Because the tribe's soldiers set off in a hurry, Meng Zhong did not dare to delay, so the next day he rode a donkey back to Zhuangziju and reported to Zhuangzi that Wang Yan had ordered another recruitment.

After hearing this news, Zhuangzi remained silent for a long time, and then wrote on a bamboo sign with a pen: Just stay in your house.

This simple sentence reveals Zhuangzi's confidence - he is confident that even if Song Wangyan learns about this, he will regard his disciple Meng Zhong as a loss of service to the army for his sake.

But what he never expected was that the disciple in front of him actually said he wanted to serve in the army.

"Why?!"

When he heard Meng Zhong's words, Zhuangzi, who had always looked calm, suddenly raised his eyebrows and looked at the disciple in front of him with his eyes sternly.

Under this examination, Meng Zhong explained respectfully: "Teacher, if the student escapes this service, then a clan brother who is two years younger than me will set foot on the battlefield on my behalf..."

He refers to Meng Fu, the son of Meng Zhi.

However, this explanation did not satisfy Zhuangzi. He wrote on his bamboo plaque: Have the benevolence of Confucianism shaken you?

It has to be said that Taoist thoughts are sometimes too idealistic. Even as a Taoist sage, Zhuangzi, he actually did not reach the realm he expected - he was just in the middle of pursuing that supreme realm.

For example, Zhuangzi hated the Confucian teaching method of "teaching karma and solving doubts". He believed that "the way is not questioned, and the question is not answered". Everyone's way should be explored by himself. The way is different. The way of master may not be the way of disciples. However, in order not to cut off the inheritance of Taoist thoughts, Zhuangzi finally used the way of "teaching karma and solving doubts" that he resisted to teach his disciples.

This is also helpless.

Let’s talk about the incident of “Mengfu served in the army on behalf of Meng Zhong”, which actually did not touch Zhuangzi at all. “Benevolence” is the Confucian proposition, and Taoist proposition is “morality”, that is, to follow the nature, abandon cunning wisdom, greed, hatred and other acquired attachments, adapt to nature, and improve oneself.

In Zhuangzi's view, Meng Fu served in the army on behalf of Meng Zhong in order to repay Meng Zhong's brother Meng Bo who saved his father Meng Zhi. This is a connection between things. There is no saying of good or evil in itself. Meng Zhong just needs to accept it and adapt it.

But now, Meng Zhong and his mother Ge are unable to bear to "Meng Fu has to join the army for him when he is only twelve years old", so they are ready to set foot on the battlefield by themselves. This is actually a manifestation of being bound by "benevolence and righteousness" and a manifestation of infreedom.

More importantly, Zhuangzi resisted the war. In his eyes, King Song, who provoked the war, was the one who lost the truth, the soldiers of Song State were the ones who lost the truth, the soldiers of Teng State were the ones who lost the truth, Teng Hong and Teng Hu were also the ones who lost the truth. Both sides participating in this war were right and wrong, and they were all the ones who lost the truth.

As his disciple of Zhuang Zhou, the "Taoist", Meng Zhong was preparing to set foot in the secular world to participate in the war of the lost people. How could he not disappoint?

After a moment of silence, Zhuangzi decided to make the matter clear, so he wrote on the bamboo card: Perhaps, the Confucian benevolence is just your false statement, and your real purpose is to avenge your brother's revenge.

Meng Zhong opened his mouth, and after hesitating for a few breaths, he finally lowered his head and said, "I dare not hide it from my master, 'I can't bear to join the army on my behalf'. This is my mother's kindness, and the student is just...I am indeed...I want to find an opportunity to avenge my brother."

Zhuangzi looked at Meng Zhong with admiration. After all, although Meng Zhong did not match his wishes in some things, he did not make any loss in "sincerity". He has always been honest and trustworthy, and this morality is very precious.

After thinking about it, Zhuangzi wrote in a bamboo slip: I call the battle between Song and Teng a "fight for those who lose their way". King Song ignored the lives of his own people and attacked Teng Kingdom, and Teng Kingdom also resisted violence with violence. Therefore, this war will not give birth to a real winner, both sides are losers. You must set foot in this war that will definitely be defeated? Even if you can kill Teng Hu and avenge your brother, Teng Hu also has brothers and nephews. He will regard you as an enemy and one day he will come to seek revenge. When will this kind of revenge be over?

After a pause, he wrote on the bamboo slip: Why not take a step back? Now the King of Song attacks Teng again, fearing that Teng's country may not exist. If Teng Hu dies, your grudges with Teng Hu will also disappear. From now on, you can focus on the Tao and pursue the truth of the great way with me. Wouldn't it be better to set foot on the "fight for those who lose their way"?

“What the Master taught me is.”

Meng Zhong lowered his head and then whispered: "But my brother has been treating me very well since childhood. He was killed by Teng Hu, so the students cannot remain indifferent."

"madness!"

Zhuangzi wrote in the bamboo abbreviation: This is just that you are confused by your true heart! If your brother is really kind to you, then he knows everything, how could he risk avenge him?

"Master, you are not my brother, so how do you know what my brother will think?" If it were Huizi, I would have answered you like this, right?" Meng Zhong smiled a little, and then said seriously: "Master, you are right. This has nothing to do with my brother, it is just my personal obsession."

“…”

Zhuangzi looked at the disciple in front of him and breathed a long sigh.

I have to say that he regrets teaching this disciple, which is known as the two families of thoughts and academics. He has gradually been unable to say that this disciple.

Just as Zhuangzi was thinking about how to dissuade him, Meng Zhong kowtowed a great gift for the first time, bowed a few times to him, and then said seriously: "Although the Master has not yet recognized me as a disciple, you have taught me for four years. In the hearts of the students, you are my mentor. The teacher has a destiny and the students should obey it, but the students have decided on this matter... Today, I came to say goodbye to the Master. Kill or not to kill Teng Hu. In fact, the students have repeatedly thought and hesitated in the past two years, but have not come to a conclusion. But the students believe that as long as they see Teng Hu himself in the future, the students' hearts will tell me the result, so that no matter whether they kill or not, the students' obsession in the students' hearts can be removed. If the Master is willing to accept the students at that time, the students will learn the truth under the Master's school."

After saying that, Meng Zhong stood up and took his leave.

Looking at the disciple's departure, Zhuangzi's lips moved slightly, and then he slowly closed his eyes.

At this time, Zhuang Bo happened to walk into the house with a few bamboo slips. Seeing Meng Zhong leave with a serious expression, he asked in confusion: "Master, what's wrong?"

Zhuangzi sighed and murmured: "My stupid disciple chose a stupid Tao, and my stupid master couldn't think of a way to dissuade him... Could this be the 'Tao' of this son?"

"Crazy--"

The bamboo slips in Zhuang Bo's hand fell to the ground, and he looked at Zhuangzi in a daze. After a while, a look of a terrifying smile gradually appeared on his face: "Husband, Master, you... have you spoke? Have you spoken? Hahahahahahaha, so good, so good..."

After hearing this, Zhuangzi was also stunned, and then he realized that he had broken the closed fast that had been around for nearly twenty years.

"Maybe, this is God's will."

Zhuangzi sighed thoughtfully.

At the same time, Meng Zhong had already walked out of the courtyard gate of Zhuangziju, and Meng Sui was waiting there with a donkey Huihui.

"How is it? Have you told the Master?" Meng Sui asked.

Meng Zhong nodded and said with some emotion: "The Master is afraid he is very angry. Maybe he will expel me from the master afterwards..."

"Not for that, A Zhong, you are the disciples most valued by the Master." Meng Sui smiled and comforted her, then seemed to have thought of something, and said with some guilt: "A Zhong, this time..."

As if he had guessed Meng Sui's thoughts, Meng Zhong interrupted him and begged: "When I was not here, I would like to take care of my mother and Yan'er.... Don't think too much, I can rest assured if you stay here. As for me, there is still Ahu."

Meng Sui nodded silently.

The two of them slowly walked towards the township. After a while, they suddenly heard a vague cry from behind: "A Zhong, A Sui--"

“Hmm?”

Meng Zhong and Meng Sui stopped and turned around in confusion. Then they saw Wu Ying, Le Jin, Le Xu, Xiang Liao, Hua Hu, Mu Wu and other companions of Zhuangziju were running towards them in a hurry.

"I said you bastard, you didn't even reveal anything about such a big deal to us."

He ran to Meng Zhong panting, and Hua Hu reached out and punched Meng Zhong in the chest.

Beside, Mu Wu saw Meng Zhong’s face showing confusion and cursed, “Don’t pretend to be stupid, you know we are referring to your military affairs.”

Seeing that he could not hide it, Meng Zhong had to apologize to his sons.

At this moment, Wu Ying took out a bamboo slip from his arms and handed it to Meng Zhong, and said, "A Zhong, this is what the Master asked me to hand it over to you... The Master said, since you insist on going, then go and visit your other teacher's tribe members."

"Another teacher?"

Meng Zhong was stunned for a moment, and then he realized that Zhuangzi should be referring to Huizi. After all, the thoughts of famous masters were taught to him by Zhuangzi on behalf of Huizi.

Huizi's tribe is the most famous of the only ones, "Hui'an", the important minister of the country ruled by Wang Yan of Song.

At this moment, the bamboo slips in Meng Zhong's hand were letters written by Zhuangzi to Hui'an - that is, letters of introduction to Meng Zhong.

"Look, we've seen it secretly anyway." Le Jin said with a wicked smile.

After hearing this, Meng Zhong was also a little moved, so he opened the bamboo slip at the instigation of his philosophers, but found that only a simple sentence was written on the bamboo slip.

"To Hui'an: This disciple of Zhuang Zhou is Meng Zhong!"

『…』

Seeing the contents of the bamboo slips, Meng Zhong was suddenly moved, and an indescribable excitement surged in his chest. He looked at Zhuangziju's direction and was about to rush back to Ju, but he was stopped by the monks.

"Although……"

Xiang Liao glanced at the bamboo slips in Meng Zhong's hand, and then laughed: "But the Master is very angry now. You should not go back, so as not to be driven out by the Master."

The philosophers also agreed with each other.

Although Meng Zhong felt a little strange, if he thought about it carefully, this was in line with Zhuangzi's arrogant personality. If he ran back to thank Zhuangzi for this bamboo slip, he might be driven out by Zhuangzi, who was so angry that he was driven out.

It’s better to stop when you see it, don’t tease the nerves of that Master Zhuang.

Thinking of this, Meng Zhong and Meng Sui bid farewell to Wu Ying, Xiang Liao and others.

Looking at the two of them leaving, the boys laughed at the same time, smiling strangely.

"We said, isn't it a bit bad for us to do this?" Le Xu couldn't help asking.

"What's wrong with it?" Xiang Liao said with a smile: "A Zhong dares to hide it from us. Can't we hide it from him? I'm looking forward to him now, looking forward to him returning to the center in the future, and find that the Master can speak... Hehehe, I think his expression will be very exciting when he comes."

"But that's going to take a long time." Wu Ying frowned and said.

Hearing this, the smirking boys were stunned and looked at each other.

"Or... call him back?"
Chapter completed!