The Double-Chapter 515 - 157 BMW_3

Madam Jiang the Elder and Jiang Yuanbai both watched her.

Jiang Li’s voice was very calm, "It’s just a birthday banquet, I’ll go."

"Jiang Li," Jiang Yuanbai called out to her in haste, but after catching her attention, he didn’t know quite what to say. He looked at the girl’s gentle brows and eyes, his mind hazily pondering. Her temperament wasn’t like his, nor like Ye Zhenzhen’s, but he couldn’t tell whom she did resemble.

"Does Father have a better idea?"

Jiang Yuanbai was at a loss for words, genuinely unsure of any other solution. Dealing with a family like Duke Su’s, it would be best not to have any dealings for a lifetime. Yet, how unfortunate it was to run into them now.

"If there isn’t another way, let it be," Jiang Li said with a smile. "I’ve heard that the old general is always upright. After all, I am a daughter of the Chief Minister’s Family; there shouldn’t be any mishap. If something does go wrong, the Duke Residence can’t absolve itself from involvement. Moreover, if they truly had ill intentions, there’d be no need to deal with me so openly; wouldn’t it be more difficult to settle? If they harbored any designs, it would be easier to take action when it’s unknown to others, wouldn’t it save a lot of trouble? From this perspective, Old General Jih’s birthday banquet is not a trap, just the old general acting on a whim, with some foolish ways of playing."

Her words were light and breezy, leaving both Madam Jiang the Elder and Jiang Yuanbai somewhat astonished. Especially when Jiang Li mentioned "taking action when unknown to others," there was a chilling calmness about it. But upon further thought, they realized Jiang Li’s point made sense. If there were any plot, why make such a show of it and leave evidence like an invitation?

Jiang Yuanbai looked at Jiang Li and said, "You go out first, I need to think more about this."

Jiang Li didn’t say more. After paying her respects to Jiang Yuanbai and Madam Jiang the Elder, she left Night Wind Hall.

She came quickly and departed just as swiftly. For a brief moment, only Jiang Yuanbai and Madam Jiang the Elder remained in Night Wind Hall.

Madam Jiang the Elder sighed and said, "See, I told you the second girl is resourceful."

"She has a temperament I can’t identify," Jiang Yuanbai said with a wry smile. "Now, I don’t even know what she is thinking." Pondering, he felt his performance as a father was truly terrible—one daughter had been harmed to death by his wife, another had run away from home and her whereabouts were unknown, and another daughter, wronged by him, had gone far away to foreign lands for eight years, already estranged. Now, none of the three daughters were close to him.

Madam Jiang the Elder glanced at him, seemingly understanding what was on his mind. She didn’t say much, only, "Yuanbai, I’ve been thinking, the second girl is at the age to start considering marriage. But with recent troubles at home, it’s not good to speak of such things now. Moreover, even if we did, it’s doubtful if anyone would dare to approach. Today... what do you think," her voice trembled with uncertainty, "Do you think Duke Su has taken a liking to the second girl?"

"Impossible!" At those words, Jiang Yuanbai stood up abruptly. Madam Jiang the Elder had not expected such a strong reaction. With a frown, Jiang Yuanbai continued, "Duke Su has seen every kind of beauty. Why would he take a liking to Jiang Li? Besides, he is a ruthless killer with deep and unfathomable thoughts. Jiang Li must not marry such a man!"

"I was just asking, there’s no need for such agitation," Madam Jiang the Elder told him to sit down. "It was just a question. I really don’t understand why he would send an invitation to the second girl. There’s no prior relationship, and in Yanjing City, there are so many young women. Why would he invite only the second girl? I’m afraid Old General Jih has other plans, perhaps he has taken a fancy to the second girl..."

"Mother, let’s not talk nonsense," said Jiang Yuanbai, disturbed by her words. "There’s absolutely no chance of that. I’ll send someone to investigate some more, to figure out what this is all about!"

He strode out of Night Wind Hall.

On her way back to Fangfei Garden, Jiang Li was also carefully pondering.

What was the meaning behind the Duke Residence suddenly sending this invitation? If there was really something the matter, they could have let Zhao Ke tell her, and she could have gone to the Duke Residence at night... Jiang Li touched her forehead with a headache; what was she thinking? She now regarded sneaking out to someone else’s residence at night as a normal thing. This was a shocking and outrageous matter.

But thinking back, she just couldn’t understand the intention behind this invitation. Clearly, doing so would only provoke unnecessary suspicion from Madam Jiang the Elder and Jiang Yuanbai. Nevertheless, they sent the invitation so openly. Were they truly inviting her to the birthday celebration?

That would be utterly ridiculous.

Yet Jiang Li had no choice but to go. If it was a move made by Jih Heng, and there was a special meaning behind it, her absence might disrupt someone else’s plans. That’s why, in Night Wind Hall, Jiang Li said she was willing to attend.