Chapter Nine: How Can One Find a Way to Have It All in This World?

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Chen Kan explained with a serious tone, "Of course, the plan is to find a way to kill you fools! If you can't even think of that, how did you manage to get a position in the bureaucracy?"
"My father passed it down to me."
"You... you..."
Chen Kan realized that not only was there a generation gap between him and Fang Xiaoru, but there was a generation gap between him and everyone in the Ming dynasty.
Continuing the conversation any further, Chen Kan felt he might starve to death or be infuriated to death before even eating.
So he decisively shifted his focus.
Pointing at the jailer who had knelt beside Zhu Di moments ago, he said, "Have you made up your mind? If you have, go buy me some food."
The jailer hesitated, timidly asking, "What if you can't get out?"
Chen Kan retorted, "What if I do get out?"
The jailer, uncertain, replied, "Will you kill me?"
Chen Kan nodded, "Indeed, a child is teachable."
"But if you treat me to a good meal now, when I get out, not only will I not kill you, but I'll also guarantee your promotion and wealth. How about that?"
"Besides, even if I don’t get out, treating me now won’t be a loss."
"Why?"
"Because even if I go down, I can still bless you to prosper, you fool."
"Enough with the why's, just go get the food."
"If you don’t go soon, when I get out, I swear I'll kill your whole family, believe me or not?"
"I'm very grudging, just so you know."
Perhaps it was Chen Kan’s threat of killing the jailer’s entire family that finally broke his resistance, and he agreed, "Alright... alright, I’ll go buy it."
At this, his companion’s expression changed in disbelief, "Are you crazy? You’re really going to Ju De Lou to buy him food?"
The jailer nodded, "I heard Prince Yan promise him riches and honor; well, better to lose some money than suffer a disaster."
With that, he turned and left, leaving his companion a somewhat tragic figure.
"Ping! Congratulations, host, you have achieved a new feat: intimidating a jailer."
Chen Kan, amused by his own success in tricking the jailer, added a prompt tone to himself.
He then returned to his straw bed and lay down again, adopting his most comfortable starfish pose.
The jailer was quick—within half an hour, a pile of exquisite food was placed inside Chen Kan’s cell.
Most notably, there was an abundance of meat.

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Chen Kan tore into a chicken leg like a starving ghost returned to life, feeling at that moment like the happiest person in the world.
Now, this was real food. The prison fare—was that even meant for human consumption?
Not even dogs would eat that!
The jailer stood outside the bars, wincing as he watched Chen Kan devour the food greedily.
This was from Ju De Lou, and this small amount had cost him half a month’s salary.
With each bite Chen Kan took, the jailer trembled involuntarily, as if Chen Kan was tearing into his own flesh rather than the food.
It hurt—deeply, to the core.
Chen Kan paid him no mind and quickly filled his stomach.
Noticing that more than half the food remained, he carefully hid the leftovers in a corner.
Planning to save it for the next day.
After all, this was something he had cunningly procured; every piece of meat was precious.
Who knew if the jailer would fall for it a second time? He had to be frugal.
Satisfied, Chen Kan lay down and soon drifted blissfully into sleep.
Then, he had a dream.
He dreamt that the precious food he had tricked the jailer into buying was stolen by someone who looked very much like Fang Xiaoru.
He wanted to snatch it back, but the figure said, "You’ve eaten at my house for four years; what’s wrong with me eating one meal of your meat?"
So he could only watch silently, tears streaming down as the man resembling Fang Xiaoru devoured his meat.
Then Chen Kan woke up.
Upon waking, he saw Fang Xiaoru holding the half-eaten roast chicken, nibbling at it delicately.
"My meat… damn it…"
Chen Kan was speechless, realizing it was no dream—Fang Xiaoru was really stealing his meat.
The pain was unbearable, piercing his heart.
With each bite Fang Xiaoru took, Chen Kan’s heart trembled, as if it were not chicken but his own flesh being eaten.
Seeing Chen Kan awake, Fang Xiaoru stood and approached him.
Chen Kan panicked, "Don’t come any closer, don’t come closer..."
Unfortunately, Fang Xiaoru could not hear Chen Kan’s desperate internal plea; he crouched beside him and finished the chicken, leaving only a small piece of drumstick.
"Awake?"

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Chen Kan forced a grim smile, "Yeah."
Fang Xiaoru tossed the drumstick piece into his mouth and suddenly sighed, "Feigning madness before Prince Yan was indeed a bit too bold."
Chen Kan widened his eyes. "Teacher, you really were pretending? Then why were you eating… you know..."
Fang Xiaoru shook his head, "If I didn’t eat it, how could anyone believe I was truly mad? Alas, I still failed to fool Prince Yan."
"Teacher, why bother?"
Chen Kan was puzzled. If Fang Xiaoru was cowardly and merely pretending madness to save his life, Chen Kan would have no doubts.
But Fang Xiaoru’s resolute spirit was well recorded in history.
This act of feigning madness was truly hard for Chen Kan to comprehend.
"Yuansheng, you’re right. The people of this land do need someone like me to ensure their peaceful life.
But for me to turn to the rebel Prince Yan and draft his ascension edict—my heart finds it hard to accept, hence this desperate scheme.
Alas, Prince Yan saw through it; all my efforts were in vain."
Fang Xiaoru sat beside Chen Kan, his face full of regret.
"If only I had not coveted the title of the greatest scholar in the land, I wouldn’t have been so burdened today. Sigh!"
Chen Kan understood; Fang Xiaoru was morally bound by his own convictions but could not reconcile his inner turmoil.
Half a roasted chicken had bought a chance at life?
Chen Kan was overjoyed—this was an incredible bargain.
He hurriedly sat up straight and said solemnly, "Teacher, I understand your concerns and your loyalty to His Majesty and the late Emperor.
But as the foremost scholar of this generation, can you not understand that one cannot have both the fish and the bear’s paw?
Please forgive my impiety, but for the welfare of the people, I must ask you to set aside personal honor for now.
After all, where in the world can one find a perfect solution that betrays neither Buddha nor you?"
"Where in the world can one find a perfect solution that betrays neither Buddha nor you?"
Fang Xiaoru’s eyes brightened, then dimmed.
He murmured, "Yes, where in the world can one find such a perfect solution that betrays neither Buddha nor you."
He fell silent. Despite all Chen Kan’s words, he could understand perfectly.
But where truly was such a perfect solution?
On one side lay a deceased emperor; on the other, sixty million long-suffering commoners.
This burden was truly hard to bear.