Chapter 326: Taking Pleasure in Others

Chen Guanlou looked slightly anxious and uneasy.

What virtue or merit do I have? What virtue or merit do I have? My small courtyard welcomed three Grand Masters tonight, and now I must brew tea to entertain them.

I was only being polite—why did they take me seriously and just refuse to leave?

Chen Guanlou's scalp prickled, as if thorns pierced his back; he followed protocol to brew the tea properly, then bowed and offered it with both hands to Wei Wubing, the Eunuch, "Senior, please enjoy your tea!"

Wei Wubing took a casual sip, "Truly fine tea! You're surnamed Chen—of the Hou Fu Chen?"

"That's right!"

"You're a jailer at Tianlaomiao?" Wei Wubing seemed to already know his circumstances.

Chen Guanlou nodded, "Nothing escapes Senior's notice."

"Tonight's affair..."

"Senior, rest assured—I saw nothing, heard nothing, and nothing happened tonight. I'll keep my mouth shut, not a single word will leak out."

"No matter! Even if you spun tales of celestial wonders, no one would believe you."

With that, Wei Wubing handed him a black jade pendant, "If anyone causes you trouble over tonight's events, simply show this pendant."

"What is this?" Chen Guanlou held the pendant with both hands—he had never seen black jade before. This one was nearly polished smooth by long-term wear.

"This is too precious—I cannot accept it!" He quickly pushed it back, knowing his place.

"I never take back what I give. I sense something extraordinary about you—I won't ask what it is. When Cheng Lingzi returns to the capital, should she need you, don't refuse! That's enough."

Chen Guanlou was startled, "Will Senior Cheng return to the capital?"

"She will," Wei Wubing said firmly. "You have a karmic bond with her last disciple. When the time comes, I'll need your help—don't make excuses."

"Senior, rest assured—I'll serve without hesitation."

"Aren't you afraid of offending Senior Cheng?" Wei Wubing teased with a half-smile.

Chen Guanlou weighed his words carefully, "I am afraid! I fear offending Senior Cheng, and I fear offending you. But you saved my life—you've shown me kindness. I know how to choose."

"Without Senior Cheng, I wouldn't have protected you," Wei Wubing pressed, as if trying to force out his true nature.

Chen Guanlou, as expected, broke into cold sweat, "Both Seniors have shown me kindness. If not necessary, I truly don't wish to be caught between you. But if I must choose one—I serve the state."

His meaning: a state servant naturally aids fellow state servants.

Wei Wubing raised an eyebrow slightly, as if surprised.

"No wonder you're a Chen—every one of you slippery as an eel. I don't care if you're sincere or not—remember what you said tonight."

Before his words faded, he vanished into thin air.

Chen Guanlou rushed outside, gazing at the silent night sky—there was no trace of the Grand Master. Not even a dog barked; the surroundings were as still as a graveyard, save for the lingering killing intent proving the courtyard had once been "prosperous."

Three Grand Masters visited in one night—this place is undoubtedly a fengshui treasure. Spread the word, and its value would triple or quintuple!

He gazed at the night sky, slightly melancholy.

What a waste—such a fine wedding chamber!

Two days later, his elder sister Chen Xiaolan came to his home, "Where's your wife? Didn't you say you were getting married? Where's your bride?"

"You misunderstood—there's no wife, no wedding," Chen Guanlou evaded, trying to shoo her away.

"Chen Guanlou, can you ever act seriously? A few days ago you insisted on marrying, asked me to arrange it, and now you've changed your mind. What are you playing at?"

"The bride ran off—where am I supposed to get married?" Chen Guanlou grumbled. "Sister, stop worrying about me. Focus on your husband—have two more nephews. That's better than anything."

"Chen Guanlou, if Father and Mother were still alive, they'd break your legs."

"What a pity—they're gone."

"Did your bride really run off?"

"Yes, she ran."

"You look like this—and still some girl rejects you?" Chen Xiaolan suspected he was lying, teasing her from the start.

"Even with my looks, someone still rejects me."

"That's impossible! Girls line up to marry you. Since you already bought the wedding house, just get married already. The first bride ran off—fine. I'll find you another. I guarantee you'll wed within three days."

"No, I don't want to marry for now."

Chen Guanlou was listless—he had no intention of marrying.

Zhong Susu was the first girl who made him consider settling down.

Without Zhong Susu, he'd given up on marriage for now—living alone was fine.

He even suspected he had no luck with women. Every woman he met was either someone else's, or scheming against him, or using him, or giving him the "friend zone" card.

The women who chased after him—he found unappealing.

Classic case of too high, too low.

Add to that his great secret—marriage was the worst possible move.

Zhong Susu moved him not with beauty, but with the cleverness beneath it—a sharp, brilliant mind. Who wouldn't love a woman who was both beautiful and intelligent—satisfying both aesthetic desire and emotional need?

Other girls just didn't measure up.

Chen Xiaolan grabbed a stick and chased him around the courtyard, beating him.

"Sister, don't think I won't fight back!"

"Then fight back!" Chen Xiaolan never held back when beating her brother.

A chaotic scene of chickens flying and dogs barking—until Chunxiang's wife intervened and stopped Chen Xiaolan, finally calming the siblings.

Chen Xiaolan poured out her grievances to Chunxiang's wife. The two married women united to condemn Chen Guanlou from head to toe.

If you can't fight them, run away!

Chen Guanlou promptly left home, went to a brothel, spent the night with a courtesan, and the next morning, refreshed and alert, reported for duty at Tianlaomiao.

His fellow jailers, unaware of the truth, teased him about being a groom.

The moment the words left their lips, someone pulled them away.

"Don't say that—watch out, Chen the jailer will dock your pay."

"But him getting married is good news!"

"Good news? The bride ran off!"

"What?! Did the Zhong girl go mad? What happened?"

"Rumor says the Zhong girl eloped with someone. Details are unclear."

"Definitely ran off with some outside rogue."

"So Chen the jailer is..."

"Don't talk, don't talk—watch out, Chen the jailer might take it out on all of us."

"I always said—we jailers shouldn't dream of marrying noble ladies. Just find a girl from the neighborhood and make do. Look at Chen the jailer—he's proof."

"Chen the jailer's different—he's a Chen, backed by the Hou Fu, so he's got high standards and looks down on neighborhood girls. Too bad—even fallen noble daughters won't have him. Even if his family's ruined, they'd rather elope than marry him. Hah..."

For a time, Chen Guanlou became the center of gossip at Tianlaomiao, the object of malicious delight, everyone waiting to see him humiliated.