A scholar's ideal is to become an emperor's teacher.
Xu You knows the ways of a loyal subject well, and has filled his mind with the wisdom of the sages. Upon reaching adulthood, he enters the court to serve the king.
He becomes the emperor's teacher, spending ten years trapped in the imperial capital and ten years held hostage.
Deng Xianhe has lived his whole life with the script of a man born to a good father. The road to a vast empire has been paved for him, smooth and easy.
In the imperial capital, he's as prominent as his name suggests.
The benevolent delight in mountains, the wise delight in water. Mountains and water may depend on one another, but they never unite. Deng Xianhe refuses to accept that. He carves through mountains and fills in rivers, using every means at his disposal to claim the realm, all for the sake of Xu You.
He confines Xu You to the court for years, composing a record of emperors.
The way of a ruler is the way of benevolence. In his whole life, he uses every means at his disposal only for Xu You.
Why insist on being the emperor's teacher, sir? Why not join the future emperor's cause?
I want you by my side, cherished by the court officials and revered by all the people.
Theme: Courageously defy feudalism
