Xu De glanced at Kong Shangqi. There was no expression on his face, but he was very disdainful in his heart. This was another idiot.
Xu De knew that the Imperial Majesty would never let Kong Shangqi succeed as Duke Yan.
This time, if Kong Shangqi was allowed to become Duke Yan in the end, it would be better to let Kong Shangxian continue as Duke Yan!
"You still don't seem to understand what happened this time."
Xu De would not tell the truth to Kong Shangqi. He just said sarcastically, "If you don't bring down Kong Shangxian after such a thing happened, what do you think will happen to you?"
Xu De did not let Kong Shangqi guess and said directly, "Anyway, I will not let such a dangerous existence around me. How can I allow others to sleep soundly next to my bed?"
Kong Shangqi's body shook violently. He raised his head and looked at Xu De. A flash of anger flashed in his eyes.
How could he not understand this logic? Even if he did not understand it, he understood what Xu De said.
In the end, it all boiled down to one thing. He had to do it whether he wanted to or not. He had no choice.
If Kong Shangxian passed this test this time, what would happen to him?
It would definitely not be a good end. Maybe he would die of a sudden illness in a few years. At that time, his bloodline would probably be wiped out.
People outside thought that the Kong family was the role model of the Confucian Sect and the descendants of the Sage. However, as a member of the Kong family, Kong Shangqi knew his own family well.
The Kong family was no different from the average big family, except that it was bigger.
The fight for power and profit had always been bloody. The fight for the inheritance of a big family was not much different from a fight for the throne.
However, this time, Kong Shangqi did not choose it himself, nor did he want to do it. But things were like this in the world. It was not something that could be done as one wished.
At this point, he had to do it whether he wanted to or not.
Xu De was not in a hurry. He quietly waited for Kong Shangqi to think.
Although Kong Shangqi was indignant, he could only sigh deeply after a long while.
Even though Kong Shangqi was sitting at home, he knew that he couldn't avoid it.
Thinking of this, Kong Shangqi did not continue to negotiate and said directly, "What does Eunuch Xu think I should do?"
"Of course it's to write a love letter!"
Xu De glanced at Kong Shangqi and said with a smile, "Tell His Majesty about Kong Shangxian's lineage tampering with the genealogy records, and write clearly about how Kong Shangxian's lineage has persecuted you all these years."
After pondering for a while, Kong Shangqian nodded. "If that's the case, I'll write it when I get back!"
The meeting ended here, and the two of them went back to their respective places.
After returning to his room, Xu De let out a sigh of relief. Once Kong Shangqi's love letter was published, Kong Shangxian would be condemned by everyone!
He believed that the Imperial Majesty would be satisfied with what he had done this time.
Xu De looked up and saw that the little eunuch beside him was hesitant to speak. He couldn't help but scold him with a smile, "Brat, if you have something to say, just say it. Why do you have to look like this?"
The little eunuch quickly said, "Eunuch, after Kong Shangqi finishes writing the love letter, why don't we …" Saying this, the little eunuch made a gesture of slitting his neck.
Xu De glanced at the little eunuch with a very serious expression on his face. He said directly, "Don't have such thoughts. If you do this, Kong Shangxian will be dead for sure. But what about afterwards?
If Kong Shangqi dies, everyone will sympathize with him. Should I give the title of Duke Yan to his son? "
"This kind of thing must not be done. Once it is done, it will only make the world sympathize with Kong Shangqi even more."
"If I ruin the Imperial Majesty's business, the Imperial Majesty will skin me alive!"
After working for the Imperial Majesty for so many years, Xu De had long understood the gist of it. It was simple to say that it was appropriate and dutiful.
The Imperial Majesty did not like people who did not abide by their duties. At the same time, he liked his men to do things appropriately.
Both Zhang Jing and Xu De grasped this very well. Everyone knew what should be done and what should not be done.
In this matter, it was enough to let Kong Shangqi write the letter. Killing Kong Shangqi would be as bad as not going far enough.
After listening to Xu De's words, the little eunuch quickly bowed and said, "I was ignorant. Please punish me, eunuch!"
Xu De waved his hand and said with a smile, "You also want me to do things well, but you are still young and have to learn more.
I will teach you a lesson. We are the servants of the Imperial Majesty. Don't think about anything else when you do things. The only thing you have to think about is the Imperial Majesty. "
"Your idea is very good. You can make a contribution, but is that useful?
It is necessary to make a contribution, but it is more important to do things in accordance with the Imperial Majesty's wishes.
To be able to make a contribution and at the same time, to follow the Imperial Majesty's wishes is the most important. "
The little eunuch quickly knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Xu De, "I understand!"
Xu De nodded in satisfaction. This little eunuch was not bad. It was just that he was too young. However, his immaturity made Xu De satisfied.
This was the successor he was grooming. He couldn't let his successor mature before he retired. This was good.
Jinan Prefecture, Tax Bureau.
Pi Gan flipped through the account book in his hand and finally let out a sigh of relief. In fact, he had spent the past few days in fear.
Although he had issued a fine notice, whether or not he could collect the fine was the key.
If he could collect it, it would naturally be a great contribution. If he couldn't, then there would be trouble.
However, things didn't develop in a bad way in the end. In the past few days, there were already aristocrats who came to pay the fine.
Among them, there were many aristocrats who came to pay the fine on their own accord, all for the sake of only paying thirty percent.
Pi Gan knew that the fine was not the goal. The goal was to make the officials and the aristocrats pay as one.
"Sir, there's a person outside who calls himself Qi Er requesting an audience!" A tax servant walked to Pi Gan's side and said.
Pi Gan was startled. It had been a long time since he had heard this title. He couldn't help but be a bit absent-minded.
This was the special code name of the inner factory. Qi Er represented the inner factory's number two in Shandong.
This position had originally belonged to Pi Gan, but after he was transferred to the Tax Bureau, both the position and code name had nothing to do with him.
Although he hadn't been away for long, hearing this code name again today still made Pi Gan sigh.
"Invite him in!"
After regaining his senses, Pi Gan directly ordered. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Bring him to the conference hall in the back."
When Pi Gan saw the person who called himself Qi Er, he discovered that this person was actually a fatty with a big belly and a big fat face. He swayed with every step.
Pi Gan didn't recognize this person, so he was clearly a newcomer to the inner factory after he left.
Looking at his appearance, Pi Gan knew that this person was definitely not someone from the Ministry of Internal Affairs's operations department.
Qi Er glanced at Pi Gan with a smile, then flashed the token in his hand. He then said, "Sir Pi, Qi Da asked me to send his regards. He heard that Sir Pi's career is going smoothly and he is very happy."
Qi Da and Pi Gan knew each other. This was his old superior in the inner factory.
"Thank you for your concern, Sir!" Pi Gan stood and bowed. "Please also send my regards to Sir!"
Qi Er nodded and sat down at Pi Gan's invitation. He then said, "I came here today to remind you of something. Our inner factory has discovered that the aristocrats in Jinan aren't very peaceful."
"In Dongchang's Piniao Alley, there lives a person surnamed Yang. The family head is called Yang Fei."
"These days, this Yang Fei has been making connections everywhere in order to resist your fines. He's been jumping up and down, but he's not among the sixteen families that have been fined." Qi Er's expression also became serious. "We've also investigated."
"This Yang Fei's Yang family only has two hundred mu of hidden land, and it's only middle field. According to the thirty percent fine, he only needs to pay one hundred and twenty taels."
Hearing Qi Er's words, Pi Gan's expression instantly became serious.
If the Chai family was jumping up and down, Pi Gan wouldn't be surprised at all. It would be strange if they were willing to pay one hundred and ten thousand taels of silver.
But this wasn't the Chai family, but the completely unrelated Yang family.
Pi Gan didn't believe that one hundred and twenty taels of silver wouldn't be enough for a trip to a brothel.
"Yang Fei has colluded with the aristocrats to impeach you. He's even prepared to bring everyone to surround the imperial envoy's office and the provincial governor's office."
Qi Er smiled. "Our people discovered this matter. Sir feels that it's not normal, so he sent me to inform you."
After hearing Qi Er's words, Pi Gan's brows furrowed, and his expression became even more serious.
It was unreasonable enough to jump up and down for one hundred and twenty taels of silver, but how could the Yang family have the guts to incite everyone to surround the provincial governor's office and the imperial envoy's office?
This was courting death. If this Yang Fei's brain wasn't damaged, then there must be something else going on.
"This Yang family has a superior?" Pi Gan raised his head to look at Qi Er.
"A superior" was actually a code word in the inner court. It was similar to slang, meaning that there was someone above.
If there really was someone above, then it made sense. Pi Gan was unrestrained after seeing someone.
Qi Er shook his head and said with a smile, "It seems that Sir Pi's days have been a little more comfortable. If there was someone above the Yang family, do you think that Sir Pi would have sent me to warn you?
No, there's no one above the Yang family. "
"We've done a detailed investigation. This Yang family is very mysterious. They probably came to Jinan a few years ago."
"It's said that they're a big family from Hebei. They got into trouble there and moved here. They sold some land and bought a few shops. Yang Fei is also a cultured person and is willing to spend money, so he has some reputation in the local area."
"However, he's an outsider with shallow roots and no prestige."
This was even more strange!
This kind of family should be low-key. Why would they take the lead to cause trouble? There was something wrong with this Yang family. No wonder Sir Pi sent someone to warn him.
Pi Gan hurriedly stood up and bowed to Qi Er. "Thank Sir Pi on my behalf!"