| | In winter, in the tenth month, Gongzi Sui went to Jin. Duke Xiang of Jin was buried. Jin killed its official Yang Chufu. Mentioning the state in reference to killing indicates that guilt has accumulated at a higher level. Duke Xiang had already been buried; why is it expressed with words indicating the accumulation of guilt? It was because the ruler spoke carelessly. When superiors leak information, inferiors become secretive; when inferiors are secretive, superiors become deaf. Being both secretive and deaf, there is no way for them to communicate with each other. This was the act of Shegu. What was the nature of Shegu's killing? It is said: Jin was about to fight against the Di, and they appointed Hu Shegu as general, with Zhao Dun assisting him. Yang Chufu said, "No! In ancient times, when a ruler sent officials to serve together, he would assign the kind-hearted to assist the virtuous, but not have the virtuous assist the kind-hearted. Now Zhao Dun is virtuous and Ye Gu is kind; would it not be inappropriate!" Duke Xiang said, "Agreed!" He told Ye Gu, "Initially I had Dun assist you; now you will assist Dun." Ye Gu said, "I respectfully agree!" After Duke Xiang died, Chufu took charge of the final arrangements for the funeral; Shegu sent someone to kill him. It was because the ruler had spoken carelessly; therefore, officials devised evasive words and spoke in ambiguous terms, saying: "If you use me, it will be acceptable; if not, I will not disrupt your virtue." Hu Shegu of Jin fled to the Di. In the intercalary month, the specific day was not announced; yet a court ceremony was still held at the ancestral temple. Why was the specific day not announced? Because the first day of the month, when sacrifices were made to ancestors, was not observed. If the new moon was not announced, then why is it also not mentioned? An intercalary month is an additional period of days appended to the calendar; it is formed by accumulating fractional days into a full month. The Son of Heaven does not use it for announcing the new moon, and in times of mourning, such matters are not counted. The term "you" implies that it could have been omitted.
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