Chapter 29 Twenty-six, fearless in the face of danger

The big tree was cut down, and Yan Hui sat listening to Confucius' lecture. He saw the teacher's expression unchanged in the face of the fierce provocateur, and he felt admiration spontaneously. He said in his heart: Teacher, you are too great. Confucius and his disciples came to the outskirts of Shangqiu, the capital of the Song Dynasty. The master and disciples were about to enter the city when they heard a woman crying and walked over.I saw some craftsmen chiseling stones, and an old woman was kneeling and crying to the supervisor: "Grand officials, please do me a favor. Please let my son go back. I have only one son. The whole family is old and young. The work in the field depends on him! I beg you!"

"Go away! This is a job for Da Sima. If you delay the work, you don't want everyone to die. If you don't go, even you will be arrested to do it together!" The supervisor yelled. "My God! Our whole family will starve to death!" The master and apprentice of Confucius walked over in amazement, and Zilu stepped forward angrily, and said to the supervisor: "This old woman is crying so sadly, but you are indifferent, do you have any reason?" The supervisor looked at Zilu and scolded, "What's your business? You speak the principles of heaven. Come and help his son!"

Zilu was furious, and he drew his sword to reason with him, and the supervisor also drew his sword. Zigong hurriedly pulled Zilu away and said, "They are also following orders, why are you fighting with him?" Then he asked the supervisor, "What kind of work are you doing?" Seeing that Zigong's tone was calm and that Confucius and his disciples were all looking at them, the other supervisor replied: "I was ordered to repair the stone coffin for Da Sima Huan. Because the project is huge and has not been completed for more than three years, I was afraid of suffering, so I rushed to repair it."

After hearing this, Confucius thought to himself, that Huan Yan was only in his thirties, and he devoted himself to serving the country in a good time, but he was keen on arranging rich burials. It can be seen that he is extremely corrupt, so he angrily cursed: "Huan Pheasant is still young, he is so extravagant, and he doesn't know how to show compassion for the common people. After death, he should have rotted sooner!" Zilu said: "The teacher is right. People who worry about their own death like this, it is better to die soon." After the masters and apprentices entered the city, they had dinner in a small restaurant and stayed in the hotel building in the evening.The residence is near the cross street.Confucius wrote a letter to Song Jinggong, and Zigong asked someone to send it to the palace.

Song Jinggong was very dissatisfied with Sima Huan's monopoly, but he had nothing to do with him.Hearing that Confucius came to Song Dynasty, Song Jinggong knew that Confucius most admired Zhou rituals, opposed arrogance, and advocated monarchs, ministers, fathers and sons, so he wanted to meet him. One day, after the imperial court, Song Jinggong left Sima Huanyu behind, and tentatively asked Sima Huanyu: "Aiqing, I heard that Confucius from the State of Lu has come." "Yes, this is the letter he sent to the monarch." Song Jinggong opened Confucius' slips and looked at them. He wanted to meet him, so he said: "Confucius' ancestor was from the Song Dynasty. Kong He is a hero of the Lu Kingdom, and Confucius himself is a well-known sage. Zhou etiquette and morality are inherited from him, so it would be good if he could be appointed?"

The young and energetic Sima Huan sneered: "Hmph, I'm afraid it will cause trouble for the monarch. If he is really capable, why would he leave his own country and not be employed by Weiguo? Now he is leaving Weiguo again He defected to Song State, and threatened to implement his Zhou Liren rule. Imagine the king, if such a person is allowed to stay to confuse the people, what will the consequences be?" Song Jinggong was not intimidated by his words, but still insisted on seeing Confucius. "The widow will meet him some day." "The monarch wants to see him? Aren't you afraid of attracting wolves into your house with such an ambitious person?"

"Da Sima's words are serious! Confucius is a well-known Zhou Li sage, how can he be compared with wolves!" Seeing that the monarch was angry, Sima Huan forced himself to put on a smile and said, "I'm just making an analogy. I know that the monarch has always respected the virtuous and the talented. The monarch must want to see him and appoint him. Let's have a look. For example, Confucius is really a sage in the world." , I must recommend him to the monarch, and it will not be too late to appoint him again." "Well, it's up to you." When Sima Huan returned to the mansion, he immediately said to his attendants:

"What are Master and disciple Confucius doing?" "My lord, it's not good. Confucius criticized you, saying that you are only 30 years old, and you are dealing with funeral affairs, that you are extremely decadent and extravagant, that you don't care about the people, and that you should rot when you die!" Sima Huan was furious when he heard this: "What a Confucius, I had expected that he had bad intentions, so I must give him some color." "Then... Your Excellency is going to kill him?" "You step back first, I have my own idea."

"yes." Near the residence where Confucius lived, there was a big broad-leaved tree at the intersection of the street, with a pavilion and canopy as a shade. They spread mats and tables under the tree, and gave lectures and rituals under the tree every day.Many people from the Song Dynasty also came to attend the lecture.People on the street came to stand and watch when they heard the sound of reading aloud. Two middle-aged men were talking in a low voice: "The person who gave the lecture was Kong Qiu, who is famous all over the world." "No wonder so many people came to listen."

"It is said that he highly respects benevolent government. It is a pity that the monarch does not reuse him." "Keep your voice down, I want to hear what he has to say." Seeing that more and more people came to listen to the lecture, Confucius raised his voice: "If a person doesn't have a heart of benevolence, what's the point of saluting? Similarly, if a person doesn't have a heart of benevolence, what's the value of having fun?" Confucius paused, and then continued: "So the real ritual should be a ritual with a heart of benevolence, not a ritual that is superficial, because it is just a hypocritical ritual."

Those who stood behind and listened to the lecture commented: "It's reasonable to say that if people don't show courtesy, they don't have the most basic virtue." At this time, a luxuriously dressed young man listened, squeezed forward, and knelt down to Confucius: "Master, great sage, please accept my disciple's respect. My disciple's name is Sima Geng, and his name is Ziniu. I heard that the master is very knowledgeable, respects the rites and the virtuous, and has admired him for a long time. It is really a blessing to see you today." Confucius quickly helped him up and said, "Young master, please get up quickly." Sima Geng said: "I have listened to the master's lectures for many days, and I deeply feel that the principles are superb and the way is bright. I also want to worship the master as a teacher and study with the teacher. Please accept me as a student." Go down, bow your head and fall to the ground... Confucius quickly helped him up with both hands and said, "Young master, please get up quickly, the teacher will accept you as a disciple." Sima Geng hurriedly bowed again: "The disciple thanked the teacher." On this day, Sima Huanqi changed into micro-clothes, stood among the crowd listening to the lecture, and brought nearly a hundred servants in plain clothes to surround the lecture hall of Confucius, master and apprentice. At this time, Confucius was talking about the relationship between the monarch and his ministers: "If a country can be governed well, then the monarch must be like the monarch, and the ministers must be like the ministers. If the ministers surpass the monarch and usurp the monarch's power, then the country will inevitably be chaotic..." The two listeners beside him whispered: "Isn't Sima Huanji just a minister and usurper?" "Shh, keep your voice down." Sima Huan was furious when he heard this, so he signaled to the attendants beside him, and immediately, a dozen strong men rushed to the platform and chopped down the big tree with their knives. When Confucius saw it, he stepped forward and asked, "Who are you? Such a beautiful tree is just for passers-by to enjoy the shade. Why do you want to cut it down?" "We cut it under the order of Sima Huan, and you have nothing to do with it." "Sima Huan? He really won't tolerate our master and apprentice!" Zilu yelled, "Don't cut it, our teacher is going to give lectures here." "Go away, this is Song State, if you want to give a lecture, go to your Lu State to give lectures." "Zhong You, ignore them, we will teach our class." Confucius still gave lectures calmly. Sima Geng also came out to stop him: "Don't cut down the tree!" The servants ignored him and still chopped off with their axes. Sima Geng rushed to Sima Huan and said, "Brother, how can you do this, Confucius is a great sage!" "Go away, none of your business." "Brother, if you want to hurt Confucius again, I will not recognize you as an elder brother." "Pull him away." Sima Huan's servants cut down the big tree. Seeing that Confucius still refused to leave, Sima Huan sent another hundred servants to surround the Confucius lecture hall. The common people were frightened and dispersed. Only a dozen or so disciples still sat upright and listened to the lecture. Confucius didn't change his expression in the face of the vicious servant, and continued to give lectures. Zilu and Gongliangru held knives and axes and stood on the left and right of Confucius. Yan Hui sat in the middle of the front row, watching Confucius face the fierce provocateur without changing his expression, admiration spontaneously arose.He said a thousand times in his heart: Teacher, you are too great. It was getting dark, and Sima Huan's villains not only did not retreat, but also increased a lot of people. They stood staring at Confucius and his disciples. The leader of the villains said fiercely: "Go back to your country of Lu, or I will kill you!" Zigong said, "Teacher, let's go quickly!" Confucius said frankly: "God entrusted me with the mission of spreading virtue, what can Sima Huanfu do to me?" Zigong walked over and said, "Teacher, a good man doesn't suffer from immediate losses. Students, let's surround the teacher in the middle of the night, change our clothes, and run away quickly." Gong Liangru also said: "Yes, I think these people are not kind, let's protect the teacher from danger." Zigong said again: "After we rushed out, Tianming gathered at the gate of Chen Guoxin Zhengcheng." Zilu took off his clothes and said, "Teacher, let's change clothes." Zigong hurriedly said, "Yes, teacher, quickly take off your clothes." So Confucius and Zilu switched clothes. Zilu swung his knife to clear the way. Sima Geng waved his knife and shouted: "Whoever dares to hurt my teacher, I will kill his whole family!" Sima Huan's minions saw that Confucius and his disciples had fled, so they didn't go after him, but went back to report to Sima Huan.