Dujuan saluted Zheng Fan solemnly and said, "Lord Zheng, I am utterly at a loss."
Shirking.
Completely and utterly shirking responsibility.
Zheng Fan nodded, grateful for his mental preparation. Why had Zuo Jiqian hesitated and not accepted this task? This was because such actions would offend the scholars of Yan, having far-reaching implications. However, whereas Zuo Jiqian couldn't accept this, Zheng Fan could. He looked at the route through which many flatterers had ascended to power. Most were willing to be the scapegoats for those above them, getting their own hands dirty to smooth their path to success. Zheng Fan didn't care about his reputation, nor did he worry about being held accountable in the future. Firstly, he had to secure his own future. Secondly, no matter what the future held, he wouldn't commit himself completely to becoming Yan's Yue Wumu.
