Lu State, Qufu Queli!
When Confucius came back, the students naturally welcomed him with joy.
But Qi Guanchi's weakness cast a layer of worry in the hearts of the students.
"Dad, what's wrong with mom?" Kong Li shouted anxiously.
"It's okay. Mom will recover after taking a rest!" Qi Guanchi touched his son's head.
"Okay, there is a problem. Let's talk about it later. Let your mother rest first! Let's go out and talk about it!" Confucius said in a deep voice.
"Yeah!" Kong Li wiped his tears and nodded sensibly.
"Chi Chi, you can sleep a little longer!" Confucius looked at Qi Guan Chi and said softly.
Qi Guanchi nodded: "Husband, don't worry about me. I'm much better now. I'm awake half the day!"
"I know, I know you are getting better. Now that you are home, you should get better as soon as possible!" Confucius said gently.
Qi Guanchi nodded, and fell asleep again under Confucius's service.
Confucius also called everyone outside the house. Everyone sat on the floor.
The seventy-two disciples all looked at Confucius.
"Uncle Nangong Jing, come and tell everyone everything about this trip to Luoyi and Hangu Pass!" Confucius looked at Uncle Nangong Jing.
Uncle Nangong Jing's expression changed, showing a look of embarrassment.
Confucius went here, but he lost to Laozi. Can this be said? Isn’t this shaking the teacher’s image in everyone’s mind and praising me
"Uncle Nangong Jing, to tell the truth, as a teacher, you don't have this bit of courage. How did I teach you? After hearing it, you should bow down, know your shame and then be brave!" Confucius said calmly.
Uncle Nangong Jing looked at Confucius carefully and found that his face was calm and showed no anger at all, and he felt more and more admiration in his heart.
"Yes!" Uncle Nangong Jing stood up and bowed respectfully.
Then Uncle Nangong Jing told everything that happened along the way. From when he first entered Luoyi, he was made things difficult and looked down upon by Laozi's student Yang Zhu, to when Confucius discussed Taoism with Laozi at Mang Mountain, and the phoenixes sang in the back city, to when Confucius was picked up at Mang Mountain Pass, Confucius vomited blood and fell into a coma, to when he traveled to Qin to save his wife, Then to Hangu Pass, the purple energy comes thirty thousand miles from the east!
Listening to this, all the seventy-two disciples looked horrified. The Three Thousand Miles of Confucius' Avenue is shocking enough. The Thirty Thousand Miles of Laozi's Avenue, no, after the moral roulette is condensed, the Avenue will be three hundred thousand miles. There is a huge difference.
"Is my student great? Yang Zhu, what qualifications do you have to embarrass the teacher!" Zi Lu suddenly glared and said angrily.
The students suddenly became angry.
The teacher went to Luoyi this time. Although Laozi later sent all his students to welcome him, it can be seen from Yang Zhu that at first, Laozi and all his students did not take Confucius seriously. Later, Lao Tzu suddenly opened his mouth to salute Confucius, and all his students had no choice but to respect their teacher and give Confucius enough respect. And this respect does not come from Confucius himself, but from respect for Laozi.
"Uncle Nangong Jing didn't know much about Taoism in Mangshan. Uncle Nangong only saw vomiting blood for his teacher. It's true for his teacher that the Tao at that time was not as good as Lao Tzu!" Confucius said solemnly.
All the students fell silent for a moment and looked at Confucius together.
"In today's world, various theories are constantly rising, and there will soon be a situation where a hundred schools of thought are contending. And I am at Hangu Pass, writing the "Tao Te Ching" in handwriting. You must have heard that I went to the Sifang Pavilion of the State of Qin to preach. I must have also He will be recruiting many disciples, and he will no longer be as picky about students as he was in the past. He will quickly preach to the world. At this moment, many people have gone to learn from Lao Tzu. And you, if you want to leave, I will not embarrass you as a teacher. I wish you success in your studies!" Confucius looked at the seventy-two disciples.
The seventy-two disciples looked at each other, did the teacher let him go
Although the teacher spoke, there could be no lies. But at this moment, no one stood up.
"Teacher, we have entered Confucianism. The teacher taught us etiquette, benevolence, and an unyielding spirit. In this life, we will only focus on Confucianism and follow the teacher. We have no other ideas! I am good at raising my awe-inspiring Righteous!" Zilu stood up and said respectfully.
"I am good at nourishing my awe-inspiring righteousness!" All the students shouted together.
At this moment, no one wanted to leave Confucius, because from Confucius, they saw the pursuit of life, not only the desire for the great road in the past, but now also the persistence of faith and belief. This persistence allows them to remain firm and have no regrets even if they face Lao Tzu's 300,000-mile road!
Seeing the persistence of the students in front of him, Confucius' eyes were slightly moist.
"Okay, okay, okay!" Confucius said movedly.
"Dad, the child will definitely study hard and never let dad down!" Kong Li said firmly from the side.
The seventy-two disciples' insistence on the Dao seemed to have a strong exaggeration power, making Kong Li's blood boil at this moment.
Confucius touched Kong Li's head, nodded and smiled.
"After some time, I want to travel around the world! This tour may take a long time, even decades!" Confucius said solemnly.
"Teacher, students are willing to follow the teacher!" Zilu said immediately.
"I beg you, teacher, to bring your students with you!"
"Teacher, this time, I can't let Uncle Nangong Jing stand in front of beautiful women again. I want to go too!"
"Teacher, you must take me with you!"
… … … …
… … …
… …
Faced with decades of traveling around the world and the asceticism of wandering around, none of the seventy-two disciples even flinched and strongly demanded to follow him.
Confucius looked at the students and was moved: "You think about it for a while, and we will talk about it then!"
"Yes, but I don't have to think about it. As long as the teacher doesn't stop me, I will definitely go!" Zilu said immediately.
All the students expressed their opinions one after another.
Confucius calmly lost to Laozi. This defeat not only did not disappoint the students, but also impressed them with the teacher's broadmindedness.
The seventy-two disciples became more and more firm in their faith in Confucianism.
----------
Confucius was in Qufu Palace, accompanying Qi Guanchi!
After several months of cultivation, Qi Guanchi finally recovered a bit of vitality. However, he could move freely like a mortal, but all his cultivation was gone. If he wanted to practice again, he would get twice the result with half the effort.
"Chichi, I've been traveling around the world. Although your body and bones have healed a lot now, you can't stand the long journey and are even exposed to wind and dew. How about you travel back through time first?" Confucius advised softly.
Qi Guanchi looked at Confucius: "Go back and wait?"
"Yes, because of the wheel of life, the time between the two eras is not equal. If I go back to the future and wait, I will be able to return in three or four months at most! But here, it lasts for many years!" Confucius said distressedly.
Qi Guanchi leaned on Confucius's arms and shook his head: "I am willing to wait in this era, and I want to go back with you!"
"But...!" Confucius said worriedly.
"Kong Li is still young, and he hasn't learned much knowledge yet. You said you won't take Kong Li with you on this trip. If I stay, I can also take care of Kong Li!" Qi Guanchi said softly.
"Kong Li is not young anymore, and he doesn't need your care! Although you look better now, I know that the loss of that day will leave you with the root of the disease and constant pain!" Confucius said worriedly.
Qi Guanchi looked at Confucius and shook his head: "Husband, I know how difficult it is to realize the Tao. It must be extremely hard for you to travel around the world. It may be very satisfying, but it may also be contrary to your wishes. This is a practice and a journey. An ordeal!"
"I… !"
"Listen to me first, husband! I know how difficult your trip is, but I can't help you with anything! The more this happens, the more uncomfortable I feel, so I can't leave!"
"Why?"
"When your husband is traveling around the world, no matter how difficult the moment is, he can be reminded that there is such a person who loves you deeply and is waiting for you to come home!" Qi Guanchi looked at Confucius tenderly.
"Me!" Confucius was suddenly moved.
Although Qi Guanchi did not practice Taoism, he understood from those around him that the hope in people's hearts is the driving force to break through all impossible hardships.
Whenever you encounter difficulties or obstacles that you cannot overcome, there is always hope waiting for you to push you forward. And Qi Guanchi was willing to be the tie and the motivation. Although he lived alone in Qufu, it affected Confucius and made him overcome all difficulties just to go home one day.
"Husband, can I do something for you?" Qi Guanchi said softly.
"Marrying you is my husband's blessing in this life!" Confucius hugged Qi Guanchi tightly.
"Husband!" Qi Guanchi hugged Confucius tenderly.
-------------
After several months of repairs in Qufu Palace, the seventy-two disciples, without hesitation, decided to follow Confucius around the world.
In the end, Confucius decided to bring all but nine of the Golden Crow Princes with him, and take turns waiting in Qufu Palace. They agreed that every certain period of time, they would take turns flying to Confucius's motorcade and deliver family letters to Confucius.
Before leaving, a group of students were waiting.
There was a look of reluctance on Kong Li's face, and his eyes became even more moist: "Dad, I want to go too!"
Confucius gently touched Kong Li's head, smiled slightly and said: "Ziyu won't leave for now, you study hard with Ziyu! After a while, I will ask your senior brother to bring you the test papers, you must study hard. !”
"Woooooooooo!" Kong Li cried very sadly for a while.
Kong Li also understood that after his father left, he didn’t know when he would be able to see him again.
Confucius's eyes were also full of reluctance, but this was not the time to procrastinate. He patted his head gently and handed Kong Li to Ziyu.
Ziyu hugged the crying Kong Li and was about to persuade him softly. Kong Li wiped away his tears himself: "Dad, I must work hard and not let my father down!"
Confucius looked at Kong Li with satisfaction.
Compared to Ji Niannian, Wang Peng, and Long Ji, although Kong Li was not as talented as them, Kong Li showed more perseverance and an unwavering determination, which made Confucius more and more satisfied.
Confucius comforted his son and then looked at Qi Guanchi.
Although Qi Guanchi's eyes were full of reluctance, he was extremely strong when facing Confucius: "Don't worry about home, I'm at home!"
Confucius looked at Qi Guanchi and nodded movedly.
Turning his head, Confucius followed the students towards the carriage. Just when he was about to get on the carriage.
"Confucius!" Qi Guanchi couldn't help shouting again.
Confucius turned to look.
Qi Guan's red eyes were already moist, and he bit his lips to prevent tears from falling.
"Remember to miss me!" Qi Guanchi said in a hoarse voice.
Confucius looked at Qi Guanchi and nodded solemnly: "Okay!"
Confucius did not dare to look at Qi Guanchi anymore and stepped onto the carriage.
"Let's go!" Confucius said.
All the students turned around and bowed respectfully to the master's wife before pulling the carriage and starting to leave Qufu Palace.
And watching Confucius' carriage leave, Qi Guanchi couldn't help but shed tears anymore.
ps: Happy New Year to everyone!