"Taotie…"

Dong Yuefeng adjusted his glasses. In ancient times, the characters *taotie* could also represent the annual rings of a felled tree. Therefore, the ancient State of Chu used these two characters to represent its historical records. The style of ancient Chu was intense and uninhibited, different from the Central Plains, and was once rejected by the Central Plains as barbaric.

Therefore, they also laughed wildly, boasting and priding themselves on the ferocity of *taotie*.

The land of Chu was originally passionate.

It was just that when these scrolls were combined, faint wisps of strange energy emerged.

It seemed to want to transform into a physical form, to invade the old man's soul through his five sense organs and seven orifices.

At this moment, in the living room, Bai Ze snored like thunder.

He forcibly shattered this energy into powder.

Bai Ze – understood the emotions of all things, knew the affairs of ghosts and gods.

He also had another natural ability to ward off all evil in the world.

Tiger head, dragon body, single horn, white and long hair.

As the *Old Book of Tang, Treatise on the Five Elements* said: A Bai Ze pillow to ward off evil.

Bai Ze pillows had always been a top-quality product for warding off evil since ancient times, and were quite popular.

Although in most cases.

It was confused with Bai Ze's cousin, the Pixiu (a mythical wild beast) with a lion's head, single horn, and wings.

If you couldn't get Bai Ze's fur, you could only go and get Pixiu's.

Of course, Bai Ze also had this kind of innate divine power, but he usually hung out with Xuanyuan (the Yellow Emperor), so this kind of innate ability was completely useless, and he had long been raised as a good-for-nothing by Xuanyuan. It was only when he was sleeping that he would naturally radiate it.

To ward off evil, what kind of evil would have to pass through the protection of Feng Hou, Xuan Nu, Li Mu, and Chang Xian, and be so bold and madly arrogant as to dare to possess Xuanyuan? If any evil spirit did this, Wei Yuan would have to give it a thumbs up, and even Chi You would have to offer incense to it.

It was just that Bai Ze's thunderous snoring just happened to shatter the evil energy on the *taotie* scroll.

Then he unconsciously swallowed it directly.

The old man only felt that the snoring was getting louder and louder. Helpless, he had to close the door first. Seeing Bai Ze sprawled on the sofa, he put a quilt on him and turned on the air conditioner before going back, feeling helpless in his heart, and then continued to integrate the scrolls.

This was the history of the ancient State of Chu during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.

It was just that the people of Chu were arrogant and romantic, and the history they wrote was also quite casual, writing wherever they thought of. It was not like the annalistic style of Master Kong, or rather, Master Kong, who was the first to create the method of recording history in the annalistic style in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, was himself an outlier.

When he was sorting out a scroll, he suddenly showed a slight surprise and muttered to himself, "This is..."

"Master Kong traveled to the State of Chu and saw a ragged young man, and took him as a disciple."

"Master Kong loved him dearly, and he had an intimate relationship with Zilu, but he did not like Duanmu Ci..."

"He saw a madman of Chu, who sang and walked..."

Dong Yuefeng was surprised: "Master Kong's disciple? Charioteer... Strange, this person is not written in other histories." He paused before suddenly realizing that the earliest historical books were almost the *Spring and Autumn Annals* and the *Zuo Zhuan*, and Master Kong would not have written his own disciple into the *Spring and Autumn Annals*.

Then, that is to say, this disciple was not included in the *Analects*, and did not serve the feudal lords.

He may not even be good at things like rites, books, changes, and poems.

So, that's why he didn't make it into history?

Only in this way can it be explained why the disciple recorded in *Taotie*, who was Master Kong's charioteer, loved and cherished by him, would disappear from history. After all, the disciples who would be considered to be liked by Master Kong are one Zilu, and the other is Ziyuan, that is, Yan Yuan.

Where did this guy come from?

Was this article recorded by the madman of Chu?

That's not right, didn't that guy mock Master Kong?

Why did he later learn from Master Kong to record history instead?

The old man curiously searched for other historical materials.

In the end, even the *Book of Rites* was dug out. Here, the *Book of Rites* is actually the finalized version of the essays written by Master Kong's disciples during the Spring and Autumn Period. *Li* is the rites of Zhou, and *Ji* is an explanatory essay. Therefore, the explanation of the two characters *Li Ji* should be, a combined version of explanatory essays surrounding the rites of Zhou.

Among them, the *Ji* collected by King Xian of Hejian were all passed down by Master Kong's disciples.

There were a total of two hundred and forty articles.

However, some of the things written by some guys were unbearable to read, and the quality was ridiculously low.

If a full score is one hundred points, then it is probably the essay of the unlucky guy who came in last that was left behind, as a typical example to teach future generations, for example, you kid, what did you write? Look, look, you are not even as good as your Uncle Moumou!

Or, you are already pretty good, much better than your uncle. The teacher is very pleased.

Back then, that kid was...

In this kind of academic atmosphere, there is always such a role to encourage everyone.

Looking around, if you can't find it, you can take out a mirror and take a look.

So, after streamlining, it became eighty-five articles of *Da Dai Li Ji* and forty-nine articles of *Xiao Dai Li Ji*, each with its own statements, including the compiler's extended and modified parts, which are the selected versions of Kong Men's essays, completed by the then Confucian scholars, the uncle and nephew of the Jiujiang Prefect.

As for the end?

Of course, the version with the fewest articles was left behind!

It fully shows that not wanting to recite books and not wanting to recite papers is a common trait of all students from ancient times to the present.

Exam materials, exam focus, the less the better!

A three-year-old child knows which one to choose between two hundred and forty articles and forty-nine articles.

This led to the final two hundred and forty articles, including the homework of someone, someone, and some god general, which were reluctantly and politely evaluated as 'uneven in quality' and were used as toilet paper and left in the garbage heap of history. Thirty-nine articles of the eighty-five-article version were lost during the Tang Dynasty, serving the great task of teaching a certain swordsman to read.

The forty-nine articles are left to the present.

And by the time everyone wants to abandon the forty-nine articles and re-select fewer articles, it is too late.

Dong Yuefeng, adhering to the characteristics of a historian who is called a group annihilation engine in the game, traced to the root and asked the end, and turned out various historical materials. Even Dai Sheng, who is the author of the current version of the *Book of Rites*, was not respected as a saint, but his name was just called that.

Probably his father felt that his son would never become a saint.

So, he directly named his son Sheng.

In this way, the other party calling his son is like calling Confucius with the same honorific title.

His title also became 'Dai Sheng's father'.

Look, how much face, he got a 'saint' character for free.

This is a great victory from the father.

And Dong Yuefeng flipped through Dai Sheng's writing notes and saw a note among them - probably meaning.

In the first year of the Five Phoenixes, I found a '*Ji*' from the classics, but I don't know the author's name. What it says is quite strange. It was approved by Master Kong on the first page and listed at the highest level, but the style of writing is different from the rest of the sages. I searched all seventy-two virtuous sons, but none of them matched. I am worried that if it is placed among the three thousand disciples, it will be looked down upon by others.

Therefore, it is far-fetched and falsely claimed to be what Master Kong said.

Future generations must not ignore it.

He was surprised and opened this article, which Dai Sheng left behind even by far-fetchedly attaching it to Master Kong - *Book of Rites...*

…………………

Spring and Autumn Period.

"Thank you for your guidance, teacher. This disciple will take his leave first."

In the place where Master Kong once taught his disciples, a young Confucian scholar listened to his teacher's explanation. After a moment of silence, he nodded, stood up, respectfully bowed, and then wanted to leave. At this time, his teacher suddenly called him to stop. After thinking for a while, he turned around and took out a pile of carefully protected bamboo slips from the cabinet.

He handed it to the young man.

"If you still have confusion, you can take a look at these."

"This..."

The young man was puzzled, but he still took the bamboo slips given by his teacher with both hands, bowed again, and retreated.

The teacher watched his disciple go away and suddenly ridiculed himself: "So it has been so long."

"So long that even I am called Master Kong."

He was Fan Chi, Zi Chi, the only student who asked his teacher how to farm. After Master Kong passed away, all the countries in the world threw olive branches to Master Kong's disciples. Some became high officials, some became guest officials of large clans, and some became teachers of a country's monarch. But Fan Chi, who had led the left division of the State of Lu and crushed the powerful army of the State of Qi, stayed behind.

He declined the invitation and inherited Master Kong's private school.

"It is precisely because my talent is too low that I can inherit the style of teaching without discrimination."

A woman looked at him and said, "That child came to ask again?"

Fan Chi smiled wryly and nodded, sighing, "Unfortunately, I am not Master Kong after all, and I have no way to answer that child's confusion."

His wife smiled and said, "You are already a great sage in the world."

The once honest and silent young man now had a dignified and steady demeanor of a gentleman. Hearing this, he ridiculed himself and smiled, "What's the use? If Zilu was here, if Hui was here, or even Yuan was here, they would not encounter such a problem."

"They are like arrows piercing through the troubled times, and they are straight and unwavering in their own path, unlike me."

Fan Chi, who had already become known as Master Kong, ridiculed himself:

"I once asked Master Kong three times, what is benevolence and what is knowledge? Each time, I got different answers because my realm was different, but I can't even answer that child's question."

"Master Kong said that the benevolent love others."

"When I was anxious and painful, he said that the benevolent are the first to be difficult and then gain, which can be called benevolence."

"Finally, he told me that being respectful in dwelling, being respectful in handling affairs, and being loyal to others is benevolence."

The woman pursed her lips and smiled and said, "Loyal to the king?"

"No, loyal to yourself."

Fan Chi said, "If you want to establish yourself, you must establish others; if you want to achieve yourself, you must help others achieve themselves. This is loyalty."

"Do not impose on others what you do not want others to do to you is forgiveness. The way of loyalty and forgiveness is benevolence."

He replied in a deep voice, and finally smiled bitterly: "Master Kong can answer our questions according to our state, but I can't even answer a child's question. He asked me about benevolence, so I had to finally tell him that the benevolent love others."

Fan Chi repeatedly sighed and had a headache when he mentioned this student. Even though he was already a Master Kong famous in various countries, he was still like a shy and talkative peasant boy in front of his wife, saying, "Master Kong's teaching is to teach students according to their aptitude. When Ah Hui asked about benevolence, Master Kong told him to restrain himself and return to propriety. Only Yan Hui can do this. It is in line with his nature."

"If others do it, for example, if Zilu wants to learn this, it is equivalent to putting a saddle on a tiger."

"He would have to hit the wall in anger."

"So, restraining oneself and returning to propriety cannot be popularized. What Master Kong said is Hui's path, not the path of all beings."

"For example, when Zilu asked about benevolence, Master Kong said that being firm, resolute, simple, and cautious is close to benevolence."

"That is, teacher, I don't ask you to do anything. If you can guarantee firmness and resolution, and at the same time, not be so sensitive and easily explode, and say a few less words, then you are close to benevolence. Zilu, his nature is originally brave, but sometimes he is too brave; and Zi Zhang, his temperament is extreme, so the teacher told him that being respectful, tolerant, trustworthy, diligent, and kind, if he can do these five points, then he is benevolent."

When mentioning his fellow disciples, there was light in Fan Chi's eyes, and then it dimmed.

"Only Master Kong can guide him."

"But Master Kong is no longer here. I can only achieve teaching without discrimination, but I cannot teach students according to their aptitude."

"Among us, those who most abide by the path have all left."

"Yan Hui, content with poverty and happy in the Way, did not serve the feudal lords, Zilu... he really did it, there is the matter of sacrificing one's life to achieve benevolence, a gentleman dies with his clothes and hat properly arranged..., and him..."

The woman next to him saw her husband's compassionate expression and said, "What did you give that child just now?"

Fan Chi exhaled and said, "It's my junior brother's manuscript."

"The disciples didn't know how many times they took the big exam that year. This was the only time he wasn't at the bottom, and it was the only time he was considered worthy of the Dao by Master Kong, when he could stand shoulder to shoulder with Yan Yuan and Zilu... Perhaps, it will be useful to that child."

The young Confucian scholar, with a slightly thin face but bright eyes, returned to his residence.

He breathed a sigh of relief, stretched his body, lay on the bed, and his whole person was lazy and relaxed. Looking at the blue sky and birds outside, he was absent-minded, and finally murmured, "Is what I think really wrong?"

"Geese, geese, when will I be able to know my direction like you?"

"Coming from the south and going to the north, without making mistakes?"

This young man, with sorrow in his heart and surging thoughts, waited until it was dark outside.

His stomach was growling with hunger before he remembered to get up and look at the bamboo slips given by his teacher, while reading and nibbling on dry food. He unfolded the bamboo slips, but after only a few glances, his movements suddenly froze. And in later generations, under the dim light, the old man also identified these lines of words, muttering in a low voice:

*Book of Rites - Confucian Conduct*

"A Confucian does not value gold and jade, but regards loyalty and trustworthiness as treasures..."

"A Confucian can be close to but cannot be coerced! He can be approached but cannot be forced! He can be killed but cannot be humiliated!"

"A Confucian uses loyalty and trustworthiness as armor, and propriety and righteousness as shields!"

"A Confucian does not serve the Son of Heaven above, nor does he serve the feudal lords below!"

"A Confucian does not fall into poverty and humbleness. He does not yield to wealth and honor, does not disturb the monarch, does not burden his superiors, and does not worry the officials..."

The old man muttered, and more than two thousand years ago, the young Confucian scholar's eyes grew wider and wider, and his body trembled.

In the end, the whisper that spanned the years seemed to be the light in the eyes of the already old Master Kong when he saw his disciple say such majestic words - at that time, the dark-skinned boy holding the bamboo slips had a light that was inherited in the same line. Master Kong died, but that light had not been extinguished, it had been left in his eyes through words.

His voice grew louder and louder, his energy and blood became more and more surging, and his thoughts became clearer and clearer. Until the end, he shouted out the last paragraph of words.

"Therefore, it is said, a Confucian Warrior!" (*ruxia*)

The boy holding the bamboo slips forgot to eat his dry food, and was stunned as if he had suddenly realized something.

In the past, the aged Master Kong looked at the upright disciple who said these words, as if he had seen the most brilliant treasure in the world, and laughed heartily as never before, saying, "Then, let me ask you, when will you release your arrogance and talent that does not serve the Son of Heaven or the feudal lords?"

The young charioteer was rarely the first among his fellow disciples, and was complacent, holding a whip in his hand.

He said majestically: "If there is someone who unifies the mountains and rivers, we will naturally help him."

And in the Spring and Autumn Period, the dark-skinned boy held the bamboo slips with a yellowish color, stunned and lost in thought, finally murmuring those words, can be killed but not humiliated, does not seek wealth and honor, does not serve the Son of Heaven, until the words of his teacher came to his ears: "Di! Di!"

"Mo Di! Are you alright?!"

Until he shouted a word, the dark-skinned boy came back to his senses, saw his teacher's worried gaze, and said in a low voice: "I'm alright, teacher..." He shook his head, still feeling surging in his heart, as if something that he had been thinking hard about was finally about to burst forth, as if using the stones of other mountains to polish jade, and the road ahead was already smooth.

The honest and quiet Master Kong Fan Chi stroked his head, sighing in a low voice:

"I still can't teach you well, I can't answer your confusion."

The dark-skinned boy shook his head vigorously.

The hand holding the bamboo slips became more forceful. They walked out of here together, walking farther and farther towards the light. In the end, that Master Kong Fan Chi really couldn't teach the dark-skinned boy anymore. He sighed that I was no longer your teacher, and let the boy return to the world. And the boy also opposed Confucianism and reopened a new path.

But ah, the young Fan Chi once asked Master Kong, what is benevolence?

Master Kong told him that love is benevolence.

Therefore -

*Mozi - Explanation of Classics*: Benevolence, is loving others!

The cultural lineage will not be cut off.

Outside the window, cars drove along the road, and the wind blew through the mortal world.

The modern old man flipped through the original records from his notes, saw the records of that scroll of '*Ji*', and gently recited the real person who wrote this passage, who was also the only text left by that disciple who served as Master Kong's charioteer and received teaching, like the bamboo of Nanshan, and whispered:

"Yuan..."

ps: Today's second update... four thousand eight hundred words,

In fact, I plan to compare the remaining parts of the memories and reality to feel the sense of reality and connection in the historical gaps. This is a real passage in the *Book of Rites*. In my opinion, it may also be the difference between the ancient Confucian disciples and the later Confucian disciples.

It is hard to imagine that there were once Confucians who could say, 'Do not serve the Son of Heaven above, nor do they serve the feudal lords below.'

How could it become that Confucian who, after learning literary and martial arts, sold his goods to the emperor's family.

In addition, how did you guess so much? Damn it. (Attached picture of a cat holding a wrench, supporting a car, and smoking) Added a third update... look at the state, take a breath. Hold tea, pour tea, change the tea to Red Bull, drink Red Bull, exhale, stack Buffs.