Chapter 1183: The Prisoner Has Fled, and Every Man in the Six Gates Is a Weakling

Sun Sun Daoning had his own selfish motives too — he also wanted to see the Brocade Guard make a fool of themselves.

Only he was a rigid, by-the-book sort, never stepping out of line. After so many years in office, what had carried him upward was precisely this steadiness.

Chen Chen Guanlou was always egging him on to act rashly, like some hot-headed, profit-drunk fool — not once had he listened, insisting on his own principles.

But this time, he wanted to give it a try.

The Zhengshitang wanted him to clean up the matter of the Imperial Prison thoroughly, leave no trace, and minimize the fallout as quickly as possible. They had never once considered the Ministry of Justice's difficulties.

"This matter is not suited for open confrontation; we must still show some regard for the Zhengshitang. Think of a way to have those Imperial Prison guards go on their own to find the Brocade Guard, to find Xiao Xiao Jincheng. Afterward, when the higher-ups ask, this old man will simply say the Six Gates' martial strength was limited, the Imperial Prison guards rioted, and we failed to keep them in check — and that will push the matter off us."

Matters in officialdom, when fudged, are very easy to fudge.

The premise is, one must wipe one's bottom clean, and leave no obvious handle for others to grab.

The people above know perfectly well what's going on, but when the moment truly comes, they all choose to turn a blind eye.

Chen Chen Guanlou clicked his tongue twice. "Where does this matter need me to step in? Just have someone drop a hint to the brothers at the Six Gates. With the Six Gates' abilities, I guarantee they'll handle it beautifully."

Their skill at proper business was middling at best, but their knack for causing trouble — one strike and it's dead on. Trust subordinates to hold you back; their talent for it is absolutely peerless.

"Just handle it on the side while you're at it."

"Can't be done on the side!" Chen Chen Guanlou refused outright. He was only responsible for sticking up for the Heaven Prison — no reason, no duty to stick up for the Six Gates. Each yamen's troubles are its own to worry about.

Sun Sun Daoning clicked his tongue, slightly displeased.

"It's you who's displeased, refusing to take in the Imperial Prison guards. This official already agreed to your request, only asked you to run an errand, and yet you keep making excuses."

Chen Chen Guanlou silently rolled his eyes. "Old Sun, being an official you can get away without a conscience, but as a person at least keep a shred of conscience. I've given you my heart and liver, and yet you push me into a pit of fire. Can you face me?"

"More nonsense. When have I ever pushed you into a pit of fire?"

"And you say you haven't. You want me to step forward — what will others think? They'll assume I'm the one behind this. Afterward, if anything goes wrong, it all lands on my head. I'm the one taking the blame. That's not appropriate, is it? I'm a tiny Prison Vice-Official — how could I carry such a heavy black pot? Have a Ministry of Justice official step forward instead. If something happens, it's the Ministry's matter, not pinned to any one person. Don't tell me you didn't think of that, Old Sun. You're just black-hearted — your guts are far too black!"

Chen Chen Guanlou's face was full of accusation, utterly disdainful!

Sun Sun Daoning's rear nearly blew up. "Utter nonsense! What you've said — this official truly hadn't considered it from the start. Enough, enough, since you refuse, forget it. In any case, this official harbors no ill will toward you. You are this official's great general; I will surely see you keep your wealth and honor."

Fine words to speak, but the deeds done are too conscienceless. Indeed, what one says and what one does are two different things — this is called saying one thing and doing another; such is human nature!

With proper business concluded, Chen Chen Guanlou left the Ministry of Justice.

Sun Sun Daoning also mulled over how to pass the hot potato off.

He arranged for reliable men to go hint at the Six Gates.

The Six Gates, upon receiving the instruction, were overjoyed. They too didn't want to handle this lot of Imperial Prison guards. Decisively, they spread word among the guards: the court meant to behead them. Every last one — all of them had to die.

These guards had long been ungovernable, long engaged in Imperial Prison work, their humanity already twisted.

Learning they were to be beheaded — how could they stand for it? They raised a ruckus on the spot.

Six Gates runners drew their water-and-fire staves, put on a show, made as if to strike. Just as expected, these guards resisted, fled, burst out of the Six Gates, and made straight for the Brocade Guard.

No need for the Six Gates to drive them — the errand the Ministry of Justice had assigned was complete. And all the blame fell on the Imperial Prison guards: the guards defied the law, resisted arrest!

And so, the Ministry of Justice slipped away cleanly!

Chen Chen Guanlou, upon hearing, had to give a thumbs-up, a salute to the brothers of the Six Gates.

Once the Imperial Prison guards had fled to the Brocade Guard, the rest of the matter was no longer the Ministry of Justice's concern.

The Brocade Guard took one look at this lot and felt a sudden jolt in their hearts — every one of them was on the death list. Barely considered their own people. What to do? The boss wasn't in; the second-in-command, for the moment, didn't dare decide either. After all, over a hundred lives, and their own people — not quite daring to make the call.

Execute them outright — is that appropriate? Afterward, might there be repercussions? Might the brothers below grumble?

If the brothers below grew displeased with him and played dirty behind his back, the loss would outweigh the gain.

For an organization like the Brocade Guard, the main crisis has always come from within, not from without.

External attacks are like scratching an itch through a boot — at worst a few unlucky souls get caught. Internal attacks are the truly lethal ones.

One radish, one hole — only when the man above dies can the men below rise.

The Brocade Guard is a group with organization and ideals. Literacy, martial force, martial cultivation, physical fitness — these are all basic requirements.

Every single Brocade Guard member harbors the ambition to climb. All hoping their superior gets promoted so the whole coop rises with him. If the superior is no good, then find a way to do him in and climb up themselves!

A typical internal death-and-replacement mechanism — it ensures the Brocade Guard as a group always has vigor, always a streak of blood and ferocity! Enough to awe every official under heaven, to escort and shield the Emperor, to share his burdens and solve his troubles!

The Brocade Guard's second-in-command, not wanting to be backstabbed by the little brats below, decisively tossed this thorny problem to the boss — that is, Xiao Xiao Jincheng. He didn't care whether the man was saving lives or convalescing. Work comes first — so long as you're not dead, you must get up and do your job! This is the Brocade Guard's creed!

Xiao Xiao Jincheng was a martial artist, his cultivation very high. After unblocking his martial meridians, the injuries on his body were nothing fearsome to him — internal medicine and external poultices, and he'd be back on his feet in no time.

Learning that the Imperial Prison guards who should have been executed had forced their way into the Brocade Guard yamen demanding justice, his expression turned very ugly.

"Since the court has made its decision, carry it out as the court requires. There is no room to maneuver on this matter — Your Majesty gave his nod as well."

"But after all, over a hundred lives, and all of them our own people… this matter still requires my lord to attend to it personally."

"They brought it on themselves! This official warned them from the start — the Censorate's investigation, give full cooperation. And what happened? They kicked up such a huge mess. Knowing full well the Censorate men were trying every way to catch a handle, they still went and crashed into it head-on — courting their own destruction, no one else to blame. But, if this official remembers correctly, this matter was to be handled by the Ministry of Justice — how did it end up at the Brocade Guard?"

"They escaped from the Six Gates yamen and fled into the Brocade Guard yamen. It's awkward now — driving them out isn't right, and not driving them out isn't right either."

"Where are the Six Gates people?" Xiao Xiao Jincheng vaguely sensed something was off. He knew the Six Gates runners' capabilities well enough — over a hundred mere Imperial Prison guards, and they got out clean?

What kind of joke is that?

If the Six Gates yamen were really that easy to escape from, why has no one ever in all these years heard of anyone breaking out of the Six Gates? Everyone breaks out of the Heaven Prison instead!