Chapter 169: The Brocade Uniform Guard is very busy

Master Du couldn't hold his liquor; after three or five cups of top-grade yellow wine, he already had three points of drunkenness. He sang street ditties; if there were a woman here right now, it would definitely add some interest.

Chen Guanlou clapped for him; regardless of whether it was unpleasant to hear or not, on this happy day, what he wanted was the atmosphere.

"You, you, do you have any regrets now?"

"What do I regret?" Chen Guanlou ate wine and dishes, looking indifferent.

Master Du snorted, "The eldest master won a great victory, and the Chen family descendants who followed him to the front line all got a future; those who were promoted were promoted, and those who got rich got rich. Only you, still guarding the Heavenly Prison, being a prison guard with no future. At the beginning, if you had been willing to listen to this old man, today you might already be a Colonel, a proper imperial court martial general, much stronger than a prison guard."

Chen Guanlou laughed, not caring at all, "Master, you are just loving to worry blindly. Everyone has their own destiny and future. From the day I chose to be a prison guard, I have never regretted it."

He has a body full of secrets; if he went to the barracks, he would show his true colors in minutes, and by then, the grass on his grave would already be as tall as a person. Still dreaming of promotion and getting rich, dream on.

Without martial veins, yet possessing martial arts not weaker than a fourth-rank martial artist—ask which martial artist can sit still? The Jixia Academy can't sit still, and the powerful families can't sit still either.

The old Emperor asks for longevity; if he fell into the old Emperor's hands, the darkest prison cell in the deepest part of the Imperial Prison would be prepared for him, and there would be no exception.

Master Du didn't believe Chen Guanlou's words; missing a great future, anyone would regret it. In his view, Chen Guanlou was clearly stubborn and refused to admit that his choice was wrong at the beginning.

In the end, he wants face!

It's already embarrassing enough; no matter what, he has to insist on not losing the person without losing the battle, and not letting the donkey fall without letting the frame fall. He has to set up the frame and not let people look down on him.

Master Du was also glad that Chen Guanlou was not his nephew; otherwise, he would definitely be angry enough to pick up a stick and break the other party's legs.

The Marquis Prefecture was setting off fireworks, rumbling, and it was very beautiful!

The two sat by the window, admiring the splendor of the fireworks, and Master Du said, "The eldest master won this battle, the first branch is proud, and the old lady has been very low-key recently. Two days ago, I went to the Marquis Prefecture to pay my respects and met the two young mistresses. The eldest young mistress made the second young mistress unable to get off the stage in front of the old lady."

"The old lady didn't say a word of blame, but instead persuaded the second young mistress to think openly and be generous. She also said that the eldest young mistress is a descendant of a famous family, has extraordinary knowledge, and is the proper eldest grandson's wife of the Marquis Prefecture. After the New Year, she should take on the heavy responsibility of managing the house."

Chen Guanlou raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Is the second branch willing to hand over the management power?"

The benefits in hand—with the economic scale of the Marquis Prefecture, the second branch puts at least ten thousand taels into their own pockets every year, not including the deficits of the second master and the second young master, these two father and son.

"They are certainly unwilling to hand it over. However, the situation is compelling; if the old lady doesn't take the initiative, when the eldest master returns, it will be giving face but not wanting it."

Master Du drank a mouthful of wine.

"Look, the Marquis Prefecture has only so many people; either the east wind suppresses the west wind, or the west wind suppresses the east wind. The affairs in the court are actually the same. Now that the eldest master is in the limelight, it means that the nobles and martial generals have stood up again, and the civil officials have to be low-key and restrained."

"The civil officials haven't restrained at all. They promised to make up for the arrears, but today is the 30th, and I haven't seen a single cent. We haven't even seen a grain of rice. The magnificent Great Gan Dynasty, the brilliant prosperous age, is actually poor enough to owe the officials in the capital a year's salary; do you believe it?"

Master Du was dumbfounded, "Owing salary for a year, this old man really didn't expect it. Logically speaking, the imperial court's tax revenue increases every year, and at worst it can be maintained; how can the imperial court become poorer and poorer? I can't figure it out!"

"Because there are more people spending money. Especially that one..."

"Shh! This is not allowed to be spoken indiscriminately." Master Du hurriedly stopped Chen Guanlou, although there was no one else around, "That one is the Holy Lord in the world; how can you allow yourself to talk nonsense."

Chen Guanlou laughed, not caring much, "The Brocade Uniform Guard is full and has nothing to do, so they would run to your house to eavesdrop. Master Du, the Brocade Uniform Guard has limited manpower and is too busy supervising the court officials; you, a small private teacher, and I, a small prison guard, don't catch their eyes."

Master Du snorted, disagreeing, "Carefulness is not a mistake. This is the Marquis Prefecture's territory; maybe there are Brocade Uniform Guards appearing. Alright, alright, talk less nonsense. Whether the imperial court has money or not, we small commoners live the same life."

Chen Guanlou picked up his wine cup and toasted with Master Du.

He looked out the window, a smile on the corner of his mouth.

Master Du was right; the Marquis Prefecture's territory, especially now that the eldest master won a great victory, is truly a place of key concern for the Brocade Uniform Guard. These Brocade Uniform Guard secret agents, not eating or drinking in their rooms on New Year's Eve, flying around on the roof, are truly annoying. Just the few people in the Marquis Prefecture, the two most core figures are not at home; even if they stare until they bloom, they can't get useful things.

They are all some nagging, trivial matters, and they don't have the qualifications to be reported to the old Emperor.

Chen Guanlou knows that in every dynasty, generals and commanders who won great victories will more or less be suspected by their superiors. It's just that he didn't expect this suspicion to come so quickly, not even taking a holiday on New Year's Eve.

The eldest master is a disabled person; what can he do? Since ancient times, there has never been a disabled minister who rebelled, nor has any disabled rebel sat on the dragon chair.

A meal of wine was eaten until midnight; Chen Guanlou blew the cold wind and insisted on returning to his own small courtyard.

Just as he lay down, the courtyard door was knocked with a bang, bang, bang.

He got up to open the door and saw Chen Guanxin standing at the door with half of his face bruised.

"Brother Lou, can I borrow your place to stay for the night?"

Chen Guanlou invited the person into the house while asking, "What's wrong with your face? It's the New Year; why are you running here instead of staying at home?"

"Alas, don't mention it. My face was beaten by my fourth brother, and my old man tacitly approved. You tell me, why should I stay at home? Anyway, no one cares about me, complaining that I have no ability, so I won't go back."

"Why did your fourth brother beat you? It's the New Year; what can't be said properly, why do you have to move your hands?"

Chen Guanlou poured a cup of hot tea for the other party. If it weren't for listening to gossip, he wouldn't have let Chen Guanxin stay in his house. By comparison, it seems gossip is more important. Anyway, the guest room has been empty, almost becoming a storage room. If he doesn't dislike the dirt and dust inside, he can stay wherever he wants.

"This isn't because the eldest master won a great victory."

"What does the eldest master winning a great victory have to do with you getting beaten?"

Chen Guanxin complained aggrievedly: "The clan members who followed the eldest master to serve in the army at the beginning have all made a fortune this time. Writing letters back, they are either promoted or rich. My father looked at it with envy, and remembered that I was scolded by the eldest master at the beginning. At the New Year's Eve dinner, he drank a few more cups of wine and brought up this matter, complaining that I was useless and didn't seize the opportunity. I muttered two sentences, who would have thought my fourth brother would take a chicken feather as an arrow and actually punch me in the face. Look at my face, beaten black and blue, and my eyes are swollen."

"Your father didn't manage your fourth brother?"

"He managed a fart, he also thinks the fourth brother hit well. I was just beaten less, so I was scolded by the eldest master." ===== CHAPTER 170 =====