Chapter 66: Purchasing Property

Chen Guanlou transformed into a middle-aged man in his thirties or forties with an out-of-town accent, surnamed Guan, and contacted Sun Datou from the County Magistrate's office, inviting him to drink flower wine.

Upon hearing he was introduced by Lu Datou, Sun Datou was very enthusiastic. Hearing he wanted to buy a house, he began introducing which houses were worth how much and who lived in the surrounding area. He even said he would find a reliable and sharp intermediary to take him to see houses.

Chen Guanlou thanked him repeatedly, but mentioned a difficulty: his household registration documents had been lost on the way to the capital, and he asked how to handle such a situation.

"Since you're a friend introduced by Lu Datou, I wouldn't say this to anyone else. This matter is difficult if you say it's difficult, and easy if you say it's easy."

"Where is the difficulty? Where is the ease?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a silver ingot slid from his hand into Sun Datou's.

Sun Datou:...

Oh my, this technique of slipping silver was seasoned. Weighing the silver, he became even happier. Patting his round head, the silver slid smoothly into his sleeve.

The entire sequence of actions was fluid for both of them.

The courtesans serving nearby hadn't even seen their small movements; the technique was truly too practiced. Only an old hand at giving and receiving money could see the trick in it.

"For Boss Guan, the difficulty is not difficult, and the ease is very easy. Tomorrow at the office, I will handle a replacement identity for you."

"What do I need to prepare?"

Sun Datou chuckled, rubbing his right thumb and index finger together.

One word: Money!

Chen Guanlou only needed to prepare money. The replacement identity could be obtained in three days.

Seeing this, Chen Guanlou squinted and smiled. Just taking money—that was great! He had been afraid the other party would take the money and still require him to prepare other documents and materials.

With a legally recognized identity, he had truly put on a layer of skin—real skin! It was definitely not fake skin like Master Kongkong's.

With an extra identity, it would be much more convenient to handle things in the future.

That night, the host and guest were both happy, and the courtesans in the brothel were also happy because Boss Guan was generous and gave a lot of tips.

Three days later, having obtained his new identity, he bought a small one-courtyard house in Nancheng's Water Well Lane. Most of the people living around there were merchants who had come to the capital from out of town. People coming and going, not seeing anyone for three or five months, was normal; no one was suspicious.

From then on, he went in and out of brothels under the alias Boss Guan, always asking for the most charming courtesan, Chunniang, to serve him.

While he was busy, the dispute between the Hou Fu and Zhang Yushi also came to an end.

The Hou Fu sent silver, and Zhang Yushi took the opportunity to step down and reconcile with the Hou Fu, busy dealing with Jiang Tu instead.

However, later, Liu Guanshi snuck into the Heavenly Prison again and met with Yu Zhaoan. No one knew what the two were whispering about; Chen Guanlou just pretended not to know and didn't ask a single word.

In any case, even if the Hou Fu were wiped out to the third generation, it wouldn't reach his head.

He still went to listen to gossip from Du Fuzi as usual.

Du Fuzi was happy he came, but every time he would nag about what a pity it was that he had become a prison guard.

Every time, Chen Guanlou would explain with a smile that he just loved money and wasn't interested in anything else. As long as there was money, he would be willing to do anything, even be a corpse mover. He had the look of a philistine who had burrowed into a money pit.

"Young people should have high aspirations. Once you earn money, change your profession quickly. The money in your hands is truly not clean."

"Fuzi, that's where you're wrong. What's not clean is the person, not the money. Besides, is the money of officials clean? If we prison guards don't take money, you old man, guess if those prisoners can be at ease? This money, in the end, is just buying peace of mind, buying a worry-free life; it belongs to a win-win situation."

"What if you encounter a prisoner with no money?" Du Fuzi asked curiously.

"If I really encounter a poor prisoner, I can only let the prisoner pray for their own luck," Chen Guanlou said subtly. There was no need to explain the dirty methods and bloody scenes involved in detail to an outsider; insiders knew.

Du Fuzi hummed twice. "So the world says that the money of prison guards is all dirty. Admit it!"

"Yes, yes, yes, it's all dirty, the hearts are all dirty. Come, I toast you, Fuzi."

Chen Guanlou didn't argue with the other party; don't expect to change a person's values, just seek common ground while reserving differences. Arguing back and forth, neither could convince the other, and instead, it would hurt their relationship, which was not worth the loss.

After drinking two taels of wine, seeing Du Fuzi in high spirits, he took the opportunity to ask, "Is the Hou Fu peaceful recently?"

"Peaceful on the outside, but not peaceful on the inside."

Du Fuzi was concise, explaining the current situation of the Hou Fu in one sentence.

Chen Guanlou just wanted to know the situation inside the Hou Fu. They were all surnamed Chen, and they were the main family, so he naturally had to pay more attention. No other family surnamed Chen could be found that was more awesome than the Hou Fu; the Hou Fu was a beacon, and all families surnamed Chen had to stare at the beacon.

Not caring about the Hou Fu, but instead caring about the prisoners in the prison, that would be putting the cart before the horse. How could work and life be confused?

"How is it not peaceful? You old man, tell me about it."

"The second branch and the first branch are not in harmony, as you know. This time, the cause was that the first branch's relative, Young Master Ye, ruined the second young mistress's good deed, and the second young mistress found people to teach him a lesson, accidentally injuring the second young master of Zhang Yushi's family. In the end, the Hou Fu apologized and offered compensation; it is said they sent a generous gift and found someone to mediate, only then resolving this dispute. In this, the first branch also contributed."

"The first branch can still help the second branch resolve a disaster?" Chen Guanlou was half-believing. At the time, the eldest young mistress had made such a scene, so how could she be willing to help the second branch resolve a disaster?

Du Fuzi whispered: "The second branch gave Young Master Ye real benefits, and the old lady also gave the eldest young mistress face. Having received benefits, one must contribute, don't you think?"

"Can the first and second branches be willing?"

"If they aren't willing, what can they do? They can't keep making a scene and let outsiders make a joke of them."

Huh, this version was very different from the version he knew. There was no Liu Guanshi here, nor Yu Zhaoan. In this way, this might be a hidden thread.

"Does the eldest young mistress want to manage the household?" Chen Guanlou was very curious.

The eldest young mistress had taken the opportunity to make a scene and had also received the secret support of the eldest master. Plus, her health had improved, and as the eldest grandson's wife of the main branch, managing the household and handling affairs was a matter of course. No one could stop her. Legally, it should be the clan wife and eldest daughter-in-law who managed the household.

In name, the second young mistress could only be called acting manager.

Du Fuzi drank his small wine, shaking his head and saying: "Wanting to manage the household, how could it be that easy? Don't forget there is still an old lady above the second branch. If the old lady doesn't loosen her mouth, the eldest young mistress wanting to manage the household is a long and arduous road."

"Can't the eldest master come forward?"

The eldest master was the heir to the Hou Fu's title and the true master of the Hou Fu.

Du Fuzi chuckled: "The word 'filial piety' alone can lock the eldest master's hands and feet. Besides, the second young mistress has managed the household for these years, and it's in good order, inside and out. The eldest young mistress, however, hasn't asked about internal affairs for many years, so how can she manage the household? The affairs of this Hou Fu cannot be settled in one or two sentences. It must be done with patient effort, slowly grinding, only then can it be effective. The old lady has controlled the Hou Fu for decades; it's not for nothing." ===== CHAPTER 67 =====