The item was naturally good, and the price wasn't low, but Xu De really didn't dare to take any money.
Xu De knew very well what he could and could not take. If he took the money, he would not be able to explain himself to the Imperial Majesty.
Of course, Xu De had other ideas. He could not afford to lose face.
What did he think he was? If he could be dismissed with money after being humiliated, what did he think he was?
A beggar?
Eunuch Xu was not short of money.
He reached out and flipped through the paper in the plate. A smile suddenly appeared on Xu De's face.
The smile was like sunlight shining on ice and snow. The whole room warmed up in an instant, and the atmosphere became better.
Seeing Xu De's expression, Kong Shangxian sneered in his heart. He thought disdainfully, "This is what a eunuch is like. People say that eunuchs are dogs, and it seems to be true."
It was like throwing a bone to a dog and it would wag its tail at you.
Kong Shangxian felt that he had learned another trick. In the future, he had to do this kind of thing for a long time. Wasn't it just money?
However, Kong Shangxian did not think about it. He had looked down on Xu De before and could not bear to part with a bone. Now that he felt that the dog was going to bite, he threw a bone to him.
This was what a cheap person was like. It was not good to be friendly with him. You had to teach him a lesson.
"Duke Yan, it would be impolite of me to refuse!" Xu De smiled as he put away the things and handed them to the little eunuch beside him.
"It's just some worthless things. Eunuch Xu, you don't have to be so polite!" Kong Shangxian said quickly.
After this torment, the conversation naturally went smoothly. Kong Shangxian directly put forward his ideas and said that he was willing to pay taxes. He also asked Xu De to help him prove his innocence to the Emperor. The censor's impeachment was slander.
Xu De naturally agreed without hesitation. He looked as if everything was negotiable and easy to do.
After Kong Shangxian left, the smile on Xu De's face instantly disappeared. His voice also turned cold as he scolded, "Idiot!"
When Kong Shangxian left the room, the smile on his face disappeared. He said coldly, "You dog. Wait until this matter is over. Just wait and see how I'll deal with you. It's not that easy to take things from my Kong Clan."
Both of them harbored their own thoughts, but the seemingly harmonious meeting ended just like that.
Inside the room, Xu De glanced at the little eunuch who was holding the things and said, "Have our people cleared the way?"
"Reporting to Eunuch, it's connected!"
The eunuch quickly said, "Our people have already met Kong Shangqi. The meeting time has also been arranged. It's tonight. Kong Shangxian has already arranged people to keep an eye on them."
Xu De sneered and said, "Then let's meet this Kong Shangqi."
Kong Shangqi was Kong Sicheng's current generation's leader. He had been living a very sullen life in the Kong Clan. Xu De believed that Kong Shangqi would definitely cooperate with him, especially after Kong Shangxian had sent people to keep an eye on them.
He didn't stay in the Kong Clan to watch the show. His goal was to find Kong Shangqi.
If he came to Shandong this time and returned to the capital with his face covered in dirt without any merit, not to mention the Imperial Majesty, even Xu De would be ashamed.
Zhang Jing had left the capital several times, and each time, he had handled the matter beautifully.
Xu De felt very ashamed that he had messed things up when he left the capital.
Jinan Prefecture, Yang Clan.
As a large clan in Jinan Prefecture, although the Yang Clan wasn't very famous, it was still quite famous.
However, outsiders didn't know that the Yang Clan wasn't just an aristocrat in Jinan Prefecture. At the same time, it was also the location of the White Lotus Society's Shandong branch.
The head of the Yang Clan, Yang Fei, was the branch leader of the White Lotus Society's Shandong branch.
As night fell, a banquet was being held in the Yang Clan's rear residence. As the head of the Yang Clan, Yang Fei could only sit at the side and keep the guests company.
Sitting at the head of the table was an old man with squinting eyes. Beside him was a woman in her thirties.
There was a slight resemblance between the two of them, so it was obvious that they were both women.
This old man was the Left Protector of the White Lotus Society, Wang Shan. The woman beside him was his daughter, the leader of the White Lotus Society, Wang Lian 'er, who was known as the reincarnation of Tang Saier.
Wang Shan looked at Yang Fei and asked calmly, "Yang Fei, how did the contact go?"
When she heard Wang Shan's question, embarrassment flashed across Yang Fei's face. She said somewhat vexedly, "Those people are too cowardly. I sent someone to contact them and ask them to submit a petition to attack the imperial envoy's residence, but none of them had the guts to do so!"
In reality, Yang Fei had long since received orders from the sect to incite the aristocrats of Jinan Prefecture to cause trouble.
Opposing the imperial envoy and refusing to pay taxes, but Yang Fei hadn't expected the aristocrats of Jinan Prefecture to be so cowardly.
The Chai Clan had been fined 110,000 taels of silver, but they still didn't dare cause trouble.
Chai?
That old bastard had fainted from anger, but he still didn't dare cause trouble.
Yang Fei was both angry and helpless. What the hell was going on?
Wang Shan didn't seem to mind. He smiled and said, "I expected this long ago. They don't have the guts, but we can give them some courage. When there's a will, there's a way. Right now, Jinan Prefecture is just a pile of dry firewood. Just a little spark and it'll burn."
Yang Fei was slightly taken aback. He hurriedly asked, "What's the plan?"
Wang Shan stroked his beard and smiled. "There's nothing we can do about the aristocrats, so we'll start with the Imperial Court. Aren't the Tax Bureau and the Imperial Bodyguard tyrannical?
Then we'll get rid of them! "
At this point, a ruthless glint flashed across Wang Shan's eyes. He continued, "If someone from the Tax Bureau dies now, who will the imperial envoy's residence suspect?"
Yang Fei immediately froze and said, "It's the aristocrats of Jinan Prefecture."
Nodding, Wang Shan smiled and said, "That's right. Looking at how the fake Emperor conducts himself, he's tyrannical and unreasonable. After the victory in the northwest, his reputation has soared. Once he has that reputation, he naturally won't be suppressed.
"Now that something like this has happened in Jinan Prefecture, the fake Emperor definitely won't let this go.
"Otherwise, if he kills one person today and another tomorrow, who would dare collect the tax?
When the time comes, the fake Emperor will definitely send people to investigate this matter. Then, who would be suitable to investigate this matter? "At this point, Wang Shan stopped speaking and put on an unfathomable expression.
Yang Fei suddenly reacted. Clapping her hands, she said, "It's the Imperial Bodyguard!"
"That Imperial Bodyguard Xing Shangzhi is in Jinan Prefecture. If something like this happens in Jinan Prefecture, the fake Emperor will definitely send the Imperial Bodyguard to investigate this matter."
Wang Shan smiled and said, "That's right. Xing Shangzhi is an arrogant and ruthless person. We've known this for a long time, but he's been suppressed by Liu Shouyou for so many years.
Now that Liu Shouyou has been removed from his position and Xing Shangzhi has become the commander of the Imperial Bodyguard, he will definitely be eager to perform a meritorious deed.
"If he investigates this matter in Jinan Prefecture, he will definitely lock down the entire city. When the time comes, we just need to play some tricks and frame a few aristocrats. What do we have to fear?
Once these aristocrats are scared out of their wits, we can just instigate them and Jinan Prefecture will naturally descend into chaos. "
Yang Fei raised his wine cup with a look of admiration. "Left Emissary's schemes are beyond the heavens. I truly admire you. This cup of wine, I toast the Left Emissary!"
Wang Shan smiled and took a sip of his wine. Then he put down his cup and said, "Of course, this matter still needs to be carefully planned. The people we choose must be very capable. We must succeed in one strike."
"Don't worry, Left Emissary!" Yang Fei nodded and said, "I will definitely choose the most capable people."
"We have to make a big commotion, the bigger the better. Is this the candidate for the assassination?"
Wang Shan stroked his beard and muttered to himself for a moment before saying, "Let's choose Pi Gan. This person is the deputy of Shandong's tax bureau."
"If he is also the one who has been charging and breaking through enemy lines these past few days, this person's intentions will definitely cause a commotion in Jinan Prefecture. The fake Emperor will definitely be furious."
Yang Fei nodded repeatedly. His face was full of excitement. If they succeeded in this mission, then they would have a bright future ahead of them.
While the White Lotus Society was plotting to get rid of Pi Gan and instigate the aristocrats of Jinan Prefecture to turn against the imperial court, Xu De was meeting with Kong Shangqi of the Kong family.
Compared to the White Lotus Society, this place was much more low-key.
There wasn't even a cup of tea, let alone a banquet. The two of them didn't even have electric lights.
In the darkness, the two of them couldn't even see their faces clearly. However, their expressions were very serious.
"Eunuch Xu, we are both descendants of the Kong family. We know very well the truth of what happened all those years ago," Kong Shangqi said in a low voice, "The imperial censor's impeachment is definitely a false accusation. Please, Eunuch Xu, present the memorial on our behalf."
Xu De laughed coldly. "A straightforward person doesn't resort to insinuations. If that's really the case, then you don't need to come see me."
"I'm a crude person. I haven't studied much. I'll say whatever I want to say."
Xu De wasn't in the mood to beat around the bush with Kong Shangqi. He said directly, "I don't believe that you don't feel wronged. Let's not talk about what happened to our ancestors. Aren't you feeling wronged right now?"
"Look at how Kong Shangxian is living, then look at how you're living."
"Tsk tsk!" At this point, Xu De clicked his tongue and sighed. "You're being watched by others, aren't you?
If the imperial court wants to remove Kong Shangxian from his position and bestow upon you, do you believe that Kong Shangxian won't dare to kill you?
Or kill your entire line of descent. "
Kong Shangqi's face was gloomy. He was still not used to the way Xu De spoke. Moreover, Xu De's words were full of mockery.
However, Kong Shangqi also knew that Xu De was deliberately provoking him. In fact, Kong Shangqi also knew that Xu De's words made sense. Kong Shangxian didn't have the guts to kill his own line of descent, but he definitely had the guts to kill his entire family.
In addition, his family had already been watched, so Kong Shangqi was even more certain of this.
It was precisely because he was certain of this that Kong Shangqi came to see Xu De. However, Kong Shangqi also had concerns in his heart.
After pondering for a moment, Kong Shangqi asked, "Eunuch Xu, what do you think I should do?"
Xu De smiled and said directly, "Of course, you should write a memorial to the Imperial Majesty and expose the dirty deeds of Kong Shangxian's line of descent."
"Write down in detail how your line of descent has been persecuted. I will submit the memorial on your behalf. When the time comes, the Imperial Majesty will naturally seek justice for you!"
Kong Shangqi sat in the darkness, his eyes flickering. He was still weighing the pros and cons.
After a while, Kong Shangqi said, "Eunuch Xu, I heard that His Majesty asked Kong Shangqian to preside over the Saint's birthday sacrifice."