Chapter 964: Cheating on both sides

Chen Guanlou received the task and escorted Sun Daoning out of the Heavenly Prison.

To poison Zhang Yulang silently and make him appear dying, this matter required Medical Official Mu.

"Old Mu, I'll have to trouble you next, work hard to prepare some medicine and send Zhang Yulang off to a life of wealth and glory. He's a young master, pampered since childhood, not used to the Heavenly Prison environment, got anxious and sick. The medicine doesn't work, and he's about to die. Tell his family to pay money to take him back, remember?"

Medical Official Mu's mouth twitched. "My lord, what kind of idea did you come up with to blackmail people again?"

"What kind of idea did I come up with to blackmail people? Old Mu, am I that kind of person? It's just that the Zhang fellow has done too much evil, and someone doesn't like him and has threatened to deal with him. You also know the Zhang family is powerful; if Zhang Yulang has any trouble in the Heavenly Prison, it will be very troublesome. Right now, the Marquis Prefecture is in a troubled autumn, unable to protect itself. Sigh... it's better to send him home and let his family worry."

Chen Guanlou put on a look of thinking for others, not mentioning the case or Sun Daoning at all. The fewer people who know about the matter, the better.

Poisoning Zhang Yulang didn't require telling the truth; just making up a half-true, half-false reason was enough to fool him. Everyone would be at ease.

Moreover, he couldn't bear to involve Old Mu.

Old Mu was old, and in his life, he feared the Imperial Palace the most, feared that imperial family the most; getting involved even a little bit would be a matter of life and death. If he knew the truth, he might panic and make mistakes, leaving behind handles instead.

Medical Official Mu thought he had glimpsed the truth. "How much benefit did you take from the Zhang family again to come up with such a way to help Zhang Yulang escape? Be careful of bringing disaster upon yourself. Some money is not so easy to take."

"I have my measure, don't worry. After the matter is done, I'll share one hundred taels with you."

"Two hundred taels!"

"One hundred and fifty taels, no more."

Sun Daoning only approved five hundred taels in total, and taking out one hundred and fifty taels in one breath made his heart ache.

Medical Official Mu reluctantly agreed for the sake of the silver. "However, I'll say the ugly words first. If the Ministry of Justice asks, I'll say it was all directed by you."

"It was directed by me in the first place; you can say whatever you want. You know my character; I never frame others, and if it's my pot, I'll carry it."

He made up his mind that after the matter, he would definitely blackmail the Zhang family heavily.

Taking advantage of the Zhang Prefecture steward coming to visit, he hinted to the other party.

The other party was clearly a clever person, understanding the hint, mistakenly believing that Zhang Yulang had promised Chen Guanlou benefits, which was why Chen Guanlou came up with such a way to help him escape.

The Zhang Prefecture steward thanked him immediately and promised to make up the silver as soon as possible. As long as their young master could escape the Heavenly Prison, the Zhang Prefecture would never be stingy with money.

Chen Guanlou cheated on both sides, everything was ready, only the east wind was missing.

To make it realistic, Medical Official Mu's dosing was very measured.

He told Chen Guanlou, "The illness must get worse bit by bit, and it's best to have a few relapses in the middle, so that it can be trusted. No matter who comes to check the medical records, they won't find any problems. Only in this way can the matter be considered perfect."

"Old Mu, just do it, I trust you. Secretly tell you, the Zhang family has already sent the first batch of silver. Just waiting for Zhang Yulang to be dying, they will send the second batch. On the day of release, settle the final payment."

"The lord truly has good methods! You can earn quite a lot this time."

"Everyone earns money together. I never eat alone, you know that."

Medical Official Mu chuckled; it was precisely because he didn't eat alone that everyone in the Heavenly Prison was convinced.

He reminded, "Does the lord want to reveal a little to Zhang Yulang? I'm worried that if he doesn't know, when he gets seriously ill, he'll scare himself, and if he scares himself to death, that wouldn't be beautiful."

"Makes sense. I'll go visit him in a while."

Chen Guanlou went down to the Grade A cell, found Chen Quan, and asked about Zhang Yulang's situation. "How has he been performing these past few days?"

"Quite well-behaved!"

"No trouble?"

"Just complained a few times, spending money to open a small stove."

"The Zhang family has money; if he wants to open a small stove, satisfy him. Deduct money directly from his account. If the money is not enough, I'll have someone notify the Zhang Prefecture."

Great families, and the most favored treasure, the Zhang family had always been very generous with silver. Even knowing they might be blackmailed, they kept one eye open and one eye closed.

No one would haggle with prison guards in the cell.

Even imperial relatives wouldn't haggle with prison guards over those few taels of broken silver.

Because prison guards had plenty of ways to deal with prisoners without anyone knowing, making prisoners suffer in silence. And they couldn't pursue accountability afterward!

One couldn't run to the government office to complain, saying how the prison guards bullied them during their imprisonment.

They couldn't afford to lose that face!

The government office wouldn't accept it either!

Because for this kind of thing, there was no evidence, and words were not proof!

Moreover, dealing with one prison guard was equivalent to being enemies with all prison guards.

Unless you were confident that you, your family, and your friends would never be thrown into the big prison in this life. Once thrown into the big prison, prison guards were vengeful, so wait to die.

"The money is enough! The Zhang Prefecture is very generous with money!"

Chen Guanlou nodded with satisfaction; he liked prisoner officials who were generous with money.

He patrolled the cells casually and came to the cell door where Zhang Yulang was locked up. "Brother Yulang, how have you been lately?"

"Brother Lou, I've missed you to death. I'm so itchy all over, can I take a bath? I can't stand it!"

"Yes! I'll arrange it for you. Your family knows you're suffering in the cell and feels extremely distressed. They are running connections everywhere, wanting to get you out."

Zhang Yulang nodded. "I know."

The Zhang family wanting to get him out was expected; it was not surprising at all.

Chen Guanlou lowered his voice and continued, "Actually, they all found the wrong person and worshipped at the wrong government office."

Zhang Yulang hurriedly asked, "Brother Lou, what do you mean by this? You are an expert in this area, tell me about it. If Brother Lou has a way, please don't hesitate to teach me, and the Zhang family will definitely have a heavy reward afterward."

Chen Guanlou coughed lightly and told the other party mysteriously, "If you want to get out, if it were a general case, their current method would be correct. But this is an imperial examination fraud case; the case is too big, too serious, I heard the Emperor is furious, and I'm afraid many people will lose their heads.

Brother Yulang, you and I are brothers from different fathers and mothers; I can't bear to see you walk to the execution ground in the future. I'll give you a heartfelt word: if you want to escape this case, the only way is to fake death!"

"Fake death?"

"Yes!"

"Dying! With your status, your family background, when the time comes, your family will use heavy money, and I have a way to help you break free from prison. It just depends on whether you have the guts! Faking death is no joke; it is to actually experience a life-and-death struggle. If you don't have confidence, just stay in prison and wait for the trial."

"How to fake death?" Zhang Yulang clearly had confidence; to break free from the disaster of prison, what was faking death?

Chen Guanlou immediately took out a porcelain bottle and poured out a pill. "Eat it! Once this medicine enters your stomach, within three to five days, you will lie down and personally experience what it means to be dying. At that time, the medical official will diagnose and treat you, and there may be relapses in the middle, which is normal. During this period, I will naturally contact your family, and both sides will work together to help you get out of trouble!" ===== CHAPTER 965 =====