Chapter 455: Thoughts are clear

"The Second Master is dissatisfied with the Heir's handling, disliking the Heir for meddling in other people's business. The Heir, however, retorted to his face, not giving the Second Master any face at all. The Heir is the younger generation, and the Second Master is the elder; in short, the first branch and the second branch have had friction. When I go to the Marquis's Mansion to serve, I don't even dare to breathe loudly."

Sister-in-law Chunxiang talked about the gossip of the Marquis's Mansion.

Chen Guanlou listened with relish; this is life. Compared to the life in the mountain villa, the capital is a place for people to stay; you can hear gossip without even going out.

Unlike in the mountain villa, within a radius of several miles, you can't find a neighbor, let alone gossip.

He felt comfortable!

Days should be lived like this.

Chen Xiaolan looked very worried, as if she was afraid that the first branch and the second branch of the Marquis's Mansion would turn against each other and make it known to everyone. "What should be done? The Second Master is an elder after all."

"But the Heir is the successor of the Marquis's Mansion and the clan son. Everyone in the Marquis's Mansion has to listen to the Heir." Sister-in-law Chunxiang could distinguish between high and low.

In a big family like the Marquis's Mansion, you can't just look at seniority. Seniority is sometimes very important, and sometimes not so important.

The rules set by scholars always have many loopholes to drill. Principles, after all, are all picked to be beneficial to oneself. Just like people saying that a small measure is not a gentleman, while also saying that there is no poison, no husband.

"The old lady didn't say anything?" Chen Guanlou was very curious.

Sister-in-law Chunxiang lowered her voice, afraid of being heard by outsiders, although no one was eavesdropping.

She whispered, "The old lady is definitely biased towards the second branch. But the Heir has big ideas, what is called one word is nine tripods. The Heir's decision is the final decision of the Marquis's Mansion. Even if the old lady comes forward, the Heir refuses to retreat even half a step. Besides using her status to suppress people, the old lady has no other better way.

The Heir said that the old lady was sick and needed quiet recuperation and should not be disturbed, isolating the second branch. The people who are useful in the Marquis's Mansion are basically people from the first branch. The people in the hands of the second branch are okay at handling general matters, but when they really encounter big things, they are not the opponents of the first branch at all. And the Heir also has personal guards in his hands; when the personal guards stand at the courtyard gate, the second branch doesn't even dare to approach."

In the face of absolute strength, all ghost tricks are futile.

Sure enough, the First Master is easier to get along with.

When the First Master was in the mansion, he basically didn't manage things, and the second branch lived very carefree.

The Heir and the First Master have completely different styles of handling things. Either they don't take action, or once they take action, it is thunderous, and no one can handle it.

Chen Guanlou clicked his tongue.

"Did the second branch just give up like that?"

"That's for sure. People have been sent away, so no matter how much anger there is, it has to be held back. Alas, this is bitter for us servants who serve. The atmosphere in the Marquis's Mansion is heavy, and we who serve have to be careful. Tomorrow I still have to go to the Marquis's Mansion to help; it's the end of the year, there are too many banquets, and the Marquis's Mansion will be busy until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month."

In noble families, there are many social engagements during festivals, and the number of servants required also doubles. The family-born children who don't have duties on weekdays are the best temporary workers. First, their identity is reassuring; second, they are quick-handed; third, they have a sense of propriety in doing things.

Every year, Sister-in-law Chunxiang relies on doing odd jobs for the Marquis's Mansion, and she can actually solve part of the family's expenses, with the couple working together to support several children.

"Do I still have to pay a New Year's visit this year?" Chen Xiaolan felt a bit uneasy.

"Just do your duty; the internal struggle of the Marquis's Mansion has nothing to do with us." Chen Guanlou comforted Chen Xiaolan and told her not to think too much.

After returning to the capital, Chen Guanlou didn't rush to return to the Heavenly Prison to serve.

He decided to continue his vacation until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

However, he invited several team leaders out and treated them to a top-grade banquet at Guanmei Tower, contacting feelings with everyone and talking about the gossip of the Heavenly Prison.

Afterwards, he invited several trusted subordinates separately.

During this period, he took time to quietly return to the Heavenly Prison to visit his old friend, the Great Ming Prince, and confirmed that the Great Ming Prince was still alive and living well.

He also met Physician Mu.

He was especially grateful to Physician Mu.

Because the Great Ming Prince had been poisoned several times in succession, and it was all thanks to Physician Mu's superb medical skills that he was saved.

Chen Guanlou was too lazy to investigate who was poisoning, and which two-five-boy had accepted benefits from outsiders to poison the Great Ming Prince. A sieve should have the self-awareness of a sieve.

Chen Guanlou used the excuse of treating guests to take Physician Mu to a painted boat, called the most beautiful and best-singing sister, and sprinkled a lot of silver, being served comfortably all night.

Physician Mu looked at him. "You don't look like someone who has just recovered from a serious injury."

"Not yet recovered, I still have internal injuries. If you don't believe me, take my pulse."

Physician Mu really reached out to take his pulse.

Changing the pulse condition was just a matter of familiarity for Chen Guanlou. He easily muddled through.

Physician Mu clicked his tongue twice. "With such a heavy injury, I don't know how you have the heart to come out and play. Aren't you afraid of being hollowed out?"

"Many thanks for your concern, Old Mu, it definitely won't be hollowed out. With my body, I won't die."

Physician Mu sneered twice. "You are famous now, is it appropriate to continue hiding in the Heavenly Prison?"

"There's nothing inappropriate. I am a simple person; I don't seek fame, only money. The Heavenly Prison is very suitable for me."

"Haven't you thought that you might bring danger to other prison guards?"

Chen Guanlou was rarely silent for a moment. "When that day really comes, I will handle it."

"I'm just afraid it will be too late."

"Old Mu, you just can't wait for me to leave the Heavenly Prison, right? Am I in your way?"

"You are not in my way, but what I said is also a fact, and it is also a universal rule of conduct. You are no longer an unknown pawn; on the contrary, you have caught the eyes of many people. In the dark, I don't know how many people are paying attention to you, wanting to figure out the secrets on you. Under normal circumstances, a person like you should be treated as an honored guest by big families, or enter a sect to be an elder or something, or sell your life to the imperial court."

"I am already selling my life to the imperial court."

"A government office like the Heavenly Prison doesn't need a master like you to sell your life; it's truly a waste of talent."

Physician Mu's words were not pleasant, but what he said was the truth, and it was also the universal rule of conduct.

The Marquis's Mansion not using Chen Guanlou and letting him mix in the Heavenly Prison is itself very abnormal. If it weren't for the Marquis's Mansion and considering Chen Guanlou's surname, someone would have come to win him over and extend an olive branch.

Precisely because everyone knows that Chen Guanlou is surnamed Chen, he definitely won't betray the Chen clan and won't be used by others. Therefore, everyone is just observing in the dark and not making contact.

In this day and age, there are many martial artists, but high-rank martial artists are an absolutely scarce resource. Once one comes out, they will be won over and circled into their own sphere of influence.

Like Chen Guanlou, who clearly has amazing strength but wanders on the street every day and serves in the Heavenly Prison, without any self-awareness of a high-rank martial artist, it is simply one in a million and extremely rare.

On weekdays, let alone eighth or ninth-rankers, even third or fourth-rank martial artists are rarely seen.

Chen Guanlou ate the wine and food, gave a soft laugh, and said: "In my opinion, the higher the strength, the more carefree. Not to mention doing whatever you want, at least serving normally, no one should come out to block it. If the strength is high, it's not as carefree as a pawn, hehe..." He poured a mouthful of wine and sneered, "At worst, just kill a round; once you kill enough, other people's thoughts will be clear." ===== CHAPTER 456 =====