Chapter 18 15. Confucius watching the river

Confucius stared at the ever-flowing river, thinking that the time is like flowing water, and he felt the shortness of life, so he couldn't help but blurted out the ancient philosophies: "The dead are like gentlemen, never giving up day and night..." During the flood season in midsummer, it was rainy for days and the river surged.This day finally ushered in a sunny day. The students who had been bored indoors for more than half a month invited Confucius to go out for an outing.So Confucius and his disciples drove out of the east gate and drove to the suburbs. Along the way, the birds were singing and the sun was shining brightly. After the rain, the summer mountains were green and the vegetation was green, which seemed full of vitality.Confucius and these students recited poems and played the piano all the way, and came to Nishan with great interest and boarded the Guanchuan Terrace.Immediately, the five rivers converged, and the surging momentum of Surabaya appeared in front of them. The students surrounded Confucius and stood on a high place to look down. They saw five mountain torrents gathered in Surabaya, and the torrential river was rushing eastward...

Staring at the ever-flowing river, Confucius could not help sighing when he thought that the time is like running water, and he is nearly half a hundred years old, and his career has not yet achieved great success. "The dead are like gentlemen, never giving up day and night..." "Teacher, what are you talking about!" Zilu asked. Confucius asked Yan Hui who was standing by, "Hui, did you hear that?" "The teacher is saying: the dead are like a husband, and they will never give up day and night. Is the teacher lamenting that life is too short?" Confucius sighed after hearing this: "Those who know me will return."

Zilu said: "I think the teacher is lamenting that talents are not appreciated." Confucius said: "It's not that I don't want someone to be an official. Now Ji Pingzi has usurped the power of the monarch, making the monarch not like a monarch, and the ministers not like ministers. Oh, Lu Guo, when will we see Zhou Li again?" Seeing that Confucius looked sad, Zigong said, "Teacher, don't think about unpleasant things. The weather is rare. Let's rest for a while." "Okay, okay, we'll play, we'll sing." So the masters and apprentices sat down under the shade of the tree, some played chess, some picked flowers, some played the sheng... Confucius loved music the most in his life.Yan Hui took a futon and came over to Confucius and said, "Teacher, please get up. I'll give you some cushions. The rocks are too cold."

"Okay, thank you as a teacher." The sound of Confucius' piano was melodious and mournful. Confucius sang while playing, and the students also sang in chorus: Zilu asked, "Does the teacher also like to sing love songs?" Confucius said with a smile: "Guan Ju is a model of good poetry that is joyful but not lewd, and sad but not hurtful. Why can't the teacher sing it?" Ran You said: "It's getting late, we should go to Wuyutai." Confucius said: "Let's go another day. I haven't seen enough of Wuchuanhuihe today!" Zilu asked again: "Does the teacher also like traveling in mountains and rivers?"

Confucius said again with a smile: "Those who know enjoy the water, those who are benevolent enjoy the mountains. Those who know are happy, and those who are benevolent live long. When you are resting, there is nothing wrong with visiting mountains and rivers, singing and playing the piano." Zilu laughed again: "No wonder the teacher is so versatile." Confucius looked at Min Ziqian and said, "Ziqian, when you first came, your face was as yellow as a vegetable, but now it is more complexion. What is the reason?" Min Ziqian replied: "Teacher, the student was born in a poor family. When he went out, he saw rich people riding in luxurious carriages and horses, covered with feathers and dragon banners, magnificent. Seeing how poor he is, he felt very painful."

Ever since I was taught by my teacher: Those who are unjust and rich and noble are like floating clouds to me.After I figured it out, I no longer felt pain in my heart, so my face turned positive. Confucius praised: "Ziqian has learned a lot." Confucius and his students were happily singing and reciting poems, but the coachman stood far away under a tree to read and read. Zilu walked over and said, "You are working so hard, come and sing with us." Confucius looked at this hard-working coachman, and remembered that he would lean on the shaft of the cart to read whenever he was free, ask him for words whenever he saw the students passing by, and when he was giving lectures, he always stood far away in the corner and listened quietly. With...then said:

"Come, sit with them, don't always stand far away." "Master, I am a slave, I cannot sit with them." "Slaves are people too, I will accept you as my disciple now." "Ah, master, I don't dare to be your student, don't insult master." Confucius stood up, walked to his side and said kindly: "My students are all equal, regardless of rich or poor, high or low. From now on, you are my disciple. I will teach you to read, and I will teach you how to read." Teach you to be a man." Zeng Xi said, "Hurry up and bow down to the teacher."

The coachman plopped and knelt down to Confucius. He cried and said: "Master... Teacher, this disciple kowtows to you." He kowtowed desperately until blood oozed from his forehead. Confucius and Zeng Xi hurriedly helped him up. Confucius said: "Slaves and nobles are equally human, and anyone can be my student. If you work so hard, you will definitely become my good student in the future." Confucius asked him again: "Is there no name yet?" "No, only a nickname, Niu'er." "Your family name is Ran, so your first name should be Ran Geng. The word... Who are you at home?"

"Boss." "Let's call it Boniu for calligraphy!" "Thank you teacher for giving me the name." Ran Geng cried and knelt down again. Confucius helped him up with both hands, and said, "Come, from now on, you will be my student. Come and sit with them, and from now on, they will be your brothers and sisters." Confucius pointed to Nangong Jingshu again and said, "Look, he is a son of a nobleman, and now he is your classmate. You can sit and study with him now." Uncle Nangong Jing hurriedly stood up, walked over and took Ran Geng's hand, and said, "Come on, Senior Brother Ran Geng, sit with me."

"Ran Geng, come here, sit and sing with us." Zilu, Min Ziqian, and Zeng Jiu also kindly pulled him to sit together, so Confucius and his disciples sang happily again. Confucius said: "Now I teach everyone to sing a song called "Song of Classmates". From now on, we will sing it every time we recruit a new student." "Okay, teacher, teach quickly." Zilu said anxiously. Confucius played the piano and sang: The teacher and student of Confucius were about to go back when they suddenly saw a woman running up, crying and about to jump into the river. Confucius hurriedly said: "Go and save people."

Zilu jumped up and ran over to grab her. "Let me go, I don't want to live anymore!" Confucius went over to her and asked, "Did this eldest sister encounter any misfortune?" The woman cried and said: "It rained heavily last night, and my thatched hut was about to collapse. I hurriedly knocked on the door of the neighbor, Mr. Lu, and begged him to open the door to let me in for shelter. Unexpectedly, he refused to open the door, and said, Are you Widow, I’m a widow, it’s inconvenient for you to shelter from the rain at my house, you’d better go! I had no choice but to stand under the eaves outside his door for midnight.” Zilu's face was full of anger when he heard this, and he shouted, "How can this man refuse to save him!" The woman said sadly: "I didn't expect that during the day he would spread the word everywhere, saying that he refused to open the door for me in the middle of the night, and he was more virtuous than Liu Xiahui. It made many people look sideways at me." Zilu asked Confucius, "Teacher, who is Liu Xiahui?" "Oh, Liu Xiahui used to be an official of the Lu State, and he made a lot of contributions to the Lu State. This Lu man is more stable than him." "Teacher, why don't you sit still?" Zilu asked. "In order to seduce Liu Xiahui, a woman sat on his lap in the middle of the night, but she didn't make him commit adultery at all." After hearing this, Zeng Xi walked over to the woman and said, "That woman was going to seduce a man, and you turned to him in a crisis. He not only won't let you in, but also ruined your reputation. Mr. Lu is not a person. " The woman started to cry again, and wanted to jump into the river again. Confucius comforted her and said, "Your integrity is not bad, you don't have to jump into the river, go back. You see, everyone is complaining about you!" Confucius said to his disciples again: "Disciples, this means that life is a minor matter, but injustice is a major matter!" The woman was finally persuaded, she thanked everyone and went back. After Confucius finished his lecture, he was with his disciples, answering their questions while walking.Zeng Xi ran over and said, "Teacher, there is an official car to take you to the State Guest House." "Pick me up to the State Guest House?...Oh, Duke Jing of Qi and Prime Minister Yan Ying have come to the State of Lu these days, maybe they want to discuss politics with me." Zeng Xi nodded and said, "Probably, teacher, change your clothes quickly." Sure enough, it was Qi Jinggong who wanted to see Confucius.Confucius went back to his residence, changed his clothes, got on the car that came to pick him up, and went to the state guesthouse where Duke Jing of Qi stayed. When they got outside the gate of the museum, the officials led Confucius into the living room where Duke Jing of Qi lived, and said, "Duke Jing, Prime Minister Yan, Confucius is here." "Ah, Confucius, please sit down, please sit down." Confucius gave great gifts to Jing Gong and Yan Xiang. "I, Kong Qiu, pay respects to Duke Jing and Prime Minister Yan." Qi Jinggong said: "Please sit down, please sit down." Confucius saw that Qi Jinggong's body was already fat, but his eyes were quite bright, and he thought it's no wonder that he wanted to dominate the princes.I also saw that Yan Ying was really short in stature and unattractive in appearance, but Confucius knew that he was a very talented person. Qi Jinggong looked at Confucius' burly figure, high raised forehead and broad eyebrows, especially the pair of big shining eyes under the thick eyebrows, and sighed: "Confucius, you really have extraordinary bearing." Confucius hurriedly said: "Where, where, Qiu is just an ordinary man." Then he said respectfully, "The king is calling me, I don't know what to teach?" "I heard that you set up a private school, and there is no distinction between teaching and learning. The widows are very admirable." "Thanks to the praise of the monarch, Qiu just wants to restrain himself and restore the rituals, and restore the rituals and music established by Zhou Wenwang and Duke Zhou." Yan Ying knew that Confucius advocated that ministers should not be tyrannical, and should not be arrogated to power. He thought that Qi, like Lu, was also a vassal, so he agreed with Confucius' self-restraint and restoration of rites, so he said: "I also agree with Master's proposition, and I also agree with the restoration of Zhou rituals." Under the restraint of the doctor, Qi Jinggong, who was able to contend with the powerful officials because of Yan Ying's help, naturally agreed with Confucius' proposition, and even said: "Confucius is right. Zhou rituals should be restored." So the three of them felt like they had met each other late.Confucius admired Yan Ying's assistance to Qi Jinggong very much, so he said: "A monarch with the assistance of Qi Jinggong is like a tiger with wings. He is invincible!" "Where, where," Yan Ying said hurriedly, "it's just to make the country prosperous." Qi Jinggong was quite touched when he heard Confucius' words, his face flushed red, and he said, "I want to ask Master, Qin Mugong's country is small and remote, how can he dominate the world?" Confucius sighed in his heart, so he also wanted to be the overlord, so he replied: "Although the state of Qin is small, Duke Mu's policies are correct and he is good at employing people. He exchanged five sheepskins for Bailihou, and he has a high degree of trust in him. People like Qin Mugong, let alone dominate the princes, even Dominating the world is enough!" Qi Jinggong listened and said with a smile: "What the master said is true, if the state of Lu has a master, it will surely prosper in the future." Duke Jing of Qi asked some more questions before Confucius left. Duke Jing of Qi and Xiang Xiang sent them to the gate of the building. Duke Jing of Qi said, "Welcome to the State of Qi." Confucius said, "Thank you, Monarch." Zilu and Zeng Xi who were waiting at the door came up to meet him: "Teacher, we have picked you up." Zeng Xi asked on the road: "Teacher, what did Qi Jinggong ask you?" "Also ask me how I can dominate the world." "Ah, he also wants to dominate the world? He is still under the control of others!" Confucius said: "The state of Qi is the same as the state of Lu. It is also the government of Qing and Dafu who has usurped. Because of Yan Xiang, Qi Jinggong can have a place. Therefore, it is not a problem of our country that the ministers usurp the king and the Qing and Dafu take power." "That's why the master's idea of ​​monarch, minister and minister has far-reaching meaning." Zeng Xi sighed. "yes." Zilu turned around and asked, "Teacher, why is that Prime Minister Yan so short?" Confucius said: "Don't judge a person by his appearance. Don't look at his small size. He is a powerful man with great integrity. During the time of Duke Zhuang of Qi, Cui Zhu, a traitor and traitor, murdered the emperor and usurped power. He cried bitterly and used it to protest. Later, the Cui family forced him to serve, and he raised his glass to swear that he would be loyal to the monarch and would not obey him to the death." Zeng Xi sighed, "It's really short and high-minded!" Confucius also said: "Although Yan Ying is the prime minister, he is not extravagant. He advocates a clean government and lives a poor life." Zilu praised: "He is really an upright official." On the night of New Year's Eve, snowflakes were flying and the weather was cold. Confucius went to the school under the snowflakes, and wanted to call the students who hadn't been home for the New Year to have a New Year's Eve dinner together. Entering the classroom, Confucius saw Yan Hui reading by himself under the lamp, so he walked over and called softly: "Go back, why didn't you go home for the New Year, where is your father?" "Ah, the teacher is here." Yan Hui hurriedly stood up and replied, "Father went out to work and can't come back." "Then, let's go to the teacher's house to celebrate the New Year. Your teacher's wife asked me to invite you." "No, teacher, thank you..." "Hey, let's go, let's go. How many of your classmates haven't gone home for the New Year?" "Oh, and Ran Geng and Min Ziqian." "Where are Zeng Xi and Zilu?" Confucius asked. "Zeng went home temporarily, and Zilu went to a relative's house." "Then, invite Ran Geng and the others to go." Confucius and Yan returned to the student's dormitory, while Ran Geng and Min Ziqian were warming up by the charcoal basin. "Bo Niu, Ziqian, go to the teacher's house to celebrate the New Year." Confucius said kindly. Ran Geng and He Ziqian hurriedly stood up: "The teacher is here... no, thank you teacher." "Let's go, let's go, Master is waiting for you!" In addition, there were two new disciples who did not come home, and Confucius also called them together. When they arrived at Confucius' home, Mrs. Qi Guan, the teacher's wife, greeted him happily. "Come on, come on, come in." After Mrs. Qi Guan called the disciples to sit down, she went to the kitchen to work again.When Bo Yu saw his father's disciples coming, he happily told them to set off firecrackers outside the door.They set off firecrackers in the snow for a while, and Confucius called everyone to come in and write Spring Festival couplets. Yan Hui was busy studying ink, and a white silk was spread on the table. Confucius thought about it and wrote it down. "Teacher, is horizontal criticism a rejuvenation?" Yan Hui asked. "Yes, that's right, the earth returns to spring, and the severe winter is over, haha." After the Spring Festival couplets were finished, the disciples happily posted them on Confucius' door.At this time, the teacher's wife brought dumplings, and the disciples ate the New Year's Eve dinner happily with Confucius and his family, and spent a New Year's Eve happily. One morning after the new year was over, Confucius had just picked up his book and was about to give a lecture when he saw his new student Qin Zhang coming. "Qin Zhang, what's the matter? I'm so anxious." "Teacher, I'm here to ask you for leave. I'm planning to go back to Weiguo to attend Zonglu's funeral." Confucius had already heard that Qi Bao in the state of Wei had rebelled, and Zong Lu had done unrighteous things in order to repay Qi Bao's recommendation, so he advised: "Zong Lu died of injustice. You should go to mourn such a person. gift?" Qin Zhang listened and said sincerely: "The teacher is right, the students will not go to mourn him." "now it's right."