Seeing that Li Ran didn't reply, Confucius spoke again:
"It should be reasonable to use one's own way without abandoning one's people. Another example is what is said in "Poetry": 'Cover the Fu Gantang, do not cut the Jian or cut it, call the uncle to plant it.' Everyone in the world misses the call to love the people like a son. Uncle, even after many years he still has a soft spot for the tree he slept on. If this is the case, how much more can he use his own way without caring about the other person?"
"So, Si Xie's actions are really hard to figure out! Could it be... just because of sir?"
Li Ran once told Confucius that there was a grudge between him and Si Zhen, so it was natural for Confucius to think so.
When Li Ran heard this, he couldn't help but feel confused:
"Hmm...maybe..."
Li Ran couldn't help but think of his years in Zheng State. Looking back now, it felt like a lifetime ago. There was a ripple in my heart...
…
In the following days, Li Ran devoted himself to accompanying his daughter Liguang, and together with Confucius, he compiled the magnificent work "Spring and Autumn".
Li Ran could be said to have spent the most rare and pleasant time since time travel, although he was no longer accompanied by Ji Le.
March passed in a hurry, and Confucius finally took office.
As for Xinglin, it was entrusted to Li Ran and several of his accomplished disciples.
Yang Hu appointed Confucius as the Prime Minister of Zhongdu as promised.
Confucius was always cautious, doing things respectfully, but always keeping a distance from Yang Hu.
Although Yang Hu was already a powerful figure in Lu State at this time, everyone was eager to join his command.
However, only he and Li Ran knew that Yang Hu would get into big trouble sooner or later, so Confucius didn't want to get too close to him.
When Confucius was busy with government affairs, he would often take time to come to Xinglin to teach the students in person, and by the way, he would tell Li Ran anecdotes about the court affairs.
Compared with Confucius' busyness, Li Ran seemed more leisurely.
In the past three or four months, Li Ran had been thinking about Ji Le, but he suffered from the lack of news, which made Li Ran feel very anxious.
Li Ran knew that Ji Le's condition was extremely pessimistic. If something unexpected happened on the way, he might just die...
Li Ran naturally didn't dare to think about this anymore.
Sacrificial music is his only spiritual home now. He really can't imagine how he would get along without sacrificial music in this vast sea of people.
"Father, how is the situation on mother's side?"
Next to her, Liguang asked while practicing the piano.
When Li Ran heard this, he couldn't help but be startled for a moment, then smiled and said:
"She should have arrived at the place where she is being treated. In all likelihood, she is currently being treated."
Hearing this, Liguang nodded and felt a little relieved. After all, for Liguang, her mother's absence seems to have become a normal thing.
Moreover, Liguang was young after all, so she naively believed that her mother just went for treatment and would definitely come back.
Therefore, the one who really felt uneasy was Li Ran himself.
"Mr. Yihe... I'll leave everything to you..."
Li Ran couldn't help but thought to himself.
…
One day, Yang Hu came to Xinglin again and found Li Ran.
Yang Hu came here for nothing else. He just brought up old matters again and still wanted to persuade Li Ran to become an official.
After Li Ran heard Yang Hu's intention, he politely rejected him:
"My lord, I have made this matter clear to you before. Since Li is an official of the Zhou Dynasty, how can he be appointed by the State of Lu? I hope your lord can understand the inconvenience here."
Yang Hu grinned and said:
"I understand, of course I understand. In fact, Yang just feels that since Mr. is now in Qufu and has such a great talent, it is really a waste of nature to just succumb to Xinglin like this! Now, since my wife is no longer here, I will Love can always be with you again, sir, why don’t you..."
Li Ran smiled slightly and waved his hand:
"Government affairs are complicated. Once Li becomes an official, he will inevitably be burdened by it and can no longer take care of others. Li already owes his wife and children too much, and he really doesn't want to mess up his mind with other things. What's more, his wife is far away. Being involved in Qinchuan, life and death are uncertain, so Li will inevitably be troubled. If he wants to become an official, I am afraid that he will be distracted, and it will be easy for him to make mistakes! "
When Yang Hu heard this, he felt unhappy again.
"Hmph! Sir, you are so ignorant. Even if Kong Zhongni knows practical things, why do you keep rejecting me, Yang Hu, thousands of miles away? May I ask if Yang Hu has ever been disrespectful to the office? Or is it? I, Yang Hu, have done something wrong by respecting Jin as the master of the world?"
Li Ran listened to Yang Hu's words and said unceremoniously:
"Your Majesty's move is indeed a big mistake! Fan Yang of Jin State and Ji Sun Yiru were closely connected back then, and I must be very aware of this! But now that Ji Sun Yiru has been destroyed by Your Majesty, why should I be Fan? Will Yang Yang be kind to you? Aren't you afraid that Fan Yang will seek revenge on you in the future? "
When Yang Hu heard this, he suddenly burst into laughter and waved his hand:
"Hahaha, what are you afraid of? The relationship between Fan Yang and the head of the family was indeed very good back then, but in the final analysis, it wasn't because of their respective identities and positions? Since Yang intended to replace the Ji family, Fan Yang took the initiative to express it to me. Okay, what do I have to worry about? Sir... haha, I can’t help but overthinking this!"
As soon as Yang Hu said these words, Li Ran was immediately alert. He heard Yang Hu's inner voice.
Yang Hu's ambition is actually to become the second Ji Pingzi. But unlike Ji Pingzi who suppressed the public office, Yang Hu did the opposite. In the final analysis, his advocacy of a public office was just his means, and his real purpose was actually the same as Ji Pingzi's.
"My lord is so sure, but it is useless to talk more. Li and your lord are not of the same mind and cannot conspire with me. Please forgive me!"
"Besides, Li has been working hard to maintain the order of the world over the past few years, and the royal order has been in decline for a long time. Li is really tired and has no intention of getting involved in the chaos of the world again."
"The apricot forest here has an elegant environment. If you allow me, I still hope that I can take my daughter here and enjoy some calf licking!"
When Yang Hu faced Confucius, he was still able to use his status to overwhelm him. However, it was completely ineffective for Li Ran.
After all, to Li Ran, the State of Lu was just a guest. Li Ran may leave Lu at any time, or return to the Zhou royal family, or go elsewhere.
Therefore, Yang Hu really had no choice but to give up.
After Li Ran sent Yang Hu away, Confucius' disciple Yan Yanze suddenly came looking for him.
Yan Yan, a disciple of Confucius and one of the seventy-two sages, came all the way from Wu to study.
When Li Ran saw Yan Yan, he felt a little strange and asked:
"Ziyou (Yan Yanzi Ziyou), what happened?"
Yan Yan replied:
"Sir, the State of Yue has sent a batch of tributes to congratulate the new king on his accession to the throne. Among them are a group of talented people. The State of Yue is a remote barbarian land. These talented people do not understand etiquette, so the master of ceremonies expressed that he wants to present these talents to People are brought to me and asked to teach them the rituals."
The so-called talented people are actually the women who paid tribute to Luhou Song. These women were carefully selected by the Yue Kingdom.
However, after all, the Yue State did not pay attention to etiquette, and the Lu State was a state of etiquette. If these talented people were not allowed to learn some Zhou etiquette, it would not be convenient for them to be directly sent to the palace.
Li Ran said:
"Since it is the intention of the master of ceremonies, and you are also proficient in Zhou rites, then let them learn. When the time comes, they will be sent to the palace when they are talented people. As for those who are not qualified, let them Just go back."
Yanze was about to speak but stopped, and sighed:
"This... is just... Yan is worried that after all, men and women are heavily guarded. If they are allowed to enter Xinglin, there will be so many disciples under the master's sect, I'm afraid it will be very inconvenient."
