Mr. Shen was in a dazed sleep at this moment. He was still a little unconscious at first, but after hearing the words "Confucius Temple is on fire," he jumped up, sat up straight, and woke up immediately.
"on fire?"
He looked at Jiang Sheng and asked, "Who burned it?"
"have no idea."
Jiang Sheng shook his head and said: "General Su has passed. He sent someone back to report that as soon as the gate of Qufu City was breached, the Confucius Temple was on fire. The fire was not small."
Hearing this, Mr. Shen narrowed his eyes, sat up slowly, and said while putting on his clothes: "Have the army entered the city yet?"
"yes."
Jiang Sheng replied: "The fire started not long after we entered the city."
Shen Yi had already put on his clothes now. As he walked out, he said in a cold voice: "You mean, it wasn't our people who lit the fire?"
"It's not clear yet."
Jiang Sheng replied: "General Su has already gone to investigate."
Master Shen took a deep breath.
"Get your horses ready and I'll ride into the city."
Jiang Sheng said quickly: "Sir, the city has just been captured, and the remaining enemies in the city have not been cleared yet..."
"Why don't you go later?"
The remnants of the enemy have not been eliminated yet, which means that the street fighting in the city is still going on.
Shen Yi ignored Jiang Sheng.
"Even in front of the two armies, it's not like I haven't been there before."
"Ready your horse!"
Shen Yi's tone was a little serious. Jiang Sheng did not dare to refute anymore. He nodded quickly and went down to fetch Shen Yi's horse. Mr. Shen got on his horse and headed straight for Qufu City with about ten followers.
At this time, the south gate of Qufu was already wide open, and the pungent smell of gunpowder and blood could still be smelled at the gate.
Dark red blood was everywhere, almost covering the city wall.
Shen Yi simply glanced at it and then rode into Qufu City.
At this moment, the street fighting in Qufu City is still continuing, but there are only some sporadic battles left. After all, the defenders in Qufu are not particularly large, and the morale and morale of the soldiers are running low at this time.
At this time, some people who were still in Qufu basically closed their doors and no one dared to come out. The officers and soldiers of the Huai'an Army rarely bothered these people unless they were searching for remnants of the army.
It was still early in the morning, and there were basically no people on the avenue. Shen Yi was riding a horse on the avenue. He could see the fire in front of him in the distance. He rode towards the fire and soon arrived near the Confucius Temple.
The fighting near the Confucius Temple is still going on, and some scattered remaining soldiers are still resisting the Huai'an army's attack, but the fire in the Confucius Temple is really on fire.
Shen Yi saw Su Ding at the entrance of the Confucius Temple from a distance. At this time, Su Ding looked a little embarrassed and was directing his soldiers to put out the fire.
Mr. Shen got off his horse, walked quickly to Su Ding, looked up at the Confucius Temple, and asked, "What's going on?"
Su Ding's face looked a little unhappy, and he lowered his head and said: "It was not our people who did it. The general confirmed with Zhong Ming that when the Confucius Temple was on fire, we had not reached here yet."
He looked at Shen Yi, lowered his head and said: "General, I did not think things through carefully. Please punish Mr. Shen!"
Shen Yi shook his head: "What does this have to do with you?"
He looked up at the Confucius Temple, which was already in flames, and couldn't help clenching his fists: "People's hearts are sinister, that's how it is!"
Things are quite clear now.
Since it was not done by the soldiers of the Huai'an Army, there are only two possibilities left.
One was set on fire by the Qi people, and the other was burned by the Kong family themselves!
Of course, the former is more likely. Seeing that Qufu was about to fall, he wanted to blame Shen Yi for burning down the Confucius Temple.
In this way, even if Mr. Shen returns to Jiankang, countless scholars will spit on him.
If the political struggle becomes fierce, maybe Shen Yi, the Northern Expedition coach, can be brought down.
More importantly, the sin of burning the Confucius Temple can be shouldered not only by Shen Yi, but also by the entire Chen court, so that the world can see which of the two courts is the one that truly promotes and respects Confucianism. !
At that time, the Northern Qi court can still send out a message to attack the Southern Chen court.
It can be regarded as a public opinion war in a certain sense.
As for the latter...the possibility cannot be said to be impossible, but it is not very likely.
After all, no matter how miserable the Confucius family was, they would not go to the extent of burning down the Confucian Temple of their ancestors.
Su Ding took a deep breath, lowered his head and said: "Mr. Shen, once the Confucius Temple is destroyed, it will be criticized by people all over the world. In the end..."
"I am willing to bear this sin!"
Shen Yi looked at the Xuansheng Gate that was already burning and the four gates that were lit behind it, and shook his head slightly: "This sin is too big for you to bear."
"I can't bear it either."
Mr. Shen took a deep breath and said, "We can only let Qi Ren take the responsibility."
He whispered: "Su Ding."
Su Ding immediately bowed, clasped his fists, and said, "The general is here!"
"Put out the fire here at the Confucius Temple as much as possible."
"Sent people to block the four gates of Qufu. No one is allowed to enter or exit without my warrant."
"All Zhu Li Zhenren, officials, soldiers and related personnel of the Northern Qi court in the city are all detained in place!"
Having said this, Shen Yi paused and continued: "What's more, surround the Kong Mansion!"
After hearing the last order, Su Ding was stunned and whispered: "Mr. Shen, we just burned the Confucius Temple and surrounded the Confucius Mansion. It is very detrimental to your reputation..."
Shen Yi sneered: "Isn't this what they rely on?"
"The city of Qufu is full of our Huai'an Army soldiers. Without my order, no one can leave the city, and nothing about Qufu can be spread."
"Moreover…"
Mr. Shen sneered and said, "If word gets out, I'm not afraid of their pens."
"Do as I tell you."
Su Ding lowered his head and clasped his fists.
"I obey my orders!"
………………
It wasn't until the sky was bright and the sun slowly climbed up that the fire in the Confucius Temple was extinguished, and Mr. Shen led people into the Confucius Temple.
At this time, the five portals at the entrance of the Confucius Temple had been burned beyond recognition. However, it is gratifying that although the main building of the Confucius Temple was also blackened by the fire, it was not seriously damaged.
The plaque of the Most Holy Master is still hanging high in the Dacheng Hall.
Shen Yi walked into the Dacheng Hall and looked up to see the statue of the old master.
There is a very conspicuous plaque above the old master's head, with four big characters written on it.
So gentle!
Shen Yi stared at the plaque for a long time and said, "You have enough confidence and you have a strong tone."
When Mr. Shen was visiting the Confucius Temple, Su Ding carefully stood behind him, lowered his head slightly and said, "Mr. Shen, the Confucius family said they want to see you."
Shen Yi raised his eyebrows: "Where?"
"In Kong Mansion."
Master Shen glanced at Su Ding.
"Let them wait, I will go see them when I am free."
Su Ding lowered his head and said yes.
Mr. Shen looked at the Confucius Temple and said, "From today on, the two miles around the Confucius Temple will be closed."
"Recruit local craftsmen from Qufu, plus craftsmen from our army, and start repairing the Confucius Temple. No outsiders will be allowed in or out until the Confucius Temple is completed."
Su Ding bowed his head and acted.
Shen Yi closed his eyes, collected his thoughts, and then said: "Ling Su's attack on Jining Prefecture should have results in the next few days. You can't be idle here. Send scouts to keep an eye on Yanzhou, especially the north of Yanzhou. "
"Be careful of Qi Ren's reinforcements coming south."
Su Ding lowered his head again and said, "I will finally understand."
"You and Ling Su should communicate more and discuss when is the best time to attack Yanzhou."
"It's better to go as quickly as possible."
"You will eventually understand."
Mr. Shen yawned, stretched and said, "Find me a place, I want to have a good sleep."
"Moreover, before I wake up, I will find the Qi people who burned the Confucius Temple."
Hearing Shen Yi's words, Su Ding was stunned for a moment, and then understood what Shen Yi meant.
He lowered his head and said, "Don't worry, Mr. Shen."
"Soon, this criminal from Northern Qi will be brought to justice."
Mr. Shen didn't speak any more and stretched himself out to sleep.
At this time, the Kong Mansion had been surrounded by Huaian troops.
Kong Shangde, the brother of Kong Shangzhen, the head of the Kong family, stood on a small building in the Kong family, looking at the Huai'an army surrounding the Kong family, his face a little ugly.
"These barbarians! Barbarians!"
Behind him stood Kong Yanli, who had returned to the Kong family. Kong Yanli lowered his head to Kong Shangde and asked: "Uncle, is it really the Chen people who set this fire in the Confucius Temple?"
Kong Shangde looked back at his nephew and frowned: "What do you mean by this?"
Kong Yanli shook his head quickly: "My nephew is just asking..."
After a pause, he continued,
"Uncle, this Chen Yi, the coach of Chen State, is very different from the scholar my nephew has seen before..."
Kong Shangde said angrily: "Those who do not respect saints are barbarians!"