Because the departure of the clan soldiers was quite hasty, Meng Zhong did not dare to delay, and returned to Zhuangziju on a donkey the next day, and informed Zhuangzi of the news that Song Wangyan had ordered another conscription.

After hearing the news, Zhuangzi was silent for a long time, and then wrote on a bamboo plaque with a pen: You can stay in the house.

In this simple sentence, Zhuangzi's self-confidence was faintly revealed - he was confident that even if Song Wangyan learned about this, he would look at his face and ignore the fact that his disciple Meng Zhong did not serve in the army.

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

"Why?!"

Hearing Meng Zhong's words, Zhuangzi, who had always looked indifferent, suddenly frowned, and stared at the disciple in front of him sternly.

Under this scrutiny, Meng Zhong respectfully explained: "Master, if the student escapes this service, then a clan brother who is two years younger than me will go to the battlefield on my behalf......

He was referring to Mengfu, the son of Mengzhi.

However, this explanation did not satisfy Zhuangzi, who wrote on his bamboo plaque: "Does Confucian benevolence shake you?"

It has to be said that Taoist thought is sometimes too idealistic, and even as a Taoist sage, Zhuangzi has not actually reached the state he expects - he is only halfway through the pursuit of that supreme state.

For example, Zhuangzi is very disgusted with the Confucian teaching method of "teaching karma and solving doubts", he believes that "the Tao has no questions, there is no answer to the questions", everyone's Tao should be explored by the individual himself, and the Tao is different, the master's Tao may not be the disciple's Tao, but in order not to break the inheritance of Taoist thought, Zhuangzi finally used the way he resisted "teaching karma to solve doubts" to teach his disciples.

This is also helpless.

"Benevolence" is the idea of Confucianism, and the idea of Taoism is "morality", that is, to follow nature, abandon cunning, greed, hatred and other acquired additions, conform 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 for saving his father Meng Zhi, which is a kind of relationship between things, and there is no good or evil in itself, Meng Zhong only needs to accept and comply.

But now, Meng Zhong and his mother Ge Shi can't bear to "Meng Fu is only 12 years old to serve in the army on his behalf", so they are ready to set foot on the battlefield themselves, which is a manifestation of being bound by "benevolence and righteousness" and a manifestation of unfreedom.

What's more, Zhuangzi resisted the war, in his eyes, the king of Song who provoked the war was an apathetic, the soldiers of the Song State were apathetic, the soldiers of Teng State were apathetic, Teng Hong and Teng Hu were also apathetic, and both sides involved in this war, regardless of right or wrong, were apathetic.

And Meng Zhong, as a disciple of his Zhuang Zhou, the "enlightened one", was ready to set foot in the world to participate in the war of the unenlightened, how could this not disappoint him?

After a moment of silence, Zhuangzi decided to make the matter clear, so he wrote on the bamboo plaque: Perhaps, the Confucian doctrine of benevolence is just your false words, 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 don't dare to hide my master, 'I can't bear Mengfu to join the army on my behalf', this is my mother's kindness, and the student is just ...... Indeed, in order to find an opportunity to avenge his brother. ”

Zhuangzi looked at Meng Zhong with appreciation, after all, although Meng Zhong did not conform to his mind in some things, at least he did not lose money in "sincerity", and he has always been honest and trustworthy, and this virtue is very precious.

After thinking about it, Zhuangzi wrote on a bamboo slip: The battle of Song Teng, I call it "the battle of the unenlightened", the king of Song disregarded the lives of his own people to attack Teng, and Teng also responded to violence with violence, so this war will not give birth to a real winner, both sides are losers, you want to set foot in this war that must be lost? Even if you can kill Teng Hu and avenge your brother, Teng Hu also has brothers and nephews, and he will regard you as an enemy, and one day he will come to you to seek revenge.

After a pause, he wrote on the bamboo slip again: Why not take a step back? Now that the king of the Song Dynasty is fighting Teng again, I am afraid that the Teng Kingdom may not exist. If Teng Hu dies, the grievances between you and Teng Hu can also disappear, and then you can devote yourself to the Tao and pursue the truth with me, wouldn't it be better to set foot in the "battle of the unenlightened"?

"The Master taught you."

Meng Zhong lowered his head, and then said in a low voice: "But my brother has treated me very well since I was a child, he was killed by Teng Hu, and the student can't be indifferent. ”

"Stupid!"

Zhuangzi wrote in the bamboo slips: This is just that you have been deceived by your heart! If your brother is really kind to you, then he knows about it, so how can he ask you to risk his life?

"Master, you are not my brother, how do you know what my brother will think?" , If it were Keiko, I think I would answer you like this, Master, right? Meng Zhong smiled slightly, and then said with a straight face: "Master is 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 let out a long breath.

I have to say that he regrets teaching this disciple the ideology of Taoism and Mingjia, no, he has gradually become unable to talk about this disciple.

Just as Zhuangzi was thinking about how to dissuade him, Meng Zhong bowed for the first time, kowtowed to him a few times, and then said, "Although Master has not yet recognized me as a disciple, you have taught me for four years, and in the hearts of students, you are my teacher." The teacher has a life, and the student should obey it, but only this matter has the student's mind decided. …… I came today to bid farewell to my Master. To kill or not to kill Teng Hu, in fact, in the past two years, the student has repeatedly thought and hesitated, but has not come to a conclusion, but the student believes that as long as he sees Teng Hu himself one day, the student's heart will tell me the result, so that whether he kills Teng Hu or not, the obsession in the student's heart can be removed. If the Master is still willing to accept the students at that time, the students will learn the Tao and the Truth under the Master's door. ”

With that, Meng Zhong got up and retired.

Looking at the back of his disciple leaving, Zhuangzi's lips moved slightly, and he slowly closed his eyes.

At this time, Uncle Zhuang happened to walk into the house with a few bamboo slips, and when he saw Meng Zhong leaving with a serious expression, he asked suspiciously: "Master, what's the matter?" ”

Zhuangzi let out a long sigh and muttered, "My stupid disciple has chosen a stupid path, and I, a stupid master, can't even think of a way to dissuade him...... Is this the 'way' of this Son? ”

"Whoa—"

The bamboo slip in Zhuang Bo's hand fell to the ground, and he was stunned to look at Zhuangzi, and after half a sound, a foolish smile gradually appeared on his face: "Husband, master, you, you...... Did you speak? Did you speak? Haha, haha, great, great......"

Hearing this, Zhuangzi was also stunned, and then realized that he had broken his fasting for nearly 20 years.

"Perhaps, this is providence."

Zhuangzi sighed thoughtfully.

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

"How about it, did you tell the master?" Meng Sui asked.

Meng Zhong nodded, and said with some emotion: "Master is afraid that he is very angry, maybe he will expel me from the division afterwards......

"No, Ah Zhong, you are the most important disciple of the master." Meng Sui smiled and comforted, and then seemed to think of something, and said with some guilt: "Ah Zhong, this time ......"

As if guessing Meng Sui's thoughts, Meng Zhong interrupted him and pleaded: "When I am not there, the master's side, as well as my mother and Yan'er's side, please take care of you." …… Don't think about it, I can rest assured that you stay here. As for me, there is still Ah Hu. ”

Meng Sui nodded silently.

The two of them slowly walked in the direction of the township, and after a long time, the two suddenly heard a faint voice behind them: "Ah Zhong, Ah Sui-"

"Huh?"

Meng Zhong and Meng Sui stopped, turned back in confusion, and saw Wu Ying, Le Jin, Le Xu, Xiang Yi, Hua Hu, Mu Wu and other Zhuangziju companions running towards them in a hurry.

"I said you bastard, you didn't even tell us about such a big thing."

Panting and running in front of Meng Zhong, Hua Hu reached out and punched Meng Zhong in the chest.

On the side, Mu Wu saw Meng Zhong's face showing confusion, and scolded with a smile: "Don't pretend to be stupid, you know that we are referring to your military service." ”

Seeing that he couldn't hide it, Meng Zhong had no choice but to apologize to the princes.

At this time, Wu Ying took out a bamboo slip from his arms and handed it to Meng Zhong, and said, "Ah Zhong, this is what the master asked me to transfer to you." …… The Master said, "Since you insist on going, then go and visit the people of your other teacher." ”

"Another teacher?"

Meng Zhong was stunned, and then realized that Zhuangzi should be referring to Huizi, after all, the ideas of the famous master were taught to him by Zhuangzi on behalf of Huizi.

Huizi's clansmen are the most famous, and the only one is "Hui'an", the important minister of Song Wangyan's side.

And the bamboo slip in Meng Zhong's hand at this moment is a letter written by Zhuangzi to Hui Ang - that is, a letter of introduction to Meng Zhong.

"Let's see, we've already sneaked a look anyway." Le Jin said with a wicked smile.

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

"To Hui An: Meng Zhongye, the disciple of this Zhuang Zhou!"

『……』

Seeing the contents of the bamboo slips, Meng Zhong was suddenly moved, and an indescribable excitement surged in his chest, only to see him glance at the direction of Zhuangziju, and was about to run back to the house, but was stopped by Zhuzi.

"Although ......"

Xiang Yi glanced at the bamboo slip in Meng Zhong's hand, and then said with a smile: "But the master is very angry now, you still don't go back, so as not to be driven out by the master." ”

The sons of the crowd echoed in unison.

Although Meng Zhong felt a little strange, if he thought about it, this was also in line with Zhuangzi's arrogant character - if he ran back to thank Zhuangzi because of this bamboo slip, he would really be driven out by the angry Zhuangzi.

It's better to accept it when you see it, don't go and tease the nerves of that Zhuang master.

Thinking of this, Meng Zhong and Meng Sui said goodbye to Wu Ying, Xiang Yu and others.

Looking at the backs of the two leaving, the sons all smiled in unison, and smiled very strangely.

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

"What's so bad?" Xiang Yi smiled and said, "Ah Zhong, this kid dares to hide it from us, can't we hide it from him?" I am now looking forward to the day when he returns to the center and finds that the Master has been able to speak...... Hey, hey, hey, I think his expression will be wonderful when the time comes. ”

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

Hearing this, the sons who were laughing evilly were stunned, and immediately looked at each other.

"Or ...... Call him back? ”