Chapter 511: You Wouldn't Burn the Bridge After Crossing It, Would You?

Chen Chen Guanlou stayed at the Zen monastery for two days, confirming that Grand Tutor Zhuang had senile dementia and was not faking illness.

If he were faking, one could only say Grand Tutor Zhuang was no ordinary man — "hardship his heart, labor his sinews, starve his body" would not suffice to express one ten-thousandth of it.

He sent the news back to Jingcheng, awaiting Sun Sun Daojing's next instruction.

Sun Sun Daojing's instruction was a single sentence: "Bring the Grand Tutor back to Jingcheng at once and settle him in the Imperial Estate."

Chen Chen Guanlou received his orders and presented his identity and official documents before Eunuch Liang.

He had expected the man to make things difficult, but to his surprise the other party actually looked relieved.

"At last you've come. This one has been attending the Grand Tutor, his old self, every day with my heart in my throat. Now that the dust has settled, this one can also report back to those above."

"The late Emperor has passed — to whom do you report?" Chen Chen Guanlou asked casually.

"Naturally to the palace. Lord Chen, take the Grand Tutor away quickly. The Grand Tutor's illness can only be treated in Jingcheng. Don't be fooled by how lavish the temporary palace looks — for dozens of li around there's not a single decent physician. The Grand Tutor's condition is getting worse and worse."

"Was the Grand Tutor already ill when he first arrived?"

"Exactly! When he came, his mind was already muddled — every day he was all mixed up, couldn't even tell who he was. I've been praying every day for someone from Jingcheng to come. If something happened to the Grand Tutor, his old self, I wouldn't be able to answer for it."

"Was it the late Emperor who placed the Grand Tutor here?"

"That, this one doesn't know. This one is just a low-ranking little Liu Liu Guanshi — I only do as the palace instructs. As for who exactly placed the Grand Tutor in the temporary palace, you'd have to ask the senior eunuchs in the palace, or perhaps the people around Your Majesty."

That remark revealed rather a lot of information.

Could it be that the Grand Tutor's disappearance was not the late Emperor's doing?

Emperor Jian Shi had not yet been deposed at that time, but he had already fallen under the late Emperor's suspicion; his situation was extremely difficult — he would not have cut off his own arm.

Enough — this was none of his concern.

He was only responsible for finding the man, and bringing him back along the way.

Chen Chen Guanlou had Eunuch Liang prepare a carriage, and arranged two minor eunuchs to attend to the Grand Tutor's daily needs on the road. He didn't know how to look after people — he only knew how to sling someone over his shoulder and race along. The Grand Tutor's body certainly couldn't take that; they could only travel by carriage to Jingcheng.

Eunuch Liang agreed readily.

Two carriages were prepared, along with coachmen and minor eunuchs. When asked if he wanted palace maids to attend him, he found it troublesome and declined.

Eunuch Liang looked rather regretful. "The palace maids serving at the temporary palace are all pitifully stuck here. If you could take two of them back and mention it to the palace afterward, they might be able to leave the palace early. Even if they can't leave, they'd most likely be able to stay and serve in Jingcheng — better than serving at the temporary palace."

Hearing this, Chen Chen Guanlou still did not change his mind.

The road ahead was long and arduous; hurrying back to Jingcheng with palace maids in tow would be genuinely troublesome. He'd have to divide his attention to look after them.

He was in a rush to return to Jingcheng and lingered no longer. Once everything was ready, they set off.

He carried official documents on him, and ate and lodged at relay stations all along the way.

The common folk across the land were destitute; the court had no money, and the conditions at the relay stations were clearly on the decline. On the road he ran into several groups of officials returning to the capital to report on their duties, ordering dishes at the relay stations — order one, nothing; order two, nothing. What was there? Only some local specialties; even game had become scarce, and one had to count oneself lucky.

He remembered the last time he went south to escort prisoners — he also stayed at relay stations. Back then, the conditions were quite decent. The food was good, all sorts of game available.

Only a year had passed, and the relay stations had already reached the point of being barely sustainable.

The state of the realm had deteriorated far too quickly.

The old Emperor did not die unjustly.

If that old thing had kept living, this realm would have been further ruined. The worst off were still the common people.

There were many bandits and brigands on the road — every stretch was full of robberies. With Chen Chen Guanlou around, these small fry were nothing to fear. But, considering the Grand Tutor's old body's condition, they couldn't push on without stopping, so they could only go in fits and starts, stretching the journey out indefinitely.

When they passed through large cities, they had to find a physician to examine the Grand Tutor and prescribe medicine, delaying the trip once again.

By the time the party returned to Jingcheng, ten days had already passed.

Travel-worn all the way, Chen Chen Guanlou settled the Grand Tutor in the Imperial Estate as Sun Sun Daojing had instructed. He still could not leave — he had to see Sun Sun Daojing, hand the man over in person, complete the handover of this assignment, and only then depart.

Just anyone showing up and expecting to take the Grand Tutor away — impossible.

If something unexpected happened later and they started arguing, the matter would be impossible to sort out.

Therefore, from the very start, every possible mishap had to be prevented.

After waiting a day, Sun Sun Daojing hurried to the Imperial Estate.

Chen Chen Guanlou told him, "The Grand Tutor most likely has senile dementia. Go in and see for yourself. The details we'll discuss later."

Sun Sun Daojing nodded and hurried into the room to visit Grand Tutor Zhuang.

Chen Chen Guanlou stayed in the courtyard. He noticed that Sun Sun Daojing had also brought several men who were clearly eunuchs. Emperor Jian Shi's people?

Sun Sun Daojing seemed to be highly trusted by Emperor Jian Shi — even such a covert matter was entrusted to him.

After about half a shi-chen, Sun Sun Daojing walked out of the room with a Solemn expression, waved his hand, and the several eunuchs from the palace filed into the room together, shut the door — no telling what they were about to do.

Sun Sun Daojing let out a long sigh, deeply moved. "I truly didn't expect that the Grand Tutor, his old self, would actually… sigh… You've worked hard on this trip. Thanks to you, the Grand Tutor was able to return to the capital smoothly."

Chen Chen Guanlou gave a snort of laughter, mocking the man for his "protesting too much" act.

"I found the Grand Tutor at the temporary palace in the east. Such a living person, locked away in a temporary palace — I refuse to believe no one in the palace knew the situation. If His Majesty wanted to find the Grand Tutor, could the palace have shown no reaction? Yet it still required Lord Sun to step in, and Lord Sun in turn sought me out. Such a roundabout way — why?"

"You ask me, but who can I ask? Someone in the palace knowing the truth doesn't mean His Majesty knows too. His Majesty entrusting this matter to me is his trust in me. And I entrusting the task to you is likewise my trust in you. As for the inside story, neither of us should inquire — knowing too much does no good."

Chen Chen Guanlou gave two snorts.

"Fine, I won't pry into the inside story — I'll play the deaf and dumb fool. Where's my reward?"

"Jiang Tu isn't dead yet — what's your rush?" Sun Sun Daojing said, looking impatient.

Chen Chen Guanlou raised an eyebrow. "Lord Sun, you wouldn't be thinking of burning the bridge after crossing the river, would you?"

"Nonsense. You've dealt with me for so many years — He Ceng seen me go back on my word, break my promise? In officialdom, the single most important word is: trust! Honor your commitments, keep your word — only then can you last."

Yes, yes, yes — just keep your word.

"I'll trust Lord Sun this once. I've been away so many days, and Jiang Tu still isn't dead — you people are quite patient."

"In officialdom, without patience, one does not last. Take Jiang Tu, for example — ten years ago the court officials were already itching to drink his blood and eat his flesh. Because the late Emperor protected him, they endured for ten whole years. Only now, at last, there's a chance to settle the score from back then. Anyone with less patience would have been framed by Jiang Tu and thrown into prison long ago — the grass on his grave might already be waist-high. You, my boy, still have much to learn."