Chapter 211: I Want Three Beautiful Concubines

"Your head will stay on your neck for now. Should you ever cross me again, I'll take it off for sure."

When the Liu family steward took his leave, Chen Guanlou gave him a warning. Whether he took it to heart didn't matter. What mattered was that Chen Guanlou would keep his word—no second chances.

The Liu family steward left the Chen household with caution, relief, and lingering dread.

But he had no regrets.

Spending some Qian Cai to pass off a hot potato was a deal any way you looked at it. As for Chen Guanlou's threat, he'd heard it. He didn't want to provoke anyone from Tianlaomiao—no matter how lowly the person, their power ran deep. They couldn't kill you, but they could make your life a living hell.

Liu Daowen's sentence was handed down: execution in one month, family property confiscated, relatives exiled three thousand li.

The news reached Tianlaomiao, and Liu Daowen burst into tears again, snot and tears smearing his entire face.

Chen Guanlou ordered hot water brought for Liu Daowen to wash up—all done for the sake of the Qian Cai.

"Old Liu, get yourself together. You're still a man. It's just execution—what's there to fear? One slash, no pain, and your head's off."

Liu Daowen looked up at him, desperate and furious. "You say that so easily—it's not your head getting cut off. Look at you now, calling me 'Old Liu.' Before, you always called me 'Magistrate Liu.'"

"Old Liu, you're not an official anymore—you're a condemned prisoner. Calling you 'Magistrate Liu' now would be inappropriate. You need to learn to adapt to your new status."

The moment he said that, Liu Daowen burst into another round of wailing.

Fatty's body held more water than a thin man's—his tears seemed endless.

"Old Liu, lighten up. Think about what unfinished business you have. If I can do it, I'll do it for you. Even if you want a concubine to come serve you, it's not impossible."

Liu Daowen's crying stopped instantly. "Really? You can let my favorite concubine come serve me? How much?"

"I'll give you two hours. I won't gouge you—hundred taels. How's that? Might even get you an heir."

"I'm only being confiscated and exiled—I'm not being exterminated along with my clan."

"Having a son is always a good thing, isn't it? Besides, it's been half a year—don't you miss sleeping with a soft, fragrant concubine? Don't you want to go out with a bang? That money's going to be seized anyway. If you don't use it now, you'll never get another chance."

Liu Daowen kept his head down. He wouldn't tell Chen Guanlou that even after confiscation, he still had plenty of Qian Cai—just hidden, unusable for now.

Still, the man had a point: if you're going to die, might as well go out wild.

He raised three fingers. "Three hundred taels."

Huh?

A customer who offered more? Rare indeed!

Chen Guanlou was pleased—until Liu Daowen added, "Three concubines. The three most beautiful ones. I'll give you their names. I want to spend the night."

"Spending the night? Impossible. At most, your family can bring bedding and personal items to clean up the cell a bit."

"Then half a day."

"Fine." Chen Guanlou agreed. "Don't cause trouble. I'm giving you a favor—don't make me regret it. Otherwise, in your last month, I've got plenty of ways to make you suffer."

"Chen Tou, rest easy. I know the rules."

The deal was sealed.

Two days later, the Liu family steward arrived at Tianlaomiao with three beautiful concubines.

The cell, cleaned and refreshed, now carried four parts gentleness, three parts allure, three parts longing, thanks to the three beauties.

Clear the area!

Though the jailers clamored to peek, envious of the concubines' beauty, cursing Liu Daowen for his luck and wishing they were the ones lying inside.

Chen Guanlou turned them all away.

Look? Look at what? Go home and look at your own wife.

"Chen Tou, you don't even have a wife—how do you know so much?"

"Chen Tou doesn't have a wife, but he's got plenty of women at Zui Xiang Lou."

"Hahaha…"

"Chen Tou is the real role model—spends money on women's bellies, never touches a gambling table."

"What's wrong with gambling? At least it doesn't hurt your body. Chen Tou's way hurts both money and body."

"Exactly! Gambling only hurts your money. Chen Tou's lifestyle hurts both."

"Get lost! I'm in perfect health—hurt my ass!" Chen Guanlou swung his water-and-fire staff, driving off the gawking jailers.

Seeing Qian Fugui still lingering, he glared. "What are you staring at? Got nothing better to do?"

Qian Fugui chuckled. "Chen Tou, when are you taking us to Zui Xiang Lou? It's been ages."

"Can't you go yourself?"

"No money."

"Where'd it go?"

"My wife cleaned me out completely."

"Serves you right."

Chen Guanlou thought for a moment, then added, "Once this batch is done, I'll treat everyone to a meal and drinks."

"At Zui Xiang Lou?"

"I'll make you die of pleasure!"

"I knew Chen Tou was the most generous. Don't worry—we'll watch the jail. Nothing'll go wrong."

"Then get the hell out!"

Time marched steadily forward.

A night of heavy rain flooded Tianlaomiao again, but the damage was minor.

Chen Guanlou inspected the surroundings, confirmed everything was fine, then descended into the dungeon and asked a nearby jailer casually, "Everything normal in the cells? If anyone has fever or chills, isolate them—prevent an outbreak."

"Report, Chen Tou—no fever, but a few have vomiting and diarrhea."

"Who? Why wasn't this reported sooner? Did you call the physician?"

"The physician came, said it was just a chill in the stomach—nothing serious. He prescribed medicine and left."

Chen Guanlou relaxed. Just a stomach chill—probably nothing serious.

Liu Daowen was on the list of patients.

He had only half a month left before execution—he didn't want any mishaps now.

Taking the opportunity of his rounds, he came to Liu Daowen's cell. "Old Liu, did the medicine help?"

Liu Daowen lay on the plank bed, pale and lifeless, voice weak. "Thank you for your concern, Chen Tou—I won't die yet."

"You, old man, still showing off? Demanding three concubines at once—didn't you think you'd collapse? Look at you now—your body's drained. A little chill, and you're vomiting and shitting yourself. I asked the physician—he says you won't recover in three or five days."

Liu Daowen, unusually, didn't defend himself. "We're all about to die—what's the point of caring? You said to go wild while I still could—I did. I'm satisfied."

"That's the right attitude. Rest well. Take your medicine. Even if your days are few, hold on till the very end. You agree, right?" Chen Guanlou said.

Liu Daowen's face was blank, too weak even to nod. He waved a feeble hand—he needed to rest. Even speaking exhausted him.

Chen Guanlou told the jailers to watch him closely, to care for Old Liu. He must be delivered to the execution ground whole and intact.

He'd expected the medicine to bring gradual improvement—but overnight, his condition plunged. Liu Daowen's breath was threadbare, barely clinging to life.