Chapter 255

"The Grand Tutor's consideration for us is our good fortune. But we cannot be lazy because of this and neglect the Grand Tutor's safety," Chen Guanlou said softly, standing to the side.

Grand Tutor Zhuang smiled, "How did you think of becoming a prison guard? Does the Hou Fu not give you a position?" He asked very casually, without the slightest intention of looking down on him, just like chatting about daily life. He is worthy of being a superior; as long as he is willing, he can make everyone feel like they are basking in a spring breeze.

"My father was a prison guard, and I am taking over my father's shift," Chen Guanlou said truthfully.

"Oh! Inheriting the father's profession, not bad," Grand Tutor Zhuang said with a smile. "This old man sees that your physique is good; have you ever thought about joining the army?"

"To tell the Grand Tutor the truth, I am a cowardly person who clings to life and fears death. I dare not be a soldier, for fear of losing face for my ancestors." Facing this question, Chen Guanlou decisively chose to smear himself.

Once these words were spoken, let alone Grand Tutor Zhuang, even Medical Official Mu secretly sized him up several times. Clinging to life and fearing death? He really couldn't tell. Being able to chat freely with the Grand Tutor of the current dynasty and not showing the slightest weakness when facing the Crown Prince—can this be called clinging to life and fearing death?

Since when did "clinging to life and fearing death" become a synonym for "bold and daring"? He had never heard of it!

Grand Tutor Zhuang was stunned at first, clearly not expecting someone to smear themselves in front of him instead of trying their best to show off. Immediately afterward, he burst into laughter.

"Little Chen, you are very interesting!"

Chen Guanlou accompanied him with an awkward laugh.

Medical Official Mu finished the diagnosis, "The Grand Tutor's body is healthy; you only need to pay a little attention to your diet, and keep the diet as light as possible."

"The Imperial Physician said the same. But, this old man has had a heavy palate since childhood; it's been decades, and I can't change it."

Medical Official Mu stopped there and did not try to persuade him further. His daily task was just to ensure the Grand Tutor's physical health, the same as when he first entered prison; that would count as completing the task.

Chen Guanlou personally sent Medical Official Mu out of the Heavenly Prison.

Medical Official Mu hesitated for a moment and secretly said to Chen Guanlou: "The Grand Tutor may have diabetes; you must pay attention to his diet."

Diabetes?

Chen Guanlou's expression changed, "Are you sure it's diabetes?"

"This old man has observed for several days and can basically be certain. A light diet is crucial; if there are conditions, let the Grand Tutor get up and move around more."

Chen Guanlou frowned. The conditions in the Heavenly Prison are just like that; for a diabetic to be imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison is simply equivalent to a suspended death sentence.

"Is there a suitable prescription to alleviate the symptoms, or at least control them? The Grand Tutor must absolutely not have an outbreak in the Heavenly Prison." Chen Guanlou vaguely remembered the complications of diabetes: blindness, itchy skin, rotting legs and feet, rapid weight loss, and hunger, always unable to stop eating.

Medical Official Mu shook his head, "This old man doesn't have much experience with diabetes. You had best report it and have the Ministry of Justice arrange a medical official, or invite an Imperial Physician from the Taiyi Academy to come and diagnose. To avoid complications in the future, you can also extricate yourself from it."

"Many thanks for the reminder; I will definitely report this situation."

He is not a professional scapegoat; if a problem arises, he must report it and let the people above worry about it.

According to Sun Daoning's instructions, all situations regarding the Grand Tutor are to be reported directly to him. The news was sent to Sun Daoning at the first opportunity, asking him to make the decision.

As soon as Sun Daoning saw the three characters for "diabetes," his head grew large.

He had seen this illness before; the elders in his family had contracted it, and it was extremely troublesome.

After thinking it over, Sun Daoning sent someone to inform the Donggong while arranging for a medical official to confirm the diagnosis again. After the diagnosis was confirmed, he decisively requested an audience with the Emperor to see if he could take the opportunity to exempt the Grand Tutor from his prison disaster.

"Is it truly diabetes?"

Inside the Taiji Palace, the old Emperor was wearing Daoist robes. Having practiced Daoism for several years, he couldn't say much else, but he had cultivated a bit of an ethereal, immortal temperament. At first glance, he didn't look like an Emperor, and one might mistake him for a Daoist priest who had broken into the Imperial Palace.

But looking closely, that gaze was still the gaze of an Emperor; there was absolutely no ethereal, carefree, and detached temperament of a Daoist priest. In the end, he was still a worldly person, a vulgar person who held onto imperial power and refused to let go.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, it has been confirmed," Sun Daoning said, bowing. "The environment in the Heavenly Prison is harsh, and the Grand Tutor is old. Your subject implores Your Majesty, could you permit the Grand Tutor to return home to reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors, to replace his imprisonment?"

Heh!

The old Emperor sneered twice, "Minister Sun, you may withdraw."

Sun Daoning was dumbfounded.

He was just told to withdraw? Not even a shred of room for maneuver? Does the old Emperor really fear the Crown Prince so much that he can't wait to kill His Highness the Crown Prince?

"Your Majesty!"

"Withdraw!" The old Emperor was clearly very impatient. What diabetes? Is it important? The person hasn't died yet, so stop coming to disturb him.

Sun Daoning felt great disappointment.

Just at this moment, a little eunuch came in to report, first whispering into Qiu Defu's ear.

"What is the matter?" the old Emperor questioned sternly.

Qiu Defu could only bite the bullet and say: "Reporting to Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince is outside the palace gate requesting an audience."

"Refuse! Tell him to roll back to the Donggong, study well, and learn properly what filial piety is! Ask him, which dynasty's Crown Prince would oppose his own father every single day? This is great unfilial behavior!"

The old Emperor was surprisingly angry, almost speaking without thinking, wishing he could spread the Crown Prince's reputation for great unfilial behavior throughout the world, letting everyone in the world come to judge the matter.

He only hated that the court officials were meddlesome; every time he tried to ruin the Crown Prince's reputation, he was obstructed.

The common people do not believe in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Anything spread by the Embroidered Uniform Guard is treated as slander and rumors.

Coupled with the fact that the literati very consciously protect the Crown Prince's reputation, sparing no effort to whitewash him and criticize the old Emperor for being muddled, the Crown Prince's reputation among the people is clearly better than the old Emperor's.

Saying the Crown Prince is unfilial—few people would believe it.

Public opinion is in the hands of the scholars, and scholars generally support the Crown Prince.

Even someone as powerful as the old Emperor cannot reverse it. He can't just issue an imperial decree saying the Crown Prince is unfilial. He still wants a bit of face. The key is that things haven't reached that point yet, and everything is still controlled within the court. To issue it to the world, unless he really makes up his mind to depose the Crown Prince.

This determination is not easy to make.

Sun Daoning was very disappointed and very angry. If not for keeping his duty as a subject and considering the head on his neck, he really wanted to question the old Emperor on the spot: Are these human words? How is the Crown Prince unfilial? Not satisfied even after suppressing the Crown Prince to this extent—is he trying to force the Crown Prince to request his own deposition?

Simply absurd!

Sun Daoning left the Taiji Palace with anger. As soon as he exited the palace gate, he saw His Highness the Crown Prince kneeling at the entrance of the Taiji Palace.

He sighed; what a good Crown Prince, why can't he be tolerated?

He stepped forward to persuade him, "It's useless. The Crown Prince should return to the Donggong."

"The Grand Tutor is unwell. I have asked the Imperial Physician; diabetes can be light or heavy, all depending on maintenance. In that environment of the Heavenly Prison, such a small cell, never seeing sunlight all year round, how can the Grand Tutor's condition get better? No matter what, I must try. What if it succeeds?"

Sun Daoning felt very sad, yet very fortunate. Fortunate that the Crown Prince is a person of emotion and righteousness, but it is a pity the old Emperor cannot see it, or rather, chooses to turn a blind eye. No matter how well the Crown Prince performs or how righteous he is, the old Emperor has been disgusted from beginning to end.

Muddled monarch!

He cursed in his heart!