So, this royal court high scholar, he was very, very intelligent. Nobody in the whole country can beat him. He can play jokes on them, he can tease them, he can do all kinds of things to annoy them and vex them, but nobody can do anything to him. Nobody can catch him. Nobody can make any reason to catch him.
It’s difficult to work in this business. I demand perfection. It’s not as perfect as I want, but, as much as possible, of course. Because we don’t have... It’s not me. We offer it to the world. And the Heavens are watching also. You know that? (Yes, Master.) So, many people benefit, many beings benefit, the animal-people and all, not just humans, and not just this planet. (Yes, Master.)
So, you’re a big shot. You’re working for the universe, know that? You’re worthy of vegan pancakes, but I’m sorry, I don’t even have it myself. (But it’s not Tuesday.) I can’t afford it. Any more good news for me? (Yes, Master.) Tell me.
I forgot the story, right? (Yes.) I tell first the story, or do you want your question first? (Story, please.) Story. Because halfway already, you will feel bad. And then if we keep talking, I will forget it. Many times.
So, this royal court high scholar, he was very, very intelligent. Nobody in the whole country can beat him. He can play jokes on them, he can tease them, he can do all kinds of things to annoy them and vex them, but nobody can do anything to him. Nobody can catch him. Nobody can make any reason to catch him. (Right. Yes, Master.) So, the king, from the king to the lowest official in the court, they hated him. But there’s nothing they can do. There are many jokes that he made. He made fun of the king and the court officials, but nobody can even do anything. Because he did it in a clever way. Everybody knows he did it, but nobody can do anything. (Wow.) He’s too smart. So, everybody hated him in the royal court. But nobody can do anything. He officially passed the exam. He’s the best in the country at that time. And best of all time. And sometimes they needed him to be able to respond to Chinese officials that came to visit Âu Lạc (Vietnam) and make all kind of tests, that nobody else can answer. (Yes, Master.) So, they need him, but they hate him. It’s kind of a love-hate relationship.
So, this is one of the stories. (Yes, Master.) If I have to tell all his stories, I guess we have to grow old together. Maybe some other day, whenever I have a chance, I would just mention other stories. (Yes, Master.) And they didn’t record all of them. Maybe the king was so embarrassed to let people record it. So, anyway these are just some of the stories, but it’s a lot already, even these some.
So, this one is, one time the king and all the court officials went out on the boat together. Just to sightsee. (Yes.) And enjoy whatever they enjoy, at their position and pleasure. Alright. So, in the middle of it, they were talking about old times, that whoever is loyal to the king should prove it sometimes. If the king told him to die, he must die. (Oh.) No questions asked. That’s the thing.
In Âu Lạc (Vietnam) we say, “Quân xử thần tử, thần bất tử bất trung. Phụ xử tử vong, tử bất vong bất hiếu.” Meaning, if the king orders his official to die, and if he doesn’t die, it means he’s not loyal enough. He’s not loyal. (Yes.) And if your father told you to die and you don’t die, that means you’re not filial. (Oh.) My God! What a... What the... Alright then.
So, they already planned together that that day he’s going to die. The king will make an excuse to make him die, in the middle of the river, (Wow.) a big river. They were on a boat, so there’s no way he could escape. So, they planned already. So, they invited him with all courtesy and friendliness, and they all went together on boats. Big royal boats and beautiful, and ate and drank and all that. And in the middle of that, they cited that slogan. And they cited that, “Oh, many loyal officials, they often die for the king in the battle, and all that. But who would even die without asking why, without any reason to prove his loyalty?” (Yes, Master.) And then they already planned. So, they pointed to him. These royal people said, “He would do it. He would, he would.” “He’s the best, and he knows all these rules and regulations about the king and loyalty, and all that. So, we’re sure he would do that.” And they all pointed at him. None pointed at each other or the other ones. Just him. (Oh, no.)
So the king said, “Well, my dear official, Would you die for me if I tell you to?” So the royal scholar official immediately said, “Of course. Of course, Your Majesty, I would. Everybody knows that already. They already all pointed to me.” So, the king said, “Really? You really would die if I order you to die?” He said, “Of course. A loyal official would anything the king asks. No question.” (Yeah.) So the king said, “OK, then go jump into the river and die.” They knew he couldn’t swim. (Oh.)
So, he jumped down. But they thought he couldn’t swim. They thought, but he had secretly learned to swim. He learned many things to deal with this kind of king and court officials. (Yes, Master.) Because many times they wanted to fix him. (Oh, right.) Many times they wanted, but many times they failed. So, he learned all kinds of tricks. (Yes.) So anyway, he jumped down and disappeared. (Oh.)
A few seconds later, he appeared again and climbed onto the ship of the king. And everybody said, “You didn’t die? You could swim? You could dive and now you came back up? You didn’t die? But the king told you to die. What’s the reason that you disobey the king? You cannot do that. That is a very big crime.” Meaning, this is the kind of crime that even your three generations can have their heads chopped together with you. (Oh.) In the old times, it’s like that, they chopped all the clans’ heads, from old to unborn, so to avoid the revenge later on. (Oh, yes.) If one is found out to have committed treason or anything like that, or even just being disrespectful to the king, then that’s a great crime. You and the whole three generations will be killed together – chopped heads. (Yes.)
So, everybody was scolding him and making him feel guilty, and all that. And the king said, “You explain to me.” And so this royal official, scholar, told the king, “Your Majesty. I went down there. I’m already dead. But then I saw Qu Yuan,” one of the very loyal officials in the older time, other dynasty. “And I met him, Qu Yuan.” He’s very famous for being loyal. Because his king had been betrayed. So, he just jumped. He did not want to be the official to the king of the new dynasty. (Oh. Yes.) Is that so? Is that true? (Yes.) Qu Yuan. (Yes.) So, every May 5th, in the Lunar calendar, they make a big festival (Dragon Boat Festival) to celebrate, to remember him as the most loyal official of all time in China.
This Aulacese (Vietnamese) royal scholar said, “I went down, there, and I died. And then I met Qu Yuan.” Because that man already died. He jumped. He drowned himself. (Ah.) Qu Yuan was the one who jumped into the water to die, in loyalty to his old king. (Yes.)
In Âu Lạc (Vietnam) we have some stories like that also. I will tell you another day. Or maybe later, afterwards. Remind me. (Yes, Master.) (Alright, Master.) It could befit the Ukraine situation. In Âu Lạc (Vietnam) we have many stories. Good people, heroes, and intelligent, and all that. Wonderful country.
So, now he said, “I went down there, died. And I met Qu Yuan. Qu Yuan scolded me.” That old, dead official already. The one that drowned before in loyalty to his king. “He scolded me, your Majesty.” So, the king said, “Why did he scold you? What for? Why? What did he say?”
So, this royal Excellency told the king, said, “Your Majesty, he told me that he died because he did not want to serve the new king. The new king was brutal and a tyrant. That’s why he jumped into the river and drowned himself. ‘But your king is an excellent, good king. Why do you have to die? So, you better go back up!’ That’s why I had to go up, because he’s right. Your Majesty, you are a very excellent king. You are benevolent, you are compassionate, loving and kind to all your people, including to this little, humble self.” So, he said, “I have to continue to serve you, in order to repay your benevolence and kindness. Your Majesty, that’s why I could not die. He pushed me back up.”
The old king was a bad king. And he tried to tell him to be better, but the king did not listen. He listened to all this flattery of other officials instead. So, he drowned himself, the Chinese one. (Yes. Yes, Master.)
