A thousand-year-old family that began with the Battle of Makino

Chapter 55 Confucius determined to study
In the fifth year of Duke Zhao of Lu, the two hundred and thirty-fourth year of the Bai Kingdom
Confucius was fifteen years old.

"Confucius, there is a funeral in Nancheng. Let's go play the yu together and get some dried meat. Let's go together!" Confucius' friends invited him to join them.

Just when Confucius was about to leave, Yan's mother came out and said to Confucius' friends: "Confucius is not going today, you can go on your own!"

The friends looked at Confucius, and Confucius could only say: "You go ahead, I will join you next time!"

"Okay! Let's go first, let's go!"

Confucius looked at his friends who were walking away, then looked at Yan's mother in confusion and asked, "Why don't you let me earn dried meat?"

Yan's mother looked at Confucius and said, "Have you always wanted to be a Yu player for the rest of your life?"

Confucius replied: "Qiu'er just wants to share the pressure for my mother. You are too tired to study for Qiu'er. How can this make me feel at ease? Please allow me to share the burden for you." After that, he knelt down. Got off.

Looking at the sensible Kong Qiu, Yan's mother couldn't help but blushing and said, "Qiu'er, do you still remember Mr. Fang Xiang?"

"Of course, Qiu'er never dares to forget Master's teachings."

"It's been two years since Mr. Fang left Qufu. Have you forgotten what he taught you?"

"Qiu'er will keep it in mind."

"Then can you do as well now as you did then?"

Confucius said ashamedly: "No."

Mother Yan continued to ask: "Why?"

"Because Qiu'er neglected training, his skills have declined."

"This is why my mother won't let you become a Yu player. A person's head is only so big. Your head is full of Yu players. Is there room for other things?"

Seeing that Confucius was silent, Yan's mother said: "If you don't know how to answer, just go to Master Ran! He will have the answer!" After saying that, he turned and walked into the house. After a while, there was another sound in the house. The sound of the loom "squeak!"

Confucius thought for a while, but still wanted to ask Master Ran.

In the residence of Master Ran, Master Ran came up and Confucius came down. Confucius asked: "Master, I want to earn dried meat to relieve my mother's fatigue. Isn't it right?"

"That's right."

"Then why doesn't my mother allow me to go?"

"Confucius, let me ask you, do you know your mother's true wish?"

Confucius thought for a long time and asked tentatively: "You want me to become a noble?"

Master Ran shook his head and said, "No, do you know who your father is?"

"I asked my mother, but she didn't want to tell me!"

"Confucius, you have been studying here for several years. You are very hardworking and have a very rigorous attitude towards learning. I have nothing to teach you anymore. This proves that you also have a certain ability to judge. Now I can tell you something too.

I am your mother's cousin. Your father's name is Shu Lianghe. He is a doctor in Zouyi of Lu State and a famous general in Lu State. In addition to you and your brother Meng Pi, your father also has nine daughters. . And your mother-in-law is Shu Liang He's concubine. Now the person who controls Zou Yi is Shu Liang He's head wife Shi Shi.

And your mother was kicked out. It was I who brought your mother to Qufu at that time! "

Confucius burst into tears after hearing this, feeling sad that he did not understand the pain his mother had suffered. Master Ran continued: "Since you already know, you should know what your mother wants."

After returning home, Confucius knelt in front of Yan's mother who was weaving, tears streaming down his face. Yan's mother understood what was happening and asked, "Do you know everything?"

Confucius cried and said: "Master Ran has told Qiu'er everything. Mom, don't worry, I will definitely take back Zou Yi for you and prove to the world that I am Shu Liang He's son and you are Shu Liang He's." wife."

After hearing this, Yan's mother slapped Confucius on the face. Confucius was still crying and asked with a look of astonishment on his face: "Mom, why did you hit me?"

"If I don't hit you, who will I hit? I taught you so many principles, and you ended up like this? Take it back? What to take? That wasn't yours in the first place. It was earned by your father. If you have the ability, go and earn it yourself. , don’t think about something that is available or not.”

After Yan's mother finished speaking, she said earnestly: "Qiu'er! Since I left Zouyi, I had no intention of going back, because I believed that my child would definitely make a career with his own abilities. You have to Remember, as long as you don’t earn it yourself, you can’t take it even if it’s a gold mountain. This is ambition!”

After hearing this, Confucius said with shame: "Qiu'er understands, I will never let my mother down!"

Mother Yan nodded happily, and then continued: "At first, Mr. Fang said that you are a piece of rough jade, but it needs to be carefully carved. I think what he said is very reasonable, so you must continue to study. Don't worry, I will take care of everything at home." Woolen cloth!"

Confucius said, "Mom! Master Ran said that he had nothing to teach me anymore and asked me to find someone more knowledgeable for advice. Let me come back and ask you."

"What? Ask me? Where do I know any sages? I..." Before I could finish speaking, I suddenly remembered something, so I immediately got up and walked towards the corner of the room, and then dug out a piece of cloth wrapped in the corner with a rake. s things.

He walked up to Confucius and slowly opened it. A piece of bright white jade appeared in front of Confucius' eyes. Seeing this flawless white jade, Confucius almost became greedy and wanted to take possession of this piece of white jade. But he quickly got it under control,

Swallowing her saliva, she asked Yan's mother: "This is it?" Yan's mother explained: "This is what your husband, Mr. Fang, left behind, just to solve this problem." Then she told Confucius everything Fang Xiang said on the carriage. , Confucius was very moved.

Yan's mother said, "Take this jade immediately and let Master Ran take you to see Taishi."

The residence of Taishi Crucian Carp
"Master, there are two people outside the door. They said they came to visit you on the order of Mr. Fang Xiang."

Taishi Kun, who was looking at the bamboo slips, looked at the concierge in surprise, "What are the details? Do they have any tokens?"

The servant handed over the white jade, and Taishi Crucian said: "Let them come in!" He stood up and prepared to greet them.

After a series of giving and returning gifts, the three of them sat down respectively. Tai Shi looked at Confucius and said, "Why are you so polite at such a young age?"

Confucius said: "These are Master Fangxiang's teachings!"

"Oh? Are you the disciple Kong Qiu who allowed Fang Xiang to stay in Qufu for three years?"

"Exactly!"

Taishi Crucian smiled and said to Master Ran: "I have often heard Fang Xiang say that he found a piece of beautiful jade. It's really good to see it today."

Master Ran said: "Confucius studied day and night, and every assignment I assigned could be completed on time and with quality. After several years of study, I had learned all the knowledge I could teach, and I had nothing to teach. That’s why I came here today hoping that you can accept him.”

"Why don't you go to study Chinese culture?"

"Tai Shi didn't know that Confucius did not have the status of a scholar, so he could not enter. Secondly, Mr. Fang Xiang said that you were knowledgeable, virtuous, and a very good master, so he had the courage to study with you."

Taishi crucian carp thought for a while and said: "I can accept you, but apart from coming to study with me, you can't do anything unrelated to study. Remember, it's anything. Can you do it?"

Confucius was silent for a while and said, "No."

Taishi crucian carp sighed and said: "Since you can't concentrate on your studies, why should you worship me as your teacher? You can go ahead."

After saying that, he made a gesture of seeing off the guests. Master Ran wanted to explain when he saw this, but looking at the expressions of Taishi Crucian Carp and Confucius, he could only sigh and walked out with Confucius. Outside the gate of Taishi's Crucian Mansion, a servant returned the white jade to Confucius and said, "The master of the house said, since this is given to you by Mr. Fang, you should accept it. I will not take away anyone's belongings."

Master Ran looked at Confucius and had no choice but to say, "Go back and talk to your mother!"

After returning home, Yan's mother saw Confucius coming back and asked nervously: "Has Taishi accepted you?"

Confucius shook his head. Seeing this, Yan's mother sighed and said, "If you don't take it, just take it! If we find another master, we won't believe that no master will accept you. You are so smart!"

After hearing this, Confucius knelt on the ground. Mother Yan said: "Qiu'er, don't be discouraged. My mother will definitely help you find your master."

Confucius said: "No, Taishi originally wanted to accept me, but I refused."

"what?"

"Tai Shi said: If I become his disciple, I won't be able to help you. I don't want you to be so tired!"

"you···"

Yan's mother looked at Confucius and was so angry that she couldn't speak. Then she immediately put on the school belt and pulled Confucius back to Taishi's mansion. But Taishi's concierge said: Taishi went out and has not come back yet.

Yan's mother asked, "When will you come back?" The concierge said, "I don't know!"

Confucius couldn't help but said: "Mom, why don't we come next time?"

Yan's mother ignored him and then found a place to squat at the door. Confucius had no choice but to accompany her.

The sun was very hot, and the mother and son stood in the sun like this for half an hour. Confucius couldn't bear it anymore and said to Yan's mother: "Mom, your health is very bad. You'd better go home first! Qiu'er Wait here."

Seeing that his mother was still unmoved, Confucius said: "Don't worry, mom, I already understand my mother's determination. Qiu'er will never go home until he can wait for Taishi and worship Taishi as his teacher."

Seeing Confucius' expression, Yan's mother knew that he was not joking, so she nodded, handed the school bundle in her hand to Confucius, and slowly went home. Confucius continued to squat beside the door of Taishi's mansion and waited.

Soon, the sun was going down, and Confucius was about to fall asleep. At this time, the porter patted Confucius and said, "The master of the house is back and wants you to see him."

There were only two people in the room, Taishi Crucian and Confucius. Taishi Crucian asked: "Since you don't agree with my request, why do you come to ask me for anything?"

Confucius replied: "Before, I just wanted to avoid my mother's physical fatigue, but I did not consider my mother's mental fatigue. Now I understand what my mother wants, so I agree to your request and only hope that You can be my master."

Taishi Crucian looked at Confucius who was bowing down. He also liked this smart and filial boy very much, so he said:
"Okay, I'll accept you, but it's still the same requirement as before. You must not delay any homework I assign you for other things. You are absolutely not allowed to be late or absent from the professor's time, as long as it happens once , please don’t come to me again. Do you understand?"

"Confucius understands."

In this way, Confucius became a disciple of Lu Taishi, and officially began to study poetry, etiquette and the principles of life.

(End of this chapter)