Marriage of Di daughter

Chapter 129

"You surprised me by circling around for so long, finally bringing up the matter of Xue Fangfei," said Ji Heng, causing Jiang Li to look up at Ji Heng. After a moment, she smiled and said, "Duke Guogong, what are you talking about? What does this have to do with Xue Fangfei?""Oh?" Ji Heng smiled. "Weren't you eager to clear Xue Fangfei's name at the court session by mentioning her? By doing so, Princess Yongning won't have an easy time."Ji Heng was astute and shrewd, nothing could escape his eyes, but Jiang Li never expected him to connect Xue Fangfei to the Xue family case. And so quickly."Why should we clear Xue Fangfei's name?" Jiang Li remained composed. "She did not uphold her virtue, engaged in an affair, and the Minister of the Household Shen Yurong, out of old affection, couldn't bear to divorce her. Who knew that fate would take her away so soon, it was her own fault. Why should we clear the name of someone like her?" Speaking of herself, she remained indifferent. If it were an ordinary person, they would never have thought she could speak of herself in such a way.Ji Heng chuckled and leaned forward, gazing meaningfully at Jiang Li's expression. He then softly said, "Why should we clear her name? Don't you know best?"Jiang Li was taken aback. "I don't understand what you're saying, Duke Guogong.""You are very clear in your likes and dislikes," Ji Heng said lightly. "Haven't you noticed that when you speak of Shen YuRong, you don't even address him as Lord Shen. Do you have a grudge against him?" Ji Heng casually played with his folding fan. "Princess Yongning also has a grudge against you."He stated rather than questioned, he already knew and believed in his judgment.After pondering for a moment, Jiang Li said, "Duke Guogong...""You know their relationship," Ji Heng looked at her.Taking a deep breath, Jiang Li wondered how much Ji Heng knew. She wasn't sure, but one thing was certain: Ji Heng knew far more than she had imagined. Instead of pretending ignorance, she realized that being too naive might not please this ally. It might be better to be straightforward, reveal some secrets, and perhaps receive unexpected benefits."What is Duke Guogong referring to? Is it the deep connection between Princess Yongning and Shen YuRong, as deep as the sea?" She spoke mockingly, which made Ji Heng chuckle."Your tone sounds bitter. Could it be that you also admire Lord Shen?" Ji Heng asked. "That's why you harbor jealousy in your heart.""Bitter? Duke Guogong, you jest. I don't think Shen Yu Rong is worth admiring.""Well, that is strange," Ji Heng looked at her curiously. "Lord Shen is handsome, cultured, and many noble ladies in Yanjing admire him. At your age, just entering the world of love, you don't like such a charming man?"At this moment, Ji Heng unexpectedly brought up such irrelevant matters with Jiang Li. She coldly sneered, "Shen Yu Rong is just a Minister of the Household, without family support. To me, he is just one of many commoners who climbed up by any means necessary. I am also a Miss of the Jiang family. In terms of social status, Shen Yu Rong is not even qualified."This was an extremely mocking statement, one that Jiang Li never thought she would say so harshly one day. If the Shen family were present, they would probably be infuriated. But she was determined to speak her mind. Previously, Princess Yongning had belittled her lineage, claiming she was unworthy of the already successful Shen Yu Rong. Now, as the daughter of the Prime Minister, even the accomplished Shen Yu Rong was not worth mentioning in her eyes; he was just a man living off a woman."For the sake of the people of Tongxiang, you go out of your way to help, regardless of their status. But when it comes to Lord Shen, suddenly his humble background becomes an issue. It seems you have a deep bias against Lord Shen. Is there a deep-seated grudge?" Ji Heng's response was probing.Jiang Li smiled, "I am just speaking the truth. Although Duke Guogong praises Shen Yu Rong, in my opinion, Shen Yu Rong doesn't hold a candle to Duke Guogong in any aspect. Whether it is appearance, social status, or strategic acumen, Shen Yu Rong falls far short of Duke Guogong. Instead of being captivated by an ordinary man like Shen Yu Rong, why not be enamored with someone like Duke Guogong, a celestial being? Don't you think so?"Ji Heng watched her silently for a while, then suddenly laughed. "You are quite eloquent, Jiang Yuanbo prides himself on being a virtuous official, but his daughter has a honeyed tongue. If I were not as hard-hearted as iron, I might actually find it difficult to part with you."Jiang Li smiled. Of course, she wasn't foolish enough to think that her flattery would make Ji Heng overjoyed. In his position, he probably heard countless praises like these every day. If Ji Heng could be easily appeased, there wouldn't be stories of his unpredictable temperament. But she had no qualms about belittling Shen Yu Rong to elevate Ji Heng; she was more than willing to do so."But your actions have caught the attention of Shen Yu Rong and Princess Yongning," Ji Heng said. "Next, they will come after you.""Thank you for the warning, Duke Guogong," Jiang Li looked at him seriously. "But as you once said, my life is in your hands. No one can take anything from you, including my life. So I am not worried because I trust you, Duke Guogong.""You want to involve me?" His captivating eyes were filled with cold clarity. "When I said I would protect your life, I didn't mean to be your personal bodyguard. In the court of Be..."On a chosen day, Emperor Hongxiao informed Princess Yongning of his intention to make Shen Yurong a marquis. Shen Yurong agreed. However, at this moment, the Xue family case surfaced, and the long-forgotten Xue Fangfei was mentioned once again in the capital city of Yanjing.In light of this, even if she and Shen Yurong were not yet married, just having a close relationship with him would fuel gossip. People would start to say, "Princess Yongning instructed Feng Yutang to frame Xue Huaiyuan and imprison him just to be with Shen Yurong. Perhaps Xue Fangfei was involved in illicit affairs, leading to her downfall!"Princess Yongning was determined not to let Xue Fangfei's reputation be tarnished again and become the most beautiful woman in Yanjing. She would not agree to it!What troubled her the most was that Shen Yurong had to postpone their engagement because of this case.Having been in a loving relationship with Shen Yurong for so long, Princess Yongning had already understood his temperament. Shen Yurong was cautious and always weighed the pros and cons. If something was more harmful than beneficial to him, he would definitely reconsider their engagement. At least for now, they would not get married. Shen Yurong could afford to wait, but Princess Yongning couldn't. What if something went wrong midway? She was eager to possess him.Now that Shen Yurong had backed off, Princess Yongning almost had a falling out with him over this matter. But Shen Yurong was obstinate, leaving even Princess Yongning feeling helpless. Unable to deal with Shen Yurong, she shifted all her hatred onto Jiang Li. If Jiang Li hadn't meddled and tried to investigate the Xue family case, things wouldn't have escalated to this point!Princess Yongning suspected that Jiang Li was deliberate in her actions. When she had instructed Feng Yutang to assassinate Jiang Li, for some reason it hadn't succeeded. Instead, Jiang Li had brought the people from Tongxiang to the capital city, caught her off guard, and even mentioned her name in court. It was clearly intentional. She had known she was targeted by Feng Yutang but had turned the tables on her. Princess Yongning even speculated that Jiang Li might have known she was Feng Yutang's master behind the scenes and not just accidentally discovered the letters. The name Xue Fangfei was not casually mentioned by Jiang Li. Who knows how much she knew?Princess Yongning stood up suddenly, her brows furrowed in anxiety. She had thought she had handled everything related to Xue Fangfei perfectly and that no one else knew. However, Jiang Li's appearance had unsettled her, making her feel an ominous sense that the Xue Fangfei case had not been handled securely."No, Jiang Li cannot live in this world," she said with a hint of fierceness in her eyes. Xue Fangfei was already dead, and everything related to the Xue family should be buried with her, forgotten with time, leaving no trace of their existence in the world. Since Jiang Li had touched the Xue family's secrets, even if it was just a possibility, she had no reason to continue living in this world.Cutting grass requires removing the roots. She thought to herself, why had she, of all people, gotten involved with the Xue family?"Princess, this cannot be," Mei Xiang, Princess Yongning's trusted maid, said. "With the recent Xue family case and the Crown Prince's warning about the Emperor's hidden plans, if something were to happen to Miss Jiang now, it would give the Emperor an opportunity to deal with our princess's residence. Besides, Miss Jiang is not an ordinary person. With many guards by her side, it would be challenging to harm her in Yanjing without leaving a trace. It is too risky, Princess."Mei Xiang was Princess Yongning's confidante, and the princess trusted her greatly. Annoyed, Princess Yongning said, "Can't do this, can't do that. Jiang Li simply doesn't respect me. Should I just let her be so arrogant? If not for her, how could I and Shen Lang have ended up in such a situation? If she harms me, should I just endure it quietly? Impossible!"Princess Yongning was accustomed to being willful and did not find herself in a situation where she had no words to express her feelings. Mei Xiang came over, helped Princess Yongning sit back down, gently massaged her shoulders, and said, "Princess, it's not about enduring but about choosing the right time. It's not too late for the princess to take action when the situation calms down.""It's easier said than done," Princess Yongning sneered, "I can't bear this. If this matter succeeds, you will receive credit for it, and you will be greatly rewarded."Mei Xiang gratefully accepted the task. Princess Yongning seemed to feel more at ease now, telling Mei Xiang, "You are loyal. Rest assured, if this succeeds, you will be duly rewarded."As Mei Xiang expressed her gratitude, a hint of a strange gleam passed through her eyes when she lowered her head, unnoticed by anyone.In the Jiang residence, Ji Shuran was talking to Jiang Youyao. Jiang Youyao was leaning on Ji Shuran's knees. Since the incident with Zhou Yanbang, Ji Shuran had been looking for a suitable young talent for Jiang Youyao. Despite finding some good candidates, Jiang Youyao seemed disinterested, still holding feelings for Zhou Yanbang. Ji Shuran noticed her daughter's lingering emotions and kept a close eye on her to prevent her from making any mistakes.Jiang Youyao, perhaps out of disappointment or for some other reason, had become quite listless. It was only recently, after Jiang Li's return, that Jiang Youyao had shown a renewed fighting spirit, hoping to see Jiang Li meet a tragic end.Unfortunately, her wish did not come true. Jiang Li, with the support of the Tongxiang people, had cleared the Xue family's name, even improving her reputation among the common folk. Her sound arguments in court had also garnered praise from some court officials.In every aspect, Jiang Li was gradually surpassing her.Ji Shuran's maid, Xia Han, entered and said, "Madam, Miss Jiang is not in the residence. She said she went to the Ye family to visit Xue Huaiyuan.""Xue Huaiyuan," Jiang Youyao snorted, "He's just a lunatic. Why does she visit him so often? She really knows how to put on a show, trying to appear compassionate and gain a reputation for kindness."Ji Shuran disregarded Jiang Youyao's words and asked, "Have you found any connection between Jiang Li and the Xue family?"Xia Han shook her head, "Miss Jiang has always been in Yanjing since she was young. Except for her visit to Qingcheng Mountain eight years ago, there is no other place she has been to. However, there is no evidence of any connection between her and the Xue family.""That's strange," Ji Shuran mused. "If there is no connection, why is she so concerned about Xue Huaiyuan?""Niang, I already mentioned she's just putting on an act, doing it for others to see, to display her compassionate side. It's really disgusting."Ji Shuran shook her head, "She is not pretending."Indeed, Jiang Li was a woman with a hidden depth. At her age, displaying emotions without any trace of them was rare. Her occasional emotional outbursts made her seem particularly abnormal. Facing Xue Huaiyuan's care and warmth, it was not a facade.Ji Shuran had sensed this, and over these days, she had subtly influenced Jiang Youbao, telling him how Jiang Li seemed closer to an outsider than to her own father.Though Jiang Youbao did not say it aloud, he must have felt uneasy. In these days, his treatment of Jiang Li had also been indifferent.For Ji Shuran, this was not enough. She needed to unearth the hidden truth, seize Jiang Li's weakness, and gain the upper hand.Xun Chun interjected, "I've observed how Miss Jiang cares for Xue Huaiyuan as if he were a family member, with great attention to detail. Could it be that Miss Jiang is under a spell?""A spell?" Ji Shuran's heart skipped a beat.She said, "Nonsense. Are you free to talk about being under a spell?"Jiang Youyao, in a dismissive tone, said, "I think she's really under a spell. Otherwise, why has she changed so much since returning from Qingcheng Mountain? Can Qingcheng Mountain turn fools into clever people? Are those monks and nuns immortals? Isn't it possible that she has been possessed by some fox spirit and brought disaster upon our home?"