These articles are 99 percent identical, clearly following the same mold. One might find the first one novel, but by the second, one begins to suffer from aesthetic fatigue. With the phrasing and vocabulary so similar, and the intended meaning nearly identical, Zhao Yan could not help but marvel at Minister Zhōu's singular aesthetic taste.
Seeing Zhao Yan frowning and looking as if he had more to say, the smile on Minister Zhōu's face faltered. He felt quite anxious. "Lord Zhào, is there a problem with these articles?" He still found it hard to believe; these were the pieces he had meticulously selected after reading through the night. Some were even written by officials he didn't exactly get along with—people he usually traded barbs with—but he had set aside personal grievances to be fair. If it was well-written, he wouldn't let it be buried. He believed he had achieved a relative level of impartiality.
"There are some issues," Zhao Yan said. Fearing he might discourage the Minister, he changed his approach. "Minister Zhōu, what do you think is the common thread among these pieces?"
Chapter 628