Insufficient balance

  From tomorrow onwards, there will be two updates a day if nothing unexpected happens. This is today's first update, and there will be another chapter this afternoon.

  ……

  Seeing the woman laughing so hard that she was holding her stomach, Xue Chongxun was very puzzled and couldn't help but ask: "What's so funny?"

  She barely managed to hold back her smile, just about to speak, but "heh" burst out laughing again, hurriedly covering her mouth with her small hand, saying: "You... are really silly, in such a big Chang'an City, even if we can meet for the second time, can't we meet for the third time?"

  Xue Chongxun suddenly said: "So that's how it is, I didn't think of this problem for a moment."

  The girl giggled and said: "What's funny isn't that you're silly, but your expression, so wooden... Ugh, never mind, my stomach hurts just thinking about it."

  Her smile infected Xue Chongxun, and his mood also became more pleasant. He smiled and said, "Why have you come to Daqin Temple again?"

  "I'll wait for him." As she said this, her smile gradually disappeared, replaced by a faint melancholy.

  Xue Chongxun saw the situation and kindly asked: "Hasn't he arrived yet? Has the agreed time passed?"

  The girl nodded and said: "Originally it was agreed three days ago, but he hasn't come yet... wasn't the day of the college entrance examination results announcement three days ago?"

  "Are you referring to the Imperial Examination results? It seems like it was announced three days ago." Xue Chongxun said. The Tang Dynasty's imperial examination system was different from that of the Ming and Qing dynasties, as it did not require going through a series of complex preliminary exams such as the "Tongsheng" exam, county exam, and provincial exam; however, passing the imperial examination still qualified one to become an official, which was a good way for sons of poor families to enter officialdom. People like Xue Chongxun naturally did not need to take such examinations, as they were born with noble titles.

  "We'll wait till sunset today, if he still doesn't come, I'll go to their house to look for him tomorrow," the woman said.

  It seems that it's just a matter of talented men and beautiful women between them. Xue Chongxun is still in a good mood, without any jealous thoughts, his marriage will be mainly decided by political needs, and it has nothing to do with ordinary people's daughters: the woman in front of him is impossible to have a result with himself, if he really pursues others, it would harm people. So Xue Chongxun didn't have such an idea from the beginning, but this encounter feels really wonderful, a simple and pure acquaintance.

  Xue Chongxun's mood improved for the time being, and he became somewhat enthusiastic, offering advice: "If you go to their home yourself, it would be inappropriate and give his family a bad impression of you. I suggest that you ask your parents to find a matchmaker and then discuss with his family elders, which would be better."

  The woman shook her head and said, "Look at what you're saying, actually bringing up the words of parents' orders and matchmakers. I can only be his concubine, why bother with these things? Besides, his old home is not in Chang'an, his parents are not here."

  "Oh?" Xue Chongxun was somewhat perplexed.

  The young woman thought for a moment and said, "It's nothing much to tell you, I'm a songstress at 'Shuiyunjian', hehe, if you're interested, you can come listen to me sing in the next few days, who knows, maybe I'll leave that place soon."

  Xue Chongxun looked up and down at the woman, he really couldn't tell that such a person was actually a courtesan from a brothel, probably because she was young and dressed relatively plainly.

  Xue Chongxun's expression changed slightly, then returned to normal. He said casually, "I haven't asked for your name, young lady. If I really wanted to go to Shuixiangyuan to listen to music, I could have asked someone else."

  "Blinded by a light drizzle."

  "Misty, light rain, a hazy little rain." Xue Chongxun looked up at the rain curtain and said, "It's similar to how we met, easy to remember."

  Meng Xiaoyu sighed softly: "He said that once he passed the imperial examination and became a scholar, he would welcome me into his home. Do you think what he said is true?"

  Xue Chongxun said: "It's not that easy to become a jinshi, it's not just one exam and you're done, the opportunity is very small, he may not necessarily pass the exam."

  Meng Xiaoyu smiled bitterly and said, "His chances should be great, not only is his poetry and literature good, but he also has the recommendation of a high-ranking official... Looking at Lang Jun's appearance, I don't know if he is a scholar or not. Do you know that the biggest hurdle in becoming a jinshi is to gain recognition and recommendation from high-ranking officials in the imperial court?"

  He was somewhat darker in complexion than Xue Chongxun, and had a heroic air about him, so that he did not look like a scholar of any kind; but his manners were very proper and refined, so that Meng Xiaoyu did not dare to decide.

  "Does he have connections in the imperial court?" He originally wanted to ask which official, but ultimately didn't ask this question, because asking like this would easily reveal that he was an official himself. Since they were just acquaintances who didn't understand each other's murky situations, it was easier to get along.

  Meng Xiaoyu said: "If you have money, don't you have connections?"

  Xue Chongxun suddenly had an idea, perhaps she had paid that talented scholar's official bribe money. Because people with poor backgrounds mostly cannot afford to bribe high-ranking officials, but rather those somewhat famous courtesans might have a lot of money, although their social status was very low and humble.

  At this time, Meng Xiaoyu asked another question: "Does Lang Jun think he will keep his promise?"

  Xue Chongxun thought of a sentence after listening: It's better to believe that there are ghosts in the world than to believe a man's mouth... He thought for a moment and said, "Actually, you don't have to ask me. If you can give him a lot of money, isn't it already believing him?"

  Meng Xiaoyu remained silent, confirming Xue Chongxun's previous guess.

  Xue Chongxun looked up at the sky and said, "It's getting dark, I'm afraid he won't come today. Water Cloud seems to be in An Yi Fang that way, coincidentally I also live that way, do you want me to take you there?"

  "Thank you, I'll wait a bit longer, there are horse-drawn carriages for hire at the street corner, I appreciate your kindness, Lang Jun."

  "Alright then, goodbye."

  Meng Xiaoyu suddenly remembered something: "Lang Jun came here to do what? I haven't seen you doing anything."

  Xue Chongxun said with a smile, "It's too late, I originally wanted to see if the Dagan Temple really has a Repentance Hall, but after talking to you for so long, it's not early anymore, and even if I don't go in, it's okay. If I were to repent, I wouldn't be able to finish speaking until tomorrow morning, the monks can't take it."

  Meng Xiaoyu was suddenly amused and laughed, saying: "I didn't expect Lang Jun to be such a bad person. Your appearance reminds me of sunshine, hmm, the sunshine has tanned you."

  Xue Chongxun bowed his fist and said: "Someone has also said that before." After speaking, he quickly ran up to the horse-drawn carriage parked on one side and told Pang Er to drive the horses away.

  The wheels creaked and groaned, the carriage only had Xue Chongxun alone, he sat inside and suddenly laughed to himself, muttering: "Meng Xiaoyu, hazy little rain... a song girl who has seen many people, why can she be so silly?"

  It can be seen that infatuation is sometimes not a good thing, it can make people become foolish. Thinking of this, a sense of fear emerged in Xue Chongxun's heart.

  Pang Er heard Xue Chongxun's voice, but it was not loud and he didn't hear clearly. Pang Er hastily asked: "Lang Jun, what did you say? I didn't hear."

  Xue Chongxun said to the front: "I'm hungry, add two whips and go home for dinner."