Break the Thieves in the Mountains, Storm the Lake!

"Confucius said: Only the benevolent can truly love others and hate others."

Confucius had said that only those with benevolence in their hearts could sincerely love or hate another person.

You continued, "Those called men of resolve shoulder the weight of society's moral order. With lofty, pure aspirations, they constantly seek a way to set the world's great disorder right. Those called men of benevolence embody the fullness of Heaven's virtue. With bright and open hearts, they are determined to uphold the world's highest principles."

"But the Confucian School's 'men of resolve' do not resolve to save the people from fire and flood at the cost of their lives. They resolve to become benevolent. Their aim is not to remake Heaven and Earth, but to become people of benevolence, virtue, and integrity."

Hearing this, Zhuge Jian found your opening striking. What followed, however, seemed rather ordinary.

Contempt flickered through Xie Renfeng's eyes. The same old talk. Nothing new.

The Confucian School valued moral education. It did not demand that everyone possess Confucius's learning. If all people were as virtuous as Confucius, why would the Confucian School need to exist? Education meant guiding people toward goodness and raising their moral character step by step, not demanding perfection.

Madam Yuan's expression eased slightly. The words were unremarkable, but at least you had not embarrassed yourself.

Madam Zhao's expression remained unchanged. Clearly, those few sentences were not enough to satisfy anyone present.

The light in Xie Hong's eyes dimmed again.

The guests from outside the clan were disappointed too.

Nothing but mediocrity.

Sima Ting, however, watched with anticipation. He did not believe this was all his young cousin Guan had to offer.

A trace of puzzlement entered your eyes, and you spoke with greater emphasis.

"When the heart and one's actions cannot both