Death before Dishonesty

By Chen Zhenlin

In ancient China,Cui Zhu,a dafu (a title for a senior official in feudal China) in the State of Qi,was cuckolded.

It was King Zhuang of the State of Qi,who cuckolded him. Dafu Cui was vexed about it,plotting how to kill the monarch. At a court banquet,Dafu Cui pleaded illness and didn’t go,so King Zhuang came to visit him. In essence,King Zhuang longed to meet Cui’s beautiful wife—he had not intended to visit Dafu Cui. Dafu Cui wasn’t actually ill,but he was plotting to kill King Zhuang. So when King Zhuang entered his home and his wife’s bedroom,he killed the king on the spot.

Dafu Cui then took power,establishing Zhuang’s halfbrother Chu Jiu as the ruler,who was known as King Jing in history.

Dafu Cui,who had a good knowledge of historical development,wouldn’t risk the notorious accusation of regicide in history. It was in fact he who killed a fatuous and self-indulgent king,who had cuckolded him. However,if the events were truthfully recorded,his cuckoldry would be written down in history books. So he summoned Taishi (court historiographer) Bo,who was in charge of recording the history of the kingdom,and said,“Please write that Guang died of malaria in history books.” Guang was the name of King Zhuang.

Taishi Bo stroked his long beard and took his time to write on the bamboo slips that Cui Zhu murdered His Majesty Guang in May.

Dafu Cui became enraged and threatened the historiographer by pointing to the warrior beside him,“Can you see the glinting blade in the warrior’s hand? You’re going to be beheaded for this record.”

Taishi Bo shook his head and said,“I didn’t see it.”

“Then I can see your head off.” With these words,Cui Zhu ordered the warrior to behead Taishi Bo.

Another Taishi was summoned. It was Zhong,Taishi Bo’s younger brother. Cui Zhu’s voice rose a little louder,“Just write that His Majesty Guang died of malaria.”

Zhong stepped forward in no hurry and wrote on the bamboo slips that Cui Zhu murdered His Majesty Guang in May.

“Do you see that shining sword? It’s dripping with your eldest brother Bo’s blood,” Dafu Cui threatened.

“I have seen it,I have seen the sword-blade,I have seen the blood,” Zhong said calmly.

“Kill him!” With Dafu Cui’s order,Zhong’s head fell on the ground.

Dafu Cui flew into a rage,“Summon the third Taishi!” The third historiographer trotted slowly all the way into the palace. It was Shu,Bo’s second younger brother. Cui Zhu thundered,“Taishi Shu,you have seen the end of your two elder brothers. Then do write that His Majesty Guang died of malaria.”

Shu took the slips,said nothing,but wrote that Cui Zhu murdered His Majesty Guang in May.

“Kill him!” Cui Zhu was hopping mad.

Taishi Ji,the last younger brother of the Taishi family,appeared. He stared at his three brothers’ heads and at the sword dripping with their blood. Before Cui Zhu could speak,Ji inscribed on the slips that Cui Zhu killed His Majesty Guang in May.

At this point,Cui Zhu calmed down and asked Taishi Ji in a low voice,“You have seen the fate of your three brothers. Aren’t you afraid to be beheaded? Aren’t you worried about your family without offspring?”

Taishi Ji’s voice rose louder,“I know what my fate will be,and I won’t consider if there will be no man left in my family. I only know that I’m a historiographer,and that historiographers should retain their integrity and record history faithfully. I’m afraid that someone has already recorded your regicide. I would have been reviled if I had written the wrong history. Please kill me.”

Cui Zhu lowered his head. “I was afraid that the State of Qi would be destroyed by King Zhuang,so I killed him. I’m sure that future generations will forgive me.” He returned the bamboo slips to Taishi Ji. An even younger historiographer less than fifteen years old stood erect beside him. The young historiographer whispered,“I’m afraid that the important historical facts of Dafu Cui’s regicide will be tampered with,so I’m here to see if they’ve really been killed. If so,I’ll take over their duties...”

(FromBeijing Literature,February 2019. Translation: Qing Run)