Chapter 132: Poisoned

Fan Yuli had recently become unusually proactive, frequently inspecting the Tianlao prison.

Since the Second Young Master was imprisoned in the Tianlao, Fan Yuli seemed to see a chance for rapid advancement and was wholly intent on flattering him. But the Second Young Master looked down on him, preferring to speak with Chen Guanlou rather than spare him even a single glance.

This left Fan Yuli deeply frustrated, yet he dared not lash out.

He could only turn to Chen Guanlou and ask, "What can I do to make the Second Young Master take notice of me?"

"I believe we should cater to his preferences."

"Where am I supposed to learn the Second Young Master's tastes? And even if he likes beauties, I can't just send a woman into the Tianlao—that violates regulations. If anyone finds out, we're all done for."

Fan Yuli wore a look of deep distress—the nobleman was right before him, yet he had no way to approach him.

He stared at Chen Guanlou. "You interact with the Second Young Master every day. Tell me—what does he truly like?"

Chen Guanlou did not wish to get involved, but he could not outright refuse Fan Yuli. Fan Yuli was his direct superior and could make his life miserable with a single gesture.

So he thought hard and offered a vague suggestion: "The Tianlao has its rules. Many things allowed outside are forbidden here. After much thought, I believe we might start with food and drink."

Fan Yuli listened, pondered, then nodded vigorously. "You're right. The Tianlao permits little, but food and drink offer endless possibilities. I've heard the Second Young Master enjoys wine—is this true?"

"The Second Young Master drinks occasionally," Chen Guanlou replied with careful phrasing.

Fan Yuli's eyes lit up—he had seized the key. He imagined a bright future ahead and chuckled. "Little Chen, if this succeeds, you'll be the hero. Go now. Take good care of the Second Young Master."

"Yes!"

Chen Guanlou bowed and withdrew.

Fan Yuli was not the only one trying to flatter the Second Young Master. Chen Guanlou followed the principle of doing his duty well—if everyone obeyed the rules, he would turn a blind eye.

Fan Yuli was a man of action. Once he grasped the strategy, he began bringing wine into the Tianlao, devising new ways to please the Second Young Master.

At first, the Second Young Master ignored him. After three or four attempts, seeing Fan Yuli's persistence, he finally granted him an opportunity and drank the wine he brought.

Fan Yuli felt as if he had eaten the Queen Mother's peaches—completely at ease. From then on, he brought wine daily. At first, the jailers followed protocol, tasting each bottle to check for poison. Later, seeing it was Fan Yuli, they simply let him enter the cell without inspection.

Chen Guanlou grew uneasy and repeatedly warned them: "Don't be careless. The checks must still be done."

The jailers muttered among themselves: "Fan Yuli is desperate to please the Second Young Master—he'd never harm him. Chen Tou is too cautious. These days, there's been no threat near the Second Young Master."

"Chen Tou has always been careful and diligent. Better safe than sorry."

"I'm just worried we'll offend Fan Yuli."

"If we follow the rules, Fan Yuli can't find fault with us."

"That's true, but I fear he'll settle scores later—then we'll all be doomed."

"That's sensible. From now on, when Fan Yuli comes, we'll just look the other way. No need to be so strict."

Among the jailers, some were timid, but others were bold and ignored Chen Guanlou's orders. They quietly reached consensus: from now on, they'd stop checking Fan Yuli's wine entirely, to avoid offending him.

Chen Tou had Fan Yucheng as his backer—they had no such protection. Fan Yuli could easily make them lose their jobs and return home to starve.

Thus passed a period of calm.

Rules exist for a reason.

Eventually, disaster struck.

The entire Tianlao, top to bottom, felt as if the sky had collapsed.

Chen Guanlou rushed to the main cellblock and found the Second Young Master, Song Yuan, slumped motionless on his bed.

"What happened?" he demanded urgently.

"I-I-it happened," Liu She stammered, unable to speak clearly.

"Qian Fugui, you tell me," Chen Guanlou said, his face dark as storm clouds, ready to devour someone.

Qian Fugui swallowed hard. "Little Master Fan brought a jar of wine, claiming it was a newly discovered premium yellow wine. The Second Young Master was delighted. After Fan Yuli left, he ordered food and drink, poured himself a cup, and drank. Then—he just collapsed. I checked his breath—he's dead. Wah…" Qian Fugui burst into tears. "Chen Tou, what do we do? Will we all lose our heads?"

Chen Guanlou had no patience for his wailing. He kicked open the cell door, strode in, lifted the Second Young Master, and pressed his fingers to his carotid artery.

Moments later, he shouted: "He's not dead! Send for the physician immediately—tell him to bring antidotes. Go! Also, send someone to summon Fan Yucheng and Little Master Fan. Don't reveal specifics—just say an accident occurred and they're needed to oversee matters."

"Xiao Jin, relay my order: seal off the Jia-class cellblock, lock the gates. Not a single word of this must leak. Our heads depend on it. Do exactly as I say. Anyone who acts on their own and loses their head won't have the right to regret it."

Chen Guanlou's commands gave the panicked jailers a sense of direction. Learning the Second Young Master still lived, they sprang into action, terrified of delaying his treatment.

Xiao Jin moved fastest—he locked both gates of the Jia-class cellblock and sealed the Tianlao's main entrance. Only entry permitted, no exits.

Anyone caught sneaking out would be arrested and thrown into a cell. The Tianlao had no shortage of cells. To avoid alarming the neighboring Yi- and Bing-class cellblocks, they hung a "No Gambling" sign—no matches for the next few days, everyone to mind their own business.

With these measures, the situation was barely contained.

He approached Chen Guanlou to ask what to do next.

"List everyone's names. Keep a close watch. The Second Young Master's status is extraordinary—he cannot suffer any mishap here. To save our heads, everyone must stay alert and stick to one story."

"Yes!"

The physician arrived and administered the antidote pill. Moments later, it took effect—the Second Young Master's pale face regained color, his breathing steadied.

"When will he wake?" Chen Guanlou asked cautiously.

The physician was equally terrified—he never imagined the poisoned man was the Second Young Master. Before arriving, he was calm; now, he wished he had two heads.

At this point, he and Chen Guanlou were on the same rope. He could only cooperate fully: "Chen Tou, rest assured—he'll wake by tomorrow morning. My antidote is a family secret, capable of neutralizing all poisons. Look at the color returning to his face—it's working. If it's effective, his life is saved."

"Any long-term effects?"

"I can't guarantee that. We must wait until he wakes, then examine his pulse to determine."

"Do you know what poison it is?"

The physician shook his head. He told Chen Guanlou he must take the poisoned wine back for analysis to identify the toxin.

"Chen Tou, the two Fan elders have arrived!" At that moment, Chen Quan reported.