Chapter 746

Indeed!

Upon hearing it was about the title of Duke of Confucius, Li Yan and Sha Lifei exchanged glances.

This matched their earlier suspicions.

Madam Jinping, a shrewd woman, gave them a sidelong glance as if she hadn’t noticed, then continued: “The position of Duke of Confucius involves far more than mere prestige. Li Shaoxia knows that due to the incident with the Golden Tent Wolf Kingdom, the main lineage of the Kong family, though holding the hereditary title, has lost its legitimate bloodline for several generations.”

“The current Duke is elderly, and this has already stirred ambitions among all branches. His death is like pulling the stake holding down a nest of snakes—every tangled root and branch of the Kong family is now exposed. The power struggle among factions all stems from the interests behind this title.”

“That’s control over the Confucian ancestral temples, land, and endowments across Shandong and even northern Jiangbei—annual revenues alone amount to mountains of gold and seas of silver!”

“Indeed.”

Li Yan said gravely: “Who are the factions currently vying?”

“Li Shaoxia, please wait a moment.”

Jinping bowed gracefully, turned, and left. Soon she returned, holding a brocade box.

Opening it, she took out documents and began reading as she spoke:

“First, Kong Zhenyuan’s branch—he is the eldest legitimate son of the late Duke, arrogant and convinced of his pure bloodline. His son Kong Shangan is despised by the clan for his violent temper. The late Duke kept both father and son tightly restrained; he assumed that with the Duke’s death, the title would be his by right. Yet Kong Zhenlin, the Kong family’s highest-ranking official, the Assistant Minister of the Temple of Rites, has long resented him.”

“Kong Zhenlin has spread rumors, hinting that the late Duke intended to pass the title to Kong Zhenwen, a collateral branch member renowned for his virtue. Though Kong Zhenwen is from a collateral line, he has the backing of the Imperial Chancellor in the capital and strong ties with Qingzhou sea merchants; he has influence from the prefectural government to the garrison, and an excellent reputation among scholars.”

“The main contenders are these two factions.”

Sha Lifei asked puzzled: “They’re fighting among themselves—why is Kong the merchant involved?”

Li Yan also asked: “Which side is protecting Kong the merchant?”

Jinping replied: “Kong Zhenyuan’s branch.”

“What?!”

Hearing this, both Li Yan and Sha Lifei found it hard to believe.

Kong Zhenyuan’s son, Kong Shangan, was the one who clashed with Kong Shangzhao, forcing him to flee to the capital for safety.

Kong the merchant is the prime suspect—logically, they’d want him dead more than anyone.

Now protecting him? There must be something strange going on.

Indeed, Jinping explained: “Originally, Kong the merchant was doomed. But as Kong Zhenwen’s branch intensified its efforts, the succession became the paramount issue, and the Duke’s death faded into the background.”

“The Duke died suddenly in the ancestral hall that night, and heavy troops guarded the premises—true enough. Yet Kong Zhenlin’s retainer, ‘Shadow Foot’ Li Qi, inexplicably ‘took leave from the household’ that very night and vanished afterward. Moreover, the fatal wound on the Duke’s chest—a clean, precise strike that bled minimally—could never have been inflicted by a mere merchant like Kong.”

“Kong Zhenyuan seized on this, claiming Kong Zhenlin sent assassins to eliminate the Duke—so even though they harbor a grudge against Kong the merchant, they must grit their teeth and protect him.”

“At this moment, Lu Hongyuan, the master of Mingde Martial Arts Hall, also spoke out: the killer must be found, or no one may lay claim to the Duke’s title.”

“The Kong family still wields power today for two reasons: its thousand-year legacy of ancestral worship, and this Grand Master Lu. No one dares stir further trouble—so they’ve detained him in Jinan Prefecture until the truth is uncovered.”

After hearing this, Li Yan and Sha Lifei both exhaled in relief.

Under current circumstances, Kong the merchant is imprisoned, and both sides must protect him—otherwise, if he dies, the other side will surely blame them.

Likewise, once the killer is found, whoever it is, Kong the merchant will be cleared.

“Thank you, Elder.”

Realizing this, Li Yan and Sha Lifei rose to take their leave.

“Hahaha…”

Jinping covered her mouth with a silk handkerchief and laughed: “Li Shaoxia, why the rush? I’ve heard you’re the little top scholar of the brothels—I’ve already notified several girls to turn away their patrons and wait for you. Shall I call them?”

Li Yan’s eyelid twitched slightly. “No, I have other matters.”

Sha Lifei grinned wickedly, watching the scene with amusement.

“Very well.”

Seeing Li Yan eager to leave, Jinping feigned resignation: “Li Shaoxia, you’re busy—I dare not disturb you. But there’s one thing you must pay attention to.”

“Our Golden Swallow Gate has spread word of the Twelve Zodiacs’ southward movement. Many are eager to hire them, offering generous rewards and strong local influence. When you have time, you must take at least one case—otherwise, people will say our Golden Swallow Gate is unreliable.”

“Naturally.”

This was a prearranged cooperation; Li Yan naturally nodded in agreement.

…

When they stepped out of Yanbo Pavilion, it was deep night.

The streets were sparse with pedestrians; even the lanterns of brothels and taverns had dimmed considerably.

“Little Yan, what now?” Sha Lifei asked.

Li Yan looked ahead. “Let’s return first. Kong’s brother is probably anxious—tell him the situation. Tomorrow, we’ll figure out how to visit the prison and inquire about his condition.”

Saying this, the two quickly departed, vanishing into the darkness.

Long after they left, a crack opened in a second-floor window of Yanbo Pavilion.

A gaze withdrew from the gap.

“Master, it really is that Li Yan!”

In the elegant chamber, Fu Ping, commander of the Lu family’s guards, bowed respectfully.

Lu Xiaowu, the current head of the Lu family and former second son, sat in a high-backed chair, wiping his hands with a hot towel, his face weary. He shook his head and sighed: “They say a man changes in three days—how true.”

“When Li Yan first arrived in Xianyang, he was just a greenhorn—Zhou Pan could have crushed him easily. Yet in just a few years, he’s become famous across Shenzhou, while my Lu family struggles, forced to kowtow to everyone.”

“Master, you’re too modest.”

Fu Ping bowed deeply, eyes filled with admiration: “Since you came to Jinan, unfamiliar with the land and people, all those who owed favors to your late father have turned their backs and tried to seize Lu family assets.”

“Yet Master, through cunning and bold strategy, you’ve secured our foothold—no one dares look down on us!”

“Still, we’re not truly on the stage…”

Listening to Fu Ping’s flattery, Lu Xiaowu felt nothing, sipping tea thoughtfully: “Though we’ve established ourselves in Jinan and resolved those troubles, we still must bow to others.”

“I engage in commerce, and with my father’s disgrace, I can never enter court service. Today I paid a heavy price to gain entry to the Wang Fu tomorrow—if I cannot secure their protection, those assets will become a curse.”

Fu Ping’s eyes darted. He whispered: “Master, the hottest topic in Jinan now is the Human Artifact of Qiankun Academy. Due to the distance and poor communication, many have missed the chance—the Wang Fu is also…”

“You mean to approach Li Yan?”

Lu Xiaowu shook his head: “I’m not acquainted with them. Besides, my father once had a feud with them. Given their current status, even if we offered gold, they’d scorn it—no need to humiliate ourselves.”

“Yes, Master is right.”

Fu Ping nodded, also feeling helpless.

In truth, he had once cooperated with Li Yan and had a chance to build ties.

But back then, the status gap was too great—he never considered such Jianghu folk worth noticing.

Silence fell over the room.

Lu Xiaowu stared toward the direction of the Wang Fu, his expression shifting between shadow and light…

…………

Meanwhile, in the Jiang-Zhe Merchants’ Association chamber.

Candles flickered dimly; everyone stayed awake.

“Little Kong, rest easy.”

After Li Yan recounted the events, Sha Lifei comforted him: “Your father is now a precious asset—no one dares touch him. Even the Jinan Prefecture Ya must treat him well, given the stakes.”

“Tomorrow, we’ll find a way to visit him in prison.”

“Yes, thank you all.”

Kong Shangzhao, deeply grateful, rose and bowed deeply.

He hadn’t expected anyone to involve themselves in this matter.

With the Lin Fatty family’s standing in the Jiang-Zhe Merchants’ Association and their vast network, let alone Li Yan’s own connections in the Commandant’s Office and the Law Enforcement Hall, they could speak with authority.