Chapter 1567: Xie Changling's Intentions

The Jixia Academy gained the favor of the Yuan Ding Emperor and turned its fortunes around overnight.

From now on, the court will become very lively.

Compared to the miserable Yuquan Palace next door, it is truly ten years in the east, ten years in the west.

Chen Chen Guanlou did not care at all; his only enemy in the Jixia Academy, Grand Master Qi, had already been killed by him. As for whether the others in the Jixia Academy would view him as an enemy, he did not care.

Kill one if one comes, kill two if a pair comes. He did not mind at all if someone acted impulsively and ran over to provoke him. It was just that his hands were itching; he needed someone to practice on.

What truly made him feel puzzled was that Prime Minister Xie Changling, who handled myriad affairs daily, had actually sent him an invitation and asked to meet him.

Strange!

What was there about him worth the other party remembering? Was a meeting necessary? He was just a small prison warden; what merit did he have to warrant the powerful and influential Xie Changling taking time out of his schedule to meet him?

He asked the Liu Liu Guanshi of the Hou Fu who delivered the invitation, "Why did your master send me an invitation?"

"This humble one does not know. This humble one is merely following orders! Whether Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen will attend the banquet, we hope for a definite answer."

"Besides me, is there anyone else?"

"No one else."

Chen Chen Guanlou raised an eyebrow. "You invited only me; that is indeed interesting. The only thing about me worth remembering is my surname Chen, the same Chen as the Hou Fu. If he has business, why not find Chen Chen Guanfu directly for a face-to-face talk? Why find me?"

"This humble one does not know."

The Liu Liu Guanshi of the Hou Fu knew nothing about anything.

Chen Chen Guanlou snorted. "Tell Prime Minister Xie that I will arrive on time for the appointment."

The location where Xie Changling set the banquet was not at the Hou Fu, but on a painted boat in the lake, the very top-tier one. Chartering the boat overnight cost over five thousand taels a night, with no upper limit! The maidservants attending inside, if taken outside, were all at the level of top courtesans. The singing and dancing entertainers were each of peerless beauty, proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and could recite poetry and songs off the cuff.

In front of this group of entertainers, Chen Chen Guanlou was like an illiterate person!

Embarrassing!

Upon seeing Xie Changling, he opened his mouth with a complaint. "My Lord Xie, if you dislike me, just say so directly. Why humiliate me in this manner?"

"Where does this talk of humiliation come from?" Xie Changling did not understand. His official authority was heavy; even a casual sentence from him carried a strong sense of oppression.

Chen Chen Guanlou simply did not fall for this act of the other party; no matter how great the official authority, it was useless in front of him.

He let out a cold, chuckling laugh. "You clearly know I am unlearned and have not studied for many days, having only muddled through a few years in the clan school. Yet you, on the other hand, have entertainers who are all outstanding in talent, speaking of 'zhi, hu, ye, zhe' with their mouths open and reciting poetry and songs with their mouths closed, making me look like a country bumpkin. If this is not humiliation, then what is it?"

Xie Changling was stunned for a moment, then burst into loud laughter, laughing until tears came out.

"Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen has misunderstood. This official absolutely has no intention of humiliating you. If you feel uncomfortable, I will have them all withdraw."

Chen Chen Guanlou spoke up to stop him. "Withdraw for what? Beautiful Misses should be appreciated by people. Continue; all of you, start singing and dancing for me. Just don't open your mouths to speak."

Today was Xie Changling's home turf; naturally, the entertainers would follow the Prime Minister's orders. Everyone turned to look at him.

Xie Changling nodded slightly. "Listen to Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen; whatever he tells you to do, just do it."

The two sat in the main seats, leaning close to speak; if they controlled their volume slightly, that group of entertainers could not hear.

"Prime Minister Xie has spent lavishly tonight. Spending so much to invite me to drink wine, I fear the request is very great. My heart is beating a bit fast right now; perhaps I should take my leave early to avoid being buried in a pit dug by you." Chen Chen Guanlou teased.

No good deed without ulterior motives; if not treachery, then theft!

Xie Changling raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Does this official have no shred of credibility in the mind of Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen? This official thought that given the friendship between you and me, there should be at least some trust between us."

"The present is not the past. You are now the Left Prime Minister, powerful and influential throughout the court. I am still the Jiang Jiang Yucheng of the Heavenly Prison. The gap in status is too great. Bringing up past friendship, do you perhaps want to humiliate me?" Chen Chen Guanlou smiled ambiguously.

"Everything revolves around the word 'humiliation', does it?" Xie Changling's eyebrows and eyes moved slightly, and he mocked, "If you want to rise in rank, you only need to nod your head; plenty of people will help you operate. Saying such things about the huge gap in status is truly unnecessary. These words, when said by others, are true; when said from your mouth, they seem slightly pretentious!"

"Enough, enough, enough. I made a few jokes, and you take it to a higher level and start lecturing me. Indeed, your official authority is heavy. Why not say directly what you intend by inviting me to drink wine today? Let me state the ugly truth first: do not go too far, and do not expect me to help you."

Chen Chen Guanlou simply brought it up directly, too lazy to argue; mutual mockery was pointless.

Mainly, he was not sure he could win against the other party.

The one surnamed Xie was a Zhuangyuan; when it came to talking, he had never lost.

Xie Changling played with a string of sandalwood Buddhist beads.

Chen Chen Guanlou was curious and asked, "Do you believe in Buddhism? No wonder you hang out with that bald monk Jue Neng."

"Speak carefully! Grand Master Jueneng is a person with true ability, with profound Buddhist teachings; how can he be arbitrarily insulted? This official knows you dislike the Buddhist sect's ways, but that should not mean you cannot even tolerate a string of Buddhist beads." What Xie Changling said was very correct, but the attitude and tone were as if lecturing someone. Indeed, having been an official for a long time, he had picked up a set of bad habits.

Chen Chen Guanlou could not stand it. "Do you speak to others like this?"

"Like this about everything?"

"Lecturing people as if scolding a grandson. Could it be that you speak to the Emperor with this same behavior?"

Xie Changling frowned, not agreeing. He felt his tone and attitude had no problems whatsoever.

Chen Chen Guanlou snorted, leaned closer, and asked, "Prime Minister Xie, how long has it been since anyone spoke the truth to you? You have heard so much flattery in daily life that you have taken it all as truth? If you speak to the Emperor as if scolding a grandson, how could the Emperor possibly be pleased? No wonder it has spread everywhere outside that the ruler and minister are not in harmony; this is a great taboo!"

Xie Changling remained expressionless. "You are good at speaking the truth; say a few more for me to hear."

"Do you really want to hear?" Chen Chen Guanlou was curious.

Xie Changling goaded him. "Or perhaps you dare not?"

Chen Chen Guanlou smiled ambiguously, revealing an expression that saw through everything. "Back when you were in the Heavenly Prison, you were quite good. The you of now, perhaps because you have been in a high position for too long, appears arrogant! Arrogant people are most hated. Have you ever thought, one day, if you lose your power, what the consequences will be? Even if you can hold power until you die, after you die, what consequences will the Xie clan face? Your Xie family has no military power in hand!"

He was kindly reminding the other party that sometimes one must learn to stop in time and accumulate merit for descendants.

The Xie clan had deep foundations, with money and power, but lacked military power alone.

He had thought that after his words, the other party would listen.

Unexpectedly, Xie Changling said, "These words, you should say to the Hou Fu. Even if Marquis Pingjiang holds military power until he dies, after he dies, where should the Hou Fu go? Military power will not always remain in the Hou Fu's hands! If ten years is not enough, use twenty years; eventually, the Hou Fu can be dismantled. At that time, what consequences the Hou Fu will face, have you ever thought?"

Hearing this, Chen Chen Guanlou raised an eyebrow and smiled. "This dinner tonight was indeed for the Hou Fu. You should not have invited me to drink wine; you should have hosted a banquet for Chen Chen Guanfu."