[centre][h2]Letters from the Duke of Zhou 2 - The Fisherman from Qi[/h2][/centre]
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To the respected duke of the Song warrens,

It is a grand pleasure to write to you once again, fellow duke - it brings me great joy to hear that all is once again well and harmonious in the warrens of Song. It is my most humble wish to be of service to our next generation of leaders, and to hear about your successful attempt to quell the unrest among your lightfurs is truly music to these long, graying ears. 

Now, that being said, you mentioned in your previous letter that you have had some trouble with a certain scholar-gentleman in your employ - one named Master Gu Xuanyi, if I am not mistaken. According to your description, you sent him to oversee the corn harvest; as of now, he has yet to put the peasants under his command to work on weeding the corn, stating that he did not weed his crops last year, and the harvest was ten times that of usual - no matter your threats or bribes, he refuses to budge.

If you would allow me, I wish to draw upon another story that describes a situation similar to this one. You may have heard it; it is a known tale: There once was a fisherman from the warren of Qi. One day, the fisherman was out by the river near the warren, rod in hand, hoping to reap the water’s bounty as usual. Then, as suddenly as lightning from clear sky, a large, fat salmon skipped out of the water and collided with a nearby stone, knocking itself adaze and quickly suffocating as a result. The fisherman saw this and broke his rod over his knee, deciding that he would instead watch the water in hopes that more fish would follow the salmon’s clumsy example. However, no such event occurred again, and the fisherman was laughed out of the warren of Qi. 

If I may offer my opinion, it seems that Master Gu Xuanyi and the fisherman of Qi are of one mind - having witnessed a miraculous event, they are confident that it will repeat itself, despite the astronomically small odds that it will. Of course, the chance is there, but stories like this one help us realise miracles beyond the norm are just that - miracles. Master Gu may have seen one grand harvest despite his dislike for weeding, but it is indeed a much-too-commonly observed fact that weeds among your corn generally outcompete the corn and lead to a poor harvest. 

My advice to you, my esteemed friend, is to share this tale with Master Gu. Give him a chance to redeem himself in light of reflecting upon its message - I trust that a scholar-gentleman such as him is in your employ for a reason; however, should he fail to realign his path, I recommend you replace him with someone more capable. The warren’s corn crops and the welfare of its light- and darkfurs must come before the social standing of a stubborn man, after all.

I once again wish you great luck in all your endeavours, and pray my advice was helpful and satisfactory. May the gods forever grant you fortune.

With great respect,

Duke Kong Rui of Zhou.
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Bunny Duke educates other bunny duke on how to handle stubborn bureaucrats, 
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