Chapter 1121: A Great Oddity

"Do you want to die? If you want to die, report your name now, and tomorrow you'll be on the execution ground having your head chopped off. Do you want that?"

Chen Guanlou returned to the Heavenly Prison. After a two-day delay, he finally went to the Grade A prison to see Master Niu.

Master Niu was a bit dazed.

Chen Guanlou knocked on the cell door and continued, "You are too restless, and the higher-ups are very dissatisfied. If you turn over a new leaf now, behave yourself, and serve your time properly, no one will care about you, and naturally, no one will pay attention to you. Wait patiently; perhaps one day you will see the dawn."

Master Niu stammered, "Does Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen mean that my case has no outcome, I can't die, and I can't live? I can only stay in this Heavenly Prison, neither dead nor alive, never seeing the light of day?"

"Look at that, you're quite smart. You understand the meaning of the higher-ups instantly, so why must you still make such a fuss? Seeking death won't improve your situation by even a fraction." Chen Guanlou said earnestly, "Once you've entered the Heavenly Prison, you must accept your fate. You should think of it this way: it's still better than the Imperial Prison next door; at least you don't have to worry about being maimed or disfigured."

Master Niu began to sob with a whimpering sound.

He didn't speak, just cried.

Chen Guanlou clicked his tongue twice. He didn't even want to say it, but these officials nowadays are getting worse with each generation. Back in the day, when Yu Zhaoan had both legs broken and the bones were exposed, with a high chance of being crippled, he didn't even frown. His mindset was excellent! He was very strong and open-minded. Precisely because his mindset was good, he survived the most dangerous stage, healed his legs, and could walk and move normally.

After being released from prison, he rose rapidly in his career and is now the highly esteemed Right Chancellor.

"Did the higher-ups say anything else?" Master Niu wiped his nose and eyes, trying hard to pull himself together, but his heart was willing while his spirit was weak. His mind was too chaotic, with too many thoughts, thinking of this and that.

"You'd be better off as a mute than howling all day. The higher-ups prefer criminal officials who are quiet as chickens, not restless ones."

Chen Guanlou gave the other party a summary.

After hearing this, Master Niu felt insulted and was so angry his face turned livid.

"They don't treat us criminal officials as human beings at all!"

"You are a prisoner, so you must have the self-awareness of a prisoner." Chen Guanlou reminded him not to think too much. Prisoners have no rights; whether they are treated as human or not depends entirely on the whims of others.

Master Niu gripped the cell bars tightly and asked a life-or-death question, "If I want to die, can I die quickly?"

"Are you sure you want to die? Isn't it good to be alive? If you die, everything is gone. Your children and grandchildren will all bear the status of being descendants of a criminal official, which will affect their future in the imperial examinations. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Master Niu released his hands from the cell bars, suddenly unsure.

"I'll think about it again!"

"I think it is necessary for you to continue taking the medicine prescribed by Mu Yiguan Mu. That medicine is good for you; it can stabilize your emotions. Don't waste time on nonsense all day and delay things."

"Thank Mu Yiguan Mu for me; I will take the medicine on time."

"You had better do as you say. If I find out you spat out the medicine, don't even think about having Mu Yiguan Mu treat you again."

After the threat, Chen Guanlou stood up and left, patrolling the cells along the way.

"Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen, do you want a woman?"

Halfway through the patrol, he was called out.

He stopped, looked at the other party coldly, wanting to hear what kind of tricks the other could come up with.

"My concubine, just sixteen years old, beautiful as a flower! She knows best how to serve people. Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen, do you want her?"

Chen Guanlou laughed instantly, walked up, and tapped the cell door with his water-fire staff, "Master Cao, what exactly are you trying to do?"

Master Cao, over fifty, had been in for half a year. He was an old lecher, possessed all five vices, and was not a good person. His character was inferior; he was occasionally bold but often cowardly. He was a fence-sitter who swayed with the wind and changed sides at any time. This was not his first time being locked in the Heavenly Prison. According to the files, old Cao was a seasoned veteran who had been in and out three times.

This man was good at nothing, yet his luck was quite good. He could always turn danger into safety, and his luck in exams was quite decent.

It was mainly because old Cao could get things done. Some superiors liked using people like old Cao; they felt reassured and comfortable using him, and they shared the same foul tastes. On the contrary, people like Master Niu were not necessarily welcomed.

"I'm not trying to do anything, just looking to chat with you. Hehe..."

Old Cao was like a pimp, extremely sleazy. Having been an official for many years, he hadn't developed much official prestige, but his greasy, sleazy side was master-level.

Chen Guanlou was extremely disgusted, "What do you want to chat with me about? Is it worth sending a woman?"

"Don't be disgusted. You know my taste; if you're not clear, you can ask the old prison guards in the Heavenly Prison; they all understand. My concubine is beautiful, gentle, and sensible; I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

Chen Guanlou chuckled twice, expressing disdain, "This official is not interested in things that already have an owner."

"No owner, no owner!" Old Cao said with a sleazy face, his expression smiling and begging for a beating, "As long as you nod, she'll have no owner immediately. I'm serious."

"Tell me first what you want to do."

"Can you let my concubines come in to keep me company? I can pay."

"Get lost!" Chen Guanlou felt disgusted, "This is the Heavenly Prison; there are only men, no women. You're dreaming all day long! Old Cao, I'm warning you, you'd better behave yourself. If you fall into my hands, I'll let you stay in the torture room for three days, believe it or not."

"Don't! Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen, everything is negotiable, don't get angry. If women won't do, men will do. Can you let my servant come in to serve me? It's really too hard to endure alone!"

Master Cao was quite emotional. He was never cut out for reading; making him read in a cell to cultivate his character was like killing him. He just wanted someone to keep him company, chat, and relieve his boredom.

Chen Guanlou was furious; he picked up his water-fire staff and struck at the other party.

"Don't hit me, don't hit me!"

Master Cao hurriedly moved away from the cell door, raising his hands to defend himself.

"Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen, your temper is too big. I, old Cao, treat people sincerely, don't guard against you, and pour my heart out to you, but you want to hit me. Doing this is too disheartening."

Chen Guanlou laughed in anger, "Old Cao, you should be thankful there's a cell door in the way. Otherwise, I would definitely beat you to a pulp today. If you are really that cheap, I'll find a few burly men to serve you, do you want that?"

"No, no!" Old Cao waved his hands and shook his head repeatedly, "Sigh, you don't understand that feeling!"

Chen Guanlou made a gesture to raise the water-fire staff to hit him, and old Cao hurriedly changed his tune, "Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen, you misunderstood me! I asked for the servant to talk and relieve boredom, not for anything else. I only like women."

"I don't care what you like. If you dare to mess around, I'll make sure you never return. I'll end your history of being in and out three times. You'd better think it through."

"Thought it through, thought it through." Master Cao nodded repeatedly and muttered another sentence, "I thought you were a fellow enthusiast; I didn't expect you to be such a fake prude."

"What did you say?" Chen Guanlou narrowed his eyes. Old Cao shivered subconsciously and hurriedly covered his mouth, indicating he hadn't said anything.

He snorted coldly, "You'd better have said nothing!"

As the words fell, he glanced at the other party's lower body again. Old Cao was so scared he jumped up, covered himself tightly, and never dared to make jokes again. He was terrified of becoming a eunuch in the middle of the night. ===== CHAPTER 1122 =====