You can't only love the Qing Dynasty when you're eating the fruits of others' labor.

Chapter 391 When the Imperial Envoy Meets Confucius

Zhou Peigong returned directly to the Ministry of Justice from Yuquan Mountain, gathered seven or eight attendants, and received the imperial envoy's seal. He was then escorted by 50 flag guards and set off from Beijing that same day.

Keep moving at breakneck speed!
Eight days later, we arrived in Jinan from Beijing.

The sky is bright.

The gates of Jinan have just opened.

"What are you?"

"The imperial envoy is acting on imperial orders; please make way."

When the newcomer actually pulled out a gold waist token, the guards dared not disbelieve him and immediately knelt down on both sides to make way.

Newton once said:

Speed ​​is crucial! In academia, politics, and the military, whoever moves faster is more likely to win.

……

Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's Office.

The doorman, seeing the group of officials rushing towards him, quickly trotted forward and humbly inquired, "May I ask which government office you gentlemen are from?"

"Ministry of Justice".

"I'll go and report this immediately."

"Wait a minute."

Zhou Peigong pressed down on the doorman's shoulder.

"Kong Qi, a shrewish woman from Qufu County, is seeking justice for her deceased husband. She has been filing complaints all over the place, from Qufu to Jinan to the capital, creating a huge mess. Do you remember her?"

The doorman pondered for a moment.

"I remember now, yes."

"Ok?"

"Six months ago, the shrew also caused a scene at the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's office."

"How should we handle this?"

He was imprisoned in the Provincial Judicial Commissioner's Prison.

"How can you remember something that happened six months ago so clearly?"

"I dared not hide it from my superiors, mainly because this shrew is quite good-looking."

Zhou Peigong's smile faded.

"Take it!"

Two constables from the Ministry of Justice immediately drew their knives and held them to the doorman's neck.

The doorman turned pale with fright and knelt down with a thud.

"The four of you will be led by him to control his family."

"As ordered."

……

When they saw that someone was causing trouble, the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's Office responded very quickly.

Tens of breaths later.

A large number of armed yamen runners rushed out.

The leader, a fifth-rank official, pointed at Zhou Peigong and shouted sternly, "Which government office are you from?"

Zhou Peigong took a deep breath and pulled out the imperial envoy's seal from his robes: "With the imperial envoy before you, do you intend to rebel?"

Moment~
The soldiers of the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's Office were dumbfounded. They all dropped their weapons and knelt down on the ground.

Zhou Peigong was secretly pleased. Today was the first time he had felt the power in his hands, and he felt an indescribable sense of exhilaration.

"Lead the way to the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's Prison."

"Yes Yes."

Within an hour, Zhou Peigong had apprehended two key witnesses—the doorman and the jailer—as well as their families.

It is important to take control of the witness's family members beforehand.

To make a living, Zhou Peigong worked as a minor official in Hubei for a few years, and he truly understood the ways of the public.

……

Yanzhou Prefecture, Qufu County.

The atmosphere inside the Duke Yansheng's mansion was tense.

County Magistrate Kong Xingduo knelt below the hall, knowing he had committed a grave offense. His face was deathly pale, and he was drenched in sweat.

"The Duke Yansheng has arrived!"

The young Kong Xingxie entered the hall and sat in the head seat.

"Gentlemen, let's all share our opinions!"

"I don't think it's a big deal. There's a clear order of seniority and age. If anything is wrong, it's because the compensation is too little. Only 5 taels? That's not even enough to buy a thick coffin."

"Yes, let Kong Qingsheng contribute more money."

"Since the imperial envoy has come to Qufu, we must treat him with great hospitality. I suggest that we begin preparations for the Confucius Family Banquet."

"Yes, yes, entertaining is the important thing."

"Attitude is key! Attitude is key! Nothing else matters."

The elders remained calm and unperturbed. They had seen far too many storms in the Kong family, from the iron hooves of the Yuan Dynasty to the steel blades of the Qing Dynasty. What was a mere imperial envoy compared to that?

Seeing the elders so confident, Kong Xingxie also felt relieved.

"In that case, let's treat them well."

……

The following day, at the gates of Qufu County, a gathering of wise men and righteous men filled the entrance.

"I was unaware of the arrival of Your Excellency, the Imperial Envoy. I have failed to greet you properly."

"Duke Yansheng, I am here to investigate a case. Please forgive me if I have offended you."

"I have prepared a simple feast at my residence to welcome Your Excellency the Imperial Envoy and wash away the dust of your journey. Would Your Excellency do me the honor of joining me?"

It was just a polite remark, but I took the opportunity to back down.

However, Zhou Peigong firmly shook his head.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Excellency, but I am under imperial orders and dare not accept such treatment. Your Excellency, please hand over the magistrate Kong Xingduo and the scholar Kong Qingsheng."

Kong Xingxie's face darkened slightly.

The group of Kong clan elders around them were even more furious. "Damn it, if you don't want to eat at the Kong Family Banquet, what do you want to eat?"
A frail, white-haired old man stepped forward.

"I am eighty-two years old this year. I am the brother of the previous Duke Yansheng. The current Duke Yansheng respectfully calls me Third Grandfather."

"I've met senior."

"Zhou Peigong, do you know what Qufu is?"

"Qufu is the hometown of sages, a sacred place revered by scholars all over the world, and a place with laws and regulations."

The surrounding elders were even angrier. Your last sentence, "It's a place with laws and regulations," was clearly an insult implying that we had no laws and regulations.

Third Grandfather's eyes were fierce.

"Zhou Peigong, are you a scholar?"

"Yes."

"Since you are a disciple of a sage, and you have come to Qufu, shouldn't you first go and pay your respects at the Temple of the Sage of Qufu?"

Zhou Peigong took a deep breath.

This was too much to ask; he dared not refuse. To come to Qufu and not pay homage at the Confucius Temple would be utterly disrespectful.

"Yes, please lead the way for your disciple."

The elders instantly revealed expressions of contempt.

What happened to the imperial envoy?

What happened to the imperial envoy?
In Qufu, unless the emperor himself comes, everyone else who comes must bow down and pay homage to the sage.

……

Soon, Zhou Peigong became extremely annoyed.

In front of the majestic and solemn Confucius Temple.

"Disciple Zhou Peigong kowtows to the great and sage teacher."

The person in charge blocked the doorway.

"Wait a minute."

"This is a sacred place with a history of thousands of years. All disciples of saints must follow the rules when entering."

"Yes."

"Take a bath~"

Taking a bath before entering the Confucius Temple to worship is perfectly reasonable and justifiable.

"Change."

The imperial envoy's official robes were changed into coarse cloth Confucian robes, which was perfectly reasonable and justifiable.

"Famine for one meal."

An empty stomach is a sign of piety; there's nothing wrong with that, it's perfectly reasonable.

"As children of Confucian scholars, they should loudly recite and copy the Spring and Autumn Annals."

The Spring and Autumn Annals is an introductory classic, and every Confucian disciple should know it. There's nothing wrong with that; it's perfectly reasonable.

After much effort, Zhou Peigong finally entered the gate of the Confucius Temple.

"Emperor Gaozu of Han personally bestowed this stele; kneel."

"Emperor Guangwu of Han personally bestowed this stele; kneel."

~
When Zhou Peigong knelt before the stele of Emperor Zhenzong of Song, he was already dizzy and disoriented, filled with shame and anger. One slip had led to eternal regret.

"May I ask, sir, how many more such steles are there?"

"There are 12 more."

"it is good."

Zhou Peigong was too young; he thought that everything would be fine after kneeling in the Stele Forest.

Upon seeing the solemn, majestic, and magnificent Dacheng Hall, the person in charge said something.

"It is too late today, so the ceremony is suspended and will continue tomorrow."

Helpless, Zhou Peigong leaned against the wall and left the Confucius Temple.

The constables from the Ministry of Justice were furious but dared not speak out.

The aura of a saint is terrifying.

Only the 50 flag guards serving as the imperial envoy's bodyguards were unimpressed.

What happened to the sage?

What's wrong with a saint?
A lieutenant general's hand rested on the hilt of his sword, his face revealing a fierce glint.

"Your Excellency, they are deliberately making things difficult for you. Why don't we cut off a few fresh heads and use them as sacrifices to worship Confucius tomorrow?"

"No, absolutely not."

Feeling dizzy and lightheaded, Zhou Peigong waved his hands repeatedly.
(End of this chapter)