Chapter 288

Chen Guanlou sat in the Imperial Prison's office, a cup of clear tea beside him, his mood grim.

These Embroidered Uniform Guards never spoke a word of truth—first they claimed the Crown Prince rebelled, then the Prince of Jin, then the Grand Tutor.

But from their demeanor, he was certain they knew something—only their low rank meant they knew little.

Not every Embroidered Uniform Guard was qualified to take part in major events. These guards stationed in the Imperial Prison were purely internal staff, rarely sent on field duty, with limited access to secrets.

"When will this chaos end? Hundreds are locked in Tianlaomiao—they're nearly mad."

"When it ends depends on the Palace's stance. If the Palace says it ends today, it ends today. If the Palace stays silent, the capital will stay in chaos."

"Won't this chaos shake the very foundations?" Chen Guanlou wanted to say: The old emperor is insane, digging his own grave—does he really think he's so clever? A complete idiot!

"I have no idea what the nobles think."

The man accompanying him was Yang Company Commander, a typical fanzi, grinning with cold, hollow eyes that sent chills down the spine.

He looked at the man. "May I ask, Yang Company Commander—can you give me one honest answer? Is there really a rebellion?"

Yang Company Commander smirked. "If the higher-ups say there is, then there is. Are you questioning the nobles' decision, Brother Chen?"

Chen Guanlou's breath caught in his throat—he truly hated this organization. None of these men could speak plainly; all of them carried daggers in their words, ready to pin a charge of grave disrespect on anyone.

"Whose decision, exactly? The capital is in chaos—people are terrified!"

"Hah… I didn't know Brother Chen had such a patriotic heart. No wonder you're from the Hou Fu. The Chen family is admirable—Marquis is a pillar of the state, and Brother Chen devotes himself to public duty. I, Yang, deeply admire you."

The words choked him.

Chen Guanlou asked one question: "Can you speak like a human being?"

And then…

He was thrown out of the Imperial Prison.

If he weren't surnamed Chen, Yang Company Commander would have cut out his heart.

Chen Guanlou headed for the Ministry of Justice.

But when he arrived, the gates were shut. He scaled the wall—no one inside. The Ministry had no food; no one would be foolish enough to hide in the yamen, where they'd be easy prey for soldiers.

Leaving the Ministry, he went to the neighboring Ministry of Revenue—also empty.

He wasn't in a hurry to return to Tianlaomiao.

He knew Sun Daoning's residence and hurried there to knock—only to be told by the gatekeeper that Sun Daoning had entered the Palace two days ago and hadn't returned, nor had any word come back. The entire Sun household was in panic.

The gatekeeper added: "Young man, if you see my master, please tell him to send someone back to report his safety—so we can all rest easy."

Chen Guanlou waved him off and left decisively.

He headed straight home.

The streets were in chaos everywhere—utter pandemonium. But once he entered Hou Fu's territory, it was like stepping into another world—a secluded paradise untouched by the turmoil.

Chen Guanlou knocked on Chunxiang's door. "Did the soldiers come here?"

"Oh my, Brother Lou, you're finally back—I've been worried sick! Soldiers didn't come here. Word is, Hou Fu negotiated with them, and they withdrew."

"Who negotiated?"

"Of course the chief steward. He carried Master's token—the soldiers treated him with respect. After some talk, Hou Fu agreed to supply supplies, and the soldiers left. Thank heaven, bless the Bodhisattva! I heard some wealthy households were looted, people killed, women violated—horrible. Brother Lou, since you're back, don't leave. There's food and drink here; even if you don't step out for ten or fifteen days, it's fine."

"I have matters to attend to. I must go out."

After bidding Chunxiang farewell, Chen Guanlou headed straight for Liu's house.

The gatekeeper, Liu Xiaochuan, opened the door—still that insolent look. Seeing him, he said: "You're not dead!"

"If you're not dead, how could I be? Is Liu the steward home? I need to speak with him."

"Master isn't home. With all the chaos, Hou Fu has too much to handle—I'm heading there myself soon."

"For what?"

"To train as guards. You don't think Hou Fu drove off the soldiers with just Master's token, do you? If you want to join, I'll sign you up—fifty wen a day, meals included. Most of the clan's able-bodied men have gone. If you don't, you'll stand out too much."

"I'm a jailer of Tianlaomiao. I must stay there. I won't go to Hou Fu."

"Tianlaomiao isn't yours alone. Know your priorities. Nothing matters more than the clan's safety. If you refuse, people will hold a grudge—and you'll miss out on future benefits."

Chen Guanlou had no patience for this. He asked: "Do you know what's really happening out there? Who's really rebelling?"

"You don't know?"

"What should I know?"

Liu Xiaochuan clicked his tongue. "No one's rebelling. Don't you dare spread this."

Chen Guanlou's heart lurched. "Explain." He shoved Liu into the room and shut the door.

Liu's expression was one of disgust. "You're in Tianlaomiao—you're clearly out of the loop. You know less than I do."

"Cut the chatter. What's the truth?"

"What else? No rebellion. The soldiers entered the capital because of orders. The old emperor's gone mad—thinks someone's trying to poison him, so he strikes first to eliminate rivals."

"That's absurd?" Chen Guanlou couldn't believe it. "No one stopped him?"

"Who dares? In January, the old emperor claimed he was poisoned—anyone who objected was branded the real culprit."

This… this…

"How could a gatekeeper like you know such a secret? Even the most renowned scholars in the capital don't know this."

Liu Xiaochuan chuckled. "Look where you are—this is Pingjiang Hou Fu's territory. Who in the capital has better intelligence than the nobility? Do those famous scholars have eyes inside the Palace? Do they have informants? Do they have ancestral ties going back three generations? In terms of sources, no one in the capital dares compete with the nobility."

That was true.

Any random person from the Palace might be tied to the nobility. It was an achievement the scholar-officials couldn't reach in a hundred years.

"How could such a secret reach your ears?" Chen Guanlou still doubted it—he thought Liu Xiaochuan was unreliable.

Liu Xiaochuan sneered. "My master serves Second Master. My mistress helps manage the back quarters and often attends to Grandmother, keeping her company. I'm my master's adopted son, helping him shoulder burdens—so of course I know Palace news."