Chapter 403: What an Arrogant Scholar

The old Emperor wanted to manipulate the Marquis Prefecture; Chen Guanfu knew this clearly.

Therefore, when he was notified to enter the main hall to see the Emperor, he appeared extremely submissive and excited. An official who had been working away from home for a long time, suddenly seeing the imperial face, could not hide his excitement, and his voice trembled when he spoke. This was the greatest awe and submission to imperial power.

Clearly, the old Emperor was very satisfied with Chen Guanfu's performance, revealing a rare smile and saying a few words of encouragement, telling him to rest well and that he would arrange a position for him after some time.

Chen Guanfu kowtowed, thanking him for the imperial grace! He bowed and retreated.

The old Emperor said happily to Qiu Defu beside him, "Chen Guanfu is different from his father. After all, he is young, his hot blood hasn't cooled yet, and he still has a heart of sincerity toward the imperial court and me."

"The Chen family has received imperial grace for generations; if they don't know how to be grateful, they are not even as good as pigs or dogs."

"The Marquis of Pingjiang's mistake is being too smart. I don't need such smart people; I need people who are loyal and devoted. Chen Guanfu is not bad; he understands the word 'loyalty' better than his father."

"Is the Emperor planning to heavily use Chen Guanfu?"

"No rush! Wait and see."

The old Emperor was ultimately wary of the Marquis Prefecture and could not heavily use both father and son at the same time. He could first arrange a position with little real power for Chen Guanfu, pinning him to his seat so he couldn't move, managing and training him to grow into the person the old Emperor envisioned.

The old Emperor was adept at how to train people, calm and unafraid. A mature plan quickly formed in his mind. To what extent to use him, how often to suppress him. To summarize, it was to give a sweet date and then hit with a stick. After a few rounds, he could train the person into the desired shape.

Chen Guanlou received the invitation from the Marquis Prefecture and was a little surprised.

With the Marquis's heir returning to the mansion, the Marquis Prefecture was going to hold a grand banquet to entertain friends and relatives. The prominent noble families and aristocratic clans of the capital basically all received invitations.

This banquet was a signal of the Marquis's heir, Chen Guanfu, returning to the top social circle of the capital. It meant that in future social interactions, the representative of the Marquis Prefecture would no longer be the second branch, but the heir.

One cannot go to a banquet empty-handed; one must prepare a gift.

Chen Guanlou once again fell into the trouble of gift-giving.

If it were just an ordinary family or some elders of the same clan, gift-giving would be simple—just those few things: wine, meat, pastries, and cloth. If it were more valuable, add a few suitable medicinal herbs and a packet of silver. The gift would be both generous and decent.

However, giving gifts to the Marquis Prefecture, these standard gifts were clearly not presentable.

Even if he sent medicinal herbs, he would have to find a way to fleece the Marquis Prefecture for valuable ones; where would he get suitable ones to send to them? Ordinary herbs were not presentable, and cloth was not suitable.

Only antiques, calligraphy, and paintings remained, which must be treasures, and the price couldn't be too expensive. If it were too expensive, it wouldn't be gift-giving; that would be currying favor and seeking help.

This really stumped him.

This time, his eldest sister Chen Xiaolan couldn't help him; he had to find a way himself.

The gift budget was within five hundred taels; exceeding this amount wouldn't be appropriate, nor would it fit his status. To find treasures among antiques, calligraphy, and paintings within five hundred taels, he could only solve the problem by using the treasure trove of imprisoned officials in the Jia-grade prison.

He thought that gift-giving shouldn't be too vulgar; gold, silver, and jewelry were too vulgar. The Marquis Prefecture had been wealthy for generations, a family of officials and nobles, noble beyond words. They didn't care for these trinkets; they had seen too many.

The most suitable things were rare books of calligraphy and paintings.

The heir Chen Guanfu was also a reader, and it was said he read quite well. But because of his status, he didn't follow the imperial examination path, but went to the military camp to train early on.

Since he had the genes of a reader, he shouldn't reject gifts like rare books of calligraphy and paintings. The old Marquis loved collecting such items. Father and son might have inherited the same taste.

Early in the morning, he went down to the prison.

Freezing to death!

He didn't use Wu Gong to protect his body, naturally feeling the cold and heat.

In the middle of winter, the Heavenly Prison was like an ice cellar. In the cells, every prisoner was carrying bedding, shivering, relying on shaking to generate heat.

He went straight to Xie Changling's cell door.

As a former official of the Eastern Palace and a top scholar, he must have many good things in his hands.

"Did Lord Xie sleep well last night?"

Xie Changling was frozen blue, but fortunately, he was young and had a good body, so he could still hold on.

"How does Prison Clerk Chen have time today?"

"The Marquis's heir has returned to the mansion and is holding a banquet. I am surnamed Chen, so I also received an invitation. I'm pondering what gift to send. I thought Lord Xie is knowledgeable, so I wonder if you could advise me."

"The heir is from the military; just pick any sword, spear, or halberd."

"Lord Xie, you are being boring. Is the advice you give gift-giving? The Marquis's heir is not an ordinary military general; don't try to fool me with such nonsense."

Xie Changling raised his eyebrows. "Prison Clerk Chen knows a lot; since you know so much, why ask me?"

Chen Guanlou bared his teeth; these imprisoned officials were all like donkeys—if you don't whip them twice, they don't know what it means to stop.

"It's quite cold at night, isn't it? I can make Lord Xie even colder at night!" Chen Guanlou sneered. "Someone, bring a bucket of ice water and pour it on Lord Xie's bedding."

"Why must Prison Clerk Chen humiliate people like this?" Xie Changling seemed to finally realize his situation.

Chen Guanlou sneered coldly, "Is Lord Xie willing to talk properly now?"

"Perhaps I can advise you on what kind of gift you want," Xie Changling changed his face in a second, indeed able to talk properly.

The guard holding the ice water was still looking at Chen Guanlou, wondering whether to pour it or not.

Chen Guanlou waved his hand, telling the guard to get lost.

"Rare books of calligraphy and paintings—does Lord Xie have any teachings for me?" Chen Guanlou directly stated his request.

Xie Changling pondered for a while. "I have a calligraphy book by a famous master gifted to me by my mentor, which is a rare copy left by a court calligraphy and painting master of the previous dynasty. What does Prison Clerk Chen think?"

"That's too valuable."

"It's not valuable. I'll sell it to Prison Clerk Chen for two hundred taels; how about that?"

Chen Guanlou raised his eyebrows.

Since when were calligraphy books by famous masters of the previous dynasty as cheap as Chinese cabbage?

"Lord Xie doesn't have to do this. Just ordinary treasures will suffice."

"Since it's a gift for the Marquis Prefecture, naturally I must show enough sincerity. I originally wanted to recommend rare books, but rare books don't seem very appropriate. Famous calligraphy books can better reflect your sincerity, Prison Clerk Chen. You don't have to be polite with me; calligraphy books are truly a bit redundant for me.

Many years later, perhaps without waiting for me to grow old and die, my own calligraphy and paintings will also become famous works, one day becoming treasures. Even now, if I write a piece of calligraphy, there will be countless people fighting for it. Famous masters of the previous dynasty, nothing more than being born a few hundred years earlier and becoming famous a few hundred years earlier. My achievements will only be higher, not lower. So, a mere calligraphy book—I even think two hundred taels is expensive."

What a good, arrogant scholar.

Is this the arrogance and conceit of being a study god?

Being good at studying is really awesome! Bragging isn't called bragging; it's called stating facts.

Chen Guanlou had nothing to say, nothing to refute.

Could he say the top scholar's calligraphy wasn't good-looking and worthless? The readers wouldn't agree first.

Could he say Xie Changling was self-righteous, not yet out of the Heavenly Prison, but dreaming of being a prime minister and the number one official in the world? ===== CHAPTER 404 =====