Chapter 259: Can't wash it clean, it simply can't be washed clean

The prison guards of the Jia-type prison were all dejected, as if their parents had died.

Seeing Chen Guanlou appear, they all gathered around.

Before anyone could speak, Chen Guanlou said first, "Rest assured, no one is going to die. The main responsibility for this matter lies with the Donggong guards; it was they who didn't protect the Grand Tutor well. The Heavenly Prison and the Ministry of Justice only bear secondary responsibility."

Upon learning that they wouldn't lose their heads, the guards all breathed a sigh of relief and instantly came back to life.

As long as they don't die!

If they don't die, life goes on, and they can do whatever they should do.

"Chen Tou, Master Xiao Fan is here. He wants to see you."

"I know. Are the brothers injured?"

"Don't worry, Chen Tou, everyone has a brain; no one risked their lives."

"That's good!"

With such fierce bandits, who would risk their lives? They aren't stupid.

Just like him, stupidly chasing after them, almost becoming a ghost under the sword of a Ninth-Rank warrior. This capital is full of experts; one cannot be careless.

If not for his supreme light-body technique being slightly superior, he really wouldn't have had the confidence to escape alive.

Master Xiao Fan hadn't come to the Heavenly Prison to report for duty for a long time, and he had clearly gained weight. With the Grand Tutor kidnapped, as the managing prison clerk of the Jia-type prison, he couldn't shirk the responsibility. He hadn't slept well all night last night.

"Little Chen, what's the situation now? Do you know?"

"Don't worry, my lord, such a big thing won't be our Heavenly Prison's scapegoat. Vice Minister Sun of the Ministry of Justice has already clearly divided the responsibilities; the main responsibility lies with the Donggong guards—it was their failure to protect."

"Yes, yes, yes, you're right. It's clearly the incompetence of those Donggong guards that led to the Grand Tutor being kidnapped. But, that's not right; who would kidnap the Grand Tutor instead of killing him on the spot? Could it be the Donggong playing the thief crying 'stop thief'?" Master Xiao Fan opened his brain, starting to imagine the conspiracies and tricks within.

Chen Guanlou hurriedly advised, "My lord, such words shouldn't be spoken. That's the Donggong! The Crown Prince's feelings for the Grand Tutor are beyond words; what they want is to save the Grand Tutor from prison in a dignified manner. What kind of thing is kidnapping from prison? Wouldn't that be framing the Grand Tutor for unrighteousness? This matter definitely has nothing to do with the Donggong."

"What you say makes sense. However, it's hard to guarantee that someone in the court won't speculate like that. Think about it, the Grand Tutor is sitting in prison just fine, who would be so stupid as to kidnap from prison instead of killing? It makes no sense!"

"How does it make no sense? Kidnapping from prison is good; it muddies the water. Just as you said, someone will definitely suspect the Donggong of playing the thief crying 'stop thief.' What a great strategy, taking the opportunity to drag the Donggong into the water. The Donggong has no way to wash itself clean. If they killed the Grand Tutor, the Donggong would become the victim; how could that achieve the goal of framing the Donggong?"

"Wonderful!" Master Xiao Fan immediately accepted Chen Guanlou's analysis. "You're right. It must have been done by someone who understands the Donggong's situation. Kidnapping the Grand Tutor leaves the Donggong unable to defend itself; this move is truly wonderful. It's just a pity for the Heavenly Prison—which god did we offend to have a prison kidnapping every year? Sigh..."

Master Xiao Fan was very melancholy.

Last year, the cult bandits kidnapped from prison; this year, who knows which bandits kidnapped from prison.

Fortunately, the cult bandit kidnapping had the neighboring Zhao Prison to take the brunt, and this time there were Donggong guards to bear the main responsibility. Thank goodness, God still favors the Heavenly Prison and didn't let the Heavenly Prison lose its head.

Master Xiao Fan patted Chen Guanlou on the shoulder. "It's thanks to you."

"Sharing the worries for you, my lord, is this little one's duty."

"My restaurant opens in three days. When the time comes, you have everyone go, just to join in the fun for me and make the place look festive."

Chen Guanlou agreed repeatedly, but in his heart, he was despising Master Xiao Fan, planning to dig money out of the prison guards' pockets again. Every time it's this trick; when he has no money, he thinks of all the prison guards.

The prison guards are miserable!

They work hard to earn a little money, and it's not enough to send gifts to their superiors.

"I wish you a prosperous business, my lord, with gold coming in every day."

"Hahaha..." Master Xiao Fan's current pursuit is not promotion, but just making a fortune. He strives to earn a vast family fortune within a few years; if he can't continue as a prison clerk, he will go home to buy land, become a landlord, and cultivate the next generation and the generation after that to take the imperial examinations.

Chen Guanlou conveyed the news of Master Xiao Fan's restaurant opening to all the prison guards, as well as Master Xiao Fan's spirit. The prison guards all sighed and cursed in their hearts.

"Can we not go?"

"People don't have to go, but the money must be there."

"Can we not give a gift?"

"You can try the taste of being given a hard time."

"How much gift money is appropriate?"

"It should be a bit more than the market price, preferably double."

"No money, Chen Tou."

"None of my business. The monthly bonus hasn't been less, so where did the money go? It didn't fall into my pocket. I told you to gamble less, but you all let it go in one ear and out the other. You deserve to have no money!"

"Chen Tou, why don't you lend us some."

"Get lost! I have no money."

Chen Guanlou didn't indulge this gang of gamblers; they weren't Lu Datou, with whom he had a life-and-death friendship.

The atmosphere in the Heavenly Prison is very bad; everyone is involved in gambling. People like Liu She and Chen Quan, who are relatively honest, can't help but gamble a few times. Anyway, he respectfully declines this stuff. If he were to sit at the table, he could make all the prison guards lose everything but their underwear in one night. But what's the point?

If there were cigarettes, he wouldn't mind becoming an old smoker. Dry tobacco is out. In his mind, gambling is just like dry tobacco, completely unattractive, and the smell is pungent. A group of big men who haven't bathed in half a month gather together to gamble—that smell could suffocate someone.

After getting off work and going home, he went to find Boss Qu to buy a few bolts of cloth to make himself a few new sets of clothes.

Boss Qu was out, so Mrs. Qu received him.

"Greetings, Chen Tou. My husband specifically instructed that if Chen Tou comes, we must give a sufficient discount. These are all new fabrics from this year; whether in pattern or quality, they are no less than any cloth shop in the capital."

Chen Guanlou didn't bother looking at the fabrics; he was looking at the person. What a dignified and charming little woman. Her face was slightly thin, and her eyebrows and eyes still carried a touch of fatigue and vicissitudes. Thinking of this person's background—a family member of a convicted official—she must have suffered quite a bit before and hadn't fully recovered yet.

"I work in the Heavenly Prison. May I ask, do I know your former husband's family?"

"Chen Tou probably doesn't know. My former husband was imprisoned in the Jingzhao Prefecture prison and didn't have the qualifications to enter the Heavenly Prison."

"Has the case been judged?"

"Judged! Exiled two thousand li. I was fortunate enough to have my husband help pull strings to get me out and restore my good status."

"Boss Qu is actually that capable?" Chen Guanlou was very surprised.

Mrs. Qu pursed her lips. "To tell Chen Tou the truth, my husband used the Marquis's Mansion's connections. If the Marquis's Mansion hadn't stepped forward, I would already be two thousand li away in Nanzhao, and I'm afraid my life would be gone."

Hearing this, Chen Guanlou couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.

Boss Qu is capable; I wonder how much money he spent to be able to move the Marquis's Mansion to step forward and fish someone out for him.

"Mrs. Qu has now come through the bitterness to sweetness and found a good man; the good days are still ahead."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Qu lowered her head and smiled, appearing very pleased. "I accept Chen Tou's auspicious words. Today, all fabrics in the shop are twenty percent off; Chen Tou, please feel free to pick whatever you like."