Chapter 735

The Nanshan Marquis was full of resentment.

In front of Chen Guanlou, he vented without restraint or concealment.

He was not afraid that Chen Guanlou would inform on him. He had heard of the other's reputation and knew he was a trustworthy man who never spoke recklessly to outsiders.

Most importantly, the other had served in the Heavenly Prison for so many years without a single incident of informing.

This point was very critical and also very important.

What did this explain?

It explained that Chen Guanlou not only had a tight mouth but also conducted himself with great care. Matters inside the Heavenly Prison were never spread outside; one could speak freely and say whatever one wanted.

It is said that when Jiang Tu died in the Heavenly Prison, he had spoken many rebellious words before his death and even revealed the truth about the sacrificial altar explosion. So many years had passed, yet not a whisper had been heard.

The various rumors outside were all mere speculation; not a single one had spread from the Heavenly Prison.

Therefore, the Nanshan Marquis did not hide his inner anger or his strong dissatisfaction with the royal family and the Emperor in front of Chen Guanlou.

"No matter how much dissatisfaction you have, you are now in the Heavenly Prison; you had better think about how to get through this hurdle." Chen Guanlou offered a well-intentioned suggestion.

Emperor Jian Shi ordering arrests before the New Year showed a very urgent attitude, even a bit impatient. This was the posture of someone wanting to dig something out of the Nanshan Marquis Prefecture.

"I don't know!" The Nanshan Marquis looked anxious and uneasy, yet very angry, "Can Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen give a hint or a direction? This old man would be eternally grateful."

"The Marquis is too kind. I am but a small prison guard; what ability do I have to participate in such a major matter? I will just help you analyze it. Why do you think the Emperor is in such a hurry to make arrests?"

"I don't know! If I knew even a little, I wouldn't be like a headless fly, completely clueless. I also want to get through this, but I am completely in the dark about what this hurdle actually is. You tell me how I am supposed to get through it."

"I think this matter cannot be separated from the Great Yu Dynasty, right?"

The Nanshan Marquis nodded, in complete agreement, "But I truly know nothing about the Great Yu Dynasty."

"You don't need to emphasize the fact that you don't know; I think the palace certainly knows that asking you won't yield anything useful. So, you should carefully ponder your family's belongings—is there anything inconspicuous that might contain inside information?"

"Impossible!" The Nanshan Marquis denied it flatly, "If there really were such small trinkets, to use your words, they would have been dug up eight hundred years ago; it is impossible to wait until today."

"Are you sure that everything in your mansion was acquired in the last one or two hundred years, that it is all new? Is there not even one item passed down from the Great Yu Dynasty?" Chen Guanlou pressed.

A family that has been passed down for hundreds of years must have some old objects in the house. If you really can't confess anything useful, just substitute it with old objects; perhaps there is a chance to muddle through, or at least it should save your life.

The Nanshan Marquis received the hint and began to ponder, "Today, when the Ministry of Justice confiscated the property, you could ask them if they confiscated any inkstones, brush washers, or some tables, chairs, benches, or beds that were passed down from the ancestors. As for which year they were passed down, you can have someone check. As for the rest, I really have to say, they are all new items acquired in the last one or two hundred years.

I will not hide it from Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen: as early as the time of the Founding Emperor, my ancestors confessed everything that needed to be confessed and handed over everything that needed to be handed over. The furnishings in the house have basically been changed three or four times. If there really were any old objects hiding secrets, logically speaking, they would have been discovered long ago."

Chen Guanlou believed the Nanshan Marquis was not lying.

The other had no reason to lie about such a matter.

No need!

When it concerns one's life, no one dares to be careless.

If there really were secrets hidden, looking at the Nanshan Marquis's expression, he would be eager to dig them out himself and hand them over, so that he could be free and clear from now on and never have to live in fear again.

"Are there any other inconspicuous objects? Among your ancestors, which generation was the wisest and most capable of handling matters?"

"Why does Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen ask this?" The Nanshan Marquis was curious.

Chen Guanlou thought for a moment and explained: "The palace is convinced your family has something; after hundreds of years, they remain so firm in this belief. I suspect your family might really have something, only you don't know it. Perhaps your ancestors knew, but they hid it."

"Impossible! My ancestors couldn't harm us like this! Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen, your speculation is completely groundless."

"You are right! It is indeed groundless. But do you want to get through this? Since you do, we must peel the cocoon to find the silk, eliminate all impossibilities, and the answer that remains, no matter how incredible, has a certain probability of being the correct one. Following this line of thought, is it a problem to suspect your ancestors?"

The Nanshan Marquis was speechless.

His expression was indescribable.

"If my ancestors deliberately harmed their descendants, what for? People are already dead; when people die, everything ends. It makes no sense!" The Nanshan Marquis could not convince himself to accept Chen Guanlou's theory.

"What if—what if it is possible that your ancestors found a secret? The matter was of great importance; they dared not make it public, nor dared they tell their descendants, so they could only swallow it alone and take it to the grave? And yet, after many years, the palace learned of this 'what if' through other channels. Do you say this is possible?"

The Nanshan Marquis almost cried to death!

Such things should not be guessed recklessly!

It could be fatal.

But he still tried to follow the other's line of thought, pondered carefully for a while, and said: "If you really want to say which ancestor was the wisest and most capable, it must be the Profound Ancestor Mao Gong! He was the head of the family for thirty years. According to the family records, he also served in the military, led troops, and had truly been on the battlefield. He also served as Vice Minister of the Ministry of War and held posts in the Ministry of Works. He was much better than a useless descendant like me."

"Then, is it possible that this Profound Ancestor of yours knew something and then hid it?"

"I don't know. Following your line of thought, Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen, if any of my ancestors really discovered a secret hidden by the family and further concealed it, I think and think, and only Profound Ancestor Mao Gong had the ability to do so. As for the other ancestors, sigh, they were all about the same as me—no ability and small courage. Hide a secret? I'm afraid they would have been discovered before they even had time to hide it."

The Nanshan Marquis mocked himself, appearing disheartened. He was convinced Chen Guanlou's line of thought was wrong. It was only to find a way out and to get through the current hurdle that he was cooperating.

"Has your Profound Ancestor's tomb ever been robbed?" Chen Guanlou suddenly changed the subject and asked an extremely sensitive and insulting question.

In this day and age, grave robbing is equivalent to a curse. Asking if an ancestor's tomb has been robbed—what is that if not an insult?

The Nanshan Marquis's eyes widened, and he was left speechless, as if he had suffered a great humiliation.

"Jiang Jiang Yucheng Chen, how could you..."

"I am not insulting you; I am discussing a serious matter with you and saving your life." Chen Guanlou decisively interrupted the other to avoid falling into useless arguing.