Zhao Ke arrived very quickly.

He probably hadn’t expected that before midnight had even arrived, Jiang Li would blow the whistle. He must have been doing something else, as his body still carried snowflakes and grass debris from outside. Standing before the window, he said, “Second Miss.”

“Zhao Ke, there’s something I’d like to ask you to do.” Jiang Li looked at him.

Zhao Ke couldn’t help but be startled. Whenever Jiang Li had ordered him around in the past, she always displayed an attitude of taking things for granted, as if it were perfectly natural and justified. Zhao Ke had gone from initial unwillingness to eventually becoming numb to it. Since his superior had ordered him to simply obey, what more could he say?

But today, Second Miss Jiang’s tone carried an almost earnest quality. Her expression wasn’t as natural as before; instead, there was some anxiety and even a sense of pleading.

Although people from the Duke’s mansion all had hearts as hard as iron, when Zhao Ke saw Jiang Li’s gaze, he still sighed inwardly. No wonder his superior, despite being such a cold and ruthless person, repeatedly indulged Second Miss Jiang. When this young lady showed a pleading expression, it gave one the illusion that refusing her would be an unforgivable sin.

“My superior has given orders that this subordinate should simply carry out Second Miss’s requests,” Zhao Ke answered stiffly. No matter what he thought internally, he couldn’t show it.

“My maid Bai Xue’s hometown is in Zaohua Village. Can you go… or rather, can you find some people to go to Zaohua Village and bring back a young lady named Haitang to Yanjing City for me?”

Zhao Ke looked at Jiang Li with confusion. Where was Zaohua Village? He’d never gone to such a strange place to carry out a mission, and Jiang Li’s request was even more absurd—to go fetch a young lady? He wasn’t a coachman! Was Second Miss Jiang now making him work as a coachman as well? But the Duke’s mansion wasn’t paying him any extra!

“This matter… this subordinate must ask my superior first,” Zhao Ke said.

Jiang Li understood. She knew that Zhao Ke would definitely tell Ji Heng about this matter. In fact, everything she had Zhao Ke do would eventually reach Ji Heng’s ears, since Ji Heng was Zhao Ke’s true master. But this time, once Ji Heng learned about Haitang’s situation, with that man’s intelligence, he might not fail to discover some clues.

At the very least, Ji Heng probably already knew that she and the Xue family weren’t completely unconnected on the surface, and perhaps had deep ties.

When there were too many lice, one didn’t itch anymore; when there were too many debts, one didn’t worry. At this moment, Jiang Li actually developed a kind of reckless courage and said, “As you wish.”

Zhao Ke was surprised again. Since Second Miss Jiang wasn’t asking others to do this but specifically asking people from the Duke’s mansion to do it, it must be a very confidential matter. Yet she wasn’t afraid of Ji Heng knowing about it. Could it be that his superior and Second Miss Jiang had already reached such a familiar level? Wait, could Second Miss Jiang have also become his superior’s subordinate? Between subordinates and their master, naturally there was no need to hide anything.

Jiang Li didn’t know that the guard before her was conjuring up so many scenarios in his mind. She only said, “No matter how you tell your master, once your master agrees, please bring her back in the shortest time possible. On this journey, you may encounter pursuing enemies, and their forces may not be small either. Please be extremely careful about everything and ensure Haitang’s safety.”

She spoke with such solemnity that Zhao Ke, who hadn’t taken it seriously at first, also sensed Jiang Li’s tension. He realized this matter was probably very important to Jiang Li and didn’t dare underestimate it, so he said, “This subordinate understands. I’ll report to my superior tonight and reply to Second Miss Jiang early tomorrow morning.”

Jiang Li nodded.

Zhao Ke disappeared from outside the window. Bai Xue and Tong’er didn’t know what had happened, but they diligently kept watch over the doors and windows. If word got out that a strange man had appeared in their young lady’s courtyard, there would be trouble.

Jiang Li closed the window, also shutting out the wind and snow from outside. Her heart was beating very fast.

If everything went smoothly, if Zhao Ke could depart, very soon—at most in a dozen or so days—she would be able to see Haitang.

Her sister from her previous life.

At the Duke’s mansion, very quickly, Wen Ji received the message Zhao Ke had sent and told Ji Heng about it word for word.

Lu Ji was currently in Ji Heng’s study, discussing matters with Ji Heng. Hearing this, he said, “Why didn’t Second Miss Jiang mention this during the day, but instead blew the whistle after returning home at night?”

“It’s said that she received a letter in the evening and made the decision on the spot,” Wen Ji answered.

“Haitang…” Ji Heng sat in his chair, his crimson robes trailing to the floor. The dim lamplight illuminated the golden threads at the hem of his robe, like flowing splendor. He tapped his finger on a letter, seemingly unconsciously knocking lightly. After a moment, he said, “Leave Zhao Ke at the Jiang family. Wen Ji, you select a few people and send them to make a trip to Zaohua Village.”

Wen Ji accepted the order and left.

After Wen Ji departed, Lu Ji stroked his beard and said curiously, “What relationship does this Haitang have with Second Miss Jiang? If we’re talking about Tongxiang, at least it’s still in Xiangyang, and the Ye family is also in Xiangyang, so if we stretch it, Second Miss Jiang could have some connection to Tongxiang. But Zaohua Village… really has no connection at all.”

Moreover, hearing this name, Lu Ji searched through his mind but had never heard of it. It must be a farming village in some very small town. Yet Jiang Li made such a solemn request, so it certainly wouldn’t be that simple. Speaking of which, it was the same with Tongxiang last time. That Qiongzhi from Xihua House seemed to have no connection with Jiang Li at all, but it was precisely through Qiongzhi’s message that Jiang Li learned about Xue Huaiyuan’s situation.

She always seemed to know things that others didn’t. If that was the case, this Haitang whom Jiang Li held in her heart might also be related to something important.

“We’ll know once the person arrives,” Ji Heng said casually. Suddenly remembering something, he asked again, “Has there been any movement from Prince Cheng’s side?”

“These past days he’s been frequently meeting with court officials. Secret agents report they’re discussing and plotting something. However, internally they’re split into two factions—one advocates forcing the palace, the other advocates taking gradual steps. For now, they’re at a stalemate.”

“The stalemate won’t last much longer,” Ji Heng chuckled softly. “He doesn’t have that much patience.”

“If after the New Year, next year, or at most one more year, Prince Cheng stages his uprising, will my superior intervene…” Lu Ji asked. His question wasn’t very clear either. Though he’d followed Ji Heng for a long time, sometimes what Ji Heng was thinking and his next moves, Lu Ji could only see vaguely.

“No need. He won’t win.” The young man lazily toyed with the folding fan in his hand. As the fan opened and closed, layer upon layer of luxuriant peonies bloomed, reflecting on his face and making him appear even more deeply gorgeous. He smiled with amusement. “The little emperor has waited all these years, just waiting for that day.”

“I’m also waiting for that day.” He looked toward the window. Outside was thick inky darkness. One could hear the wind howling loudly. His amber eyes were also reflected black by the night, or perhaps the emotions in his eyes had darkened.

His voice remained gentle, yet within that gentleness, it also contained a bone-deep cruelty.

“Waiting for the snake to emerge from its hole.”

The next day, having received word from Zhao Ke, Jiang Li finally felt relieved. Ji Heng had agreed to send people to fetch Haitang for her.

After tossing and turning sleeplessly all last night, today she finally had the feeling of putting down a heavy burden. Jiang Li sat down at the stone table in the courtyard, watching the two young maids Qingfeng and Mingyue sweep the snow.

She realized that ever since her trip to Tongxiang, her relationship with Ji Heng had entered a state of neither enemy nor friend. He repeatedly said he wanted her life, so Jiang Li didn’t have too many concerns when facing him. Thinking about it now, many matters had only been completed so smoothly because of Ji Heng’s assistance.

Whether it was the matter of Jiang Yu’e, the matter of Xue Huaiyuan, Master Chongxu, or now Haitang—every single case had Ji Heng involved in some way. Someone who originally hadn’t been part of the play had nevertheless accompanied her throughout, always present in the performance. Jiang Li wasn’t someone with a heart of iron and stone. On the contrary, Xue Huaiyuan had taught her from childhood to repay kindness with gratitude. Everything Ji Heng had done, she saw clearly. Her attitude remained lukewarm only because she wanted to protect herself—after all, the current situation was too complicated, and Ji Heng himself was not simple.

When one owed a favor, one must certainly repay it. For now, she didn’t know what help she, with her meager abilities, could offer Ji Heng. But she thought that in the future, if Ji Heng truly faced difficulties, she certainly wouldn’t hide away. This had nothing to do with her life being in Ji Heng’s hands; it was simply pure gratitude.

If Yongning and Shen Yurun received their punishment, aside from Xue Huaiyuan, she would truly have no regrets.

In the Jiang mansion, while Jiang Li relaxed, there was one person who wasn’t relaxed at all—this person was Jiang Youyao at Yaoguang Pavilion.

Ever since Ji Shuran’s death, Jiang Youyao’s life had fallen from heaven to earth. The servants of the Jiang family—setting aside whether they were opportunistic or not—had all witnessed the things Ji Shuran had done that day, and naturally they wouldn’t have any pleasant expressions for Ji Shuran’s daughter. Although in daily matters they never neglected proper etiquette, Jiang Youyao had clearly seen them looking at her with meaningful eyes several times. She knew what kind of gaze that was—it was contempt, disdain.

Jiang Youyao was almost driven mad with anger. She threw tantrums over several servants she found disagreeable as she had in the past, but was severely reprimanded by Old Madam Jiang and Jiang Yuanbai. Previously, when Jiang Youyao had been proud and willful, people considered it natural for a young lady to be innocent and romantic. Now, with Ji Shuran’s cautionary tale before them, people inevitably linked Jiang Youyao’s behavior with Ji Shuran’s malicious nature. If Jiang Youyao had also learned Ji Shuran’s malicious disposition, then her actions were definitely not mere willfulness.

To Jiang Youyao, however, this meant that Jiang Yuanbai and Old Madam Jiang no longer doted on her because of Ji Shuran, and even despised her. Everyone in the entire Jiang mansion, from top to bottom, looked down on her. In fact, forget about her—even Old Madam Jiang treated Jiang Bingji less indulgently than before and became stricter—children couldn’t be allowed to grow crooked from the roots. Madam Ji was the best example.

Under these circumstances, Jiang Youyao’s days felt like years.

She had written to the Ji family, hoping Ji Yanlin could send someone to take her back to the Ji family. Since the Jiang family didn’t value her, the Ji family naturally could help her. But there had been no reply for a long time. Jiang Youyao suspected that Old Madam had intercepted the letter. She couldn’t do anything. Outside, there were gossips everywhere, and rumors even spread that she wasn’t Jiang Yuanbai’s daughter but the illegitimate child of Ji Shuran and Liu Wencai. Each and every matter made Jiang Youyao feel almost suffocated.

At this time, she even envied Jiang Yu’e, who had become a concubine to Zhou Yanbang of Marquis Ningyuan’s mansion. Even as a concubine, she could marry the one she loved. Zhou Yanbang was so gentle, he would certainly understand her and comfort her. Thinking of this, Jiang Youyao couldn’t help but resent Jiang Li. If it hadn’t been for Jiang Li and Jiang Yu’e conspiring together, how would Jiang Yu’e have stolen her marriage prospects? That should have been hers originally! Jiang Li had stolen her favor in the Jiang family, caused her mother’s death, and let Jiang Yu’e usurp what belonged to her. She deserved to die!

Watching Jiang Youyao’s expression constantly changing, the maid beside her felt somewhat afraid. Having experienced such upheaval these past days, Jiang Youyao’s temperament had also greatly changed. She frequently scolded and beat servants. Although Old Madam and the eldest master had ordered her not to, within her own courtyard, Jiang Youyao could still freely punish servants.

“I want to go out.” The maid who had been carefully working suddenly saw Jiang Youyao stand up from her chair and say this.

“Miss, right now to leave the mansion… it won’t be easy,” Yinhua reminded her.

Especially for Jiang Youyao, who had been confined. Because outside there were all kinds of rumors about Jiang Youyao and Ji Shuran, if Jiang Youyao went out, it would inevitably stir up gossip. Since they couldn’t provoke trouble, they could at least avoid it, so the Jiang family had Jiang Youyao temporarily refrain from going out and remain in the mansion.

But in Jiang Youyao’s eyes, the Jiang family was doing this simply because they were venting their anger toward her over Ji Shuran’s matter.

“If I stay in this mansion any longer, who knows if I’ll even have my life,” Jiang Youyao sneered coldly and said, “Now everyone doesn’t take me seriously. Where do they still remember that I’m Third Miss of the Jiang family? If I stay in the mansion any longer, I’ll end up like Concubine Hu back then—forgotten, eventually becoming waste!”

Jinhua moved her lips. Actually, she felt that this was only temporary. As long as Jiang Youyao behaved properly, the master would still love this daughter. After all, she had been raised at his side for so many years. Feelings didn’t just disappear. Moreover, the master was soft-hearted. Once this period passed, if Jiang Youyao acted coquettishly or used some sympathy tactics, things would quickly return to how they were before.

But she didn’t dare say this. Jiang Youyao had already made up her mind, and saying anything would be useless. She might even touch on Jiang Youyao’s sore spots, so she only asked, “Where does Miss want to go outside the mansion?”

“The Ji family, naturally.” Jiang Youyao’s brows furrowed tightly. “Now my letters are all being intercepted. Grandfather and the others don’t know I’m suffering in the Jiang family. As long as I escape the mansion and go to the Ji family, I’ll never come back. After all, the Ji family is no worse than the Jiang family. My aunt is even a consort in the palace. With my aunt presiding over things for me, no one will dare bully me. Why should I suffer here!”

Jinhua and Yinhua exchanged glances. Jiang Youyao had been spoiled by Ji Shuran and knew nothing about the outside world. She always thought everyone in the world should revolve around her. Little did she know that after this incident, the Ji family didn’t even dare visit the Jiang family’s door now. How could they let Jiang Youyao stay at the Ji family indefinitely?

“Miss, please wait a few more days. These past days, the gatehouse has been too strict. I’m afraid we won’t find an opportunity,” Jinhua advised.

“In not much longer it will be New Year’s. Around New Year’s, the mansion will need to make purchases and there will be many things to do. That time will be my opportunity.” She looked coldly at her two maids again. “You two must not harbor other thoughts. Your indenture contracts are still in my hands. If this matter fails and someone leaks the secret…” A flash of viciousness passed through her eyes, uncannily identical to Ji Shuran’s.

The two maids couldn’t help but shiver with cold, hurriedly kneeling to pledge their loyalty, not daring to say anything more.

After the winter solstice, in less than a month, it would be New Year’s.

Even though the Jiang family had experienced too many incidents in the past half year—even deaths—and Jiang Yuanbai and his brother’s official careers weren’t going smoothly, and outsiders treated the Jiang family as a laughingstock over tea and meals, this New Year still had to be celebrated.

Throughout the mansion, high and low, people unknowingly began to bustle about. Zhenzhu and Feicui from Wanfeng Hall came several times asking when Jiang Li would go to the jewelry shops to select accessories. Jiang Li had no particular love for jewelry and didn’t want to go again after one visit. So Old Madam Jiang sent people to invite tailors to Fangfei Courtyard to take Jiang Li’s measurements and make new clothes for her. Jiang Li knew this was to compensate her.

Speaking of tailoring clothes, during this period there was one occasion when Old Madam Jiang took her to a banquet—a home banquet hosted by an official’s wife. Jiang Li wore clothing made from the Ye family’s newly released rippling water pattern fabric, which immediately attracted the attention of a crowd of noble ladies and madams, who all pulled her aside asking where she had bought the fabric. Jiang Li took the opportunity to mention the Ye family of Xiangyang. Not long after this, Ye Mingyu received a letter from Xiangyang saying that the Ye family’s rippling water pattern fabric was now in such high demand that supply couldn’t keep up. Many ready-made clothing shops in Yanjing City were ordering the fabric. The Ye family’s textile factory had been working day and night these past days to rush orders.

When Ye Mingyu mentioned this matter, Jiang Li felt very gratified. At least the Ye family’s Guxiang satin hadn’t declined, and now the rippling water pattern was rising. The Ye family had passed through their difficult time. Old Madam Ye’s health was also gradually improving. Everything was developing in a positive direction. Even Xue Huaiyuan, under Situ Jiuyue’s treatment, was more spirited day by day. Now he could even recognize people and call out their names.

This New Year didn’t seem difficult to get through. It seemed many matters could be easily resolved, with no particular hardships.

On the fifteenth day after the winter solstice, Haitang returned.

Zhao Ke stood before Jiang Li’s window and said, “The person is now at the Duke’s mansion. At the Jiang family, it would probably attract attention. There are people watching outside the Ye family gates. If Second Miss wants to see Haitang, my superior said you can go to the Duke’s mansion.”

Jiang Li: “…I’m afraid it would attract attention.”

“No problem. My superior said that if Second Miss wants to go, go late at night, and no one will discover it,” Zhao Ke said simply, though hearing it gave Jiang Li quite a headache.

“How can I leave at night?” Jiang Li asked, only hoping the person before her could consider some realistic problems. She was the Prime Minister’s daughter. How could she leave in the middle of the night, and go to the Duke’s mansion at that? Unless she had martial arts skills like Ye Mingyu, wore a mask, and had unpredictable movements—that would be ideal.

“Second Miss can rest assured about this. Everything will be arranged by this subordinate,” Zhao Ke said with great confidence.

Jiang Li looked at Zhao Ke carefully for quite a while, looking until even Zhao Ke felt somewhat embarrassed and lowered his head, before confirming that the guard before her wasn’t joking and had genuinely proposed this solution. She still wanted to struggle a bit and asked, “Can’t there be another way? Actually, we could meet at a tavern on the street.”

“The person Second Miss is looking for is extremely distrustful of others. Even now, she remains vigilant toward us,” Zhao Ke answered. “If we hadn’t subdued her, she would have run away.”

“You subdued her?” Jiang Li was startled. “Didn’t you tell her that the person looking for her wouldn’t harm her, but came to help her?”

“We did.” Zhao Ke shrugged. “But she didn’t believe it.”

Jiang Li’s heart gradually sank. For Haitang to be so wary of others and unwilling to believe anything, clearly something had truly happened—at least she had experienced something to become like this. Things had reached this point, and she couldn’t worry about other matters. The urgent priority was to see Haitang first, comfort her, and find out what had happened after she died, after she and Dujuan had run away.

Jiang Li said, “Alright, I’ll go to the Duke’s mansion tonight. I wonder if the Duke is available?”

Zhao Ke raised his head in surprise. She agreed so quickly? He had thought Second Miss Jiang would struggle for quite a while before agreeing. After all, a young unmarried lady going to a strange man’s mansion, and at night—anyone would hesitate. But thinking about it, this wasn’t quite right either. After all, his superior was the Duke of Su. Which woman in all of Northern Yan didn’t admire the Duke of Su? Even if, just in case, something possibly happened, Second Miss Jiang wouldn’t lose out—she might even gain.

Thinking this way, the surprise in Zhao Ke’s eyes instantly faded completely clean, and with a knowing look, he said, “Good. This subordinate will report back to my superior immediately.”

Jiang Li nodded.

Zhao Ke left. Jiang Li watched him leave but didn’t close the window, only looking at the vast white expanse outside, not knowing whether she felt joy or sorrow in her heart.

Joy that Haitang was still alive, and she would soon suddenly see an old friend. Sorrow that times had changed, circumstances had shifted, people and things were different. Haitang wouldn’t recognize her, and she couldn’t rashly acknowledge Haitang. Both had endured tremendous shocks and were no longer the carefree young girls of the past.

Tong’er stood beside Jiang Li and asked in a low voice, “Will Miss go to the Duke’s mansion tonight?”

Jiang Li looked at Tong’er. She said, “I’m going to the Duke’s mansion, and I’m staying close to Ji Heng. What do you think? Or rather,” she looked at Bai Xue again, “what do you two think?”

This was the first time she spoke so seriously with the two maids. For Tong’er and Bai Xue, much of what Jiang Li did, they often didn’t understand why. Even Tong’er, who had grown up with Jiang Li, was completely bewildered by all the people Jiang Li inexplicably had connections with.

Tong’er stammered, “Wh-what do you mean? Miss, you’re not going to dismiss us, are you?” Her eyes reddened, as if she would cry the next moment.

Jiang Li was startled, and was instead made both amused and exasperated by Tong’er. She reached out to close the window—Qingfeng and Mingyue were guarding the door outside. She sat down in the chair, sighed, and said, “I think you’ve also noticed that during these days following me, my side hasn’t been peaceful, and has even been full of danger. What I need to do may offend the powerful and privileged of Yanjing City, and I may not even be able to protect myself.” She paused and said, “You are the people closest to me. I don’t want to deceive you. I can only tell you that what I’ll do in the future may be even more shocking to the world. Compared to that, going to the Duke’s mansion late at night can be called an insignificant small matter. So, can you accept this?”

Bai Xue thought for a moment and asked seriously, “What if we can’t accept it?”

Tong’er quickly tugged at Bai Xue’s sleeve, but Bai Xue remained unmoved. She was straightforward by nature, speaking plainly and directly, and clearly genuinely wondered about Jiang Li’s answer.

“If you can’t accept it, you can’t stay by my side—not only because I’m afraid of implicating you, but also because you wouldn’t be able to help with anything,” Jiang Li said very frankly. But her frankness didn’t make people feel uncomfortable or selfish. Instead, it made them feel she was speaking her true heartfelt words. She said, “I hope the people around me can be of help, even if just with small matters. After all, there will be too many dangers to face in the future, and I don’t want to fail now. As for what I can give you in return…” She thought for a moment and said, “Silver and material goods are naturally not a problem, but most importantly, I will treat you with genuine sincerity.”

The most precious thing in the world was genuine sincerity.

Tong’er bit her lip, her voice carrying a sob, and stepped forward saying, “Miss, no matter what you want to do, this servant has followed you since childhood. If you don’t want this servant anymore, this servant has nowhere else to go. If Miss faces danger in the future, Tong’er will give her life to save her master. This is the way of master and servant… This servant will follow you forever!”

Before Jiang Li could speak, she heard Bai Xue also say, “This servant as well.” She was inarticulate and not good with words, so she didn’t say much, but these four words were spoken with resounding force, clearly conveying her determination.

Jiang Li looked at the two maids, her heart filled with both heartache and emotion. Haitang’s situation reminded her that because what she was doing was dangerous, it could implicate those around her at any time. When those around her were unaware, just like Xue Fangfei in the past, Princess Yongning had still seized the opportunity to harm Xue Zhao and Xue Huaiyuan. Though Tong’er and Bai Xue couldn’t understand why she was doing this, they had to know what they were facing.

If they couldn’t bear such consequences, they should leave early and not be drawn into the whirlpool of conflict.

And they both chose to stay.

“Miss, no matter what you face, you’ll never be alone,” Bai Xue said.

Jiang Li smiled slightly. “Yes.” She had two loyal and devoted maids, and she had the Ye family’s care. Though Jiang Yuanbai and Old Madam Jiang were selfish, they at least felt guilty toward her. The traces belonging to Xue Fangfei had been erased, but what belonged to Jiang Li was being recovered one by one.

After speaking with Tong’er and Bai Xue, she finally managed to comfort Tong’er. Afterward, Jiang Li didn’t do much else, just as on ordinary days—reading and writing in the courtyard, or drinking tea and listening to the maids’ idle chatter, concentrating on waiting for night to fall.

At night, when no noisy human voices could be heard anywhere in Yanjing City, and even the wind had quieted, a lamp in Jiang Li’s courtyard still burned with faint light. When maids came several times to urge her, the lamp in the courtyard was finally extinguished, presumably as the mistress had gone to sleep.

But in fact, Jiang Li hadn’t fallen asleep. She sat upright at her desk. There was no moon in the sky, only thick layers of clouds. The only light was from a lantern hanging on a tree in the courtyard. The lantern’s glow illuminated the ground, making the accumulated snow bright white. Everything was tranquil and silent; there was no more sound throughout the entire Jiang family.

After an unknown amount of time passed, when Jiang Li was almost dozing off, there was suddenly movement outside the window.

Someone was lightly tapping at the window.

Jiang Li started, thinking it must be Zhao Ke arriving. She instinctively went to pull open the window. Unexpectedly, the person outside was also looking this way, so as Jiang Li reached across the desk to pull open the window, what she saw was an exquisitely beautiful face.

Ji Heng had come.