Chapter 1590: Old Sun is very humane

"Matters have reached this point, and you still deny it! Are you intentionally trying to anger me to death?"

Sun Daoning slammed the table repeatedly, both to vent his anger and to apply pressure.

Chen Guanlou picked up his teacup and took a sip of tea in a casual and comfortable manner. "Old Sun, you're at such an old age, control your anger. Anger hurts the liver and is bad for your body. Look at you, what are you rushing for? Why Xiao Changsheng fell ill—is it really that important? Isn't the most important thing that Xiao Changsheng is gravely ill, his condition cannot be relieved, and the interrogation cannot continue? You report the truth to the palace, and I think His Majesty will also understand your difficulties. In this way, the case can be delayed for a while, waiting for the situation to change."

"What situation change? Do you know some inside information?" Sun Daoning was suspicious and uncertain.

Chen Guanlou's abnormal behavior must have a reason.

He couldn't be helping the other man find release just because he sympathized with Xiao Changsheng. There were so many prisoners more pitiful than Xiao Changsheng, and he had never seen him help anyone find release early. Instead, he encouraged people to face the execution ground bravely and die generously.

Those prisoners who suffered lingchi were even more pitiful, and he had never seen him use poison to help anyone find release.

Chen Guanlou gave a light laugh. "Can you guess why Xie Changling has repeatedly ordered the imperial court to maintain stability?"

Sun Daoning furrowed his brows and didn't make a sound.

Chen Guanlou didn't care about the other man's reaction and continued: "Do you really think Xie Changling isn't doing anything and is just trying to maintain the status quo? Is he that content and mediocre? He is Xie Changling, the youngest Left Minister in history, a proper top scholar, a good son of the Xie family—doesn't it fit his temperament to stir up some trouble?"

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Sun Daoning's thoughts were churning, and his heart was filled with various guesses. In fact, he had a premonition long ago, but he didn't dare to think deeply because his heart was uneasy.

Chen Guanlou tapped the table lightly to increase his persuasiveness. "Old Sun, I want to remind you that since you can't make up your mind, you should keep an eye on Xie Changling. Watch what he does, and you do the same. If you are truly conflicted and uneasy, you can directly ask him for advice and let him make the decision for you.

Just like Xiao Changsheng's grave illness—don't be in such a hurry to get angry, don't be in such a hurry to confront me. You can try reporting the matter to Xie Changling and listen to his opinion. Do whatever he tells you to do. His words are always more persuasive than mine."

Sun Daoning heard this and couldn't help but ponder.

"When you met Xie Xiang last time, did he instruct you to do anything regarding Xiao Changsheng?"

Chen Guanlou smiled without saying a word.

He wouldn't reveal a single word.

Old Sun shouldn't even think about getting an answer from him. However, Old Sun could guess to his heart's content.

Sun Daoning snorted coldly. The little thief surnamed Chen was indeed cunning, keeping his mouth shut and firmly refusing to jump into the pit.

"Listening to you, Xiao Changsheng's grave illness is a good thing."

"Whether it's a good thing or not, if you ask Xie Changling, you will naturally know. In any case, you only believe fifty percent of what I say. It's better to let Xie Xiang clear up your confusion."

Chen Guanlou refused to say more, and incidentally threw in a sarcastic remark.

Sun Daoning clicked his tongue. "I didn't hold you accountable, but you're acting aggrieved instead. I'm warning you: before I nod, Xiao Changsheng absolutely cannot die. If he dies, I will hold you accountable. From now on, don't work in the Heavenly Prison; go mix with your brothels and the jianghu!"

"I don't mix with the jianghu, don't you dare slander me."

The only connection he had with those people in the jianghu was the Bing-grade prison.

He didn't even know which famous figures were in the jianghu or what the rules of the jianghu were, so where did this "mixing" come from?

"In short, Xiao Changsheng cannot die; this is the bottom line. If you kill Xiao Changsheng behind my back, our friendship ends here. From now on, don't come looking for me."

Sun Daoning was truly angry and issued an ultimatum.

Chen Guanlou could only pat his chest and guarantee: "Rest assured, before you give the order, I definitely won't let him die. However, you have to be quick. If Xiao Changsheng's condition worsens, matters between life and death are beyond human control."

Sun Daoning snorted coldly; he didn't believe a single word of "beyond human control."

Xiao Changsheng falling ill must be something Chen Guanlou had concocted. Medical Official Mu was colluding with him, committing evil together.

When leaving, he specifically called Medical Official Mu to his side. "Old Mu, you are at such an old age, don't mess around with Chen Guanlou. You are an old man of the Heavenly Prison; you must have a sense of proportion in doing things!"

Medical Official Mu:...

He was aggrieved!

He had boarded Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen's pirate ship eight hundred years ago and couldn't get off.

Reminding him now was too late!

"Remember, save Xiao Changsheng's life."

After dropping these words, Sun Daoning took his people and left the Heavenly Prison.

Medical Official Mu was very uneasy and ran to the office to find Chen Guanlou.

"My lord, what exactly did Minister Sun mean? Does he know it was us? What should we do?"

"Listen to his words and save Xiao Changsheng's life. However, you must keep Xiao Changsheng ill. You have to grasp the sense of proportion in this yourself." Chen Guanlou said.

"Will something happen? Minister Sun looked very angry; will he punish us?"

"Rest assured, he won't punish us. He has no evidence; it's all based on his experience and judgment. It's also my fault for being too impatient; I should have proceeded step by step and had a process. Sigh, Old Sun knows my style of doing things too well, which makes it hard for me to do little tricks in the future."

Chen Guanlou felt a bit stifled.

Being too familiar is the bad thing about this. Doing little tricks, the other party can see through them at a glance. There are no secrets at all.

Medical Official Mu was relieved. "That's great! Minister Sun warned me, and I was scared to death. It's still you, my lord, who can stay steady and not be afraid at all."

"For my sake, Old Sun won't vent his anger on you." Chen Guanlou comforted Medical Official Mu, signaling him not to be afraid or nervous, as there was a tall person to take the blame if the sky fell.

"Old Sun looks very serious, but he is actually very humane. Among the officials of the Secretariat, Old Sun should be the most humane one. Of course, he is also the most foolish one."

The other officials of the Secretariat were either top scholars, second-place scholars, or third-place scholars, and at the very least, they were in the top twenty of the imperial examination. Only Old Sun's ranking was a bit behind; he didn't know the specific number, but he definitely didn't enter the top twenty. In terms of knowledge, he was a cut below. By extension, his brain was also a little bit worse.

Eunuch Wang Hai had said that the top twenty of the imperial examination mainly relied on talent, and luck only accounted for a small factor.

He agreed with this point.

Old Sun's brain didn't turn as fast as Xie Changling's group, and he wasn't as cold and cruel; relatively speaking, he had a bit more human touch.

Only this bit of human touch was precious! ===== CHAPTER 1591 =====

Old Sun's brain didn't turn as fast as that bunch around Xie Changling, and he wasn't as cold-blooded or cruel; relatively speaking, he possessed a bit more human warmth.

Yet this mere shred of human warmth was precious indeed!