Insufficient balance

  Sometimes women think in a way that is completely different from men, and the difference is astonishing. Some people are not afraid to die for their loved ones or for justice; but telling women about justice has almost no effect, on the contrary, some seemingly insignificant details they will take very seriously.

  She hopes to be cared for, hoping to receive gifts on special days, even if it's just a small gift. These are all unimportant things... San Niang is no exception, although she lives in a dark world, always hiding during the day and emerging at night, but also values other people's care.

  The last time she killed Feng Yuanjun, she said "Yuwen Xiao always says that he treats us as his own daughters, but I know that I can never compare to Yuwen Ji in value", Xue Chongxun should have understood her thoughts.

  When Xue Chongxun pulled her hand and ran towards the house, San Niang's heart suddenly flowed with a warm current, she even forgot about the danger she was facing, her mind was filled with Xue Chongxun's warm and rough big hands, those hands that had calluses from practicing martial arts, had the scent of sunshine.

  No matter how bad Xue Chongxun was, no matter how corrupt and depraved his morals were, at this moment in San Niang's heart, he was a good person.

  Xue Chongxun pulled her into his own room, looking around but still not finding a particularly hidden place. His bedroom was simply and elegantly decorated, with only a bed, chair, desk, incense burner and other objects, without any secret passages or facilities. In fact, even if there were secret passages, others would still be able to find them if they searched carefully. Li Shouyi, as an official of his age and experience, was familiar with all sorts of buildings and could probably tell at a glance what kind of facilities a house had.

  "Lang Jun, I have something to say..." San Niang suddenly said when she saw the scene in Xue Chongxun's room, but Xue Chongxun immediately interrupted her. He said: "Let's talk about it later, there is no time now. You go to bed, and I will deal with Li Shouyi later."

  The third daughter had no choice but to go along with his wishes and prepare for bed, but she didn't have any hope.

  At this time Xue Chongxun thought for a moment and stopped her again, saying: "Don't hide on the bed, go under the bed... Pei Niang, come in."

  At the door, a little girl named Pei Niang walked in timidly. She was Xue Chongxun's concubine, but she usually slept outside the screen and only served Xue Chongxun's daily life.

  "Go to bed and take off your outdoor clothes." Xue Chongxun ordered.

  Pei Niang had no choice but to take off her top and skirt, wearing only a white undergarment as she climbed onto Xue Chongxun's bed. This was improper attire, and it would be bad if a man saw her like this, but the undergarments were all long and didn't expose anything.

  Xue Chongxun immediately walked forward, pulled the quilt to cover Pei Niang's head, and ordered: "None of you make any noise, just stay still."

  At this time, the corridor outside had already transmitted a chaotic footsteps, Xue Chongxun got up and walked out of the door, only to see Li Shouyi leading a small team walking towards this side.

  Xue Chongxun shouted first: "Li Shouyi, you have a big nerve, are you going to rob my house?"

  Li Shouyi walked up and, with a slight bow, said: "My men have personally seen the culprit enter the Weiguo Gong Mansion. I've come to search for him under the imperial edict of His Majesty. It's official business, please cooperate, Duke Weiguo."

  Xue Chongxun sneered: "Do you think doing this thing can get you promoted?"

  Li Shouyi said sternly, "I am willing to be a rustic villager, I only like to farm and read books. With a thin field of one mu and three fen, it is enough to make a living. Now that I have come out to serve as an official, could it be for the sake of promotion and wealth?"

  "I hope what you said came from your heart, otherwise it's really disgusting."

  Li Shouyi saw Xue Chongxun blocking the door and asked again: "Is this room the bedroom of Wei Guogong?"

  "That's right."

  Li Shouyi said: "Here also needs to be searched."

  "How dare you!" Xue Chongxun said angrily. "There are my family members in the house, I think you're not here to search for people, but intentionally humiliating me!"

  "I'll handle official business in an official manner and will never let personal matters interfere with work. Please step aside, General Wei, this place needs to be searched too."

  Xue Chongxun stepped aside and said coldly, "If nothing is found, I will seek justice from you."

  "Hmph!" Li Shouyi was indeed a hard stone who feared neither heaven nor earth, and didn't care about Xue Chongxun's threats. He took a step forward and walked inside, followed by the several bailiffs behind him.

  Li Shouyi walked into the room, made no move, just stood at the door and looked around, then said to a nearby servant: "You guard here." Then he went straight inside, bypassed the screen, and came to Xue Chongxun's bedroom.

  Xue Chongxun also followed in and pointed to the room saying: "You see where can I hide someone here?"

  Li Shouyi noticed the big bed and asked: "What's on the bed?"

  "My wife is still in her bedroom. You suddenly burst in and she didn't even have time to get dressed, it's not convenient for her to see people now, hurry up and finish your search so you can leave!"

  Li Shou turned his head and took a glance at the undercover agent dressed as a soldier behind him, then said to another yamen runner: "Go lift up the quilt and see who it is."

  "Li Shouyi!" Xue Chongxun hastily walked to the front of the bed, his back against a large cabinet at the headboard, and angrily said, "I am the majestic Duke of Weiguo, and the Emperor is my uncle. How dare you humiliate my woman in front of so many people? Don't blame me for not warning you, everything has a price to pay."

  Li Shouyi gritted his teeth, the muscles on both sides of his face taut, staring at Xue Chongxun: "This official only handles official business. Come in, lift up the quilt!"

  The servants behind him didn't dare to move, each face pale and frozen in place, their feet rooted to the spot as if nailed down. Li Shou looked at them with contempt and snorted, "Cowards!" He then strode to the bedside, grasped the corner of the quilt, and with a swift motion, flipped it open.

  Only a clever girl of twelve or thirteen years old, wearing only her undergarments and curled up on the bed, let out a terrified cry... It was clear that such a young girl was not the murderer. Everyone's face turned pale, they all secretly looked at Xue Chongxun's expression, and were intimidated to the extreme.

  Li Shouyi's face also changed, and he quickly turned his head to cover Pei Niang with the quilt. However, he soon regained his composure and suddenly discovered that Xue Chongxun had come in and was standing directly in front of the large cabinet behind him. Even when someone wanted to lift the quilt, Xue Chongxun didn't move. Li Shouyi felt a sense of unease and couldn't help but pay extra attention to the cabinet.

  "I want to check that cabinet." Li Shou said with an unchanged expression.

  Xue Chongxun glared, his face turned iron-gray. His hand had already pressed onto the sword at his waist. The room suddenly fell silent, and the attendants all stared fearfully at Xue Chongxun's right hand. A killing aura spread around, creating an atmosphere that made people feel as if a large block of ice had appeared, causing the temperature to drop sharply.

  "You try." Xue Chongxun said in a cold and ruthless tone.

  Li Shouyi's subordinates wanted to advise him, but they suddenly felt like a fish bone was stuck in their throat and no one could say a word. Everyone secretly cursed their bad luck, wondering how they had followed such a foolish old man. After entering, they lifted the woman's quilt, although they didn't see anything shameful, but her dignity had already been torn apart. If Xue Chongxun really took action, drew his sword and killed a few people, who could guarantee that it wouldn't be in vain?

  The entire Tang Empire belongs to the Li family, Xue Chongxun's mother is the daughter of two generations of emperors. He can kill a few people and naturally there will be ways to protect himself, at most he will receive some punishment, but it is unlikely that he will be put to death...

  Li Shouyi's men were all tense to the extreme, and some had already made up their minds that once they started fighting, they would run away immediately, rather than staying here and throwing their lives away for nothing.

  Li Shouyi's mind was focused, but he wasn't stupid. He also detected the murderous intent in Xue Chongxun's three words. His pupils constricted as their eyes locked in a stare. At this moment, Li Shouyi's heart was probably wavering too. Was he standing there for the sake of dignity or to compete with others?

  "Wei Guo Gong, your grandmother was a princess of the Tang Dynasty, and your mother was also a princess. You have the blood of the Li-Tang royal family flowing through your veins. You must understand what I am fighting for? I am fighting for justice in the Tang Dynasty, for the dignity of national law!" Li Shouyi looked at Xue Chongxun calmly and said, "I, Li Shouyi, was originally just a common man, and death is not worth worrying about."

  Xue Chongxun was moved by the old man's words, wondering if he was a man of integrity. He didn't know Li Shouyi well and couldn't understand his character, but if the old man's words were sincere, Xue Chongxun was indeed touched.

  When people get used to an unjust situation, they may adapt and accept it out of helplessness, but that doesn't mean they are willing to praise the darkness and injustice... Anyway, Li Shouyi's persistence touched Xue Chongxun.

  Of course, if the person who debated with Li Shouyi was someone like Jixiang, no matter how righteous Li Shouyi was, it would have been useless. But he was lucky that these words were spoken to Xue Chongxun, and Xue Chongxun was at least a nobleman. Even if his heart was dark, he had to follow the Confucian teachings of "righteousness" on the surface.

  Xue Chongxun's hand slowly released from the hilt of the sword, and he silently took a step back from in front of the cabinet. Li Shouyi also didn't speak, walking to the cabinet and opening it in front of Xue Chongxun, inside there was nothing except clothes.

  If Li Shouyi were to continue searching under the bed and other places, Xue Chongxun would have been helpless. However, Li Shouyi saw that there was no one in the cabinet, and the room's layout was so simple, but he didn't bother much, waved his hand and said: "Let's go."

  As Li Shouyi himself said, he investigated the case not because he hated the murderer so much, but just to uphold a belief. He did his best and if he still couldn't solve it, it wasn't his fault for being biased or unjust, there were many unsolved cases in this world anyway.

  The officials searched other places in the mansion again, but naturally found nothing. Then those officials who came with them interrogated the slaves of the Xue Mansion on the spot, took a statement, and left the Xue Mansion.

  At this time, San Niang finally crawled out from under the bed, shook off her clothes and saw Xue Chongxun sitting in a chair beside her.

  Xue Chongxun smiled bitterly and said: "Li Shouyi, this man, he has nothing to do with the Feng family, nor does he have any grudges against me. He really is willing to risk his life..."

  The third daughter didn't care about the "righteousness" that Li Shouyi insisted on, let alone being moved by it. So she changed the subject and asked in a low voice: "Just now if Li Shouyi wanted to search under the bed, would Lang Jun draw his sword?"