Page 91 - 《孟子》（三）中·英对照版

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skins of five rams, and fed his oxen, in order to find
an introduction to the duke Mu of Qin; —was this
the case?”

Mencius said, “No; it was not so. This story
was invented by men fond of strange things. Baili
-Xi was a man of Yu. The people of Jin, by the
inducement of a round piece of jade from Chuiji, and
four horses of the Qu breed, borrowed a passage
through Yu to attack Guo. On that occasion, Gong
Zhi qi remonstrated against granting their request,
and Baili Xi did not remonstrate. When he knew
that the duke of Yu was not to be remonstrated with,
and, leaving that State, went to Qin, he had reached
the age of seventy. If by that time he did not know
that it would be a mean thing to seek an introduction
to the duke Mu of Qin by feeding oxen, could he
be called wise? But not remonstrating where it was
of no use to remonstrate, could he be said not to be
wise? Knowing that the duke of Yu would be ruined,

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