Insufficient balance

  Red beans, walnuts, pine nuts, persimmons, millet, yellow rice, glutinous rice, small millet, rhombus rice, dates and other things have all been purchased and loaded onto the horse cart. However, Meng Xiaoyu suddenly remembered that one thing was missing: sugar. She said it was the most important thing, so she quickly got off the cart and ran to a nearby grocery store.

  Xue Chongxun and Meng Xiaoyu said they would go to the Chenghuang Temple to cook Laba porridge for those refugees.

  Xue Chongxun didn't think this kind of thing was particularly meaningful, but he understood the principle: most people feel happy when they do good deeds. Meng Xiaoyu would find happiness in such things and leave her with beautiful memories.

  As he watched Meng Xiaoyu's happy figure temporarily disappear into the grocery store, Xue Chongxun's worries also surged up in an instant, as if simple-minded Meng Xiaoyu was the panacea that suppressed his dark inner demons, and once they were apart for a moment, those pains would recur.

  Xue Chongxun's heart had always been worried about Liu Youqiu's situation, and he himself was not sure if Liu Youqiu would use the method of persuading the crown prince to launch a coup to save himself; even more so, he did not dare to confirm whether Liu Youqiu had the ability to persuade the crown prince. Everything was an unknown quantity, only that possibility existed, possibly very small.

  This conspiracy was used in the temple, no one had a grasp of it, and the result would be uncertain because the plot relied too much on details... In order to make his mother fully recognize the danger of Li Longji, and firm up her determination, Xue Chongxun couldn't think of any other better way. Sometimes people just need to have the courage to take risks!

  Xue Chongxun now feels that his situation is actually very similar to Liu Youqiu's: he himself, in order to protect himself, wants to do everything possible to firm up his mother's determination to die together with the net; Liu Youqiu also, in order to protect himself, wants to do everything possible to firm up the Crown Prince's determination to launch a coup.

  He and Liu Youqiu are actually in a precarious situation due to the uncertainty of the outcome, whoever loses will die... Xue Chongxun is worried, but what's the use of worrying? Anyway, it's all about waiting for the result, might as well do something pleasant and meaningless.

  There is always drama in life.

  Just then, San Niang suddenly said in a low voice: "The people from the City God Temple are complex and mixed with fish and dragons. Lord Lang, do you want to send a few more people to go together?"

  Xue Chongxun shook his head and smiled, "Everyone thinks that poor people might do bad things out of desperation, but the truly dangerous ones are actually those refined and elegant gentlemen, understand?"

  Soon Meng Xiaoyu bought good things back, she was like a white rabbit jumping out in spring, even if she encountered the most unfair treatment, she liked to smile, and could quietly infect people.

  "Do you know what sugar tastes like?" Meng Xiaoyu asked Xue Chongxun with a smile.

  Xue Chongxun said without hesitation: "Of course it's sweet, everyone knows that."

  Meng Xiaoyu smiled and said: "You're absolutely right, so clever... Haha, hehe..."

  Those who are near cinnabar become red, and Xue Chongxun's face also showed a smile: "What's so funny? Isn't sugar sweet?"

  "You look so serious... Ah, it's killing me! Your face is still so dark, if you don't tell me your name, I'll just call you Black Cow then." Meng Xiaoyu covered her small mouth, laughing without showing her teeth.

  ……

  Cooking a big pot of eight-treasure porridge is not a simple process, Xue Chongxun also followed Meng Xiaoyu to do it manually, and the two of them got dirty. Those poor people all surrounded them, staring at the pot with eager eyes, they actually didn't care about the taste.

  Xue Chongxun sighed: "We have enjoyed their taxes, but now they are helpless and cannot get the guarantee of the imperial court..."

  "Why does your sentence sound so disgusting?" a cold voice suddenly said.

  Xue Chongxun turned around, only to see Yuwen Ji. What a coincidence, the two met on a narrow road. Yuwen Ji wore a rough headscarf and was dressed in hemp clothes, still disguised as a man, but her coarse clothing couldn't conceal her slender figure, and her icy face with a hint of mockery couldn't hide her delicate features.

  Yuwen Ji sneered at San Niang: "So you've changed your ways and started cooking congee instead of killing people?"

  San Niang's face turned awkward, not knowing how to respond. Xue Chongxun's face was thick-skinned, and he didn't care about Yuwen Ji's teasing. He glanced at San Niang: "You and Xiao Yu go aside for a while."

  San Niang turned around and left, but Meng Xiaoyu was very angry, staring at Yuwen Ji: "Who are you? Neither male nor female, with a strange and ambiguous tone, can't bear to see others doing good deeds?"

  Only Meng Xiaoyu's pure and round face was smeared with black ash, now it looked like a small flower cat, when she got angry, her beautiful big eyes were rounded, which had a different flavor.

  Yuwen Ji looked at the white-clad girl in front of her with a complex gaze, her expression mostly sympathetic, perhaps with a hint of jealousy. Yuwen Ji sneered: "Whose daughter has been deceived by this scoundrel again? Little girl, when you go out with someone, don't you even ask what kind of person he is? He's a demon who kills people without blinking an eye, and for the sake of power, he's willing to kill anyone, no matter how closely related they are!"

  Meng Xiaoyu was furious, rushed up and pushed Yuwen Ji, staring at her with hatred: "Hei Niu is a good person! You're really annoying, what business do you have interfering with others!"

  "Hei Niu?" Yuwen Ji looked at Xue Chongxun with a mocking expression.

  Meng Xiaoyu pouted and glared at Yuwen Ji, saying with a pout: "Sour grapes."

  Just then, someone among the people surrounding the pot finally scooped up a bowl of half-cooked porridge with a spoon and started eating it while blowing on it. The others followed suit... Yuwen Ji hastily said: "Sixth Auntie, slow down, don't burn yourself."

  Xue Chongxun hesitated for a moment before suddenly saying: "Yuwen Ji, do you still remember the words we spoke at Qianfu Temple?"

  Yuwen Ji fell silent for a moment, then said: "You, I've seen through you. Today I'm unlucky and ran into you again. You can keep pretending here, but I'll just consider this trip a waste of time... Hmph, farewell! This little girl... Xue Chongxun, let me remind you, those who do evil will be punished!"

  Xue Chongxun said: "I'll tell you another story, do you want to hear it?"

  Yuwen Ji slowed down her pace, although she didn't turn around. A woman's curiosity is a wondrous thing, and Xue Chongxun always had something interesting to say.

  Xue Chongxun immediately said: "It is said that there was a young girl who fell in love with a stranger at her father's funeral, but they only met once. A month later, the girl's sister was suddenly murdered, and the authorities finally discovered that the killer was the girl herself. Why did she kill her own sister?"

  The characters in this story are very simple. Yuwen Ji sulked and didn't speak, while Meng Xiaoyu beside her blurted out: "It can't be that you want to see that strange man again at your sister's funeral?"

  "Xiao Yu is really clever." Xue Chongxun said with a smile.

  "Why?" Meng Xiaoyu asked in puzzlement.

  Yuwen Ji's footsteps stopped, although she didn't turn around, but was thinking about something... Was Xue Chongxun teasing her about something?

  Xue Chongxun gazed at her back with interest, did she remember the couplet from Qianfu Temple? Another man has cultivated for two thousand years just to catch a glimpse of you...

  Yuwen Ji finally couldn't bear it, turned her head and said coldly: "Do you think I'll still believe you? No matter how eloquent you are, it's useless. All your words are false! You're the kind of person who will stop at nothing for power!"

  By chance, Xue Chongxun found that Yuwen Ji's words were a bit like Meng Xiaoyu scolding Xiao Heng. The man's words were indeed very false.

  Just as they were arguing, an old woman with white hair and a cane walked into the courtyard of the City God Temple. Xue Chongxun was a martial artist, still very alert, and immediately felt that the old woman's posture was a bit awkward, like she was pretending. Yuwen Ji saw Xue Chongxun looking at her back and also turned to look at the old woman.

  Yuwen Ji suddenly said: "Bai Wuchang? You're still alive?"

  Xue Chongxun shouted without hesitation: "Third Sister!"

  The old woman, seeing that her identity had been exposed, straightened up and said in a coquettish voice: "Hei Wuchang the Third is someone who hides in the dark to ambush others. You call her foolish for standing under the sun... Hehe, my one move wasn't even blocked." The voice was as fine as a needle, like that of a little girl, and carried a spoiled tone, but why did it make people's hair stand on end?

  Bai Wuchang said as he took out a small, ancient zither from the tattered cloth bag on his back, "Xue Chongxun, someone wants your head, may I borrow it for a bit? Alas, I've been following you for half a month now, and it's been so arduous to find such a good opportunity. How about I play a tune for you as compensation?"

  Yuwen Ji's pupils constricted, and her hand slowly reached into her bosom: "Bai Wuchang, who are you risking your life for now?"

  "Of course, it's for the sake of money! Money is more reliable than people... What? Are you going to risk your life for Xue Chongxun?" She said with a smile, slowly walking towards this side while hugging her zither.

  Yu Wenji stood still, as if hesitating about something. A moment later, Yu Wenji suddenly shifted to one side: "I don't know him, what does it have to do with me?"

  Xue Chongxun reached down to his waist and felt around, but it was empty. He hadn't brought his sword with him today since he had only planned on taking a stroll.

  "Kao Li Shi?" Xue Chongxun asked while looking around and found a wooden stick to grasp in his hand.

  Bai Wuchang didn't bother with him, but instead stared at Yuwen Rou and said: "He's a person of status, if he dies, you'll be in big trouble too."

  "It wasn't me who killed him, what's the relation?" Yuwen Ji said coldly, "Please proceed, I'd like to see how he died anyway."

  "Heh heh……" Bai Wuchang smiled as he walked, approaching Yuwen Ji. Suddenly, a loud "Dong" sound came from the guqin, and Bai Wuchang drew out a curved knife, his footsteps swift as he pounced on Yuwen Ji.

  At the same time, three silver needles flew out of Yuwen Ji's hands, "Pa Pa Pa!" Three sounds, all the silver needles were nailed to Bai Wuchang's left hand on the guqin. It was seen that the bottom of the guqin was inlaid with metal, which could be used as a shield, but it was unknown whether there were other functions.

  "Ah!" Xue Chongxun grasped the wooden stick with both hands, let out a loud roar, raised the stick above his head and charged forward.

  After one move, Bai Wuchang had already closed in on Yuwen Ji. The curved knife flashed with a ray of sunlight, and Yuwen Ji's eyes fluttered. Her instinct for danger made her dodge to the side. "Swoosh!" The knife light flashed by, sending a piece of hemp cloth flying up.

  "Bang!" Bai Wuchang immediately kicked a certain part of Yuwen Ji's abdomen with one foot, this move seemed familiar, when San Niang kicked Xiao Heng unconscious at the beginning, it was also this action.

  Yuwen Ji did not immediately faint, but had been kicked to the ground and could no longer get up.

  At this time, Xue Chongxun rushed to the back of Bai Wuchang, and with one stick, he chopped down. He was using his staff as a sword. Bai Wuchang lightly dodged to the side, avoiding the attack. Xue Chongxun's face showed no fear, but instead, his eyes revealed an excited glow.

  Xue Chongxun didn't hesitate, immediately turning around without any delay, not even looking at what Bai Wuchang was doing. This turn was just in time, the curved knife swept past his waist, if he had been a moment slower it would have cut into flesh.

  Xue Chongxun wiped his shoulder and turned around, just behind her side. The wooden stick that had been split down immediately swung up and hit Bai Wuchang's crotch with a "bang", hitting him squarely.

  What a pity it's just a wooden stick.

  After Bai Wuchang jumped away, her eyes were filled with shame and anger. She clenched her legs together, her white hair almost standing on end. Xue Chongxun realized that the object in his hand was a wooden staff, which would be useless even if he hit her with great force. He immediately let out a loud shout, took a step forward, and kicked out with one foot, of course not hitting the opponent. Xue Chongxun's movements were swift and smooth, borrowing momentum to jump up, his body spinning half a circle. With both hands gripping the staff, he brought it down in a slanting slash, accompanied by a burst of wind.