Chapter 431

Submit the report to the Ministry of Justice.

The Ministry of Justice dragged their feet, taking two full days before sending someone to the Tianlaomiao to verify the corpses' identities.

In just those two days, several more corpses had piled up in the morgue, stacked one atop another.

The Ministry's men found the morgue repulsive and refused to step inside; they merely assigned the coroners to count the bodies and confirm causes of death, then identify them.

Chen Guanlou also found the morgue unlucky and didn't show his face, leaving Wang Bantou to receive the Ministry officials.

After a small morning's hustle, they finally finished.

In the official office, he received the Ministry officials: "If there are no issues, we'll notify the families to come claim the bodies. Is that acceptable?"

He handed over the documents, waiting only for their signature and seal.

The Ministry official pinched his nose, as if he could still smell the morgue, and began marking the list. When he reached the names of those who died in the Jia-class cells, he suddenly froze.

"Jiang Fangxiu is dead?"

"Yes! He was an old prisoner, under our watch for years. His health failed—he didn't survive the winter."

"I can't mark this one," the Ministry official immediately dropped his brush. "I must report this to higher-ups and wait for their orders."

"Why can't you mark him?" Wang Bantou shouted. "The Ministry's coroners already checked—all died of cold. You know how freezing it was last night when the temperature dropped. It's normal for weak prisoners to freeze to death in the cells."

Jiang Fangxiu was under his jurisdiction; if the Ministry didn't mark him, part of his monthly bonus would be deducted. His whole family relied on him to bring home money for rice.

"In any case, I won't mark him," the Ministry official said firmly.

Wang Bantou flew into a rage. Chen Guanlou quickly held him back, telling him not to act rashly.

"Could you tell me why Jiang Fangxiu is special? Why can't he be marked?"

"Jiang Fangxiu's background is ordinary. But he's tied to someone influential. Without that person's approval, I dare not mark him. If I anger them, I'll be ruined."

Chen Guanlou raised an eyebrow, stepped forward, and draped his arm around the Ministry official's shoulder, leading him toward the side room. The official disliked his touch, recoiled in disgust, struggled twice—but couldn't break free—and was dragged inside.

Chen Guanlou kicked the door shut, blocking the view from outside.

"Care to tell me which influential person Jiang Fangxiu offended—even in death, they won't let him rest?" Chen Guanlou asked casually.

The Ministry official snorted, lifting his chin, his face brimming with arrogance and contempt.

It made him furious.

To be humiliated by a jailer, yet powerless to resist. Definitely a rough, brainless brute from the Tianlaomiao—only strength, no wit. When the chance comes, he'd make that Chen pay.

"These are matters you have no business knowing. Just remember: Jiang Fangxiu's corpse stays in the morgue. No one moves it without higher orders."

Chen Guanlou smiled.

Perhaps he'd been too lucky for too long, forgotten how troublesome petty officials could be—he found it amusing.

He stepped forward and patted the man's shoulder.

The man jumped up instantly. "What are you doing? I'm a Ministry official—you dare not act recklessly!"

"Recklessly? Never! I'm just being friendly. You're acting so strangely—do you have some ulterior motive toward me?"

"Nonsense! What motive could I possibly have toward you? Chen, I know your background. But this is the Tianlaomiao—it's the Ministry's domain. You don't get to monopolize power here."

"Which eye did you see me monopolizing power? You throw around false accusations so easily—must be second nature to you."

Chen Guanlou had originally planned to chat amicably, build rapport, then take the man out for a drink. But this fellow had acted like a startled, haughty fool—his posture was nauseating.

He instantly abandoned the idea of being friendly.

"What are you planning? Don't you dare!"

"If you ever fall into trouble and end up locked in the Tianlaomiao, given our friendship, rest assured—I'll instruct the jailers to treat you well."

"You're threatening me! You're threatening me! I tell you, even if you end up in prison, I'll never be locked up. Don't think you can intimidate me—I'm not afraid of your tricks."

Damn it!

Watching the official jump around in agitation, Chen Guanlou thought: this man clearly had paranoid delusions. How did he survive in officialdom with such volatile emotions? Hadn't someone killed him yet? Maybe he had a patron.

He must have a patron—that's why his nose was stuck in the sky.

Chen Guanlou opened the door with a swift motion. The official, like a scandalized woman, rushed out in haste.

Wang Bantou was baffled.

Chen Guanlou watched the man leave, then ordered: "Find Jiang Fangxiu's case file. Ask the old-timers. If you can't find anything, I'll go out and ask around myself."

Jiang Fangxiu's file was simple: immoral conduct, that was the only charge—locked in the Tianlaomiao for years without seeing daylight. Visitation records were nearly blank; no one had come to visit him in all these years, no gifts, no money. He was a marginal figure in the prison.

"Judging by the file alone, Jiang Fangxiu was just an ordinary convict—no background. Who could such a nobody have offended? He's dead, yet they won't let him be buried."

Chen Guanlou was deeply curious.

He asked every old prisoner in the cells—but got nothing. Such a marginal figure, ignored by all, naturally had no one digging into his hidden past.

"Alright, I'll have someone look into the Jiang family—they'll know who Jiang Fangxiu offended."

Chen Guanlou decisively assigned the inquiry to Lu Datou.

Since taking over the daily task of delivering mountain spring water, Lu Datou's wife no longer gave him cold shoulders, his children ate hot meals, and his household became unusually harmonious. He had pocket money now too; though his living standards hadn't improved, his emotional value was high—he was happy every day.

Upon receiving Chen Guanlou's order, he puffed out his chest and swore: "Brother Chen, leave it to me. If the Jiang family's still in Jingcheng, I'll find out what color their women's bellybands are."

"I didn't ask you about their women's bellybands. Just find out who Jiang Fangxiu offended, and what crime he committed back then. Nothing else."

"I'll do as you say, Brother. I'm off."

"Go ahead. If Xu Fugui asks, I'll explain things for you—I'll keep him from giving you trouble."

"I'm not afraid of Xu Fugui," Lu Datou smirked, holding up a tiny finger. "To Brother Chen, he's this."

Chen Guanlou laughed and kicked him. "No wonder Xu Fugui wants to beat you up. Get out!"