Liu Bei: My younger brother is a deity.

The hall remained quiet for a while.

Yuan Feng suddenly spoke, his tone carrying a hint of seriousness:

"Young friend Yuangu, you just mentioned 'the One,' which reminds me of something."

Zheng Kangcheng's commentary on the Great Learning states, "Knowing where to stop leads to stability." He explains, "Stopping means finding one's place. Finding one's place without losing it is the meaning of 'maintaining one's focus.'"

"Kang Cheng's explanation was brief and didn't elaborate. What you've said today has filled in the gaps in Kang Cheng's meaning. May I ask, who is your teacher?"

As soon as he said this, everyone in the hall turned their attention to Liu Quan.

Liu Quan bowed to Yuan Feng and said, "Replying to Lord Yuan, I am a student of Master Zigan. However, what I just said was mostly my own conjecture during my studies, and may not be appropriate. I humbly request Lord Yuan's correction."

"Zigan? Lu Zigan?" Yuan Feng nodded, but said nothing more.

At this moment, Liu Yu's gaze towards Liu Quan changed.

That insight just now already showed signs of surpassing its master; if this child were to truly figure it out on his own, then…

Could it be that our great Han Dynasty is about to produce another "Confucian Sage"?

Returning to Kong Rong, he was already extremely displeased at this point.

He had intended to make things difficult for that brat, but unexpectedly, he gave him an opportunity to make a name for himself.

Kong Rong realized that his eloquence was indeed inferior to that of this young man.

What's even more frightening is that he discovered his own knowledge was not as extensive as this young man's.

He had never seen this brat's remarks in any commentary.

Yet these words are intricately connected to Mencius, The Great Learning, and The Doctrine of the Mean, as if they were naturally extracted from those classic texts.

The two five-character poems that use Buddhism to allude to Confucianism are the finishing touch.

"Damn it, is this brat my nemesis?!"

Upon thinking of this, Kong Rong was terrified.

People in this era were mostly superstitious, and even Confucian scholars who advocated "respecting ghosts and gods but keeping them at a distance" were no exception.

A sense of fear welled up in Kong Rong's heart.

After the conversation ended, the guests dispersed.

On the way back, Zhang Fei suddenly asked, "I've heard of Kong Wenju's reputation in Zhuo County. I thought he was a gentleman, but I didn't expect him to be so despicable, making things difficult for Quan."

Sitting in the car, Liu Deran leaned out and said, "Yide, you're mistaken. I actually think Kong Wenju is a great gentleman. Otherwise, why would he be so eager to help A-Quan make a name for himself?"

Upon hearing this, both Liu Bei and Liu Quan burst into laughter.

Zhang Fei was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing. He slapped his thigh and said, "Hahaha! Absolutely! Absolutely! From today onwards, A-Quan's fame will skyrocket again. We really have to thank this Kong Wenju!"

Liu Bei nodded and said, "Kong Wenju is truly a good man; he used his own reputation to promote A-Quan."

Then, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, he suggested, "Why don't we send a gift to his residence as a token of our gratitude?"

Liu Quan nodded and said, "That's a good idea."

Liu Deran muttered, "Aren't you afraid of making them so angry they'll vomit blood?!"

Then, with great interest, he said, "Why not give them a bronze mirror with the two poems that A-Quan wrote today engraved on the back?"

Liu Bei, Liu Quan, and Zhang Fei stared at Liu Deran in horror.

Zhang Fei said, "De Ran, it turns out you're the most treacherous one."

Liu Bei said, "De Ran always pretended to be a gentleman, but he's been exposed today. He's quite the schemer!"

Liu Quan said, "So it turns out that De Ran is the most ruthless among us. He's killing him by destroying his spirit. He's trying to make Kong Wenju lose face in Luoyang."

Liu Deran was furious: "You—"

"Hahaha!"

Liu Bei and his two companions burst into laughter again.

Liu Deran: "Bastard!"

Liu Quan and his group certainly wouldn't actually give gifts to Kong Rong.

But Kong Rong was truly too ashamed to face anyone.

He was so embarrassed to go out after being used as a stepping stone once or twice, always feeling like everyone was pointing fingers at him.

He simply used reading as an excuse to shut himself away from visitors.

Little did he know that his actions would only enhance Liu Quan's reputation.

"When the Jade Gentleman of Youzhou and Kong Wenju of Beihai had a discussion, Kong Wenju actually stayed at home to avoid his sharp edge."

"Kong Wenju was defeated twice by Yu Langjun, and ashamed, he shut himself away from home, ashamed to face the world."

"Kong Wenju was defeated by Liu Yuangu, and he was so frustrated that he vomited blood. He then stayed at home to recuperate."

Various rumors spread rapidly throughout Luoyang.

Liu Quan, having stepped over Kong Rong, is now considered a minor scholar.

As Liu Quan's fame grew, the names of Liu Bei and Liu Deran also became known.

The number of visitors to the small courtyard rented by the three Liu brothers in Goushi County gradually increased.

For example, Wang Yun of the Wang clan of Taiyuan, Zhong Yao of the Zhong clan of Yingchuan, Fu Xie from a neighboring prefecture, and Han Yue from Liangzhou...

Liu Bei was most pleased with this.

He has a cheerful personality, loves making friends, and treats people with warmth and sincerity.

Almost every visitor who came to the door was left with a deep impression of Liu Quan's elder brother.

Liu Bei felt that he could talk to Fu Xie and Han Yue the most.

All three were from the border region and had a lot in common.

Furthermore, Fu Xie was upright and honest, while Han Yue was tactful and diplomatic.

Liu Bei found his interactions with the two men quite pleasant.

It was just dawn that day.

The three Liu brothers and Gongsun Zan suddenly received a message from Lu Shi's messenger, asking them to go to the Goushi Mountain Academy.

The four agreed to set off early in the morning. When they arrived at the school halfway up Goushi Mountain on horseback, the sun had just risen over the eastern mountain.

The school was small, and Lu Zhi only came to stay there occasionally.

He was standing on the steps in front of the main hall, his hands behind his back, gazing at the clouds on the horizon dyed red by the morning glow, lost in thought.

Liu Bei and his three companions stepped forward and bowed in unison, saying, "Master Lu, your disciples have arrived."

Lu Zhi turned around, his gaze swept across the four of them, he nodded slightly, said "Come in," and then turned and walked into the main hall.

Four long tables have been set up in the main hall, each with a bowl of hot tea and a plate of fruit on it.

Lu Zhi took his seat in the main position.

After the four disciples sat down in turn, they picked up their teacups, took a sip, and put them down.

After a moment's hesitation, he spoke:

"I have summoned you all here today because I have something to tell you."

"Yesterday His Majesty summoned me to the palace and spoke of the rebellion of the barbarians in Lujiang Commandery. His Majesty intends to appoint me as the Prefect of Lujiang again to quell the rebellion."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei felt a sudden chill run down his spine.

Gongsun Zan frowned as well.

Liu Deran hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Only Liu Quan remained calm and composed.

Seeing their silence, Lu Zhi gave a wry smile: "The chaos in Lujiang has happened more than once. When I was in office, it took me more than a year to quell it. I expect it won't be much different this time."

He paused, then continued, "However, your studies must not be neglected once I leave. Therefore, before I leave the capital, I must find you a new teacher."

Gongsun Zan couldn't help but ask, "Has someone already been chosen for Master Lu?"

Lu Zhi nodded. "I have found Liu Kuan, also known as Liu Wenrao, for you. He is a member of the Han imperial family and currently holds the position of Grand Commandant."

"His scholarship is no less than my own. In his youth, he studied at the Imperial Academy with me. Although we studied under different teachers, his mastery of the classics was something I greatly admired. In particular, he is kind and forgiving, and never harsh on others. If you study under him, you can not only learn the classics, but also learn how to be a good person."

In fact, Lu Zhi originally intended to invite Cai Yong.

Unfortunately, Cai Yong preferred a leisurely life and already felt that official duties were too demanding. He was afraid that he would be too busy to teach disciples as well, so he politely declined.