Insufficient balance

  Her surname is Dong, not a lady from a scholarly family, generally nameless, originally should be called Dong Danni or Dong Erniang. But because of the position of the left zygomatic bone, there is a small red birthmark in the shape of a butterfly, and her parents and neighbors called her Die'er when she was young. The birthmark on her face is not big, nor is it ugly, the big black spot during the day is naturally applied by herself, and the hand that doesn't listen to orders is also pretended, all for the sake of making a living and gaining sympathy from the officials.

  Bao Cheng originally thought she had returned "home", but when he returned to the courtyard where many families lived, he asked several people and they all said they hadn't seen Dong Shi. He walked to his own door and saw that it was still locked, and upon touching the key which was still on him, he realized that she really hadn't come back.

  Then Bao Cheng opened the door and moved the big knife and other things in. As soon as he entered, the tidy room made him feel a sense of comfort. The old table, bed and other objects were spotless, everything was in order, and it was a world of difference from the dirty and messy scene in the courtyard.

  At this time, Bao Cheng thought to himself that Butterfly was quite good at managing the household. He put down the things in his hand and saw a pile of clothes on a wicker chair at the door of his bedroom, which seemed to have been hastily put there by her that morning. Suddenly, Bao Cheng felt a pang of sadness in his heart, picked it up and smelled it, still with the fragrance of soapberry.

  My stomach is growling, but I can no longer smell the aroma of cooking rice.

  He had to find her first, Bao Cheng thought to himself. Even considering their shared hometown and village, he couldn't just leave her in Luoyang City like this. After thinking for a moment, he stood up, locked the door, and went out. It was said that during the Zhenguan era, people didn't need to lock doors, but now they had to; otherwise, valuable or not, things would easily disappear.

  Bao Cheng's hometown of Baojia Village was mostly populated by males with the same surname, so it was reasonable for him to address Dong Shi's husband and brothers as such, making Dong Shi his sister-in-law. After arriving in Luoyang, he also managed to maintain propriety without doing anything that went against social norms, but this solitary man and woman living together was not easy, the reason being no other than Bao Cheng's fear of causing a bloody disaster by touching her.

  This woman is a "White Tiger"! It was her husband's family who spread the word, such women are unlucky, and one touch would bring great misfortune. Bao Cheng had also been skeptical at first, but the old man's words still made some sense, after all, there were precedents where not listening to the elderly led to trouble. Later he completely believed it, it was really strange: Dong Shi married into the Bao family village for less than half a year, and her husband lost everything in a casino in Luoyang City, even running away with a large debt. To say that the Bao brothers had always been fond of gambling, but they were small-time gamblers, never losing much, this time it was really as if he was possessed by a ghost.

  Her husband ran away, and the family was not at peace. The treatment of Dong Shi can be imagined. Before she ran out, she had been trapped in the troubles of the two families about divorce. The husband's family wanted to divorce her, but there was no good reason. Divorce requires reasons such as infertility or not being a good wife. It cannot be divorced just because someone is a white tiger; after negotiation, the people from the wife's family agreed, but they demanded a large compensation. This matter was very troublesome.

  Bao Cheng thought to himself as he walked, his family's land had been taken over by others, in the future he would either have to continue roaming the world or become a dependent citizen, never having any status... With his own martial arts skills, it was really embarrassing, becoming a soldier was a proper path, it could solve his living problems for now, and looking at it in the long run, if he could gain merits such as opening borders and establishing achievements, rising to prominence wouldn't be impossible, Xue Rengui and others were heroes in his heart, being enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed as a general, having a beautiful name spread throughout the world!

  Dong's wife, she herself ran to Luoyang, taking care of her for so long is also considered fulfilling the friendship of fellow townspeople. Fortunately, I didn't run into her, otherwise, it would be hard to explain. Bao Cheng thought: It's best to send her back home, going back to her maiden home is better, what future can a woman have drifting around outside? Besides, I need to focus on important things and don't have time to take care of her anymore.

  In short, it's better to find her, persuade her to go back and give some money to take back. Moreover, Bao Cheng still had a hidden worry in his heart, with such an ominous thing by his side, who knows if he would encounter a bloody disaster.

  ……

  Bao Cheng first went home and then came out, delaying for a while. It was San Niang who found Dong Shi first. After dark, the rain got heavier again, and Dong Shi was drenched from head to toe, standing under the eaves of a house, shivering with cold.

  The third daughter walked up to her with an umbrella, and saw that the black spots on her face had been washed away by the rain, her hair was stuck to her forehead, and her face was actually quite pitifully beautiful, with a goose egg-shaped face that wasn't unattractive.

  Dong saw someone walking in front of him and stopping, feeling a little scared, staring blankly at the oil-paper umbrella, with both hands clasped to his chest, his face very pale.

  At this time, San Niang lifted the umbrella up a bit, revealing her cold and quiet face. Dong Shi's heart felt a chill, and she immediately remembered that she was the person beside the official at the banquet last night. If it were any other guard, Dong Shi estimated that she wouldn't have remembered, but San Niang was really quite special.

  "Do you recognize me? Come with me, I'm from the government office, I'm not a bad person." said San Niang calmly.

  Dong shook his head.

  The third daughter sank into thought for a moment, as if pondering Dong's thoughts, and then said: "You don't have to have prejudices against us. Bao Zhuang has great skills, even if he hadn't met our Lang Jun, one day he would have found an opportunity to find his way... Things that don't belong to you can't be kept no matter what."

  Dong heard San Niang speak politely and considerately, and finally spoke up: "I'll wait for a while, otherwise he won't be able to find anyone later and will get anxious."

  "How can you be so sure he'll come looking for you?" asked San Niang.

  Dong said indifferently, "We are all from Baojia Village, fellow villagers. He won't abandon me, otherwise he wouldn't have taken me in at first... I think he will send someone to escort me back home."

  San Niang listened and nodded with a bitter smile: "I see, it's good that you have a home to return to."

  "Dong's voice was choked with sobs: 'I don't want to go home, neither side do I want to return to. Going back is harder than death... but I also can't bear to die...' The water droplets on her face were unclear whether they were tears or rain."

  The third daughter remained silent for a long time before asking, "Then what do you plan to do?"

  "I can only go home now, otherwise what else can I do...... I shouldn't have run out in the first place."

  The third daughter said calmly: "Surviving on one's own outside is indeed not as easy as one thinks, even if one becomes a slave, a wealthy family would not want someone with an unclear background and unknown character."

  Just then, a man as tall as a mountain appeared on the street and walked towards them. Dong's face first showed surprise, but soon became gloomy again. San Niang saw her expression, turned her head to look, and indeed saw Bao Cheng walking towards them.

  The sky had darkened, and it was raining. The long street was already very deserted, but the classical wooden building still had lanterns hanging on it, and the light was not too dim. Bao Cheng walked for a while before discovering Dong Shi under the eaves.

  He walked over, took a look at San Niang, and clasped his fists: "You are..."

  San Niang said: "I am a person of Xue Lang's household. I was the one who previously sparred with you in martial arts on Fuqian Street."

  "Oh, nice to meet you." Bao Cheng said with a bright smile, then glanced at Dong Shi and restrained his smile, "Let's go back first, we'll talk later."

  Dong didn't say anything and walked out with her head down, at which point San Niang took the umbrella over to shield her head. Dong's face warmed up upon seeing this and she thanked her.

  Bao Cheng said: "I don't know what to call you?" San Niang said: "I'm just a woman, not an official, so it's fine to call me San Niang."

  Bao Cheng chuckled and wondered why Xue Lang had come to find Dong Shi. He used to work in the Zhechong Mansion, although the number of twists and turns was not as many as that of civil officials, but there were still many rules and etiquette, especially when he was at the wine table before, he knew that the rules of martial arts were no less than those of literati. So Bao Cheng also thought about San Niang's affairs, could it be that Xue Lang wanted to test my character?

  Then San Niang didn't ask about Dong Shi's identity, Bao Cheng spoke up first: "We people from Wu, with my name, attach importance to two things: integrity and loyalty! I would never speak falsely in front of Xue Lang, Die Er... she really isn't my wife, you can ask her, for several months now I have always treated her with courtesy."

  "Hmm..." San Niang responded casually without changing her expression.

  Bao Cheng said, "Her husband's surname is also Bao. Even if I were a beast, how could I have any improper thoughts? At first, when I met her, I wanted to send her back home, after all, it was what I should do as her brother. But she didn't want to go, and I was busy making a living, so the matter dragged on for a while. This time, I will definitely see her safely back home."

  The third daughter said faintly: "Bao Zhuang has courtesy and etiquette, I really admire him."

  At this time, Dong Shi said pitifully: "Bao Lang, you'd better not call me sister-in-law, your husband and you are not relatives... In the future, when you become an official, I'll be a slave servant, I don't want to go back..."

  Bao Cheng said in shock: "What are you talking about? How can I treat my brother's wife as a servant, what do you take me for? Have I ever been impolite these days?"

  Dong cried: "You're just afraid that I'll affect your luck and influence your official career! Don't deny it, you can't fool me with what's in your heart!"

  Bao Cheng angrily said: "How can you be so unreasonable! I treated you with courtesy, but you spoke to me in this manner! You abandoned your parents-in-law and father, and ran away alone, is that the way of human relationships?"

  Dong shouted out of control: "What reason! Do you know what kind of days I've been living at home? These days, I cook for you, wash clothes for you, help you make money, don't you have any sense of gratitude?"

  At this time, San Niang faintly clasped her fists and said: "Bao Zhuang Shi, I'll ask a rude question, what's going on at Dong Sao's house?"

  Dong glared at Bao Cheng and said: "You want me to lose face in front of everyone, just say it!"

  "Then don't ask," said Third Sister.

  Bao Cheng sighed, "Actually, it's not her fault, their family matters are none of our business, we're outsiders after all... It's not that I don't have feelings for you, but I really can't keep you by my side anymore, or else the villagers will think poorly of my character."

  Dong sneered: "When you were down on your luck, did you ever care about others' opinions?"

  Three people walked to the street, and two other guards in long shirts also came over, took a look at Dong Shi, and said: "We searched several streets separately, and it turned out that San Niang had already found someone."

  "Now that Bao Zhuang has found the person, there's nothing more for us to do. I'll take my leave and return to report back." San Niang cupped her fists and said, "Remember to arrive at the Ministry of Revenue tomorrow morning on time."

  Bao Cheng replied: "Alright, I won't see you off far then. Let's meet again early tomorrow."

  Just then, Dong said suddenly: "Are you here on the orders of Xue Minggong to find me? What do you want from me?"