Chapter 8: What It Means to Be a Benevolent Elder
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Of course, Liu Bei had done his research... He would never casually say something that could bring trouble. Three years ago, the court had summoned Le Yin to the capital to serve as an official, specifically to compile the Xiping Stone Classics, but at that time, Le Yin did not go. The following year, the court summoned him again. Le Yin, unable to refuse again, accepted the position of a junior official but requested to be posted externally, becoming the magistrate of Zhuo County. From this career path alone, one could discern Le Yin’s attitude toward the current emperor and the court in Luoyang... Liu Bei’s words precisely matched Le Yin’s temperament.
“You seek to cultivate benevolence and virtue...” Le Yin sighed, a hint of admiration in his eyes as he reached out to take the cured meat from Liu Bei’s hand. “My virtue is not illustrious; I may not truly be able to teach you, but a student like you is someone I cannot let go... Lu Ziguan actually dared to cast you out?” Lu Ziguan was none other than Lu Zhi. After accepting the gift of the ceremonial offering, Le Yin mentioned that Lu Zhi had driven Liu Bei away, clearly having decided to take him as a student.
“Master Lu was helpless. When a student commits a crime, a master serving in the court cannot shield him. But the Ming court... if a student is reckless and breaks the rules, would the court fear being implicated by the student?” Liu Bei cupped his hands and bowed deeply. “Hahaha... I am already destined to leave office soon, so what is there to fear from entanglements?” Le Yin laughed heartily, clearly indifferent about holding office. “Young Liu, do you have a courtesy name?” “Bei has not yet come of age, and my father passed away early. I humbly seek my master to grant me a name.” Liu Bei sincerely changed his form of address and bowed his head to request the name.
“... Since you seek not office but benevolence, you must understand profound and mysterious principles and possess transcendent virtue. If you excel in virtue and win people over, how about the courtesy name ‘Xuande’?” Le Yin stroked his beard thoughtfully for a moment before replying. Liu Bei was stunned. Still ‘Xuande’? His life’s course had already diverged from the Liu Bei of history... In those days, most young men, upon reaching adulthood, would ask their masters to bestow a courtesy name to seal their father-son bond, for the master was also like a father. Historically, Liu Bei was a student of Lu Zhi, and the courtesy name Xuande likely came from Lu Zhi when Liu Bei returned home after studying. But now, having become a disciple of Le Yin, he was again given the name ‘Xuande’... And it was clear that Le Yin chose the name entirely based on Liu Bei’s expressed needs—to master deeper principles and embody higher virtue so that even without official rank, he could command respect... Was this divine providence? Or a coincidence between two great scholars?
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Regardless, Xuande was truly the name Liu Bei deserved. Liu Bei bowed his head and kowtowed deeply to the ground. “I thank my master for bestowing me this name.” A few days later, Le Yin formally held a coming-of-age ceremony for Liu Bei. Liu Bei’s mother, seeing her son gain a renowned master, was comforted and no longer blamed him for his previous waywardness... Originally, becoming Le Yin’s disciple was meant to add the prestige of a great scholar’s student to shield himself from persecution. But after a few days with Le Yin, Liu Bei felt this teacher was truly of ancient spirit, not a mere Confucian scholar.
For example, when discussing the recent rise of the Taiping Dao in the county, Le Yin said, “Though this school may have the intent to mislead, it aids the poor and treats the sick, and its actions have goodness. We need only to first accommodate them and then restrain them; they will not cause harm.” He indeed acted accordingly, having Jian Yong designate a specific area for the Taiping Dao and agreeing with their practitioners to preach only within that boundary. For the authorities to proactively provide land was something the Taiping Dao had likely never experienced before... Since then, the Taiping Dao adherents in Zhuo County abided by the rules, operating only within the agreed area and never misleading others elsewhere.
Similarly, when speaking of the harmony between heaven and man, Le Yin’s attitude was, “Heaven is heaven, man is man; forcibly connecting the two is certainly a deceit...” When mentioning the current factional strife, Le Yin said, “There is no one without a faction in the world—there are factions of pure scholars, eunuchs, and even the emperor himself... You and I also belong to factions. The emperor does not understand this factional strife; disaster will resolve it.” Sometimes Liu Bei even suspected this teacher might be a time traveler. Therefore, the master and disciple got along very well, and Liu Bei even candidly told him about his underhanded dealings. Le Yin’s response was supportive, saying only, “Good and evil should be judged by deeds, not intentions. If this benefits the stability of our county, then it is virtuous. Just do not kill out of spite or break the law by force. Though you may not be able to recommend yourself for filial and incorruptible status, if you have the chance in the future, it is best to seek a military official position.” Now Liu Bei understood why Jian Yong respected Le Yin so much—because Liu Bei himself thought the same way. Such a magistrate, no one would want to lose him.
Liu Bei even asked if he should gather money with fellow disciples to renew Le Yin’s appointment—if Ma Gui from the south brought a dozen fine horses to sell in Luoyang or Xiangyang, they could raise six million coins. But Le Yin refused. The old man said, “If this office is bought with money, regardless of its cleanliness, just having a cost in your heart makes you always worry about recovering your investment. Losing the original intention always brings hesitation and wrong decisions...” Liu Bei thought his master was right. What is a benevolent elder? This is it. At the end of the year, a prisoner sold his daughter to raise money for his sentence. Jian Yong bought the little girl to serve the teacher, and Le Yin accepted her cheerfully. Yet, before leaving Zhuo County, he returned the girl to Jian Yong, saying, “You have the respect due to a teacher; I have no objection to accepting her. This girl has found work and food, which counts as your aid to the poor. But my official duties are done; I have wife and children at home and do not need to take in a daughter. I entrust her back to you... Our door should not treat people as goods or property. Remember that.” Jian Yong had no choice but to take the girl back as a junior sister, vowing never to buy slaves or give friends as gifts again. Liu Bei truly admired this teacher—that was the true demeanor of a great scholar!
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At year’s end, Le Yin was still to return to Jizhou. Normally, a teacher returning home while a student’s studies remain incomplete would prompt the student to follow and continue learning. But Le Yin believed that both Liu Bei and Jian Yong were only sons with widowed mothers and the sole pillars of their families, so they should stay in Zhuo County to fulfill filial duties. Though reluctant, they could only escort Le Yin back to Anping, Jizhou.
“Xuande, my virtue is not illustrious, and there is nothing left for me to teach you. But since you seek benevolence, I entrust you with the matter of benevolence and virtue.” Before departing, Le Yin pulled Liu Bei aside and said, “There is a fellow disciple named Qian Zhao, your contemporary, not yet of age. He comes from a poor family and has been distracted by earning money, delaying his studies. If you have the means, perhaps you could assist him a little.” This was a suggestion that Liu Bei support a fellow disciple when he had spare resources. Even without Le Yin’s words, Liu Bei would have done so—after all, he knew Qian Zhao’s reputation. This was a truly great general in the making...
Liu Bei also knew that Qian Zhao probably would not follow him in the future. Had it not been for meeting this teacher Le Yin, Liu Bei might have been more self-interested, caring less for those unlikely to follow him. But now, he felt he should not think that way. Do not treat people as goods. Excel in virtue to win people over. Live up to the name ‘Xuande.’ Otherwise, his whole journey through time would have been in vain...
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Upon returning to Zhuo County, Liu Bei immediately sent a sealed letter to Gongsun Zan, writing, “I have heard that my elder brother will be serving as an official in Zhuo County. I am overjoyed and hereby send this fine horse to congratulate you, elder brother Bo Gui. May your arrival bring success!” Naturally, Jian Yong delivered the letter. The gift horse was the very one seized from Cao Cao, bearing the Cao family’s brand.