Insufficient balance

  Suddenly felt very proud. Bai Wuchang looked at the armored knights on both sides of the road, with swords and guns standing like a forest, and torches illuminating the road as if it were daytime. In normal times, she would have been terrified by such a scene, and in fact, whenever she saw officials before, her heart would inexplicably feel guilty, probably because people who had committed crimes could hardly escape this mentality. But tonight was different, she wasn't afraid at all, because those officers and soldiers stood there respectfully, not daring to make a sound.

  Xue Chongxun really didn't take advantage of her, although they rode the same horse, his hands were just honestly wrapped around her waist. At this time, he suddenly said: "You see San Niang is doing well under my command, not worried about food or clothing, and no one is chasing to kill, safe and sound, why don't you also abandon your dark ways and follow me with San Niang?"

  Bai Wuchang did not immediately refuse, which was for the same reason that Song Jiang had wanted to surrender.

  After a moment of silence, Bai Wuchang smiled and said: "Forget it, I make a living on the road by my own skills, being free is great, but with you? I'm afraid I'll get myself into trouble."

  Xue Chongxun sighed and said, "The Buddha said that there are two miserable things in the world..." He only said one sentence and stopped. Bai Wuchang was waiting to hear some interesting stories about the Buddha, but unexpectedly, there was no continuation. She couldn't help but curiously ask, "You didn't just make it up on the spot, did you? You haven't thought of what those two things are yet?"

  Xue Chongxun was pondering which two things they were when Bai Wuchang said, "I hate it the most when people say half a sentence and leave half a sentence... Alright, you finish speaking, and I'll reward you."

  "What's the reward?" Xue Chongxun asked casually. Bai Wuchang turned his head and whispered in his ear, "Let you touch my chest, the shape there is very good, but only through clothes."

  Xue Chongxun was stunned, and couldn't help but look down, and indeed saw that her clothes were bulging up. In the Tang Dynasty, there was no such thing as a bra, and most women's breasts wouldn't be able to lift their clothes up like that. This Bai Wuchang really knew how to tease men, and with just one sentence, Xue Chongxun's body couldn't help but react slightly.

  Bai Wuchang felt it and smiled, "No guts, getting agitated over just one sentence? Are you going to touch or not?" Xue Chongxun no longer hesitated, hurriedly freed up a hand and gently placed it on her chest, immediately feeling a pair of firm things. He couldn't help but lightly grasp them, and the elastic things were grasped into a different shape.

  "Hey, take it easy!" Bai Wuchang took away his hand, "Now you should say something?" Xue Chongxun thought for a moment and said: "Two bitter things: one is not getting what you want and struggling to pursue; two is getting it but still being anxious and afraid of losing it."

  Two men rode horses and talked for a while, already leaving the campsite for some distance. Xue Chongxun pulled the reins to stop his horse and said: "I'll send you off here, you ride away on your horse, there shouldn't be any danger, the guards around the campsite wouldn't dare to disobey my orders and chase after you." After saying that, he jumped down from his horse and slapped its buttocks with a loud "slap".

  Bai Wuchang turned his head and said: "The person who hired me to assassinate you last time, I don't know who it was, but there is a clue. Do you want to know?"

  "You said," Xue Chongxun hastily replied, "If you're afraid of leaking the news and being ostracized by Jianghu, the main gate of my mansion is always open for you."

  Bai Wuchang smiled and said, "I can get a handsome reward for the account book in my hand, and I'll be able to live comfortably for a while. What's the point of thinking about what happens next? When you go investigate the clues I provided, I've already gotten the money, they won't be able to find me... Hmm, the 'Zhengnan Qibei' inn in Chang'an East City, you can start from there. Farewell, we'll meet again!"

  She finished speaking and rode her horse in a hurry, with the wind blowing in her ears. Suddenly, she felt a little puzzled about herself. Xue Chongxun didn't ask, why did she take the initiative to mention that clue? People always do some useless things anyway.

  Xue Chongxun watched her back disappear into the distance, then changed to another horse and returned to the camp. The night was already very deep, but Liu An and other officials were still waiting in front of the tent.

  They followed Xue Chongxun into the account tent, and Liu An immediately took out a list and handed it to Xue Chongxun, saying: "This is an approximate income of various states along the canal for the first half of the year, please take a look, Mr. Xue."

  "Sit down and talk." Xue Chongxun took over the note, leaned under the lamp to examine it carefully.

  Lü Cishi bowed and said, "When the Duke of Wei first arrived, we were afraid of being presumptuous, so we didn't dare to show him these things immediately. Please forgive us, Your Excellency."

  Xue Chongxun smiled and said: "We're all our own people, everything can be discussed, no need to worry. You all know that I'm a very casual person."

  "That's it, that's it." The officials secretly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling somewhat casual.

  Liu An said: "If Mr. Xue doesn't mind, I'd like to offer him two-tenths of all the income... As many things need to be taken care of and the goods have to be delivered to Chang'an, please understand."

  "Not to mention two percent, even one percent is a huge fortune, I really don't know how to spend it?" Xue Chongxun said, looking thoughtful, as if worried that the money would not be spent.

  "So did Xue Lang agree?" Liu An asked with a dry smile. Everyone was eagerly awaiting Xue Chongxun's answer, this matter was truly seeking favors from others and asking for their money, power is indeed good!

  "Accept it! Why not accept it? Such a good thing, sent right to your hands and you don't want it, aren't you stupid?" Xue Chongxun said with a fake smile, "Many people in the world will stop at nothing for profit, as the saying goes 'people die for wealth, birds perish for food', isn't that reasonable?"

  All the officials felt a sense of relief on their faces, as if they had all let out a sigh of relief. Money is a good thing, but it's also very dangerous. As long as Xue Chongxun dares to take the money, even if he's on the same boat, there's nothing to worry about.

  Just as they were about to catch their breath, Xue Chongxun said, "However, two percent is indeed too little."

  "This...” Liu An's expression changed, and he frowned, saying, "That's three tenths. At most, it can only be like this, Duke of Wei! It's not that I, Liu, am greedy for money, but this money is really hot to handle. If possible, I wouldn't want a single cent. Because more than half has to be sent to Chang'an, and you alone take three tenths. Less than two tenths still have to be divided among those corrupt officials; otherwise, what's the point of spending money to buy official positions if there's no profit?"

  Xue Chongxun shook his head and said, "Liu Shijun, you're right. If you want the horse to run, you have to give it grass to eat! I don't want three percent, I want seven percent! The two percent you mentioned earlier, add that to the share I'll get for delivering to Chang'an, and we won't need to send any more money to Chang'an."

  "This won't do, it's not divided well, we'll be ruined!" Liu An exclaimed.

  At this moment, Xue Chongxun's expression suddenly turned cold, and he said coldly: "I'll go with you! If you want to give me money, 70% is fine; otherwise, I won't take a single cent. When something happens later, I didn't take the money, and the fire can't burn on my body!"

  All the officials were silent, and it was clear that no one was willing to settle accounts with Xue Chongxun... To give him a share of the profits just because he had an official title and was also the biological son of Princess Taiping. Both reasons are indispensable.

  Now he's fine, wants to be the big head, and doesn't even care about Chang'an. Yes! He is a member of the Taiping Princess's household, but Taiping has four sons, and his trusted subordinates are not necessarily more important than his sons. Is everyone going to completely abandon the bigwigs of Chang'an for one of Taiping's sons?

  Xue Chongxun sneered, "What are you people thinking? Liu Shijun, you just said it yourself, this money is hot in our hands. Since it's a matter of life and death to take it but not to spend it, what's the point of taking it for yourselves? Give me the bulk of it, I'll handle it myself, and let those local officials divide up the rest. Even if someone comes after us, they'll only be able to track down where the bulk of it went... won't your shares be safer that way?"

  After he said that, the crowd suddenly realized and looked at each other in dismay, some of them were moved, but they didn't know if Xue Chongxun was reliable or not, so they continued to observe.

  Xue Chongxun stood up, paced back and forth a few times, and sighed: "When the situation is chaotic, people's hearts are also restless... Liu Shijun, what do you think we officials should pay most attention to in this current state?"

  Liu An said in a low voice: "Stand by."

  Xue Chongxun pointed at him and smiled: "Right! Everyone followed Liu Shijun, and indeed found the right person. Liu Shijun is really outstanding!"

  Liu An said with a needle in his mouth: "Xue Lang is overpraising, everyone is not following me Liu Mou, and I am just doing things according to the master's intention."

  Xue Chongxun's smile remained, but it grew colder: "In the officialdom, people like to make witty remarks and engage in empty talk. Today, I'll make things clear here. My mother is looking at the big picture, not just this small part of you people. You're following me now because you trust me, Xue Chongxun. In the future, I won't let you down either."

  Liu An said calmly: "Xue Lang, you should understand that even if Liu Mou believes in you, he must also convince the public. Otherwise, it's all over. You say, isn't that right?"

  For such a tactful refusal, Xue Chongxun didn't get angry either. He still smiled and said: "Liu Shijun's courage in betting is not enough, there's not much gamble in him. Alright, I won't force it either, let's just wait and see."

  The atmosphere had become somewhat awkward, and Xue Chongxun waved his hand: "Everyone disperse, we'll be colleagues for a long time to come."

  "Farewell." The crowd bid farewell one after another. Only the governor of Ruzhou, Lyu Dian, asked foolishly: "Duke Weiguo, are your two achievements still valid?"

  Xue Chongxun said: "No need for now, taking 20% is a risk, taking 70% is still a risk, we'll collect when you send us the 70%."

  After everyone had dispersed, San Niang said on the side: "Lang Jun is a bit guarded against Bai Wuchang, she's a moody person, not very reliable, and often didn't follow the rules when she was at the Yuwen family."

  Xue Chongxun smiled and said: "Is it really like she said? You can't stand her being coquettish in front of me?"

  The third daughter's face turned slightly red: "I'm just serving Lord Lang, how can I say such a thing?"

  Xue Chongxun thought for a moment and then said: "Then you must be good at Bai Wuchang?"

  The two of them fell silent, and San Niang savored Xue Chongxun's last words carefully, as if in thought. The night outside had already grown very dark, it was the darkest moment before dawn, another sleepless night.