Chapter 128: How Shameless Is a Shameless Old Thief

Kong Zhenyun, hearing this, said helplessly, "Uncle, in the matter of Yinzhi, your nephew is truly powerless.

First, Xingxie was caught red-handed in the capital by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and then those he colluded with, such as Yuan Chonghuan, have all confessed without reservation — this case is already ironclad.

Had the Son of Heaven not shown consideration for the virtue of our Kong clan's ancestral sage, this would have been a matter of exterminating nine degrees of kinship. That now it falls only on Yinzhi and Xingxie is already an immense mercy from His Majesty."

Kong Wenying, however, said, "So what? It was merely reselling some grain — what does it matter?

Even if we take ten thousand steps back and grant that Yinzhi truly deserves death, it is still for our Kong manor's family regulations to deal with. How can the descendants of the sage be treated like common mortals, subject to some Great Ming Code?

In a thousand years, such a thing has never been heard of — it is truly absurd to the extreme!"

Knowing full well that Kong Wenying was arguing sophistry, Kong Zhenyun still had to force a placating smile and say, "Uncle, your words have merit, but this matter was, after all, personally decreed by the Son of Heaven. We are helpless."

Kong Wenying, however, said, "I fear it is not helplessness, but rather that you, Lord Duke, are simply unwilling to lend a hand."

Kong Zhenyun, hearing this, choked with rage. In his heart, he cursed silently: You think I can lend a hand?

The Emperor had the Southern Lineage return to the ancestral temple precisely to spite your Northern Lineage. And besides, you Northern Lineage lot have no shame — but my Southern Lineage still wants to keep its face!

Yet no matter how displeased he was inside, Kong Zhenyun still said, "Your nephew is indeed powerless. If Uncle has any good plan, you may share it with your nephew, and your nephew will see if he can think of something more."

Kong Wenying, however, pursed his mouth, in which few teeth remained, and said quietly, "If you truly wish to save them, it may not be impossible.

So long as you can get them out — even if it means bringing them back to face family law rather than being executed by slow slicing — then this matter you want, of opening the Chongguang Gate to welcome back the remains of the Southern Lineage's worthies, is not beyond discussion."

Seeing Kong Wenying forcibly knead these two entirely separate matters together, Kong Zhenyun, though stifled with frustration, still wanted to hear what brilliant scheme Kong Wenying might have, so he asked, "Please, Uncle, speak plainly."

Only then did Kong Wenying say, "Is there not a civil examination to be held this year? When the time comes, you need only drop a hint.

If few in the realm go to sit the exams, and those who had set out turn back for home — then what will the Emperor do? You then submit a memorial, and after you have resolved the Emperor's predicament, you go and request a special grace.

Would the matter not be settled? Furthermore, this old man can make the decision: after Yinzhi and Xingxie return, they will still be dealt with according to family law, and will by no means be let off lightly."

In his heart, Kong Zhenyun began cursing up a storm. It was one thing for this old fossil Kong Wenying to flaunt his seniority, but was this not goading him to go seek his own death?

What sort of temperament the reigning Son of Heaven possessed — Kong Wenying, far off in Shandong, did not know, but he himself was in the capital; how could he not know?

When the time came, the Emperor would surely find some miscreants from the Mohist or Legalist schools to serve as officials, and would absolutely never let off those two bastards Kong Yinzhi and Kong Xingxie.

Even more likely, when the time came, the entire line of the Duke of Yansheng would be in peril.

Having no desire to seek his own death, and even less to bring trouble upon Confucianism, Kong Zhenyun had now lost all patience with these old diehards of the Northern Lineage.

He simply cast aside all pretense and said, "Uncle, you've certainly made a fine calculation for yourself. But do you think that by doing this, you can save Yinzhi and Xingxie?

I fear you'll end up trying to steal a chicken only to lose the bait, and instead place our entire Kong clan in grave danger!"

Kong Wenying, however, grew displeased and said angrily, "Explain yourself clearly to this old man — how exactly would this place our Kong clan in grave danger? Does the Emperor not know that governing this realm still depends on the disciples of our Teaching of Names?

And among the disciples of our Teaching of Names, who would dare defy the will of our Kong clan?"

Kong Zhenyun, hearing this, laughed coldly and said, "Since the Son of Heaven ascended the throne, how many disciples of the Teaching of Names has he put to death? Has a single disciple of the Teaching of Names ever stepped forward to rally a cry and resign from office in protest?

When the time comes and the Emperor props up the Legalists, Mohists, Militarists, Syncretists, and whatnot, the grand situation our forebears labored so hard to build will be destroyed in a single day. When that happens, Uncle, how will you face the consequences?"

Kong Wenying also laughed coldly and said, "There have always been clans that last a thousand years, but never a dynasty that lasts a thousand. These Mohists and Militarists you speak of — where would you even go to find them?

Is it not still our Teaching of Names that stands supreme and unchallenged?"

He paused, and seeing that Kong Zhenyun did not reply, assumed he had been rendered speechless. Kong Wenying continued, "Now you are the Duke of Yansheng, personally enfeoffed by the Son of Heaven — most impressive, most impressive indeed.

Since you are unwilling to help in this matter, so be it. This old man will do it himself.

This old man would very much like to see whether Yinzhi and Xingxie can be saved, and even more, he would like to see just how our Kong clan is placed in grave danger!"

Kong Zhenyun, now thoroughly enraged by Kong Wenying, no longer cared a whit for nurturing his qi or for remaining unruffled even if Mount Tai collapsed before him. He roared, "You dare!

Do not think that just because I honor you with the title of Uncle, you can do whatever you please! Those fine deeds that those two bastards Kong Yinzhi and Kong Xingxie committed — do you not know what they were?!"

Kong Wenying likewise exploded in fury and bellowed, "Kong Zhenyun! Mind your station!

Is this how you speak to your elders? What fine deeds did Yinzhi and Xingxie commit?

Was it not merely reselling a bit of grain? The Kong clan is a vast estate with great expenses — if we do not earn some silver to supplement the household, how are we to sustain it?!"

Kong Zhenyun, hearing this, was so enraged that he laughed, and said in a frigid voice, "Supplement the household? It was hardly as simple as those two bastards reselling a bit of grain!

Those two bastards resold the grain to the barbarians! What they resold was not grain — it was the very foundation of the Great Ming!

Never mind that the Emperor wants to kill them — even I, this Duke, cannot tolerate them! Never mind that they cannot be saved — even if they were saved, I, this Duke, would have these two sons of bitches carved apart by a thousand cuts!"

Kong Wenying, however, was incandescent with rage and roared, "Insolence! You are also a man of the Kong clan, and Yinzhi and Xingxie are your juniors — you call them sons of bitches, then what does that make you? How many of your elders are seated here, all dragged into the mud by your insults?!"

Kong Zhenyun, hearing this, was once again struck by the sheer shamelessness of these bastards of the Northern Lineage.

The Southern Lineage under his own charge, though it had certainly done its share of squalid, disgraceful things, had never dared to commit such utterly brazen acts of national betrayal as the Northern Lineage.

Having lost every shred of patience, Kong Zhenyun was now furious. He opened his mouth and cursed: "Shameless old thief!

Hoary-headed scoundrel! The Sage placed the greatest weight on the defense against the barbarians, and now Kong Yinzhi and Kong Xingxie, those two bastards, smuggle grain and ironware to the Jianzhou barbarians — you turn a blind eye and instead want to rescue those two bastards.

Have you fed all the learning passed down in your family to the dogs?! Do you truly not know why the Southern Lineage fled south back then?

It was precisely because we refused to accept the enfeoffment of the Mongol Yuan barbarians, and only then did we yield the title to your Northern Lineage!"

"Your Northern Lineage accepted the barbarians' enfeoffment, and you claim it was to guard the family temple — that much could be let pass.

But now that the Southern Lineage returns north, you obstruct it at every turn, treating the barbarians' enfeoffment as the orthodox line! You truly have no shame whatsoever!"

I originally planned to schedule this chapter for release at 7 o'clock, but I've decided not to schedule it. As for today's update situation, the Tyrant doesn't dare make promises now.

If some idiot client comes pressing for work again, I'll still have to deal with it, but the Tyrant will definitely do his best to post more chapters and strive for extra updates, more updates, and even more updates. Finally, asking for votes.

Whether monthly tickets or recommendation tickets, it doesn't matter. And also subscriptions and bookmarks.

(End of chapter)