NFBE Chapter 130 The Confucius Mansion
Chapter 130 The Confucius Mansion
At the south gate of Qufu County, dusk was approaching, and fewer and fewer people were entering or leaving the city. Just as the soldiers guarding the gate were yawning and preparing to close it, a caravan of carriages slowly approached.
"What are you doing? Hurry up, all of you!" the guard at the gate yelled impatiently.
"Excuse me, sir! We were delivering supplies to the Kong family and got delayed on the way," a man who looked like a shopkeeper hurriedly got off the plane, bowing and scraping as he spoke. He then took out a pack of cigarettes and started handing them out.
Seeing that there was smoke, several soldiers gathered around and asked the shopkeeper for some.
Just as the soldiers guarding the carriage were lighting cigarettes, several men quietly gathered around.
"Thud! Thud! Thud!" The sound of knives piercing flesh rang out, and in an instant, several guards fell into pools of blood.
The men quickly dragged the body aside, clearing a path. The carriage immediately started moving and went into the city gate.
A moment later, dozens of cavalrymen came galloping over from a distance, followed by a large number of infantry. These men carried swords and spears and wore red turbans on their heads, resembling Boxers.
Thousands of soldiers stormed in through the north and south gates, and were not discovered by the city's inhabitants until they entered the city. The people were terrified and hid in all directions.
However, these Boxers did not attack ordinary people, but instead went straight to the key government offices in the city.
After the entire army entered the city, both city gates were closed from the inside, and guards were stationed there.
Qufu had enjoyed peace for centuries and had never suffered from war. The soldiers and civilians within the city had no sense of vigilance whatsoever, and the army moved freely within the city without encountering any resistance.
"Your Excellency, a large army has entered the city!" A yamen runner scrambled into the backyard of the county government office.
"Nonsense! How could a large army possibly enter the city? I haven't received any official documents," the magistrate rebuked. He was also a member of the Kong family and had never feared any official. Even governors-general and Manchu generals treated them with utmost respect.
“Really, sir! Judging from their appearance, they seem to be members of the Boxers.” The constable wiped his sweat and said.
"Bang!" Just as the magistrate was surprised, the door was kicked open and a group of men dressed in red and with red headscarves on their heads rushed in.
"Ah!" The magistrate's family members screamed in fright.
"Who are you? How dare you trespass into Qufu? Do you know what kind of place this is?" The county magistrate stood up and reprimanded, trying to appear calm.
"What place? It's just the county government office, isn't it?" a knife-wielding man who looked like a leader said with a contemptuous laugh.
"This is the hometown of Confucius, and the family of the Duke Yansheng lives in the city. No matter who it is, even the current emperor must treat the Confucius family with respect. How dare you be so presumptuous here?" The magistrate said, gradually calming down, his voice growing louder.
"What a load of rubbish! The Duke of Yansheng, the Kong family! Hmph, they're nothing but bastards who bully men and women and treat human life like dirt. Do you know who I am?" the man said coldly.
"Didn't you send people everywhere to arrest me just a few days ago?"
"You, you are Li San?" The magistrate was shocked!
"That's right, you didn't expect me to come back, did you? You corrupt official, the Kong family seized my land, took away my wife and daughter, and beat my father to death. Not only did you not care, you even sent people to arrest me."
"This is the descendant of a sage you're talking about! Bah!" Li San angrily spat a mouthful of phlegm onto the county magistrate.
"Li San, listen to me. We're all from the Kong family..." Seeing Li San approaching with a knife, the magistrate hurriedly begged for mercy.
"Too late! You corrupt official, you deserve to die for aiding and abetting evil!" Li San stepped forward and stabbed the magistrate in the stomach. He immediately pulled out the knife, and blood splattered all over him. Li San, however, didn't care at all.
Before the imposing gates of the Duke of Yansheng's mansion, Jiang Shan dismounted and was about to order his men to ram the gates when they opened by themselves.
The current Duke Yansheng, dressed in a python robe, walked out with a group of people.
"General, there's no need for force. Any conditions are negotiable. Our Kong family will certainly comply!" Duke Yansheng said, bowing.
"Hahaha! As expected of the Kong family, who have submitted to the Yuan and Qing dynasties for generations. They really know how to be pragmatic! If Confucius knew this in the afterlife, I wonder if he would be so angry that he would come back to life." Jiang Shan smiled sarcastically and shook his head.
"Guards, arrest them all!"
"General, General! Why is this happening?" Duke Yansheng exclaimed in shock.
"Why? You spineless scum, a parasite living like this, are a disgrace to scholars. I must cleanse the house for Confucius!"
Jiang Shan, not allowing the other side to argue, waved his hand. A large group of soldiers stepped forward and arrested the entire Kong family.
The entire Confucius Mansion covered approximately two hundred acres and housed several hundred servants. They worked through most of the night to arrest them all.
"Let's go! Take us to see the Kong family's treasury." Jiang Shan grinned and said to the Kong family's head steward.
"Good, good!" The butler wiped the sweat from his brow and led Jiang Shan and the others to a brick building.
Opening the thick, iron-clad wooden door, a shimmering silver light shone through the torchlight.
Rows of wooden shelves were neatly stacked with silver and gold ingots, a dazzling sight. Even the soldiers nearby couldn't help but swallow hard.
"Move everything out, and all of you better keep your hands clean. You know the rules!" Jiang Shan roared.
"Yes, sir!" The soldiers stiffened and quickly replied.
There were ten such warehouses, and Jiang Shan estimated that they contained more than ten million taels of gold and silver.
"Butler, the Kong family can't possibly have only this much money, can they? Where are the other treasuries?" Jiang Shan grinned crookedly.
"Cooperate well, we'll only deal with the Kong family. We'll spare your life then. Now that we're here, we won't leave until we've looted everything. Even if you don't talk, we'll find them sooner or later." Seeing that the steward remained silent, Jiang Shan patted him on the shoulder and said.
"Alright, alright!" The butler wiped his sweat and staggered as he led Jiang Shan and his party to the rockery in the back garden.
They walked down a hidden path and soon arrived at a stone cave. The butler reached out and scratched at the stone wall, revealing a large iron door in front of it.
"This treasury can only be opened with the key that the Duke Yansheng possesses!"
"Men! Grab that old bastard!" Jiang Shan waved his hand.
Soon, the Duke Yansheng was brought over. His face was ashen, and he glared resentfully at the steward. The steward shrank to the side in fear.
"So, Duke Yansheng! Will you open it yourself, or shall we do it for you?"
"I'll open it, I'll open it!" To avoid further trouble, the Duke of Yansheng unfastened the key from his waist and stepped forward to open the large iron gate.
"Then please let the Duke Yansheng show us around!" Jiang Shan didn't know if there were any legendary mechanisms inside. Just in case, it was best to let the old man lead the way.
After the iron gate opened, there was a flight of stairs leading downwards. Jiang Shan and his entourage escorted the Duke Yansheng down the stairs.