Chapter 1358

Sun Daoning touched his own conscience and said loudly, "It does not hurt!"

At this moment, Chen Guanlou felt his heart ache!

"Old Sun, you have wounded my heart. Without one hundred taels, it won't get better!"

Sun Daoning felt around, fished out a single copper coin, and placed it in his palm.

Chen Guanlou's heart hurt even more.

He was only worth one copper coin.

Forget it!

Talking about money hurts the relationship.

A plastic relationship is still a relationship!

He gave a light cough and said very seriously and earnestly, "You must work hard to keep Chen Mengan safe. The Hou Fu will remember your kindness."

"I do not care for the Hou Fu remembering my kindness. I only hope that His Majesty will remember my kindness."

The implication was that he stood firmly on the Emperor's side and firmly executed the Emperor's orders. Whoever the Emperor said to kill, he would kill. Whoever the Emperor said to deal with, he would deal with. There was no room for negotiation!

"Old Sun, you have changed! You are becoming increasingly mercenary!"

Sun Daoning sighed, "With you here, how could Chen Mengan possibly die? Even if the palace wants him dead, with you protecting him, you have ways to solve this problem. When the time comes, I will at most turn a blind eye."

That is loyal enough, right!

"You aren't doing anything, yet you have the nerve to take money."

"Why should I not have the nerve to take money? Without me turning a blind eye, do you think you could get things done?" Sun Daoning gave a cold snort, "Qian Cai is an external possession; do not be obsessed with it."

"Then why are you obsessed with it?"

"I am poor! A whole family behind me needs to eat!"

Fine!

After all that talk, he absolutely refused to return the money.

He should not have thrown money at him from the start.

"When will you interrogate Chen Mengan?"

"Delay it for two days! Let him prepare well; do not let him talk nonsense in court, and do not let him plead guilty."

"If he doesn't plead guilty, you will use torture in court, and if he dies, he dies for nothing."

"I guarantee there will be no torture; he will not die."

The money had at least had some effect.

"He really shouldn't plead guilty?" Chen Guanlou began to ponder.

"Once he pleads guilty, if the Emperor wants him dead, there will be no reason to refute it." Sun Daoning dipped his finger in tea and wrote the word 'Power' on the table, then wiped it away.

"Just because His Majesty cannot move the Marquis of Pingjiang this time does not mean he cannot move the Hou Fu, or that he dares not kill the Hou Fu's children and grandchildren. His Majesty's temper is not very good; once his anger flares up, and with the prisoner pleading guilty, he will insist on killing—who can stop him? At that time, the Marquis of Pingjiang will have to submit a memorial to plead for mercy before it can end. The safest approach is to die without pleading guilty, or find someone to take the blame. Those few retainers are excellent tools; have the Hou Fu discard them quickly."

Sun Daoning was cautious, secretly helping to offer ideas.

He also did not want the Ministry of Justice to become the center of this conflict.

As long as the officials and the Hou Fu are having a war of words, the Ministry of Justice can just stand on the side and watch the show.

"The retainers have already been locked up in the C-grade prison."

"Why weren't they locked up in the B-grade prison?" Sun Daoning frowned; this was not according to the rules. Prisoners from noble families were all locked up in the B-grade prison.

"I am afraid they will be silenced." Chen Guanlou gave a cold snort, "You won't let me interfere with the B-grade prison; heaven knows what kind of tricks are inside. It is safer to keep them in the C-grade prison."

At least until the case is judged, he can ensure those few retainers do not die.

Sun Daoning, looking dignified, waved his hand and continued, "Do as you please. These small matters are not important. In short, hurry up and train Chen Mengan well; tell him not to talk nonsense in court and not to implicate the Hou Fu. It is best to push the blame onto the few retainers. Remember, keep a close watch on those retainers; do not let them be bribed. Once the retainers retract their testimony in court, I will be helpless and can only report the truth to His Majesty."

"Then give me a few more days."

"Five days at most; after five days, he must appear in court. The entire court is watching this case, and I cannot delay it arbitrarily. Besides, His Majesty is waiting for my reply. You wouldn't want my official hat to be removed, would you?"

Chen Guanlou clicked his tongue twice; Old Sun really is a careerist.

"I will do as you say and train Chen Mengan and the retainers. You ensure he can survive; don't resort to exile, just imprisonment will do. Such a fool, if exiled, will likely cause more trouble. It is better to keep him in prison; with me watching, he won't dare to act recklessly."

"It is not up to me to decide this. I already told you, this matter depends on His Majesty's will." Sun Daoning emphasized repeatedly, not wanting to give any promises.

Chen Guanlou sneered, "You can strive for it."

"I can only strive for it!" Sun Daoning snorted coldly, forced to give a promise.

Chen Guanlou was in a bad mood, and after returning to the Heavenly Prison, he went straight down to the A-grade prison.

Without a word, he slapped Chen Mengan a few times first.

Chen Mengan covered his slapped cheek, feeling very aggrieved, very pitiful, and also confused.

"Uncle Lou... Prison Warden Chen, why are you hitting me? I have been very honest these past few days, always following the rules of the Heavenly Prison and not acting recklessly."

"Do you need a reason for me to hit you?" Chen Guanlou questioned.

"Isn't a reason needed?" Chen Mengan was very bewildered, his eyes clear yet foolish.

Chen Guanlou was so angry he laughed; he was just a half-grown boy, why should he lower himself to his level? It would only make himself look small-minded and intolerant.

But...

He was small-minded to begin with.

If he hit him, he hit him; there was no reason.

Suppressing his anger, he asked, "You are appearing in court in a few days; do you know how to handle it? Do you know what to say after you go up to the court?"

Chen Mengan, while covering his face, asked, "What, what should I say?"

"First, do not implicate the Hou Fu; second, do not implicate the Hou Fu; third, still do not implicate the Hou Fu. All the crimes were committed by the servants on their own initiative and have nothing to do with you. You are innocent."

"Meaning, I should not plead guilty!"

"You want to plead guilty?" Chen Guanlou's eyelids drooped, and a murderous aura permeated the prison cell, making people shudder.

Chen Mengan trembled, "Should I not plead guilty?"

Chen Guanlou suddenly laughed, beckoning for the other to come closer.

Chen Mengan did not want to get closer, but did not dare to resist, so he could only approach step by step, trembling with fear.

"How do you plan to plead guilty? Admit to letting your retainers commit murder resulting in death?" His expression was half-smiling, giving people a terrifying sense of dread.

Chen Mengan was almost scared to the point of wetting himself, "Uncle Lou, what do you want to say? Can you tell me directly? My brain is slow, I can't think of that much."

"You know you're slow!" Chen Guanlou said with extreme disdain, "Do you think you are innocent? Do you think you are suffering from a grievance?"

Chen Mengan nodded repeatedly subconsciously; he was indeed very aggrieved. Immediately after, he shook his head; not pleading guilty in front of Uncle Lou felt like he was about to die.

Chen Guanlou was very disgusted and slapped him across the face.

Chen Mengan was stunned; why did he hit him again? Was he really that punchable?

Wuwu... he wanted to cry, but the tears had to be held back; he felt even more aggrieved.

"You still have the face to cry! Believe it or not, before you even appear in court, I will kill you first."

"Don't! Uncle Lou, I am your nephew, your own nephew! We are all Chen family members, why should we be so hard on each other? Uncle Lou, spare my life!"