e post he had just
resigned in Loo. Had the experiences of his public life come up to the
sanguine hopes he had entertained at its beginning, Confucius would
probably have declined this offer as he did that of the Duke of T'se
some years before, but poverty unconsciously impelled him to act up to
the advice of Tsze-kung and to bate his principles of conduct somewhat.
His stay, however, in Wei was of short duration. The officials at the
court, jealous probably of the influence they feared he might gain over
the duke, intrigued against him, and Confucius thought it best to bow
before the coming storm. After living on the duke's hospitality for ten
months, he left the capital, intending to visit the state of Ch'in.

It chanced, however, that the way thither led him through the town of
Kwang, which had suffered much from the filibustering expeditions of a
notorious disturber of the public peace, named Yang-Hoo. To this man of
ill-fame Confucius bore a striking resemblance, so much so that the
townspeople, fancying that they now had their old enemy in their power,
surrounded the house in which he lodged for five days, intending to
attack him. The situation was certainly disquieting, and the disciples
were much alarmed. But Confucius's belief in the heaven-sent nature of
his mission raised him above fear. "After the death of King Wan," said
he, "was not the cause of truth lodged in me? If Heaven had wished to
let this sacred cause perish, I should not have been put into such a
relation to it. Heaven will not let the cause of truth perish, and what
therefore can the people of Kwang do to me?" Saying which he tuned his
lyre, and sang probably some of those songs from his recently compiled
Book of Odes which breathed the wisdom of the ancient emperors.

From some unexplained cause, but more probably from the people of Kwang
discovering their mistake than from any effect produced by Confucius'
ditties, the attacking force suddenly withdrew, leaving the Sage free to
go wherever he listed. This misadventure was sufficient to deter him
from wandering farther a-field, and, after a short stay at Poo, he
returned to Wei. Again the duke welcomed him to the capital, though it
does not appear that he renewed his stipend, and even his consort
Nan-tsze forgot for a while her intrigues and debaucheries at the news
of his arrival. With a complimentary message she begged an interview
with the Sage, which he at first refused; but on her urging