Chapter 177

"Your Excellency has extensive connections in court; why fear Jiang Tu?" Chen Guanlou ventured.

Yu Zhaoan let out a bitter laugh. "Don't you understand yet? When a man surnamed Xiao comes to interrogate me, it means my colleagues in court have either abandoned me or are powerless. This is a game of strategy—with no winner, only how far it goes before His Majesty calls a halt. And I? I am but a pawn in this game, unfit to be a player."

"With Your Excellency's wisdom, even if you are sent to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, I'm certain you can handle it with ease."

"Easy to say, hard to do! Even if you don't think of yourself, think of your family, right? One death is better than the annihilation of an entire household or clan."

Yu Zhaoan looked utterly defeated, his demeanor deeply despondent. In a short time, he seemed to have aged ten years.

Chen Guanlou was baffled. "Is there truly no way to fight back?"

Given Yu Zhaoan's background, couldn't he have even a single means of self-preservation?

Yu Zhaoan clenched his teeth and slammed his palm against the prison bars, his expression growing wilder. "There is. But will you, Chen Tou, lend me a hand?"

Chen Guanlou immediately refused. What nonsense—he was merely a lowly jailer; how could he involve himself in matters of this magnitude?

"Your Excellency, don't put me in this position. I only do what my duties require."

Yu Zhaoan was deeply disappointed. "Chen Guanlou, you're truly despicable. Sometimes you seem to have conscience, a man of principles. But when help is needed, you dodge and weave, inventing excuse after excuse."

"Your request is beyond unreasonable. The struggles among your rank are not for petty folk like me to meddle in. Your Excellency, you have a wife and children—even if you die, the Yu family line won't end. But if I die, the Chen family will be utterly extinguished."

Chen Guanlou poured out his grievances, utterly miserable.

Yu Zhaoan laughed bitterly, grinding his molars, pointing a finger at him, speechless for a long moment, nearly choking on his rage.

Chen Guanlou urged him to take heart: once in the Imperial Prison, cooperate where possible, and try to endure less suffering.

"In the end, it's all about money. You officials—if you could bring His Majesty a fortune, he wouldn't listen to Jiang Tu, would he?"

Yu Zhaoan froze, staring at him blankly.

Chen Guanlou felt a pang of guilt, deeply uneasy. "Did I say something wrong, Your Excellency? Don't scare me like that."

Yu Zhaoan burst into laughter. "Your words just reminded me. You're right. What does Jiang Tu rely on? Money. And he's not the only one who knows how to get it."

Chen Guanlou was curious. The tone suggested a possible turn of events. He ventured, "Can Your Excellency get money?"

"I don't understand business, but I know where to find money. Jiang Tu targets me because he wants money. I hear the reward silver for the Jinzhou pacification army hasn't been disbursed yet?"

"I truly don't know about that. But I can confirm: not a single copper coin has been paid to the capital officials. This year, many poor officials can't even afford meat—they must borrow to survive."

Had Chen Guanlou had greater strength or powerful patrons, he would have gone into moneylending, specializing in loans to capital officials. It was a lucrative business.

"Hmph, I'm certain the Jinzhou pacification army's rewards haven't been paid. This delay will inevitably cause a major incident. Then, will the Marquis of Pingjiang be able to quell the court's fury?"

"It might even balance out his merits and faults—perfectly serving some people's wishes."

Such great merit, yet the court gave the Marquis no promotion or noble title—only hollow honors, like a nominal post in the Five Military Directorates, with no actual authority.

How stingy the court was. How stingy the old Emperor was.

The Marquis's merit wasn't just saving the throne—he calmed the restless hearts of the realm and suppressed ambitious schemers. Such merit deserved more than empty titles. Real rewards: gold, silver, treasures, an actual official post with power—far better than a ceremonial title by a hundredfold.

They despised the Marquis for his disability, unfit to serve—then why appoint him as commander in the first place? They let him command, yet refused him even one real post. Tsk!

So stingy!

Yu Zhaoan gave a sardonic smile. "Chen Guanlou, regarding the Marquis of Pingjiang's future—will you really refuse to help me?"

"I'm frail and timid. I can't help. Your Excellency should seek someone more capable."

Yu Zhaoan was furious, his face twisted.

Chen Guanlou remained as impervious as ever. He gritted his teeth. "Fine, don't help. But can you at least let me deliver a message to my household steward?"

"You may write a letter. Before the Embroidered Uniform Guard comes to take you, I'll deliver it to your residence."

Yu Zhaoan said no more, picked up his brush, and wrote swiftly and well.

Chen Guanlou turned his back to the prison door, refusing to look at the letter's contents.

Yu Zhaoan blew on the ink to dry it, sealed the letter in an envelope. "There. You may turn around. Since you're delivering this letter for me, I swear I won't implicate you."

Chen Guanlou took the envelope, checked the seal to ensure it was intact, then accepted it.

"Your Excellency, prepare yourself well. I'll go check the situation. If anything new arises, the jailers will inform you."

"Go quickly, go quickly. See what kind of outrage those Embroidered Uniform Guards will commit."

Chen Guanlou hurried out of the Imperial Prison, only to be told that Sun Daoning, Vice Minister of Justice, had arrived and was now speaking with Xiao, the Embroidered Uniform Guard commander, in the official office.

"Since Vice Minister Sun is here, I won't go in. Has Xiao Fan arrived?"

"Report, Chen Tou: Xiao Fan has been found, but he's still drunk from last night and hasn't sobered up yet. He'll need more time to arrive."

Chen Guanlou sneered. "Forget him. Let Fan, the jail warden, deal with his affairs."

He entered the side room to drink tea. Through its window, he could directly observe the entrance to the official office. His hearing and sight were sharp—he strained his ears and caught fragments of conversation.

Sun Daoning was clashing with Xiao Jincheng. "Clashing" was too crude a word—their language was refined, circuitous. Without literary training or experience dealing with civil officials, one couldn't grasp the hidden barbs, the subtle implications.

Documents?

Fine!

It was merely the paperwork for interrogating prisoners—the Embroidered Uniform Guard could handle it in moments.

But clearly, Sun Daoning was unwilling. As a civil official, he defended civil official interests, upholding his colleagues' stance—he accused the Embroidered Uniform Guard of overstepping.

Don't mention Jiang Tu—he's a villain. He only asked the Embroidered Uniform Guard: what would it take for them to stop?

Tension flared. The jail warden, Xiao Fan, was frantic and terrified, drenched in sweat, not daring to utter a word. He could only watch helplessly as the two senior officials traded blows, turning the official office into a battlefield.

At this moment, Xiao Fan longed for someone to step forward and rescue him—just enough to give him an excuse to withdraw. This scene was too brutal; he was unfit to witness it.