Chapter 512: Rebel Against Him

The eunuchs from the palace wanted to take Grand Tutor away, but Chen Chen Guanlou didn't indulge them. He produced an official document and demanded they handle the transfer properly.

Even when Sun Sun Daoning stepped in to mediate, it was useless.

"I was the one who brought him back, and now you want to take him away with just a word, not even leaving behind any paperwork. If Grand Tutor has an accident tomorrow, you'll come looking for me again, or pin the blame on my head — that won't do. You must draw up documents, a written proof that you took Grand Tutor — the old gentleman — and that aside from his clouded mind, he is in good health, with no external injuries or ailments."

"Y-you-you, how can you be so stubborn? Learn to be flexible!" Sun Sun Daoning stamped his foot in anger.

Chen Chen Guanlou shot him a look. "Precisely because there are too many people who know how to be flexible, the yamen is piled high with bad debts, dead debts, rotten debts — a mess no one can untangle. Sign and seal, and you can take Grand Tutor. Otherwise, no one leaves this courtyard today."

"Fine, fine, I'll sign and seal, alright? Don't make things hard for the eunuchs — they're only carrying out orders." Sun Sun Daoning spoke up.

"My lord, are you certain these men can be trusted? Have you checked their identity tokens and confirmed they're people arranged by Your Majesty?"

"Nonsense. If they weren't arranged by Your Majesty, would I bring them to see Grand Tutor? Stop making trouble for me. Here, your document is signed."

Sun Sun Daoning was very impatient, and still had to apologize to the palace eunuchs on Chen Chen Guanlou's behalf.

The leading eunuch snorted coldly, his gaze sweeping over Chen Chen Guanlou with a damp, sinister glint. "Son of the Chen family, Chen Chen Guanlou, this one remembers you. You've got quite some nerve."

"You'd best forget me. One day if I'm in a bad mood, I might kill a man or two for fun — don't blame heaven or earth." Chen Chen Guanlou shot back without courtesy.

"How dare you threaten this one? What gall." The leading eunuch raised a crooked finger, pointing at him, raging impotently.

Chen Chen Guanlou narrowed his eyes slightly. "You'd better put that finger away. I hate being pointed at more than anything."

"Now, now, calm down, calm down, please don't get angry." Sun Sun Daoning saw the situation — a atmosphere where one wrong word meant bloodshed — and immediately grew tense. He stepped between them. "Give me some face, both of you. Don't take it to heart. Eunuchs, the palace is in a rush — why don't you leave first?"

With that, he also presented a stack of banknotes. At a glance, at least several hundred taels.

"Today I'll give Lord Sun some face. Keep your man in check. Next time he falls into this one's hands, it won't go so smoothly. Let's go!"

The eunuchs took Zhuang Grand Tutor and hurried away.

Chen Chen Guanlou snorted coldly and muttered, "What a bunch of trash!"

"What kind of thing are you! Where do you get that temper, daring to go against palace people? Palace folk are moody and care most about face. You've offended them — do you still want to make a living in Jingcheng?"

Sun Sun Daoning, furious beyond reason, let loose a torrent of abuse at Chen Chen Guanlou. He regretted not checking the almanac before leaving the house today — everything was inauspicious.

Chen Chen Guanlou crossed his arms, his face cold and impassive. "Even palace people must follow the rules. You all coddle palace people, but I don't. Next time you dare provoke me, don't blame me for turning hostile and disowning everyone."

"What do you want to do, rebel?!" Sun Sun Daoning raged.

"So what if I rebel against him?"

"Shut your mouth. My little ancestor, you must say no more." Sun Sun Daoning was stunned. Once he came back to his senses, he hurriedly told Chen Chen Guanlou to shut up and not talk nonsense.

"What's gotten into you? Such a terrible temper — who provoked you? You want to rebel? Don't you want your post anymore?"

After soothing the man, he pressed on with his questioning.

Chen Chen Guanlou wiped his face and laughed self-deprecatingly. "My lord, do you know what I saw on this trip out of the capital? How wretched, how absurd, what a human tragedy. Tell me, my lord — from what age does the court begin levying the poll tax?"

"The poll tax?" Sun Sun Daoning was taken aback. "By regulation, it should begin at fourteen. What does that have to do with you?"

"But from what I've seen and heard, everywhere the poll tax is levied from age six, regardless of gender. So much so that village after village has no children, no elders — only able-bodied men and women. Countless families, upon bearing a child, drown it whether boy or girl. So much so that in tiny villages, one infant spirit hall after another has appeared. Tell me, my lord — is this not a human tragedy!"

Sun Sun Daoning looked utterly shocked, then burst into cursing. "What nonsense are you spouting? How could the poll tax be levied from age six? That's plainly a scheme to wipe out households. How could the court do something so self-destructive?"

Chen Chen Guanlou laughed loudly in derision. "Has the court done few enough self-destructive things? What I say is what I saw with my own eyes. If you don't believe me, my lord, you may send people to investigate.

Just as you said, this is a scheme to wipe out households. On this round trip, I've been bottling up a bellyful of fury, yet I can't just kill people at will. Those eunuchs ran right into the barrel of my gun — the fact I didn't cut them down on the spot shows I've been very restrained.

You ask why my temper is so great, my lord — this is why. Once I find the time, I'll leave the capital and kill a few officials to show them. When that day comes, don't be alarmed, my lord. Worst case, I'll rebel against him."

Sun Sun Daoning gnashed his teeth, looking uncharacteristically furious.

He rebuked: "Shut your mouth. I will look into this matter. If it truly is as you say, I will certainly report to Your Majesty and beg His Majesty to issue an edict strictly forbidding this, and to thoroughly investigate the officials involved. From now on, stop talking about killing officials and rebelling. The world hasn't reached that point yet — this world can still be saved.

The late emperor passed away, and Your Majesty ascended the throne — this is precisely the time for all things to be renewed. There is hope in everything. Sigh… the times are hard. In short, this scheme to wipe out households must not be allowed to spread. This official will investigate this matter thoroughly."

Chen Chen Guanlou's face was cold; he clearly didn't have much faith in the other's integrity.

Sun Sun Daoning paid no heed to his attitude and went on: "If what you say is true, I suspect the late emperor privately ordered certain local officials to do this — to test the reaction, and also to grab wealth. The late emperor, during his reign, did plenty of absurd things, so court officials privately called him a foolish ruler, senile and muddled in his old age. But we must firmly believe Your Majesty would never do such a thing. Once Your Majesty learns of this, he will surely issue an edict to abolish it."

Chen Chen Guanlou was not so optimistic.

"You officials, when you're out of money, you squeeze the common folk. As if the common folk have mountains of gold and silver. Yet you turn a blind eye to the great households — you wouldn't dare lift a single finger against them. No wonder the common folk want to rebel. If they don't rebel, they can't survive."

"It can't be put that way. The common folk may be poor, but their numbers are vast — grains of sand make a tower, small amounts add up to much. The great households have money, but their numbers are few."

"Few they may be, but the resources they occupy are not few at all. If my lord wishes to leave a name in history, now is the opportunity. Why not raise your arm and rally a call, and set off a magnificent reform in court?"