Over 1700 years ago, during the Three Kingdoms era, a tale unfolded surrounding the 10-year-old emperor of the Wu Kingdom, Sun Liang. Sun Liang was the youngest son of Sun Quan, the founding emperor of Wu. From a very young age, Sun Liang showcased extraordinary intelligence. By the age of three or four, he began reading, and by seven or eight, he was not only composing poetry and writing articles, but he also had an extensive understanding of historical texts.
A peculiar taste
Emperor Sun Liang had a peculiar liking: He loved consuming fresh plums, especially when they were soaked in honey, an exquisite treat he treasured.
An unsettling discovery
One day, the young emperor instructed one of the eunuchs close to him to fetch some honey from the storeroom to soak his cherished plums. Soon after, the eunuch returned with the requested honey. But as Sun Liang began to enjoy his treat, he made a revolting discovery — there were droppings from a rodent in the honey!
Immediately, the eunuch pointed fingers at the official in charge of the storeroom, accusing him of negligence and suggesting severe punishment for such a grievous oversight.
In search of the truth
Summoning the storeroom official, Sun Liang observed his stark terror and insistent denials. The official mentioned that the honey was stored in sealed jars, and he couldn’t fathom how such contamination could occur. Moreover, he had previously denied the eunuch’s request for this special honey. The two began bickering, each blaming the other, leaving onlookers baffled.
A bystander suggested imprisoning both individuals since the truth was elusive. But would that really unveil the truth?
The emperor’s ingenious solution
With a hint of a smile, Sun Liang made a peculiar request — he asked for a knife. He then instructed that the rodent droppings be dissected. To everyone’s astonishment, while the exterior was wet, the inside remained dry.
Unveiling the deceit
This observation revealed the truth. Sun Liang deduced that if the contamination had occurred in the storeroom, the droppings would have been thoroughly soaked by the honey. However, the dry inside indicated recent contamination, pointing to the eunuch’s malicious intent. Caught in his deceit, the eunuch immediately confessed.
Beyond the story
It’s impressive how Sun Liang, despite his tender age, didn’t hastily judge, rather, he meticulously deduced the truth, ensuring that an innocent official wasn’t wrongly punished. But as our story concludes, one can’t help but ponder: Will the memory of this incident mar the emperor’s enjoyment of his beloved treat?
Furthermore, is it possible that this incident was a divine intervention, cautioning the young emperor against overindulgence? After all, moderation is key, and perhaps the universe has its mysterious ways of reminding us of the same.
Translated article
