Merry Christmas!!!
At the back door of Xi Hua Lou, the female greeting the visitors was still the one that Jiang Li saw last time. She was stunned for a while when she saw Jiang Li and afterwards she immediately smiled and said: "Miss came looking for Qiong Zhi?"
Jiang Li said: "Exactly." Then she handed a silver banknote taken from her sleeve.
The female did not decline and received the banknote. She said to Jiang Li: "Miss, please follow me." Then she personally took Jiang Li inside towards Qiong Zhi's room.
Each girl in Xi Hua Lou was smart, they knew what they should and should not ask. Although they did not know the relationship between Jiang Li and Qiong Zhi, they would not reject seeing that there was no noise or accident the last time the two of them met. Moreover, Jiang Li was generous so they just conveniently lent a hand.
Thus, Jiang Li was taken to Qiong Zhi's room.
The female smiled and said: "Qiong Zhi is already waiting for you inside, just call me if you have any instructions." Then she retreated.
Jiang Li pushed the door open and entered Qiong Zhi's room.
Perhaps Jiang Li was mistaken, but after not meeting for a few days, Qiong Zhi had become a lot thinner. However, a beauty in the end was a beauty. Even if she was wan and thin, it only made her bearing become more decadent with a different kind of beauty that was not seen before. Just like a safflower that was about to wither, she was even more eye-catching.
Jiang Li guessed, perhaps after Qiong Zhi learned about Xue Zhao's death, she wasted away in these past few days.
"You are here." Qiong Zhi was sitting in front of a table fiddling with a disorderly chessboard. When she heard movements, she did not move and merely looked at her.
Jiang Li closed the door and said: "Yes."
Qiong Zhi stared at her for a while then laughed suddenly. She said: "Before, I said that Xue Zao's guts were big. Now apparently, there's still someone whose guts are bigger. I don't know what the expression of Chief Assistant Jiang, Jiang Yuan Bai, would be if he found out that his daughter is visiting a brothel while in Xiangyang."
She was aware of Jiang Li's identity.
Jiang Li was silent momentarily before stepping forward and sat opposite Qiong Zhi. She said: "You found out."
"Miss Jiang second's generous statement in front of Li Zheng Tang is now spread widely in the entire Xiangyang. It's hard not to know." Qiong Zhi sighed, "I just didn't expect that the person who came looking for me is you, the Jiang family's second miss."
"Don't know whether it's a good thing or a bad thing." Jiang Li smiled bitterly. She borrowed the Jiang family's reputation to help the Ye family deal with Tong Zhi Yang, at the same time, she exposed her own identity. In the future, whatever she was going to do, it would be hard not to be recognized. Perhaps it was better to be like Ji Heng, nobody knew his identity. Those who knew did not dare to bring him trouble and took the initiative to stay away.
"There's only one thing I want to ask you," Qiong Zhi played with the bracelet on her wrist. There's a little bell carefully hung on the bracelet, along with her movement, it emitted a ding-a-ling sound, extremely skillful. She asked: "How did you get acquainted with the Xue family. I am aware of the past deeds of Miss Jiang second, looking at it, you should not have any relations with the Xue family."
Qiong Zhi was a capable person. Among her benefactors, there were swordsmen, officials, none should be underestimated. That's the reason why Jiang Li asked Qiong Zhi to inquire about the things in Tongxiang. On the contrary, Jiang second miss was also not just an ordinary person. Her affairs, not mentioning Yanjing, even in other parts of Northern Yan, were at least known one or two. Those "glorious achievements", just with a little inquiry would be immediately known. As such, Jiang second miss and the Xue family were two different styles of people that did not belong in the same group. It's understandable if Qiong Zhi doubted that they were acquainted with each other.
Jiang Li kept quiet for a long time before she spoke: "I was familiar with Xue Zhao's sister." Before Qiong Zhi could speak more, she continued to say: "You don't have to doubt how I knew Xue Fang Fei. I truly want to avenge Xue Fang Fei. I can't tell you much, you can only trust me at this time."
Qiong Zhi was stunned, and raised her head to look seriously at Jiang Li.
"Like I said, I know your feelings towards Xue Zhao. Now Xue Zhao is dead, you should also want to take revenge for Xue Zhao, right?! In reality, you cannot do anything at all. But I can," Jiang Li spoke up to here and showed a faint smile, "I'm Jiang Yuan Bai's daughter, the honorable young lady of the chief assistant. I don't fear the other party having power. Only I can take revenge for Xue Zhao, you have to believe me."
Qiong Zhi pulled the corner of her mouth, probably thinking of showing a mocking smile. In the end, she finally sighed softly, half frustrated and half unwilling, she said: "You have long known that I can only trust you."
Jiang Li's small heart came down. However, there's nothing shown on her face. She smiled and said: "Actually, you don't have to think so much. Telling me the things happening in Tongxiang will not have any effect on you."
Qiong Zhi was a smart woman. Her intelligence was not reflected in talent and learning, but in her familiarity with the ways of the world. People who seeked livelihood among the haunts all year long were more liable to discern what people think from their body language. A woman like Qiong Zhi who grew up in Xi Hua Lou had a more cautious mind than ordinary people and was constantly vigilant.
"Now can you tell me about Tongxiang?" Jiang Li asked.
"You really want to know?" Qiong Zhi asked.
Unconsciously, Jiang Li clenched her hands tucked inside her sleeves. Her heart seemed to be hung by a silk thread, swaying as if suspended in the air.
"There's no harm in telling you. The mantle of the Xue family seems to decline. These days, I've welcomed many guests and can be said to have heard a bit of clues." She first glanced at Jiang Li and her tone lowered, "in the beginning, I thought perhaps Xue Zhao's was a ridiculous story that you made up and I still held a bit of hope in my heart. Until I met a noble who had just returned from visiting family in Yanjing. She told me that the top scorer's madam, Xue Fang Fei, had indeed wasted away and died after she was found to be engaged in an illicit affair. Her younger brother Xue Zhao hurried to Yanjing but was murdered by bandits on the way, his corpse abandoned in the river. It's the same as what you've said."
"Those are all the things happening in Yanjing," Jiang Li said, "how about Xue Huai Yuan in Tongxiang?"
The trace of eagerness in her tone was caught by Qiong Zhi. Qiong Zhi paused before looking at Jiang Li, "There's something that I do not understand. You said that half a year ago Xue Huai Yuan passed away and wanted me to find out how he died and where he was buried. However, Xue Huai Yuan is not dead yet."
"What did you say?" Jiang Li couldn't help crying out in surprise.
All along, in front of Qiong Zhi, this Jiang second miss was always calm and magnanimous, never having the appearance of half forgetting her manners. This was the first time Qiong Zhi saw Jiang Li seemingly at a loss.
Jiang Li didn't care how Qiong Zhi looked at her. At that moment, ecstasy spurted out and filled her heart. She said: "You said Xue Huai Yuan is still alive?! Is what you said true? Where did you hear it from?!"
At first, Qiong Zhi suspected that Jiang Li might have an ulterior motive asking about the Xue family, perhaps thinking of making use of the Xue family to accomplish some kind of conspiracy. But based on Jiang Li's behavior at the moment, the misgiving in her mind immediately vanished. When this Jiang second miss heard that Xue Huai Yuan was still alive, there was an unconcealed happy surprise and excitement in her eyes.
Qiong Zhi calmed down for a while before saying: "He's really still alive, but this doesn't mean it's not good. The master of the Xue family, the deputy county of TongXiang, Xue Huai Yuan, is now insane, does not recognize his family. Now he is confined in the Tongxiang prison."
As if falling from the sky into an abyss, Jiang Li's palm turned cold all of a sudden, the flash of happiness immediately dispersed. She somewhat did not dare to believe her ears and fixed her eyes on Qiong Zhi. She said: "What did you say?"
Qiong Zi felt that Jiang Li's expression was terrible and also very frenzied. Just like a trapped beast repressing its sorrow, making an utmost effort to restraint from wanting to tear everything in the surrounding.
Her voice unconsciously softened as she spoke: "I asked all the guests who came to me, as long as they have a bit of power. But I don't know why, they didn't breathe a word about the affair of Xue Huai Yuan from Tongxiang, either were not willing to talk about him with me or directly stormed off in a huff. There was only this one merchant whose relationship with me was not bad. He saw that I asked earnestly, thus letting me know quietly."
"The news says that deputy county of Tongxiang, Xue Huai Yuan, embezzled the disaster relief funds allocated by the court and was imprisoned. Now the deputy county of Tongxiang is someone else. Xue Huai Yuan has already gone mad, not recognizing any family in prison, very miserable......."
"How could Xue Huai Yuan embezzle?" Jiang Li said angrily: "The common people in Tongxiang will not believe it!"
Qiong Zhi was astonished to hear Jiang Li talking about the common people of Tongxiang. She was also surprised that Jiang Li seemed to understand Xue Huai Yuan very well. However, she still continued saying: "The common people had no way, after all, it was the meaning from above. Moreover," Qiong Zhi smiled, unknown to whom the mocking smile was directed to, "when one is no longer in a position of power, others no longer care about him. Since ancient times, there's been the principle that people do not fight with officials. Even if Xue Huai Yuan was truly an honest and upright official and did not embezzle the disaster relief silver, who would speak up for him? Everyone only seeks for their own self-preservation."
Jiang Li froze.
Xue Huai Yuan wholeheartedly served the people, never thinking of getting something in return. Xue Zhao and Xue Fang Fei also never thought about it, but now it seemed that what Qiong Zhi said was right. People are selfish, who would offend an even greater nobility for a madman who was already in prison? But if Xue Huai Yuan was still sober, looking at the situation, his heart would be cold and dejected.
Probably, precisely because Xue Huai Yuan saw the common people he had helped with his heart and soul were so cold and indifferent, furthermore all his children died, that he was unable to bear and went insane.
Qiong Zhi was suddenly stunned and said: "Miss Jiang second, you....."
Jiang Li saw her surprised expression and subconsciously touched her face to discover that tears had unexpectedly fallen.
In the end, she wasn't able to stand by like an outsider, after all, it was her father. Knowing that her father was in prison and suffered hardship, how could she still be at ease?
"So to speak, in the matter of the Xue family, nowadays nobody dared to get involved with it?" Jiang Li took out a silk handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped the tears from her eyes, her expression was ice-cold.
Qiong Zhi perceived the change in her expression, hesitated for a while before saying: "It was indeed so. Since everyone did not open their mouth, I'm afraid this matter involves another person that's untouched, not as simple as how it looks on the surface."
Jiang Li laughed bitterly in her heart, involving another person that's untouched. Without thinking, she knew it was Yongning that made some actions from behind! When she was dying, in order to cut off her attachment, perhaps also to make her be so grieved so she did not want to live, she told her that Xue Huai Yuan was already dead. Now that she thought about it, if all three members of the Xue family died one after another in more or less the same time, it would be hard to avoid criticism. Naturally, Yongning would not be afraid, but Shen Yurong needed to be apprehensive. So as not to add trouble, Yongning could not kill Xue Huai Yuan, but with Yongning's pettiness, she certainly could not tolerate Xue Huai Yuan. Therefore, she simply used this kind of baseless accusation, imprisoning Xue Huai Yuan and let him bear endless torture!
Yongning knew that Xue Huai Yuan's heart was connected to the common people. Letting him be abandoned by the common people he was concerned about, made his clear reputation be wiped by stain, this would be more difficult to bear for Xue Huai Yuan rather than just killing him. When Xue Huai Yuan found out news about Xue Fang Fei and Xue Zhao's death, naturally it would give rise to new despair, life no better than death. Using such disgusting means on a father, Yongning, she could really do so!
"That's all I heard, that's about it." Qiong Zhi said: "After all, I cannot anyhow leave Xi Hua Lou, and this thing involves a big....... What you said was right, perhaps only you will be able to help avenge Xue Zhao." Qiong Zhi looked at Jiang Li with a glimmer of hope in her eyes. Jiang Li was the Jiang family's young lady. On the Ye family's affair, she dared to oppose Tong Zhi Yang. It could be seen that she had the confidence. At least what those common people did not dare to do, Jiang Li dared.
Jiang Li smiled slightly, just at this moment, that smile appeared very cold. She slowly said: "Of course I will help to avenge Xue Zhao, not just help take revenge for Xue Zhao, whoever set up the Xue family, I will also let them pay back a hundred times."
Originally, these kinds of words coming from the mouth of a young and delicate official young lady's mouth should sound ridiculous. However, Qiong Zhi did not know why she felt cold. She only felt that the clear eyes of the young lady in front of her seemed to set a deep vortex without any wind nor waves and no end in sight.
"Many thanks to you." Jiang Li looked at Qiong Zhi, "thank you for asking around for news of the Xue family for me. Just like you said, this matter involved a lot, with you making inquiries, if people found out....."
Qiong Zhi said: "No need to worry, the people I asked are all trustworthy. In addition, they are not people who actively look for their own troubles." She did not anticipate Jiang Li to still remind her at this time and the way she looked at Jiang Li softened a bit. She couldn't help asking: "Miss Jiang second, since you've made up your mind to manage the things in Tongxiang..... What do you plan to do next?"
"There's no way to truly find out the facts in Xiangyang." Jiang Li said coldly: "I want to take a trip to Tongxiang."
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Qiong Zhi opened her mouth.
"No matter how powerful the person behind is," Jiang Li lowered her eyes, "even if I have to stake my life, I will pull them down together."
Her cold words made Qiong Zhi feel that the girl who was initially warm as spring seemed to have turned into a malicious spirit crawling out from the nether world, carrying a body of blood debt, and fiercely taking revenge on people.
Qiong Zhi was taken aback by her momentary anger and did not dare to speak.
......
When she came out from Xi Hua Lou, both Tong'er and Bai Xue were able to see that something was wrong with Jiang Li.
She used to like to laugh, even when meeting a stranger, she would carry a three point smile. It was a spring breeze, making people feel especially comfortable. Today was the same, however, after staying at Xi Hua Lou for a brief moment, when she came out, she was like a different person.
There wasn't any smile on her face, seemingly worried by a grave matter in her mind. Her lips were tightly closed, her brows deeply locked, and her sight was somewhat flickering.
Tong'er was scared and thought that she was being bullied inside. She immediately said: "Miss..... Miss, what's the matter with you?"
This call seemed to call Jiang Li's spirit back. Jiang Li looked at her and stared blankly for a while before speaking: "Nothing, let's go back home." She took the veiled hat from Bai Xue, put it on, and walked forward by herself.
Bai Xue and Tong'er were anxious, but they were now outside and it's not very good to ask too much. Thus they could only follow after Jiang Li and hurriedly return to the Ye residence. Though they did not know what Jiang Li encountered in Xi Hua Lou, it's obvious that Jiang Li had suffered a huge blow, and was out of her mind.
In a residence nearby the Ye residence, Lu Ji was sitting on a long rattan chair inside a room. On the opposite couch, Ji Heng was holding a book, flipping absent-mindedly.
Wen Ji came from outside and spoke: "Master."
Ji Heng: "Speak."
"Jiang second miss just went to Xi Hua Lou again." said Wen Ji.
Lu Ji looked at Wen Ji, but Ji Heng did not take his eyes off from the page of the book at all. Without thinking, he asked: "She once again went to see Miss Qiong Zhi?"
"Right." Wen Ji hesitated for a while before saying: "There's a very strange matter. The subordinate noticed that after Miss Jiang second met with Qiong Zhi and came out from Xi Hua Lou, something might have happened, she was somewhat in a daze."
Ji Heng's reading movement paused, and there's a flash of surprise on Lu Ji's face.
"In a daze?" Ji Heng asked.
"Correct. After she came out of Xi Hua Lou, Miss Jiang second immediately brought the two servant girls to return to the Ye residence. She took many wrong paths along the way, clearly her mind was not here. Afterwards, the two servant girls looked very anxious, perhaps it's because Miss Jiang second's expression was unusual." Wen Ji replied carefully.
Lu Ji couldn't help inquiring: "What did she and Qiong Zhi actually talk about, is there no way to find out?"
"No way." Wen Ji said helplessly, "Miss Qiong Zhi is very defensive and very intelligent. The people dispatched to pry for information could not open her mouth at all. Master did not let us use strong means, until now we don't know what Miss Jiang second and Miss Qing Zhi talk about."
Wen Ji was at his wit's end. If he was to say that Miss Jiang second looked innocent and unaffected, often, her ways of handling things were thorough. Whoever discussed things with her was not good. As it happened, it was Xi Hua Lou's most difficult person to deal with, Qiong Zhi. Qiong Zhi had mixed in the romantic place since young, not seeking for someone to redeem her, with almost no weak points. There's a sentence saying, one can be strong if he has no desire. Qiong Zhi had no desire, therefore, nothing could move her. Under Ji Heng's premise of not using any tough method on Qiong Zhi, they totally could not find any way to pry open Qiong Zhi's mouth.
Miss Jiang second clearly looked for such a hard rock on purpose.
"No need to know what they talk about," Ji Heng said: "just watch what she's doing."
"Master, do you know what Miss Jiang second is going to do?" Lu Ji asked.
Lu Ji could also be considered as one of the top intellect, very proficient in court arrangement and experienced in the ways of the world. However, towards this Jiang second miss, sometimes Lu Ji felt incomprehensible. To him, the way Jiang Li handled things did not seem to follow the set of rules. For example, the sudden goodwill she showed the Ye family and her assistance of the Ye family, both seemed to be spontaneous behavior. Looking at it, it did not seem to be a conspiracy, but after a long period of time, the reason for every single thing she did would appear.
Yet at the beginning, nobody could make out what she was actually going to do.
Lu Ji could perceive that Jiang Li meeting Qiong Zhi must be to do something that she deemed very important. Moreover, this thing that could make the usually calm Jiang Li be in a daze, certainly would not be a trivial matter. The problem was, in the end, they still did not know what Jiang Li was going to do. Even if they knew, there's a possibility that they were not able to find out Jiang Li's purpose. She's really strange, all the things in the past seemed simple and straightforward. Just a little bit of investigation, they were all open to scrutiny. But even though all her past deeds were investigated, there's still the feeling that up and down her body was full of riddles.
Lu Ji couldn't help glancing at Ji Heng. With regards to mystery that could not be untied, this point, Jiang Li and Duke Su, Ji Heng were actually rather alike.
"Don't know." Ji Heng said, "but soon will know."
"I think the real purpose of Jiang Li coming to Xiangyang is about to come out. In fact, I am also very curious," Ji Heng smiled and said, "what does she actually want to do."
Jiang Li was totally unaware that her every movement had been in someone's eyes from the beginning. But even if she knew, the current her also did not have the mind to deal with Ji Heng. Her mind was filled with the news about Xue Huai Yuan going crazy and being sent to prison, she didn't know whether to be happy or sorrowful at this time.
Happy because in the end, there's still a life, the father and daughter were not separated eternally by heavens. Sorrow because the crazy Xue Huai Yuan might not recognize his own daughter. Even if they met again, perhaps they would not be able to recognize each other in this life.
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God is like this, seemingly giving a hope to live, but afterwards actually a deeper despair.
Jiang Li sat blankly in front of the table.
Tong'er and Bai Xue asked several times, but Jiang Li did not tell them what the matter was. Until finally, perhaps due to frustration or something else, she directly told Tong'er and Bai Xue to go out while she stayed in the room by herself. The two servant girls were afraid that she would do something foolish and simply sat in front of the door with their ears pasted on the door panel, carefully listening to any activities inside. In case there's anything wrong, they would break the door and enter, by all means must not let Jiang Li have an accident.
Jiang Li silently buried her face in the crook of her arms.
As long as she thought of what Yongning and Shen Yurong did to Xue Huai Yuan, Jiang Li wished she could tear them all apart. Xue Huai Yuan met with an accident, Jiang Li did not believe that Shen Yurong did not know anything about this! Even in Xue Zhao's accident, if Yongning acted on her own initiative, Xue Zhao was already gone and there's nothing that Shen Yurong could do. But Xue Huai Yuan was still alive, Shen Yurong actually looked on unfeelingly as Xue Huai Yuan was subjected to torture!
At the beginning, when Shen Yurong came to Tongxiang, Xue Huai Yuan once mentioned to him, "a day being a teacher is a father for a lifetime". She did not demand Shen Yurong to treat Xue Huai Yuan as his own father, but he should have a bit of conscience based on the teacher-student relationship.
These two were simply inhuman beasts!
What infuriated Jiang Li more at the moment, even if she could meet Yongning and Shen Yurong, she did not have any way to immediately take revenge on behalf of the Xue family. No need to mention that the imperial bodyguards surrounding them would never let Jiang Li come close, simply taking a life for a life was too cheap for them. It's considered over when the injustice of the Xue family was cleared and their ugly faces were yet revealed to the public.
Jiang Li felt extreme hatred in her heart, but she understood that the more important thing at the moment was not to take revenge, but to take Xue Huai Yuan out of prison. If the news that Qiong Zhi heard was true and Xue Huai Yuan was currently in prison, afraid that he was not just lacking in food and clothing. Yongning would never let Xue Huai Yuan go and would certainly arrange for someone to make him suffer in the dark. Xue Huai Yuan was older, if he could not endure..... Jiang Li did not dare to think any further.
She straightened up all of a sudden, the matter should not be delayed, she must rush back to Tongxiang!
As she was thinking, Tong'er and Bai Xue's voices came from outside. Bai Xue said: "Third master, you are here, the young lady is inside....."
Ye Ming Yu? Jiang Li got up and opened the door. Bai Xue had not yet finished talking and saw Jiang Li come out. She relaxed her breath upon seeing that Jiang Li's complexion looked a bit better than before.
Jiang Li said: "Uncle Ming Yu."
"I specially came looking for you." Ye Ming Yu did not pay attention to the two servant girls' different expressions. He went inside the room and sat in front of the small table, then laughed heartily as he spoke: "Ah Li, you have no idea, th eldest brother and second brother went to the weaving hall. When the people in the weaving hall saw our peacock feathers, they felt it's worth a try. I think the method you talked about before can most probably be accomplished. If it can really be done, aside from ancient fragrant satin, our Ye family would have more novel fabrics. You've made a huge merit!"
Jiang Li forced a smile. If she received this news before she went to see Qiong Zhi, she would definitely feel very happy for the Ye family. However, now her thoughts were all on Xue Huai Yuan's situation in Tongxiang, no matter how, she did not have the mood to be distracted by the matter of the Ye family's weaving things.
"Then I have to congratulate uncle Ming Yu." Jiang Li said, "if it really succeeds, the most meritorious should be uncle Ming Yu. If it were not uncle Ming Yu who found the peacock feather, I also would never have thought of this method."
Ye Ming Yu heard her and burst into laughter. He said, "I like this trait of Ah Li, not claiming credit for herself! Don't worry, when the eldest brother and second brother were at the weaving hall, they already praised me. They still said that if this succeeds, they will give me a caravan with martial arts support in the future to run around all year round and see some rare things to bring back. I'm considering bringing Ru Feng, that boy, and go with me. He has the brain for business, and following me will perhaps reap a lot of profits. Moreover, boys should walk around more to broaden their views. Staying within Xiangyang city walls all day long, no big things can be accomplished."
Jiang Li smiled and absent-mindedly said: "That's also very good."
"Ah Li, you are from Yanjing and I heard that you came first in the recent examination, it can be seen that you are a person with knowledge. I'm thinking, if the peacock feather can really be made into fabrics, what would be a good name for it? Just like ancient fragrant satin, it's not tacky and you can make out what it is just based on the name. Do you have any ideas?"
Ye Ming Yu normally did not get involved with the Ye family's business. Perhaps he was proud due to the merit of his discovery of the peacock feather this time, he unexpectedly cared about this trivial matter. He still humbly asked for Jiang Li's opinion.
Under normal conditions, Jiang Li would be very happy to discuss these trivial things with Ye Ming Yu and pull the relationship with the Ye family closer. But after meeting Qiong Zhi, Jiang Li knew that each moment that passed was an opportunity. The time passed for a long time and it would become more unfavorable for Xue Huai Yuan.
She's not a daughter who could look unfeelingly as her biological father suffered in prison.
"Uncle Ming Yu, I want to request something." Jiang Li interrupted Ye Ming Yu's chattering.
Ye Ming Yu was stunned. Looking at this niece of him, whose complexion rarely looked solemn, he couldn't help straightening his body and asked: "What is it?"
Jiang Li took a deep breath: "I want to go to Tongxiang."