[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s":3,"chapter-immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-74":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Immortal Through Martial Path, I Who Cannot Die Shall Ultimately Be Invincible",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2325292,4549,"Chapter 74: Look to the Future, Grow Big and Strong","immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-74",74,"\u003Cp>The Jin family was stunned when they received sixteen hundred taels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was far too much, far exceeding their expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had originally hoped for eight or nine hundred taels and would have been satisfied; after all, they were the ones seeking a favor. Though they knew they were selling cheap, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and accept it. The original copy was useless to them now, but the silver could serve great purpose—bribing yamen runners along the way, buying medicine and food. Once they reached their place of exile, they’d need to bribe local officials and still have enough to live on—everywhere demanded spending.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Tou really is a man of his word!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too bad Chen Tou didn’t show up himself—he only sent a middle-aged man to hand over the money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Jin family’s old servant sighed: their master had always had a sharp eye for people, firmly believing Chen Tou was a man who kept his promises, acted with principle, and never reached out greedily. Unlike other jailers, who were obsessed with money and would demand eight-tenths of a thousand taels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old servant had also checked the market. The money Chen Tou paid was unquestionably the highest price available right now—nowhere else could they get more. This was true integrity, genuine honesty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As agreed, Chen Guanlou took four hundred taels. He pulled out two hundred and gave them to Du Fuzi as his intermediary fee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fuzi repeatedly refused, insisting he wouldn’t take a single coin: “As long as you come often to drink and eat meat with old man, I’m satisfied.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Chen Guanlou couldn’t let it go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fuzi lived alone in the capital; his wife and children waited back home for his money to sustain them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master helped me immensely this time. If I don’t pay you a single copper, what kind of man would I be? I’d never dare ask you for help again. Besides, even if you don’t think of yourself, you should think of Madam. She’s worked hard for years—doesn’t she deserve a good meal now and then?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou forcibly shoved the two hundred taels into Du Fuzi’s hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fuzi felt the banknotes burned his palms; he refused again, but finally accepted only one hundred. With this hundred taels, his family’s livelihood would improve greatly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Du Fuzi stubbornly refused to take more, Chen Guanlou decided to bring him better food and drink in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After drinking, Du Fuzi became more talkative. He told Chen Guanlou: “The Marquis has taken notice of you. Next time you have something like this, come straight through the back gate of Hou Fu—the Marquis will see you personally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why would he want to see me? I’m a nobody, out of five generations of kinship—how could I possibly catch his eye?” Chen Guanlou felt no excitement or honor, only suspicion about the Marquis’s motives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t believe good fortune could fall to him. He knew his place well—what he was, what others thought of him—he understood completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t undervalue yourself. The Marquis himself said you’re better than your father. Your father never understood these things—he lacked flexibility, so when trouble came, no one helped him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou shrugged: “My father was a marginal figure in Tianlaomiao—handling documents and archives, zero profit, never even considered for bonuses. He held the title of jailer but had no matching income.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you look down on your father?” Du Fuzi smiled faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou shook his head: “I think my father chose the wrong profession. He shouldn’t have gone to a filthy place like Tianlaomiao. Any yamen would’ve been better. I don’t know how he ever ended up there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He complained aloud, but inwardly thought differently: Tianlaomiao was good! The post was a lifetime guarantee—father to son, son to grandson. No matter how many generations changed, the jailers were almost always inherited—either father or grandfather had held the post; there were virtually no complete outsiders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the eldest died, the second took over. If the second died, the third stepped in. If all died, the next generation took the post. In short, this bowl of rice was firmly held. Even knowing the risks, the passion of professional jailers couldn’t be stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pay was simply too good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No other trade offered this much money—and the power to bully with borrowed authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fuzi nodded repeatedly: “Your father’s temperament was indeed unsuited for Tianlaomiao. But you—you’re young, yet you handle affairs with finesse, adapt quickly, and thrive in Tianlaomiao like a fish in water.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know my father?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fuzi hadn’t come to Hou Fu to teach until after his father died. Teaching began after his death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I never met him, never knew him—only heard a few stories about him, from which I deduced his character. Your father would’ve been better suited for a clean, quiet yamen—few duties, no filth, living purely for himself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master has great insight. I raise a toast to you. Let’s collaborate often—I lack vision, you guide me, and the Marquis supports our business.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou slipped—he spoke before thinking. But he caught himself and quickly corrected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew nothing about jade or antiques—he was a complete outsider. But scholars of this era, especially old scholars like Du Fuzi who taught in wealthy households, generally knew something. Even if they couldn’t match professional pawnshop clerks, they were infinitely superior to ordinary people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to extorting money from prisoners, he felt helping them trade goods was far more justifiable. This was a new path to wealth—he decided to pursue it. Selling goods to the Marquis meant no one would ever investigate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless the Emperor speaks, and the court shifts, which yamen would dare enter the study of a first-rank Marquis? Would they not want their heads?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one day a yamen did come to investigate Hou Fu, it wouldn’t be because of fencing stolen goods—it would be because they’d chosen the wrong side, or displeased the old Emperor. There would be no third reason. Since ancient times, for thousands of years, the downfall of top noble houses always came down to these two causes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crimes like taking lives lightly, forcing virtuous women into prostitution, seizing farmland, illicit transfers, corruption and bribery—none of these alone could bring down a top noble house overnight. Only offending the Emperor or choosing the wrong side was fatal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Tu had committed countless wicked deeds over the years, yet no yamen dared raid his home. As long as the old Emperor protected him, Jiang Tu remained safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when the new Emperor ascends, Jiang Tu will be the first target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder Jiang Tu and the Crown Prince are at odds—each wants to kill the other. Let them fight, let them fight. Since the old Emperor grew old, court politics have grown increasingly unstable. Jiang Tu is merely a pawn in the center of the chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Du Fuzi truly admired Chen Guanlou’s boldness and initiative—his execution surpassed countless words. Most people talk much, do little, or do nothing at all, spending their days only complaining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he still hesitated: “Will this work? Tianlaomiao doesn’t offer you so many opportunities. Won’t others envy you when they see you making money?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Guanlou sneered: “What good is envy? Who else but the Chen family can find a buyer as generous and discerning as the Marquis? All the jailers in Tianlaomiao—from top to bottom—are men without roots. Even though I’m out of five generations of kinship with Hou Fu, I’m still the one with the strongest backing inside. The Warden dares not threaten me directly—even Fan Yucheng’s warnings are partly due to fear of the Chen family behind me. The Chen clan has thousands; my post was approved by Liu Guanshi; the Warden must at least show some caution.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re using the tiger’s hide to make yourself look big. If the Warden knew the true state of the Chen clan, he wouldn’t fear Hou Fu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where would he get information about the Chen clan’s inner affairs? Which Chen family member would gossip outside? Among kin, speaking foolishly doesn’t matter—but speak foolishly outside, and you’ll get beaten.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clans have their advantages: family shame must not be aired publicly. Externally, they stand united; internally, they vie for supremacy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as Hou Fu remains powerful, Chen clan members must act with caution, observe proper conduct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The day Hou Fu falls, when order collapses, it will be like in Dream of the Red Chamber—family members disgracing themselves outside, while inside Hou Fu, everyone knows the truth, and the scandal spreads throughout Jingcheng, even reaching the palace. The authorities will seize their weaknesses with perfect precision.\u003C\u002Fp>",1444,"2026-06-20T17:39:56.967Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","24d32b2f882d6997c8ff387c36b858b6c4e67e5c7784da6fbae225d3b4e8ef5d","immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-75","immortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-chapter-73",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fimmortal-through-martial-path-i-who-cannot-die-s-cover.jpg"]