Chapter 1379: Savor Carefully

He was going on a long journey, and he didn't know how long it would take.

Chen Guanlou decided to ask for a full year's leave first.

Sun Daoning learned that he was going on a long journey and was asking for a full year's leave, so he was a bit worried. "Have you encountered any difficulties?"

"Going out for a trip, wandering around."

Not a single word of truth.

Sun Daoning snorted coldly. "Forget it! Since you don't want to say, this official won't pursue it. The leave is approved. Arrange for someone to take charge in your absence. If you can't come back after a year, don't worry. As long as I don't speak, no one can touch the Heavenly Prison. Under your management, the Heavenly Prison is thriving; this is an indisputable fact. So, you don't need to worry about anyone replacing you for the time being."

"Old Sun, many thanks!"

"Go well and return well. If you encounter trouble outside, go find the local government and reveal your identity. Whether it's the Marquis Prefecture or the Ministry of Justice, the local government will value it."

"Old Sun, are you worried that I won't be able to come back?" Chen Guanlou asked with a laugh, his tone teasing.

Sun Daoning kept a straight face. "Asking for leave suddenly and leaving for a whole year, it would be a lie to say I'm not worried. You have a sense of proportion in your work, so I won't nag."

"I'll bring you a gift when I return!"

Chen Guanlou said with a smile.

He arranged for Chen Quan to temporarily take over his work.

And reminded the other, "No matter who comes to interrogate Chen Meng'an, drive them back. Unless Minister Sun gives the order himself."

"My lord, is there a problem with Chen Meng'an's case being delayed?" Chen Quan was a bit worried, afraid that he would be alone and unable to withstand the pressure.

"There is no problem with his case. The problem lies in the imperial court; the various factions above are still playing games. Before the result comes out, he must continue to be detained in the Heavenly Prison. In short, unless he is released from prison, he is not allowed to leave the Heavenly Prison for even half a step."

"The small one understands. My lord, you must come back quickly! The small one is worried about delaying my lord's affairs."

"If you really encounter difficult matters and can't make up your mind, go ask Medical Official Mu. If that still doesn't work, go find the Marquis Prefecture's head steward, Chen Guanqiang. I will give him a heads-up."

"The small one, the small one is just a prison guard, how dare I go to the Marquis Prefecture to find the head steward."

This matter was too difficult for him.

Chen Quan carefully stated his difficulties.

Chen Guanlou patted his shoulder and said, "The Marquis Prefecture's gatekeeper, Chen Guanxiang, is my brother. You go directly to him and say you are from the Heavenly Prison. He will pass the message for you."

"Will this work? Can't I go find the Ministry of Justice officials?" Chen Quan was still hesitant. He was a person who ate official food; when encountering things, is it appropriate to go to the Marquis Prefecture for help?

Will something go wrong?

Chen Guanlou knew clearly what he was worried about and said immediately, "The Ministry of Justice is the imperial court's Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of Justice's work is always based on the big picture. Neither you nor I are in the big picture. When sacrifice is needed, we are the materials for sacrifice. If you go to the Ministry of Justice, it is highly likely you will be throwing yourself into the tiger's den.

You also know that the Ministry of Justice has never been soft when killing prison guards. One killing involves dozens of lives, or even hundreds. If you don't want to die, if you don't want to be a scapegoat for the Ministry of Justice, try not to take the initiative to find the Ministry of Justice. Do everything by the book. Remember what I taught you."

Chen Quan became worried upon hearing this and whispered, "After my lord leaves, will the Ministry of Justice really find an opportunity to clean up the Heavenly Prison?"

"There is a high probability. In the years I have guarded the Heavenly Prison, the Heavenly Prison has never had a large-scale cleanup operation. After I leave, it's hard to say. According to past experience, the Ministry of Justice cleans up the Heavenly Prison every once in a while under the guise of major cases. Be careful! In your daily work, try to follow the procedures as much as possible, and don't think about finding loopholes. You can find loopholes, others can too, and others can use the opportunity of finding loopholes to deal with you."

Chen Guanlou said these things not without reason.

Back then, when he first entered the Heavenly Prison to serve, in a few months, the Heavenly Prison was cleaned up several times, and many people died.

In the eyes of the Ministry of Justice, Heavenly Prison guards and prisoners are all consumables that can be sacrificed at any time.

It wasn't until he became a prison warden that this situation was contained.

This trip out of the capital would take at least three to five months, at most one or two years, or even three to five years.

He couldn't say clearly how long it would take.

Just in case, he had to make arrangements in advance, at least to protect those loyal to him.

Besides arranging for Chen Quan, he also left two documents for Medical Official Mu. One was a retirement document, and the other was a document for Mu Wenxu to serve as a Heavenly Prison medical official. The procedures were all done, just missing the date.

As long as the date was filled in and submitted to the Ministry of Justice, the two documents would take effect.

He also asked Medical Official Mu for many poisons, antidotes, and medicines for illnesses.

He didn't take them for free; he gave 1,000 taels of silver.

"Since my lord has made up your mind to seek the opportunity, I can only support you. When my lord is out, put your own safety first and don't force yourself."

"My trip out, it seems dangerous, but it might not be. Don't worry about me. I might not be as good as others in other skills, but I consider myself not bad at escaping. I know better than anyone that if you can't win, you run."

He wouldn't feel ashamed!

Escaping is also a skill.

Afterward, he said goodbye to his eldest sister, Chen Xiaolan, told the Marquis Prefecture, and took some good things. Finally, he went to Yuquan Palace to buy pills from Pure Yang Zhenren.

Pure Yang Zhenren knew a big customer had arrived, laughing until he couldn't see his teeth, promoting in various fancy ways.

If he didn't buy, the other would say: "Do you know the Great Wilderness or do I? Listen to me, these pills are all useful to you. At critical moments, you will surely thank me. I will wait for your good news in the capital; you must find the traces of the immortals. Even if you can't find them, it doesn't matter; just treat it as going out to gain experience."

Chen Guanlou decisively threw out a 10,000-tael silver note and took nearly 20,000 taels worth of pills. He decisively ate the pills like candy.

He said: "I will pay the money I owe you when I return. Don't worry about me defaulting on the debt. If there are any pills left in the end, I will return them."

Pure Yang Zhenren's face changed, his tone sharp. "The pills of this sect, once sold, will not be returned! Remember, you owe me 8,000 taels of silver."

"Your broken pills..."

"Nonsense!" Before Chen Guanlou could finish, Pure Yang Zhenren decisively interrupted. "Pills that even the Emperor eats, can you call them broken pills? Daoist friend Chen, you cannot buy and complain at the same time."

"Savoring the goods is the buyer. I complain about your pills, which is very reasonable. 8,000 taels on account; I will give it to you when I have money, and I will owe it if I don't have money."

"Can you have no money? Do you lack these few thousand taels? Any hair you pull out is worth more than a few thousand taels." Pure Yang Zhenren was furious; it was the first time he had encountered someone who owed money, and there was no place to reason.

If he had known, he wouldn't have recommended so many pills to the other. Earning less is earning less, at least not being owed payment.

Too bullying!

Selling pills these days and not receiving cash, sure enough, the world is going downhill, and people's hearts are not as good as before.

"You are a treacherous merchant; I cannot let you earn 10,000 taels of silver from me at once. Anyway, the money is owed first." Chen Guanlou said with justification.

Pure Yang Zhenren was so angry that he blew his beard and stared.

Owing money is one thing, but he even made personal attacks.

Unreasonable! ===== CHAPTER 1380 =====