Chapter 1726

"My father died because of the explosion case; shouldn't the Heavenly Prison provide a pension?"

Hmm?

Chen Guanlou looked toward Xu Baogen, who had made this remark, and couldn't help but laugh inwardly.

"Do you all think so too, that the Heavenly Prison should provide a pension?"

He looked toward Xu Fugui's wife, Su Pozi Zhou.

Su Pozi Zhou hesitated for a moment, but still nodded.

The rest of the Xu family followed suit and nodded.

Chen Guanlou lowered his head to hide his eyes and cover the look of mockery at the corners of his mouth. It was inappropriate to laugh at people to their faces right after someone had died.

"If you want to collect a pension, you must go through the procedures. For example, how he died, when he died, the report slip, the government registration—all of these must be recorded in the files. Once this happens, Brother Xu's true cause of death cannot be hidden. By then, not only will everyone in the Heavenly Prison know, but it will reach the Ministry of Justice, and even the palace will hear of this matter. Soon, it will spread through every street and alley in the capital. Are you sure?"

Ah?

The Xu family was stunned.

They had never heard of collecting a pension that came with publicizing the cause of death.

"My lord, can't it be hidden?"

"It cannot be hidden. People in the world have a curiosity for the strange! The money comes from the Ministry of Justice's accounts, so the Ministry of Justice will naturally inquire. Once the Ministry of Justice intervenes in this matter, Brother Xu's cause of death will no longer be a secret. According to my suggestion, Brother Xu has passed away; all the Heavenly Prison guards will come to pay their respects, and the funeral gifts they present will be enough to solve your urgent needs, and perhaps even far exceed the pension. At the very least, leave Brother Xu with some dignity so he can depart in peace."

Chen Guanlou advised them sincerely.

Life and death are major matters!

If Xu Fugui wanted dignity, it would be best to leave it at that.

Once the cause of death is recorded in the Ministry of Justice's documents, it will become one of the focal points of curious conversation for the next ten years. As soon as the explosion case is mentioned, people will think of death during intercourse, and then they will remember a dead ghost named Xu Fugui.

"Then we don't want the pension." Su Pozi Zhou decided decisively; even if she didn't care about Xu Fugui's posthumous dignity, she had to think about the future of her grandsons and granddaughters.

They couldn't go around with a grandfather who died during intercourse, being mocked every day. Their future marriage prospects would be affected.

The two Xu Baogen brothers clearly had different views and valued money more.

"Mother, that is the Heavenly Prison's pension. Father was a prison clerk; it's at least a hundred taels of silver. Are we really going to give it up?"

"My lord, my father's pension should be over a hundred taels, right?"

Chen Guanlou estimated, "I'm not sure of the exact amount, but there should be a hundred taels; it will only be more, not less."

"Mother, did you hear that? That's a hundred taels of silver. How can we easily give it up?"

"Do you still want any shame? The grandsons' and granddaughters' marriages haven't been settled yet; is the reputation of dying during intercourse something good to hear?" Su Pozi Zhou was furious; it was inappropriate to curse loudly in front of outsiders, but the anger on her face couldn't be suppressed.

It was one thing for her two sons to be blinded by money on a daily basis, but to be thinking about money rather than reputation at a time like this was simply absurd.

Chen Guanlou gave a light cough, "We'll talk about the pension later. Let's discuss the position first; who among you is going to take the shift in the Heavenly Prison? Think it through; you cannot go back on your word halfway. I will give you three days to consider; after three days, you must give me an answer! Farewell!"

He was impatient to see a family arguing until they were red in the face over money, with no dignity to speak of. After clarifying the matter, he left in a hurry.

Xu Fugui's eldest granddaughter, Xu Qiaoniu, hid from her family and chased after him.

"... My lord..."

She stood timidly in the corner, appearing anxious and uneasy. She had no confidence at all in what she was about to say, yet she had the courage of a desperate gamble. It was very contradictory!

Chen Guanlou turned back to look at her, "Big girl, is there something? Time waits for no one!"

Xu Qiaoniu gritted her teeth and summoned the greatest courage of her life, "My lord, can you act as a matchmaker for me!"

What on earth?

Chen Guanlou was completely bewildered.

"My father is Xu Baogen; he wants to trade me in marriage. The other party is a cripple and also a fool. He wants to use me to trade for a marriage to find a position for my younger brother in the yamen. Grandfather is gone, and this marriage has been delayed for the time being. But once the period of deep mourning is over, my father certainly won't give up. It seems he has already accepted the deposit."

"Did your grandfather agree to do this while he was alive?"

"My grandfather probably didn't know. This matter was decided by my father and mother; I overheard it."

"What about your grandmother? Doesn't she care about you?"

"My grandmother can't control my father!" As Xu Qiaoniu spoke, her eyes turned red, and tears welled up in them. She looked pitiful.

"Who do you want to marry? Looking at you like this, could it be that you already have someone in mind? Is it just that you can't make it happen because of your family's opposition?"

Xu Qiaoniu was in a panic—the panic and unease of having her thoughts seen through.

But she knew that if she missed today's opportunity, she would never find a second person who could help her escape and suppress her father and mother. She couldn't give up.

"Second Brother Zhang from Sweet Water Lane next door! He... he is willing to marry me. But his family has a heavy burden, and my father and mother won't agree."

"What trade does your Second Brother Zhang work in?"

"He carries heavy bags at the wharf!" Xu Qiaoniu lowered her head, appearing guilty. She didn't even know why she felt guilty.

Chen Guanlou felt a sense of emotion; that Xu Baogen could produce a girl like Xu Qiaoniu, who didn't despise the poor and love the rich, was a miracle.

So he asked curiously, "Does that Second Brother Zhang of yours look very handsome?"

Xu Qiaoniu blushed and nodded slowly.

Chen Guanlou thought to himself: As expected!

For a poor man to attract a peer of the opposite sex to be devoted to him, only looks will do!

Looks are everything!

Girls love a handsome face; this is truly no lie.

"If you are determined to marry Second Brother Zhang, and your Second Brother Zhang truly wants to marry you, let him come to see me. Let him talk to me personally. It makes no sense for a girl like you to be at the forefront of a major life event like marriage, don't you think?"

Xu Qiaoniu was stunned and let out an "ah," as if she hadn't come to her senses yet.

Chen Guanlou smiled and encouraged her, "If you are truly meant for each other, I believe your Second Brother Zhang will certainly not refuse to meet me. If he doesn't even have the courage to see me, are you sure you want to marry him?"

Xu Qiaoniu hurriedly said, "I am definitely meant for Second Brother Zhang; he will go to see you, my lord. I will tell him to go, and he will definitely go."

"Let's talk after we meet."

Chen Guanlou dismissed Xu Qiaoniu and headed straight back to the Heavenly Prison.

Three days later, the two Xu brothers found him and said they had discussed it and would let their nephew take the shift.

Chen Guanlou frowned, "Nephew taking the shift? Are you two brothers joking? Although the Heavenly Prison position is hard work, the income is quite good."

"My lord, our whole family has discussed it, and we will let our nephew take the shift. From now on, half of the monthly income will belong to our Xu family."

So that was it.

"How old is your nephew? Is he literate? What trade did he work in before? When will he come to the Heavenly Prison to report?"

The position left by Xu Fugui belonged to the Xu family; the Xu family had the right to decide how to handle it. Chen Guanlou would not interfere. He was only responsible for ensuring that the person who entered had a clean background and no criminal record.

"My lord, my father's pension..."

The hurdle of the pension could not be passed.