Ji Yong's Terrible Mistake
by Tessa
Long ago there was a superstitious man named Ji Yong Lian. He was head servant for Duke Chao. He never trusted anyone, even his master, Duke Chao, even though he had been working for him for eleven years.
Everyday Ji Yong walked into town to buy food and gifts for Duke Chao. He walked back carrying bundles of fish, meat, water cheasnuts, snow peas, and, if he was lucky, shrimp. He also got little porcelain animals, or hand painted fans, and long bamboo poles with carved with characters that wished good fortune and much wealth. But, as he tried to manage carrying all of those things, he couldn't help but feel envy for Ling-Ling.
He was a fifteen year old boy who was next in line to be head servant when Ji Yong died. Ling-Ling was so good to everyone and everyone liked him. Everyone hated Ji Yong, in secret they called him 'Respect Hater.' But nobody ever brought this to the attention of Duke Chao. If they had, they would have been beaten with a long bamboo pole; but nobody ever talked.
Maybe if he hadn't counted his wages in front of Duke Chao, or hadn't told the cook that the food wasn't good enough, or hadn't carried around wishing stones, things might have turned out differently. But he knew that the past was the past, and Ji Yong knew that the future was coming. He knew that he would be living in great shame in the near future. Here is what happened.
One day as Ji Yong was returning from town, he saw Huang-She , a small girl who made the servants their dinner.
"Hurry back," she said out of breath. "Duke Chao wants to see you and Ling-Ling in his garden right away!" Being the superstitious man that he was, he wasn't about to believe what an eight year old had to say.
"Respect your elders and don't shout. I will walk back at my own pace, whatever that might be." Muttered Ji Yong. But as he watched Huang-She run off, he began to worry. Duke Chao had never asked to see Ji Yong unless he was paying him.
He entered the garden and quietly approached Duke Chao who was sitting on a marble structure with pots of incense burning at his sides. Ling-Ling was sitting under a statue of Buddha. He bowed his head when Ji Yong came in.
"I have called you both here for a very important reason. I have a message which must be delivered to Beijing by morning. It is very urgent."
"Well I'd be hap-." Ji Yong started.
"You won't be taking it," said Duke Chao. "Ling-Ling will. You never trust anyone, he who doesn't trust will not be trusted. Ling-Ling, take this letter, don't read it, and give it to Da-Bin.
"Yes sir," said Ling-Ling. And he left.
"Ji Yong, if you want to change, please tell me. But for now I will not trust you."
The End
The Moral: He who doesn't trust, will not be trusted.