Chapter 363: Don't cry poor

Chen Guanlou went down to the Heavenly Prison and walked past cell after cell.

Now he felt that everyone was suspicious.

This group of imprisoned officials, some had open minds and could think things through. Some had narrow minds and loved to drill into the horns of the bull. Sometimes if a look didn't match, it was possible to form a deadly feud.

A thousand people, a thousand faces, different inside and out.

He asked himself that he was a bit fierce when asking for money, but he was still thoughtful and polite to these imprisoned officials on weekdays. He just wanted to form a good relationship, so that when they returned to their official positions in the future, they wouldn't remember the grievances of the Heavenly Prison. People who do big things, being petty with a prison guard, have neither pattern nor measure.

It was just hard to guarantee that someone had an extremely narrow mind, remembering every little grievance and hatred, and would not stop until they got their own back.

He squinted at the imprisoned officials in the cells, observing their eyes and expressions.

Passing by Gao Shiliu's cell door, he suddenly stopped, "Your mansion's steward hasn't come to visit you these few days?"

Gao Shiliu had a beard and looked very depressed, but his state was okay.

"The mansion's affairs are busy, and the steward can't leave, so naturally he can't come to visit me every day. Is Prison Clerk Chen not busy today?"

"Not busy these few days. The higher-ups suddenly became idle; I heard His Majesty is in a good mood recently, as if the war in the North has made progress."

"Marquis Pingjiang is very powerful; with him there, the mere rebels can be captured easily. When he frees up his hands, he can go south to destroy the Prince of Chu. No wonder His Majesty's mood has improved." Gao Shiliu said so.

Chen Guanlou laughed, "Do you think His Majesty will let the Marquis go south?"

Dream on.

The Northern and Southern troops were both allowed to be stained by the Master; the old Emperor probably couldn't sleep peacefully. If there were no accidents, Chen Guanfu, who was in the South, would soon be transferred back to the capital.

This is the basic method of an Emperor to control subordinates. It is impossible to let father and son control the Northern and Southern troops at the same time, to prevent them from becoming a serious threat to the Imperial Court. The court officials would definitely support the old Emperor's decision.

"Of... course..." Gao Shiliu suddenly became a bit uncertain.

Chen Guanlou sneered, "You are still honestly doing business; not taking the official path is the right thing."

Gao Shiliu was slightly embarrassed, a bit awkward, "I was just fast-talking, didn't think deeply. Didn't I come back to my senses now?"

Chen Guanlou made fun of him, "You said at the beginning that you would be able to get out after sitting in prison for a month or two; do you still think so now?"

Gao Shiliu became even more embarrassed. He endured it, but still couldn't help it, "Could it be that I really have to sit in prison for a few years?"

"A few years is not likely. The situation in the court is changing rapidly; maybe by the New Year, you will be able to get out."

"I hope so! Prison Clerk Chen, I want to eat roast duck; the roast duck at Lao Jin Fang is the most authentic."

"If you have money, you have roast duck; if you don't have money, you don't have roast duck. I will check your account in a while to see how much money is left."

"I also want to drink, preferably warmed."

"You have so many requirements." Chen Guanlou was especially disgusted. These young masters in prison, everything else is fine, they don't have as many thoughts as those old oily officials in the officialdom, but they are pretentious! One moment this, one moment that.

Besides Gao Shiliu, there was also a Zhang Wenfu.

Perhaps Zhang Yushi had passed the crisis, or perhaps Madam Zhang finally remembered her biological son in prison, and the Zhang family sent another sum of money.

Zhang Wenfu finally enjoyed the wind-blowing he dreamed of.

The backyard that was specially cleared for the Grand Tutor to blow the wind was now used for waste. Consequently, the imprisoned officials had one more choice for wind-blowing, it was just that the price was a bit expensive.

Those with money didn't care; one hundred taels for one wind-blowing, one hour at a time, comparable to robbery. But being able to bask in the sun, blow the wind, see the blue sky and white clouds, and drink tea and eat snacks, one hundred taels was worth it.

After Zhang Wenfu enjoyed the wind-blowing, his whole mental state improved visibly, and his stomach problems also improved significantly.

Passing by Xie Changling's cell.

The other party asked him, "Can the price of wind-blowing be discounted?"

Chen Guanlou turned his head to look at the other party, "Lord Xie also wants to blow the wind?"

"Find a windy day, I want to go out and blow the wind."

"It's very hot outside now, it's cooler in the prison. And the price of wind-blowing is not cheap."

"Is there a discount or not?" Xie Changling was impatient with the nagging.

Chen Guanlou chuckled, "No discount. The Jia-sized prison is treated equally. Unless you are a Grand Tutor or a grandson of a prince, that's another treatment. However, we provide free tea and snacks."

"Tea dregs?" Xie Changling asked with slight disgust. Although it was a question, the tone was affirmative.

Chen Guanlou had a righteous look, "It's not bad to have free tea to drink, don't be picky. Moreover, the Heavenly Prison is poor! You always say that we prison guards are greedy, little do you know that ninety-nine percent of the money we collect has to be handed over. We do disgusting things, take a little bit of scattered money, and bear all the infamy; alas, it's difficult. If Lord Xie is willing to show understanding, don't mention the discount again in the future. Talking about money hurts feelings."

"How about talking about feelings?"

"Talking about feelings hurts money." Chen Guanlou said sternly, "In business, talk about business. Lord Xie, you don't lack this bit of money, why be petty like a market merchant."

"My money didn't come from a strong wind either." Xie Changling said very depressed, "You think I have a lot of money. The little family property I saved over the years has all gone into your prison guards' pockets. Must be calculating."

Chen Guanlou sneered, "Lord Xie is really good at fooling people. You don't have much money, but your Xie family has money! Who doesn't know that your Xie family is one of the top wealthy families in the local area, entrenched for over a hundred years, and the wealth is so large that it is staggering."

"Who are you listening to talk nonsense." Xie Changling's face sank, "Our Xie clan is a family of farming and reading. There are some businesses under our name, but they are all inconspicuous little businesses. The main income still depends on farming.

Prison Clerk Chen is a person from the capital, hasn't farmed, perhaps doesn't know that the income from farming is not only limited, but also depends entirely on God's face to eat. Drought, floods, insect disasters, bird pests, all reduce production that year.

And grain cannot be sold at will, it must be saved. You tell me, how much money can there be. One hundred taels is enough to buy several acres of high-quality irrigated fields in the countryside. Irrigated fields, in the countryside, nothing can be more valuable than irrigated fields. Do you understand the deep meaning of this?"

Chen Guanlou smiled and lowered his head, a mockery flashed in his eyes, "I don't understand! I only know that Lord Xie's ability to avoid the important and focus on the trivial is breathtaking. If you think we prison guards are all people without knowledge, then you have miscalculated. Heavenly Prison guards don't understand reading, don't understand big principles, but they understand best how to inquire about news and inquire about the family background of you imprisoned officials. Your Xie family's business has already reached the capital, and you tell me about farming and reading, tell me that making money is difficult and there is no money; who are you fooling? Lord Xie, having been together for so long, it's not very good for you to fool people like this." ===== CHAPTER 364 =====