King Jing of Qi was attractive in appearance. There was an official who had the charge of feathers. He gazed openly at the King. The King said to those on his left and his right, “Ask that person why he is staring at us.” The person in charge of feathers replied, “If I speak, I will die. But if I do not speak, I will also die. I was gazing at the attractive appearance of my lord.”
The king said, “He dared to desire me sexually. Kill him!” Yanzi entered without cue and said to the King, “I heard that the King has cause to be angered at the feather-bearer.” The king replied, “Of course! He had sexual desire towards me. This is why I want to kil him.” Yanzi answered, “I’ve heard that to refuse desire is against the Way, and to hate love is inauspicious. Although he desired the ruler, the law does not allow us to kill him.” The King said, “So it is. When I take a bath, I will command him to embrace my back.”
Excerpt from The Spring and Autumn* of Yanzi, Chapter 8 as translated by colorq.org
(*The Spring and Autumn annals are historical records (“spring and autumn” represent years. This book was the biography of the sage Yanzi who was Prime Minister of the state of Qi and it was completed during the Warring States Period (475 BCE-221 BCE))
