Chapter 329: Everyone Has a Habit of Taking on Adoptive Sons

After work, Chen Guanlou went to the marital chamber and found the gift Zhong Susu had left him: twenty thousand taels in silver notes.

Zhong Susu, like Zhong Censor, gave gifts with plain, unadorned simplicity.

One could only say the Six Ministries' men were poor at seizing property—or perhaps too greedy. Had it been the Embroidered Uniform Guard next door, they would have dug up the earth three feet deep to strip every last coin from the Zhong family's hidden wealth.

With money in hand, Chen Guanlou decided that for the next half-month, he might as well move into a brothel.

But as soon as he opened the courtyard gate, he saw an unexpected visitor.

"Chen Guanlou, come with us—our master wants to see you."

"I don't know any master!"

"You will when you get there." The four men spoke with great arrogance, looking down their noses at everything, their eyes fixed on the sky above.

Their attire marked them as servants of a wealthy household; their behavior, however, suggested they were servants of a nouveau riche family—possessed by the delusion that heaven came first, earth second, and they third.

Chen Guanlou had intended to reason with them, to make them understand right from wrong.

But before acting, a thought struck him: "Is your master someone who came out of the palace?"

The four exchanged glances but did not deny it. "Don't keep our master waiting. Offending him brings no good end."

"Fine. Lead the way."

Chen Guanlou now had a suspicion. He rode in a carriage, winding through the streets, and soon arrived at his destination.

Prime real estate—only a fifteen-minute ride from the palace. This only confirmed his guess.

Though Wei Wubing had assured him, he had long prepared himself mentally for palace inquiries. That night, he alone—a mere bystander—had been spared. For the palace not to summon him would have been strange.

He was led to a flower pavilion to wait, where tea and snacks were served.

He waited nearly an hour.

He was utterly calm. He was hungry, so he ate the tea snacks to fill his stomach, while thinking in his mind about where to eat dinner that night, whether to invite someone for drinks.

All of it was nonsense, trivial matters—he didn't worry a bit about his situation.

Wei Wubing had defied the old emperor; clearly, his position in the palace was extraordinary, a transcendent figure. If the old man spoke, no one would dare pretend obedience while secretly resisting. His life was safe—but others might still play petty tricks behind his back.

Only when the master of the house appeared did Chen Guanlou confirm his suspicion.

Qiu Defu, the Eunuch! The old emperor's most trusted man.

Chen Guanlou rose immediately and bowed. "Servant greets Eunuch Qiu!"

"You know me?" Qiu Defu sat in the seat of honor, radiating the aura of a superior.

"Eunuch Qiu may have forgotten, but two years ago at the execution ground, I was the one assigned to escort the rebel Wang Shuner."

"Oh!" Qiu Defu seemed to recall. Wang Shuner was just one trivial detail among countless matters—he hadn't cared. He never imagined they had already met back then.

"Why did I summon you? Do you know the reason?"

Chen Guanlou nodded, then shook his head, feigning innocence.

"Servant truly knows nothing, saw nothing!"

He must maintain his persona. Though several Grand Masters had seen through his hidden depths and high cultivation, none had loudly proclaimed it or singled him out for display. He would continue playing the role of an ordinary jailer: greedy, lustful, cowardly, insatiable.

Qiu Defu laughed bitterly. "Chen Guanlou, I looked into your background. Since I summoned you, do you think pretending ignorance will help?"

"But I truly know nothing, saw nothing." Chen Guanlou was making his stance clear. That night, he had promised Wei Wubing he would not utter a single word—and he would keep his word.

Who knew whether every word and gesture of this meeting would reach Wei Wubing's ears? If he engaged too deeply with Qiu Defu, and Wei Wubing suspected him of being loose-lipped, of failing to keep secrets, it would backfire and put him in danger.

Qiu Defu paused, then smiled knowingly. "You're a sensible one. Since you know nothing and saw nothing, then you know what you should do, don't you?"

"Carry out my duties as usual, eat and wait for death every day." Chen Guanlou replied casually.

Qiu Defu was genuinely surprised. He studied him up and down, then chuckled. "I never knew the Chen family had produced such a strange one! Throwing away a fine future, choosing to be a jailer. A decent young man, content to just eat and wait for death. Aren't you afraid of being despised, disgracing your ancestors?"

"I'll burn more beautiful women and more spirit money for them—I'm sure my ancestors will forgive me." Chen Guanlou said solemnly.

Hahaha…

Qiu Defu burst into loud laughter, tears streaming down his face.

"Good! Good! Good! No scholar's stubbornness—perfectly suits my taste. Would you like to serve in the palace?"

Chen Guanlou instinctively covered his groin, then realized his mistake and quickly dropped his hand, smiling awkwardly.

Qiu Defu snorted in displeasure. "I'm no fool—I wouldn't make you castrate yourself to serve in the palace. I meant to assign you as a guard. But it seems you're unwilling."

Chen Guanlou could only force a smile—there was no explaining this. Anyone hearing "Would you like to serve in the palace?" from an Eunuch Qiu would assume it meant castration.

He couldn't be blamed for this.

As for serving as a palace guard?

He was mad if he went.

He loafed daily in the Heavenly Prison, living a relaxed, comfortable life that perfectly met his needs: plenty of money, little work, close to home. Only a fool would go to the palace to stand guard for hours on end. Suffering wasn't meant to be endured this way.

As for so-called advancement—he had countless chances to escape the Heavenly Prison long ago.

Do all these superiors have a habit of wanting to become someone's adoptive father? Meet someone, and immediately offer promotion, promise a brilliant future.

But he wasn't cloth—he had no desire to kneel and call anyone father.

Cloth: Are you polite?

"If you're unwilling, fine." Qiu Defu's face turned cold. "Remember some things—keep them buried in your heart."

"Servant understands!" Chen Guanlou quickly pledged.

"The palace has been restless these days. Do you understand?"

Chen Guanlou hesitated, then nodded. "A little."

"Then you understand the stakes. Why did I go out of my way to meet you? It's all for your own safety!"

"Thank you, Eunuch Qiu, for your grace. Servant is unworthy." Chen Guanlou put on a look of deep emotion—if he could add tears, it would be even better.

"Who else but me has a kind heart!" Qiu Defu sighed dramatically.

Chen Guanlou, meanwhile, poured out a flood of flattery—plenty of auspicious phrases, free and unrestrained—determined to make this meeting a successful, harmonious, and glorious one.