I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 437: Remember to Give Confucius Some Respect
In the court of Qufu County, facing Huang Wencai and other two people, Shu Youliang stood with his hands on his hips and spoke confidently.

"Look at what you are saying. What is Hai Rui pretending to be? He cannot abuse his power and cannot embezzle or take bribes. I have been a close aide to the master for 20 to 30 years and have never taken a penny. When I drink, I can only drink water mixed with alcohol.

If it were you, would you be willing to pretend to be Hai Rui?"

Yes, there may be people in this world who pretend to be other powerful people, but there are very few who pretend to be Hai Rui. The risks are high and the benefits are few.

Huang Wencai's face changed constantly. He had long felt that Hai Rui and his group were not simple people. Now, after hearing what Shu Youliang said, he believed it 70% of the time.

It turned out that Gao Gong did not come, but Hai Rui did. This made things even more troublesome.

Gao Gong could still maneuver a bit, but Hai Rui was completely unreasonable. For people like them, no grass would grow wherever they passed.

Huang Wencai turned his head and looked at Kong Shangtan, with a fierce light flashing in his eyes.

Hai Rui saw this, sneered, and pointed his mouth towards Shu Youliang.

If you can speak, speak more.

Shu Youliang chuckled: "You want to kill people and silence them, and turn my master and us into ashes? Hehe, you losers, you are capable of doing anything if you have evil hearts."

Hai Rui rolled his eyes and told you to read more, but you just wouldn’t listen!

Are we so hated that we are even crushed to dust?

Huang Wencai and Kong Shangtan's eyes flickered, but they did not answer.

Yu Buyan was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat.

These guys are so cruel that they even dare to silence Hai Qingtian.

I must have done something wrong to be assigned to be the magistrate of Qufu.

I thought that the people in Confucius Mansion were all moral, righteous, gentle and modest, but I didn't expect that they all looked well-dressed on the surface, but in fact they were thieves and prostitutes with very evil hearts!

Shu Youliang looked at Huang Wencai and Kong Shangtan and continued, "It's too late. Our master has been fighting evil people like you all his life, fighting with wisdom and courage, and he has been fully prepared.

Do you know who we rescued in Sishui County Prison?
Wang Yi'e, the governor of the Canal, and his brother-in-law Yang Yunpeng had already taken a carriage southwards and were now in the territory of Nanzhili.

Also, these two are military academies of the Jinyiwei Yiweisi, specially sent by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to protect my master from the murderous hands of you birdmen. There are also two guard military academies who followed Yang Yunpeng south.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has issued a secret order that wherever our master goes, the local Jinyiwei and Dongchang, as well as Yang Caishen’s Shaofujian, should keep a close eye on him and report back every three days.

Kill us, kill us and turn our bones into ashes. In two days, the nearest Wang Duxian will come with his soldiers and turn all of you into ashes. "

Shu Youliang's words made Huang Wencai and Kong Shangtan's expressions no longer change.

The two men turned away the case and bowed politely to Hai Rui.

"I never thought that the famous Mr. Gangfeng would come to Qufu. I feel honored. Please wait for us to return home and prepare something before coming to welcome Mr. Gangfeng."

Hai Rui looked at the two of them and said, "Forget about the reception. I can't afford your banquet and I can't eat it either."

Shu Youliang said, "You two, you should think of a plan before you go back. You know my master's character.

During the Jiajing period, the late emperor was impeached. During the Longqing period, the great ancestor was impeached. This time, your ancestor, Confucius, was also impeached. Alas, aren't you forcing our master to retire and return home?

Who else in the world is worthy of my master's impeachment?"

Hai Rui glared at him and said, "You bastard, stop talking nonsense here. As long as there are still some pests that harm the country and the people, I will impeach them, regardless of their status."

Huang Wencai and Kong Shang frankly said: "Mr. Gangfeng is a man of high moral character, honest and fair. The students admire him very much."

After saying that, he turned around and left quickly.

The only person left in the court was the Magistrate Yu Buyan. He looked at Hai Rui and the others with a cold sweat on his face. He could not hide his panic. After a long while, he finally said, "Mr. Hai, your humble servant..."

"Just wait and see." Hai Rui said coldly, then walked away.

Yu Buyan's legs went limp and his whole body collapsed to the ground like mud.

Shu Youliang, Hu Guangsheng and Zhao Kuan hurried to follow.

"Master, why don't you follow the old rules?" Shu Youliang asked curiously as they walked to the gate of Qufu County Government Office. "What old rules?"

"Whenever you found malpractices in a county before, you would seal up the county's storage and look through the files of the Household and Criminal Departments. Why didn't you follow the old rules in Qufu County?"

Hai Rui replied bitterly: "Don't you and I know what's going on in Qufu County? For other counties, I only look for bad governance and dereliction of duty in the files. What do you want me to look for in Qufu County? Look for one or two good things that were legal and in accordance with the law in the files?"

Passing by the stone tablet of precepts standing in the courtyard in front of the hall, Hai Rui stopped and stroked the line of precepts on the back and the three words on the front.

"Kou Shengming!"

Hai Rui's eyes were filled with tears as he sighed, "Now I understand what the Crown Prince said. Fairness and justice are the foundation of our Ming Dynasty. Only when the world is for all can our Ming Dynasty last forever!"

As soon as I walked out of the county government gate, I saw hundreds of people pouring into the street in front of the gate, and even more people pouring in from all over.

It turned out that a clever yamen runner leaked the news that Hai Rui, the Honourable Hai, was coming to Qufu.

Once the news came out, it was like igniting a powder keg.

Hai Rui stood at the door and looked at the people who gathered around. There were men and women, old and young, and their gloomy faces were filled with the light of hope for the first time.

"Master, are you Master Hai Qingtianhai?"

An old man with gray hair and a cane stood in front of the crowd and asked tremblingly.

"I am Hai Rui Hai Gangfeng from Hainan!" Hai Rui bowed in return.

"Oh my God!" The old man dropped his cane, knelt on the ground, and with tears on his face, he sighed, "We have finally waited for you to come! Lord, please make the decision for us!"

The streets were filled with hundreds and thousands of people kneeling, their cries deafening, yet with endless hope, they shouted in unison: "Hai Qing Tian! Please make the decision for us!"

Hai Rui's face was also filled with tears. He bowed and saluted to the people on the street, and said in a hoarse voice: "Hai Rui is ashamed! I am so late, and I am ashamed of you all!"

Wang Dagui was kneeling in the crowd, his face also in tears, his whole body shaking with excitement.

Hai Rui stayed at an inn outside Qufu County, hung up a sign that read "Right Deputy Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate", opened the door, and took turns receiving the people who came to complain about their grievances.

Eight students and scholars volunteered to be recorders, and they kept writing down the grievances expressed by the people.

Before long, the paper and ink on hand were used up, and the paper shops and stationery stores in the county town were afraid to sell even if they were paid due to the power of the Kong family.

Wang Dagui turned around and ran, and together with several clever citizens, they went to a town not far from the county seat, as well as to the towns and markets near Ziyang County, Wenshang County, and Fei County, to buy paper and pens and ink and sent them back.

After a while, the news spread quickly.

Within two days, paper shops and stationery stores not only in nearby counties, but also in Dongping and Jining prefectures, sent paper and pens and ink. The road from Yanzhou Prefecture to Qufu was filled with people rushing to file charges against their grievances.

Tian Sheng and Zhang Dao rushed back quickly, dressed Hai Rui in official uniform, wrote a formal declaration, stamped it with the official seal, and posted it next to the post station.

Five days later, Wang Yi'e, along with Yang Yunpeng, Wu Cheng'en, and five hundred soldiers from the Central Army Battalion, rushed to Qufu County.

"Zijian, you're here?"

"According to the order of His Highness, I will also take charge of Shandong." Wang Yi'e replied respectfully, "I have sent letters to Qingdao, Weihai, Dengzhou, Xuzhou, Linqing, Dezhou and Yanzhou. All the transport troops and guards have been mobilized to strictly guard the checkpoints in Yanzhou Prefecture and Shandong, and conduct thorough inspections.

In addition, I have already dispatched 3,000 guards to guard all the checkpoints leading to the outside world from Qufu County. Please rest assured, Mr. Hai, I will definitely handle this matter well. "

Hai Rui looked at Wang Yi'e and sighed, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has long wanted you to take charge of Shandong."

Yes, if there hadn’t been a secret order, how could Wang Yi’e have come so quickly?
If there had not been a secret order from the Inspectorate, would the Shandong naval and land forces have obeyed his orders?
"Now that you are here, I can return to the capital with peace of mind." Hai Rui hesitated for a moment and said softly, "Zijian."

"Mr. Hai, I am here." Wang Yi'e replied respectfully.

"You, the King Osprey, please remember to give some respect to Confucius."

Wang Yi'e looked at the dark and old Hai Rui, and replied with tears in his eyes: "Don't worry, Master Hai, Confucius still has a respectable position in the capital."

Hai Rui held Wang Yi'e's hand and earnestly said, "Zi Jian, justice brings the Ming Dynasty! Only when the world is fair and just and for all, can we have the Ming Dynasty! Remember this, remember this very much."

Wang Yi'e's voice was hoarse as he said respectfully, "Mr. Hai's teachings will be remembered by my students."

(End of this chapter)