說苑, Volume 9-12

From the courtrooms of ancient China to the battlefields of warring states, this volume weaves together a series of vivid vignettes about the art of admonition. Each story spotlights a different kind of counsel—straightforward, humble, loyal, blunt, or even satirical—as officials grapple with the peril of speaking truth to power. The narrative arcs follow well‑known figures such as a stern king who bans dissent, a minister who risks his life to warn of disaster, and a clever advisor who uses riddles to expose folly.

Listeners will hear the moral tension between duty to the sovereign and personal survival, rendered in crisp, dramatized dialogue that brings old texts to life. The collection balances humor with gravitas, showing how counsel could shift the course of a kingdom or end in tragic silence. As each episode unfolds, the tales invite reflection on when honesty becomes a duty and when silence may be the wiser path.