And an imperial edict?
Everything that needs to be dealt with has been dealt with, what else is there?
"My minister Kong Yinzhi and his disciples from the Confucius family accepted the order!"
After just a moment of astonishment, Kong Yinzhi knelt down in the uncertainty.
The disciples of the Confucius family behind him and the surrounding crowd also knelt down.
"The emperor was entrusted with the destiny of heaven, and the edict said: Since the beginning of Emperor Yizong of the Tang Dynasty, the county magistrates of Qufu... However, many of the county magistrates in Qufu today have been ignorant and incompetent.
At the request of the ministers, I will abolish the secular position system of Qufu County Magistrate with immediate effect and change it to a floating official position, which will be selected by the Ministry of Personnel. Disciples of the Confucius Mansion are no longer allowed to serve as Qufu County Magistrate. I appreciate this! "
Abolish the secular order? Official transfer?
These words made the faces of everyone in the Kong family change drastically, and their breathing became rapid.
Eight disciples had just been killed and the plaque smashed, but they were not so panicked.
Qufu is the hometown of Confucius and the location of Confucius Mansion, Confucius Temple and Confucius Forest.
Why the Confucius Mansion has such a strong prestige in Qufu is that in addition to being a place of pilgrimage for Confucius and scholars, the Qufu County Magistrate is their foundation.
Ninety-nine percent of the shops, large and small, in Qufu County are controlled by the Kong Mansion, and 80% of the fields in Qufu County are also owned by the Kong Mansion.
In Qufu, Confucius spoke the right words and spoke better than the emperor.
Now that the Qufu County Magistrate has been abolished, not only has he lost a powerful official position, but more importantly, the emperor has planted a nail here and is watching every move of their Kong family.
Of course, they are not too afraid. In a place that has been run for thousands of years, the county magistrate who comes has to be coiled up even if he is a dragon, and he has to lie down even if he is a tiger.
If it were someone with a different surname, Qufu would still belong to them.
"Mr. Yansheng, accept the order!"
"I...accept the order!"
Kong Yinzhi thought twice and accepted the order.
But as soon as he stood up, a person behind him roared: "This is impossible. For hundreds of years, my disciples of the Confucius family have been the magistrate of Qufu.
Even Taizu only changed hereditary status to secular duties. How could His Majesty abolish it? "
"Will you continue to let you disciples of the Confucius Mansion take charge, and then continue to harm the people of Qufu?"
Zhou Yuji said coldly: "The emperors of the past dynasties can issue edicts to make you hereditary, can't your majesty abolish it?
Or are you saying that Qufu belongs to your Kong family? Not belonging to Ming Dynasty? "
"All the ministers in the dynasty have asked for orders to abolish it. Your Majesty is not the one who wants it!"
"Ask the people around you, do they want your disciples from Qufu to continue to serve?"
After saying that, Zhou Yuji looked at the people around him: "Fellow folks, are you willing to continue to let the disciples of the Confucius family serve as the magistrate of Qufu County?"
The people were silent.
Their faces showed panic, shock, surprise, desire, but mostly fear.
This scene was naturally seen by Zhou Yuji, and a trace of sadness and anger flashed in his eyes.
Why don't people dare to speak? Why be afraid?
Because they are afraid of the Kong family's revenge, if the Kong family wants to take revenge on them, there are countless ways to make their lives worse than death.
Everyone in the Kong family showed a little worry on their faces, but more of it was disdain. How can a place that has been run for thousands of years be solved with just one sentence?
But before they could give up completely, someone walked out of the crowd and shouted loudly.
"I don't want to, I don't want to continue to let the disciples of the Kong family serve as the magistrate of Qufu!"
"They will only deceive the superiors and deceive the inferiors, they will only run rampant in the countryside, and will not benefit the people!"
"This Qufu is the Qufu of the Ming Dynasty, not the Qufu of the Confucius family. It should be selected by the imperial court."
"Fathers and fellow citizens, Your Majesty has made the decision for us, what are you afraid of?
Our ancestors were oppressed and endured hardship, and we are still being oppressed and endured hardship. Do our sons, descendants, and grandchildren still have to endure it?
Even if I die today, I still have to find a way to survive for future generations! "
"Chen Ergou, have you forgotten how humiliated your mother-in-law has been?
Hu Laosan, doesn’t your broken leg hurt anymore..."
Deafening shouts rang out, waking up the numb people who were watching.
"I don't want to!"
"We don't want to!"
“Please ask the imperial court to make the decision!”
…
One by one, common people stood up, waving their vegetable baskets and poles... with angry expressions.
Zhou Yuji looked at this scene, then looked at everyone in the Kong family: "You see, what the people want!"
Then he said coldly: "Of course, after we leave, you can retaliate against them, but you must also be prepared to be chopped down by my commander.
I just don’t know whether it’s because you have more disciples in the Kong family or because I have more sergeants from Teng Xiang’s right guard under my command. "
Naturally, these words were heard by the people, and the cheers became louder.
The faces of everyone in the Kong Mansion were so gloomy that they could shed tears. If looks could kill, Zhou Yuji would have died countless times.
However, the matter was not over yet. Zhou Yuji received another imperial edict and loudly said again: "Kong Yinzhi accepts the edict!"
Another imperial edict?
In just a short time, three imperial edicts appeared in Qufu County, and both of them were from Yan Shenggong.
Although Kong Yinzhi was angry, he still knelt down at this moment: "Your Majesty Kong Yinzhi accepts the order!"
"The Emperor of Heaven has issued an edict saying: Kong Xingxie, the sage of the Confucius family, has collaborated with the enemy... and will be executed late on August 15th!"
This time everyone was completely confused.
What a terrible thing it is that the Confucius family collaborated with the enemy. Doesn't this confirm the couplet that was circulated some time ago?
Kong Yinzhi stood up suddenly, with a look of panic on his face. He grabbed the imperial edict and read it quickly.
In just a moment, Kong Yinzhi's face turned from black to red, then to white, and his body was trembling.
I don't know whether it's anger or fear.
Several disciples of the Kong family behind him quickly stepped forward to support Kong Yinzhi.
One person said angrily: "Even if what Sin Ji Zhao said is true, it doesn't mean that the Holy Son is collaborating with the enemy!"
"Perhaps you don't know that after the news of Duke Cheng's collaboration with the enemy was exposed at the court meeting,
Duke Cheng Guo did not refute at all, but rushed out of the palace and committed suicide. Before he died, he called Kong Xingxie's name.
The ministers who went to court that day and the imperial guards who were on duty all heard about this. If you don’t believe it, go to the capital and ask!
If it is impossible to judge whether Kong Xingxie is a collaborator with the enemy only because of the imperial edict, but how do you explain the matter of combining it with Cheng Guogong? "
At this moment, everyone in the Kong Mansion looked extremely ugly.
Collaboration with the enemy, no matter which dynasty it was in, was a crime punishable by death, even a crime of punishing the nine tribes, not to mention collaborating with the Ming Dynasty's mortal enemy to build slaves.
Even if they are Confucius, a place of pilgrimage for scholars from all over the world, once the news spreads, the scholars will not stand on their side, and they will be reviled.
If one thing is not handled well, the Kong family will really be doomed.
Everyone looked nervously at Kong Yinzhi in front, waiting for his reply.
At this moment, Kong Yinzhi was in a state of extreme torment. On one side was the Confucian family that had been passed down for thousands of years, and on the other was his son, the Holy Son of the Confucius family. How to choose?
