Formerly, Sun Quan said to Nu Meng, "Since you are taking charge of some business, you have to read and learn." Nu used his being busy in the army as a pretext to reject the suggestion. Sun told him, "Do you think I want you to learn Confucius books and become a sage? I only want you to browse something helpful from the past. You said you are busy in the army; are you as busy as I am? But I often read a lot." Thus, Nu started to read. When Lu Su met Nu at Xun Yang, they discussed something serious. Surprised, Lu praised Nu, "You are good at the strategies of military and politics, quite different from the former Nu in Wu!" Nu replied, "A man of lofty ideals would make a difference in just three days, and people would give him a different judgment. You should learn this earlier, Sir." Lu then paid an audience to Nus mother and a leavetaking.