Confucius was a descendant of the Shang, and his ancestors were priests through the Dukes of Song. During the 10 years of duke Shang's rule in Song, he had fought 11 battles, so that the people were not able to endure the constant summonses to the field. Kongfu Jia was the minister of War, and Huafu Du was the premier of the State. One day, Huafu Du happened to see the wife of Kongfu Jia on the way. He gazed at her as she approached, and followed her with his eyes when she had passed, saying, "How handsome and beautiful." Taking advantage of the dissatisfaction of the people, Du first set on foot a report that the constant fighting was owing to the minister of War. The next year, Du attacked the Kong family, killed Kongfu, and carried off his wife. The duke was angry, and Du, in fear, proceeded also to murder duke Shang. Immediately after, he called duke Zhuang (the prince Gongzi Ping) from Zheng, and raised him to the dukedom;—in order to please Zheng, bribing a...
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