Chapter 512

The eunuchs from the palace wanted to take the Grand Tutor away, but Chen Guanlou did not indulge them, taking out official documents and asking the other party to handle the handover.

Even Sun Daoning coming forward to mediate was useless.

"I am the one who found him, and now you want to take him away with one word, without even leaving a document. If the Grand Tutor has an accident tomorrow, you will come to me for him again, or blame me, that won't do. We must handle the paperwork, have written proof, proving that you took the Grand Tutor away, and that the old man, besides being mentally confused, is in good health with no external injuries or illnesses."

"You, you, you, why are you so stubborn. You must learn to be flexible!" Sun Daoning stomped his feet in anger.

Chen Guanlou rolled his eyes at him, "It is precisely because there are too many people who know how to be flexible that there are piles and piles of bad debts and dead accounts in the Yamen, and they can't be cleared up. Sign and seal, and you can take the Grand Tutor away. Otherwise, no one is leaving this courtyard today."

"Alright, alright, I'll sign and seal, is that okay? Don't make things difficult for the eunuchs, they are also acting on orders." Sun Daoning said.

"Is the Official sure these people can be trusted? Have you checked their identity tokens to confirm they are people arranged by His Majesty?"

"Nonsense, if they weren't people arranged by His Majesty, could I bring them to see the Grand Tutor. Stop causing me trouble. Take it, your document is signed."

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

The leading eunuch snorted coldly, his gaze sweeping over Chen Guanlou with a damp, sinister look, "Chen family son, Chen Guanlou, I have remembered you. You have quite a lot of guts."

"You had better forget me. If I'm unhappy one day and kill a person or two for fun, don't blame heaven or earth." Chen Guanlou retorted unceremoniously.

"You dare to threaten me, you have such big guts." The leading eunuch pointed his finger at him, raging in impotence.

Chen Guanlou narrowed his eyes slightly, "You had better put your finger away; I hate it most when someone points at me."

"Everyone calm down, calm down, don't get angry." Sun Daoning saw the situation, the atmosphere was such that they might kill each other if they disagreed, and he immediately became nervous. He blocked the middle, "Give me some face, don't get angry. Eunuchs, the palace is urging, why don't you leave first?"

After saying this, he also presented a stack of silver notes. By visual estimation, at least several hundred taels.

"I'll give Official Sun some face today. Keep your people in check. If you fall into my hands again next time, it won't be as easy to talk as today. Let's go!"

Several eunuchs took Grand Tutor Zhuang and left in a hurry.

Chen Guanlou snorted coldly and complained, "What a piece of work!"

"What are you! Where did you get such a temper, actually going against people from the palace. People in the palace have unpredictable temperaments and care most about face. You offended them, do you not want to mix in the capital anymore?"

Sun Daoning was furious and scolded Chen Guanlou. He regretted not checking the calendar before going out today; everything was unfavorable.

Chen Guanlou crossed his arms, looking cold and ruthless, "People in the palace also have to follow the rules. You indulge the people in the palace, but I don't. If you dare to provoke me again next time, don't blame me for turning against you."

"What do you want to do, rebel!" Sun Daoning was extremely angry.

"So what if I rebel."

"Shut your mouth. My little ancestor, don't say any more." Sun Daoning was shocked, and after coming to his senses, he hurriedly reminded Chen Guanlou to shut up and not talk nonsense.

"What is wrong with you, such a big temper, who provoked you? You even want to rebel, do you not want your job anymore?"

After calming him down, he continued to ask.

Chen Guanlou wiped his face and smiled self-deprecatingly, "Does the Official know, what I saw and heard on this trip out of the capital, how miserable, how absurd, what a human tragedy. May I ask the Official, from what age does the imperial court collect the poll tax?"

"Poll tax?" Sun Daoning was stunned for a moment, "According to the rules, it should be collected from the age of fourteen. What does this have to do with you."

"However, what I saw and heard, the poll tax in various places is collected from the age of six, regardless of gender. As a result, in one village after another, there are no children, no elderly, only young men and women. Countless families, when they give birth to children, drown them all regardless of gender. As a result, in small villages, one infant spirit hall after another has appeared. May I ask the Official, is this not a human tragedy!"

Sun Daoning was shocked, and then he cursed, "What nonsense are you talking about? How could the poll tax be collected from the age of six, this is clearly a plan to exterminate the household. How could the imperial court do something that digs its own grave."

Chen Guanlou sneered loudly, mocking, "Are there few things the imperial court has done that dig its own grave? What I said is all what I have seen with my own eyes. If the Official doesn't believe it, you can send someone to investigate.

Just as you said, this is a plan to exterminate the household. On this trip back and forth, I have been holding a belly full of anger, and I couldn't kill people at will. Those eunuchs ran into the muzzle of the gun; I didn't kill them on the spot, I have already been very patient.

The Official asked me why my temper is so big, this is the reason. When I have time, I will go out of the capital and kill a few officials to see; at that time, the Official should not panic. At worst, I'll rebel."

Sun Daoning gritted his teeth, looking extremely angry.

He scolded, "Shut your mouth. I will investigate the matter clearly. If it is really as you said, I will definitely report it to His Majesty and ask His Majesty to issue an edict to strictly prohibit this matter and strictly investigate the officials involved. Don't talk about killing officials and rebelling again; the world hasn't reached that point yet, this world can still be saved.

The Late Emperor has passed away, and His Majesty has ascended the throne; it is a time for everything to be renewed. Everything has hope. Sigh... the world is difficult, in short, this plan to exterminate the household must not be expanded. I will definitely investigate this matter strictly."

Chen Guanlou's expression was cold, and he didn't seem to believe in the other party's integrity.

Sun Daoning didn't care about his attitude at all, but continued, "If what you said is true, I guess the Late Emperor privately ordered some local officials to do this to test the reaction, and also to collect money. When the Late Emperor was in power, he did many absurd things, so the court officials privately called him a muddled emperor, old and muddled. But we must firmly believe that His Majesty will definitely not do this. Once His Majesty knows about this, he will definitely issue an edict to abolish it."

Chen Guanlou was not so optimistic.

"You officials, when you have no money, you exploit the common people. As if the common people have mountains of gold and silver. But you turn a blind eye to the big families, not daring to move a single finger of theirs. No wonder the people want to rebel; if they don't rebel, they can't live."

"You can't say it like that. The common people are poor, but their numbers are huge; gathering sand into a tower, gathering little into much. The big families have money, but their numbers are scarce."

"The numbers are scarce, but the resources they occupy are not small at all. If the Official wants to leave a name in history, now is the opportunity. Why not raise your arms and start a vigorous reform in the court."