After Sima Ao learned of Liu Taishou's intention to come, he refused Liu Taishou's invitation because of his age.
Liu Taishou thought that he was not sincere enough and could not impress Sima Ao.
In order to dispel Sima Ao's concerns, Liu Taishou quoted an allusion about Taigong fishing.
Taishou Liu wanted to compare himself to King Wen of Zhou and Sima Ao to Taigong Jiang.
Sima Ao knew that he was not the Grand Duke, and Liu Taishou was not King Wen of Zhou. He also knew that Liu Taishou was making a metaphor, but this metaphor was unrealistic.
"I am just a famous village man, how can I compare with Grand Duke." Sima Aocheng said fearfully.
"This is just a metaphor." Liu Taishou smiled slightly.
"This metaphor is so unrealistic that I dare not take it seriously!"
Liu Taishou naturally understood that what Sima Ao meant was that he was not King Wen of Zhou and should not compare himself to King Wen of Zhou.
Liu Taishou's face immediately darkened. It was originally a pleasant conversation, but because of Sima Ao's words, the atmosphere suddenly became awkward!
In order to ease the awkward atmosphere, Senior Brother Liu on the side changed the topic and asked Sima Ao about his recent physical condition.
"I haven't seen you for ten years. How is your health, teacher?"
Before Sima Ao spoke, the monkey boy who was responsible for making tea for the three of them replied: "Since I learned about the demise of the Tang Dynasty, the teacher's condition has worsened. The teacher often falls asleep, always says some strange things, and has hallucinations."
The monkey boy could naturally tell that Senior Brother Liu was trying to save the siege, and he also saw that Prefect Liu was a hypocritical person. If he offended this person, he would be afraid of not getting good results.
The monkey boy naturally said that, and Sima Ao cooperated and pretended to be stupid.
"What are you talking about? The Tang Dynasty has been destroyed. It's nothing. Don't say such rebellious words."
"Oh, the student was wrong. The Tang Dynasty was not destroyed." Houwa quickly admitted his mistake.
"Teacher, do you know who I am?" Liu Zhe asked with some suspicion.
"Of course my teacher knows, my student Liu Zhe. Liu Zhe, why are you here and you haven't gone to take over the class?"
Sima Ao said he recognized Liu Zhe, but he turned to look at the monkey baby, mistook the monkey baby for Liu Zhe, and told Liu Zhe to hurry up and teach the students.
"Teacher, what's wrong with you? I'm Liu Zhe!"
"Teacher, you won't have class now?" Liu Zhe asked again.
"The teacher stopped teaching a few years ago, so I took over as his substitute," the monkey boy replied.
"Teacher doesn't have classes anymore? I didn't expect the teacher's condition to be so serious." Liu Zhe looked at Sima Ao and Houwa in disbelief.
Not only Senior Brother Liu was in disbelief, but so was Prefect Liu.
How could the Zuodu Imperial Envoy, who was sane just now, turn into a stupid old man?
Liu Taishou looked at Sima Ao with a suspicious expression. "Lord Zuodu, do you still remember the drought and earthquake in Huainan twenty years ago?"
Sima Ao's eyes were dull, and he tried hard to recall the tragic drought and earthquake in Huainan twenty years ago, with tears streaming down his face.
"Remember, that drought and earthquake could be described as the earth shattering, mountains toppling and seas moving, killing tens of thousands of people and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless."
Liu Taishou did not expect that Sima Ao still remembered what happened twenty years ago. His suspicious look at first turned into surprise.
"Actually, sometimes the teacher is very sane and can remember and recognize everyone, especially past events, but sometimes he is so confused that he can't remember anyone." Houwa explained.
Liu Taishou couldn't tell whether Sima Ao was really Lao Hutu, or was he just pretending to be Lao Hutu because he didn't want to leave the mountain?
Regardless of whether Sima Ao is really an old Hutu or just pretending to be a Hutu to evade, Taishou Liu no longer has too many expectations for Sima Ao.
"Alas! This man will become confused when he gets old, and he can't escape even if he doesn't think about the teacher." Liu Zhe sighed sadly!
Liu Taishou could not tell whether Sima Ao was really Lao Hutu, or did he not want to pretend to be Lao Hutu?
Regardless of whether Sima Ao is really an old Hutu or just pretending to be a Hutu to evade, Taishou Liu no longer has too many expectations for Sima Ao.
Just when Liu Taishou thought he would be disappointed and returned, he found that Houwa's words and deeds were decent, his intelligence was as good as Liu Zhe's, and there was a heroic spirit between his brows.
Liu Taishou, who was thirsty for talents, set his sights on Houwa.
Before leaving, Prefect Liu extended an olive branch to the monkey boy and invited him to come and sit at his house.
The monkey boy couldn't refuse in person, so he politely promised that he would visit him when he had time.
"Junior Brother Monkey, you have to take good care of the teacher."
Before leaving, Liu Zhe never forgot to ask the monkey boy to take good care of Sima Ao.
"Senior Brother Liu, please rest assured. The teacher is very kind to the monkey baby, and the monkey will definitely take good care of the teacher." The monkey baby sent Senior Brother Liu and Prefect Liu down the mountain.
Originally, after leaving the mountain, Prefect Liu was about to enter the city.
Liu Taishou wanted to confirm whether Sima Ao was really Lao Hutu or was pretending to be Lao Hutu.
After Liu Taishou came down from the mountain, he did not enter the city, but asked Liu Zhe to lead his troops and horses into the city.
Prefect Liu disguised himself as a commoner and went to the village to make an unannounced visit.
Prefect Liu happened to meet the village chief who was chopping firewood.
Liu Taishou took advantage of getting lost to chat with the village chief.
While chatting, Prefect Liu moved the topic to Shuxiang Academy. When it comes to Scholarly Courtyard, Sima Ao will naturally be mentioned.
The village chief sighed and said: "The director is a good man. Without him, we villagers would have starved to death long ago."
"Why do you say that?" Liu Taishou asked the village chief.
The village chief told the truth about how the Sima family helped and took in this refugee group.
The village chief and villagers' regretful narrations, as well as the instances of Sima Ao's frequent mental disorders, prefect Liu no longer had any doubts.
………………………………
A few months later, Liu Zhe came to the college again.
This time, Liu Zhe came to the academy to recruit talents on the orders of Prefect Liu.
Liu Taishou thought to himself that Sima Ao was Lao Hutu, but he had a group of talented students. If these students can be used by themselves, then why worry about unifying the country?
In order to convince these junior brothers and sisters, Liu Zhe kept praising Liu Taishou for his love for talents and Liu Taishou's ambition, and he also analyzed the current situation clearly and logically.
These junior brothers and sisters have never been outside, so they naturally have beautiful fantasies about the outside world. In addition, they are at a simple and passionate age, and Senior Brother Liu has a mouth that is full of talk.
Even Sima Lian, Li Changshou, Fat Ya, Er Pang, and San Pang were all delighted by Senior Brother Liu's colorful words.
Liu Zhe, who had only come to the academy twice, became an idol worshiped by his junior students.
Liu Zhe never thought that he would capture the hearts of his juniors so quickly.
Looking at the obsessed expressions of my juniors and juniors, I feel a full sense of accomplishment!
In fact, who doesn’t want to make great achievements and be famous in history; who doesn’t want to be named prime minister, and be rich and powerful; who doesn’t want to stand out, above one person and below ten thousand people?
Now that a once-in-a-thousand-year opportunity has come, these juniors and juniors who have never experienced the world are naturally excited and rush to defect and follow Governor Liu.
As the dean, Sima Ao naturally didn't want to watch his students die; but after all, he was not the student's parent, and it was hard for Sima Ao to stop him, and the student was as if Liu Zhe had given him a drug of ecstasy.
