Insufficient balance

  These days have been experiencing frequent power outages, if there is no outage today, I will update another chapter tonight.

  Li Longji said "Heaven's will is mine", while in Xue Chongxun's heart, there was a contrary belief: I don't believe in heaven's will, fate should be created by oneself!

  Can a historical inevitability be changed by one person? Xue Chongxun could only repeatedly affirm his own conviction, that history is created by man and that man is its master. He cannot believe in fate, otherwise there would only be death!

  He even thought that if he really defeated Li Longji, there would be no name of Tang Xuanzong in history, nor the prosperous era of Kaiyuan... From the perspective of the country and people's livelihood, it is actually the best way to let Li Longji take power. Otherwise, the turbulent political situation since Wu Zetian will continue. However, Xue Chongxun did not have such a noble sentiment, he did not want to send himself to the guillotine for the so-called peace of the people. As long as there was a glimmer of hope for survival, he would not give up.

  He stood at the door of the house, looked up at the gray sky, and the rain was still falling. Over there, it was a vast expanse of gray and white, nothing could be seen. What is the Way of Heaven? You can disbelieve, but you cannot help but feel awe. If the Way of Heaven is just emptiness, then history has really changed, and Tang Xuanzong is gone. Where did the memories of past lives come from?

  At this time, Xue Chongxun saw the family slave Fang Yuzhong passing under the eaves of the house, saluting himself. He beckoned to Fang Yuzhong to come over. Fang Yuzhong walked to the door and said with a fist: "What instructions does the young master have?"

  Xue Chongxun asked: "Has San Niang left?"

  "Fang Yu Zhong replied: 'Not yet, she is still living in the Yunyou Chamber and has no intention of leaving.'"

  Xue Chongxun nodded and said, "It was I who advised her not to leave... Li Shouyi is a stubborn and unreasonable person, he doesn't care about anyone's background, he dares to investigate whoever. The Xuan Yun Studio is not the Weiguo Gong Fu, it's not very safe, if Li Shouyi brings people to force their way in and capture San Niang, we won't be able to stop him. Go tell San Niang to move into the mansion for a while."

  "Lang Jun, I have something to say but I don't know if it's suitable to say." Fang Yuzhong said suddenly.

  "You've been with our Xue family since you were young, what's there to hide?"

  "Third Madame's origins are unclear, she doesn't even have a household registration, no family or friends. If she dies, then so be it. Why not just hand her over, someone will take the fall and Li Shouyi can save face too, wrap up the case early. Otherwise, there'll be more trouble."

  "No way!" Xue Chongxun said resolutely, "I promised her that I would do my best to protect her life. How can I casually break my promise? Besides, she has already shown her loyalty and is one of our own people. If we don't take care of each other, but instead constantly scheme against each other, who will still be willing to risk their lives for us in the future? There's no need to say more, the decision has been made. Tell San Niang to move into the Wei Guo Gong Fu, and if Li Shouyi dares to break in by force, I'll disregard the rules and take his wife and children as hostages!"

  "Yes, I'll go inform Third Sister now." Fang Yuzhong didn't say more and bowed his fist in farewell.

  Before long, San Niang came to see Xue Chongxun. She seemed to have nothing with her and was indeed carefree. She had simply brought a bundle of clothes to change into and wash, but she wore a hat made of gauze, with a gauze scarf hanging down from the brim, covering her face as well.

  Xue Chongxun said casually as soon as he saw her, "You really dare to believe me. I thought you had left already. Aren't you afraid that I'll hand you over as a scapegoat?"

  After San Niang stood still and remained silent for a moment, she said: "Anyway, my life was saved by Lang Jun. Last time in the ancient temple alley, if it wasn't for Lang Jun's timely rescue, I wouldn't be alive today. If Lang Jun really wants to hand me over, then that's even. Let's just forget about being rescued."

  Her voice was as low and hoarse as ever, with a strange, ghostly tone. She paused for a moment before adding, "Lang Jun is right, being chased and killed every day is indeed not a pleasant feeling."

  Xue Chongxun smiled and said in a casual tone, "I originally wanted to hear you say that you believe me. It turns out it's like this... There is a house at the back of the garden, I'll get Pei Niang to tidy it up for you, you can stay there."

  "Yes." San Niang responded in a low voice.

  Xue Chongxun then called for Pei Niang and asked her to bring San Niang over, also helping with the household chores.

  By the afternoon, it turned out that Xue Chongxun's guess was correct. People from Jingzhao Fu came to Weiguo Gongfu and asked Xue Chongxun to hand over the murderer for punishment according to the law. They also wanted to take the slave who participated in the murder case back to the mansion for interrogation.

  One of Xue Chongxun's followers hastily ran in to inform him, and Xue Chongxun simply said: "Go out and tell them to get lost."

  Ji Xiang was the skinny one who often made fun of Pang Er, had a pointed mouth and sunken cheeks, but his brain reacted quickly. At this time, he said in surprise: "Tell the original words of Lang Jun to the government?"

  "Yes, exactly as I said. The murderer has escaped, let them get out of here and catch him themselves." Xue Chong ordered.

  Jixiang quickly ran out to deliver the message. He walked to the gate and asked the doorman to open a small gap, then he squeezed through it sideways. Outside, a large group of soldiers with real knives and guns made him somewhat afraid, but thinking that he was delivering Lang Jun's message, Jixiang plucked up his courage.

  He pulled his robe, cleared his throat, and with a serious face, he pointed and gestured as he said: "Lang Jun has spoken, let you...". He looked at those fierce soldiers, somewhat intimidated, his voice also softer, "...get out!"

  The crowd suddenly burst into an uproar, and Li Shouyi's face, who was sitting on the horse, also turned pale: "What? You lowly slave! Slandering officials, do you know your crime or not?"

  Ji Xiang's heart skipped a beat, and he lightly knocked on the door with his hand, planning to hide in the house at any moment. But since the other party hadn't really made a move yet, he plucked up the courage to say: "Hey! I'm telling you, old man, I haven't even cursed at anyone, but you're already cursing at me. It was Lang Jun who told you to scram, and with so many of you blocking our door, if we don't tell you to scram, should we invite you in for tea instead?"

  "You lowly slave, I don't want to argue with someone like you. Call out the Duke of Wei to speak!" Li Shouyi shouted with an air of dignity.

  He heard himself repeatedly saying that he was humble, and his heart was also very unhappy. He retorted: "Who do you think you are? Can our young master be seen just by talking about it? First, kowtow a few times at the door and burn some incense to see if the young master can put aside his identity and talk to you for two sentences!"

  "You... " Li Shou said angrily, "I'm on official business, doing the emperor's bidding, and you still want me to burn incense?"

  "Mind your own business, we'll live our lives as we please. I'm giving you good advice by telling you to burn incense, old man, why don't you understand?"

  Li Shouyi heard a hint of something in his words and didn't think much about it, blurting out: "What do you mean?"

  Ji Xiang smiled and said, "The murderer has escaped, you are incompetent and can't catch him. If you want to ask Lang Jun for help, don't you have to burn incense?" This little servant looked a bit sly, but his tongue was quick and he was good at talking nonsense. Xue Chongxun sent him to deal with this situation, and it was indeed a clever move. If it were Pang Er instead, he would be helpless.

  Jixiang didn't have any status, nor did he care, anyway, he didn't talk reason, only talked nonsense, and teased Li Shouyi to the point of crying and laughing. Li Shouyi pointed at him with his whip and shouted: "The murderer is someone from the Wei Guogong Mansion! I'm not looking for people from the Wei Guogong Mansion, who am I looking for? Run away? My informant saw the suspect entering the Wei Guogong Mansion this morning! Hand over the person quickly, otherwise, I will definitely impeach the Wei Guogong for hiding the suspect!"

  "Who saw it? The one eye that saw it?" Jixiang blurted out.

  At this time, a military officer next to Li Shouyi said in a low voice: "Your Excellency, don't waste your breath on this guy. The suspect has obviously entered the Weiguo Gong Mansion, let's surround the mansion first and then ask for an imperial edict from His Majesty. If we need to catch someone, we can go in and catch them. If His Majesty doesn't allow it, it's not our problem."

  Li Shouyi thought for a moment and then said: "Surround the Weiguo Gongfu with people, as long as the suspect takes one step out of the gate, no matter dead or alive, catch him for me!"

  Ji Xiang saw that there was nothing else to do, so he slipped back through the crack in the corner door and told Xue Chongxun everything that had happened outside. Xue Chongxun said, "Just keep San Niang from going out, and Li Shouyi won't dare to force his way in. With so many people waiting around, they can't do their jobs properly. I wonder how long they'll be able to keep this up."

  "Lang Jun, that old man said he would memorialize the emperor and issue an imperial edict to search the mansion."

  Xue Chongxun smiled and said, "I am a member of the imperial family. Would the Emperor agree to let a mere clerk like him come and search at will? Doesn't he fear that I might be framed for secretly hoarding arms with the intention of rebelling, or that this matter would become a spark for conflict? The Emperor wouldn't agree so easily."