Chapter 52: The Distinction Between Good and Evil

Chen Guanlou left the Fan residence quietly and, as usual, went on duty step by step.

Every day, he would patrol the Jia-character prison alone and pay extra attention to the situation in cell twenty-seven. The prisoner in cell twenty-seven was healthy, had no illness or disaster, and no one visited or interrogated him. Everything looked normal.

However, he observed that the prisoner in cell twenty-seven's mental state was becoming increasingly anxious.

When chatting with Master Jin, he casually mentioned Li Shaoqing of the Supreme Court, and Master Jin hurriedly reminded him: "Stay away from that man surnamed Li; he is a disaster. Be careful of getting stained and losing your life."

Chen Guanlou was curious. "So serious?"

"You offended Yu Zhaoan, which is nothing more than Yu Zhaoan possibly making things difficult for you or even wanting your life after he gets out in the future. If you get stained with the man surnamed Li, you might die quietly at home one day, and you won't even know why you died or who put you to death."

Chen Guanlou realized instantly.

Yu Zhaoan played with open cards. He was a stubborn and proud person who disdained using conspiracies and tricks; even when scolding the old Emperor, he did it to his face. If he wanted to kill someone, he would naturally do it himself, killing openly and honestly.

The matter involving Li Shaoqing played with dark cards, which were shady dealings. No one knew how many people were involved behind him and how many interest relationships were gambling. Once stained, any interest relationship could kill the meddlesome person, and it would be done quietly. Just like the prisoner in cell twenty-three who died, he was just killed because he was a weak chicken. How innocent.

"Thank you, Master Jin, for the reminder; I understand."

Master Jin was very satisfied to see him listen to his advice.

"Master Jin, there has been no news about your case; do you want me to help you find out?" Chen Guanlou intended to return the favor.

He was a principled person; Master Jin had cleared his confusion several times without causing him trouble. He wanted to return the favor; a small effort wouldn't take much work.

But he didn't expect Master Jin to refuse. "My case, I have already estimated it in my heart; you don't need to specifically find out."

"Can you get out?" Chen Guanlou asked with concern.

Master Jin didn't indicate, neither shaking nor nodding his head. He only said one sentence: "Everything is fate."

Listening to his tone, it didn't seem very optimistic.

Entering with a charge of corruption, spitting out the money should be able to save his life. Could it be that the money Master Jin embezzled wasn't spat out cleanly, or the money was spent and couldn't fill the hole?

Chen Guanlou was small and weak and couldn't help much, so he could only comfort the other party to think of everything in a good way.

But Master Jin sneered upon hearing this. "The old Emperor is fond of grandiosity, is vicious and ruthless, and now has the habit of being greedy for money. I dare to say that eight or nine out of ten people locked in the Heavenly Prison will not be able to get out. Unless it is like Yu Zhaoan, who not only has the Prince of Jin as a backing but also has the Jixia Academy coming forward to fish him out. Like us who have no deep background, after being locked up, either we die, or we are completely forgotten in the Heavenly Prison. How many years has the prisoner locked up the longest in the Heavenly Prison been locked up?"

Chen Guanlou knew this matter clearly.

The last few cells of the Jia-character prison held several old prisoners.

"The one locked up the longest must be nearly thirty years."

"Thirty years!" Master Jin sighed upon hearing this, feeling sad for his own kind, and couldn't help but seek justice for the prisoner who had been locked up for nearly thirty years. "How many thirty years can a person have? The best youthful years, the most beautiful time of life, were spent in a dark prison. It is sad, sigh-worthy, pitiful, and hateful!"

"If one didn't read books, if one didn't enter the officialdom, how would one suffer such a disaster? I am afraid that the family of that old brother has already forgotten him."

"Master Jin, don't worry; the family of that prisoner official still misses him and regularly sends clothes and silver."

Only with the support of family could one support thirty years of prison life.

Otherwise, one would either be crazy or dead.

"Trouble Chen Tou to send my greetings to that old brother. I would rather die than be locked up in prison for thirty years."

This was Master Jin's attitude toward life, which seemed very resolute. He really couldn't live a single day of life in this Heavenly Prison. Although the conditions here were like a vacation compared to the Bing-character prison, for the official masters who once held power, every moment was torment.

This bastard Yu Zhaoan saw Chen Guanlou patrolling the prison, and his gaze locked onto him instantly.

Chen Guanlou could only respond with a bitter smile. "Why must Master Yu bother with a tiny prison guard like me?"

"The world scolds me for being narrow-minded and vengeful. You must be careful."

"To avoid daily torment, I am right here now; Master Yu might as well finish me off directly, once and for all. Killing an ordinary person like me, for you, is nothing more than a flick of a finger."

Chen Guanlou stood generously in front of the cell door, looking like he was willing to be slaughtered, and even closed his eyes, waiting for the other party to do it.

Yu Zhaoan was furious and cursed angrily: "A tiny prison guard actually dares to plot against me; it is truly bold. You are certain I won't do anything to you, and even more so won't do anything in the Heavenly Prison, so you dare to act like this. Little thief, wait until I get out; I will definitely not spare you."

Chen Guanlou opened his eyes slowly, frowned slightly, and questioned: "Master Yu has always been like this, guessing others' intentions maliciously? In your eyes, could it be that everyone harbors evil intentions, everyone is plotting, and everyone is evil? In that case, you firmly believe that human nature is evil at birth."

"Humph! Could it be that human nature is good at birth?" Yu Zhaoan looked contemptuous and disdainful, his eyes scornful, as if he were laughing at Chen Guanlou's naivety.

Chen Guanlou chuckled; he had almost grasped Yu Zhaoan's pulse and knew what kind of temper this person had and how to deal with him.

He said righteously: "I think at birth, there is no good or evil. Have you seen a newborn baby? Teach him good, and he is good. Teach him evil, and he is evil. If no one teaches him, the child will follow the animal's instinct. Instinct is survival; as long as a thing is beneficial to survival, then do it, regardless of good or evil."

Yu Zhaoan was clearly stunned.

Obviously, this was the first time he had heard a similar point of view, which seemed very novel and seemed to make a lot of sense.

He frowned and walked around the cell restlessly twice. "How can there be no distinction between good and evil in people?"

Chen Guanlou laughed secretly in his heart. Throwing out a philosophical question could indeed fish for Master Yu.

He continued: "Could it be that you knew the distinction between good and evil without a teacher since you were a child? Isn't it because your parents and teachers taught you that you understood the distinction between good and evil? If you have the opportunity to go to remote places in the mountains, there are no teachers, no education, and the children there lack guidance. If you observe carefully, you will find that the children there do things entirely by survival instinct. In such places, where is there any good or evil?" ===== CHAPTER 53 =====