Chapter 201: Talking to Smart People

Liu Daowen had gained weight!

Imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison for half a year, Liu Daowen hadn't lost weight but had gained more than ten pounds. Coupled with the long-term lack of sunlight, his skin showed a blue-gray white. The whole person was white and fat, and when he laughed, he looked like a Maitreya Buddha.

After all, he was a god of wealth worth five thousand taels, so Chen Guanlou had specifically instructed to take good care of him. As for food and clothing, he should be satisfied as much as possible.

Early in the morning, after arranging the day's errands, he began to patrol the cells.

Chen Guanlou arrived in front of the cell door and tapped the cell door with his water-fire stick.

Liu Daowen was startled and turned over. "Head Chen is here! Head Chen is a rare guest!"

His tone was teasing, clearly still holding a grudge about the five thousand taels.

Chen Guanlou didn't care about him, but asked, "Has anyone sent you news outside recently?"

"What does Head Chen mean by this?" Liu Daowen looked puzzled, his expression a bit vigilant.

Chen Guanlou chuckled. "There's a deal; someone has taken a fancy to the famous painting 'Stepping on Snow' that you treasure, and asked me to act as a go-between. How about it?"

"Not for sale!" Liu Daowen's attitude was firm. In the half year he had been in the Heavenly Prison, he could be considered to have figured out the ways of the Heavenly Prison. As long as he gave enough money, he didn't have to worry about the prison guards making things difficult for him. The Heavenly Prison had its own rules; if the prison guards dared to mess around, the people above wouldn't agree either.

Chen Guanlou wasn't in a hurry, but asked back, "Are you sure you're not selling?"

"I said not for sale, so it's not for sale."

"Lord Liu, don't be in a hurry to make a decision. Why don't you talk to the butler in the mansion first? If you change your mind, tell me at any time."

"What do you mean?" Liu Daowen stood up abruptly. He heard a warning from the other party's words, his vigilance rose, and a bad premonition permeated his heart.

Chen Guanlou looked at him with a smile and only said, "You should talk to the butler in the mansion first; we'll talk next time."

"Is it that my case has made progress? Is the situation not very good?"

Chen Guanlou shook his head slowly. "I don't know; you should ask the butler in the mansion."

With that, he turned and left.

He had to increase the pressure on Liu Daowen so that the other party would be willing to sell the famous painting, and he could also take the opportunity to suppress the price and earn more commission.

Liu Daowen felt uneasy in his heart. He followed the advice and indeed met with the butler in the mansion.

But the butler told him that the case had made no progress and had been dragging on. There was no new news from Jiang Tu either.

"What has Jiang Da Ren been busy with recently?"

"Jiang Da Ren is still the same, busy building palaces and gardens for His Majesty."

"The summer grain hasn't been collected yet; where does Jiang His Excellency get the money to build palaces and gardens?" Liu Daowen narrowed his eyes.

"His Majesty allocated fifty thousand taels from the inner treasury to Jiang Da Ren, saying that the work cannot be stopped."

Liu Daowen walked back and forth in the cell, his expression looking very anxious.

"Did the Da Ren learn any news?" the butler asked curiously.

Liu Daowen waved his hand, originally wanting to say it was nothing, but changed his mind after thinking about it. "You help me analyze it." So, he told the whole story from beginning to end.

Finally, he asked, "What do you think Chen Guanlou means? Could it be that he is bluffing me?"

The butler thought seriously. "Could Chen Guanlou have received instructions from the Marquis of Pingjiang?"

"Marquis of Pingjiang?" Liu Daowen's expression paused.

The noble group—even when he was at his most glorious, he didn't have the opportunity to come into contact with this group, let alone deal with them.

But as an official in the capital, he knew better than anyone that nobles were a special existence.

Don't look at how they don't make much sound in the court; it seems that major national affairs have nothing to do with this group of nobles, and it's all civil officials jumping back and forth, stirring up the layout of the whole world. However, in terms of well-informed news, profound foundation, intricate relationships, and strong financial resources, no one dared to compete with the nobles.

Inside and outside the palace, there were their people everywhere. Without digging back three generations of ancestors, you wouldn't know why a small clerk beside you would be related to the nobles, why the leader of the guards guarding the palace gate would be related to the nobles, why the women beside His Majesty were either from noble backgrounds or had intricate connections with noble families.

Over a hundred years of intermarriage and interest exchange, the noble group had long woven a dense web in the capital, spread across various government offices, spread across inside and outside the palace.

This foundation was something Jiang Tu couldn't compare to even if he operated for another twenty years. This was also the confidence that the nobles never birded Jiang Tu from beginning to end, and didn't even bother to give him a straight look.

Civil officials licked Jiang Tu, military generals licked Jiang Tu, but only the nobles never licked Jiang Tu.

Don't look at how the Marquis of Pingjiang didn't have any real position, but he returned with victory and was in the middle of the sky, becoming the central figure of the nobles.

Such a person, his news was so well-informed that he was afraid even the old Emperor couldn't compare.

He must have known some news that was not for outsiders.

Thinking of this, Liu Daowen instantly panicked. "Did you find out clearly—did Chen Guanlou really collect antiques and calligraphy for the Marquis of Pingjiang in the past?"

Anyone with eyesight wouldn't believe that Chen Guanlou was doing business with the Marquis of Pingjiang. They would only think that he was collecting antiques and calligraphy for the Marquis of Pingjiang to satisfy the Marquis of Pingjiang's collection hobby. In short, he was just a small pawn running errands for the Marquis of Pingjiang. It was only because he was close to the water that he got this opportunity.

The butler said definitely, "He was indeed collecting antiques and calligraphy for the Marquis of Pingjiang. Last time, because the Marquis of Pingjiang was not in the capital, he found an antique merchant outside to trade."

"He didn't find the Second Master of the Marquis Prefecture?"

"I heard that the First Branch and the Second Branch of the Marquis Prefecture are not on good terms and have already torn their faces."

Words didn't need to be said much; those who understood, understood.

"In this way, Chen Guanlou is indeed the Marquis of Pingjiang's person. Go, quickly invite Chen Guanlou; I want to have a good talk with him."

The butler didn't dare to delay and ran to the duty room to invite the person.

Chen Guanlou didn't put on airs or deliberately hold a posture. When the butler invited him, he came to the cell door and waved his hand to dismiss the butler, letting the Liu Fu butler wait for news outside the Heavenly Prison.

"Lord Liu has thought it through—can you cede 'Stepping on Snow'?"

"Chen Tou, can you give this official a truthful word—has my case made progress? What exactly did the Marquis of Pingjiang say? Can you tell me?"

Chen Guanlou sighed secretly. Officials, especially figures whose names were like thunder, really had two brushes, and their comprehension was amazing.

With just such a small movement, he guessed the key.

"I don't know what the Master said. I won't hide it from you—anyway, you've already guessed it; the painting is what the Master wants. Lord Liu, can you part with it?"

"Am I going to be unlucky soon? How is it judged? Beheaded immediately or can I survive?"

Chen Guanlou's face was calm, keeping silent, his eyes looking at the other party faintly.

Seeing him keep silent for a long time, Liu Daowen screamed, his whole body trembling, and the fat on his face twitched one after another, his facial features distorted.

"No, it won't! Jiang Da Ren cannot abandon me. The Marquis of Pingjiang's news must be wrong, right?"

Chen Guanlou was silent for a moment and only said one sentence: "I can help you sell a portion of your wealth and help you keep it for a period of time."

"Raid!?" Liu Daowen instantly grasped the deep meaning in it. "The imperial court wants to raid my house. Outside the Liu Fu, there are government soldiers watching; how can you help me handle the wealth?"

"You tell your butler to prepare the wealth that needs to be sold, and I have my own way to take it away. As for the specific method, don't ask."

Liu Daowen gritted his teeth. "Good! I want thirty percent of the value of the wealth." ===== CHAPTER 202 =====