Inexplicably, having arrived at the Duke’s Manor just in time for lunch, everyone sat down to eat together.

Apart from Ji Heng not appearing as cheerfully smiling as usual, everyone else was quite happy.

Kong Liu and Wenren Yao were the most lively. Wenren Yao enthusiastically said: “Second Miss Jiang, you must try our Duke’s cooking. It’s even more authentic than the imperial kitchen in the palace, and it’s not something you can taste every day. Only on special occasions…”

With a “snap,” the silver chopsticks in Ji Heng’s hand broke with a crisp sound. Wenren Yao immediately fell silent, becoming extraordinarily quiet.

Old General Ji glanced at Jiang Li and asked: “Girl, your surname is Jiang? I haven’t asked you yet—which household are you from? From your accent, you’re from Yanjing, aren’t you?”

Jiang Li politely answered: “Yes. My father is Chief Minister Jiang. Old General should know him. I’m the second daughter in the family.”

“Jiang Yuanbai?” Old General Ji’s expression changed slightly as he asked: “You’re Jiang Yuanbai’s daughter?”

Jiang Li nodded.

Old General Ji muttered something under his breath. His gaze toward Jiang Li was no longer as enthusiastic as before. It seemed he had some past grievances with Jiang Yuanbai, though Jiang Li didn’t particularly care.

She tasted a bit of the ham and fresh bamboo shoot soup in the small cup before her—it was very delicious. She also tried the jujube paste and yam cake—sweet and sour, quite tasty. Wenren Yao wasn’t wrong. Though she wasn’t someone who often had access to imperial cuisine, she imagined the dishes made by the imperial chefs were probably just like this.

That Ji Heng could cook, and with such excellent skills, completely overturned Jiang Li’s previous imagination. Someone like him who spent his days scheming against people and seducing souls actually had such a down-to-earth side. Jiang Li felt that she had perhaps never truly known Ji Heng.

“How is it?” Kong Liu smiled. “Is the food to your taste?”

Jiang Li nodded: “Very good.”

Ji Heng impatiently threw down his chopsticks, as if eating here with such a large table of people had exhausted all his patience. He restrained himself again and again before picking up his chopsticks once more.

“Can Second Miss Jiang cook?” Wenren Yao suddenly asked Jiang Li. “I’ve heard some young ladies have exceptional natural talent for cooking, though I’ve never met one. Someone like Jiuyue definitely can’t cook—I’m afraid she’d poison the food.”

Situ Jiuyue sneered: “Your bowl is already poisoned.”

Jiang Li paused and said: “A little.”

“I know Second Miss Jiang is always modest. When you say ‘a little,’ you probably mean quite skilled.” Wenren Yao’s eyes lit up.

Kong Liu also looked at Jiang Li. That Jiang Li could cook was truly strange. Kong Liu had witnessed this girl’s prowess in mounted archery at the training grounds—she was someone who didn’t yield to men. Though she appeared delicate, she was actually quite fierce. If she weren’t Jiang Yuanbai’s daughter, Kong Liu would have planned to recruit her into the cavalry. How could such a girl spend time cooking? What a waste of talent!

“What is Second Miss Jiang best at making?” Wenren Yao asked.

Jiang Li thought for a moment: “Roasted venison, and beggar’s bird.”

As soon as these words left her mouth, everyone in the room focused their gazes on Jiang Li. Even Ji Heng, who had been rather unpleasant all along, looked at her with curiosity.

“This… this… the Jiang Manor makes these things?” Wenren Yao asked hesitantly.

“Rather like a wandering jianghu traveler.” Lu Ji narrowed his eyes. “Second Miss has always had a carefree and unrestrained style.”

“I lived on Mount Qingcheng for eight years. Many things were different from Yanjing City.” Jiang Li smiled. “The mountain is very cold. Though it doesn’t snow in winter, it somehow seems colder than Yanjing City. If hunters caught deer, they would take the hide and sell us the venison cheaply. My maid and I could build a fire in the forest and roast the venison. We didn’t need to add many seasonings—a little coarse salt was enough. The roasted venison had no gamey smell. Instead, because it was skewered on bamboo, it took on the fresh fragrance of bamboo.”

She spoke unhurriedly, yet her words involuntarily conjured an image in everyone’s minds—deep in the winter mountains, a master and servant, two young girls, sitting around a warm woodfire, their cheeks flushed red from the heat. Venison roasted on bamboo poles, sizzling with oil, becoming the only flavor in the deep mountains.

“The temple didn’t permit killing or eating meat. You must have sneaked out, right?” Situ Jiuyue asked.

“Yes.” Jiang Li smiled. “Behind the backs of the people at the nunnery.”

“I’m surprised you can still smile about it.” Situ Jiuyue snorted.

The way everyone looked at Jiang Li carried a hint of pity, which left Jiang Li not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Actually, she hadn’t truly spent eight years on Mount Qingcheng. These methods of roasting venison were learned from Xue Zhao. But in others’ eyes, it probably seemed like finding joy in hardship while being quite content with her lot.

“Girl Jiang, what’s this beggar’s bird about?” Old General Ji was apparently a foodie and didn’t show any other emotion about Jiang Li’s tragic circumstances. He only pressed on: “This old man has only heard of beggar’s chicken, never beggar’s bird.”

“It’s actually quite similar to beggar’s chicken,” Jiang Li smiled. “Birds shot down with a slingshot are cleaned without plucking the feathers. You stuff some seasonings into the belly, wrap it in mud, and bury it in the ash pile of a fire. After about half an hour, take it out and knock off the mud. The feathers naturally come off with it, revealing a beautiful golden color. Brush on a layer of honey, and it’s ready to eat.”

Old General Ji slapped his thigh: “Excellent! I’ll go shoot a string of birds tomorrow!”

“Old Master, in this freezing weather, where would there be any birds…” Lu Ji said helplessly.

“Your life is quite rich indeed.” Ji Heng propped his chin with one hand, smiling as he looked at her.

At least he no longer looked like he wanted to eat someone alive.

“Yes, Second Miss Jiang, your cooking skills are quite different from what I imagined.” Wenren Yao said. “I thought when you cooked, it would be in your own little kitchen with others preparing all the ingredients and maids at the ready. You would only need to give orders. I didn’t expect you to even find your own ingredients and eat things different from others. But it sounds quite interesting—different from ordinary young ladies from noble families!”

Jiang Li smiled: “Just forced by circumstances.”

When she was still Xue Fangfei, after marrying into the Shen family, she also cooked for her mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and husband. Because her skills were excellent and the Shen family wasn’t wealthy, they even saved on hiring a cook. Her specialty was winter roasted venison, but Madam Shen wouldn’t let her make it in the manor. She said the smell was too strong—it was something only farmers and hunters would eat, not suitable for refined people.

So the pleasure of winter barbecues and drinking was gone. Actually, thinking about it now, from the moment she married into the Shen family, she had sacrificed too much from the start—that free version of herself.

She fell into her own thoughts until Ji Heng’s voice called her back. Ji Heng said: “The Duke’s Manor can also roast venison another day.” He looked at Jiang Li with a beaming smile. “You’ll do it.”

“Me?” Jiang Li was surprised.

“I don’t know how.” Ji Heng’s beautiful long eyes narrowed. “So naturally, you’ll do it.”

“But…” Her relationship with Ji Heng hadn’t reached the point where she could go to his manor to roast venison, had it? This was the Duke’s Manor, not the Jiang Manor. Why would she go to the Duke’s Manor to roast venison? Was the Duke’s Manor some tavern or restaurant?

“Good, good, good!” Old General Ji was the first to laugh heartily in agreement. His form of address for Jiang Li changed from “Girl Jiang” to “Girl Li.” He said: “Girl Li, you must come! The manor will prepare all the ingredients. You just need to roast! Tell this old man whatever you need—we definitely won’t let you work too hard!”

Just roasting alone would be quite exhausting, wouldn’t it?

“Not bad, not bad. I think this is an excellent proposal.” Wenren Yao never shied away from joining any excitement. “I’ve never had roasted venison before! What Second Miss just described made my mouth water. Since that’s the case, let’s set a date. When Second Miss roasts the venison, we’ll all come. Why not make that beggar’s bird too while we’re at it? Everyone can try something new!”

Kong Liu: “Agreed.”

Lu Ji: “…Agreed.”

Situ Jiuyue: “…” Though she didn’t speak, her lack of clear refusal meant she clearly agreed by default.

Jiang Li: “I don’t agree.”

Her “I don’t agree” didn’t even create a ripple before being drowned out by everyone’s enthusiastic discussion. Jiang Li felt stifled and couldn’t help but look at Ji Heng. She saw him resting his chin on his hand, looking at her with clear amusement from his successful mischief.

He simply didn’t like cooking himself, so he dragged her down with him, didn’t he? The so-called “can’t descend into hell alone”?

How devious.

This meal ended with Jiang Li inexplicably becoming the unhappy one. After the meal, everyone dispersed. Wenren Yao still wanted to drag Jiang Li to admire flowers in the Duke’s Manor garden. He said: “We won’t get close—just look from a distance. In Yanjing City in the middle of winter, only this place has flowers.”

He really treated the Duke’s Manor like his own home, not at all reserved. But taking a young lady to admire flowers in the dead of winter—only Wenren Yao could do such a thing.

Jiang Li stood at the door and asked: “There’s something I’m very curious about. May I presume to ask—what is Young Master Wenren’s relationship with the Duke?”

Situ Jiuyue and Ji Heng at least had the connection of knowing each other since childhood and growing up together. Wenren Yao’s every action showed he was very familiar with Ji Heng and the Duke’s Manor. Situ Jiuyue was an expert in poison. What was Wenren Yao’s identity? He looked like a fairly attractive wastrel young master, and the brainless kind at that.

“My grandfather and Old General Ji were family friends, my father and General Ji were family friends, and I and Ji Heng… I suppose are family friends too!”

Jiang Li: “Why do you say ‘I suppose’?”

“Tsk, Ji Heng won’t acknowledge me as his family friend.” Wenren Yao looked very aggrieved. “He disdains me.”

Jiang Li: “…” On this point, Wenren Yao had no cause for grievance. Anyone stuck with such a family friend wouldn’t want to acknowledge it.

“But my father and grandfather are both dead. Our entire family line has just me left.” Wenren Yao said. “Whether he acknowledges it or not, he has to. Without me, who would perform spirit medium divination for him?”

“Spirit medium divination?” Jiang Li froze.

“Our family sect is the ‘Spirit Medium Gate.’ When we divine fortunes and disasters through spirit mediumship, we’re almost never wrong. However, we can only perform divination for one person in a lifetime,” he looked at Jiang Li apologetically. “Although I greatly admire Second Miss Jiang, I must apologize that I cannot disobey my teacher’s orders and cannot perform divination for you.”

Jiang Li was astonished. So Wenren Yao was actually a genuine expert, different from frauds like Daoist Priest Chongxu. However… looking at him like this, it was really difficult to find him convincing.

“Actually, I also think it’s quite wasteful that all my talents can only be devoted to one person. Especially every time I perform divination for Ji Heng, the results are about the same. I’ve divined for him for so many years, and except for one woman, every time it’s the same—nothing special.”

“A woman?” Jiang Li asked curiously. “What woman?”

“The woman fated in Ji Heng’s destiny.” Wenren Yao leaned in. “You mustn’t tell anyone else. When I performed divination for Ji Heng back then, I discovered that in his life, his fate is tied to one woman. Simply put, he will succeed or fail because of this woman—one thought can make him a Buddha, one thought can make him a demon. The divination text at the time said…”

“Wenren Yao.” Before he could finish, a voice interrupted him from behind. The two turned to see Ji Heng standing at the courtyard gate, watching them from neither too near nor too far.

They didn’t know how much of their conversation Ji Heng had heard.

Jiang Li felt the awkwardness of being caught gossiping behind someone’s back. After thinking, she said to Wenren Yao: “I still have some matters to discuss with the Duke, so I won’t take up more of Young Master Wenren’s time.”

“Eh?” Wenren Yao asked. “Not viewing the flowers anymore?”

“Not this time.” Jiang Li smiled. “Next time.”

Wenren Yao touched his nose and walked away reluctantly. Jiang Li walked before Ji Heng and smiled: “Duke.”

In the icy, snowy landscape, his red robes were especially striking, and he himself was gorgeously vivid. When it was just the two of them, he revealed that lazy, indifferent attitude toward everything.

Ji Heng asked: “You have something to say to me?”

Jiang Li nodded.

“Follow me then.” He turned and walked away. Jiang Li hesitated for a moment, then followed.

The courtyard was covered in deep snow, forming a sheet of silver-white. His red robes flowed like fire, while Jiang Li wore a green skirt. One gorgeous, one elegant—clearly two incompatible colors, yet they looked strangely harmonious together, as if naturally meant to be this way.

Several people hiding behind the door and peeking, led by Old General Ji stroking his chin, looked thoughtful.

Kong Liu quietly nudged Lu Ji’s arm and asked: “Don’t you think the Duke seems somewhat different toward Second Miss Jiang?”

Lu Ji looked at him with contempt. “Don’t you think”—even a fool could see this! Though he didn’t know what purpose the master had in doing this, Second Miss Jiang was clearly not currently an insignificant official’s daughter to Ji Heng, the kind whose death wouldn’t matter.

“I feel like they look quite good walking together. At least…” Kong Liu gestured toward Situ Jiuyue’s direction. “Better than the two of them together. Walking with Situ overflows with demonic energy. With Second Miss Jiang, it’s at least somewhat more harmonious.”

Situ Jiuyue said: “…I heard that.”

…

Jiang Li had no idea how the people behind were evaluating her. Ji Heng led Jiang Li back to his study.

Different from what Jiang Li had imagined, Ji Heng’s study was extremely austere in black and white, without many items. She had thought someone as flamboyant as Ji Heng would favor extreme luxury and warmth, but after entering, she felt as if in two different worlds.

Outside the door, Wen Ji dutifully guarded the entrance. Ji Heng walked to sit at the desk, and Jiang Li also sat across from him.

The desk was by the window, offering a view of the snowy scenery outside—desolate yet magnificent. A servant brought hot tea. Ji Heng poured a cup and pushed it before Jiang Li.

Pouring tea should be done by servants, but in the few times Jiang Li had seen him, he always seemed to prefer doing it himself. Of course, his tea-pouring movements were graceful, his hands beautiful. Just this action alone was enough to be pleasing to the eye and lift one’s spirits.

Jiang Li accepted the tea and took a sip.

The tea flavor was fragrant with a slight bitterness, steaming hot. Entering her stomach, it could ease some of the cold from the wind and snow outside.

“Speak.” While pouring tea for himself, Ji Heng said: “What do you want to say?”

Jiang Li hesitated before asking: “Where is Daoist Priest Chongxu now?”

Ji Heng’s tea-pouring motion paused. He looked at Jiang Li and asked: “What do you mean?”

“My father said he would tell His Majesty about Daoist Priest Chongxu’s true identity. If His Majesty knew Daoist Priest Chongxu’s identity, he would inevitably punish Consort Li. But until now, Consort Li still shows no signs of disturbance. So I wonder—is Daoist Priest Chongxu not in Yanjing City at all, or did my father temporarily change his mind?”

“Oh.” Ji Heng lowered his head again, slowly pouring tea for himself. The tea was neither too much nor too little, just covering the rim of the cup, presenting a shallow brown color that made the porcelain-white teacup appear even more lustrous and radiant.

Ji Heng looked at Jiang Li again with an ambiguous smile: “For such matters, you should just ask Jiang Yuanbai. Why ask me?”

“My father may not tell me the truth.” Jiang Li said.

“Then how can you be certain I won’t lie to you?” Ji Heng answered unhurriedly.

Jiang Li smiled: “The Duke has no need to deceive this insignificant woman. I’m not worth the Duke’s effort to lie to.”

“You needn’t belittle yourself. You’re no insignificant woman. In my view, you’re more like a fraud than Daoist Priest Chongxu.” Ji Heng looked at her lazily. “If you want to inquire about Consort Li, just inquire about Consort Li. Why use Chongxu as a pretext?”

Jiang Li was momentarily speechless.

After a long while, she said: “The Duke sees very clearly. I’m truly ashamed.”

“You don’t look ashamed. You look like you’re giving up.” Ji Heng picked up the folding fan on the desk to play with it, his slender fingers brushing over the fan handle. The phrase describing women’s fingers as “fingers like scallion roots” didn’t quite apply to Ji Heng’s fingers—they weren’t that delicate. Though beautifully shaped, they were full of strength.

One could believe that if these hands grasped someone’s throat, they could easily snap it.

“Can the Duke tell me?” Jiang Li withdrew her gaze from staring at Ji Heng’s fingers and asked tactfully.

“I can.” Ji Heng answered readily. “Chongxu is locked in a private prison, and His Majesty knows his identity.”

Jiang Li froze and asked tentatively: “Could it be… His Majesty has already punished Consort Li, but because the matter is so significant, it’s not disclosed publicly?” After all, if they acknowledged Daoist Priest Chongxu’s identity, they would have to bring up the case from years ago when a noble lady was wrongly killed. Moreover, having the Emperor admit he mistakenly trusted a fraud would also damage imperial dignity.

“No.” Ji Heng’s answer was beyond Jiang Li’s expectations. He said: “Consort Li is safe and sound.”

This time, Jiang Li truly couldn’t conceal the surprise on her face. She said: “Why? Has His Majesty truly doted on Consort Li to such an extent?”

If so, Consort Li only needed to whisper sweet words in the Emperor’s ear to get whatever she wanted.

Ji Heng smiled and glanced at Jiang Li, asking in return: “What do you think?”

His tone revealed nothing of his opinion on the matter, yet it gradually calmed Jiang Li down. It couldn’t be. If Consort Li was truly favored to such an extent, the Ji family would have risen high enough to rival the Jiang family long ago. Though the Ji family had indeed been promoted somewhat during Consort Li’s years in the palace, they ultimately still followed proper procedures without going too far.

Moreover, if the Emperor was truly such a foolish, incompetent person easily intoxicated by beauty, why would Ji Heng pledge allegiance to him? At least at present, Jiang Li believed Emperor Hongxiao was not a weak and incompetent young emperor. He had his own methods and considerable ambitions.

“Why does His Majesty know but not speak? Jiang Li adopted a humble attitude seeking instruction. “Does keeping Consort Li serve some other purpose for him?”

Ji Heng still smiled, but his tone sharpened. He said: “This is a palace secret, little girl. You shouldn’t want to know everything—be careful of inviting fatal disaster.”

Unfortunately, Jiang Li had become increasingly bold in his presence and wasn’t intimidated. Instead, she said righteously: “But my life now belongs to the Duke. If the Duke tells me secrets, I’ll naturally take them to my coffin. Dead people are best at keeping secrets, aren’t they? Since that’s the case, what’s wrong with telling me?”

The young girl tilted her face up slightly. She wasn’t very old, in the prime of youth, showing the vigor of spring on her face, like the flowers in the Duke’s Manor courtyard that could bloom brilliantly even in the depths of winter.

Ji Heng had lived more than twenty years and seen many who spoke casually of life and death—spies harboring secrets, brave souls dying for righteous causes. But he had never seen a fifteen-year-old girl calmly discuss her own death. Her face showed no awe of death, no timidity. She spoke so calmly that one couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to her to cultivate such a contradictory nature.

He laughed mockingly: “You speak as if you’ve died once before.”

Jiang Li’s gaze dimmed slightly.

Of course she had died. Precisely because she had died once, she understood even better why Princess Yongning had to kill her and eliminate her entire family back then. It was because in Princess Yongning’s view, only dead people could keep secrets.

“Speaking of which,” Ji Heng suddenly thought of something and looked at Jiang Li. “Since you keep saying your life belongs to me, when do you plan to give me your life? Now that Ji Shuran is dead, in the Chief Minister’s manor, you have no opponents.”

Jiang Li froze and looked up at him.

The young man in red robes against snow, his posture lazy and elegant, his amber eyes filled with clear, captivating smiles, the small red mole at the corner of his eye adding a touch of allure to his elegance.

Jiang Li lowered her eyes: “It’s not time yet.”

“Then when is it time?” He was rarely so pressing.

“When Princess Yongning is dead.” Jiang Li raised her head with determination. “Once I’ve handled everything, I’ll personally come to your door and submit to whatever the Duke wishes to do with me.”

Her eyes were clear, her tone gentle yet stubborn, clearly determined, not just speaking casually. She was always cunning, always leaving herself some leeway in everything. Only in this matter did she seem willing to exhaust all her life’s strength, using any means necessary, regardless of consequences, to accomplish it.

Ji Heng raised an eyebrow.

He said: “You just say it outright like this?”

“To the Duke, I have nothing to hide.” Jiang Li smiled. “Hiding would be a waste of effort anyway.”

“You’re very sensible,” Ji Heng said. “And sweet-tongued. Among my advisors, none is more pleasing than you.”

Jiang Li curved her eyes: “Thank you for the Duke’s praise.”

When she smiled, she was very warm, truly like a carefree, innocent young maiden. A deep meaning flashed through Ji Heng’s eyes. He knew, of course it wasn’t like this.

This girl also wore a mask standing on stage, covered in makeup, so that when people saw her smiling face, they didn’t know what truth lay beneath the makeup.

No matter. Take it slowly. The truth would eventually be discovered.

He coughed lightly and said: “You truly want to know why Consort Li is safe and sound?”

Jiang Li said: “Truly.”

Ji Heng: “Why?”

“Palace secrets—everyone wants to hear them.” Jiang Li spoke as if it were obvious.

This reason that couldn’t really be called a reason left even Ji Heng momentarily speechless. After a silence, he said: “Consort Li belongs to Prince Cheng.”

Jiang Li was just about to pick up her teacup when her hand faltered at these words, nearly knocking it over. Fortunately, Ji Heng was quick to grab her wrist, preventing the teacup from overturning and scalding her with hot tea.

His hand was ice-cold, covering her skin like being touched by jade—comfortable. This thought inexplicably popped into Jiang Li’s mind. Ji Heng withdrew his hand, not noticing Jiang Li’s distraction, only asking: “Are you that surprised?”

Jiang Li looked at him in a daze: “Of course…”

Consort Li belonged to Prince Cheng!

But Consort Li was from the Ji family, and the Ji family were in-laws with the Jiang family. Though the Jiang family and Prince Cheng were currently at peace, everyone knew that once Prince Cheng truly made that move and succeeded, the Jiang family wouldn’t be spared either. The Ji family had actually pledged allegiance to Prince Cheng? Jiang Yuanbai definitely didn’t know about this!

“The Ji family hasn’t pledged allegiance to Prince Cheng.” Ji Heng seemed able to guess her thoughts and spoke promptly. “Only Consort Li acted alone.”

“Why? Why?” Jiang Li said. “The Ji family doesn’t know about this?”

“You’ve dealt with the Ji family. You should know their temperament,” Ji Heng’s smile carried a trace of caustic mockery. “When it comes to weighing pros and cons, no one surpasses them.”

“Consort Li has been in the palace for years without bearing a son. The Ji family is already preparing for other Ji family women to enter the palace.” Ji Heng only said one sentence, and Jiang Li understood.

Though Consort Li was favored by Emperor Hongxiao, having not borne a prince after so many years meant she couldn’t be considered firmly established in the palace. Precisely because of this, Consort Li didn’t become arrogant from favor and could be called gentle-natured.

But the Ji family wasn’t satisfied with this. If Consort Li couldn’t bear a prince and couldn’t further consolidate her position, the Ji family couldn’t continue climbing higher. Human hearts were never satisfied—the snake swallowing the elephant. The Ji family planned to select some beautiful, intelligent young women from the clan to enter the palace. With Consort Li helping from the side, they would win Emperor Hongxiao’s favor and ideally bear offspring.

This seemed to be thinking of the big picture, but for Consort Li, it was very disadvantageous. Having another beautiful young woman come share the Emperor’s favor, especially at her own family’s instigation.

Consort Li would certainly be unwilling.

“Prince Cheng knew of Consort Li’s unwillingness.” Ji Heng said. “He enticed Consort Li, and Consort Li fell for it.”