Chapter 523: Is It Too Much for Me to Take Two Shares of Pay?

"Very well, I'll grant Prison Jailer Chen a favor; there's no need to feed Jiang Tu to the dogs today."

Eunuch Tao was equally decisive.

He wouldn't grant face to the Heavenly Prison jailer, but he must grant face to a martial arts expert. Although Chen Chen Guanlou hadn't put on airs of a martial arts expert, others couldn't pretend to ignore it. If they truly did that, it would be spurning a favor.

Besides, he had already provided ample convenience regarding official matters, making all preparations in advance. He even thoughtfully prepared fresh clothes for the two craftsmen tasked with whipping the corpse.

This consideration must be appreciated.

"Thank you, Eunuch Tao!" Chen Chen Guanlou bowed his hands, treating it as gratitude.

Eunuch Tao slowly rose; he intended to leave, saying as he did so, "Next time I leave the palace, if Prison Jailer Chen doesn't mind, let's drink together."

"Great!"

"Then it's settled."

Eunuch Tao waved his hand and quickly departed with his subordinates, leaving the cleanup to the Heavenly Prison.

Once they left, every Heavenly Prison guard relaxed.

"It has to be Prison Jailer Chen; even people from the palace have to sell face. If it were us, we'd just be a bunch of slave seedlings, at the mercy of those rootless eunuchs."

Lu Lu Da Tou stood up first to show support.

But the second half was particularly unpleasant; what did he mean by "slave seedlings"? You're the slave seedling, your whole family is.

Prison Jailer Zhang generously gave Chen Chen Guanlou a thumbs-up. "Even with that scoundrel Jiang Tu, you were willing to treat everyone equally and not let him be fed to the dogs. I respect you! I have no objection to you becoming the Prison Deputy."

Chen Chen Guanlou smiled modestly. "Do not mention the Prison Deputy matter again; it's all rumor. Everything follows the instructions from above."

"Stop being humble; the Prison Deputy position is definitely yours. Without hearing the wind, people wouldn't spread it. It must be that the Ministry of Justice reported your name, which is why it spread. But why acting? Is there a difference?"

"The difference lies in the fact that one can resign at any time."

"Unnecessary." Prison Jailer Zhang was disdainful.

Chen Chen Guanlou smiled; he wasn't disdainful at all. "I can still continue serving as the jailer of the Type-A Large and Small Prisons."

"Are you saying you occupy two positions alone?" Prison Jailer Zhang was jealous.

Chen Chen Guanlou waved his hand. "I was just making a metaphor; I didn't say I would definitely serve as Prison Deputy."

Prison Jailer Zhang didn't listen at all; jealousy distorted his face. "To actually hold two positions, occupying two radish pits. Doesn't that mean you can take two shares of money? The position of jailer of the Type-A Large and Small Prisons has already made you rich. Holding the Prison Deputy post, you want to take another share. That's too much. Whose connections did you walk through to do this?"

Because of jealousy, Prison Jailer Zhang forgot the rules of the official world in his excitement and directly asked about Chen Chen Guanlou's official connections.

"Even Hou Fu couldn't do this!"

"Frustrated and angry" was insufficient to describe his current mood.

Chen Chen Guanlou coughed lightly. "You are dissatisfied?"

"Whether it's the jailer or the Prison Deputy, I respect both. But if one person occupies two positions and takes two shares of money, on what grounds should I respect it?" Prison Jailer Zhang didn't hide it, directly voicing his inner thoughts.

"I believe there are many people who think like me."

Chen Chen Guanlou hummed in agreement, affirming the other's statement; surely many people were muttering in their hearts, feeling dissatisfied internally. Why should one person occupy two positions?

The positions in the Heavenly Prison, excluding the guards, were all radish pits. They said one radish per pit; why could the radish surnamed Chen occupy two pits?

"The reason you are aggrieved isn't because I occupy two pits, but because I take two shares of money, right?"

"You know it well!" Prison Jailer Zhang was too angry in his heart at this moment, so his attitude naturally wasn't good.

Chen Chen Guanlou chuckled lightly. "But your thoughts are simply unimportant; no one cares."

Prison Jailer Zhang broke down on the spot, his face turning iron-green.

Chen Chen Guanlou continued to provoke the other. "I came to the Heavenly Prison to break the rules and establish new regulations. Before me, there was no squad leader as young as I am. After I arrived, there was. Before me, the Type-A Large and Small Prisons had never had two jailers managing the prison simultaneously, and then I broke that rule.

Now, if I break a rule again, what does it matter? As long as later successors have the ability, they can take me as a model, imitate me, and occupy two positions. Of course, if the ability isn't there and they get dragged down, losing the rice and the pot, that's no one else's fault."

"You don't feel ashamed..."

"Why should I feel ashamed? What I gained through ability, I'm too busy to show off. Prison Jailer Zhang, today you were too excited; your words and conduct were somewhat inappropriate. I'll pretend it never happened. Go back and calm down, ponder carefully, and think about the benefits after I take office; I believe you will change your mind. I can increase the income of the Type-A Large and Small Prisons; there's no reason I can't drive the Type-B Large and Small Prisons and the Type-C Large and Small Prisons along with it."

"You..."

"Don't forget, as long as I am here, no one dares to run wild in the Heavenly Prison. Compared to the previous few Prison Deputies, putting money aside for now, at least I can handle matters better than them."

Chen Chen Guanlou repeatedly interrupted Prison Jailer Zhang's words; by the end of the confrontation, the other had nothing left to say.

Because he was speaking solid, practical truths.

Handling matters, no one could handle them better than him.

Making money, he had a complete set of plans.

The Heavenly Prison is actually a natural treasure trove; it's just that most of the guards are illiterate, their eyes fixed only on the lower three paths, their minds filled only with money and gambling, never thinking about how to make long-term plans or how to let the stream flow steadily, all harboring the thought of making a fortune with one scoop.

Of course, the guards thinking this way isn't entirely wrong.

The prison is iron-clad; the prisoners are flowing water.

Actually, running a prison is much like running a school. One must use the mindset of running a school, a commercial mindset, to think about certain things. Of course, a prison is still a prison; it can't be fully commercialized. Just borrowing a little from that can achieve overall improvement.

At least first change the environment of the neighboring Type-B Large and Small Prisons and Type-C Large and Small Prisons. Seeing as summer is arriving, it has also become the peak season for death. Improving the environment is actually for the guards' own physical well-being.

Prison Jailer Zhang's nostrils flared slightly; he couldn't speak.

Chen Chen Guanlou looked up at the sky. "I currently don't bear the name of Prison Deputy, yet I do the work of a Prison Deputy, but I only receive the jailer's pay; don't you feel guilty?

Today, Eunuch Tao and others gave the Heavenly Prison a hard time; if I hadn't stepped forward, all of you would have been humiliated. Don't think this is just a matter for the Type-A Large and Small Prisons. The Type-B Large and Small Prisons detain criminals connected to imperial relatives, nobles, and powerful families. Today, if someone from the palace comes casually, the entire Heavenly Prison is humiliated; tomorrow, if a manager from a noble family comes casually, the entire Type-B Large and Small Prisons will be humiliated!

You, Prison Jailer Zhang, have a soft spine; I ask you, how many times can you endure? With me standing up for you, I ask you, how many wealthy family managers dare to run wild before me? Before running wild, you might as well ask if your necks are stiff enough?

Comparing families, how many families in Jingcheng can compare to the Chen family? As for wealthy families from outside the capital, no matter how wealthy, their roots are not in Jingcheng. In this place called Jingcheng, when the Chen of Marquis Pingjiang is mentioned, who doesn't give a little face? Relying on this little face, I shield everyone in the Heavenly Prison from wind and rain; is taking an extra share of money too much?"