不辨菽麦 — “To be utterly ignorant of practical matters”

On the fifth day of the first lunar month in 573 BCE, Luan Shu and Zhong Xingyan of the State of Jin dispatched Cheng Hua to assassinate Duke Li of Jin, burying him outside the East Gate of Yi. Subsequently, Shi Fang and others welcomed the fourteen-year-old Zhou Zi to ascend the throne in the capital.

At that time, some Jin nobles, eager to control the government, were keen to serve this young ruler and exaggerated Zhou Zi's capabilities and intelligence. Zhou Zi had an older brother who should have been the legitimate heir, but the Jin nobles claimed, "Zhou Zi's elder brother is an imbecile; he cannot even distinguish beans from wheat, and therefore cannot be made ruler."

Despite being only fourteen, Zhou Zi exhibited some talent. Upon his enthronement, he addressed the senior officials, saying, "My initial aspirations did not reach this height, but now that it has come to pass, it is entirely the will of Heaven. People require a ruler to issue commands. If, once established, his orders are not followed, what is the point of having him? You gentlemen have chosen me as your ruler because you need me, and to respectfully obey the ruler is blessed by the spirits."

The officials listened and replied, "This is precisely what your humble servants desire; how dare we not obey your every command!"