Chapter 240

"Does Chen Tou think we are very stupid, overestimating our own strength, knowing it cannot be done yet doing it anyway?" Zhao Mingqiao asked back.

Chen Guanlou opened his mouth but couldn't say anything.

His thinking was too secular and too utilitarian, but was he wrong? He was not wrong. However, was Zhao Mingqiao wrong? Certainly not wrong either.

This world always needs some people to take the initiative to stand up and act as a fool with a fearless spirit!

He couldn't speak. He was afraid that his words would profane the other's faith.

People with faith are all remarkable. The energy that erupts is unimaginable.

"There are things that should be done and things that should not!" Zhao Mingqiao said again, "There are some things in this world that always need someone to do them. My teacher told me that impeaching Jiang Tu would likely invite the Emperor's anger and even ruin my future, but I still chose to rush forward without looking back; although I cannot tear Jiang Tu apart with my own hands, at least I can contribute a meager effort. Others say I was deceived by my teacher; this is clearly the talk of a petty person. The reason I studied under my teacher is because I agree with my teacher's philosophy and agree with his political propositions. The Sage needs to be remonstrated, and treacherous officials must be beheaded; it is my duty!"

Chen Guanlou felt admiration.

The last person who made him admire him was the rebel Wang Shuner, who was a fool.

Zhao Mingqiao was the second person who made him admire him, and he was still a fool.

There are too many bad people in this world, and not enough fools.

He sighed inwardly; he had a bottom line after all and couldn't bear to see such people suffer.

He instructed the prison guards to take good care of Zhao Mingqiao, not to make things difficult for him or beat him, and to cancel all the "packages" and such.

Xiao Jin patted his chest and promised, "Chen Tou, don't worry, I will definitely take care of Young Master Zhao until he is plump and healthy, and I will never wrong him. However, according to the rules, the money cannot be exempted. This matter..."

"Don't ask him about the money; I will handle it for him."

"Chen Tou is righteous." Xiao Jin gasped inwardly; that was six hundred taels, how much money had Chen Tou saved up to be able to take it out without blinking an eye.

Chen Guanlou went to consult the old officialdom veteran Yu Zhaoan.

Yu Zhaoan suddenly told him, "You came just in time; I intend to write a letter of repentance to please the old Emperor."

"Ah?" Chen Guanlou was surprised and hurriedly asked, "Has Master Yu figured it out, and are you willing to write a letter of repentance?"

Yu Zhaoan nodded in acknowledgment, "I must figure it out." He dragged his legs, which were not yet flexible, and walked slowly. Master Mu's ancestral prescription was really effective; even a broken leg that was deep enough to see the bone could be saved, it was a miracle medicine!

Chen Guanlou secretly decided that next time he would ask Master Mu for a few more prescriptions. The old man must have a lot of private goods that he hadn't taken out. He was worthy of being from a medical family with deep ancestral heritage.

Yu Zhaoan had suffered great hardship, changing his past habit of being arrogant and aloof, and said solemnly, "If I want to do things, I must first have an official position and please the old Emperor. No matter what the old Emperor wants to do, he cannot escape the habit of liking to hear flattery. I used to be too impatient and too straightforward, and decades of smooth sailing had fostered my arrogance, which is why I angered the old Emperor. Now that my legs have healed, it is time to go out and make a difference in the officialdom. The current officialdom is a mess, and it needs someone like me. The letter of repentance must be written with genuine emotion to please the old Emperor."

"However, the old Emperor seems to be in a fit of anger right now; are you sure that submitting a letter of repentance at this time will work?" Chen Guanlou was a bit worried.

They were killing like crazy over in Dongzhou; how could the Embroidered Uniform Guard have such great courage? The government troops were bold, but they also needed tacit approval from above to act recklessly! Do you really think those common soldiers are idiots? Don't the common soldiers know military discipline and law, and don't they know they will be beheaded? In the army, beheading doesn't need to go through the Three Judicial Offices; the commander can just give an order. Afterward, no one will investigate at all.

In the end, the government troops acting recklessly must have received hints, so they were not afraid of being held accountable by the imperial court.

Not to mention the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Emperor's hunting dogs, whose actions were all carried out in accordance with the Emperor's will. The court was arguing like crazy, but the old Emperor didn't withdraw his order, didn't recall the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and didn't issue an edict to restrain the government troops.

The old Emperor had made his stance clear; he wanted to go his own way, and if he didn't kill enough, the anger in his heart wouldn't be appeased.

Yu Zhaoan leaned against the cell bars, "Precisely because the old Emperor is in a fit of anger right now, my submitting a letter of repentance will please him even more. Now the entire court is going against the old Emperor; if I follow his wishes at this time, do you think it won't work?"

Chen Guanlou immediately gave a thumbs up; when it comes to understanding the old Emperor, it has to be Yu Zhaoan. Choosing to submit a letter of repentance at this time must have been carefully considered.

"I wish Master Yu a speedy comeback and that your wishes come true."

"Hahaha... once I get out, if you want to transfer, just say the word, and I will definitely handle it for you. Do you want to work in the Imperial Treasury? There is plenty of oil and water in there. If you want to continue being a prison guard, the Imperial Treasury prison is also fine; it holds royal relatives or people who have committed crimes in the palace, and the conditions are much better than here."

"I appreciate Master Yu's kindness. Forget about the Imperial Treasury prison; I'm not willing to serve those ancestors. Not only is the money little and the work much, but it's also easy to be silenced." Chen Guanlou wasn't a novice. Prison guards in various prisons in the capital would also communicate privately. Don't look at the Imperial Treasury prison as if it sounds very impressive; think carefully about who is held inside: royal relatives, each one more noble than the next. Asking this bunch of nobles for silver, hey, do you think you've lived too long?

The Heavenly Prison is still more comfortable.

In the Heavenly Prison, the prison guard is the boss!

Asking convicted officials for silver, dare they not give it! If they don't give it, give them a "package." The convicted officials don't even dare to let out a fart.

"You, you, you have no ambition at all. The Imperial Treasury doesn't just have a prison; there are so many government offices, you can pick one."

"Master Yu, you should worry about your own affairs first; you don't need to worry about mine. By the way, there is a matter I want you to advise me on."

Chen Guanlou briefly described Zhao Mingqiao's situation and then asked, "Can he get out in his situation? He ended up in the Heavenly Prison after only one year of being an official, and he acts like a greenhorn. I just think that he is young, his passion hasn't cooled, and it's a pity to waste his time in the Heavenly Prison. His passion should be spilled in the court, spilled in the officialdom, not in the Heavenly Prison."

Yu Zhaoan clicked his tongue twice, "It's rare to see you care so much about someone; are you two very close?"

"We were drinking buddies before, our personalities matched, and I can't bear to see him waste his time."

"Do you know how people talk about his teacher in private?"

"How do they talk?"

Yu Zhaoan smiled mysteriously, "An old thief, an old fox, insidious and cunning, and so on. Your friend chose the wrong teacher!"

Chen Guanlou was surprised, "But from what I hear, his teacher has a strong sense of justice, and it was under his teacher's influence that he decided to stand up and criticize Jiang Tu."

Yu Zhaoan sneered, "Lu Mingchuan is the best at bewitching people's hearts. Many young people who are ignorant of the world have been bewitched by his set of passionate and righteous rhetoric. But as long as you have had long-term contact with him, you will understand that beneath the surface of passion and justice, there is a dirty, rotten, and foul-smelling heart. I am not slandering him. Don't forget, I am from the Jixia Academy; there isn't a famous Confucian scholar in the capital that I don't know."