Chapter 524: Judge Today's People and Matters with a Developmental Outlook

"Not too much, not too much! Not at all too much!"

Xu Xu Fugui, that old fox, had timed it perfectly and rushed out to smooth things over.

Chen Chen Guanlou's whole back-and-forth with Jailer Zhang was heard by everyone present. In fact, from the very start, Chen Chen Guanlou had deliberately spoken for all the jailers to hear, letting everyone know about this matter—why he could occupy two posts and take two salaries.

Simply because he did two jobs, and did both well, and could shoulder everyone's burdens and shield them from the storm.

The capable do more work—shouldn't those who work more get a bigger share of the spoils? Otherwise, why bother doing more? It's not like he's a model worker, not like he was born with a holy body for enduring hardship.

"Jailer Zhang, Lord Chen doing two jobs and taking two shares is only right and proper. Don't be so petty and jealous. You should think about the benefits in this instead.

Lord Chen is one of us. He climbed up step by step from being a jailer himself. He understands the hardships of us Heavenly Prison folk, unlike other Prison Wards who only know how to skim money. Handling a single document, they stall and delay until the corpse stinks and the person molds, and still the document isn't signed and sealed. Would you want a Prison Ward like that running things?

Besides, Lord Chen isn't the type to hoard power. The Yi Block prison and our Bing Block prison both give Lord Chen their full cooperation—nothing but benefit, no harm. Even if there's some short-term turbulence, the outcome is surely going to be good. Lord Chen, I'm not wrong, am I!"

Xu Xu Fugui wore a fawning, obsequious look on his face.

Chen Chen Guanlou hadn't even taken office yet, hadn't even received the official appointment document as Prison Ward—only some rumors—but Xu Xu Fugui had already adjusted his posture in time, corrected his attitude, and pulled out the whole routine of humbling himself and serving his superior to face Chen Chen Guanlou.

Even though Chen Chen Guanlou was the younger generation—old enough to be his son with room to spare—he didn't put on any airs of being an elder at all.

In the past, when they were all jailers together, Xu Xu Fugui still put on some manner, occasionally playing the elder and senior card, "offering guidance" to Chen Chen Guanlou.

Everyone had assumed that with Chen Chen Guanlou becoming Prison Ward, Xu Xu Fugui would be the most resentful, would surely jump out and cause trouble, spouting sour words. No one expected that Xu Xu Fugui not only didn't jump out, but instead adjusted his attitude in time—respectful as could be.

Instead it was Jailer Zhang, who had always supported Chen Chen Guanlou in the past, who was full of grievance. Ignoring the occasion, ignoring the timing, he began his interrogation right in front of all the jailers. If Chen Chen Guanlou had been even slightly weak today, if his response had been in any way improper, his authority would surely have suffered—and how could he then serve as Prison Ward and manage the Heavenly Prison?

People, indeed, are complicated creatures.

Human hearts are fickle, human hearts are hard to fathom.

One cannot judge today's people by yesterday's eyes. One must have a developmental outlook, and judge all people and matters accordingly.

Jailer Zhang suddenly turned his spearhead on Xu Xu Fugui. "You're licking his boots?"

Xu Xu Fugui frowned, both disgusted and displeased. "What's that about licking? Do you even know how to talk? This is communication—I'm reporting work to Lord Chen. Lord Chen, don't take Jailer Zhang seriously. He's been losing badly at gambling lately, and the woman he had his eye on ran off with some pretty boy, so—"

"Xu Xu Fugui, shut your stinking mouth."

Jailer Zhang, beside himself with rage, roared at Xu Xu Fugui.

Chen Chen Guanlou smiled knowingly. "So it's just some mishap in your personal life affecting Jailer Zhang's mood and judgment—I understand completely. It's nothing, nothing! Tomorrow I'll treat everyone to drinks, let's all cheer up. Money in hand, food to eat, women to serve you—what more could you want? Wouldn't you all say so?"

"Yes!"

"Lord Chen is generous!"

"Lord Chen is the real one of us."

"All of us jailers support Lord Chen!" Lu Lu Da Tou led the chant.

"Support Lord Chen!"

"Support Lord Chen!"

Chen Chen Guanlou smiled, and without showing anything on his face, patted Lu Lu Da Tou on the shoulder.

Lu Lu Da Tou took the hint. He would definitely keep watch over all the jailers for Brother Chen—who was dissatisfied with Brother Chen, who truly supported Brother Chen—he would note them all down one by one in his little book.

Brother Chen had "lent" him so much money, and he hadn't paid back a single coin. This kindness was higher than the heavens, deeper than the sea.

Chen Chen Guanlou: …

Did he ever say anything about not paying it back? Did he? Did he?

The matter was temporarily settled. Now it remained to be seen whether Jailer Zhang could think it through on his own.

He wondered whether he should prod Sun Sun Daoning to hurry up and issue his appointment document, to announce it to all the Heavenly Prison jailers. Otherwise, some idiot would keep jumping around, refusing to submit to his authority.

He asked Xiao Jin, "Where are the Jiang family people?"

Xiao Jin pointed at the corner. "There!"

"Bring them over."

A moment later, Jiang Fu's Liu Liu Guanshi was brought before him.

Chen Chen Guanlou asked him, "Did you bring the money?"

The Liu Liu Guanshi nodded repeatedly, took out his purse—inside was exactly ten taels of silver, no more, no less.

"Give the money to the body-stitcher. Hand it over yourself, and say something nice. The body-stitcher, for the sake of the money, will stitch Jiang Tu up more neatly for you. Help gather the pieces, don't miss any part, so we have a complete corpse."

The Liu Liu Guanshi was stunned, and held out the money. "Lord Chen isn't taking any?"

"What would I want with your measly money for?"

"A labor fee?" The Liu Liu Guanshi was muddled—he didn't even know how he'd become a Liu Liu Guanshi. Presumably the Jiang family had no one else left, so they'd reluctantly sent this fellow to run errands.

"The labor fee is for the body-stitcher, understand? The body-stitcher normally only stitches up beheaded corpses, or corpses that have been mauled by wild beasts out in the wild. A case like your master Jiang Tu—being whipped after death—might not come along once in several years. The workload is several times the usual. If you don't pay enough of a labor fee, why would he stitch the body for you? Why would he stitch it up neatly? Go on, go on, don't delay. While it's still early, hurry up and gather the body, stitch it up. Aim to have it done today, or by tomorrow morning at the latest—transport the corpse away for burial, don't leave it in the Heavenly Prison."

The Liu Liu Guanshi was led off by a jailer to get busy.

Chen Chen Guanlou flared his nostrils. "Still stinks. Xiao Jin, find Qian Xu Fugui and get some money from him, get some deodorizing and fragrance stuff, and fumigate the Heavenly Prison inside and out. After all these precautions, the smell still can't be blocked. The palace folk really are a fussy bunch—why on earth did they have to whip the corpse?"

Xiao Jin agreed readily, and said with a smile, "Your precautions, my lord, actually worked very well. The two body-whippers from the palace both said we were very thorough. Laying straw mats on the ground solved quite a few problems. They even asked why we didn't nail straw mats to the walls."

"Oh, they're that easy to deal with? Did you nail them to the walls?"

"Nailed them! When the whipping was done, we just tossed the straw mats aside—cleanup was quick and easy, saved a lot of work. The change of clothes we prepared for the body-whippers—they were especially pleased with those too. The only regret was not having prepared incense. If we could have fumigated, it would have been even better."

Chen Chen Guanlou suddenly understood. "So even the palace body-whippers find this line of work inauspicious. Remember this—next time the palace sends anyone, no matter what for, incense must be prepared properly. The eunuchs in the palace are missing a certain part, so they can't clean themselves thoroughly, and they always carry a smell on them. Fumigate, and everyone's happy!"

"Yes, my lord."