Insufficient balance

  Because the electricity was cut off for half a day in the afternoon and only came back on at night, this chapter is being supplemented now.

  ……

  White paper money floats in the rain, the soul-summoning banner flapping loudly, on this desolate long street, the Daoist's mournful and heart-wrenching cry echoes: "Soul, return..."

  The Feng manor was shrouded in a somber and dismal atmosphere, with white flowers hanging on the gate and even the lanterns changed to white. Gao Lishi got out of the carriage dressed in plain white, but when an eunuch hurriedly opened an umbrella for him to shelter from the rain, he unexpectedly glared with a stern face and growled: "Take it away!"

  Gao Lishi was tall and had a strong physique, with a chiseled face and thick eyebrows that resembled two strokes of heavy ink. His skin tone was also darker than usual. If he didn't have a clean-shaven face, he wouldn't look like an eunuch at all. He stood at the entrance, letting the cold rain hit his head and face, with raindrops sliding down his cheeks from his eyebrows, like tears. At this moment, the servant of the Feng family opened the door and knelt down to welcome him, and Gao Lishi slowly walked in.

  Feng Yuanjun was his only relative, but now he has returned to the nine springs. There are many people in the world who have their relatives by their side but do not cherish them... Who can understand Gao Lishi's feelings at this time? He no longer has any relatives, his loneliness, his sadness, like this cold rain, is heart-wrenching. During the reign of Wu Zetian, the Feng family was convicted and scattered, leaving only Gao Lishi and Feng Yuanjun, Gao Lishi became a eunuch and would not have any descendants, his cousin Feng Yuanjun became the only hope for the Feng family, but unexpectedly such a thing happened...

  As they entered the mourning hall, the people wearing mourning clothes and hats cried even louder, especially those concubines and young maidservants who were more heartbroken than if their own fathers had died. But Gao Lishi knew that they were crying for his benefit, merely because they had lost a powerful backer and wanted to find another one; how many of them were truly heartbroken?

  Is it only Gao Lishi who is not crying? But he didn't cry, not a single tear. Gao Lishi knelt in front of the memorial tablet and silently kowtowed several times, but seeing that the coffin behind the tablet had not been covered yet, he stood up and walked over.

  Feng Yuanjun's body lay quietly, his eyes still open! Gao Lishi's jaws were clenched so tightly that they creaked, and a trickle of blood flowed down from the corner of his mouth. He stretched out his trembling right hand and gently brushed it over Feng Yuanjun's eyelids, trying to get him to close his eyes, but those eyelids seemed to still be alive, no matter how hard he tried, they just wouldn't shut.

  Gao Li covered his chest with his hands, and tears welled up in his eyes.

  He clenched his teeth and stood up, quickly leaving the mourning hall. At this moment, Gao Lishi did not want others to see his reaction, so he hurriedly walked into a side room in the courtyard and locked the door behind him.

  There was a chair beside the case, and Gao Lishi sat down, taking a deep breath to calm his almost out-of-control emotions. After a long while, he suddenly drew the sword from his waist and jumped up from the chair, stabbing it into the large case. "Clang!" The sturdy palm wood case was pierced by one sword, and the wooden shavings flew everywhere. Then, the precious sword also broke with a "crack".

  Gao Lishi's face and neck muscles were all tense, his head thrown back and his mouth wide open, as if he was enduring some kind of torture. He looked at the broken sword in his hand and said in a low voice: "Brother Xian, I will not let Xue Chongxun be torn to pieces unless this sword is like this!"

  After a while, someone knocked on the door. Gao Lishi threw away the broken sword in his hand and walked out of the door. The visitor was an old steward from the Feng family. The steward bowed and said: "How are the people in the Feng mansion arranged? Are they going to move to the Gao Gongfu?"

  Gao Lishi said expressionlessly: "There are already enough people in my mansion, send some silver after a few days and get rid of them. You go arrange it, then come to my mansion to report back."

  The housekeeper said in dismay: "The Xue family has harmed our master, and everyone in the mansion is willing to avenge Ah Lang... perhaps Gao Gong can still be used..."

  "No need, under the emperor's feet there is a national law, the government will give people justice." Gao Lishi said calmly.

  Housekeeper: “......”

  Just then another servant rushed over and said: "Your Excellency, the Crown Prince has arrived!"

  Gao Lishi hurriedly stepped aside and walked out while saying, "Where did he go?"

  "The prince has arrived, we don't dare block him, he's already gone straight to the mourning hall."

  Gao Lishi hastily returned to the mourning hall, where he saw Crown Prince Li Longji bowing. After Li Longji paid his respects to the deceased, he caught sight of Gao Lishi and walked over. Gao Lishi was moved to say: "Your Highness is busy with a multitude of affairs, why have you come in person?"

  Li Longji sighed: "Yuan Jun is the only brother of Li Shi, right?"

  Li Longji was tall and handsome, with a dignified appearance, his facial features were strong and perfect, and the space between his eyebrows was full of spirit. He was truly a rare beauty among men. His demeanor was calm and majestic, with the elegance and nobility unique to the aristocracy. This must be what they call the aura of a king.

  Gao Li Si wiped his eyes and nodded: "Your Highness, please come in."

  Gao Lishi invited Li Longji into the living room and asked him to take a seat. After Li Longji sat down, he said: "Lishi, please don't grieve excessively and harm your body. I understand your feelings, I also have brothers. The other day, I even had someone specially make a long pillow that can fit five people sleeping together. We five brothers are as close as limbs, when we gather together, we share the same quilt."

  When Li Longji talked about brotherly love, regardless of whether he was doing it for political needs or truly cared about the fraternal bond, Gao Lishi also couldn't help but be moved to tears, covering his face and weeping.

  Gao Lishi understood that at this critical moment, the Crown Prince did not want to see him being affected by personal grievances and affecting the overall situation. Therefore, Gao Lishi could not show too much hatred and vengeful emotions. However, it was okay to be sad for a while, as his brother had died, but he still looked like nothing had happened, which made him seem even more fake.

  Li Longji looked at his sad appearance and couldn't help but say, "This matter involves the Taiping Princess's household, and the government may not be able to investigate it thoroughly... What does Lishi plan to do?"

  Gao Lishi sobbed and said: "This matter doesn't need to be investigated, it must have something to do with Xue Chongxun; and that woman from the Yuwen family, a shameless villain who harms people, can't escape responsibility! I'll remember this grudge for now, and settle it later!"

  Li Longji heard him say that, and let out a sigh of relief: "Don't worry, when the time comes, I will take charge for you. Lishi, you are not only my subject, but also my friend, a friend's affairs are my affairs, rest assured."

  Gao Lishi nodded vigorously, "The prince will definitely be the final winner, I have no doubt about this outcome. By then, old and new grudges, we'll settle them together."

  "Oh? How can you be so sure? To know that now both inside and outside the imperial court are not optimistic about me, Li Sanlang." Li Longji couldn't help but ask.

  "Those who are benevolent have no enemies!" Gao Lishi said without hesitation, "The benevolent have no enemies is the eternal and unchanging way. No matter what sinister plots they use, they cannot escape the heavenly way. The crown prince is a benevolent person, he is the direction of the hearts of all officials and citizens of the Tang Dynasty, everyone in the world hopes that the Tang Dynasty can regain stability and prosperity, everyone yearns for a peaceful and prosperous era without worries about food and clothing; and Your Highness, you are the sage and savior whom all people look up to! With such popular support, who can stop it?!"

  Li Longji thought to himself: Gao Lishi is indeed my confidant, our minds are alike! A confident and optimistic expression appeared on his face. Although the world was still treacherous, his fighting spirit remained positive and upward.

  If it weren't for Gao Lishi's brother still standing outside the spiritual hall, Li Longji really wanted to burst out laughing. He raised his head and said confidently: "My great-grandfather Emperor Taizong of Tang said that the Mandate of Heaven is with me, if Heaven will rise, no one can stop it."

  "What a 'Mandate of Heaven'!" Gao Lishi praised, "The Crown Prince has the style of the ancestors of the Tang Dynasty, and is certainly the true son of heaven chosen by heaven. When heaven bestows great responsibility, one should not refuse. Even if it's the will of heaven, what does my personal vendetta count for? There will come a day when good and evil are rewarded, and I will wait for that day!"

  Li Longji nodded in satisfaction: "You think so, I'm at ease. Absolutely must not act rashly."