The Biased Li Nuo

Chang'an County Office.

Rear Office.

Only after seeing with his own eyes that Li Nuo ate two large bowls of dumplings, then drank a bowl of dumpling soup in one go, and leaned back in his chair with a satisfied burp without paying extra attention to his wife, did Pei Zhe finally relax.

It seemed he really liked dumplings.

At the same time, he was also a little puzzled. He had eaten dumplings made by his wife for almost twenty years, and he didn't think they were that delicious. Was this the case where other people's dumplings tasted better than his own?

Li Nuo had only been in this world for less than two days. He had eaten his own family's meals and the Song family's dinners, but what satisfied him the most was this simple, home-cooked meal of dumplings.

This was not about taste, but about emotional sustenance.

After eating his fill, he couldn't help but praise, "Your wife's culinary skills are so exquisite, Lord Pei, you are truly blessed."

Pei Zhe's wife was a beautiful woman of considerable looks. She appeared to be around the same age as Song Jiaren's aunt, but their temperaments were vastly different. Madam Pei had a gentle and virtuous demeanor, perhaps due to her background from a military family. Song Zhen's aunt, on the other hand, gave off a more straightforward and heroic impression.

Pleased by Li Nuo's praise, Madam Pei smiled and said, "If you like them, Young Master, you are welcome to come often."

Li Nuo would definitely have to come to the County Office often; it was directly related to his life. After Madam Pei left, Li Nuo remembered something and asked, "Lord Pei, the concubine of Steward Zheng, is she still in the County Office prison?"

This woman had been sentenced to death and was to be handed over to the Ministry of Punishment and the Court of Judicial Review for re-examination. She shouldn't have been taken away so quickly.

Mentioning this matter, Pei Zhe shook his head and sighed, "Perhaps knowing she couldn't escape death, this woman smashed her head against the wall and committed suicide in the prison yesterday, shortly after you left..."

Hearing that Steward Zheng's concubine was dead, Li Nuo was stunned for a long while.

Although he had handled many death row inmates in his previous life, this was the first time he had encountered such a situation.

A life that was as vibrant as a flower yesterday had withered and fallen today.

This made him feel a little emotional.

As a person, one must abide by the law.

Li Nuo had originally wanted to ask her about any other special skills she might have, but now that was impossible.

After her portrait dimmed, he probably wouldn't light it up again. Kicking a shuttlecock well and dressing beautifully were certainly outstanding skills, but they weren't worth risking his life for.

However, even though Zhang Xiaoyun had committed suicide, his lifespan had not changed.

It made sense when he thought about it.

After all, even if she hadn't committed suicide, she couldn't escape legal punishment. The final outcome wouldn't change. If the Codex took back the lifespan it had added to him because of this, he would be truly wronged...

After finishing his dumplings, Li Nuo took a short nap in the rear hall of the County Office.

Last night, Song Qian and her husband had been making a racket next door all night, which had disturbed his sleep. Next time he stayed at the Song Manor, he would definitely have to stay far away from their room.

However, yesterday was a special circumstance, and the Song Manor was short on rooms. He probably wouldn't encounter this situation again.

After a short nap, he felt refreshed.

At this moment, several runners had also prepared the cases to be judged in the afternoon, and all the people involved in the cases were waiting in the outer courtyard.

By the time court adjourned in the afternoon, Li Nuo had only judged four cases.

One marriage case, one inheritance case, one property case, and one theft case. They were all minor cases that could be judged according to the law without any dispute.

The only petty thief, because the amount stolen was not large, could not be sentenced too harshly.

However, Li Nuo did not gain nothing. After judging the last case, his remaining lifespan in the Codex increased by one day, returning to twenty-five days.

This indicated that to increase lifespan, it wasn't necessary to pass heavy sentences; accumulating many small cases could also achieve the goal.

This day was not wasted. After handling the last case, Li Nuo looked at the Magistrate of Chang'an and asked, "Lord Pei, are there many serious and major cases handled by the County Office usually?"

Pei Zhe shook his head and said, "Not many. Ninety-nine percent of the cases are minor ones like today's."

Chang'an was the capital of the Great Xia, under the Emperor's watchful eye. The public security was naturally the best, with guards patrolling the streets day and night. If there were serious cases and murders every few days, his tenure as Magistrate of Chang'an would be over.

At least, that was the case on the surface.

As the center of power for the Great Xia, Chang'an appeared calm, but in reality, undercurrents ran deep. One could only guess how much filth and corruption lurked in the unseen corners.

Li Nuo looked up at the sky. Around this time yesterday, Steward Zheng's concubine had confessed. A day had passed, and the special skill he had gained from her should have expired.

He looked at the Codex, and her portrait had indeed dimmed.

To verify his guess, Li Nuo asked Steward Wu to go out and buy a shuttlecock. He tried twice. The first time, he didn't control the force and direction well, and the shuttlecock flew over the courtyard wall. The second time, he completely missed.

This skill undoubtedly came from the woman who had committed suicide to avoid punishment.

He had even asked the Magistrate of Chang'an to bring the shuttlecock into the prison and let the female assassin try kicking it.

Pei Zhe was already accustomed to Li Nuo's various strange behaviors and didn't even ask any questions.

Lord Pei had been kind to him. Although Gu Yanran was a little confused, she still followed his request obediently.

Li Nuo hid around a corner to observe as the female assassin kicked the shuttlecock.

She had once been a young lady from an official family, and her calligraphy was good, as was her shuttlecock kicking. However, compared to Steward Zheng's concubine, she was far inferior.

Even though her portrait was still lit, Li Nuo still hadn't inherited her shuttlecock-kicking skill, which further confirmed his guess.

For the Codex to recognize a skill, merely being "good" wasn't enough; one had to practice a skill to its peak.

The female assassin's shuttlecock-kicking level was far from that of Steward Zheng's concubine.

Zhang Xiaoyun's portrait dimming wasn't the only change in the Codex. Li Nuo also discovered that Cui Ze's portrait had vanished entirely from it.

Li Nuo guessed that only prisoners possessing a certain special skill would have their portraits preserved for a long time.

Ordinary people like Cui Ze, who were good at nothing, didn't even qualify to have their portraits remain in the Codex; they would disappear on their own after a day.

A moment later, Li Nuo walked out of the Chang'an County Office and stretched lazily.

He had been busy for so long today, and only gained one day of Lifespan.

One day was little, but it was better than nothing.

It seemed like today was a wash, but if he could gain one day of Lifespan every day, wouldn't that be a form of immortality?

The carriage quickly returned to the Li Manor.

As soon as Li Nuo stepped into the courtyard, he saw Song Jiaren's tall and graceful figure.

Beside her were two small figures.

The two girls wore the same clothes, styled their hair the same way, and wore the same accessories, but their expressions were completely different.

One, with a floral adornment on her forehead and a light dusting of makeup, looked like a little fairy. She had her hands on her hips and a proud smile on her face. The other, beside her, pouted with red-rimmed eyes, clearly having been crying.

Li Nuo had one foot already in the courtyard when he pulled it back the next moment.

He never expected Song Ninger to follow him all the way from the Song family.

It would have been fine if it were morning; he could have easily given her a beautiful makeup look. But his makeup abilities had expired, and he would need to spend his remaining Lifespan to reactivate the portrait and regain the ability.

He had no intention of wasting his already limited Lifespan just to please a young girl he barely knew.

He had originally planned to slip away and wait until they left, but a maid from the Song family had sharp eyes. The moment she spotted Li Nuo, she immediately pointed towards the entrance and shouted, "Master is back!"

Soon after.

Li Manor.

Inside Li Nuo's courtyard.

A maid from the Song Manor looked at Li Nuo with pleading eyes and said, "Master, please give Miss Ninger the same makeup as Miss Mu'er. I beg you..."

However, no matter how much she pleaded, or how loudly Song Ninger cried, Li Nuo remained unmoved.

Li Nuo felt helpless.

This wasn't about applying makeup to Song Ninger; it was about his life.

He had worked from morning till night, mediating and judging, talking endlessly and spitting so much saliva, that he had finally managed to live one extra day. How could he possibly waste it so carelessly?

The harder something was to obtain, the more one cherished it.

If they wanted his life, forget Song Ninger; even if it were Song Jiaren, it wouldn't work.

There was no room for negotiation on this matter.

But he couldn't explain either.

Seeing Li Nuo's silence, the maid turned her pleading gaze to Song Jiaren.

Song Jiaren's lips moved, but she said nothing. Her intuition told her that he must have his reasons for acting this way.

Seeing Li Nuo's lack of reaction, Song Ninger's pout deepened, and tears began to well up in her eyes again.

Song Mu'er looked at Li Nuo, then at Song Ninger. She sighed inwardly, took a handkerchief from her small bag, wet it by the fountain in the courtyard, and wiped her own face haphazardly. She then ran to Song Ninger's side and said, "Now we're the same..."

Song Ninger, seeing her sister's smudged face, wiped away her tears, let out a soft hum, and pulling the maid's hand, said, "Let's go home."

Li Nuo could only smile helplessly.

As expected, she didn't really want pretty makeup. She just wanted what her sister had.

If her sister didn't have it, she didn't want it either.

Fortunately, his wife didn't have a sister like that, or he would never have a peaceful life.

He gently ruffled Song Mu'er's head. A sister was a sister, and Mu'er was sensible. There was no reason not to favor her. Who didn't like a well-behaved and sensible child?

After Song Ninger and the Song Manor maid left, Song Jiaren looked at Li Nuo and asked softly, "You don't like Ninger?"

Li Nuo didn't answer. Song Mu'er answered for him, "Of course not! Last time Brother Li Nuo went to our house, Ninger wouldn't play with him. Brother Li Nuo wanted to play with her rattan ball, but she wouldn't give it to him, and even said she wouldn't play with a fool..."

Song Jiaren looked at Li Nuo and remembered something.

Before the Old Madam's birthday banquet, Li Nuo had visited the Song family once. He wanted to play with Ninger's toys, but Ninger refused, making him very unhappy. He had thrown a tantrum in the Song Manor for a while, and it was Mu'er who eventually coaxed him into a good mood...

That incident had made the servants of the Song Manor laugh for a long time.

That was also the first time Song Jiaren had met Li Nuo.

She had thought she would spend her life with this husband who had the mind of a child, but she never expected such a huge change to occur in him within just a few days.

She looked at Li Nuo and asked, "Is it because of this?"

Li Nuo couldn't reveal the real reason. Fortunately, Mu'er had already provided a plausible excuse. Li Nuo said matter-of-factly, "Who told her not to let me play with her rattan ball..."