Huangming

Chapter 326 Loyal Martyrs Die for Their Glory, Cowards Seek Survival

At this critical moment, a soldier from the Kong family beside Kong Yinzhi suddenly roared, "Young Master, be careful!"

Before he could finish speaking, the soldier lunged at him, forcefully knocking Kong Yinzhi back half a foot.

Li Hongji's powerful and heavy slash landed squarely on his back.

The blade pierced half a foot into the flesh, completely slicing open the person's back. Blood mixed with internal organs gushed out, splattering all over the ground.

The soldier groaned, his eyes wide open, and fell to the ground. He twitched twice and then fell silent.

Hot blood splattered on my face, carrying a strong, fishy smell.

Kong Yinzhi was so frightened by this sudden scene that his face turned ashen. He scrambled backward, his brocade robe soaked through with bloodstains on the ground.

But Li Hongji turned his horse around, raised his long sword again, and the cold light was aimed directly at his face.

"Don't kill me! Don't kill me!"

Kong Yinzhi completely broke down, scrambling backward with his hands and feet, his voice trembling uncontrollably.

"I am the future Duke Yansheng! The heir of the Kong family! I will give you whatever you want! Gold, silver, land, treasures... everything in the Duke Yansheng's mansion is yours!"

Li Hongji's knife stopped three inches from his throat.

He raised an eyebrow at the tearful figure before him, a calculating glint in his eyes.

The Duke Yansheng's Mansion has a history of over a thousand years, so there must be many treasures inside.

Those antiques, paintings, calligraphy, gold and jade artifacts—just a few pieces would be enough to keep his men entertained for a long time.

Although he was an informant for the government troops, he still needed to feed the thousands of men under his command.

This attack on Qufu was the last gamble for the Wenxiang Sect. Once the rebel army was wiped out, it would be difficult to reap any benefits.

If not now, when?

"You'll give me everything?"

Li Hongji sheathed his knife, the tip of which lightly touched the ground in front of Kong Yinzhi, splattering tiny droplets of blood.

"Tell me, what rare things can you give me?"

Yes! We have everything!

Seeing that the other party had relented, Kong Yinzhi immediately kowtowed repeatedly.

"The mansion has paintings by Tang Bohu, porcelain from the Song Dynasty, and a jade ruyi bestowed by the late emperor... If you spare my life, it's all yours! All yours!"

Looking at his cowardly and self-serving behavior, Li Hongji curled his lips into an undisguised look of contempt.

He suddenly leaned down and tapped Kong Yinzhi's cheek with the back of his knife, his tone full of mockery:

"Is this the character you learned from the classics? Is this the integrity of a descendant of sages?"

"Confucius traveled around the states and dared to speak out for justice when he saw the collapse of rites and music; Mencius said 'sacrifice life for righteousness,' but you are even more so, willing to reveal your ancestral wealth in order to save your own life."

"What? Does even a sage teach you to be afraid of death?"

Li Hongji's words were like needles, pricking Kong Yinzhi until his face turned red. This coward could only grit his teeth and dare not refute.

He knew that any explanation was futile at this moment; only by enduring humiliation could he secure a glimmer of hope.

Seeing him like this, Li Hongji lost all his last bit of restraint.

He reined in his horse and shouted, "Men! Keep a close eye on this 'future Duke Yansheng'! Take him to the Duke Yansheng's residence and let him personally bring out the treasure!"

The guards responded with a roar and dragged Kong Yinzhi, who had collapsed to the ground, to his feet.

The East Gate, opened by Kong Yinzhi himself, was like tearing a fatal gash into the city of Qufu.

Everyone knows that Qufu's city walls are sturdy. Although the soldiers of the Confucius Mansion are not to be feared, the people in the city hold out with the heart of the holy city, and it is no problem to hold out for three to five days.

However, once the east gate was breached, the morale of the defending troops collapsed instantly, triggering a chain reaction like dominoes.

Upon seeing this, Li Hongji's eyes sharpened, and he no longer hesitated in the slightest.

"Brothers, into the city!"

The guards surged into the east gate like a tide, followed closely by the rest of the procession.

The defending soldiers, having lost their command, had lost all will to fight and either fled or surrendered. The once impregnable city defenses crumbled in just a few hours.

In less than a day, most of Qufu was under control.

Outside the city, Xu Hongru paced anxiously, eagerly awaiting to see Li Hongji suffer heavy losses.

Suddenly hearing the red banners raised on the city wall, he was taken aback at first, then his face flushed with annoyance. He lashed his whip hard against a nearby tree trunk: "Useless! A bunch of useless trash!"

"I thought Qufu was some kind of impregnable fortress, but it turns out it's so easily defeated!"

He gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with resentment.

"If we had known this would happen, why did we let Li Hongji steal the credit? We could have done it ourselves!"

Despite the frustration, the most important thing right now is to seize the benefits.

Li Hongji can fight for the city, but how can the gold, silver and beautiful women in Qufu be taken by others?
He was the "Restoration Emperor Fu Lie," and when it came to plundering, no one could surpass him!
Xu Hongru abruptly turned his horse around, cracked his whip at the city gate, and shouted hoarsely, "My men! Charge with me! All the gold, silver, jewels, and beautiful women in Qufu are yours to take! I grant you permission to plunder for three days and three nights, and whatever you take is yours!"

These words were like a spark igniting dry grass.

The already restless soldiers erupted into chaos, roaring and howling as they charged toward the city gate like a pack of wild beasts.

The knives and guns in their hands became tools of violence. They would slash and kill any fleeing men, drag and kidnap any panicked women they encountered, and kick open any closed doors to ransack their belongings.

Even worse, some men openly tore off women's clothes in broad daylight and committed such beastly acts.

Cries, screams, and foul language mingled together, tearing the dignity of this ancient holy city to shreds.

Seeing this, the local thugs and ruffians also tore off their disguises, tied red scarves around their heads, and transformed themselves into "righteous soldiers," following the chaotic troops and taking advantage of their power.

They were experts at leading the rioters to plunder wealthy households, and even turned around to bully their neighbors, using methods that were more ruthless than those of the outside rioters.

In just half an hour, this city, which was once peaceful and solemn because it was the hometown of a sage, was completely transformed into a living hell.

The golden roof of the Confucius Temple gleamed coldly in the setting sun, as if silently mourning.

Blood flowed like rivers in the streets, corpses littered the ground, and even the air was thick with the stench of blood and despair.

Li Hongji stood on a high point in the Duke of Yansheng's mansion, looking at the chaos in the city with a furrowed brow.

What he wanted was to take Qufu, not to turn the city into this state.

But the situation was already out of control, and he could only watch helplessly as Xu Hongru's men wreaked havoc in the city.

It's good to let these rebel soldiers fully expose their bestial nature, so that when they are dealt with later, the "righteousness" of the court in suppressing the rebellion will be more apparent.

Also.

The most prestigious part of the Duke Yansheng's mansion has already been taken over by Li Hongji's men.

He ordered his soldiers to guard the Duke Yansheng's residence and not let anyone in.

Even if it's someone like Xu Hongru.

Then, Li Hongji tossed Kong Yinzhi down in front of the main hall of the mansion as if he were a chick.

Inside the main hall, a few members of the Kong family were barely clinging to life under the protection of the Kong family's soldiers.

Upon seeing Kong Yinzhi captured, these people were both shocked and furious.

"You scoundrel! You have insulted this sacred land; you shall die a horrible death!"

"The government troops are just around the corner; you're all doomed!"

"Let us go, and we might spare your lives!"

Looking at the Kong family members who usually boasted of their "saintly lineage" but were now either crying and begging for mercy or cowering and trembling, Li Hongji's lips curled into a cold sneer.

He came from humble beginnings and struggled at the bottom of society from a young age. Most of the oppression and contempt he suffered came from these powerful and wealthy people who claimed to be from "scholarly families".

He used to think that the Duke Yansheng's mansion, as the hometown of a sage, should have some unique character. But after seeing Kong Yinzhi's cowardly appearance and learning about the details of the Kong family from others, the last bit of awe in his heart vanished, leaving only a deep-seated disgust.

How could the Duke Yansheng's mansion be a sacred place for educating the world?

They are clearly a giant scourge that exploits the people!

Millions of acres of sacrificial land are spread across several provinces, all of which are tax-exempt imperial favors. However, when these lands fall to the tenants, they are subjected to exorbitant rents that squeeze them dry.

Rent arrears?

The Confucius family has plenty of methods.

Vigilante torture was commonplace, and collusion with the government to arrest and imprison people was even more frequent. As a result, countless farmers lost their families and were forced to flee their homes and become fugitives.

The position of magistrate of Qufu County has almost become the private property of the Kong family. Just like Kong Wenji, who rushed to report the news in a panic, how could he sincerely stand up for the people?

Judicial trials were entirely dependent on the Kong family's whims, leaving ordinary people with nowhere to voice their grievances when they suffered injustice.

Those so-called "Confucius family soldiers," ostensibly protecting the sacred mansion, were in reality a group of bullying and wicked servants. They routinely oppressed their neighbors, beat up civilians, and even dared to arbitrarily detain people, with no one daring to intervene.

In addition to land rent, the Confucius Mansion also levied various taxes on the people of Qufu under different pretexts, such as "male tax" and "sacrificial tax," making it difficult for them to breathe.

In recent years, Shandong has suffered from severe drought, leaving the land barren and people resorting to cannibalism. Yet, the Confucius Mansion continues to press for rent and taxes without showing any compassion. At that time, public resentment was boiling over, and the country was on the verge of exploding.

No wonder the White Lotus Rebellion broke out in Shandong; many people came specifically for the Confucius Temple.

This was hardly a peasant uprising; it was clearly a desperate situation forced upon them by this "family of sages"! What disgusted him even more was that the Confucius family had close ties with the Shandong governor and the prefect of Yanzhou, and the government had become their henchmen in suppressing the peasants who resisted rent.

The thugs who led the way had been cursing and swearing the whole way, saying that the Confucius Mansion had secretly set up a "Hundred-Household Hall," which was like a private court, where tenants and servants could be beaten and imprisoned at will, and that some "runaway slaves" had even been beaten to death...

At the end of the Wanli era, some commoners were crippled by private torture at the Confucius Mansion for failing to pay rent, causing widespread public resentment.

And look at Kong Yinzhi in front of you. As the future Duke Yansheng, he is such a spineless coward.

He was nothing more than a "bandit," yet he was so obsequious that he was willing to give up all his possessions to save his life.

Li Hongji sneered inwardly: If the Jurchens ever invade one day, this kind of trash would probably be the first to kneel down, pay tribute, and recognize the enemy as their father.

Only then did he fully understand why his superiors had gone through such a long and complicated process, asking him to use the chaotic soldiers to deal with the Duke of Yansheng's mansion.

Such a privileged class, which had been entrenched in the region for hundreds of years and harbored deep-seated grievances, was like a malignant tumor attached to the Ming Dynasty, wielding enormous influence. If the court were to openly take action against them, it would likely draw criticism.

Using this "traitor's" knife to eliminate him would be much more legitimate.

When the rebels wreak havoc and destroy the sacred palace, people will only condemn the traitors for their brutality; who will delve into the shady dealings behind it all?
Li Hongji glanced at Kong Yinzhi, who was trembling at his feet, and the last trace of hesitation in his eyes turned into ice.

Such parasites will only continue to exploit the people if left alive. Rather than letting them live on in this world, it is better to end their lives.

He bent down, the tip of his knife stopping half an inch in front of Kong Yinzhi, his tone as cold as ice: "Speak, where is the treasure of the Duke of Yansheng's mansion hidden? Also, make those who are resisting in the mansion lay down their weapons. If you do well, I will spare your life."

"Thank you, General, for sparing my life! Thank you, General, for sparing my life!"

Kong Yinzhi, as if grasping at a lifeline, scrambled to his feet and kowtowed three times, his obsequious manner resembling that of a servant girl attending to her master.

He struggled to get up, trying to salvage some of the dignity of a saint's descendant, but the pungent smell of urine between his legs was impossible to conceal, mingling with the blood on the ground and emitting a nauseating odor.

"Uncle! Zhenning! Lay down your weapons!"

Kong Yinzhi turned towards the main hall and shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice carrying a hint of pleading that he himself did not realize.

"Surrender! You can still live if you surrender!"

Inside the main hall, Kong Wenshi was directing his servants to block the door with tables and chairs. Upon hearing this, he turned around abruptly, trembling with anger, his white beard standing on end.

He stared intently at Kong Yinzhi, his wrinkled face filled with shock and rage, as if he wanted to devour his nephew alive: "You! You are the future Duke Yansheng! The face of the Kong family! How could you kneel and surrender to bandits? Even in death, you must die with dignity!"

"Uncle, you don't understand!"

Kong Yinzhi shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of urgency in his defense.

"As long as the green hills remain, the teachings of the sages can continue to be spread! If we die, everything is over!"

"Pooh!"

Kong Wenshi spat on the ground, his eyes filled with contempt.

"You think you're trying to save your life? You're just being greedy and afraid of death! The Confucian family's reputation for thousands of years is going to be ruined by you, you coward!"

After angrily rebuking Kong Yinzhi, he turned around abruptly, staring intently at Li Hongji at the door. His back was ramrod straight, and his voice was as loud as a bell: "Traitor, don't be so smug! Among the sons of the Kong family, there are only beheaded scholars, not cowards who surrender! Kill us or torture us, it's all up to you! You want us to surrender? The sun will rise in the west!"

Such an indomitable spirit truly possesses the character of a saint.

A hint of surprise flashed in Li Hongji's eyes, which quickly turned into appreciation.

He nodded slightly: "What a tough nut to crack. Since you're a hero, I'll let you die a quick death."

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly waved his hand.

"Fire arrows!"

The guards and archers behind him had already nocked their arrows, and upon hearing this, they all released them.

Whoosh whoosh~
The sharp sound of arrows piercing the air broke the deathly silence in the hall, and a dense rain of arrows shot towards the main hall like locusts.

Kong Wenshi stood upright behind the door, gripping a cane tightly in his hand, his back never bending even as an arrow pierced his chest.

The remaining servants in the hall fought back with all their might, but they were no match for such a dense rain of arrows.

In a short while, the main hall fell silent. Those who had put up a stubborn resistance were all riddled with bullets, and blood gushed out from the cracks in the doors and windows, staining the bluestone slabs in front of the door red.

Seeing this horrific scene, Kong Yinzhi's legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground again, muttering, "Don't kill me...don't kill me..."

Li Hongji gave him a cold glance, then turned his horse around: "Take him to search the mansion. Remember, don't let a single grain of rice or a single coin go to waste."

The guards responded with a roar and dragged the wailing Kong Yinzhi toward the inner courtyard.

The wealth of the Duke of Yansheng's mansion was truly overflowing.

The silver ingots that the guards dug out from the inner courtyard storerooms, secret rooms, and even hidden in the walls were piled up in the courtyard like a small mountain, and a rough count showed that there were more than a million taels.

Not to mention the land deeds and shop contracts, which involved thousands of acres of fertile land and hundreds of shops in several prefectures in Shandong and Henan, with a total value of two to three million taels of silver.

Standing before the pile of silver, Li Hongji's eyes held no greed, only a burning rage that intensified with each passing moment.

"What a load of rubbish about the Duke Yansheng!"

He kicked the silver box, and the lid flew off with a bang, the silver ingots rolling out hitting the ground with a jarring sound.

"Every single penny of this silver was squeezed from the bones of the poor!"

He turned to look at Kong Yinzhi beside him, his eyes piercing like knives: "Your Kong family has been favored by the court for generations, yet you exploit the people like this. You, Kong Yinzhi, truly deserve to die!"

Kong Yinzhi was so frightened that he shrank his neck and didn't dare to breathe.

After searching the front and back yards, Li Hongji suddenly frowned and looked at Kong Yinzhi: "Why haven't we seen any women in the mansion?"

He understood the principle of "to cut the weeds, you must remove them at the root" better than anyone else.

If the bloodline of these saints is preserved, it will surely bring disaster in the future.

Upon being asked this question, Kong Yinzhi trembled and said with a flicker in his eyes, "She...they escaped."

"Escape?"

Li Hongji sneered, stepped forward, grabbed his collar, and the tip of the knife was almost touching his face.

"Did you hide it somewhere? If we find it, what do you think will happen to you?"

The chilling aura of the blade sent shivers down Kong Yinzhi's spine. He dared not hide anything any longer and cried out, "They didn't escape! I didn't let them escape! I locked them in the cellar!"

"Where is it? Point it out." Li Hongji released his grip, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Kong Yinzhi collapsed to the ground, pointing tremblingly to the corner of the backyard wall: "It's...it's over there!"

The group followed him to the backyard, where they found a newly built brick wall in the corner, with the cement in the joints not yet fully dry.

“Right…right here!” Kong Yinzhi pointed to the wall, his voice trembling uncontrollably.

Li Hongji gave a signal to his guards, and several strong men immediately stepped forward, swinging axes and crowbars to smash the target.

Amidst the sound of bricks and stones shattering, the entrance to a dark cellar gradually came into view.

"Open."

The guard pulled the hidden lock, and the heavy wooden door creaked open, releasing a stench of perfume and mildew.

By the light of the lanterns, one could see dozens of women, young and old, huddled together in the cellar, all dressed in fine clothes. They were terrified and huddled together, trembling with fear.

"Tsk tsk tsk~"

Li Hongji stood at the entrance, looking at the terrified faces inside, and uttered a sigh that was difficult to decipher.

"It's your tragedy to be with such an incompetent man."

He still remembered that he was a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, not a real bandit.

If these women had been under Xu Hongru's command, they would likely have been violated before dying.

"Go in and give them a quick death." Li Hongji turned his head away, his voice as cold as ice.

The guards rushed in at the sound of their voices, and soon the cellar echoed with the women's shrill cries and pleas, but these sounds were quickly replaced by muffled thuds.

Li Hongji's guards did not humiliate them; they simply ended their lives cleanly and efficiently with knives.

Kong Yinzhi watched helplessly as his wives, concubines, sisters, and nieces fell one by one before his eyes. His face turned from deathly pale to bluish-purple, and his lips trembled, but he didn't dare to utter a single word of pleading.

He knew that any words spoken at this moment would only backfire.

But when he subconsciously turned his head and met Li Hongji's gaze, his heart suddenly tightened.

There was no pity in those eyes, only a bottomless killing intent, as if he himself was the next to be killed.

The commotion in the cellar gradually subsided, leaving only the heavy footsteps of the guards.

Li Hongji stared at the tightly closed wooden door as if he were dealing with a piece of insignificant trash.

"Seal this place off."

He gave the order indifferently, then looked at Kong Yinzhi, a cold smile curving his lips.

"Now, it's time to settle our scores."

Kong Yinzhi collapsed to the ground, his trouser legs soaked again.

He finally realized that from the moment he opened the east gate, he had already embarked on a dead end.

……

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(End of this chapter)