The Double-Chapter 452 - 146 Shocking Encounter_2

Wen Ji received his orders and left.

After Wen Ji left, Lu Jiu stroked his beard and wondered aloud, "What does this Hai Tang have to do with Miss Jiang the Second? Even if one were to forcibly make a connection because Tongxiang is indeed near Xiangyang, and so is the Ye Family, but Zao Hua Village... there really doesn’t seem to be any relation."

Moreover, considering the name, Lu Jiu searched through his mind and didn’t recall ever hearing of it, suggesting it was likely a very small farm in a small town. And with Jiang Li making such a serious request, it certainly couldn’t be that simple. Come to think of it, it was the same last time in Tongxiang. Qiongzhi from the Cherish Flower Tower seemed to have no connection with Jiang Li either, yet it was through Qiongzhi’s message that Jiang Li learned about Xue Huaiyuan’s situation.

She always seems to know things that others don’t. So this Hai Tang, whom Jiang Li is concerned about, might also be related to something important.

"Once the person arrives, we’ll find out," Jih Heng said nonchalantly, then, as if recalling something, asked, "Has there been any movement from Prince Cheng’s side?"

"Recently, these days, he has been meeting with courtiers frequently, secret reports say they’re discussing some kind of conspiracy. But internally they’re divided into two factions, one advocates for a forced abdication while the other suggests a more gradual approach. For the moment, they are deadlocked."

"They won’t be at a standstill for long," Jih Heng chuckled lightly, "He isn’t that patient."

"If after the New Year, next year, or at most within another year, Prince Cheng takes action, would you intervene..." Lu Jiu asked. His question was somewhat vague; in fact, although he had been with Jih Heng for a long time, sometimes the schemes in Jih Heng’s mind and his next moves were blurry to Lu Jiu.

"No need, he won’t win," the young man said lazily, playing with a folding fan in his hand. As the fan opened and closed, the luxuriant peonies seemed to bloom in layers, casting an even deeper and starker hue on his face. He then smirked as if savoring the thought, "The young emperor has waited so many years just for that day."

"I too wait for that day," he gazed out of the window. Outside was the heavy ink-like darkness, and the sound of the wind howling could be heard, reflecting onto his amber eyes, which appeared as dark as the night, or perhaps it was his emotions that darkened within them.

His voice remained gentle, yet within that gentleness, there was a bone-chilling coldness.

"Wait for the snake to leave its hole."

...

The next day, Jiang Li, having received news from Zhao Ke, finally set her mind at ease. Jih Heng agreed to send someone to pick up Hai Tang for her.

After a restless night tossing and turning, she felt relieved today as if a heavy burden had been lifted. Jiang Li sat down at the stone table in the courtyard, watching the two young maids Qingfeng and Ming Yue sweep the snow.

She realized that ever since her trip to Tongxiang, her relationship with Jih Heng had evolved into something that was neither friendly nor adversarial. He repeatedly expressed his desire for her life, so Jiang Li faced him without much concern. Now thinking back, many matters had been smoothly resolved thanks only to Jih Heng’s help.

Whether it was the affair of Jiang Yue or Xue Huaiyuan, the Chongxu Daoist Master and the current matter of Hai Tang, each had Jih Heng’s involvement. While originally detached, he had been deeply involved from beginning to end, accompanying her through these events. Jiang Li was not a heartless person; on the contrary, Xue Huaiyuan had taught her from a young age to be grateful and repay kindness. She took note of everything Jih Heng had done, maintaining an indifferent attitude, only wishing to preserve herself. After all, the situation was too complicated, and Jih Heng was not a simple man.

Debts of gratitude must be repaid. For now, she didn’t know how her modest abilities could be of any help to Jih Heng, but she thought if Jih Heng really found himself in difficulty one day, she would certainly not hide. This had nothing to do with her life being in Jih Heng’s hands, but simply a matter of sincere gratitude.

If Yongning and Shen Yurong were punished, aside from Xue Huaiyuan, she would indeed have no regrets.

Inside the Jiang Residence, while Jiang Li was at ease, another person was far from relaxed, and that was Jiang Youyao from Yaoguang Mansion.

Since Ji Shuran’s death, Jiang Youyao’s life had plunged from heaven to hell. Not to mention whether the Jiang Family’s servants were opportunists, but the things Ji Shuran did, the whole residence’s servants knew back then, so they naturally showed no good face to her daughter. Although they hadn’t neglected courtesies in their daily interactions, Jiang Youyao caught them glaring at her with meaningful looks several times. She knew what those glares meant; they were looks of contempt and scorn.

Jiang Youyao was so angry she was nearly driven mad. She acted out against several servants she found disagreeable, as she had done before, only to be severely scolded by Madam Jiang the Elder and Jiang Yuanbai. Jiang Youyao used to be capriciously arrogant, seen as simply the naive and vivacious behavior of a young girl, but now with Ji Shuran as a warning, people inevitably associated Jiang Youyao’s behavior with Ji Shuran’s malicious nature. If Jiang Youyao also learned Ji Shuran’s vicious temperament, then her actions were no longer just caprice.