Chapter 10: Tao’s Concerns

“Zihou, how about we go hunting together today?”
In the small courtyard, Fuzhi gazed at Fu Zihou, who was idly playing with ants, and gently encouraged him. The Zhao brothers, Zhao Han and Zhao Gu, standing beside Fu Zihou, also looked on with anticipation.
Yet, seeing Fu Zihou's tempted yet conflicted expression as he shook his head in resignation, the Zhao brothers exchanged glances, disappointment flickering across their faces.
Compared to them, Fuzhi’s gaze held a hint of worry as he looked at Fu Zihou.
But watching the Zhao brothers prepare to depart, Fuzhi could only glance back at Fu Zihou a few times before following behind. These past few days, the occasional hunt had improved the family’s meals, and his mother, father, and wife all encouraged him to hunt daily, hoping he’d bring home more game.
“Ant, oh ant!”
After his elder cousin left with the Zhao brothers, Fu Zihou sat idly under the wooden house, staring at the stick in his hand—or rather, at the ant crawling back and forth upon it.
“My teacher said that if I observe carefully, I’ll discover your sharpness, your courage! I chose you from so many ants; don’t let me down... Come, bite me!”
As Fu Zihou spoke, he repeatedly placed his hand in front of the ant, but to his disappointment, the ant simply crawled onto his finger once more.
Seeing this, Fu Zihou looked utterly hopeless, tossing the stick away with a dejected face.
Ever since apprenticing himself, Fu Zihou felt as if he had suddenly become a fool. His former composure and confidence—bolstered by memories of two lifetimes—were utterly crushed when it came to schemes and human nature; his teacher defeated him completely.
Fu Zihou finally understood why the ancients were so formidable; without entertainment, they spent their entire lives probing the depths of humanity! Scholars and warriors alike were all the same!
What frustrated him most was that even a tiny ant now seemed, in Fu Zihou’s eyes, an insurmountable chasm.
Sometimes Fu Zihou wondered if, without encountering his teacher, he would become arrogant and self-important, manipulated by others without realizing it, and die without ever understanding how he met his end.
As his thoughts returned to the ant, Fu Zihou sighed, watching the ant leave the discarded stick, scurrying about in panic.
He recalled how every ant his teacher selected was fierce and fearless, biting without exception.
Fu Zihou almost suspected his teacher was playing tricks, but remembering his teacher’s talk of choosing the sharpest, he knew there must be a reason and a pattern, though he had yet to comprehend it.
Moreover, unlike before, this time his teacher no longer explained the reasoning but instead asked Fu Zihou to discover it himself.
“Let’s find another one.”
Fu Zihou slowly stood and followed the eaves to the ant nest he had discovered earlier.
Fortunately, there had been heavy rain a few days ago. Sensitive to weather, the ants had moved beneath the Fu family’s eaves before the rain, sparing Fu Zihou from searching the village.

Feeling the quiet all around, Fu Zihou picked up a small stick again.
He watched the ants crawling about. Though he had failed repeatedly these days, he had gained one insight: never underestimate or disregard the people of ancient times, especially in matters of strategy and human nature.
Behind this seemingly simple task of selecting the sharpest, one must expend effort to observe and judge, and more importantly, grasp its essence.
Who in later generations would use ants to comprehend such matters? Yet the ancients did!
As his teacher explained, every ant was roughly the same size. Choosing the sharpest among ants was like picking the elite soldiers from an army. Some boasted bravery with their words, others appeared fierce and bold in daily life, but these were often timid or even deserters at critical moments.
On the battlefield, no number of overseers could prevent the collapse of a defeated army; even the bravest soldiers in the barracks would be influenced among cowards.
Therefore, a general must use his own judgment to select the elite from the ranks. Only when the elite gather, live, and interact together does each soldier feel shame in retreating, in cowardice, in being lesser than others.
Selecting the sharpest means choosing the elite!
Xiang Yu defeated Zhang Han at Julu with his own elite troops, breaking through Zhang Han’s lines, and later, at the Battle of Pengcheng, did the same.
Erzhu Rong, too, relied on selecting the sharpest, gathering seven thousand elite cavalry to defeat Ge Rong’s three hundred thousand strong army in one decisive blow.
Whether Xiang Yu’s soldiers or those chosen by Erzhu Rong, they were the same: faced with enemies ten or even dozens of times their number, not one harbored thoughts of retreat, and thus they triumphed.
“According to ancient records, only those who master the art of choosing the sharpest can be qualified generals, can lead their troops...”
Fu Zihou looked at the ant nest on the ground, his teacher’s calm expression surfacing in his mind. He wondered if every general really possessed this skill, or if his teacher was exaggerating.
Not having been on the battlefield or met any generals, his doubts remained just that, so he continued to study diligently.
……
Near noon.
Aunt Zhang and the young Tai had just returned with firewood. Before entering the house, they noticed Fu Zihou in a corner, speaking softly to an ant, urging it to bite him.
Tai’s gaze held a hint of oddity as she watched her brother-in-law, while Zhang simply wore a stern face, shook her head, and walked over to Tao, who was still stacking firewood.
“Mother of Hou’er, look at your son. It’s been days now. I say, don’t let Hou’er learn from that fraud any longer. If he keeps at it, he’ll truly become a fool!”
Zhang glanced at Fu Zihou in the distance and muttered quietly.
Her words prompted Tao to put down her firewood and look at Fu Zihou, ready to retort, but she suddenly heard him cry out in pain, then exclaim excitedly that the ant had really bitten him, over and over.
Seeing this, Tao frowned and sighed.

Tao gave an awkward smile, urging Zhang to go inside and rest. Once Zhang and Tai were both indoors, Tao set aside the firewood and was about to enter, but after some thought, she walked over to Old Liu, who spent his days guarding the courtyard.
“Old Liu, do you know what’s wrong with Hou’er? He’s been acting strangely for days now.”
Tao glanced at Fu Zihou, then turned to Old Liu, asking with concern. As a mother, she couldn’t help but worry at her son’s odd behavior.
Old Liu, hearing Tao’s words, quickly set aside the repairs to the wooden cart, stood up, and respectfully greeted her. He then looked at Fu Zihou not far away and shook his head.
“Madam, I do not know why he is like this!”
Old Liu frowned and sighed, his expression full of confusion.
Based on Liu Zhiyuan’s previous impression, he seemed a young scholar, and his words revealed some learning, so Old Liu had been reassured, allowing the young master to study under him.
Yet, seeing the young master these days, Old Liu, with his many years, was utterly perplexed.
Whether elders in the village, wise teachers in town, or the famous scholars and literati he encountered as a guest in noble households, Old Liu had seen many learned men in his lifetime.
But without exception, he had never seen anyone teach their disciple by playing with ants all day!
From noble children to village boys, all learned to read and study ancient texts under their teachers’ guidance.
Seeing Fu Zihou spending every spare moment crouched by the courtyard watching ants, Old Liu couldn’t help but worry if he had misjudged Liu Zhiyuan.
“Madam, perhaps I should go and ask today?”
Old Liu looked at Tao and, after some thought, offered to inquire.
Ever since his own reckless actions put Liu Zhiyuan in danger, Old Liu had felt guilty and avoided seeing him.
But now, with the young master’s welfare at stake, Old Liu was willing to swallow his pride and ask.
“Let it be! We’ll soon be leaving this place anyway, so Old Liu need not ask.”
Seeing Old Liu’s uncertainty, Tao looked at Fu Zihou in the distance and sighed in resignation, shaking her head.
Since her son had already found a teacher and they would soon be moving, Tao didn’t want to stir up more trouble. Whether the man had talent or not, so long as he did not lead her son astray, it would suffice; after all, her son would not study for much longer.