Breakfast time arrived, and Zhu Ping’an instructed someone to fetch a set of utensils for his uncle Zhu Shouren and his companions, inviting them to join in the communal meal.
“Alas, we didn’t perform well today; our documents weren’t well-written, and our responses to the military strategy questions were unsatisfactory…” Xia Qiang said with concern on their way to eat, deeply worried about their performance that day.
Hu Wei was also somewhat anxious.
Uncle Zhu Shouren, however, was unbothered, taking things lightly. “We are literate and well-versed in the classics. Although today’s performance was less than ideal, aren’t we still a hundred times better than these illiterate soldiers?!”
Hearing this, Hu Wei and Xia Qiang couldn’t help but nod, feeling somewhat reassured.
Although it was their first time joining the communal meal, they had no trouble finding their way, simply following the aroma to the dining area.
“With so many soldiers, when will it be our turn?” Xia Qiang frowned at the long queue.
“Why queue? Let’s just go and get our food,” Uncle Zhu Shouren scoffed, leading the way to the front of the line.
He boldly cut to the front, causing an uproar among the soldiers.
“Hey, who are you three? Why are you cutting in line? You’re not from the training elite! Where are the inspectors? Someone’s cutting in line…”
The soldiers were displeased, shouting; it was the first time they’d seen someone dare to cut in line.
“Who am I? Hah, my name alone might spoil your appetite. Listen well, I am Zhu Shouren, the uncle of your esteemed Zhu Ping’an, personally appointed as a clerk by my nephew. Now you know! These two are also clerks appointed by my nephew.”
Uncle Zhu Shouren perfectly demonstrated what it means to ‘borrow authority from the tiger,’ standing tall and speaking down to the protesting soldiers.
“You’re our lord’s uncle? Appointed by our lord?” The soldier chuckled.
“Of course, genuine as can be,” Uncle Zhu Shouren nodded emphatically, even spinning around to show off, “You can see a resemblance to your lord in my face. I’m the brother of your lord’s father, quite similar, and share some likeness with your lord as well.”
“So what?” The soldier was unimpressed.
“So what?! I’m your lord’s uncle, we’re clerks appointed by your lord. Isn’t it only right that we cut in line for food? Any objections? Better swallow them, or I’ll have to tell my nephew, and you’ll regret it!”
Uncle Zhu Shouren looked down on the protesting soldiers, his words laced with threats.
But instead of fear, the soldiers were amused, laughing at the scene.
“What are you laughing at?” Uncle Zhu Shouren was furious.
“To inform you, uncle, our lord always queues for meals, always last to eat,” the soldiers explained amidst laughter.
“What? My nephew queues too? And eats last? You must be joking, my nephew’s status is far above yours…” The trio couldn’t believe it, thinking the soldiers were fooling them.
“Don’t believe us? Look behind you, at the end of the line, that’s definitely our lord. If not, then he hasn’t arrived yet,” the soldiers said confidently.
Skeptical, they looked back and were startled to see Zhu Ping’an indeed at the end of the line.
When did he arrive?!
The trio quickly stepped aside, embarrassed to have cut in line, and hurried to the back.
“Cough, nephew, why are you queuing? As the commander, you should eat first,” Uncle Zhu Shouren said, now standing behind Zhu Ping’an.
“Uncle, it’s about setting an example. Confucius said, ‘If the ruler is upright, his orders will be followed without being given; if he is not upright, his orders will not be followed even if given,'” Zhu Ping’an smiled.
Uncle Zhu Shouren and his companions were unconvinced.
When it was finally their turn to eat, only scraps were left, and their faces fell.
“Nephew, do you eat like this every day?” Uncle Zhu Shouren asked, incredulous.
“Actually, the soldiers always save some good dishes for me. Guests first, you go ahead. Wang Er, give them the good stuff,” Zhu Ping’an directed, ensuring the last bits of meat and tofu went to his uncle and companions.
After getting their food, they sat down with Zhu Ping’an at an empty table.
“Nephew, don’t you have a private kitchen? Eating the same as the soldiers, and last at that, it’s beneath your status. Other generals and officials would laugh at you. How could you face them in the future?”
Uncle Zhu Shouren lamented.
“Uncle, what’s wrong with eating the same food? Eating last doesn’t diminish my status. Throughout history, many renowned generals ate and lived with their soldiers, like Wu Qi of the Warring States, Feng Yi of the Eastern Han, and Yue Fei of the Song Dynasty. They achieved great victories and are revered, never losing respect or becoming laughing stocks.”
“The Art of War says, ‘There are five essentials for victory: knowing when to fight and when not to fight is victory; understanding the use of numbers is victory; having the unity of purpose between superiors and inferiors is victory; being prepared against the unprepared is victory; and having capable generals not restrained by their sovereign is victory.’ Among these, ‘having the unity of purpose between superiors and inferiors’ means that only with unity can an army have cohesion. Sharing the hardships with soldiers and earning their respect is a great way to achieve this.”
“With cohesion comes combat strength, and with combat strength, victory on the battlefield.”
“Thus, others would envy me, not laugh at me.”
Zhu Ping’an shrugged, smiling.
Uncle Zhu Shouren was left speechless.
