4. On the Existence of Opposites
If any event happens and has any advantage at all, the
sovereign must master it. If it has any disadvantage, he must
discern the opposite. For this reason, the enlightened
sovereign, in estimating the welfare of the country, would
reflect on the advantage when the state has any disadvantage;
when the minister has any disadvantage, he would deliberate
upon its opposite. The saying is based on the appointment
of Ch`ên Hsü to premiership upon the arrival of the Ch`u
troops, and on the rise of the price of millet seed because
of the granary-keeper's dishonesty. Thus, Chao Hsi-hsü
arrested the reed-seller; Marquis Chao-hsi[11]
blamed the
second cook; Duke Wên found hairs around the roast
meat; and Marquis Hsiang offered to proclaim the Ruler
of Ch`i Eastern Emperor.
