Chapter 275: Make Money Together

Chen Guanlou picked up his teacup and drained it in one gulp, regardless of the other's attitude, showing his goodwill.

Fan Yuli snorted coldly, "Do you think a cup of tea will make me let you off?"

Chen Guanlou set down the teacup, lowered his head and fell silent for several seconds. Then he looked up and smiled. "May I ask, Inspector Fan, what kind of man am I? Do I have rebellious horns growing from my head? Do I stab allies in the back? Am I greedy or stingy? Have I ever betrayed my brothers?"

Fan Yuli was speechless, yet still kept a stern face: "Don't waste my time with this nonsense!"

"A jailer who doesn't want promotion isn't a good jailer!" Chen Guanlou slammed his palm hard on the table, startling Fan Yuli. "Officer Niu helped me get promoted—I'm happy, and I'm grateful. I'm sure the other brothers are happy for me too. But the one man I worry about is you, Inspector Fan. Before coming here, I spent hours thinking about how we'd get along from now on. In the end, there's only one word: Respect. I respect you, and I hope you'll respect me. Mutual respect, shared wealth!"

"You…"

"The money in Tianlaomiao is endless. As long as I'm here, your income will only grow, never shrink," Chen Guanlou pressed on.

Fan Yuli narrowed his eyes, skeptical. "If you start sharing the profits, my income will drop—how could it increase?"

Chen Guanlou laughed outright. "You think I'll cut into your share and slash your income. I don't blame you—you simply don't understand Tianlaomiao, or the officials locked inside it."

I've worked in the Jia-class cells for nearly four years. In those four years, I've dealt with countless imprisoned officials. I know exactly what they want, and how much they're willing to pay. That's why my packages win their support, while Shi Hong's get criticized—and canceled. The secrets here run deep, and the money? It's endless.

Let me put it plainly: I guarantee your income won't drop. How about we work together? You keep running your tavern; I'll handle everything here at Tianlaomiao. Aside from my new title, everything stays exactly as it was.

Fan Yuli frowned in thought, stealing glances at Chen Guanlou, weighing whether to believe him.

Chen Guanlou looked utterly confident. His plan was optimal: no disruption to existing profit shares, no infighting among colleagues, everyone earning money effortlessly. If they turned hostile, it would drain energy, might not win, and would definitely hurt income.

Cooperation was clearly the best choice.

Fan Yuli lifted his wine cup and drained it. "What did you give Officer Niu to earn his promotion?"

Chen Guanlou raised an eyebrow—his opponent was tempted, just one final push from commitment.

"When the Grand Tutor was imprisoned here, Officer Niu was terrified, certain disaster loomed. I gave him advice, eased his worries. He was grateful and promised that once the case ended, he'd promote me. I thought he'd forget—but he's a man of his word, and he kept his promise so quickly. I aim to follow Officer Niu's example: a man who keeps his word. This promise? I'll keep it too."

It was pure flattery.

But with his talent for extracting wealth, it wasn't all empty talk. If he pushed harder, if he grew just a little darker, the money in Tianlaomiao was limitless. Officials locked here never lacked gold. Even if a few poor court clerks ended up inside, it made no difference.

Officials were sensible: if they wanted to survive their stay in Tianlaomiao and complete this "prison course," they had to cooperate fully with the jailers.

The jailers were equally fair: as long as the money arrived, they treated every need with care—never broke promises, never turned on those who paid.

Both sides followed the rules, and cooperation flowed smoothly. That was the true secret to Tianlaomiao's longevity.

The Zhao Prison next door? It was a mess—constantly breaking promises, taking money without delivering. They swore no torture, then dragged prisoners to the interrogation room anyway. Utterly untrustworthy. No wonder its reputation was rotten—everyone who mentioned it spat in disgust.

Fan Yuli hesitated, tangled in doubt. He agreed with Chen Guanlou's logic, but his pride wouldn't let him accept it. His former subordinate, now his equal—it rankled.

Chen Guanlou saw his inner conflict and immediately declared, "The Jia-class cells remain under your command. As the new jailer, I'll follow your lead in every matter—everything stays exactly as before. What do you say?"

Perfect!

With those words, Fan Yuli finally felt at ease—at least his dignity was preserved. Even if it was just words, even if Chen Guanlou seized power later, at least for now, his face was saved.

He gritted his teeth. "I always knew your talent would lift you up. When my uncle didn't promote you back then—did you resent him?"

"You're joking. Old Master Fan moved me from the Bing-class cells to the Jia-class cells and made me squad leader—that was a great favor. Without that experience, Officer Niu would never have promoted me. Old Master Fan laid the foundation for me—I'll never forget it."

Chen Guanlou spoke with genuine sincerity.

Hearing this, Fan Yuli felt relieved. As long as Chen Guanlou still acknowledged his debt, his position was secure. Chen Guanlou wouldn't dare seize power and bear the stigma of ingratitude.

"I'll tell my uncle myself about your promotion. He'll be pleased. From now on, the Jia-class cells need your attention."

Chen Guanlou nodded repeatedly, confirming: "Everything stays the same?"

"Yes. Everything stays the same," Fan Yuli still carried himself as a superior.

Chen Guanlou didn't care about his attitude—he'd been promoted, and he'd gained real benefits. He ignored Fan Yuli's petty pride. Everyone has desires; if he wants reputation, give him reputation. Better than demanding nothing and fighting to the death.

With Fan Yuli settled, his appointment was more than half complete.

For the rest, he had Xiao Jin spread the word: that afternoon, he'd hold an expanded meeting for the Jia-class cells—everyone, on or off duty, must attend. Anyone who didn't show would be disrespecting him.

As for Fan Yuli, he found Tianlaomiao too dark, fearing it would harm his fortune. After speaking with Chen Guanlou, he paid a quick visit to Officer Niu and left—he had his tavern to manage.

Officer Niu despised him. In private, he grumbled to his trusted aide Xiao Xu: "Fan will be sidelined by Chen Guanlou. When the new jailer arrives, Fan will be pushed to the margins."

"But Fan's uncle works in the Ministry of Justice. Won't the new jailer be careful?"

"Whether he's careful depends on whether interests align. Look at Fan—does he know how to behave? In the two years I've been here, how many times has he come to pay respects, ask after my health, or bring gifts? His uncle can't always save him."