Chapter 510: Grand Tutor's Senile Dementia

He secretly snuck into the Wang Fu of the Sea Chang King.

The Wang Fu was located in the center of Fucheng, covering a considerable area.

Night.

More than half the lamps inside the Wang Fu had already been extinguished.

Yet the three-courtyard residence along the central axis remained brightly lit.

The current Sea Chang King was not yet forty, in the prime of his life. At this moment he was living it up, drinking wine, listening to music, watching dancing girls perform.

He was accompanied by local officials and military officers from the government office, as well as local men of standing and the Wang Fu's guest ministers.

The scene was very lively.

The crowd talked of romance and poetry, chatted idly about court affairs, and when the new emperor's succession came up, inevitably exchanged a few grumbles and various conspiracy theories.

From start to finish, the Sea Chang King never joined the conversation, as if his interest was low.

Seeing nothing of note, Chen Chen Guanlou simply found an empty courtyard in the Wang Fu and settled in, raiding the kitchen for food whenever he got hungry.

After staying a few days and observing a few days, the Sea Chang King was just an ordinary man — average in ability, average in fertility. In the matter of bearing children, he relied on sheer numbers of women. The most fertile woman had only given birth to two. Many women hadn't borne even one child. Many young and beautiful women had never been pregnant.

Tsk tsk!

The Sea Chang King's health wasn't quite up to scratch!

As for the rules and policies of his fief, the Sea Chang King's main function was to listen to advice. Everything else was handled by the Wang Fu's subordinate officials — more precisely, by the Wang Fu's Chief Secretary, a fellow who actually got things done. If he could serve as an official in the localities, he might truly have the ability to bring prosperity to a region.

After experiencing a few days of Wang Fu life, Chen Chen Guanlou continued on to the imperial temporary palace.

The temporary palace was built at the edge of the mountains, with mountain spring water and hot springs channeled in — a fine place for rest and recuperation.

The eunuchs and palace maids in the temporary palace were all losers of the imperial palace's internal struggles, sent here after their defeat, never to rise again in their lifetime.

He moved freely through the temporary palace, concealing his form, observing carefully.

It wasn't until he heard a palace maid mention 'that madman' that he thought this trip might not have been in vain.

He seized a head palace maid and pressed her for the whereabouts of 'that madman.'

"Who is this madman you speak of? Where is he?"

"Who are you?"

"Speak, and live. Don't speak, and die. I'll give you the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea — think it through before you answer."

Chen Chen Guanlou hid in the darkness, creating an air of mystery.

The head palace maid was gentle and graceful in appearance, pretty and delicate, not stunningly beautiful, but giving one the sense she'd make a fine wife. She was young too, at most just past twenty.

Somehow or other, she'd ended up at the temporary palace, with no hope of advancement and not even any money. There was no 'master' here, so naturally no one gave tips, and no chance to earn extra. Every month she only had her regular stipend, and after bribing that bunch of old eunuchs, there were probably only a few copper coins left.

Year after year, no money saved, age advancing — sure enough, she'd been sent to the temporary palace, one of the worst fates short of being beaten to death.

The head palace maid clenched her teeth. "I'll talk, just don't kill me."

Chen Chen Guanlou smoothly produced a ingot of silver and set it on the table. "Tell the truth, and the silver is yours. Don't tell the truth, and you won't see tomorrow's sun."

The head palace maid stared at the silver before her, and sure enough, her eyes flickered with temptation. "I've never seen the madman, only helped deliver bedding once. The madman is locked up in the rear-mountain Zen courtyard. I heard from Little Dezi that he's crazy all day long, doesn't even remember who he is."

"How old is the madman?"

"He should be very old. A few days ago there was a late spring cold snap, and Eunuch Liang sent for a Physician to treat the madman."

"When was the madman locked into the rear-mountain Zen courtyard?"

"Seems like the year before last. I don't know the exact time. Everything was decided by Eunuch Liang. Eunuch Liang doesn't like ordering us palace maids around — he prefers to use those young eunuchs. Good sir, everything I've said is true. The palace maids at the temporary palace are mostly responsible for sweeping and cleaning. Other matters, we don't take part in, and we don't have the standing to take part."

"How do I get to the rear-mountain Zen courtyard?"

"Once you leave the temporary palace, head toward the rear mountain. You'll see a stone-slab path going up the mountain. Follow the path all the way up, round a bend, and you'll see the Zen courtyard. I heard people say there used to be an old Monk there. After the old Monk died, the Zen courtyard stood empty. It only had people in it again once the madman moved in."

The head palace maid was panting, nervous and uneasy.

She kept waiting for the good sir to question her further. After waiting nearly the time it takes to burn a stick of incense with no further questions, she finally dared to raise her head and look around.

"Good sir? Good sir?"

The head palace maid rose, flung open the window, and light streamed in. Where was there any good sir in the room? The good sir had long since gone.

But the silver was still on the table. And not just one ingot — there was also a banknote for fifty taels.

The head palace maid snatched up the silver and the banknote, looked around nervously to make sure no one was there, hid the money carefully, then hurried off.

Chen Chen Guanlou made his way toward the rear mountain, followed the stone-slab path, rounded a bend, and sure enough saw an austere Zen courtyard.

The Zen courtyard was being maintained — though simple, it was not dilapidated. The walls, corridor pillars, doors and windows clearly showed signs of repair within the past two years.

From the kitchen chimney, smoke curled upward — supper was being prepared.

Three or five young eunuchs gathered in the entrance hall, gambling.

An old eunuch with a physical disability swept the courtyard with a broom.

Pressing onward, passing through several moon gates, he finally reached the rear courtyard and saw 'that madman'!

It was Grand Tutor Zhuang!

"Grand Tutor, do you still remember me?"

Looking at the old, thin, utterly disheveled old man before him, Chen Chen Guanlou could not reconcile the Grand Tutor of old with the person in front of him.

"Who are you?"

Grand Tutor Zhuang raised his head, looking at him with some confusion.

Chen Chen Guanlou took out a handkerchief and wiped the drool from the corner of Grand Tutor Zhuang's mouth, and wiped his tangled beard.

"Doesn't Grand Tutor remember? I am Chen Chen Guanlou, Chen Chen Guanlou of Cell Block A in the Imperial Prison. When you were in the Imperial Prison, we chatted a few times. The Chen from Marquis Pingjiang."

"Marquis Pingjiang, ah, this old man remembers now. Marquis Pingjiang, Marquis Pingjiang, Marquis Pingjiang... eh, who are you? How did you get in here?"

Chen Chen Guanlou froze on the spot.

Senile dementia?!

Grand Tutor Zhuang had come down with senile dementia?

"Grand Tutor, do you still remember how you got here?"

"Ah, I remember now—you're the Xu family's Wei Wei Laosan, aren't you? You've grown so big. Does your old man beat you? This old man..."

"Grand Tutor, do you still remember your own name?"

"Name? My name! Right, what was your name again?"

"My name is Chen Chen Guanlou."

"Chen Chen Guanlou? Don't know him! This old man is going into the palace to lecture the Crown Prince—don't block the way. You students of the Jixia Academy, ignoring the law, every one of you deserves to die."

"The Crown Prince has already ascended the throne."

"Nonsense. The Crown Prince has only just reached his twentieth year, and Your Majesty is in the prime of life—don't try to drive a wedge between father and son. Who exactly are you, and why have you appeared before this old man? Guards! Guards! Seize this villain at once—he means the Crown Prince harm."