Chapter 127

Li Shaoqing gave a soft laugh, appearing very happy.

He closed the book and said, "Chen Tou, rest assured, soon you and the prison guards of the Heavenly Prison will be able to make a windfall, enough for you to live lavishly until the end of the year."

Chen Guanlou nodded knowingly, "I accept Master Li's auspicious words. By the way, Marquis Pingjiang has been restored to office, is taking command, and is about to set out for Jinzhou to quell the rebels."

"Oh!" Li Shaoqing exclaimed with emotion.

But Chen Guanlou believed that the other party already knew about this matter. Because Li Shaoqing was too calm. He had always suspected that when Li Shaoqing asked him to sell the famous calligraphy scrolls last time and specified that they could only be sold to the Eldest Master, there might have been some shady dealings involved. Being an outsider, he couldn't see the inside story.

His duty is to be a prison guard, and he doesn't need to understand these inside stories.

Yu Zhaoan was very excited.

He is not a chatterbox. It is just that having been locked in the Heavenly Prison for so long, he desperately needs someone to confide in. Chen Guanlou is the best choice.

From early morning, he had been waiting for Chen Guanlou to pass by the cell door, waiting and waiting, just like a stone statue waiting for a husband; he finally waited until near noon.

"It must be very lively outside now. What did I say? A palace-forcing incident would happen sooner or later. Hahaha... Did the Crown Prince participate in it?"

He appeared somewhat eager.

Chen Guanlou glanced at him lightly and said, "I haven't heard any rumors about the Crown Prince."

Hearing this, Yu Zhaoan couldn't help but frown, seemingly unable to understand and still somewhat dissatisfied, "With such a good opportunity, the Crown Prince actually stayed out of it?"

"As for the big events in the court, how would a small prison guard like me understand? Master Yu, please don't cause trouble for me."

"How is this causing trouble for you? I am giving you an opportunity." Yu Zhaoan's eyes were contemptuous, and he snorted coldly, greatly dissatisfied with Chen Guanlou's uncooperative attitude.

Hearing this, Chen Guanlou chuckled, "Master Yu, are you very proud, predicting things like a god and having brilliant strategies? If you were in the court instead of the Heavenly Prison, you would definitely have taken the opportunity to stir up trouble and show off during this palace-forcing incident."

"You are wrong!" Yu Zhaoan's expression was extremely serious. He used his attitude to tell Chen Guanlou that this was an extremely serious matter and should not be joked about, "Being an official and doing things has never been about showing off. People who love to show off usually die very quickly. Chen Tou, do you think I look like someone who would risk his life to show off?"

Chen Guanlou:...

He had to agree with Yu Zhaoan's statement.

It's just that he was a little bit unhappy.

He certainly understood the principle that the bird that sticks its head out gets shot.

Seeing him silent, Yu Zhaoan continued, "There is a great opportunity right now; does Chen Tou want to seize it?"

Chen Guanlou shook his head repeatedly, like a rattle-drum, "I dare not take Master Yu's opportunities. I still want to live for a long, long time."

"Useless!" Yu Zhaoan cursed, "I give you an opportunity, but you are useless! The Emperor is old and could change the world at any time. Do you really not want to soar to the sky?"

Chen Guanlou laughed and said seriously, "I don't want to die in the darkness before dawn."

Yu Zhaoan was speechless, looking like he was gritting his teeth but helpless; he really wanted to strangle Chen Guanlou. No one had been able to refuse him several times in a row, yet Chen Guanlou had done it.

Chen Guanlou not only refused him but was also taking the opportunity to mock him.

It is rare for a commoner not to be tempted by profit. Precisely because it is so rare, Yu Zhaoan wanted even more to tempt Chen Guanlou and drag the other party into the water. This would prove that no one can escape the temptation of power and wealth, and he could continue to look down on the common people of the world from on high.

In this world, everyone is a vulgar person, and everyone has greed. Why should Chen Guanlou be an exception?

An ant, actually dreaming of being noble, hehe!

Yu Zhaoan was very disdainful.

He must be persistent. As long as he is in the Heavenly Prison for one day, he will not give up.

This person, Chen Guanlou, must be taken down.

Otherwise, let him leave the red dust of the world. A noble commoner should not live in the red dust of the world; they shouldn't exist at all. His existence would highlight the baseness and viciousness of scholars.

This is the Dao heart, this is a stance, and it has nothing to do with right or wrong.

"High above, ranked in the court, controlling the life and death of others—do you really not covet it?" Yu Zhaoan acted like a devil, deliberately pretending to be a good person, enticing him step by step.

Chen Guanlou sneered; he wasn't a three-year-old child, how could he fall for such a trick? The internet of later generations had long ago seen through the secrets of class transition. He asked himself, apart from a face, there was nothing about him that was desirable; why would the other party promote him? With so many second, third, and fourth generations worrying that there are too few positions, why would a commoner like him be able to snatch an opportunity from them?

One must have self-knowledge.

"Master Yu, although I am only a prison guard, I am not stupid. If there really were an opportunity to be ranked in the court, would it be my turn? We have been dealing with each other for a year; I respect you as a great genius and a brilliant scholar who plans strategies, but you treat me like a fool to be teased—is that interesting?"

Chen Guanlou almost pointed at the other party's nose and cursed: You are not acting like a human!

Yu Zhaoan frowned, "Hey, there is a lack of basic trust between us! Chen Tou, oh Chen Tou, being so young and having such severe paranoia is not good! There is no conflict of interest between us, so why would I harm you? The logic doesn't hold up."

"Because you don't like the look of me!" Chen Guanlou said with a smile, his expression looking like he was joking, but his eyes were very cold.

Yu Zhaoan was instantly speechless, "You, you, you..."

"Master Yu, no need to panic; we both know this in our hearts. If you have any needs, just say the word; as long as the money is there, I will definitely satisfy them. I will never break the rules of the Heavenly Prison just because you don't like the look of me."

"Absurd!" Yu Zhaoan scolded sternly, "How could this official haggle with a small prison guard like you? How could this official be as petty as you say?"

"Whether you are petty or not, Master Yu knows best. I still have to patrol the cells, so I won't chat with you anymore. Oh, and Master, don't keep thinking about the prison guards under my command; after Hong Zhuangshi died, everyone is very scared."

"Presumptuous! You actually dare to slander this official."

Chen Guanlou didn't continue to tangle with him and left leisurely.

Emperor Taixing promised to hold a Grand Court Assembly, showing a gentle attitude of wanting to talk properly with the court officials, a gesture of compromise. Therefore, the hundreds of court officials gathered outside the palace gates retreated one after another; one cannot force the sovereign father too urgently, as a subject, one should abide by one's duty and share the worries of the sovereign father.

The Grand Court Assembly was held just like a vegetable market; as it went on, they started arguing, accusing and cursing each other. Ministry of War officials attacked Ministry of Revenue officials, and Ministry of Revenue officials attacked the two Prime Ministers. The two Prime Ministers requested the old Emperor to stop building palace gardens and use the limited money on military affairs, solving the Jinzhou rebels first.

The old Emperor took the opportunity to announce the news of Marquis Pingjiang taking command to go on an expedition, letting the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War cooperate well to raise food, military equipment, armor, and cotton clothes as soon as possible to do a good job of logistical work for Marquis Pingjiang's expedition. He also wanted to prepare a sum of money to be used as departure fees. Additionally, he wanted to prepare a sum of money to be used as rewards for the border army.

Without money, those military heads won't move.

The logic is that logic, but where will the money come from?