Chapter 334: He Loves Stabbing Knives into People's Hearts the Most

Gao Gao Shiliu didn't have Zhao Mingqiao's learning or his titles. His academic credentials were all bought with money, and so was his official post.

This time in prison, his credentials and post were both stripped away, and in a single day he fell back to being a commoner.

This meant that once he got out, he couldn't copy Zhao Mingqiao's path to build up his reputation. He might even face contempt.

Before coming to the Heaven Prison, he had been dreaming pretty thoughts — sit in jail for a month or two, and once he got out, his old turnip patch would still be his, the family would even give him compensation, and might even let him handle more business. In the future, it was very likely he would be the one to manage the official connections.

Who could have expected that just two hours after being thrown in, Chen Chen Guanlou would douse him with a bucket of cold water, chilling him straight to the bone.

Getting out in a year or two versus a month or two — the difference was enormous.

What the family was really like on the inside, he knew perfectly well.

Precisely because of that, at this moment his heart was cold.

Don't be fooled by the Gao family always keeping a low profile — they actually care deeply about face. From the main branch to their third branch, and on down to the lesser branches, the internal competition had always been fierce, and mutual backstabbing had never stopped. But on the outside, it was always you-good, me-good, everyone-good. Anyone who dared to drag family affairs out where outsiders could laugh at them and lose the family's face would surely face the family's harshest rebuke and suppression.

Sitting in jail for a month or two was shouldering the family's burden.

Sitting in jail for a year or two wasn't shouldering a burden — it was losing face.

A person who had lost the family's face, still hoping to move up? Dream on!

Gao Gao Shiliu's face went deathly pale. "There's really no way to get out within a month or two?"

"Definitely no way out."

"If the Prince of Yan steps in to plead for me and Zhou Xuan in the middle, still no good?"

Chen Chen Guanlou gave a cold, mirthless laugh. "Back then, the Second Young Master of the Prince of Jin's residence sat in jail for a full half year, and only got out smoothly when good news came from the northwest. You don't think you're of higher standing than the Second Young Master of the Prince of Jin's residence, do you?"

Gao Gao Shiliu was embarrassed.

He Deheneng — how could he dare compare his standing to the Second Young Master of the Prince of Jin's residence.

At this moment, he was on the verge of tears.

His face had scrunched up like a bitter gourd.

"But I don't want to sit in jail."

"Nobody here wants to sit in jail. Before you came in, what exactly did your family tell you?"

"They told me not to worry, that I'd be out in at most a month or two."

"And you just believed them? You're not a three-year-old child — whatever they say, you just believe it, no judgment of your own?" Chen Chen Guanlou was quite puzzled. This Gao Gao Shiliu was sometimes clever, sometimes muddled, sometimes sharp, sometimes clueless — he couldn't tell which was the real him.

Gao Shi.

But Gao Gao Shiliu shot back, "Why shouldn't I believe them? They're experienced, they've seen the world, and most of their judgments are right. As a junior, what's wrong with listening to my elders?"

Huh?

Now it was Chen Chen Guanlou's turn to be confused.

Fine — in both his lives, whether studying or working, he'd always relied on himself, with no successful experience of taking advice from his elders.

In his previous life, his parents had left him to grow freely; as long as his grades were passable, they hardly interfered. His first job happened to match his major, and he stepped smoothly onto the career path. After years of clawing his way up in the workplace, he'd accumulated enough experience that he naturally didn't need his parents' guidance.

In this life, his parents had died early. His elder sister Chen Chen Xiaolan was simple in her thinking — she just hoped he'd settle down and establish himself soon, and she had no complaint at all about him inheriting their late father's post as a prison guard; on the contrary, she was very pleased. Naturally, there was no question of any elder's experience to speak of.

Tutor Du did nag him constantly, but it was always the same three axes — study, Kao Qu Gong, then become an official. He'd heard it so much his ears had calluses.

Gao Gao Shiliu's upbringing was completely different from his. That Gao Gao Shiliu was willing to follow his elders' advice and trust their judgment, it was no surprise he'd come trotting happily off to sit in jail.

When the truth was suddenly ripped open, Gao Gao Shiliu was indeed in a panic. But he still clung to a sliver of luck, hoping that this time too his elders' judgment would prove right.

Chen Chen Guanlou, 'unable to bear' watching him be deceived, said: "Is it possible that your elders' judgment wasn't wrong — they just weren't telling you the truth?"

Gao Gao Shiliu: …

His heart ached terribly!

"Does Warden Chen enjoy stabbing knives into people's hearts this much?"

Chen Chen Guanlou gave a sly chuckle. "I hope every prisoner in here can clearly understand their own situation, and not cling to unrealistic expectations. The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. I wouldn't want some accident to happen because the disappointment was too great. I hope every prisoner can stay safe and sound, until the day they're released, or exiled, or beheaded. Understand?"

"Beheaded too?" Gao Gao Shiliu was shocked.

"This is the Heaven Prison — beheading isn't perfectly normal? Every time the execution ground carries out immediate sentences, the Heaven Prison always takes a few of the slots. You didn't know that?"

"How could I possibly know? How could I possibly pay attention to something like that? Warden Chen, don't scare me."

"I'm not scaring you. But rest easy — your crime is one of disrespect, and you're a Gao. They didn't chop off your head right away, so they certainly won't chop it later. Even if they don't give the Gao family face, they have to give face to Noble Consort Gao and the Prince of Yan, wouldn't you say?"

Those words barely managed to comfort Gao Gao Shiliu.

"Could Warden Chen notify the steward at my residence? I have matters I need to discuss with him in detail."

"You want to ask about the jail situation?"

Gao Gao Shiliu nodded, not denying it. Even if they wanted him dead, at least let him die understanding why. He couldn't sit in the Heaven Prison for a year or two without knowing what was going on. He had to get to the bottom of it.

"Fine, I'll arrange for a guard to notify your household. Whether they come or not, I can't guarantee."

"They'll definitely come. They definitely will."

Chen Chen Guanlou soothed Gao Gao Shiliu. "Do you have any other requests?"

"I want wine!"

"Fine! Your family has paid enough silver, so we can supply wine. Anything else?"

Gao Gao Shiliu shook his head and lay down on the bed plank in utter dejection. At this point he couldn't even be bothered to mind the filthy, smelly bedding — he was the picture of a man with a heart full of troubles.

Chen Chen Guanlou gave a sly chuckle and instructed Wang the Wu Bantou to keep a closer eye on Gao Gao Shiliu.

"This Gao Gao Shiliu is a little god of wealth. Look after him well, and the income will keep flowing in afterward."

Wang the Wu Bantou laughed along. "Rest easy, my lord. I'll definitely take good care of Sixteenth Young Master."

The Heaven Prison guards liked prisoners like Gao Gao Shiliu the most — compared to the old slickers of officialdom, they were easier to fool and easier to squeeze money from.

Chen Chen Guanlou went to visit Xie Changling again.

These past few days, Xie Changling's eyes had looked a bit off — reddened rims, bloodshot all over. Clearly he hadn't rested well in recent days.

Ever since Chen Chen Guanlou had told him last time that the matter of deposing the Crown Prince could actually have been avoided — they just hadn't found the right person — Xie Changling had been unable to eat or drink with peace, repeatedly replaying in his mind the days of the mutiny.

After what felt like an eternity of waiting for Chen Chen Guanlou, he could hold back no longer. Gripping the railing, he asked urgently, "What exactly did you mean by what you said last time? Chen Zhang Yuli, please make yourself clear."

Even though he was anxious inside, Xie Changling still kept his composure and manners, even using the word 'please'!