Chapter 1397: The Jia Family

That day, the rain fell heavily.As if some celestial river had breached its banks, water poured down from the heavens.So many years have passed, and many details have become blurred.What remained vividly in her memory was the heavy rain.It was night, and she was in her room copying the Qí Legal Code. Having played wildly during the day, she had to catch up on her studies in the evening to avoid her father's lectures upon his return.Her wet nurse sat beside her, sewing shoe soles, keeping her company.Outside, the rain hammered down, 'hua la la la', with occasional flashes of lightning illuminating the window, accompanied by rumbling thunder.Thus, when the urgent knocking sounded at the door, she did not hear it immediately.Only after the knocking persisted for a while did the wet nurse rise to open the door.She too looked out curiously, for her father had said he would not return for several more days.So late at night, who could it be?She wasn't afraid of villains; no villain dared come to their home. Her father was specialized in apprehending villains.The moment the wet nurse opened the door, she heard only a 'bang'—A dark figure stumbled into the room.The dark figure lay sprawled on the ground, eyes tightly shut, lips a bluish-black, and a large gash on the neck, blood still not fully drained...Father had returned.Later, a pair of hands covered her eyes.Old Man Wu seemed to be angrily scolding something.She could hear nothing at all.Her ears buzzed, 'weng weng weng weng', then the thunder rumbled again.Before her eyes was not darkness, but a vibrant crimson.Blood everywhere...That bloody, hideous gash had remained before her eyes for all these years.She could always see it.They said Father committed suicide...They said the best constables in the world, due to their ineffective investigation, committed suicide out of fear of responsibility.But she only remembered her father saying that the glory of the Green Plaque was worth defending with everything in one's life.When many voices began to argue once more.Lín Yǒuxié opened her eyes in the darkness.Calmly sat up, left the bed, and in the pitch black, walked to the side table against the wall.Her "boudoir" must have been unlike any other woman's dwelling in the world, filled with jars and bottles, various scrolls, Legalist classics, and some peculiar "evidence".But it was not chaotic.Everything was categorized and arranged in a neat and orderly manner.Father said, one must be organized in doing things. No matter how complex the case, as long as all its details are categorized and organized, the truth will be clear at a glance.She was obedient.She diligently studied the Qí Legal Code, not indulging in play for many years.Her heart pounded quickly, with much effort. She proportioned some medicinal herbs and began to grind them.The wooden pestle in the stone mortar...Thump thump thump, thump thump thump.Judging from Gōngsūn Yú's demeanor, he clearly knew something.But since he was unwilling to speak, Jiāng Wàng did not wish to force him.Everyone has their own choices. You may be right, but this does not mean others are wrong.To judge others by oneself is the demon among demons.Perhaps unscrupulous individuals could have extracted some information from Gōngsūn Yú in any way, and even Yáng Jìng's intervention could not have kept him. But if Jiāng Wàng was willing to be unscrupulous, why would he go through the trouble of finding Gōngsūn Yú?The difference between people lies in what is done and what is not done.By the time he returned to Línzī, the sky was already faintly illuminated.Under the cover of the Shadow Guards, Jiāng Wàng quietly returned to his residence, as if nothing had happened.Indeed, he had gained nothing that night.He was not discouraged.Gōngsūn Yú's predicament was, in itself, a clue.As a disciple of the School of Names, his tongue was severed. As a confidant of the Palace Lord of Longevity Palace, he chose to live in seclusion. These could not be without reason.When exactly did he leave the Longevity Palace? What happened in the Longevity Palace during that period?There were definitely not many things that could force Gōngsūn Yú into such a situation.The answer lay in the suffering.The Shadow Guards' investigation would take some time, and there was no news from the Northern Yá for the time being. Jiāng Wàng cultivated in his residence for a while until the butler came to remind him of the time, then he leisurely left the door.With a long sword on his left waist and white jade on his right, dressed in a scholarly green robe, he was truly a fine young man of Línzī.The carriage was already prepared. Carrying Jiāng Wàng, the coachman whipped the horses and headed straight for the Marquis of Destroyer's Residence.A few days ago, Lǐ Lóngchuān had mentioned inviting him over for a casual meal today. Since he had already agreed, Jiāng Wàng would naturally not break his promise lightly.Upon reaching the front of the Marquis's Residence, the carriage stopped. Although the coachman had been hired recently, he had been specially trained by the butler and understood the rules. Holding the name card, he was about to step forward.The steward of the Marquis of Destroyer's Residence had already come out to greet them: "Is this from the Golden Gourd Warrior's family?"Seeing Jiāng Wàng emerge from the carriage, he quickly called out: "Sir! Our young master ordered long ago that you should go straight in when you arrive."While guiding Jiāng Wàng, the steward also called someone to attend to Old Jiāng's family's coachman.It wasn't the first time he had been to the Marquis of Destroyer's Residence. Jiāng Wàng followed along skillfully, and after a few steps, a valiant young master with an jade belt around his forehead strode out."Brother Jiāng!" He enthusiastically waved, smiling brightly.Jiāng Wàng smiled back: "Didn't you say it was just a casual meal? Why are you coming out to greet me so formally?""There's no other way." Lǐ Lóngchuān deliberately spoke sourly: "If you mix in officialdom, don't you have to be good at flattering? Now that I have an official position, I have to consider my future... You are a third-rank Golden Gourd Warrior!"In terms of being sour, he was still far inferior to Xǔ Gāo'é.Jiāng Wàng completely ignored this topic, looking left and right: "Who else is invited today?"Lǐ Lóngchuān pulled his arm and walked straight inside: "Just you!"Jiāng Wàng was pulled along at a quick pace, and still managed to ask: "Speaking of which, why do we have to eat at your place when we can eat anywhere else?"Lǐ Lóngchuān rolled his eyes: "Is it because my chef can't serve you?"The Marquis's Residence had deep courtyards. Lǐ Lóngchuān grew up in such an environment, born with an air of nobility. Jiāng Wàng, starting from scratch, had risen to his current position, yet he did not show any diffidence. He walked along cheerfully, chatting and laughing.It wasn't until he reached the dining hall that Jiāng Wàng realized the unusual nature of this "casual meal", and almost felt the impulse to turn around and run.Seated in the dining hall were none other than Old Lady Lǐ, the contemporary Marquis of Destroyer, Lǐ Zhèngyán, the Marquis of Destroyer's wife, Lady Lǐ Hán, and the Scholar of Dōnghuá, Lǐ Zhèngshū...It wasn't that he felt guilty seeing his elders; the problem was that apart from them, only Lǐ Fèngyáo and Lǐ Lóngchuān, the siblings, were present in the dining hall.Clearly, it was a family banquet, and of the most private kind.His abrupt arrival was quite a spoiler.Furthermore, if he had known these elders were present, how could he have arrived right at dinner time?Not to mention arriving before dawn to wait, he should have at least arrived an hour or two earlier to show his politeness and knowledge as Jiāng Qīngyáng.Now, it seemed as though the entire table of people were waiting for him.Besides Lǐ Lóngchuān, whom was he worthy of waiting for?Thus, he felt apprehensive and weak in the knees."Good child." Old Lady Lǐ beckoned with a smile: "Come, come, sit next to me."Old Lady Lǐ sat at the head of the table. To her right sat Lǐ Zhèngshū, and next to Lǐ Zhèngshū were Marquis Lǐ Zhèngyán and his wife.Although Lǐ Zhèngyán held a higher peerage, Lǐ Zhèngshū was older, and there was nothing wrong with sitting this way at a family banquet.To the left of the Old Lady, there was an empty seat. Lǐ Fèngyáo sat there, and to the left of Lǐ Fèngyáo, Lǐ Lóngchuān had already gone and sat down.Evidently, that empty seat was reserved for Jiāng Wàng, the guest.Before this elderly lady, Jiāng Wàng had no right to refuse. Although he couldn't figure out what was going on, he still bowed to the Old Lady, the Marquis and his wife, and the Scholar of Dōnghuá one by one, and obediently walked over and sat next to Old Lady Lǐ.The greatest contributor to the Battle of the Star-Moon Plain, a figure who was unrivaled below the Divine Ascension realm, sat stiffly next to the old lady, like a shrunken quail."Today is Grandmother's birthday. She wanted to invite you to sit with us," Lǐ Fèngyáo said softly, seated upright, offering a subtle hint.Jiāng Wàng quickly got up and bowed to the old lady again: "I am being too impolite!"If he had known today was Old Lady Lǐ's birthday, no matter how poor he was, Jiāng Qīngyáng would not have skimped on a birthday gift. Now he had come empty-handed. If outsiders knew, they would surely mock him."Sit and talk." The old lady took his hand and pressed him back into his seat, chiding: "You haven't been in Línzī for long. Who did you learn these useless formalities from? Was it Lóngchuān? My Lǐ family has been a family of generals for generations; we don't tolerate such trivialities!"Lǐ Lóngchuān protested: "I don't even know what formalities are, how could I teach him?"Jiāng Wàng gave him a reproachful look.He then said helplessly: "Grandmother wouldn't let me tell, how could I dare to say?""Good child, I asked Lóngchuān to coax you here." The old lady patted Jiāng Wàng's hand: "I'm old now, I can't stand the fuss, and I don't want them to make a big fuss and put on a show. I just want to close the doors and have a quiet family gathering. You won't blame Grandmother, will you?"As soon as these words were spoken, Lǐ Zhèngshū merely smiled.Lǐ Zhèngyán paused with the cup in his hand, while the Marquis's wife, Lady Lǐ Hán, could no longer conceal the astonishment in her eyes.Clearly, this entire family had not known beforehand that the old lady would say such words.Her words, both inside and out, were treating Jiāng Wàng as one of the family!Jiāng Wàng was truly overwhelmed.Given the status of the Shímén Lǐ family, if Old Lady Lǐ were to hold a formal birthday banquet, it would likely alarm half of Línzī city, and it would be debatable whether Jiāng Wàng's carriage could even squeeze in today.Especially at this critical juncture in the investigation of Concubine Léi's case, after he had been threatened through the coachman...The old lady was supporting him."To be able to sit with you is Jiāng Wàng's honor..." Jiāng Wàng stammered for a long time before finally saying: "Grandmother.""Good child." The old lady beamed and ordered: "Let the banquet begin."The servants who had been waiting for a long time naturally entered in an orderly fashion, serving various delicacies.Throughout the banquet, the old lady continuously placed dishes for Jiāng Wàng, asking about this and that.Only the two of them spoke at the entire dining table.Everyone else ate in silence, only replying briefly when the old lady called their names.From this, one could also see that the old lady's position in this family was indeed supreme.Jiāng Wàng felt a little uneasy, but there was no need to deny that his somewhat troubled mood during this period gradually calmed down during this casual conversation...Since he was very young, he had been dependent on his father.He had never seen his grandparents, paternal or maternal. He had almost no experience of this kind of closeness with elders from a different generation...He thought that if he had a grandmother, she would be as kind as Old Lady Lǐ.Before he knew it, the banquet was coming to an end.After drinking her fragrant tea, the old lady looked at Jiāng Wàng kindly: "Grandmother is old, she gets groggy after eating. I won't keep you here talking nonsense. Let Fèngyáo accompany you for a walk in the garden...""Grandmother, you don't need to worry." Lǐ Lóngchuān stepped forward without hesitation: "I'll take Brother Jiāng to the outer chambers..."He then sat down again, and silently refilled his soup bowl.The old lady withdrew her gaze, still looking at Jiāng Wàng with a smile.Even if Jiāng Wàng was slow-witted, he could tell what the old lady meant by now, and he felt greatly embarrassed.It was Lǐ Fèngyáo who stood up generously: "Let's go, Qīngyáng.""Ah, alright." Jiāng Wàng had nothing else to say. After bowing to the elders one by one, he got up and followed Lǐ Fèngyáo out.Old Lady Lǐ naturally called him "good child" repeatedly.Lǐ Zhèngshū and Lǐ Zhèngyán both responded with smiles.Whether it was his illusion or not, only the Marquis of Destroyer's wife, Lady Lǐ Hán, had a rather unpleasant expression.Jiāng Wàng had no right to mind, nor was he the kind of person to mind such things. He just walked along in silence next to Lǐ Fèngyáo. He felt a little inexplicably nervous, and also some awkwardness and bewilderment.Heaven have mercy, this was the first time someone had so clearly played matchmaker for him, and the object was the cold and peerless Lǐ Fèngyáo...The old lady looked at the backs of the two children with a smile, and the more she looked, the more satisfied she became.As their figures disappeared, her smile also faded."Look, what a well-behaved child." She said, neither lightly nor heavily: "It's a pity that some people, at their old age, are not as sensible as a child."The Marquis of Destroyer's wife's face was unpleasant, but she dared not say anything after all.The undercurrents between the grandmother and the mother made Lǐ Lóngchuān's head ache terribly, wishing he could bury his head in the soup bowl.Old Lady Lǐ snorted lightly, then gently pushed the tea cup: "This old woman is going back to her courtyard, so as not to be an eyesore to anyone."Lǐ Zhèngshū's eyes held a smile, and he quickly got up to help her: "Mother, I'll see you off."Lǐ Zhèngyán also quickly stood up: "Brother, let me see Mother off.""No need." The old lady glanced at him lightly: "The Marquis is the head of the family, how can he be so impolite as to see off an old woman? Please sit down."Lǐ Zhèngyán, whose anger had been directed at him, sat down helplessly.The old lady, supported by Lǐ Zhèngshū, slowly left the dining hall.As soon as Old Lady Lǐ left, Lady Lǐ Hán looked at her husband: "Marquis, you be the judge?"Lǐ Zhèngyán felt a great headache, and quickly brought out the universal phrase: "The old lady is old, just let her be happy..."He paused: "Besides, Jiāng Wàng is quite good...""I'm not saying Jiāng Wàng is bad, and I'm not against it." Lady Lǐ Hán said dissatisfaction: "Fèngyáo is my daughter, after all, isn't she? I haven't even had much contact with that Jiāng Wàng, and the old lady is already like this... How much will others look down on us?"Lǐ Lóngchuān, who had been listening in silence for a long time, rolled his eyes: "Who can look down on my sister?""Is this any of your business?" Lady Lǐ Hán glared at him.Lǐ Lóngchuān shrank his neck and continued to drink his soup."Alright, alright." Lǐ Zhèngyán advised: "This matter mainly depends on the two children's intentions. Whether it works out is another matter. Who among us can make the decision for Fèngyáo?""Are you finished drinking?" Lady Lǐ Hán pursued Lǐ Lóngchuān relentlessly: "Finish quickly. Don't you know you're being an eyesore?""Finished!" Lǐ Lóngchuān quickly put down his bowl, lifted his foot, and fled.Only then did Lady Lǐ Hán turn back to her husband, saying aggrievedly: "I just can't swallow this anger. Other things are fine, just follow her. But for Fèngyáo's important matters, she doesn't even discuss it with me..."Lǐ Zhèngyán lowered his voice: "This is the old lady's fault. Your husband understands your grievances...""Cough." His voice returned to normal: "I'm going to Zhūhé for a border patrol in a few days. Would you be willing to accompany me, madam?"