One day, King Hui of Liang met Mencius and said, "Look at the mess in our neighboring states! Their rulers never consider the people. But when a flood strikes Nenei, I relocate the victims to Henei and allocate food for relief. I have truly done my best to govern my country."
Mencius nodded in agreement.
The king continued, "Yet my population hasn't increased, nor have my neighbors' decreased. Tell me, why is that?"
Mencius replied, "Your Majesty enjoys warfare. Allow me to use a battle as an analogy. On the battlefield, the fighting is fierce. Two armies are locked in a stalemate, but one must win. The defeated soldiers, throwing away their helmets and armour, flee for their lives. Some stop after fifty paces, others after a hundred. Then, those who fled fifty paces laugh at those who fled a hundred for their cowardice. Your Majesty, is that laugh justified?"
King Hui struck the table and said, "Of course not! Whether they flee fifty paces or a hundred, they are deserters all the same."