Chapter 349: The Kong Mansion's Chief Steward Confesses

Listening to Xu Xianchun's words, the Kong Mansion's chief steward Kong Shangsheng raised his head and said through gritted teeth: "But the Duke Yansheng said in his letter that as long as I'm willing to confess, he can protect my family."

Hearing this, Xu Xianchun immediately laughed, the smile on his face filled with utmost mockery, and his tone carried contempt as he said: "I truly never imagined that the dignified chief steward of the Kong family could be so naive. Setting aside other matters, just look at the charges on this document — when he says he can protect your family, do you even believe it yourself?"

"Since these cases have been handed to me, I must give Your Majesty an accounting. You should know that His Majesty is furious right now — rebellion, attempting to assassinate the Emperor. Do you think His Majesty will let this go? The Duke Yansheng said this for no other reason than to make you confess quickly. As for what happens after you confess, the rest has nothing to do with you, and your family has nothing to do with you either."

"It's just that I'm not like the Duke Yansheng. He likes to deceive people; we of the Embroidered Uniform Guard prefer to handle matters straightforwardly. After all, you're already here and can't get out — isn't how I deal with you entirely up to me? Torturing you, then having you sign and affix your seal — that's not difficult for the Embroidered Uniform Guard. This is exactly what we do, and we've never failed."

"I also want you to die with clarity, so stop being naive and sign obediently. Good for you, good for me."

The Kong Mansion's chief steward raised his head and looked at Xu Xianchun, saying angrily: "You people are murdering innocents, you're colluding with each other! I won't sign — even if you beat me to death, I won't sign!"

"Beat you to death? I won't beat you to death." Xu Xianchun stood up and said: "But I will knock you unconscious, use your hand dipped in your own blood to press your fingerprint on this confession, and then you'll have signed and sealed it. After that's done, I'll submit your confession. We already have all the witnesses and evidence of your collusion with the Wenxiang sect to rebel, and now with your oral confession, everything will be settled. The Duke Yansheng will beg forgiveness, the court officials will protect him, and this matter will blow over."

"As for you, naturally you'll be beheaded along with your family. Rest assured, before you're escorted out, I'll have someone shatter your throat bones so you can't utter a single word. Once you're outside, you won't even be able to make a sound. Don't think about crying injustice or telling anyone what happened — there's no hope."

Hearing Xu Xianchun say such things in such a casual tone, the Kong Mansion's chief steward glared with furious eyes and said: "Aren't you afraid that doing things like this will send you to hell one day? Even as a ghost, I won't let you people off!"

Hearing this, Xu Xianchun burst out laughing with a snort.

"You have the nerve to say that to me?" Xu Xianchun walked over to the Kong Mansion's chief steward, reached out and patted his face, saying: "Look at what you people have done."

"Natural disasters are unavoidable — when commoners die from them, it's heartbreaking, but there's nothing to be done. For this reason, His Majesty mobilized huge amounts of grain to relieve the victims. But where is that grain now? It was all embezzled by you and those officials working together. Do you know how many commoners will die because of this? How many families will be ruined and displaced? Did you ever care?"

"Going to hell, being haunted by evil spirits? If hell truly exists, you'd be cast into the eighteenth level, never to be reborn for all eternity. If evil spirits truly cling to you, then you're surrounded by them right now — they'd love to devour you alive and tear you apart. You really think you're a good person?"

"Let me put it this way — people like you deserve to die and then some; death by a thousand cuts wouldn't be excessive. Now you think we're going too far? When you were doing evil to those commoners, what were you thinking? Didn't think it was excessive? I, Xu Xianchun, am no good person. If I end up in hell one day because of this matter, then I'll bear it."

The Kong Mansion's chief steward's body began to tremble. Looking at Xu Xianchun's fierce countenance, he suddenly collapsed entirely, slumping directly to the ground.

His voice trembling, he said: "My family is innocent — they know nothing. Sir, please spare them."

As he said this, the Kong Mansion's chief steward tried to crawl forward, as if to grab Xu Xianchun's leg.

But he had only crawled a few steps before the Embroidered Uniform Guard behind him pinned him down.

Xu Xianchun walked over to the Kong Mansion's chief steward, crouched down to look at him, and said: "You want to save your family's lives? Nothing in this world is that easy."

"Sir, as long as you can save my family's lives, I'll do whatever you say." Kong Shangsheng said hurriedly.

At this moment, Kong Shangsheng was truly panicked. If this charge was confirmed, his entire family would be finished — it would certainly be execution of the whole household, without a shred of doubt.

He had just read the confession Xu Xianchun had shown him, which was exactly as Xu Xianchun had said — what he was to confess was colluding with the White Lotus sect with intent to rebel, and also attempting to assassinate His Majesty.

If he admitted to such charges, no matter how many heads his family had, they wouldn't be enough to chop. So he couldn't confess — absolutely couldn't confess!

As for the Duke Yansheng's letter, it was written very clearly — it told him to confess. Although the Duke Yansheng had said he would protect his family, Kong Shangsheng wasn't stupid. With charges like this admitted, even if that person were the Duke Yansheng, how could he possibly protect his family?

This man surnamed Xu before him was clearly trying to force him, using his family to pressure him — he couldn't possibly let his family go.

Kong Shangsheng was the chief steward of the Kong family and naturally knew quite a bit. He knew Xu Xianchun was trying to drive him into a corner with no way out, to make him completely obedient.

As for how Xu Xianchun had obtained that letter, Kong Shangsheng no longer wanted to think about it. What Kong Shangsheng was thinking about now wasn't even how he himself could survive.

He knew he was doomed to die, but he wanted to save his family — he didn't want his family to die along with him.

Execution of the entire household, the extinction of his bloodline — just thinking about it made Kong Shangsheng collapse.

"Alright, help him up." Xu Xianchun said with a smile.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard on both sides grabbed Kong Shangsheng's arms and lifted him onto a stool to sit down, then stood on either side of him, afraid he might do something rash again.

Xu Xianchun looked at Kong Shangsheng and said: "Now then, start talking. Talk about how you colluded with officials, how you seized land, how you resold relief grain for profit. Get all of that clear first."

"Sir, if I talk, will you really be able to save my family's lives?" Kong Shangsheng asked, a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes as he looked at Xu Xianchun.

"That I don't know." Xu Xianchun shook his head and said: "I'll say it again — this matter is too big; no one can decide it on their own. Everything must be decided by His Majesty. What I say doesn't count."

"But there's one thing I can guarantee you — I will plead for leniency on your behalf. If you explain everything clearly, I'll tell His Majesty that you've shown merit in rendering service. As for how His Majesty punishes you, that's beyond my control. The reason I'm telling you all this is because I don't want to deceive you. I think you should understand — this isn't something I can decide, so there's no point in lying to you."

Hearing Xu Xianchun's words, Kong Shangsheng smiled bitterly and said: "Sir truly is an honest man. If you had just said you could save my life, I probably wouldn't have said anything at all."

Kong Shangsheng also knew in his heart that such charges were absolutely not something Xu Xianchun could decide. If he had said he could save him or his family right now, there would only be one possibility — he was deceiving him. If the final result was execution of the entire household either way, then there was no need for him to talk; at least he could protect the Kong family, and bearing this burden himself wouldn't do any harm.

But Xu Xianchun's frankness instead gave Kong Shangsheng a bit of comfort, and also a bit of hope.

So he began to confess everything.

The scribe beside him was rapidly recording it all.

When everyone looked at Xu Xianchun, their eyes carried fear.

Although they knew their master was capable and notorious for being ruthless, such scheming and methods truly made one's blood run cold. His subordinates feared him even more now.

Xu Xianchun paid it no mind.

If you want to handle matters impeccably, how can you do it without using some means?

This matter had to be handled impeccably, had to be complete, and not a single mistake could be made. So Xu Xianchun used every means at his disposal, and so far things were progressing smoothly. Neither the Duke Yansheng nor Kong Shangsheng before him had escaped his calculations.

In fact, Xu Xianchun had also prepared for the possibility that if the Duke Yansheng refused to cooperate and wouldn't write the letter, he would have found another angle to approach from. It was just that things had become easier now, and the result was close at hand.

As Kong Shangsheng spoke, Xu Xianchun listened carefully, occasionally interrupting to ask about details, unwilling to let even the slightest point slip by.

When Kong Shangsheng finished, Xu Xianchun immediately had him sign and affix his seal.

Looking at Kong Shangsheng's confession, Xu Xianchun nodded with satisfaction and said: "Next, tell me about the matter with the Wenxiang sect. That's the real dead knot. If this knot can't be untied, your fate won't be much better."

Letting out a soft sigh, Kong Shangsheng picked up the tea before him and took a sip.

This was a privilege he only had after confessing — being allowed a drink of water.

Then Kong Shangsheng said: "Actually, we only knew they were the Wenxiang sect. As for them wanting to rebel or anything like that, we truly didn't know. Their influence was great, and they frantically gathered followers — to us, it just seemed like they were out to amass wealth. They had no money, we had grain, so if they wanted to buy, we would sell. To us, it was nothing more than a business transaction."

"Not to mention, in the past when Japanese pirates bought grain, we'd sold to them too. Business is business — it doesn't get entangled with too many other things. If this matter hadn't come to light, we wouldn't have known they were planning to rebel."

At this point, Kong Shangsheng glanced at Xu Xianchun and said: "Do you need me to change my confession? To say we colluded with the Wenxiang sect to rebel, that we deliberately sold grain to the Wenxiang sect?"

Looking at Kong Shangsheng, Xu Xianchun waved his hand and said: "Not for now. Alright, go rest for a while. I'll have someone look after you properly, and I'll also find a physician for you."