Wang Si Niang knows of the Bamboo Grove Seven Sages, but she only knows the surface and not the essence. But Ji Yuan was already born at that time and experienced that period of deep silence and darkness.
Now, sheltered under Zhao Hanzhang's wings, he can speak without fear of persecution by the court, so he dares to speak freely, "Back then, when the Sima clan usurped Wei, all the Bamboo Grove Seven Sages opposed the Sima clan, with Ji Kang and Ruan Ji being the most vocal,"
He said, "Emperor Wu broke promises and even executed the Son of Heaven in the streets, which was a great evil. Several of the Sages were very resentful but did not have power, so they could only use their writings to satirize the hypocrisy and deceit of the Sima family, which led to the death of Ji Kang and others."
Ji Yuan greatly admired such righteous men, as back then, the Sima family broke promises, acted shamelessly, yet demanded to be recognized as orthodox.
