Confucian academies served as a projection into rural areas of the power of the Kong Dukes. Sacred spaces and shrines, albeit already ruined before the 14th century, were chosen as the places to build the academies. Kong Sihui's branch seizing power as dukes in the late 13th and early 14th centuries lead to the renovation, expansion and rebuilding of the 4 academies. The 11th century Duke Kong Gonyuan's palace was built at the place of Confucius's birth at Mount Ni, close to Zou county towards Quifu's southwest where one of the academies and temples was rebuilt by Duke Kong Sihui in 1342. Tenants and land were endowed to the academy and they and their sacrifices would be managed by the "shanzhang" (headmaster) appointed by Kong Sihui. A student body was presented in this academy in the 14th century although the student body and educational aspects would go away later. At the Si river and Zhu rivers confluence another academy, the Zhu Si academy was built. It was built at the same time the Dukes gained power in the 14th century as the Mount Ni academy. This one was built on top of a Han dynasty Confucian school which was where the lecture hall of Confucius himself was located. And in the same 14th century Zou county's Zhongyong academy and Wenshang county's Shengze's academy were also built. The Duke Yansheng's power was buttressed and strengthened by rebuilding academies on top of over one millennia year old ruins. What was known as the "Academy of the Four Clans of Kong, Yan Meng and Zeng" by the 18th century was founded earlier in Qufu to school the sons of the Kong family. They schooled people in helping the Duke Yansheng articulate Li and elite lineages political power was buttressed by these private academies. It was the 14th-century expansion in the political and economic power of the Kong Dukes that lead to the drastic expansion of the academy school dedicated to schooling the Kong families sons that existed since the 11th century since it was created by the Kong family.