Chapter 31 Twenty-eight, wandering homesick

Qi Guan, you must be busy at this moment, you are too tired, Confucius seems to have seen his wife, Qi Guan, whose hair has turned white, still sewing shoe uppers under the lamp... Mrs. Qi Guan, who is over sixty years old, is getting worse every day. This evening, she leaned on the window and looked at the juniper tree in the courtyard... Ah, the size of the tree is how long the relationship between her and her husband is... This is the tree that the couple planted together when they first got married. This juniper tree has been with her for most of her life.Looking at the tall and graceful trees, the past is vivid in my memory...

After the wedding, the husband hugged her in front of the window, pointed to the tree and said: "Look at the leaves on the trees we planted." Under the moon, snuggle up to my husband and watch the moon under the tree... In summer, her husband reads a book under the tree, and she spins beside him. In winter, they leaned against the window and watched, the boiling goose feather and heavy snow fell on the cypress trees. After having a cute little carp, the couple often sit under the tree to play with the children. At this time, Mrs. Qi Guan looked at the tree and sighed: "Oh, my husband has been away from home for more than ten years, the tree has grown gracefully, and I am also old, but I still haven't seen my husband come back. It's getting worse and worse, I don't know if I can survive until he comes back..."

Ji Huanzi couldn't get sick because of his excessive lust. He suddenly recovered today, so he called his son Ji Kangzi to the bed and had something to say. Looking at his dark and skinny father, Ji Kangzi knelt down and wept. Ji Huanzi panted and said: "Why cry... It's useless to cry. You...your father has been prime minister for many years, assisted...assistant Lu Jun, and governing the country is really an act of glory. You...you should be proud, what are you doing?" Good to cry." Ji Zi stopped crying and asked, "What does father want to tell his son?" Ji Huanzi panted again and said the last sentence:

"Our country of Lu... could have been prosperous and strong, but it was because I didn't use Confucius again and forced him away, so that it couldn't be revitalized, so it fell to this point..." As Ji Huanzi was talking, he couldn't catch his breath, so he had to stop to catch his breath. The son brought the medicine cup to his father, Ji Huanzi's face had turned gray, he shook his head, and struggled to finish speaking intermittently: "I can't do it... ...After I die, you must assist the monarch well, and you must also recall Confucius." "Father, the child has forgotten."

After Ji Huanzi's death, Ji Kangzi became Prime Minister and planned to recall Confucius.At the early court that day, Ji Kangzi reported: "Your Majesty, all the ministers, my father left a will on his deathbed, saying that he must call Confucius back, entrust him with a heavy responsibility, and report it to the Monarch." Lu Jun nodded and said: "Confucius is a sage in today's world. How can we let him be exiled in the country of Lu? He should have been called back long ago." As soon as Lu Jun finished speaking, the doctor Gong Zhiyu came out to object: "When Lu Dinggong was alive, he used Confucius, but he couldn't have a beginning and an end, so he was ridiculed by the princes. Now, if you use Confucius again, can you guarantee the consistency?"

Ji Kangzi said, "Then, what should we do?" Gong Zhiyu said: "According to the old minister's opinion, it is better to use Confucius' disciples first. Even if there is something wrong in the future, it will not hurt Confucius." Lu Jun said: "This is reasonable, but who should I use?" Gong Zhiyu said, "I think I should invite Ran Qiu. To invite a disciple of Confucius is to invite Confucius, isn't it?" Lu Jun agreed: "Okay, I will do as you said." One day, Confucius and his disciples were practicing swords by the river, Zilu was the instructor, Confucius was sitting under a tree reading bamboo slips, and Yan Hui was not feeling well, so he also sat next to Confucius to read.

Folk songs came from not far away. Confucius and the others looked at the river and saw a small boat rowing over. There was a man singing on the boat.As the raft approached, he saw a man with a black beard and long hair on his shoulders. He was dressed in bamboo shoot clothes and a bamboo hat, with proud eyes and a fairy-like appearance. Seeing Confucius and his disciples studying and practicing swords, he shook his head and sang: The singing was chic and melodious, Confucius raised his head and stood up, walked over and cupped his hands and said, "Sir, I don't know where you came from, where are you going?"

The man also cupped his hands and said, "I don't know where I came from, and I don't know where I'm going, I just go with the wind and drift with the water." He looked at Confucius and his disciples, smiled, and said: "Let's go..." He floated away with a pole. Confucius still wanted to talk to him, but the man's boat had already sailed down the river, and his chic and carefree singing was heard not far away... Confucius looked a little dazed. Ran Yong asked, "Master, who is that man?" "A hermit." "Hermit? Why did he hide?"

Confucius said: "The state of Chu is famous for its many hermits. As for why they hide, I think most of them are world-weary! Because they are world-weary, they can only stay away from the world and put their love on the mountains and rivers." "Will the teacher be a hermit?" Ran Qiu asked. Confucius smiled lightly: "I was born with a life of toil, so I only have a life of running around. I am afraid I will never have the life of a hermit." Confucius said again: "Most hermits are madmen, but madmen are not necessarily hermits. Qin Zhang is very wild, but he is not a hermit." After speaking, he stared into the distance and sighed...

After hearing this, Yan Hui asked, "Is the teacher missing Qin Zhang and the others?" "Yeah, I miss the disciples who stayed at home very much!" While the masters and apprentices were talking, they suddenly heard Zaiyu, who was on duty at home cooking, shouting from a distance: "Teacher, do you see who is coming?" Confucius and his disciples immediately turned their heads and saw Zeng Xi trotting over. They greeted him happily while shouting "Zeng Xi". "Father..." Zeng Shen called happily. "Teacher, I haven't seen you for a long time. How is the teacher..." Zeng Xi knelt down to Confucius with tears in his eyes, and was supported by Confucius with both hands.

"Zeng Xi, get up quickly, how did you get here?" "Teacher, I was sent by the monarch and Ji Xiangguo to ask Ran Qiu to go back and serve." "Ran Qiu? Good, good! If you learn well, you will become an official. My students can finally return to China to serve." Confucius’ mood at this time was contradictory. He was happy for Ran Qiu, but at the same time he was sad for himself. Alas, he has been wandering abroad for more than ten years, and his political ambitions have never been fully realized. Now the king uses my disciple instead of me. It can be seen that I think I am old.Alas, I am old after all... "Ran Qiu, you are ready to go to the post, the opportunity is not lost, the time will never come, you can serve the country, and it is also the glory of our Confucianism!" Ran Qiu said: "Yes, teacher, but the disciple has followed the teacher for so many years, and I really can't bear to leave the teacher." Confucius said affectionately: "I still have so many disciples accompanying me, so you can go there with confidence. This time, you will definitely be of great use." "is teacher." Zeng Xi distributed the things he brought from his hometown to everyone one by one. "Teacher, here are the cotton waistcoat, cloth shoes, and bacon that Mrs. Qi Guan brought to you." "Yan Hui, these are the clothes your father asked me to bring you." "Jaiyu, these are the shoes your family brought you, Bacon." In the evening, everyone sat around to eat. The delicious home-made bacon was steamed and cut into two large bowls. Rice wine and some stir-fried vegetables were placed on the table. Confucius and Ye Gong sat at the top, and Zeng Xi sat beside Confucius.Confucius held up his wine glass and said, "Come, come, let us all raise our glasses to congratulate Ran Qiu on becoming an official." Everyone drank happily. Ran Qiu also raised his glass: "Thank you teacher for teaching me with this glass of wine, I wish you good health and no disasters." After Confucius said "thank you", he picked up the wine glass and drank it down. Confucius picked up the sprinkle cup again and said to Ye Gong: "Ye Gong, thank you for taking care of us with this glass of wine, and you will live a long life." "Okay, thank you, thank you." Ye Gong leaned his neck and drank all the wine, then turned the empty wine bottle upside down for everyone to see, poured a bottle of wine himself, raised his head high, and said, "I wish my master and everyone the best of this glass of wine." You are in good health." Then he drank it down, poured another bottle of wine, and said to Ran Qiu: "I wish you all the best." "Thank you Ye Gong." Ran Qiu drank it down. "Come, come, eat vegetables, eat vegetables." Confucius said as he put two pieces of bacon into Ye Gong's bowl, and said, "Ye Lao, this is the hometown bacon brought by Zeng Xi, try it, it is delicious. "As he spoke, he filled Ye Gong's wine bottle again. "Fragrant, fragrant meat." Ye Gong praised. "Let Zigong send you two in a while." "Ah, no, no, just keep it for yourselves!" "we still have." "Everyone eat, don't be polite." Confucius said to Zeng Jiu and his disciples. Confucius turned his head and asked Zeng Xi, "What is the current political situation in the State of Lu?" Zeng Xi replied, "After Ji Huanzi died, Ji Kangzi became Prime Minister, Duke Ai of Lu still has to listen to him." Confucius sighed: "It seems that the situation of Lu Guochen's usurping the emperor is deeply ingrained and it is difficult to change. Alas, restoring Zhou rituals is not easy!" Seeing that Confucius was sad, Yan Hui interjected, "Teacher, the food is getting cold, let's eat." "Delicious." Everyone ate until the moon came out of Dongshan before dispersing. At night, a bright moon hangs high outside the window, and an oil lamp flickers inside the window. In Confucius' dormitory, Zeng Xi and Kong Yu sat on the mat and had a heart-to-heart conversation.Zeng Shen sat beside his father. "Teacher, is Shen'er obedient? Are you studying well?" Confucius smiled at Zeng Shen and said: "Zeng Shen is not only obedient, but also very sensible, and he is also a good learner, but he doesn't like to talk." Zeng Shen smiled shyly. Xi said, "He didn't like to joke since he was a child, and his temperament is exactly the opposite of mine." "How is Qi Guan now?" Confucius asked. "Teacher, my wife is much older than before. She misses you very much. She wants me to tell you to keep warm and take care of yourself." "Oh, she is too tired after I have been away for so many years." Confucius sighed. "How is Bo Yu?" "Since the teacher left, Bo Yu has taken on the burden of the apricot altar and the family. In the past few years, he has really worked hard." "Oh, yes, Boyu must be very hardworking. I miss them very much! Where is my little grandson?" "Oh, little Kong Ji has grown into a half-grown boy, but he is smart and eager to learn." "Oh, how I miss him!" "Teacher, everyone is looking forward to your return to China soon. Many people are waiting to worship you as their teacher." Confucius felt great grief when he heard this, and his eye sockets felt wet. "Yes, the apricot altar will continue to run, and it will continue to run!" Confucius shouted from the bottom of his heart. "Zeng Xi, you are my first student. Let me ask you, is there something wrong with me? Otherwise, why haven't I been reused after wandering for more than ten years?" "Teacher, I can't blame you for this. The teacher has great ambitions, but those monarchs have no ambitions, so why would they use you?" "Ah, born at the wrong time!" Confucius sighed. "Teacher, go back and run the school. I'm afraid it won't work in a few years." "Niaozhihui, I should go back." "It's getting late, it's time for the teacher to rest, and the students are leaving." "Ok!" After Zeng Xi left the house, Confucius was holding the padded vest and shoes Mrs. Qi Guan sewed for him, with mixed feelings... Qi Guan!It’s been more than ten years, you’ve worked hard, I heard from Zeng Xi that you are much older, alas, I am also much older, with gray hair, life is short, Qi Guan, I miss home, miss you, miss Son, miss grandson... The moonlight outside the window came in and shone on Confucius' couch. Confucius tossed and turned on the bed and couldn't fall asleep. The scenes of parting from his beloved wife more than ten years ago came to mind again... The next day was about to leave, Confucius Zhang Luowan returned to the bedroom, saw Qi Guan still sitting under the lamp making cloth shoes for him.Confucius walked slowly behind her, put his hands on her shoulders, and said: "It's late at night, let's rest, we have to get up at dawn." "You go to bed first, there is still one shoe that is not sewn!" He said: "Your feet are so big, and the shoes you bought don't fit well. If you don't make them well, how can you go on the road?" Confucius turned over and woke up, and saw that Qi Guan was still sewing shoe uppers under the oil lamp... Qi Guan, you must be busy at this moment, you are too tired, Confucius seems to have seen Qi Guan who has turned white hair still sewing shoe uppers under the lamp... Ran Qiu and Zeng Zhe were about to set off, and Confucius and his disciples sent them out of the city gate. "Ran Qiu," Confucius exhorted, holding Ran Qiu's hand, "this is a good opportunity for you to become an official, and it is also an opportunity for you to serve the country. You must be brave and resourceful." "Teacher, don't worry, teacher, please come back." Ran Qiu bid farewell to all the brothers and sisters. Confucius said to Zeng Xi again, "Tell my teacher that I'm going home soon, so she won't be too tired." "Okay, teacher." Zeng Xi walked over and stroked Zeng Shen's head and said, "Shen'er, father has returned, so you can learn from the teacher." Zeng Shen said, "Father, don't worry." Confucius, mentor and apprentice, kept watching until he couldn't find the car before turning back.