied.

“Here. Take a look.”

Emperor Wu of Han pushed the bamboo scrolls toward Liu Jin. He did not sit on the stone bench, but instead reclined in a rocking chair nearby, eyes closed as he swayed gently. In his hand was a palm-leaf fan, which he waved slowly to drive away the mosquitoes.

Liu Jin asked curiously, “What is this?”

Emperor Wu of Han gave him a meaningful smile. “Did you not say you wanted to inherit my family business? My family business is enormous. Let us see whether you are capable of taking it over.”

“These are reports submitted by merchants from various places. Take a look.”

Liu Jin thought to himself, I only said that in passing back then. You are actually planning to hand me the family business? Even if you gave it to me, I would not want it!

Still, he opened the first bamboo scroll. It contained a report from the merchants in Lantian, Guanzhong.

The general gist was that among the subordinate merchant teams, some members had grown old and frequently made mistakes in their work, while others were lazy and slippery, occasionally taking small advantages for themselves.

Liu Jin smiled. “Grandfather, you have quite the extensive commercial enterprise. You even have specialized teams managing it for you.”

“Then replace those who are old with a new group of young and capable people. As for those who shirk their duties and exploit loopholes, punish one severely as a warning to the others. That will deter them from repeating such behavior in the future. Then establish proper regulations and set up a system of rewards and punishments…”

Emperor Wu of Han did not interrupt him. He lay quietly in the rocking chair, listening to the solution proposed by his eldest grandson.

“Finished?”

Liu Jin thought for a moment. “I believe that covers everything. Is there anything else you would like to add, Grandfather?”

Emperor Wu of Han said softly, “Well said. Very well said indeed!”

“But it is wrong.”

“Wrong?”

Liu Jin was puzzled. He thought it over carefully. He had considered every issue he could think of, yet he truly could not see where he had gone wrong.

“Grandfather, what part is wrong?”

Emperor Wu of Han replied indifferently, “Your way of thinking is wrong.”

“I told you to look at it. I did not tell you to solve it.”

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“You should not be solving these matters. The people below are all supported by me. They wield the authority, status, and wealth I have bestowed upon them. Do you think they are merely sending us reports for our amusement?”

“Then what use is it for them to send these things? They must submit solutions along with them! Your task is merely to examine those solutions and decide whether they are right or wrong, feasible or infeasible!”

“If the plan is carried out poorly, the responsibility belongs to those below. If it is carried out well, the credit belongs to you.”

“Now, suppose the plan you proposed just now were issued for implementation. If it were executed badly later, whose fault would that be? Yours. That would put you at a disadvantage.”

Liu Jin stood frozen for quite some time.

So Grandfather had never intended for him to solve the problems at all. He had been teaching him how to manage a commercial enterprise.

At its heart, this was a clash between the mind-set of a ruler and that of the ruled.

Grandfather wanted him to consider the entire matter from the ruler’s perspective, rather than stand in the position of the ruled and personally resolve every problem.

All he was expected to do was make decisions—to move his brush and mark whether something should be carried out or not. That was all.

The people below would pay for the mistakes, while all the merit would belong to him. In that way, he would always remain in an invincible position.

Liu Jin: “…”

He stared blankly at the old man reclining in the rocking chair with his eyes closed in a light doze. The man’s hair and beard were almost entirely white. Lying there, he looked like an old man nearing the end of his life.

Yet the words he spoke sent a chill down one’s spine.

“Do not space out. Continue with the next letter.”

Still waving his palm-leaf fan, the old man spoke to Liu Jin.

“Oh. Yes, yes. All right.”

Only then did Liu Jin pull himself out of his daze and turn to the second bamboo scroll.

“Brother Qiu, I sense that my death is near. However, my legitimate heir is still young, and I fear he will be unable to take over the family business. Moreover, my wife’s prestige is extremely high, while her younger brother serves as the chief manager of the family enterprise. How can I ensure that he will willingly assist my son and prevent him from joining his elder sister in seizing control of the family business? Please enlighten me, Brother Qiu.”

Liu Jin: “…”

“Grandfather, this is a letter from your friend. Why are you showing it to me as well?”

Emperor Wu of Han gave a soft exclamation. “It may have been mixed in by accident. Since you have already seen it, think of a solution for him.”

“Let him handle it himself—”

Before Liu Jin could finish, Emperor Wu of Han interrupted him. “This time, do not have him provide his own solution. He is asking for advice.”

Liu Jin: “…”

“Think of a strategy and write back to him.”

Liu Jin pondered for a moment. “He could divorce his wife. That would put an end to everything.”

“He cannot divorce her. If he did, the family business would collapse.”

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Liu Jin said, “Then I have no idea.”

Emperor Wu of Han slowly rose from the rocking chair and stared at Liu Jin with a smile.

“Kill his wife.”

“Kill the members of her family.”

Liu Jin stared blankly at him.

He could not divorce her—but he could kill her, was that it?

The old man smiled. “I was only speaking offhand. Do not look at me like that. Do you truly think I would be so cruel?”

As though considering something, he continued slowly, “In the name of my old friend, leave a final testament for his brother-in-law, instructing him to faithfully assist the eldest legitimate son in managing the family business.”

“That is all?” Liu Jin asked in confusion.

“What if he joins forces with his sister and moves against the eldest legitimate son?”

Emperor Wu of Han narrowed his eyes. “Write in the testament that if the eldest son proves incapable, he may act at his own discretion.”

Liu Jin looked utterly bewildered. He felt that he was beginning to lose track of what the old man meant.

“If that is the case, would he not then have legitimate grounds to drive out the eldest son and take over the family business together with his sister?”

“The testament is to be written in duplicate. Give him only one copy, and burn the other.”

“If he truly does that, then without the second copy to corroborate it, he will be accused of forging the document. The eldest son can then use that excuse to deal with him openly and justly.”

“If he obediently assists the eldest son and follows his orders, then everything will remain peaceful.”

Emperor Wu of Han closed his eyes in thought, his emotions somewhat unsettled.

In the past, his own father had taught him in precisely this way. And in the end, this was exactly how Emperor Wu of Han had brought down the Chancellor Dou Ying.

Little one, if you wish to wear the crown, you must bear its weight. This is the true nature of every imperial household—cruel to the core. Kindness is not always a virtue. Let me first teach you this lesson and reshape the way you think.

Your father is too merciful. He could never carry out such a thing.

But you may be able to.

“Impressive!” Liu Jin raised his thumb. “I have learned my lesson. I have learned a great deal!”

Emperor Wu of Han looked at him in surprise. “You do not think killing this man is cruel?”

Liu Jin shook his head. “I do. But I still feel that the man deserves to die. If I truly had to choose, I believe I would make the same decision.”

A sharp glint flashed through Emperor Wu of Han’s eyes, and a gratified smile spread across his face.

I knew it! You are different from your father! The things he cannot do, you can!