Chapter 438: Going crazy and seeking death

The old Emperor kicked Jiang Tu a few more times to vent his anger.

Finally, he sat on the steps, exhausted.

Qiu Defu hurried forward, laid down a cushion, and ensured it was warm. He also brought a hot towel with just the right temperature to apply to the old Emperor's face.

The old Emperor enjoyed it comfortably, and his anger dissipated quite a bit.

"You waste, you can only continue to serve in the Ministry of Works. The Ministry of Revenue is not suitable for you. I also don't want to be reviled by the world. This entire year has been messy; it's the end of the year, so let's seek some stability. You go and order the Prince of Loyalty to go back and not enter the palace recently. I am annoyed; let the refining of pills be left to the people below to busy themselves with."

Qiu Defu received the order and hurriedly sent someone to notify the Prince of Loyalty, so as not to delay.

As for Jiang Tu, he continued to kneel on the ground.

"As for you, you are unlearned and unskilled, only knowing how to eat, drink, and play, flattering the superior and bullying the inferior. Letting you get along well with Chen Guanfu, it seems you didn't listen to a single word."

Jiang Tu immediately felt wronged. "Chen Guanfu is truly too difficult to approach. The humble official probed several times, but the other party refused to take the bait. The humble official is incompetent; please, Your Majesty, punish me."

"That's because you didn't use the right method. Forget it, this matter is also difficult for you. You haven't dealt with this bunch of meritorious nobles and don't know how to start; it's understandable."

By the end, the old Emperor was gritting his teeth.

Clearly deeply hating the meritorious nobles who banded together.

Changing his mind, he said, "The Zhu family is a bit out of line; tell the Embroidered Uniform Guard to keep a close eye on them. Go call Xiao Jincheng here; I have something to order him."

To deal with meritorious nobles, one still has to start from within the meritorious nobles.

Relying on this unlearned and unskilled fellow Jiang Tu, there was no effect. A waste.

Since this path is blocked, let the Embroidered Uniform Guard come forward.

"After the New Year, it will be early spring; order it down, restore the curfew in the capital, and strictly investigate lawless elements. Ensure the smooth progress of next year's Heaven-Worship Ceremony."

A capital without a curfew is prosperous, lively, and free.

Without any warning, the curfew was suddenly restored; everyone in the capital, even ordinary people, couldn't help but guess, could it be that something happened again?

For a time, everyone was in a panic.

Chen Guanfu was painting in the study, cultivating his character.

The Grand Steward bowed slightly, serving on the side, and reported the situation: "Jiang Tu went to Taiji Palace and was scolded by His Majesty for handling the errand poorly, and he was also beaten."

"Jiang Tu is a sycophant; when the old Emperor is happy, he is a favored minister. When the old Emperor is unhappy, he is a punching bag. This matter is not strange."

"The old Emperor is dissatisfied with Jiang Tu, it seems because of the Heir."

Chen Guanfu laughed. "When he was in the Ministry of Works, Jiang Tu contacted this Heir several times. How could this Heir give him face."

"Jiang Tu handled the errand poorly, and the old Emperor intends to activate the Embroidered Uniform Guard. What should be done?"

"Cooperate for now, let the old Emperor be happy for a few days; it is temporarily inappropriate to go against him." Chen Guanfu said in a cold voice. "Wait, wait until early spring next year, and it will be clear."

Jiang Tu suffered grievances in Taiji Palace, returned to his mansion, and called several lackeys to beat them up, venting his anger.

"Chen Guanfu doesn't give me face, causing me to lose face before His Majesty; this matter cannot be let go. Someone, arrange a group of people to go outside the city. Specifically watch the Marquis's Mansion's manor; burn what should be burned, and rob what should be robbed."

"My lord, aren't you afraid of offending the Marquis's Mansion by doing this?"

"What is there to fear! His Majesty is supporting me. If I do nothing, I will have to be beaten again next time I enter the palace. I must do something, preferably something grand, known to the entire court, so that His Majesty's anger might dissipate. Start with the Marquis's Mansion's farmland manor, and next will be the Marquis's Mansion's shops. In short, investigate all the Marquis's Mansion's industries outside clearly; rob them if you should, don't be polite."

"What if it causes loss of life..."

"I am just worried about no lives to fill. Killing a few people is just right! But do it secretly; killing also requires methods, understand?"

"Since we want to kill, killing the manor tenants is not as good as killing the Chen clansmen."

"Good! Very good! Go find a few martial arts experts and kill them fiercely for me. I want to see how long Chen Guanfu can be arrogant."

"The small one will go right now."

This bunch of rascals, the things they love to do most and are best at, are burning, killing, and looting.

They were restrained before.

This time Jiang Tu gave the order, and they were ordered to burn, kill, and loot; it couldn't be more refreshing.

The first to suffer was the Marquis's Mansion's farmland manor in the suburbs of the capital, a top-tier manor, mostly paddy fields, producing considerable output every year, and also having a stable water source, which is especially important.

That night, a group of people covered their faces and threw torches into the manor.

The manor tenants were awakened; the fire was too big, and they couldn't extinguish it at all, so they could only try their best to escape.

By dawn, the manor was destroyed, and several people died at the same time. Those who survived were all gray-faced, with lingering fear. This was a naked, undisguised artificial murder.

Someone is challenging the authority of the Marquis's Mansion.

The news was reported to the Marquis's Mansion, and the Grand Steward was furious on the spot. On one hand, he sent people to the manor to handle the aftermath and investigate the situation, and on the other hand, he reported to Chen Guanfu.

Chen Guanfu:...

After a moment of silence, he ordered: "Send people to watch Jiang Tu's mansion."

"The Heir's meaning is that this matter was done by Jiang Tu."

"Except for him, there won't be a second person in the entire capital who dares to challenge the Marquis's Mansion. He is the old Emperor's mad dog; if the old Emperor goes crazy, and he, as a mad dog, doesn't go crazy along with him, he will die. Additionally, take my token, mobilize people, and guard the other manors. If you encounter suspicious personnel, kill without mercy! All of Jiang Tu's famous lackeys, chop off ten or eight first, and throw their heads onto Jiang Tu's bed, let him know what's good for him. A street hoodlum, only rich for a few days, dares to challenge the Marquis's Mansion; truly ignorant of the height of heaven and the depth of earth."

Chen Guanfu's tone was flat, yet every word he said was full of slaughter and blood.

"Notify the other mansions; this Heir wants to encircle and suppress Jiang Tu, ask them if they follow. If they don't follow, don't blame this Heir for being heartless later."

The Grand Steward opened his mouth, but in the end, he said nothing, only lowering his head and saying "Nuo!"

The Marquis's Mansion, to outsiders, only saw the wealth.

They never knew that the reason the Marquis's Mansion had been wealthy for a hundred years was its hidden power, a power that could not be ignored.

When this power was fully unleashed, the entire capital instantly felt an aura of slaughter.

"Jiang Tu is bold and ignorant, purely looking for death."

"Even the Emperor doesn't dare to easily move that bunch of meritorious nobles; Jiang Tu is so bold, actually... in such a hurry to seek death."

"It would be good if Jiang Tu died."

"Jiang Tu probably won't die. Chen Guanfu should leave him a life."

"Jiang Tu won't die, but the people around Jiang Tu probably won't live."

"Is Jiang Tu crazy?"

Jiang Tu is not crazy!

He is calmer than ever.

Precisely because he is calm, he has to go crazy. Between death and madness, he chose madness. Because the old Emperor wants him to go crazy. If he doesn't go crazy, the old Emperor will go crazy.

When he lifted the gauze curtain and looked at the heads neatly arranged on the bed, his eyelids twitched. He was only one step away from truly going crazy. ===== CHAPTER 439 =====