Chapter 313: Boss, Want a Woman?

After a long time, Chen Guanlou returned for the second time to the deepest part of the Jia-class prison.

The pitch-black corridor, damp and cold air stagnant for years, the chilling environment, naturally exuding an eerie and sinister aura.

At the deepest cell, Wang Qiren stared at the approaching torchlight and wept uncontrollably.

Chen Guanlou stood before the cell door, watching the man—his face had flesh on it. He had privately instructed the old jailer to secretly improve Wang Qiren's meals, letting him see a touch of oil every few days. Eating meat and eggs made a difference; though still pale and sickly from years without sunlight, he now had at least two taels more flesh, looking more human.

"There's no prominent Wang family in the capital."

"Hahahaha… all dead, every last one of them dead."

"Did you engage in rebellion, then, to bring down your family?"

"He doesn't need rebellion to kill. Even saying one wrong sentence can be grounds for exterminating nine clans." Wang Qiren chuckled, "I heard he deposed the Crown Prince—hah… I knew he'd do it. The old bastard, so old, and the Crown Prince was in his prime—he grew jealous. Anyone he disliked never met a good end."

"How could Princess LuYang, his own sister, suffer such a fate?" Chen Guanlou asked curiously. Through careful probing and indirect inquiries, he had finally learned something about Princess LuYang. The old emperor's sister, not born of the same mother but raised by her, had been as close as a full sibling—deeply affectionate.

"You mean to ask why the princess turned against the old bastard? Of course—it's because he's cruel and heartless. The princess couldn't bear to see brothers kill each other; she pleaded with him repeatedly, failed, and secretly aided other brothers behind his back. That's why he came to hate her."

"That simple?"

"You think it's complicated?" Wang Qiren sneered, his gray-white hair like a tangle of weeds, swaying wildly as he shook his head.

Chen Guanlou narrowed his eyes. "Everyone else is dead. Why are you still alive?"

"What are you suspecting?" Wang Qiren lunged to the cell door, pressing against Chen Guanlou, gripping the bars with both hands. "You understand nothing."

"The old emperor may be mad, but he kept you alive to suffer a living death—while exterminating the entire Wang clan. You must have offended him deeply, committed a worse crime than Princess LuYang."

"What do you know? You understand nothing—don't speak nonsense. What crime could I have committed? I'm here because of the princess. I'm innocent!"

Wang Qiren pleaded desperately, reaching out with both hands to grab Chen Guanlou.

Chen Guanlou sidestepped slightly, letting his grasp fall empty.

He grew more suspicious of Wang Qiren's words. Locked away in the pitch-black depths of the Tianlao for decades, day after day, only a single old jailer ever came near. His entire clan had been exterminated, erased from speech, from records, from legends.

This was clearly a torture worse than death.

How much hatred must the old emperor harbor to go this far?

At the time of the incident, the old emperor was in his prime—strong, wise, and his realm steadily growing. To hate someone this much, that person must have committed a grave offense, crossed the old emperor's absolute line.

What was the old emperor's line thirty years ago?

Why did Princess LuYang die?

There's a great secret here!

Wang Qiren is not innocent—not nearly as innocent as he claims.

"You don't believe me? Why won't you believe me? On what grounds do you doubt me? Can't you move me to another cell? Let me see sunlight—even just one glance, please? You're a good man, I can tell—you're different from other jailers, you have conscience, you'll help me, won't you? It's been over thirty years; the old bastard has forgotten me. No one will notice if you secretly move me. Do a good deed, please! Say something! What do you mean? Are you mocking me? You'll die a terrible death!"

Wang Qiren grew hysterical, wild-eyed, flailing his arms and slamming his head against the bars.

"Why won't you believe me? Why won't anyone believe me? You all deserve to die! You're no different from the rest—you all want to feed on me. I won't let you. Hahahaha, you'll all die, every last one of you, no one escapes. Hahahaha… help me, and I'll tell you a secret. I swear it's true."

Chen Guanlou ignored him and turned to leave.

"Don't go! I really have a secret to tell you! Do you know there's another level beneath the Tianlao? I'm not lying!"

Chen Guanlou paused for a moment, then continued walking away.

"I'm not lying—there really is another level down there. Someone's still imprisoned there, and it connects directly to the neighboring ZhaoYu. Come back—I'll tell you where the entrance is!"

Chen Guanlou left the deepest part of the Tianlao. Wang Qiren's final words had entered his ears—and his mind.

Beneath the Tianlao, another level? Someone still imprisoned? And it connects to the ZhaoYu next door?

Is that even possible?

He dared not ask. Not even a hint. Some things were better left unspoken. He simply memorized the rumor.

"Boss, want a woman?"

The moment Xiao Jin spoke, Chen Guanlou kicked him.

"You're not doing your duty, thinking about women? Is your brain rusted? Has your wife not beaten you in days? Are you itching for another thrashing?"

"Boss, you misunderstand—I didn't explain properly." Xiao Jin slapped his own mouth. "Inspector Zhong—you remember him?"

"That river inspector?"

"That guy. He's got a daughter—skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, painting. Now his family is in ruin, betrothal broken. She's likely to be exiled; the women might even be sent to the courtesan bureau. Inspector Zhong is desperate to save his daughter and asked me if I could help."

Inspector Zhong had been doing well—jinshi graduate, steadily promoted to River Inspector, rich as sin. But in the end, money ruined him.

Last year, the river dike collapsed, flooding several counties, drowning hundreds of thousands, killing and injuring countless, losses incalculable.

When the court investigated, Inspector Zhong was the loudest. He tried to pin blame on local officials and the Ministry of Works—but his outburst backfired. The officials united against him. In the end, none escaped punishment.

Some local officials had already been beheaded, others imprisoned in the ZhaoYu, others already on the road to exile. Inspector Zhong, as an inspector, was granted a shred of dignity—still held in the Tianlao.

This year, his case is about to be judged. He got word in advance—he won't escape execution or exile. His only fear: his female relatives being sent to the courtesan bureau.

He's spent this time trying to save his family—but every door slammed shut. Former colleagues, classmates, fellow townsfolk all avoided him like venomous snakes.

After much thought, he placed his last hope on Chen Guanlou—hoping a lowly jailer might still accomplish something great.