Mencius condemns King Hui of Liang as cruel. Benevolent rulers spread love outward, yet this king sacrificed common folk for land wars, then forced his beloved kin to die in battles, letting cruelty toward strangers ruin his own loved ones.
Mencius states the empire belongs to Heaven, not any ruler to give. Heaven reveals its will via public acceptance: officials, litigants and commoners turned to Shun instead of Yao’s son. Heaven’s will equals the people’s will, forming core people-centered legitimacy.