Declination to Throne (13)

1 Shun had been over the age of retirement long time ago. He crooked to deal with so many people in office everyday, which he felt hard to handle anymore. For this reason, he kept on looking for a successor. However, the people who were willing to be were unqualified; and those who were qualified were unwilling to accept it. One day, Shun was suggested to choose his old friend-- Beiren Wuze to succeed him.

2 Shun was enlightened. “Right, he is good both in character and ability. Beiren Wuze is really a good candidate for this job. However, this guy is odd. I am afraid that he won’t accept.”

3 His minister encouraged him. “How do you know, if not try?”

4 Shun agreed. “Well! Let’s blow the wind and watch his response.”

5 Smelling the news that Beiren Wuze would be chosen as the successor of Shun, Beiren Wuze’s friends and relatives who wanted to cling to the fame and power went to his home for congratulation. However, Beiren Wuze was not that happy as Shun expected. He told members of his family, “Shun is my good friend since childhood. We grew up together in our hometown. I always think Shun is abnormal in character. He clearly is a common person and what he has learned are plowing, weeding and building. But why he goes with Yao to meddle with politics. Inevitably, he was tormented to become crookback and pined in the hard and heavy works.

6 Now he is too old to undertake such heavy work anymore and wants to confer the burden to me, let me suffer and face the media’s relentless criticism everyday. What a friend! I won’t accept the shit.” At the night, he with his family sneaked to move to Qinlingyuan and concealed there never back again.