Damn, That Old Trash Talk Came True

If what Brother Jiu said was true...

No, even if only half of it was true, Kong Deming's crime was far greater than the Pixiu Merchant Association's baseless charge of treason.

This was plotting to usurp the throne!

Most officials familiar with Kong Deming had long since passed away. The current officials had only come into contact with him after the Holy Spirit Cult formally took control of the Sun Moon Empire's upper ranks.

Qian Chaoguang had an omniscient perspective and knew that the old man would devote himself utterly to the Sun Moon Empire and the Xu Family until death. But no one else knew that.

With that accusation from Brother Jiu, many people immediately began to entertain other thoughts.

"Could Elder Kong really..." someone muttered softly.

It was clearly said by a high official aligned with Pixiu, but no one noticed who it was.

With the court so silent, how could anyone fail to hear it?

Quite a few people had already begun exchanging looks.

The Sun Moon Empire's upper ranks were not united either. They were divided into many factions.

Everyone had their own aspirations.

Some liked power, while others liked money.

Pixiu Merchant Association had plenty of the latter.

That was precisely why Brother Jiu, though an outsider, truly held considerable influence among the Sun Moon Empire's upper ranks—and no small amount at that.

Naturally, those officials aligned with the Pixiu Merchant Association did not want the Sun Moon Empire to stop its business.

Other merchant associations were unable to trade with the occupied territories, leaving Pixiu Merchant Association to dominate alone. That was a monopoly!

And it was all glittering Gold Soul Coins!

Back when the Pixiu Merchant Association sold Soul Tools across the entire continent, how many "tributes" had they collected?

Every last one