Confucius started a family around the age of 30, the so-called "thirty and standing".
Three or four years later, he changed to a better job and went to work as a tutor in the family of a great nobleman, and his career was promising.
But after only a year of this work, Confucius chose to go into exile in the State of Qi, and from then on, he fell into a fifteen-year-long low in his life. This year, Confucius was only 35 years old.
So what happened to confucius's life hit an inflection point?
The regime of the State of Lu has long been controlled by the Sanhuan family.
The monarch Lu Zhaogong must have been very dissatisfied.
Coupled with the three Huan's rampant and domineering behavior, other nobles in the Lu state also had a lot of resentment towards them.
These grievances and resentments accumulated day by day, and finally broke out when Confucius was 35 years old.
The undesirable nobles united with the Lu Zhaogong family and prepared to start a civil war to eliminate the Three Huan oligarchs.
But unfortunately, less than a day after the fight, the monarch's side failed.
Then, Lu Zhaogong's faction fled to the State of Qi.
In this way, the State of Lu had no monarch, and the number one person in the Three Huans, Ji Pingzi, became the actual ruler.
For Confucius, who cared about the political order, it was undoubtedly a big deal.
What's more, Confucius now happens to be the tutor of the MengSun clan in Sanhuanli.
Confucius was not qualified to participate directly in the civil war, because he was now only a governess, with a low status and no private armed forces.
However, when the civil war was over, Confucius always had to choose between Sanhuan and Zhaogong.
At this time, Confucius gave up the good future that everyone could see, resigned from the mengsun family's job, left the country of Lu, and went to the state of Qi.
Regarding Confucius's decision, Sima Qian's "Records of History" recorded only six words: "Lu Chaos, Confucius Fit Qi". Translated, there was turmoil in the country of Lu, and Confucius arrived in the state of Qi.
According to the most authoritative history book, Zuo Zhuan, there was no long-term turmoil in the state of Lu.
Because the civil war between Lu Zhaogong and Sanhuan was at best a street battle in Qufu City.
Moreover, it was only a day, and that night, Lu Zhaogong and his gang fled to the State of Qi.
After this, Sanhuan completely controlled the State of Lu, and the situation in the country not only did not become chaotic, but it could even be said to be more stable than when the monarch was there.
After all, the opposites of sanhuan were out of the game, either killed or fled abroad.
Therefore, Confucius could not have taken refuge in the state of Qi because of the turbulent situation in the state of Lu and the fear of insecurity.
Confucius went to the State of Qi to follow the exiled Lu Zhaogong.
According to the existing historical data, it is entirely possible to deduce this answer.
It is easy to understand that he went to the State of Qi for moral reason and followed the fleeing monarch, because it was too consistent with the common design of Confucius.
But Confucius did not do this just for morality.
In fact, he also has realistic considerations. Simply put, it is "political investment".
Before this, Confucius's status was very low, and he was not qualified to serve the monarch at all, but now, Lu Zhaogong had been driven abroad, and there was only a small exiled court, which should be relatively easy to approach, and even if he obtained an official title at the exiled court, it would not be too difficult to think about it.
If Lu Zhaogong could return to power in China in the future, Confucius would become a "Father of Zuo Ming" who had worked hard and made great achievements, and his future would be bright.
At that time, there were often cases of nobles fighting civil wars and driving the monarch out.
Generally speaking, the international community intervenes, either by sending troops to help or by exerting diplomatic pressure, in short, by trying to help exiled monarchs return to power.
Ministers who followed the monarch into exile often had a good future.
It can be said that following the monarch in exile is an act of political investment, with a high rate of return and a high success rate.
The morality of the monarch and the actual rate of return are in line with both human nature and the rules of the political game in the Spring and Autumn Period, not to mention that there are many successful precedents.
Therefore, people at Confucius's time understood Confucius's choice more.
According to scholars, Confucius followed Zhaogong to the State of Qi, in fact, there is a very secret and very personal reason.
That is, he wants to confront Yang Hu tit-for-tat.
Confucius has always regarded yanghu as his greatest imaginary enemy.
Yang Hu was originally an employee in the Jisun family. During the civil war, he chose to continue to work as a thug for his boss, Ji Pingzi.
Between Sanhuan and the monarch, Yang Hu took the initiative to choose Sanhuan.
For Yang Hu, giving Sanhuan a war is his life opportunity.
Yang Hu is a man who is strong and strong, brave and good at fighting. Soon, he stood out and became Sanhuan's confidant.
Since Confucius took yanghu as his reference, then, seeing this choice of yanghu, Confucius would naturally defect to the orthodox monarch in public and private.
Choosing the monarch meant that he was on the opposite side of the Three Huans, that is, on the opposite side of the Yang Hu.
Personal grievances and home-country feelings are entangled here in Confucius.
If Confucius's political investment could be successful, when Lu Zhaogong successfully killed and returned to lu to power, Confucius was likely to return to his hometown and become a knight. And Yang Hu, not surprisingly, will become a completely failed villain. In this way, Confucius is a shame and revenge, what a happy revenge!
Therefore, the reason why scholars have examined Confucius's visit to the State of Qi this time is not what the "Records of History" say to avoid war.
In fact, based on the three considerations of morality, reality and personal grievances, he voluntarily went to the State of Qi to follow the exiled Lu Zhaogong.
Speaking of which, Confucius's decision to go to the State of Qi was very bold and creative. In this way, Confucius is not just the restrained old pedant in the general impression, nor is he a nerd who can say that he can't do it.
He is actually very adventurous: as a young man in the ascendancy of his career, he dares to gamble with his future, expecting a win-win situation of morality and career, and even taking the opportunity to wash away his shame.