Chapter 114: Third-party force

"Are you crazy?"

Seeing Qi Wuxiu's gaze was as if he were looking at a fool. Only a fool could think of such an absurd thing. Yet the other party clearly looked very sober.

"I'm not crazy. It's Shopkeeper Li of the Sitong Bank who is crazy! It wouldn't matter if he were crazy alone, but he's forcing me to be crazy with him. Tell me, shouldn't he die?"

Seeing Qi Wuxiu put down his wine cup, his expression becoming very solemn, and said earnestly, "Tell me what happened first. Killing is no child's play. Do you know the background of the Sitong Bank?"

Chen Guanlou had been waiting for this sentence. He recounted the whole matter from beginning to end.

"Knowing full well that those goods are of unknown origin, and might even have flowed out of the palace, tell me, what can I do? Colluding is simple, but I'm afraid that one day my head will be moved. As for resisting, I'm just a small prison guard; how can I go against the Sitong Bank? After thinking it over, only if Shopkeeper Li dies might this matter have a glimmer of survival."

Chen Guanlou looked pessimistic and desperate; he had reached a dead end, which was why he had resorted to this desperate measure. Otherwise, he wouldn't risk losing his head to offend the Sitong Bank.

Seeing Qi Wuxiu filled the wine cup, "This matter doesn't necessarily require killing."

Chen Guanlou frowned slightly, "Could it be that you have another way?"

Seeing Qi Wuxiu deliberated for a moment and said, "If you trust me, I will help you resolve this matter."

Chen Guanlou, however, was hesitating, as if doubting the other party's ability: Just you? Can you do it? That's the Sitong Bank.

Now Seeing Qi Wuxiu was unhappy, "If you don't believe me, why bother looking for me?"

"I'm looking for you to kill."

"It doesn't have to be killing to solve the problem. I guarantee I'll help you resolve this matter; you can rest assured now, right?"

"Really don't need to kill?" Chen Guanlou was half-believing, "Are you planning to negotiate with the other party? Even if you are a martial artist, they don't fear you on their side."

Seeing Qi Wuxiu was a bit annoyed now, and he said angrily, "Don't look down on me. The Sitong Bank has people behind it, but do I not have people behind me? When compared, it's not certain who fears whom."

Chen Guanlou could finally rest assured; as long as there were people behind him, that was fine. He had sought out Seeing Qi Wuxiu precisely because the other party had people behind him. The person behind Seeing Qi Wuxiu was the third-party force he craved—a powerful figure who could stir up the muddy waters.

For example, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard—it could only be the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard were the hunting dogs in the hands of the old Emperor; regardless of whether it was the Crown Prince or the Prince of Jin, the Embroidered Uniform Guard didn't fear them. They might even be eager to catch the pigtails of these two and report them to the old Emperor.

This was the best trap-breaking method he had thought of after several nights of thinking; it could perfectly extract himself and also make Shopkeeper Li suffer the consequences.

"Fine! I trust you! I'll leave this matter to you. I just want to be a law-abiding little prison guard and make a little money. I have no fortune to enjoy such great wealth; you must handle this matter properly and don't implicate me. Otherwise, you will have failed my life-saving grace."

Chen Guanlou spoke pitifully; it was hard being a little prison guard.

Seeing Qi Wuxiu's mouth twitched. Out of sight, out of mind, he simply buried his head and gorged himself.

When he left the Chen house and recalled the event, why did he suddenly have the illusion of being calculated? He shook his head. Impossible, absolutely impossible. Chen Guanlou, a small prison guard, even the Hou Fu didn't look favorably upon him; what ability did he have to calculate him? It must be an illusion.

Chen Guanlou slept well; next, he only needed to wait for Seeing Qi Wuxiu's good news.

He spent money to let Dawang, the eldest son of Sister Chunxiang's family, watch the Sitong Bank for him and notify him the moment there was any movement.

Dawang, the kid, licked a lollipop and asked curiously, "What kind of movement counts as movement? If you don't tell me, how would I know?"

Chen Guanlou kicked Dawang—the brat.

"If there are people who are not to be trifled with, such as government officials coming to the door, that counts as movement."

"What counts as not to be trifled with? Like you?"

"Do I look like someone not to be trifled with?" Chen Guanlou grabbed Dawang by the collar, "I'll give you a chance, say it again."

Dawang widened his innocent eyes and looked at him, "Brother Xiaolou, in my eyes, you are the greatest big shot in the world who is not to be trifled with."

"You've flattered the wrong person. I told you to read more books and not hang out on the street all day, but you just wouldn't listen. You can't even flatter properly."

Chen Guanlou laughed while showing disdain. The brat was clever but just didn't love reading. Sister Chunxiang and her husband had beaten him and scolded him, but nothing worked.

"Brother Xiaolou, you underestimate people too much. I wish you a long life of a hundred years and to marry eight wives; that's a good flatter, right?"

Pfft, pfft, pfft!

You're the one who lives a hundred years; your whole family lives a hundred years.

Chen Guanlou was very disdainful; the brat had once again flattered the wrong person.

"Hurry up and watch the Sitong Bank. If the matter is handled well, there will be benefits later. I'll help you hide it from your parents so you can save your own private money."

"Brother Xiaolou, don't worry, the matter is on me."

The brat left happily.

Chen Guanlou went to the Heavenly Prison to report for duty. Prison guard Liu She quietly told him, "Chen Tou, Hong Tou ran to the Yi-character prison to borrow money and was spreading gossip about you everywhere. He said you didn't care about colleague friendship and forced him into a dead end."

Chen Guanlou raised his eyebrows slightly, "Did he say anything else?"

"Nothing else. Those prison guards who don't know the truth have a very poor opinion of you, Chen Tou. They all say your methods are cruel and that you lick the boots of the two Master Fans without any bottom line."

Chen Guanlou frowned slightly.

Having power and profit naturally meant bearing a bad reputation. There is no such thing in the world as only having benefits without drawbacks.

Master Xiao Fan let him manage the accounts, and money passing through his hands was trust and heavy use, which also meant he would definitely offend people. Although the money that could be withheld now was almost negligible, this was only temporary. The struggle above would sooner or later have a result; when the new rules relaxed, it would be time for everyone to make money again.

"Go call Hong Tou over and say I have something to say to him."

"Chen Tou, you must not be impulsive."

"Don't worry, I have something else to talk to him about."

Liu She didn't believe him.

Chen Guanlou glared at the other party, and the other party left with a hesitant expression. After leaving, he went to discuss it with Xiao Jin.

"What if Chen Tou and Hong Tou start fighting? What should we do?" Liu She was worried to death.

Xiao Jin, however, laughed, "Don't worry, everyone is here for money, they won't fight. Listen to Chen Tou's instructions and hurry to invite Hong Tou over. Remember, be polite. Hong Tou has had a bad temper these past few days, don't provoke him."

"They really won't fight?"

"Definitely won't."

Liu She could only go to invite Hong Tou first, then waited anxiously for the result.

Chen Guanlou and Shi Hong closed the door to talk, "Hong Tou, there is no enmity between us from the past or the present. I am just acting according to the orders from above, and I have absolutely no intention of deliberately making things difficult for you. However, I can clearly tell you that someone is very dissatisfied with you."

"Who?" Shi Hong hadn't put Chen Guanlou in his eyes at first and was full of resentment. As a result, once he heard what the other party said, he immediately became serious.

"You rely on sending your cousin to climb the ranks; do you not know you have incurred everyone's resentment? Yet you rely on the trust of Master Fan to look down on everyone else. You have committed a major taboo in the officialdom!"