A Wily Hare Has Three Burrows In the Warring States Period, the Prime Minister, Meng Changjun, of the Qi State, supported and fed many people at his home. One of them was called Feng Xuan. One day, Feng Xuan was sent to collect what the tenant farmers owed to the landlord (Meng Changjun). When he got to the place, he declared self-assertively to the farmers that all the tenancy contracts would be demolished at once. Cheers burst out among the happy farmers; they owed great gratitude to Meng Changjun, their landlord.
When Feng Xuan returned to the host and told about what he did, Prime Minister, Meng Changjun was not very happy about it. "Why did you do that?" the minister asked. "Well, though I had not brought you some fortune by doing that, I really won the morale of your farmers. That is more important to you." The minister reluctantly accepted his explanation.
Meng Changjun was dismissed from office the next year, so he decided to go back to his home town. When he arrived to his demesne, he was surprised of seeing the farmers were on both sides of the road welcoming him warmly. At the sight, Meng Changjun felt very puzzled as well as greatly moved, and he asked Feng Xuan for the reason. "That is out of question. This is the reward for your charities." Meng Changjun took a tumble at the words since he already forgot the matter happened last year. Feng Xuan continued, "A wily hare which has three burrows can keep itself safe. But now you have only one. So you must struggle to get the other two. You should pay a visit to the State of Wei and canvass for your ideas to the king there. When the king want to retain you for his minister's position, refuse him. This would get the attention of the king of the Qi State. And he would think more about you." As expected, the king of the Qi State felt very worried when he heard that his former Prime Minister could take a position in the hostile Wei State. So he acted quickly to reappoint Meng Changjun as the prime minister of the state.
In order to express his honesty, the king of Qi promised him some advantages. All were refused according to Feng Xuan, except for being the heres of a sacrificial utensil from the royal ancestor and the permission of building another temple in his demesne, which was considered the safe guard for the people there.
When the temple completed, Feng Xuan said to Meng Changjun, his master, "Now, all the three burrows have been built, and you should be safe now!" It was said Meng Changjun to have held the post for the rest of his life and his tenants were all living in peace.
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