Second-hand time travel: Liu Bei, the big-eared bandit

Chapter 8 What is a Benevolent Elder?

Liu Bei certainly did his research...

He wouldn't casually say something like that that could easily cause trouble.

Three years ago, the imperial court summoned Yue Yin to the capital to serve as an official in order to compile the Xiping Stone Classics, but Yue Yin did not go at that time.

The following year, the imperial court summoned him again, and Yue Yin could no longer refuse. He accepted the summons to serve as an advisor, but then requested to be transferred to a post outside the capital, becoming the magistrate of Zhuo County.

This resume reveals Yue Yin's attitude towards the current emperor and the Luoyang court...

Liu Bei's words were exactly what Yue Yin was looking for.

"You seek to be granted benevolence and virtue..."

Le Yin sighed, his eyes filled with appreciation, and took the cured meat from Liu Bei's hand: "My virtue is not great, and I may not be able to teach you, but I do not want to let go of a student like you... Lu Zigan is actually willing to expel you?"

Lu Zigan was Lu Zhi. Yue Yin only brought up the matter of Lu Zhi expelling Liu Bei from his school after accepting the tuition fee, which clearly indicated that he had already decided to take this student in.

"Master Lu is also helpless. The student committed a crime, and Master Lu is an official in the court; he can't very well protect the student. But what about the Ming court... if a student is arrogant and breaks the law, is the Ming court afraid of being implicated by the student?"

Liu Bei cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and bowed deeply in salute.

"Hahaha... I'm already destined to lose my official position, so what am I afraid of being implicated?"

Le Yin laughed loudly, clearly indifferent to whether or not he would become an official: "Young Master Liu, do you have a courtesy name?"

"Before I have come of age, and my father has passed away early, I wish to ask my esteemed teacher to bestow upon me a courtesy name."

Liu Bei sincerely changed his form of address and humbly asked for a courtesy name.

"...Since you do not seek official position but only benevolence, you should be even more knowledgeable in profound principles, possess extraordinary virtues, and be virtuous enough to win people's hearts. How about using 'Profound Virtue' as your courtesy name?"

Le Yin stroked his beard and pondered for a while before giving his answer.

Liu Bei was stunned.

Is it still Xuande?
His own life story is already somewhat different from the historical Liu Bei...

These days, once you've found a famous teacher, most people will ask their teacher to give them a courtesy name when they're about to come of age, as this is to solidify the father-son relationship, since the teacher is also a father figure.

Historically, Liu Bei was a student of Lu Zhi, and his courtesy name was Xuande, which was likely given to him by Lu Zhi when he returned home after studying under him.

But now that he has become Yue Yin's disciple, he has also received the courtesy name 'Xuande'...

Moreover, it is quite clear that Yue Yin's choice of a name was entirely based on his own needs; he wanted to grasp deeper principles and possess higher virtues so that he could win people's hearts even without an official position...

Is this fate?

Or did the two great Confucian scholars reach the same conclusion by chance?

But in any case, Xuande is the proper courtesy name for Liu Bei.

Liu Bei lowered his head and bowed deeply to the ground: "I thank my esteemed teacher for bestowing upon me this name."

A few days later, Yue Yin formally held a coming-of-age ceremony for Liu Bei. Liu's mother was relieved to see that her son had found a famous teacher and no longer blamed Liu Bei for his dissolute and unruly behavior.

……

He became Yue Yin's disciple in order to add the halo of being a disciple of a great Confucian scholar and avoid being persecuted.

However, after spending a few days with Yue Yin, Liu Bei felt that this teacher really had an ancient style, and was probably not a pure Confucian scholar.

For example, when mentioning the Taiping Dao, which had recently emerged in the county, Le Yin said: "Although this sect has the intention of bewitching people, it does good deeds in helping the poor and treating the sick. As long as we allow it to do as it pleases and then restrain it, it will not cause harm."

And that's exactly what he did. He had Jian Yong designate a specific area for the Taiping Dao, and then made an agreement with the Daoists that they would only preach within that area.

The government offering land voluntarily is probably something the Taiping Dao has never encountered before...

From then on, the Taoist priests of Taiping in Zhuoxian County also abided by the rules, only acting within the agreed-upon scope and never fooling around in other places.

For example, when the topic of the interaction between Heaven and Man comes up, Yueyin's attitude is, "Heaven is Heaven, and Man is Man. If you insist on linking them together, it's definitely to deceive people..."

When discussing the current partisan purge, Yue Yin said, "No one in the world is without a partisan faction. The upright officials have their own factions, the eunuchs have their own factions, even the emperor has his own faction... Even you and I are part of a faction. If the emperor does not lift this purge, disaster will come to lift it."

Liu Bei sometimes even felt that this music teacher was like a time traveler. Therefore, the master and disciple got along very well, and Liu Bei even told him frankly about his double-crossing.

Le Yin, however, expressed his support, saying only, "Good and evil are judged by their actions, not by one's heart. This matter is beneficial to the stability of this county, so it is virtuous. Just don't kill someone out of spite or break the law with force. Although you may not be recommended for the civil service examination, if you have the opportunity in the future, it would be best to find a military officer position."

Now Liu Bei understood why Jian Yong respected Yue Yin so much.

Because that's what Liu Bei himself thought.

No one would want to let such a magistrate go.

Liu Bei did ask if his disciples should raise money to continue his service—horses are expensive in the south now, and if they could take a dozen good horses and sell them in Luoyang and Xiangyang, they could raise six million coins.

But Yueyin refused.

The old man said, "If this official position is bought with money, regardless of whether it's clean or not, just the thought of the cost will inevitably lead to worrying about how to recoup the investment. Once you lose your original intention, you'll always have attachments, become anxious about gains and losses, and make mistakes..."

Liu Bei agreed with his teacher.

What is meant by a kind and benevolent elder?
This is.

At the end of the year, some prisoners sold their daughters to raise money for their atonement. Jian Yong bought a young girl to serve his teacher, and Le Yin happily accepted her.

However, before leaving Zhuo County, he returned the little girl to Jian Yong, saying, "You have shown respect to your teacher, which I accept without hesitation. This girl has found a job and has food and clothing, which can be considered as you helping the poor. But my official duties are finished, and I have a wife and children at home. I do not need to adopt any more daughters, so I entrust her to you again... Our school does not treat people as money or goods, please remember that."

Jian Yong had no choice but to accept the girl back, calling her his junior sister, and vowing never to buy slaves to give to friends again.

Liu Bei truly admired this teacher; this is what you call the demeanor of a great Confucian scholar!

As the year drew to a close, Yue Yin was about to return to Ji Province.

Logically, if a teacher is returning to their hometown and students have not yet completed their studies, they should follow the teacher to continue their education.

However, Yueyin felt that Liu Bei and Jian Yong were both only sons with widowed mothers and were the sole pillars of their families, so he suggested that they stay in Zhuo County to fulfill their filial duties.

Although reluctant, they could only escort Yue Yin back to Anping in Jizhou.

“Xuande, in truth, my virtue is not manifest, and I have nothing more to teach you. But since you seek benevolence, I will entrust you with a matter of benevolence.”

Before leaving, Yue Yin pulled Liu Bei aside and instructed him: "You have a fellow student named Qian Zhao, who is the same age as you but has not yet come of age. His family is poor, and he is currently busy with money and has neglected his studies. If you have the means, you might as well help him out."

This was intended so that Liu Bei could help his fellow disciples when he had extra money.

Even if Yue Yin hadn't said anything, Liu Bei would have done it anyway, since he was aware of Qian Zhao's reputation.

This is the talent of a great general...

Liu Bei also knew that Qian Zhao would most likely not follow him in the future.

If Liu Bei hadn't met Yue Yin as his teacher, he might have been more focused on how to benefit himself, and wouldn't have put as much effort into those who weren't likely to follow him.

But now, he feels he shouldn't think that way.

Don't treat people like commodities.

Prepare yourself with virtue and wisdom to win people over.

He must live up to the name 'Xuande'.

Otherwise, it would truly be a wasted trip.

……

Upon returning to Zhuo County, Liu Bei immediately sent a letter to Gongsun Zan.

The letter read: "I am overjoyed to hear that my brother is going to take up an official post in Zhuo County. I am presenting this fine horse to my brother as a congratulatory gift. I hope that my brother Bogui will achieve great success!"

The messenger was naturally Jian Yong.

The fine horse given as a gift was the one that Cao Cao had taken from him, the one branded with the Cao family's mark.

(End of this chapter)