The plight of Yang Zhi following his expulsion form civil service, when considered alongsie the story of Chao Gai hatching a plan to rob a fortune from Secretary Liang ZhongShu, provides an insightful glimpse into the contrasting realities of life during the Song Dynasty. For those who live close to the central cities, and therefore live under the influence of civil and governing institutions, there is a sense that common purpose can be a civic ideal that overcomes a winner-take-all mentality. But in the fairly lawless hinterlands of rural China, where the influence of these institutions is barely acknowledged, much less felt, there is no such common purpose, and life is an endless parade of one person building him- or herself up by knocking someone else down.
When Yang Zhi is brought before Secretary Liang's army for a demonstration of his talents, the ground rules are made clear: in order for him to achieve a rank, someone already in the army must be supplanted. This rule seems more in line with ancient tradition than his soldiers strenuously object to Yang Zhi's appointment, not because they don't accept him as a visible soldier - it's clear that he is well-trained in martial arts - but because it must come at the expense of someone else's position. Secretary Liang slowly realizes this, and then it occurs to him that the purpose of the army is larger than simply competing for positions. Why should he merely trade one good soldier for another when having two good soldiers would strengthen and make them more effective? As the man in charge of the army in Beijing, Secretary Liang realizes the higher importance of the common good, and promotes both Yang Zhi and his competitor. Why should one man have to lose when everyone gains from both men winning?
