Chapter 748: Words Fall on Deaf Ears

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Open the door!”

The yamen runners and officials, torches in hand and weapons drawn, pounded urgently on the door.

As for the Kong family’s patrons and the Mingde Academy’s experts, they had all scattered to guard the perimeter, eyes brimming with killing intent.

They were all men of the Jianghu, but more importantly, they were Kong family members, and they understood what rules meant.

The meaning of rules was not rigid adherence, but knowing when to follow them and when to break them.

They could pressure the Jinan Prefectural Yamen —that was the Kong family’s status.

But when carrying out official duties, they could only assist, never overstep—that would be violating rules, and would draw unwanted attention, especially now.

Yet as the officials kept pounding, the middle-aged Confucian scholar leading the Kong group frowned.

These officials looked fierce as wolves and tigers, their presence imposing, yet they strictly followed rules.

The copper lock, easily snapable by hand, showed not a single scratch.

The middle-aged scholar immediately guessed the reason.

The Jiangzhe Merchants’ Guild was immensely wealthy and wielded considerable influence across the south; even in Jinan, they enjoyed close ties with the Wang Fu, and rumors said they were jointly preparing a fleet for sea voyages.

These officials didn’t want to offend the Kong family, but neither did they wish to anger the Jiangzhe Merchants’ Guild.

“Hmph!” The middle-aged scholar’s expression darkened; he let out a cold snort, then pulled out a copper coin and flicked it lightly with his fingers.

Clang!

The coin shot out with astonishing force, striking the lock with a sharp clang and snapping it clean.

The gate burst open.

Inside the guild’s front courtyard, clerks and guards stood clutching clubs and lanterns, bewildered.

Qian the Shopkeeper rushed over, hastily pulling his robes together, wiping sweat from his brow.

“Your Excellencies, what is the meaning of this?”

He bowed, voice laced with suppressed anger: “The Jiangzhe Merchants’ Guild obeys the law—we pay our taxes in full every month, never break the law. Why have you come here with such force?”

The lead black-faced constable’s gaze softened slightly, his face filled with reluctance, yet his voice remained hard: “Shopkeeper Lin, it’s not that we lack respect. The Prefect himself has ordered us to apprehend the criminals who stormed the prison and kidnapped Shopkeeper Kong, along with their accomplices.”

“Someone has testified that the criminals are hiding within your guild. Duty compels us—we apologize.”

“Criminals?”

Qian the Shopkeeper stared, dumbfounded, shaking his head quickly: “Constable Liu, you’ve made a mistake…”

Behind him, the middle-aged Confucian scholar could no longer bear it. He stepped forward, voice low and stern: “Enough with the empty pleasantries! The court is hunting fugitives—if you delay, a mere merchant like you cannot bear the consequences!”

Qian’s face turned grim, his smile cold and false: “If I’m not mistaken, this gentleman is Master Zhao of the Mingde Academy. You’re right—I truly cannot bear the consequences.”

He stepped aside and bowed: “Please, enter.”

The Kong family was indeed powerful, but this Shenzhou had both Southern Kong and Northern Kong.

The Southern Kong resided in Quzhou, and several successive Duke of Yansheng had come from the Southern Kong line—they maintained good relations with our Jiangzhe Merchants’ Guild.

The court has been elevating merchant status, yet this man still looks down on us—it stoked his inner fire.

“Hmph!”

Master Zhao knew he’d offended Qian, but he didn’t care. He nodded to the side; the Kong family’s patrons surged forward like wolves and tigers, shoving aside the guild’s clerks and charging inside.

Seeing this, the prefectural officials gritted their teeth and followed.

“Search everywhere!”

“Guard the front and back gates—don’t let the criminals escape!”

Instantly, the courtyard, front hall, and workshops echoed with the clamor of overturned chests, shattered doors, and broken windows.

Shadows darted everywhere; torchlight flickered wildly against the walls.

Many other merchants lodging in the Jiangzhe Guild were driven out.

Some bowed their heads in silence, unwilling to stir trouble; others glared with fury.

The Jiangzhe Merchants’ Guild was the core of the Open-Sea faction, backed by many high officials in court. Since the court opened the seas, they’d sailed smoothly, like oil on fire—never before had they faced such an ordeal.

But seeing Master Zhao, many immediately fell silent.

This Mingde Academy master was named Zhao Tong, one of the direct disciples of Grandmaster Lu Hongyuan, who cultivated Vast Righteous Qi. His martial cultivation was astonishing—he was rumored to have entered the Gangjin realm and was renowned across the Qilu Jianghu.

Most crucially, he was extremely rigid.

He had publicly declared that altering the order of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants undermined the state’s foundation.

He held merchants in utter contempt.

Facing the crowd’s stares, Master Zhao Tong paid no mind. He strode forward, hands clasped behind his back, then tapped the ground with his toe—the blue bricks shattered beneath him, and he rose straight into the air, landing atop the roof’s ornamental ridge of the guild’s front hall.

The prison-breakers were experts—he had come to hold the ground.

Master Zhao clenched his Yang Seal, eyes half-closed; his robes stirred without wind, and a powerful aura spread outward.

Soon, he frowned slightly, turning toward the side courtyard’s annex.

He pushed off again, sleeves fluttering as he sliced through the air and landed outside the annex, coldly declaring:

“Friends inside, come out!”

Creak~

Li Yan slowly pushed open the door, his expression calm: “What is it?”

Master Zhao’s pupils contracted. “Who are you?”

He had awakened the most mysterious of the Six Divine Abilities: the Mind Ability.

Compared to other abilities, those who awakened this one possessed the strongest spiritual perception, with many mysterious powers, often excelling in divination, spirit invocation, and deity summoning.

But as a direct disciple of the Sage, how could he taint himself with such lowly arts? He devoted himself solely to the Vast Righteous Qi. Though he possessed no such techniques, his spiritual perception had become extraordinarily potent.

He sensed an inexplicable threat emanating from Li Yan.

Who was this young man?

Li Yan held no fondness for the Kong family, and his regard for the Mingde Academy had plummeted accordingly. He sneered: “When asking others their identity, you don’t even introduce yourself—is this the Academy’s ‘propriety’?”

Master Zhao did not anger. He nodded slightly: “I am Zhao Tong, Master of the Mingde Academy. Last night, criminals stormed the prison. We traced the clues here. Please state your identity.”

His words were polite, yet his muscles were taut.

The two stood barely two meters apart—each capable of delivering a fatal strike at any moment.

At that moment, the Kong family’s patrons and Mingde Academy disciples began ascending the stairs.

One young man spotted Li Yan and froze, his expression shifting, then stepped forward, bowing to Zhao Tong: “Master, I recognize this man—he is Li Yan of the Twelve Zodiacs. It was they who protected Kong Shangzhao. He is surely inside this room!”

Li Yan glanced sideways at the young man.

No wonder he knew his name—they’d met once before.

When they arrived at Linqing Pass, Zhao Wanfang had hosted drinks there. This young man had lusted after Zhao Wanfang’s beauty, quarreled over her, and foolishly claimed to know Li Yan.

His lie exposed, he’d left in shame.

If he remembered correctly, this man was Kong Shangming, of the same generation as Kong Shangzhao.

“Oh?”

Hearing this, Zhao Tong’s gaze sharpened instantly.

Twelve Zodiacs, friend of Kong Shangzhao, and conveniently present at this Jiangzhe inn.

Even a fool could see something was wrong.

He stared into the doorway, voice low: “Shangzhao, seeing your master, why do you not bow?”

Now it was Li Yan’s turn to be startled.

He hadn’t expected Zhao Tong to be Kong Shangzhao’s master.

A Mingde Academy Master was like a Jianghu sect’s teacher—not only teaching martial arts, but more importantly, instructing in scholarship, hence the title “Master.”

Indeed, Kong Shangzhao stepped slowly from within, eyes red, bowing: “Master.”

Zhao Tong ignored Li Yan entirely, his expression solemn: “So you still recognize me as your master. Tell me—did you break into the Jinan Prefectural prison and rescue your father?”

Kong Shangzhao lowered his head: “I did not.”