◎ Shuo Yuan by Liu Xiang
King Ling of the State Jin wanted to build a nine-story tower with a lot of money, and told his ministers, “If anyone dares to prevent me, I will kill him.”
Hearing the news, Xun Xi, a minister of the State Jin, asked to have a meeting with King Ling. The king ordered his guards to pull the bow cords and pull out the swords, and received Xun Xi in such a frightening atmosphere.
Xun Xi said to the king, “I don’t dare to prevent Your Majesty from building the tall tower. I am just having fun with Your Majesty.
I can pile nine chessmen and then put nine eggs on the chessmen.”
Hearing this guarantee, King Ling smiled, “Now, you will have to show me.”
Xun Xi calmed himself down, and displayed the game for the king with all his heart. He piled up twelve chessmen carefully, and put nine eggs one after another on the chessmen. This game was really exciting, and the guards all held their breaths. King Ling also felt very nervous and kept saying, “Dangerous! Dangerous!”
Xun Xi, however, said, “This is not dangerous, but there is something more dangerous than this!”
King Ling immediately asked, “Really? I would like to see what that could be.”
Xun Xi answered, “If Your Majesty builds the nine-story tower, and then it will take three years and require a lot of residents to work on this project. As a result, men will not be able to work on the farm, the women will not be able to weave cloth, and money in the state will be used up. That is really dangerous!”
