Ji Heng’s carriage went directly to the Duke’s Manor. After arriving at the Duke’s Manor, Ji Heng, Lu Ji, and Wenren Yao all alighted from the carriage. Lin Yao was also taken away by Wenren Yao, while Wen Ji and Zhao Ke continued driving the carriage toward the Jiang Manor.
This actually made Jiang Li breathe a sigh of relief—at least when facing Jiang Yuanbai, it would be somewhat easier to handle.
When the carriage reached the entrance of the Jiang Manor, Jiang Li got off. The gatekeeper was initially puzzled, but upon seeing Jiang Li’s face clearly, he became so startled that he began to stutter: “Se-Second Miss!”
Jiang Li smiled and nodded at him: “Yes, I’ve returned.”
The news of Jiang Li’s return immediately spread throughout the Jiang Manor. In Wanfeng Hall, Old Madam Jiang and the people from the second household had all arrived. As soon as Lu Shi saw Jiang Li, she grabbed her hand and said: “Little Li, you’ve finally come back! These past few days, your second aunt couldn’t sleep soundly at night—I was truly worried sick!”
Her words were quite exaggerated, though they contained a fraction of sincerity. Jiang Li smiled and patted her hand: “I’m fine, Second Aunt.”
Jiang Jingrui asked: “I heard you went to Huangzhou. How did you get to Huangzhou? Who saved you? I asked Father and Uncle, but they refused to tell me. Jiang Li, what exactly happened?”
Jiang Li understood in her heart—Jiang Yuanbai and Jiang Yuanping had indeed not told others about this matter. However, Old Madam Jiang probably knew the details, because she wasn’t as puzzled as Jiang Jingrui. She only asked: “Huangzhou is in the midst of war and chaos. Second Girl, were you injured? Did those bandits hurt you?”
“No,” Jiang Li said. “Huangzhou’s garrison forces have been in a standoff with Prince Cheng’s troops. Those troops couldn’t enter the city, so it was actually quite safe.”
“But I heard,” this time it was Jiang Jingyou speaking. He looked at Jiang Li, “that Prince Cheng’s people burned, killed, and plundered within Huangzhou city, and many people died.”
This couldn’t be concealed either, so Jiang Li said: “There were indeed such people, but I was probably lucky and didn’t encounter them, so I safely got through it.”
“You were protected by someone, weren’t you?” Jiang Jingrui leaned closer. “That’s why you’re safe and sound. Who was it? If someone could rescue you from Prince Cheng’s people, they must be capable. Tell us his name so Uncle can visit to express his gratitude.”
Jiang Li laughed inwardly. If Jiang Yuanbai knew it was Ji Heng who saved her, his first reaction would probably not be full of gratitude, but rather suspicion of Ji Heng’s motives. The Duke’s Manor and the Jiang family had never had much interaction. It could even be said that Ji Heng had replaced Jiang Yuanbai in growing closer to Emperor Hongxiao. Jiang Yuanbai would probably even suspect that Ji Heng had been sowing discord between them.
Just as they were talking, a voice suddenly rang out from outside: “Ah Li.”
Turning to look, it was Jiang Yuanbai hurrying back. Earlier in Wanfeng Hall, he hadn’t appeared—he must have been outside and rushed over upon receiving news of Jiang Li’s return to the manor. Jiang Li called out “Father.” He looked at Jiang Li, then glanced around, and said: “Come with me to the study.”
Old Madam Jiang nodded at Jiang Li, and Jiang Li followed Jiang Yuanbai to the study. Once in the study with the door closed behind them, Jiang Yuanbai looked Jiang Li over and asked: “How are you? Are you injured?”
Jiang Li shook her head.
Jiang Yuanbai observed her for a moment. Seeing that Jiang Li indeed showed no signs of injury, he finally relaxed a little. Then he asked: “What exactly happened? How did those people get you out of Yanjing and take you to Huangzhou? And how did the Duke of Su know you were abducted to Huangzhou and rescue you?”
When Wenren Yao wrote to Jiang Yuanbai and the Ye family, he had been quite vague. He hadn’t written in detail about Jiang Li’s specific circumstances. Judging from Jiang Yuanbai’s completely confused expression, he clearly had no idea what had actually happened. So Jiang Li sat down and told him about that day on the street when she was separated from Baixue, and how those people disguised her and smuggled her out of Yanjing.
“They were clearly prepared from the start. They planned all along to take me to Huangzhou, which is why they acted so methodically and caught everyone off guard. By the time people discovered I was missing, I had already been taken out of the city. Trying to pursue at that point was already too late.”
She went on to describe how those people brought her all the way to Huangzhou. Jiang Li omitted the part about seeing Ji Heng’s sedan chair outside the tavern and calling out to him for help. That would inevitably arouse Jiang Yuanbai’s suspicion—first, how could Jiang Li be so familiar with Ji Heng that she could recognize his sedan chair at a glance? Second, everyone knew that Ji Heng was the least likely person to meddle in others’ affairs and wouldn’t show pity for the fairer sex. Why would Ji Heng agree to help when Jiang Li called for rescue?
“Later at the inn, when that woman tried to harm me physically, I struggled desperately. I must have been seen by the Duke of Su’s guards who were passing by. At the palace banquet before, those two guards had seen me and knew my identity. I imagine they told the Duke of Su, and the Duke of Su rescued me.” She smiled at Jiang Yuanbai: “Father, the Duke of Su is a good person. He saved my life. We should thank him.”
“A good person?” Jiang Yuanbai laughed once and looked at Jiang Li: “You’re simply too young and naive. Ji Heng is not some kindhearted person. I’m afraid he has other calculations and merely used you as a cover.”
Jiang Li listened quietly. Jiang Yuanbai’s reaction was within her expectations. If it were her, and Ji Heng hadn’t helped her again and again, if she hadn’t spent so much time with him, in Jiang Li’s eyes, Ji Heng would also appear to be this kind of devious, ruthless, and merciless person.
“However,” Jiang Yuanbai changed his tone, “he did save your life. We should be grateful, but you don’t need to go—let me handle the thanks.”
He was still afraid there might be some unnecessary contact between Jiang Li and Ji Heng. This might be partly due to Jiang Yuanbai’s protection of the Jiang family’s interests, but also Jiang Yuanbai’s concern for his daughter. Although he wasn’t a good father to the real Second Miss Jiang, he wasn’t entirely cold and heartless either.
Jiang Li nodded.
Jiang Yuanbai looked at Jiang Li. The young lady had a clear and lovely appearance, growing increasingly delicate and beautiful. Before long, she would celebrate her sixteenth birthday—a girl’s finest years. So much had happened in the past six months, but Jiang Li’s position in the Jiang family had become completely different. Certainly it was because they had discovered the truth, but also because this daughter was neither like him nor like Ye Zhenzhen. She was intelligent and knew propriety, without a trace of arrogance, yet when going out, she handled everything perfectly without losing face.
He recalled how some colleagues had previously made indirect inquiries about this daughter. Though things had temporarily quieted down after the incidents with Ji Shuran and Jiang Youyao, a fair maiden naturally attracts gentlemen. And if this fair maiden was also a young miss from the Chief Minister’s household, naturally even more people would admire her.
He thought of the gentle and handsome young man he had met a few days ago. His conversation was appropriate, his features showed hidden righteousness, and being with him felt extremely comfortable. He should actually be a good match, and Jiang Yuanbai himself was quite fond of him. But right now was a troubled time, with Prince Cheng causing upheaval. The Jiang family could barely look after itself and couldn’t clearly see what changes lay ahead, so Jiang Yuanbai didn’t dare make decisions lightly.
But that person… was certainly much better than the moody, unfathomable Duke of Su.
“Ah Li…” Jiang Yuanbai couldn’t help but say: “The Duke of Su has a beautiful appearance and immense power at court, but he is not a suitable match… You… must not develop feelings for him.”
This was a reminder. For him as a father to say such things to his daughter made Jiang Yuanbai himself feel uncomfortable all over, but right now there was no lady of the house in the main household of the Jiang Manor to say these things to Jiang Li. Lu Shi couldn’t keep her mouth shut, Old Madam Jiang was too old, so Jiang Yuanbai could only say it himself.
Jiang Li’s heart grew alert, but her face showed a faint smile. She said: “Father need not say it—I already know.”
Jiang Yuanbai studied Jiang Li’s expression. Seeing that when she spoke, her gaze was frank and didn’t seem like a lie, he finally felt relieved.
Jiang Li asked: “Father, today in Wanfeng Hall, why didn’t I see Third Uncle and Third Aunt, and I didn’t see Fourth Sister either?”
In Wanfeng Hall, almost everyone had been present, except for people from the third household. This was strange. Even though the third household’s relationship with the first and second households wasn’t usually close, they should still be present for something like this. But not a single person was there, and Lu Shi and Old Madam Jiang seemed accustomed to it, which puzzled Jiang Li.
Jiang Yuanbai paused before saying: “We divided the family.”
“Divided the family?” Jiang Li was astonished. “Why would you suddenly divide the family?”
Jiang Yuanbai laughed coldly: “This time when you were suddenly abducted, it was probably the third household’s doing. They somehow informed Prince Cheng of your whereabouts, which is how Prince Cheng could set a trap on your route to the Ye family and take you away. The third household harbors treacherous intentions. Keeping them would only be a disaster, so your grandmother had the family divided.”
“In such a short time, it’s already been settled?” Jiang Li asked.
“He’s just a son born of a concubine. Dividing the family doesn’t require much trouble—no need to ask clan members to preside. After all these years, without the Jiang family, they can’t do anything, so naturally they couldn’t take much with them.”
Jiang Yuanbai’s attitude was unprecedentedly firm. Jiang Li remembered that when she first entered the Jiang family, while Jiang Yuanbai wasn’t as close to the third household as he was to Jiang Yuanping, he was still courteous. Now, with this appearance, they had clearly become enemies. It showed how angry he was about Jiang Yuanxing’s actions.
Jiang Li thought for a moment, then said: “This is actually good. Third Uncle and the others have connections with Prince Cheng—you could say they’ve allied themselves with Prince Cheng. Right now is a critical time. If we don’t divide the family, when accounts are settled in the future, we might inevitably be implicated too. Dividing the family makes a clean break and also shows His Majesty that the Jiang family is absolutely loyal to him and would never collude with Prince Cheng.”
Jiang Yuanbai sighed: “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”
“Speaking of which,” Jiang Li thought of something, “Uncle still doesn’t know about my return to the manor. Later I’d like to go to the Ye Manor to see Uncle and Cousin and tell them I’m back.”
“No.”