Chapter 14: Learning by Example

Chen Guanlou had money in his hands, so he was generous.

That night, he invited Xu Fugui to the brothel to listen to music.

The new girl in the brothel was beautiful and knew how to coax people; taking money to do things, she coaxed Xu Fugui until he was overjoyed.

Chen Guanlou took the opportunity to show his loyalty, saying that all the prison guards in the Bing-character prison were hoping that he could become a Jiang Jiang Yucheng, so that everyone could follow him and advance further. He pretended to reveal unintentionally that Zhang Wantong had found a new backer and had already received a promise.

Xu Fugui:...

He said fiercely: "Zhang Wantong doesn't understand the rules, actually going to hug Prison Clerk Zhang's thigh. *Heng*, I have long looked at him with displeasure. Once I become Jiang Jiang Yucheng, he will be the first one I clean up."

Chen Guanlou pretended to be very surprised. "I heard that Zhang Wantong is Prison Clerk Wan's person. Today, Zhang Wantong spent the whole day in the Jia-character prison, and everyone said he wanted to be transferred to the Jia-character prison to work. After all, there is plenty of oil and water there, and he can deal with government officials."

"What? Are you sure?" Xu Fugui asked repeatedly.

Chen Guanlou was suddenly panicked. "I, I don't know; I also heard it from hearsay. Uncle Zhang, you also know that there are all kinds of messy news in the prison guards' mouths, and I can't tell which sentence is true and which is false. However, it is true that Zhang Wantong spent the whole day in the Jia-character prison today. Heard he lost a lot of money today. In the past, when he lost money, he had a stinky face. Today, it's strange—he was still laughing even after losing money. Uncle Zhang, what is he laughing at?"

"What else can he be laughing at? *Teme* of it, this bastard! Little Lou, you are very good; this news is very timely." Xu Fugui clearly listened to Chen Guanlou's words and made up quite a bit of content.

"As long as this news is useful to Uncle Zhang. Uncle Zhang, is there any problem with the Jiang Jiang Yucheng matter?"

"Everything depends on human effort. Don't worry; Uncle Zhang will remember your goodness. As long as Uncle Zhang has a bite to eat, there will be no shortage of benefits for you. In the future, pay more attention to the conversations between prison guards. News like Zhang Wantong's this time is very useful."

Xu Fugui was angry for a while, but with the comfort of a beauty, he soon became happy again.

Originally, he wanted to be coy and say he wouldn't stay overnight. Learning that Chen Guanlou had already paid the overnight fee in advance very sensibly, he readily followed the beauty into the room and promised repeatedly that he would never forget Chen Guanlou when he had benefits in the future.

Chen Guanlou:...

Just listen to it; taking it seriously is truly stupid.

The idle piece had already fallen, and the seeds of suspicion had been planted; how much effect it could have, Chen Guanlou didn't have confidence.

Do one's best and leave the rest to fate!

He didn't believe Prison Clerk Wan was the chosen one, and could cross

Zhang Wantong was convinced that the God of Misfortune had moved into his home. These past few days, he had encountered nothing but bad luck.

First, he was kidnapped in the middle of the night, then he lost everything gambling, and now Xu Fugui was coming to find trouble with him, making things difficult for him at every turn. A higher official crushes those below; he could ignore Xu Fugui, but Xu Fugui had ways to make his life miserable. He couldn't go on living like this.

Chen Guanlou was like a bystander, observing every movement. He only hoped that this pool of water would become increasingly murky. Only in murky water could one catch fish, and only in murky water would the higher-ups pay attention.

Prison Wan Zhang Yuli wanted to exploit a loophole to be promoted from a clerk to a warden. He was betting on the fact that the higher-ups didn't value the Heavenly Prison or the position of Heavenly Jiang Jiang Yucheng, which gave him room to operate.

This was the logic Chen Guanlou had figured out after thinking about it for several days.

In his past life, he worked in sales; how much money he made depended on how much business he brought in, and it was divided by region and client, so there was no direct conflict of interest between company salesmen. He was familiar with wining and dining, but he wasn't familiar with internal strife; his experience was shallow. Now that it involved political struggles, he relied entirely on the experience he had summarized from watching countless films in his past life. Only by blowing things out of proportion and involving more and more people would the officials above be willing to spare a glance. He only needed that one glance to ruin Prison Wan Zhang Yuli's plan. Aside from Prison Wan Zhang Yuli, anyone could be the warden.

Regardless of how those people fought, he continued to patrol the Heavenly Prison according to the roster.

The Vice Minister of the Ministry of War was very angry, so the case of the flower-thief was quickly judged: immediate execution.

Only then did the flower-thief realize that this time he was truly going to die, with no room for maneuver.

Before dying, he only wanted to eat a few good meals.

Unfortunately, his money had already been squeezed dry by the prison guards, and now he couldn't even afford a pot of wine. Knowing that Chen Guanlou liked to collect secret manuals, he planned to trade his own unique skills for some enjoyment before his death.

"Anyway, I'm going to die, so keeping the manual is useless. I don't ask for anything else, just that you, little brother, can take care of me a bit these next few days, give me some good food and drink, and let me be a well-fed ghost."

Chen Guanlou agreed.

He was always willing to give a little more care to those about to die; he was willing to release whatever kindness he could.

The unique skill the flower-thief used for the trade was light-foot kung fu. Over the years, he had "plucked flowers" countless times, and his ability to successfully escape the government's pursuit relied entirely on his exquisite light-foot skills. He even boasted that his light-foot kung fu could at least rank in the top ten of the martial arts world.

"If you don't believe me, little brother Chen, you can ask Master Kongkong next door; he knows my reputation in the martial arts world."

Master Kongkong confirmed the flower-thief's claim: "Below the Fifth Rank, his light-foot kung fu barely ranks in the top ten. Above the Fifth Rank, it is a natural chasm; there is no qualification for ranking at all."

"Above the Fifth Rank, does one enter another realm of the martial path?" Chen Guanlou was very curious.

Master Kongkong said with regret: "I am only Second Rank; I have no qualification to feel how terrifying the strength above the Fifth Rank is. But I have seen two Sixth-Rank warriors fight with my own eyes; that scene was comparable to the heavens collapsing and the earth splitting, and its momentum was like a landslide or a tsunami. Its shock is indescribable. You might not believe what I say, but in the future, if you have the chance to see a warrior above the Fifth Rank take action with your own eyes, you will understand my feelings."

After completing the trade, the flower-thief also gifted Chen Guanlou a formula for a stupefying incense.

"Don't worry, little brother Chen, this formula is very clean; it's not used for that kind of thing, but is an essential item for killing people and seizing goods."

"I am a prison guard; I don't kill people or seize goods."

"In any case, it's better to be prepared. Anyway, I'm going to die; it would be a pity for these exclusive formulas to go into the coffin with me."

"You have ruined countless innocent women; you should have thought of today long ago. Forget it, I will accept your kindness."

Chen Guanlou complained with his mouth, but his hands were not slow. An essential item for killing people and seizing goods—although he didn't intend to harm others, he also had to guard against others harming him. This stuff was useful.

The prisoners in the Heavenly Prison were indeed all talented; one by one, they spoke well and had skills.

Since he started working, he had been very satisfied with his gains in the Heavenly Prison. The decision to hold the "iron rice bowl" of the Heavenly Prison was absolutely correct.

He was a man of his word!

Over the next few days, he covered the flower-thief's meals, two meals a day, with wine and meat at every meal. The other prison guards knew, but they didn't say anything.

A flower-thief about to be beheaded wanted to eat something good before he died, and Chen Guanlou was willing to be the good guy, so let him be.

Even Zhang Wantong, who usually liked to talk about his seniority and point fingers, was too busy dealing with his recent streak of bad luck to pay attention to Chen Guanlou's actions, only cursing, "Stupid!"