Chapter 187: The Kong Family Falls into a Trap

In front of the Kong residence, carriages and horses filled the streets, while auspicious radiance seemed to gather around its gates.

From nine in the morning onward, officials of all ranks arrived one after another to offer their birthday congratulations.

The vermilion gates stood wide open. Inside, lanterns and decorations adorned every corner, while carved beams and painted rafters displayed the lavish grandeur and deep heritage of a great aristocratic clan.

At the seat of honor in the main hall sat today's birthday celebrant, the Kong Family's ancestor, Kong Changqing.

Although he had already lived for five hundred years, his hair was as white as snow. Yet his face was rosy and plump, resembling that of an infant. He truly possessed the appearance of an immortal crane-haired elder with the vigor of youth, and every gesture and word he made carried an imposing air that inspired awe.

Many officials who had not originally planned to attend came rushing over after hearing that the Qian Emperor would also be sending an envoy to deliver an imperial decree and bestow his blessings.

The news had caused officials from all directions to flock here, nearly trampling the threshold of the Kong residence flat.

"That's General of Chariot and Cavalry Jiang Yubai."

"That's the Imperial Clan Minister Su Wenqu."

"And that one is the current Minister of the Lesser Treasury, Ji Tongguang."

Amid the bustling crowd, Li Shun stood alongside Kong Zhao. As they watched the powerful court officials stride through the courtyard, surrounded by attendants, their splendid robes and embroidered insignia complementing one another, Kong Zhao lowered his voice and quietly introduced them one by one.

"The Kong Family truly deserves its reputation as one of the greatest aristocratic clans beneath heaven. Just look at the scale of today's birthday celebration. Nearly half the court's civil and military officials are here. The guests are practically endless. Even those unable to attend in person have prepared lavish gifts and sent trusted subordinates to convey their congratulations."

Li Shun swept his gaze across the magnificent scene and inwardly sighed.

By noon, the blazing sun hung directly overhead, yet the banquet still had not begun.

Strangely, not a single one of the dignitaries seated there showed the slightest trace of impatience. They continued chatting and laughing as though nothing were amiss.

Because everyone, including the illustrious birthday celebrant seated in the place of honor, was waiting.

Waiting for the Qian Emperor's birthday envoy to arrive.

Time passed minute by minute.

Soon, noon had come and gone.

Yet the Qian Emperor's envoy still failed to appear.

Within the increasingly silent crowd, whispers gradually began to spread.

A slight commotion arose, but the Kong Family's ceremony officials quickly stepped forward and pacified the guests with tactful words.

Li Shun, however, also began to sense that something was wrong.

He immediately transmitted his voice to Kong Zhao.

"Senior Brother Kong, is the news that His Majesty is sending an envoy to personally deliver his birthday congratulations... truly reliable?"

Kong Zhao replied with absolute certainty, as though the question itself were absurd.

"How could it possibly be false? This news was personally conveyed by the current Secretariat himself when he came to our residence. There is even an official document bearing His Majesty's own imperial seal as proof..."

Upon hearing this, Li Shun could not help frowning.

Although the Secretariat's official rank was not particularly high, he was considered one of the Emperor's close attendants, specifically responsible for overseeing the drafting and issuance of imperial edicts.

Although the Qian Emperor had remained in seclusion and withdrawn from worldly affairs for many years, whenever an imperial decree was issued, it was always communicated to the outside world through the Secretariat.

If the Secretariat had personally come to inform them of this matter in advance, then logically, there should have been no problem.

But...

"The Qian Emperor has long since ceased concerning himself with worldly affairs. Even if he remembered the old favor from when he guided him at Mount Dai and wished to send an envoy to bestow blessings upon him for his five-hundredth birthday, the envoy could simply have arrived on the day itself to deliver the decree."

"There was absolutely no need to make such a grand announcement an entire month in advance."

"Moreover..."

"Would an envoy representing the Emperor's heavenly might actually be late?"

Li Shun quietly glanced around.

He soon discovered that he was not the only one who had begun to suspect something.

More and more people at the banquet had begun exchanging doubtful glances and whispering among themselves.

Under Li Shun's reminder, Kong Zhao also gradually realized that something was wrong.

The healthy flush that had filled his face began to fade, turning increasingly pale, while fine beads of cold sweat appeared across his forehead.

He repeatedly glanced anxiously toward the sky and the inner halls of the banquet, his eyes darting about in panic.

By six in the evening, the setting sun had turned blood-red.

The Qian Emperor's birthday envoy still had not arrived.

The discussions that everyone had suppressed throughout the day could no longer be contained. They erupted like boiling water.

Quite a few officials began looking toward the members of the Kong Family with undisguised contempt. Some even snorted coldly before flicking their sleeves and departing.

As for the first- and second-rank officials of the court, they were far more calculating.

They did not express their opinions just yet and continued sitting patiently in their seats.

However, the smiles had completely disappeared from their faces.

At this moment, Li Shun noticed that Kong Zhao, sitting beside him, had begun trembling uncontrollably.

'The Kong Family... is about to face a catastrophe!'

The thought flashed through Li Shun's mind.

At eleven that night, the last traces of the setting sun finally disappeared beneath the horizon.

The pitch-black night descended.

Yet the birthday envoy whom the Kong Family had previously advertised so extravagantly and taken such pride in was still nowhere to be seen.

General of the Cavalry, the Imperial Clan Superintendent, the Superintendent of the Lesser Treasury, and the other high-ranking officials of the court could no longer suppress their anger.

One after another, they rose and departed.

Although they did not openly voice any criticism, their gloomy and unsightly expressions made it clear that they were furious.

Seeing this, the remaining guests naturally had no reason to stay either.

Before long, the entire hall was deserted.

The enormous and once bustling Kong residence suddenly became deathly silent, so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

The sumptuous dishes that the kitchen had painstakingly prepared were never brought to the tables.

Beneath the brilliant lanterns, only the members of the Kong Family remained, their eyes filled with confusion and profound terror.

"Impossible... Impossible..."

Li Shun did not leave.

Listening to Kong Zhao mutter those words in a dazed voice beside him, he calmly transmitted his voice.

"Things have already reached this point. Panicking is useless. What we need to consider now is how to deal with the aftermath."

Li Shun's words forcibly dragged Kong Zhao out of his state of mental collapse.

Kong Zhao clenched his teeth tightly, desperately suppressing the fear in his heart as he struggled to gather what little composure remained.

"That's right. First, we need to find out why His Majesty's envoy didn't come."

"Was something delayed along the way? Or did something happen in the Sacred Capital..."

Seeing that Kong Zhao was still desperately clinging to self-deception even at a time like this, Li Shun mercilessly interrupted him.

"Senior Brother, wake up!"

"In my opinion, the more likely possibility is that the Kong Family has been deceived!"

"Things have not yet reached the point of being completely beyond salvation. As long as we find the swindler before this matter spreads any further and hand him over to the authorities, the Kong Family will inevitably become the laughingstock of the world, and we will certainly be ridiculed. But at least we would have an explanation to give the world."

"What I'm afraid of is that there will be no living witness."

"If that happens, the nature of this matter will change completely."

"Being deceived by someone is one thing. Borrowing His Majesty's name to create momentum and spread false claims is another."

"They are completely different matters. The latter... is punishable by death."

Li Shun's words were like a basin of bone-chilling water poured directly over Kong Zhao's head.

Kong Zhao's face instantly turned as pale as paper.

Then, gritting his teeth fiercely, he rushed into the inner hall of the Kong residence like a madman.

Meanwhile, the Kong Family's ancestor, Kong Changqing, who had previously possessed an otherworldly and immortal-like bearing, now seemed as though someone had drained every last trace of vitality from him.

He slumped helplessly in his grand chair.

His face was filled with nothing but boundless despair.