Insufficient balance

  "Now you don't have a chance, why not put down that thing in your hand that looks like a crossbow and surrender, I might be able to spare your life for the sake of that time at the City God Temple."

  "Whether it's life or death is still up to you, alas, having one's fate controlled by others isn't a pleasant thing..."

  Xue Chongxun sized up Bai Wuchang and the women around her, suddenly having a feeling that Bai Wuchang's appearance was like freshly picked grapes, while the other women were like raisins... Women really needed to be young and lively to look good. He didn't have much of a murderous heart, so he started joking: "I really can't bear to kill you, let's take you in and play with you slowly..."

  Bai Wuchang pretended to be angry and said, "You're so bad, a weak woman like me will soon be played to death by you." Her voice was shrill, just like a little girl throwing a tantrum. After thinking for a moment, she continued, "I'm sure you must be very curious about who instructed me in the assassination attempt last time?"

  Xue Chongxun nodded and said: "You'd better speak out and confess your crimes, that way you'll have a greater chance of staying alive."

  "I'll give you a lead, let me go." Bai Wuchang's expression was unpredictable, sometimes pretending to be young and naive, while other times his face was gloomy.

  Xue Chongxun sneered, "Don't you understand your situation yet? Now you're not qualified to negotiate with me. With just one order from me, I can have you arrested and subjected to severe torture, and the outcome will be the same. Are you sure you can withstand all sorts of interrogation methods?"

  Bai Wuchang's eyes flashed with a hint of firefly light, as if there were tears swirling in her eye sockets, and it was unclear whether it was real or fake. She said pitifully: "It's all because women have soft hearts. Last time, you moved me, and I let you go out of kindness. When I got back, I almost couldn't explain myself. If I reveal the client's clues to you and people find out, my reputation will be completely ruined. Who would dare give me jobs in the future? I'd starve to death."

  Just then, Liu An outside the account shouted: "I have something important to discuss with Mr. Xue, please see Mr. Xue for a talk."

  "Come in and speak." Xue Chongxun responded with a sound.

  Before long, Liu An entered the main tent with Lyu Cishi. Lyu Cishi pointed at Bai Wuchang and said, "It's her."

  Liu An said to the other women: "There's nothing for you here, go down."

  The women looked at each other in dismay, and one of them, bolder than the others, took a step forward and walked out, followed by the rest. It was only then that Liu An spoke up: "Xue Lang, this female thief is from the Crown Prince's side, and tonight she snuck into Lyu Cishi's place and stole his account book, which is very important."

  "Heh, you think I'd still have it on me once I've gotten my hands on it?"

  Liu An said: "Please ask Lord Xue to issue an order to take this person down and force him to reveal the whereabouts of the account book."

  "What account book is so important?" Xue Chongxun asked while guessing, his heart had already guessed a rough idea.

  Liu An's expression on his face became somewhat awkward, and after a moment of silence, he said: "Many wealthy households in order to avoid the government's recruitment and taxation, will bribe local officials through some channels, but local officials are afraid of being investigated by their superiors, so they will hand over most of what they receive... That account book is the record of the governor of Ru Prefecture receiving bribes from wealthy households in the prefecture."

  Xue Chongxun glanced at Bai Wuchang and smiled, "I was wondering why you came here, it turns out it's for this matter. It seems that not only do you kill people, but also commit theft?"

  "What's the difference? It's all just for a living." said Bai Wuchang.

  Xue Chongxun's expression changed, and he turned his head to say in a loud voice: "Liu An, you were sent down here with full authority to rectify the He Cui, which is a sign of trust in you. How can you be so partial and lawless? Don't you feel that you're disappointing the court's high expectations of you? No wonder it's been over a year since you came down, and there's not even a bit of improvement. It turns out that you're colluding with them!"

  Liu An frowned and said, "I am also helpless. The officials in the Transport Department, as well as local officials at all levels, are mostly 'slanted officials' appointed by Your Highness. Moreover, a large part of the money obtained from the canal will be transported to Chang'an and delivered to the residence of Princess Taiping, my position as Wei Guo Gong is clear, how can I move these people?"

  Xue Chongxun paced back and forth a few times, suddenly looked up and sighed: "The human heart..."

  Liu An said in a low voice, "Actually, I think Your Highness did not appoint the Weibo official for personal gain, but rather the existence of the Weibo official itself is a recognition of Your Highness's power. If our subordinates cannot appreciate Your Highness's painstaking efforts and blindly cause trouble, wouldn't that be even more disappointing to Your Highness's cultivation of his officials? So after I arrived in Dongdu it has been over a year, it's not that there is no way to rectify the grain transportation, but rather we can't move..."

  Xue Chongxun glanced at Lü Cishi and shook his head, saying: "The imperial examination is just a way to enter officialdom, there's no good or bad to it. However, the officials who have been appointed are all what kind of people? Most of them, apart from being experts in flattering, don't have any talent at all. How can they help us achieve great things?"

  "What Xue Lang said is absolutely right." Liu An said calmly.

  Lv Cishi said: "No matter what, the account book cannot fall into the hands of the crown prince. This thing is a real evidence, a solid handle."

  Xue Chongxun sneered, "Does it make a big difference whether others have obtained this thing or not? This woman was hired specifically to get that account book. What does that imply? The other side has long been familiar with the corrupt practices you've been engaging in on several rivers, and they've investigated everything clearly. They even know about your account book, Lu Xianshi. Is there any point in covering it up?"

  Lv Xishi cried and said with a sad face: "Without solid evidence, even if they say something in the imperial court, it's useless."

  Xue Chongxun shook his head and said, "This is the heart of man. The heart of man follows the trend, others are creating momentum! I'll tell you, if my mother falls, do you still want to continue being an official and getting rich? You'd better watch your neck!"

  Lü Cishi stared at Bai Wuchang, he now obviously didn't want to care about the overall situation, just wanting to get back the account book... That thing was evidence, framing Taiping Princess temporarily wouldn't work, probably Lü Cishi would have to be punished first.

  Xue Chongxun stood still, looked up with his eyes closed and pondered for a moment, then suddenly said: "But I've already promised the woman to let her go."

  As soon as he said this, everyone looked at him with great puzzlement and incomprehension.

  Xue Chongxun said, "She's not from the Crown Prince's side, she's just after wealth. I met her once by chance before, since we're acquaintances, I'm a person who values loyalty and righteousness, so today I'll give her some face and let her off."

  Lv Ci Shi was stunned for a long time before hastily saying: "Return the account book to me! I won't harm your life."

  Bai Wuchang didn't understand why Xue Chongxun was doing this either. Just now, he had been spouting grandiose words as if he were an expert in the ways of power struggles, but now he suddenly did something that seemed completely pointless. She didn't have time to think about it too much and cupped her hands together: "Great kindness doesn't require thanks, I'll remember this favor from Mr. Xue first. You've sent Buddha off to the west, good people see things through to the end, please trouble yourself to escort me for ten more miles and give me a fast horse."

  "Wei Guo Gong..." Liu An frowned and said, "A female swindler from the rivers and lakes, what's the point of dealing with her? Just capture her and use severe torture to extract a confession!"

  Xue Chongxun smiled and waved his hand: "A man's word is his bond, I promised her, even if it's a female scammer, I should keep my promise."

  Bai Wuchang shouted in a shrill voice: "You're the female swindler!"

  Xue Chongxun had an awkward expression: "Don't be angry, I'll play nice and see you off, deal?"

  "This is just about right, from now on don't dare call me a female swindler again, you black swindler." Bai Wuchang gave him a cold glance.

  "Someone, prepare a horse... one!" Xue Chongxun shouted.

  Lü Cishi stretched out his hand, looking extremely helpless. Just as he was about to say something, Liu An gently tugged at his sleeve, stopping him. Xue Chongxun led Bai Wuchang out of the tent, with San Niang following close behind.

  Liu and Lü, the two officials, did not leave after coming out of the account. Lü, the governor, almost burst into tears in front of Liu An: "Liu, what can be done? That thing has been taken to Chang'an, do I still have a life?"

  "We all underestimated Weiguo Gong before, don't worry about this." Liu An said with a pause.

  Lü Cishi hastily turned around in circles: "Lord Liu, this time you must help your brother out, for the sake of the emperor, help your brother out..."

  Liu An grabbed his arm: "Don't be impatient... Can you guess why the Duke of Wei wants to release a lowly vagrant?"

  Lv Cishi cried and said with a sad face: "It must be that he blames us for hiding things from him and excluding him, wanting to bully us!"

  "Right, just a warning shot." Liu An said with an air of profundity, "So don't worry too much, we're all under Taiping Gongzhu's command. He, Xue Lang, doesn't usually bother others, he specializes in dealing with his own people. Is it necessary to go that far? A warning is just a warning, he won't take it to the extreme, you can rest assured... If he can manage to balance kindness and severity, I really think highly of this Xue Lang."

  Lü Cishi thought less of Liu An than he did himself, his mind preoccupied with his own danger, and couldn't help but ask again: "Really, it's nothing to worry about?"

  Liu An gently patted his back and said: "Don't worry, let's see how Xue Lang handles it first. If he can't handle it well, I'm still here, and above me is the prince."

  Lü Cishi was so moved that he grasped Liu An's hand, tears streaming down his face: "Lord Liu, with these words from you, I'll be willing to be a cow or a horse for the rest of my life!"

  "Alas, alas, I've said too much." Liu An said calmly.

  At Xue Chongxun's request, the guard led only one horse over. Xue Chongxun turned to Bai Wuchang and said: "I'll send you off, I'll carry you up."

  Bai Wuchang pretended to be shy and said: "You want to take advantage of others."

  San Niang, who was standing beside him, couldn't help but say: "Young Master, be careful."

  "Hey, Third Sister, you're so quick to get jealous? I just want to sit with Brother Xue. Hehe, Brother Xue, carry me up and let me sit in your arms."

  Xue Chongxun glanced at San Niang, hesitated for a moment, then walked in front of Bai Wuchang, put one arm around her shoulder and the other around her buttocks, and suddenly hugged her. Bai Wuchang quickly wrapped her arms around Xue Chongxun's neck, "Hehehe..." giggling uncontrollably.

  Xue Chongxun still admired her, in a situation where she was at the mercy of others, with an uncertain fate, she could still laugh. Bai Wuchang smiled and said: "Ordinary people who dare to touch me will die, you actually hugged me, don't you think I'm very dangerous?"

  Xue Chongxun smiled and said, "All roses have thorns."