The Ji clan was about to launch a military campaign against Zhuanyu. Ran You and Jilu went to see Confucius and said: "The Ji clan is about to take action against Zhuanyu." The Master said: "Ran Qiu! Is this not your fault? Zhuanyu — in ancient times the former kings appointed it as the lord of the sacrifices at Mount Dongmeng. Moreover, it lies within the very boundaries of our state of Lu and is a vassal state subject to the altars of our soil and grain. Why should it be attacked?" Ran You said: "It is our master who wishes it; neither of us two ministers desires it." The Master said: "Ran Qiu! Zhou Ren once said: 'He who can bring his abilities to bear should take his place in the ranks; he who cannot should stand aside.' If one does not steady what is tottering, or support what is falling, then what use is a counselor? Moreover, your words are mistaken. If a tiger or rhinoceros escapes from its cage, or if a tortoiseshell or jade is shattered in its casket, whose fault is it?" Ran You said: "But Zhuanyu is well fortified and lies close to Bi. If we do not take it now, it will surely become a source of trouble for our descendants." The Master said: "Ran Qiu! The exemplary man detests those who, rather than frankly admitting what they desire, must needs invent pretexts to justify it. I have heard that those who govern states and noble houses should not worry about scarcity but about unequal distribution, not about poverty but about social unrest. For where there is equal distribution there is no poverty; where there is harmony there is no scarcity; where there is stability there is no danger of overthrow. And so, if those from distant lands do not submit, one should cultivate civil virtue and moral refinement to attract them; and once they have come, one should make them feel settled and secure. But now, you two — You and Qiu — serve as counselors to your master, yet distant peoples do not submit and you cannot draw them near; the state is crumbling and falling apart and you cannot preserve it; and yet you scheme to unleash arms and warfare within the state itself. I fear that the troubles of the Ji clan lie not in Zhuanyu, but within the walls of their own palace."", "cn_notes": "颛臾为鲁国附属小国；萧墙之内指宫廷内部，暗指季氏的祸患来自其家臣