Chapter 1776

Su Pozi did not give up.

One plan failed, and another was born.

She planned to betroth her niece's granddaughter to Su Xuewen.

Chen Xiaolan was furious and had a scene with her husband at home. Her husband went to the ancestral home to refuse, biting the bullet, only to be scolded by Su Pozi, who scratched his face, leaving several bloody marks and slap prints.

Su Pozi really didn't like her son-in-law and was single-mindedly considering her eldest son's family.

Chen Xiaolan cried angrily and ran to complain to Chen Guanlou.

Chen Guanlou told her, "To deal with Su Pozi, you can only pull the firewood from under the cauldron. She is an elder; you can't go against her."

"What does my brother mean?"

"Su Pozi loves the eldest son the most, and the eldest son is now working at the City Gate Guard. I have my own ways to deal with him."

If he couldn't deal with a woman, surely he could deal with a man.

Immediately after, the eldest son of the Su family felt the deep malice of the workplace: difficulties from superiors, bullying from colleagues, all kinds of setbacks in his work, and being set up by others. His superior directly took the opportunity to demote him; he was originally a city gate clerk, but now he was demoted to a soldier, falling to the same level as his son.

As for his son, he made a mistake and was directly ordered to go home to reflect. Without working, naturally, there was no salary.

Father and son suffered consecutive setbacks in the workplace; the eldest sister-in-law was driven crazy, and Su Pozi was so angry she cursed loudly.

Su Dacheng swallowed his pride and found his former colleague and superior; after a round of drinking, the other party was willing to reveal a bit of the truth to him.

"Did your family offend someone? Think carefully about what you have all done recently to offend someone so badly. Don't say it didn't happen. They are coming specifically for your family."

Su Dacheng picked up his wine cup and downed it in one gulp.

He pondered carefully; if he really had to say who he offended, besides Chen Guanlou, he couldn't think of a second person.

Returning home, everyone was awake, waiting for him.

Su Pozi asked anxiously, "Did you find out who is targeting the eldest's family?"

Su Dacheng had a serious face, his eyes sweeping over everyone in the family, finally landing on Su Pozi's face, and said solemnly, "From now on, you are not allowed to interfere in the second branch's affairs, especially the marriage of the two brothers, Xuewen and Xuewu."

"What does this have to do with the second branch? Old man, make yourself clear. I don't believe the second branch has this ability." Su Pozi cursed angrily.

Su Dacheng gritted his teeth. "Yes, the second branch indeed doesn't have this ability. The second branch is a dullard who can't even let out a fart after three sticks. But don't forget, the second branch has a brother-in-law."

"Father, do you mean that those things were all done by Chen Guanlou? How, how could he possibly command the City Gate Guard?"

The eldest son guessed it but couldn't believe it. There was still a glimmer of hope in his heart.

"How could he not command them?" Su Dacheng was furious. "Your mother has long hair and short knowledge, so it's fine if she's ignorant. I told you long ago that Chen Guanlou cannot be provoked; he is a scoundrel who will use any means, and he has very wide connections. It is said that he is like brothers with the Minister of Justice and can enter the Minister of Justice's office at any time.

You just wouldn't listen and indulged your mother in matchmaking for Xuewen. Do you think the second sister-in-law is a fool who can't see through your mother and son's schemes? Do you think you are the only smart person and everyone else is a fool? What ideas you had for matchmaking for Xuewen, people saw through at a glance. Stop it! Otherwise, if you lose your job and become a commoner, let's see what you do."

"That bastard Chen Guanlou, back then when his parents died, he followed Chen Xiaolan and married into our Su family, eating our Su family's food and drinking our Su family's drink. It's one thing that he hasn't repaid the kindness he owes our Su family, but he dares to target the eldest's family. He has no conscience; I, the old woman, will risk it all and go to the yamen to report him."

Su Pozi cried and roared.

"What can you report him for? Report him for ingratitude? It's useless. Chen Guanlou is a shameless person; he doesn't care about face at all. This trick of yours is useful against normal people, but against him, he might turn around and report you for abuse and seizing people's money."

"He's talking nonsense! Whose money did I seize?"

"The Chen family's inheritance," Su Dacheng said sternly.

Su Pozi was like a duck with its neck caught, suddenly silent.

The eldest sister-in-law's eyes rolled around, very curious. "Isn't it said that the Chen siblings' parents died, leaving only one house, and nothing else? There's actually an inheritance? Is this true?"

No one made a sound.

Everyone avoided her inquiring gaze.

It looked like they were guilty.

"So there really is one!" the eldest sister-in-law muttered.

"There is an inheritance, but not as much as you think," the eldest son glared at his wife. "And we took care of Chen Guanlou for five or six years; the two sides cancel each other out, and neither owes the other."

"Why say he doesn't owe our Su family?" Su Pozi was unwilling. She couldn't tolerate the second branch slipping out of her control, unable to watch the second branch making money while the first branch lived frugally, only able to live on a meager salary.

The second branch must be controlled.

Marrying Su Xuewen to a capable wife who was devoted to the first branch, hollowing out Chen Xiaolan—from now on, the second branch would be the first branch's purse.

"Enough! If you insist on angering Chen Guanlou, you two can go ahead. As long as you can bear the consequences." Su Dacheng was old, couldn't work anymore, and couldn't control his ambitious son, so he simply let go and let them toss and turn.

Only after suffering losses and lessons would they know what's what.

"No matter how powerful Chen Guanlou is, he can't kill me, the old woman."

"He doesn't need to kill; he has a hundred ways to make your life worse than death. You'd better warn your maiden family; they might have been targeted by Chen Guanlou too."

The eldest sister-in-law, upon hearing this, became anxious.

The eldest son hesitated.

The eldest sister-in-law poked him. "Speak up! Are you insisting on interfering in Su Xuewen's marriage?"

The eldest son remained silent.

Su Dacheng sighed, earnestly trying to persuade him. "Eldest, you work in the yamen; you should have some insight. Over these years, have we heard few rumors about Chen Guanlou? He is not a good person! And he has the Hou Fu behind him. The Hou Fu wants face, that's true. But Chen Guanlou doesn't want face!

He found people to mess with you father and son without even covering it up, which means this is just a warning. If you insist on interfering in the second branch's affairs and interfering in Xuewen's marriage, the next step won't be a warning. He has plenty of ways to make you unable to survive in the City Gate Guard. Once you leave the City Gate Guard, where else can you work? Every yamen in the capital has his connections. You can't fight him.

Just look at how he was able to arrange a job for Xuewen at the county yamen in just a few days; you know his ability. If it were you or me, or any other relative, ask yourself, who has the ability to arrange a clerk's job in the yamen in a few days?

And I also heard that at first, Chen Guanlou said that Xuewen could choose any yamen in the capital. Xuewen is family-oriented and chose the county yamen himself. Otherwise, he could have gone to the Six Ministries. What kind of ability is this? Can you imagine? I have lived for decades and this is the first time I have come into contact with such a powerful living person. Eldest, what about you? What are your thoughts?"