Chapter 1582: He Gambled His Nine Clans Against the Emperor — What Could the Emperor Do to Him?

Recently, the Ministry of Justice urgently dealt with a batch of people.

Among them was Wei Huaizhang.

Just as Chen Chen Guanlou had said: exile for twenty years, no punishment extended to family members, no confiscation of property. After twenty years, once the sentence ended, the Wei family could resume sitting for the imperial examinations and becoming officials.

He personally delivered this news to Wei Huaizhang. "Was your twelve thousand taels of silver well spent or not? I said twenty years, and I meant twenty years — not a year more, not a year less."

Wei Huaizhang's face was blank with shock; clearly he hardly dared believe it.

He had paid out twelve thousand taels, betting that Chen Chen Guanlou had a way to preserve his life and his clan. He dared not hope for anything beyond that. He was afraid that if he hoped for too much, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. He feared that after such disappointment, he could not bear it and would go to extremes!

His going to extremes was different from other people's.

Other people, when they went to extremes, would commit suicide!

His going to extremes was to curse every successive Emperor of Da Qian, sparing not even the eighteen generations of ancestors. If death came, so be it! If the nine clans were doomed, then so be it! He gambled his nine clans against the Emperor — what could the Emperor do to him!

When he went mad, even he himself was afraid.

Never in his wildest dreams had he expected Chen Chen Guanlou to be so trustworthy — having taken the money, he truly got the matter done.

"You... didn't deceive me."

"Why would I deceive you? This sort of matter cannot be faked. Tomorrow the Ministry of Justice's official document will be issued, and at that time I'll let you look it over."

"I..." Wei Huaizhang was so agitated that he could barely speak coherently. "How did you manage it? How could this be possible!"

Chen Chen Guanlou laughed — a very pleased, very proud laugh!

Like a peacock fanning its tail, wanting everyone to witness how formidable he was.

His brows relaxed, the corners of his mouth curved in a smile. With that look, any woman from eight years old to eighty would be enchanted. Even a mother mosquito would circle around him, sucking only his blood.

"Zhang Yushi Zhang, now do you understand why those convicted officials never complained that my price was too high, and willingly came to me with silver in hand? If I don't take their case, if I don't accept their silver, they even get angry with me. This is the empire of reputation built up over many years. The Emperor can go back on his word, can play the petty villain, can turn his face and show no mercy. Under heaven and on earth, only I, Chen Chen Guanlou — a single spit is a nailed-down nail; every word I speak will certainly be kept. Do you understand my worth now?"

Wei Huaizhang could not stand the sight of the other's smugness.

But he had to admit, the other man was truly formidable — he did what he said. On the matter of reputation, there was nothing to fault; a gold-plated signboard, well deserved.

He drew a deep breath. "I understand! Before, I judged Warden Chen with a petty man's heart. I offer my solemn apology. I hope Warden Chen will forgive my earlier failure to recognize your good will."

"Easy to say! Zhang Yushi Zhang can bend and can stretch — a true man! Once you're out, remember to spread the word for me. My price is high, but I truly help people solve their troubles. Still, I choose whom I help. If I take a liking to someone, charging a little less is fine. If I don't care for them, they can come to me with mountains of gold and silver — I still won't be interested."

"Warden Chen, with such ability, do you have any pull with the Imperial Prison?" Wei Huaizhang automatically ignored all that smug self-praise; he only cared about how great Chen Chen Guanlou's reach truly was, and to what extent he could take on any case.

"What are you trying to do?" Chen Chen Guanlou immediately grew wary.

A former censor asking about the Imperial Prison — he certainly had no good intentions.

"I have a good friend who has been held in the Imperial Prison for over a year. I inquired earlier — the man is still well, but there's no telling when it will end. If Warden Chen can open a path into the Imperial Prison, everything can be arranged. His family has money — extremely wealthy!"

"If they're so wealthy, how could they not find a way in?"

"He offended Prime Minister Xie; no one dares make an exception." Having said this, Wei Huaizhang gave a bitter smile.

Chen Chen Guanlou gave an "oh," suddenly enlightened.

He laughed, but his tone carried displeasure. "Everyone is afraid to offend Prime Minister Xie, yet you want me to ram my head against this south wall. Zhang Yushi Zhang, if you hate me, fine, but you can't plot against me so openly. You're too vicious!"

Wei Huaizhang hurriedly explained: "Not so! Warden Chen misunderstands! I'm not hoping to get him out — I want to know if there's a way to transfer him, to move him to the Heaven Prison. I've heard the Heaven Prison and the Imperial Prison have decent relations, and prisoner transfers happen often. So I wanted to try, to strive for an opportunity for him."

"Decent relations — that was in the past. The Brocaded Guards have new people now; they're no longer the Brocaded Guards of old. I haven't dealt with this new Commander of the Brocaded Guards who recently arrived, and from what I can see so far, he doesn't look like an easy one to talk to. Don't count on me for this! Rather than counting on me, you'd better have his family burn incense and pray to the Buddha for protection."

Being directly refused, Wei Huaizhang could only respond with a bitter smile.

He was meddling where he had no business.

He himself was still behind bars, yet he had the spare heart to worry about another's situation.

Several days later, the formal verdict was issued.

A few more days passed, and Wei Huaizhang was about to set off for exile in Xizhou.

His wife, children, and brothers all came to see him off. They took money to bribe the yamen runners in charge of escorting him. Fearing the runners would take the money but not do the job, not take it to heart, they sought out Chen Chen Guanlou again.

They wanted Chen Chen Guanlou to step in and give a word or two of instruction. One word from him was worth a hundred from them.

Chen Chen Guanlou gladly agreed.

The yamen runners in charge of escorting him this time were men from the Six Doors.

Chen Chen Guanlou gave his instructions, and the other party thumped his chest in assurance that the man would be delivered safely to his destination.

Before Wei Huaizhang departed, he solemnly expressed his thanks.

Chen Chen Guanlou kindly reminded him: "For the road of exile, let me give you one piece of advice — keep your mouth shut, don't talk nonsense. Your life is in the runners' hands. If you say things that don't sit well with them, they have plenty of ways to kill you without getting into any legal trouble. In these times, a bout of rain, a chill, can take a life. Zhang Yushi Zhang, look out for yourself. I hope you reach your destination safely. Tell the local authorities you came from the Heaven Prison, and they will treat you well."

Wei Huaizhang opened his mouth; a thousand words and ten thousand thoughts finally condensed into two: "Thank you!"

"My goodwill is in short supply — I hope you don't waste it!"

Chen Chen Guanlou watched the other depart into the distance.

With one lawsuit settled, he indulged himself for three days at a brothel, his waist aching and legs sore, then went home to recuperate.

He was just sunbathing, absorbing the essence of sun and moon, when the courtyard gate was knocked.

"The gate's not shut. Come in."

It was a jailer from the Heaven Prison, on duty at the Jia-ranked prison block.

"My lord, trouble! The Brocaded Guards have come demanding to take a prisoner. Warden Chen sent me to ask you to return to the office to take charge."

"Where do the Brocaded Guards get the nerve to come to the Heaven Prison to interrogate a prisoner? Who do they want to interrogate?" Chen Chen Guanlou asked while changing his clothes.

When he went on duty at the Heaven Prison, he usually wore coarse cloth garments. The clothes absorbed the stench of the Heaven Prison, so he didn't mind throwing them away.

"They want to interrogate Xiao Xiao Changsheng!"

Chen Chen Guanlou's face darkened at the news.

This was trouble!

He hurried to the Heaven Prison.

Chen Quanzheng led a group of prison guards to block the gate of the Grade-A prison, refusing to let the Embroidered Uniform Guard set so much as half a step inside.

"What wind blows today, that the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard has come in person to the Heaven Prison. Someone, serve tea — this official wishes to have a proper chat with my lord Yang."

Chen Chen Guanlou looked at the unfamiliar face before him, the familiar uniform of the Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander — no need to guess, the man before him must be the newly promoted Embroidered Uniform Guard Commander Yang Deguang.