Chapter 1681: The Heavenly Prison Domain

One meal a day, half a bowl of water.

The grass shed could block the sun and wind, but it could not block the pouring rain, making it impossible to sleep soundly.

The most terrifying thing was that there were no latrines.

As dignified court officials and dignified students of the Imperial Academy, everyone cared about their reputation and could not bring themselves to relieve themselves just anywhere.

Not to mention that this was right at the palace gate.

The guards watching the palace gate could just fork them out and throw them away.

They dared not sleep!

They were the spiritual symbols of the world and synonymous with hot-bloodedness. What would it count as if they fell asleep?

Everyone was forcing themselves to stay awake and sit still; if they really couldn't hold on, they would close their eyes to rest for a moment, but none dared to fall into a deep sleep, fearing they would be discovered and accused of being insincere.

No one cared, no one asked...

Every minute and every second was a torment.

Only two days had passed, and someone couldn't take it anymore, standing up with a face full of shame and frustration. Facing the accusing gazes of the crowd, he glared back fiercely.

"I admit I am not as good as everyone else, farewell!"

He walked very fast; as long as he was fast enough, shame could not catch up with him.

When the news reached the palace, Emperor Yuanding was stunned for a moment, then immediately burst into loud laughter.

"I overestimated them. I thought they could hold out for three to five days, but I didn't expect it would only take two days to disintegrate them. They are indeed a mob."

The grand eunuch Liu Shun said happily, "Your Majesty is wise! Minister Xie thought of such a method; he is truly cunning at heart. Fortunately, Your Majesty kept an eye on him, otherwise he might have caused trouble."

Emperor Yuanding gave a cold snort, "Is Xie Changling a treacherous official? Or a loyal one?"

Liu Shun's heart thumped wildly, and he braced himself to say in a low voice, "This servant believes he is a treacherous one."

Emperor Yuanding was noncommittal, and not knowing what he thought of, he even started to laugh, "He is more than just a treacherous one. If he were only a treacherous official, he wouldn't be able to sit in the position of Left Minister."

"Does Your Majesty mean he is a loyal one?" Liu Shun looked puzzled.

"He is both loyal and treacherous!" Emperor Yuanding suddenly stared at Liu Shun, making Liu Shun's hair stand on end and scaring him half to death.

"This servant is loyal!"

A person capable of being the grand eunuch by the Emperor's side truly had a sharp mind.

Liu Shun knelt down to express his loyalty while speaking; he was as loyal as one could possibly be.

Emperor Yuanding laughed heartily, feeling very satisfied.

Xie Changling had solved a big problem with a simple little trick; Emperor Yuanding felt both happy and alarmed in his heart, becoming increasingly wary of Xie Changling. He even suspected whether the other party would go as far as to usurp the throne.

A murderous intent suddenly arose!

The problem outside the palace gate was solved, but the fundamental issue remained deadlocked.

Court officials impeached the Brocade Uniform Guard and Yang Deguang every single day.

When Emperor Yuanding was pushed into a corner, he would say that the conditions in the Imperial Prison were harsh, an epidemic had broken out, and deaths were inevitable. As for why all the prisoners were dead, it was naturally because those prisoners were unlucky, weak, and sickly, and could not withstand the attack of the epidemic.

As for why the prisoners in the Heavenly Prison and the Jingzhao Prefecture Prison were able to survive, it was naturally because they were lucky!

No matter what was said, Emperor Yuanding would not kill Yang Deguang over this matter.

Yang Deguang could die, but he absolutely could not die because of an impeachment!

Once he followed the wishes of those court officials and killed Yang Deguang, the court officials would definitely push for more.

Emperor Yuanding might have mediocre intelligence, mediocre talent, and mediocre vision! But he was, after all, a member of the Song family, and there was a stubborn streak in his bones; the more you made me do something, the less I would do it. He just had to go against the grain.

For example, Emperor Taixing, who was told not to depose the Crown Prince, insisted on deposing the Crown Prince. He did not hesitate to launch a palace coup, summoning the three major battalions into the capital, just to depose the Crown Prince. The court officials wanted to kill Jiang Tu, but he refused to kill him no matter what. The court officials insisted on killing him, but he insisted on protecting him.

Emperor Jian Shi was the same, shouting every day about establishing a Crown Prince, but he just wouldn't! He just wouldn't establish a Crown Prince! Even before he died, he was still struggling.

Now Emperor Yuanding also had this stubborn streak, a stubborn streak of going against the court officials.

Kill Yang Deguang?

He just wouldn't kill him!

He wouldn't kill him no matter what!

Let's see who can hold out longer.

This incident allowed him to learn a word from Xie Changling: endure!

Endure like training a hawk.

Emperor Yuanding was full of pride and satisfaction; he was prepared to use the hawk-training method to wear down the court officials. In any case, he could hold steady! He just didn't know how long the court officials could hold steady.

Speaking of which, Xie Changling had also experienced three generations of emperors.

With the foundation of the Xie family, they had studied the Song royal family thoroughly. What kind of birds the royal family were, and what kind of temperaments they had, perhaps the royal family themselves were not as clear about as Xie Changling.

He implicitly reminded the ministers in the Secretariat that there was no need to arm-wrestle with the Emperor over such a small matter. There were more important things waiting for them to handle. As for the people below wanting to make a scene, let them make a scene.

Making a scene could be considered as accumulating experience and lessons in opposing imperial power.

The ministers in the Secretariat all understood Minister Xie's meaning and went about their own business. They knew clearly that Yang Deguang would not die this time.

However...

Yang Deguang himself didn't know!

Every day he was terrified, fearing that one day a eunuch would step through the gate and issue an imperial decree to grant him death!

He was in a state of constant panic.

He couldn't help but want to entrust his family to others.

He had no heart to handle cases, no heart to pay attention to his subordinates, and no heart to do anything. He only wanted to drown his sorrows in drink.

For the first time in his life, he tasted the wait for death, and it was painfully unbearable.

If he was destined to die, he would rather it be quick, solved with one knife. Instead of being like a dull knife cutting flesh.

This position of Commander of the Brocade Uniform Guard was indeed not something an ordinary person could handle.

The military camp was better, where everything was straightforward. Even death was quick and clean.

Chen Guanlou was sitting in the Heavenly Prison when he welcomed an uninvited guest, Company Commander Yang from the Imperial Prison.

Company Commander Yang looked terrified, as if the sky were falling.

He came to Chen Guanlou to drink, "There is endless criticism in the court; Commander Yang might not die, but as his protector, managing the Imperial Prison, I will surely die without a doubt. Prison Warden Chen, Brother Chen, tell me what I should do!"

With death imminent, he wailed and cried!

Chen Guanlou filled his wine cup, "Brother Yang, there is no need to scare yourself. Without an imperial decree from the palace, you might not necessarily die."

"No! This time I definitely won't be able to escape. Someone has to be killed to appease the anger of the court officials, and I am the first in line; I'm dead for sure this time. But I don't want to die! Wuwuwu..."

Company Commander Yang wiped his tears, miserable and helpless, looking like a poor little thing.

Chen Guanlou was very disgusted.

A grown man, what are you crying for? What a shameful thing!

He hated crying the most!

Whether it was men or women, boys or girls, crying was ugly, harsh, and annoying!

"Is crying useful?"

"It's useless! But I just want to cry. Crying makes me feel a little better. Brother Chen, tell me what I should do?"

"Arrange your family in advance, make arrangements for your family property early, divide the family if it should be divided, transfer what should be transferred, and discard what should be discarded. Don't be reluctant! Since you've already discarded your life, money is just an external object. Strive not to implicate your family! In addition, if it is confirmed that Yang Deguang will not die, you still have to spend money to grease the wheels. He is your superior, and his words are more effective than anything. If he is willing to protect your family, your family will be safe."

A superior's words carried great weight!

If a superior said someone was a treacherous official who deserved to die, then it was over; they would surely die a miserable death, and it was even possible their family would be wiped out.

If a superior said someone was diligent and steady, even if they died, they could die with dignity and comfort.

Status and hierarchy were not just empty talk! They could indeed influence one's life and future.