chinese story - 3

　“In former times the Palace women numbered less than a hundred； for years past they have exceeded a thousand. This is an extravagant waste of treasure. The courtiers render no disinterested service, but are split into cliques and cabals. The honest are injured, and the good driven away. All these things undermine the state and weaken the people. I beg Your Majesty to reduce the number of officers and remove grievances, to dismiss the Palace women and select honest officers, to the joy of the people and the tranquillity of the state.”
　　But the Ruler of Wu was displeased, threw the memorial away, and showed his contempt for the Minister's remonstrance by beginning to collect material for the building of a new palace complex to be called the Reflected Light Palace. He even made the officers of the court go into the forest to fell trees for the work.
　　the Ruler of Wu called in the soothsayer Shang Guang and bade him take the cast and inquire as to the attainment of empire.
　　Shang Guang cast a lot and replied, “All is propitious, and in the year of the 'mouse' your blue umbrella will enter Luoyang！”
　　And Sun Hao was pleased.
　　He said to Minister Hua Jiao, “the former Rulers listened to your words and sent generals to various points and placed defensive camps along the rivers. And over all these was set Ding Feng. Now my desire is to conquer Han and avenge the wrongs of my brother, the Ruler of Shu. What place should be first conquered？”
　　Hua Jiao replied, “Now that Chengdu has fallen and the Throne there been overturned, Sima Yan will assuredly desire to absorb this southern land. Your Majesty should display virtue and restore confidence to your people. That would be the best plan. If you engage in war, it will be like throwing on hemp to put out a fire——the hemp only adds to the blaze. This is worthy of careful consideration.”