Chapter 541: Actually Thicker Than This Official's Face

"Master Zhu is humble, Master Zhu's talent is still obvious to all."

Chen Guanlou flattered.

Zhu Ruhai waved his hand repeatedly. "Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen, don't flatter me, I don't even read books now, where is there any talent. Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen is young, if you are willing to suffer, you can consider walking the imperial examination official career. With the ability of the Marquis's Mansion, as long as you can pass the examination, the official position and future are not a problem."

Chen Guanlou lowered his head and smiled, the topic suddenly turned. "Got free two days ago and ran to the Ministry of Justice, helping to organize some old files. Coincidentally, happened to flip through the case files of the Earl's Mansion encountering theft more than ten years ago."

Prison Clerk Zhang on the side understood half-understand, not understanding why he suddenly mentioned the theft case more than ten years ago.

Zhu Ruhai in the prison cell changed his face, but soon returned to normal, pursing his lips and not speaking.

Chen Guanlou looked at the other party with a smile that was not a smile, and continued to say, "The theft case amount was huge, it is said that it even alarmed the palace back then. I saw many names on the case file, coincidentally, Master Zhu, your name is also on it."

Zhu Ruhai remained silent.

Chen Guanlou didn't care about his attitude. "I am very curious. Master Zhu also knows, young people's curiosity is very heavy. So, I took time to understand it again, those servants of the Earl's Mansion who experienced this matter back then, all are gone. Either sent to remote areas, or died of illness, or accident... In short, the Earl's Mansion can no longer find the servants who experienced this matter back then. I pondered, this matter the more I ponder, the more flavor it has."

"What exactly do you want to say?" Zhu Ruhai's face was cold, and he asked sharply.

Chen Guanlou didn't pay attention to the other party's attitude. "Not long after the theft case happened, about three or five months, Master Zhu, you suddenly gave up your studies, and according to the family's arrangement, engaged in business. Many years later, you had today's scale and achievement."

Zhu Ruhai narrowed his eyes and stared at Chen Guanlou. "I don't remember offending you."

Chen Guanlou laughed loudly, waving his hands repeatedly. "Master Zhu misunderstood, you certainly didn't offend me."

"Then why do you want to flip old accounts, why do you want to deliberately target me?"

"You are wrong! No one deliberately targets you."

"Nonsense."

Chen Guanlou sneered. "Master Zhu, you haven't looked at yourself too highly, and you don't understand the rules of the Heavenly Prison at all. Deliberately targeting you, you are not qualified enough.

I will tell you this, any prisoner who enters the Heavenly Prison, no matter what status, high officials and nobles, or princes and nobles, as long as they are wealthy, they must make necessary contributions to the development and growth of the Heavenly Prison. Contributions are best expressed in the form of money.

The more wealth, the greater the contribution, and our Heavenly Prison will naturally provide corresponding services, ensuring that the prisoners are satisfied, striving to make you good, me good, everyone good, and cooperate happily. Master Zhu is such a smart person, I originally thought, after the prison guards took action, you should have some realization, cooperate well, you lose a little money in exchange for the peace and comfort of prison life, both sides take what they need, cooperate happily. Never expected, Master Zhu, you are actually a person who dies for money. You make everyone very embarrassed!"

Zhu Ruhai was crazy with anger.

He had seen people with thick faces, but had never seen anyone with a face thicker than his.

Today really refreshed his cognition.

Young and shameless, does the Marquis of Pingjiang's Mansion know?

He angrily scolded: "You are clearly extortion, beautified and packaged as contributing money, Chen Guanlou, do you want a face? Do the people in the Ministry of Justice know about your actions? Aren't you afraid I will poke it out."

Chen Guanlou laughed again.

Laughing at the other party's stupidity, actually using his status to suppress him.

He mocked, "Master Zhu, you have made a few mistakes. First, the Heavenly Prison is not a government office, here are all low-status prison guards, where does extortion come from? Do you see the criminal officials in the Grade A prison next door admitting it?

Second, the Heavenly Prison collecting money is a default rule, even if you poke it out one day, the above will not ask. Instead, you, the person who poked out the officialdom rules, will be collectively blocked. Third, since there is no extortion, everything can only be collecting money and doing things, fair transaction. Even if the lawsuit is fought to the front of the palace, you guess who the palace supports, the Heavenly Prison, or you, Master Zhu?

Can the palace not know that the Ministry of Revenue has no money, and the Ministry of Justice lacks money? The Heavenly Prison finds prisoners to collect money, the bulk is given to the Ministry of Justice, sharing worries for the Ministry of Justice, sharing worries for the imperial court, and sharing worries for the Emperor, what is wrong?

You publicly announce this matter, you are hitting the Ministry of Justice's face, hitting the imperial court's face, and hitting the Emperor's face. How many lives do you, Zhu Ruhai, have to be cut? And how much foundation does the Earl's Mansion have, to be able to withstand the Emperor's anger, and the collective suppression of the imperial court?" ===== CHAPTER 542 =====

Now that I am serving as Jiang Jiang Yucheng, it is time to change the rules for the B-block cells in the Heavenly Prison. My attitude is one of equal treatment; the prisoners in the A-block cells next door all know to contribute money and do their part for the development and growth of the Heavenly Prison. Why should you lot not pay a single cent? And you still want to throw your weight around."

"Extortion is extortion!"

"It is extortion, and what can you do about it?" Chen Guanlou's expression was neither a smile nor a frown, his gaze indifferent. "Master Zhu, you seem to have yet to recognize your own situation. I am standing here now speaking to you in the capacity of a Heavenly Jiang Jiang Yucheng. If you are sensible, you will cooperate well and follow the rules of the Heavenly Prison; don't be stingy with the money that should be given, and it will look better for everyone. Once the money is received, I will naturally provide you with the corresponding services.

If you insist on being stubborn and refusing both soft and hard tactics, you are forcing me—forcing me to speak to you in the capacity of a martial artist. Are you sure you want to do this? Are you sure you want to force me to treat you as a martial artist would? I fear you cannot bear it."

Zhu Ruhai was so angry his face turned livid, his teeth gritted. "Chen Guanlou, you keep saying the Heavenly Prison takes money to get things done and treats everyone fairly. However, I have no business for you Heavenly Prison people."

"If you have no business, you can find some! Why is Master Zhu so pedantic? You want wine, you want food, you want books, you want the Four Treasures of the Study, you want people to wait on you... everything is business. As long as there is business, money must be collected. It is a fair trade, treating everyone fairly."

"Shameless!"

"Many thanks for the compliment, Master Zhu." Chen Guanlou smiled. "Has Master Zhu thought it through? Have you decided to cooperate and follow the rules of the Heavenly Prison, or do you want to communicate in a different way?"

His expression clearly said: Don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit! His patience was limited. Not exposing the theft case from back then today was already giving the Zhu family face. If Zhu Ruhai were sensible, he would honestly pay for peace. If he were not, he shouldn't blame him for dragging the Zhu family down with him.

"Chen Guanlou, do people outside know you are openly soliciting bribes?"

"Hahaha..." Chen Guanlou laughed out loud. "Master Zhu has gotten a few things wrong. First, the Heavenly Prison is not a government office; everyone here is a lowly prison guard, so where would solicitation of bribes come from? Do you see the imprisoned officials in the A-block cells next door admitting to it?

Second, paying money in the Heavenly Prison is an implied rule. Even if you were to expose this matter one day, those above would not inquire about it. On the contrary, you, the one who broke the rules of officialdom, would be collectively silenced. Third, since there is no solicitation of bribes, everything is just taking money to get things done—a fair trade. Even if the lawsuit reached the Emperor, do you guess the palace would support the Heavenly Prison or you, Master Zhu?

Could the palace not know that the Ministry of Revenue has no money and the Ministry of Justice is short on funds? The Heavenly Prison seeks money from prisoners, and the bulk of it is given to the Ministry of Justice, sharing the burden for the Ministry, sharing the burden for the imperial court, and sharing the burden for His Majesty. What is wrong with that?

If you make this public, you are slapping the face of the Ministry of Justice, the face of the imperial court, and the face of His Majesty. How many lives do you, Zhu Ruhai, have to be beheaded? And how much foundation does the Cheng'en Earl Mansion have to withstand His Majesty's fury and the collective suppression of the imperial court?"