Most devoted among them was Zi Lu, by nature rather brash and very courageous but lacking in tactics. Confucius warned him more than once to use caution. One story goes that Zi Lu asked 　　Confucius, "If you were to lead an army, who would you take with you to the　battlefield?"　Confucius' reply was: "I would certainly not take anyone who dreamed of killing a tiger bareheaded. Neither would I take anyone who behaved rashly and wanted to cross a river without any preparation. I would take with me someone cool-headed and prudent." 　　　　
　　Zi Lu developed into a person with political insight. He traveled to the State of Wei with Confucius and when Confucius left, Zi Lu and another student stayed on to serve the Duke of Wei in important positions. When Confucius later heard that the other would return but that Zi Lu would die, for he knew that his honest and upright man would not turn with the tide. Son the news reached Confucius that Zi Lu had been killed in battle, and he wept bitterly for his student. 　　　　
　　Another story is about his relation with Yan Hui, who is the one said to have carried out Confucius' ideas most faithfully. He led a hard life, but never let it deter him from his studies. Confucius once said of him, "I doubt that I can find another person who is so attentive, diligent and consistent in his studies as Han Hui. . . . He eats coarse grain, drinks nothing but water and lives in a small narrow lane. To anyone else this would be depressing, but not Yan Hui. He is always happy and always studies hard." 　　　　
　　But Confucius criticized Yan Hui for being too obedient and not having independent views. "Yan Hui accepts everything I say,' he observed. "That's neither good for him nor for me."