Chapter 436

After seeing Su Zishi off, Chen Guanlou was in a good mood and wanted to find someone to chat with.

As he wandered, he arrived at Xie Changling's prison cell.

"Your words are wrong, Master Xie. I think Su Zishi is quite easy to get along with—he even sent over a batch of cotton coats as compensation. Unlike some people, who won't part with a single coin, like a miserly rooster."

Xie Changling was drinking and eating meat.

He ate with refined manners.

The money Su Zishi sent was explicitly for Xie Changling's wine and meat.

Xie Changling wiped his hands directly on his robe hem, utterly uncouth. The conditions in the Tianlao made any pretense of refinement impossible.

"He's just good at pretending."

"You're just slandering him. I think you're jealous."

"Jealous of him? What's there to be jealous of? His whole family is dead, or he's become the Qingyang Princess's personal plaything." Xie Changling chuckled coldly, exuding arrogance. He never considered that the meat he ate and the wine he drank were paid for by Su Zishi.

"Master Xie, today I've learned you're truly a petty man. You just finished chatting with Su Zishi, enjoying his wine and meat, yet you speak ill of him behind his back. Tsk tsk…"

Chen Guanlou made a look of utter disgust, clearly repulsed.

Xie Changling chuckled coldly. "Do you know why he came to see me? I'll tell you and you'll be terrified. You've never seen his true face—I have. I know better than you what kind of man he is. When he first arrived at the Princess's mansion, many despised him. Do you know what happened? Those who tormented him, mocked him—all their graves now have grass taller than a man. Yet he became second only to the Princess herself. Is that what you call 'easy to get along with'? I never thought, Chen Jailor, you'd be so shallow."

Chen Guanlou raised an eyebrow. "Then tell me, what did he say to you?"

"I can't tell you." Xie Changling refused outright. "Even if I did, you'd regret hearing it. Some things are better left unknown. By the way, is the Great Ming Prince still alive?"

"Alive. He's doing fine."

"Good that he's alive."

"As long as he's alive, the Tianlao stays peaceful."

"So you mean Su Zishi came to talk to you about the Great Ming Prince?" Chen Guanlou ventured boldly.

Xie Changling shook his head repeatedly. "I didn't say that. Believe me—Su Zishi's appearance is highly deceptive. He's a master of performance, always currying favor. You're no match for him. Stay away from him in the future. But normally, you shouldn't have another chance to meet him anyway."

Chen Guanlou hummed twice, noncommittal.

Does it matter whether Su Zishi is pretending?

It doesn't matter at all.

If he can act his whole life, that's what's truly impressive.

Xie Changling is just jealous—some strange, twisted jealousy.

"Master Xie, I've realized you have a very small heart."

"Chen Jailor, if you can't speak properly, then don't speak." Xie Changling made it clear he didn't want to continue the conversation.

Chen Guanlou walked off cheerfully to visit the Great Ming Prince.

The Great Ming Prince saw him and became wildly excited, his eyes blazing.

Though Chen Guanlou was numb to it, he still felt intense discomfort—he truly wanted to crack open the Great Ming Prince's skull and see what kind of filth was inside.

"Chen Jailor, rebel! Rebellion is your true path—everything else is a dead end!"

"Get lost!"

The Great Ming Prince shuffled to the cell bars, gasping with every step, gripping them tightly. "Chen Jailor, have pity on me. I won't live much longer—I'll die by spring. Can you really be so cruel to a dying man?"

"Yes. I am a man without feeling."

"No feeling is good. Rebellion demands no feeling—you must be ruthless, climb over countless corpses. Chen Jailor, you were born for this. You've chosen the wrong path."

The Great Ming Prince lamented bitterly—what a perfect rebel seed he was, untouched by rebellion, already possessing the basic principles and plans. With a little cultivation, he'd be the chosen one of rebellion.

Why did he ever become a jailor?

A waste of talent!

He must save this lost lamb, rescue the people drowning in fire and water.

"Finished acting? You all are such good actors. If you're this good, why not go perform on stage? Great Ming Prince, you're the one who chose the wrong path. You should've taken the imperial exams, become an official—officialdom is where you belong."

The Great Ming Prince's face twisted in fury. "If I could become an official, would I be rebelling? Chen Jailor, you're stabbing me in the heart. If only my parents had saved me a little fortune, I'd have joined the yamen long ago. Back when I was young, I had a chance to become an official—but they demanded five taels of silver. I couldn't afford it."

Because of five taels of silver, I lost my chance to serve the court. But it doesn't matter—the court doesn't want me. So I'll dig up its roots. Now the entire north is in chaos. The old emperor thinks capturing me means everything's settled? Dream on! Guo Dachun is far more capable than I am—a border army veteran, born for war. I may not overturn the Daqian dynasty's tomb, but someone else will. You court dogs will all end up with your heads on the chopping block."

"That's why I told you to read more. Every dynasty needs the Tianlao, needs jailors. Even if tomorrow the dynasty changes, the Tianlao remains the Tianlao, jailors remain jailors. You're disappointed—we court dogs won't get our heads chopped off."

"Why?!" The Great Ming Prince gripped the bars so tightly his chest heaved, gasping for breath.

Chen Guanlou told him to calm down, not to rage, to breathe slowly—and eventually, the man recovered.

"Why won't you be the ones to get your heads chopped off?"

"Because we're lowly jailors. No emperor cares about us—but they all need us. When dynasties change, think how many people they'll throw into prison. The Tianlao must be full. Ha—that's when we'll get rich. Too bad, Great Ming Prince, you won't live to see it."

"So if I storm the capital and become emperor, you'll serve me, eat my food?"

"Wait until your next life," Chen Guanlou teased.

The Great Ming Prince laughed. "So you were almost going to serve me! Just barely missed it!"

"Was it 'just barely'?" Chen Guanlou stared at him, utterly incredulous.

The Great Ming Prince waved his hand. None of that mattered.

So it was just barely!

He muttered to himself.

"Chen Jailor, why not make up that small difference? Starting today, serve under my name, eat my food, inherit my rebellion."

Chen Guanlou gave him the middle finger. What a fantasy—trying to freeload on him? Go ahead and die.

"Great Ming Prince, can you think of something practical? Like what you want to eat today, tomorrow? Any last wishes before you die? Forget wishes—your wishes don't matter. Nobody cares."