The Double-Chapter 383 - 132 The Truth

In the Jiang Residence, Jiang Li stared at Zhao Ke, her gaze unflinching.

Zhao Ke was initially silent, but in the end, he finally conceded defeat and said, "When I arrived at the Jiang Residence, Miss Jiang the Eldest had already passed away. The Superior ordered me to stay on guard in the Jiang Residence, so I inquired about everything I could within the household. However, matters of internal strife in the inner court were not within my scope of inquiry, thus I only gleaned a rough idea."

"Speak," Jiang Li said.

"Although I did not witness it myself, the Jiang Family’s main branch was extremely secretive about the early demise of Miss Jiang the Eldest. Following that event, her mother, Maternal Aunt Hu, moved into a side courtyard and there were several occasions where she narrowly escaped death," Zhao Ke explained.

Jiang Li’s gaze grew sharp: "What do you mean by that?"

"They were all accidents, but Maternal Aunt Hu was lucky and managed to evade each time. Later, Madam Jiang the Elder took pity on her, often provided assistance, and as Maternal Aunt Hu fell sick from time to time, her presence in the household gradually faded away."

After a moment of thought, Jiang Li asked, "Zhao Ke, you just need to tell me, is the death of Miss Jiang the Eldest related to Ji Shuran?"

Zhao Ke was evidently unused to discussing such matters and hesitated before replying, "Nine out of ten."

"As expected..." Jiang Li murmured to herself. Then, turning to Zhao Ke, her questions became even more piercing, "And how much do you know about me?"

Zhao Ke: "What?"

"My infamous reputation for matricide and fratricide was a hot topic throughout Yanjing City. For the Jiang Family, it was substantial enough to be widely recognized. Since you came to the Jiang Residence as a spy, it’s impossible you overlooked this detail. Regarding my case, what else do you know? For instance, why would I cause Ji Shuran to have a miscarriage? Before that, Ji Shuran and I were in good relations. At such a tender age, how could I have the capability to do such things? Perhaps there’s more to the story?"

The events in question had happened too long ago. Tonger had no idea, and Bai Xue came even later. It was said that the maids and old women who were present during the incident were dismissed from the Duke Residence for negligence, making it impossible to find anyone with knowledge of the matter now. The only thing left from that event was a tarnished reputation, nothing else. But Jiang Li herself was not truly Miss Jiang the Second and had no memory of the event, so she had no idea what the truth really was.

Zhao Ke said, "Second Miss, although it was a major issue for the Jiang Family, when you left for Green City Mountain, in the eyes of the Yanjing people, you were indisputably a castaway of the Jiang Family. The Superior instructed me to infiltrate the Jiang Family, so naturally, he wouldn’t go out of his way to investigate a matter concerning a discarded member."

Jiang Li: "..."

Jih Heng’s subordinates shared the same disposition as Jih Heng; the statement made was quite blunt, but of course, not without truth. A Chief Minister’s daughter who had been exiled to a remote nunnery for a life of contemplation—it seemed unlikely that this young lady would ever return to Yanjing City. It would be indeed odd to exert too much effort on a young lady who had been forgotten by everyone.

"Besides," Zhao Ke added, "why would Second Miss ask me about these things? Aren’t you the clearest about the truth?"

A countermove, it seemed. Jih Heng’s subordinates, like him, possessed sharp insight and could grasp the core of the issue. Jiang Li smiled, "But what I witnessed back then was partial at best, and I only saw part of Ji Shuran’s concealed persona. It’s not the case that everything I saw represents the truth. Perhaps, there are even deeper matters behind the truth, aren’t there?"

Zhao Ke said, "Yes."

"Zhao Ke, do you really know nothing about the incident of Ji Shuran’s miscarriage back then?"

Zhao Ke answered, "This subordinate has no knowledge."

Observing his expression, Jiang Li was certain he was not lying. With that clarity, she thought for a moment and said, "Very well, let’s not mention Ji Shuran’s matter anymore. In the next few days, I want you to do three things for me. First, help me investigate as much as possible the reasons behind the premature death of Miss Jiang the Eldest. If you can’t find out, let me know whatever trivial details you can about Miss Jiang the Eldest. Second, pay close attention to whether there are any notable figures appearing in Yanjing City, as I believe Chongxu Daoist Master should have arrived. Third," she paused, "I need a Ventriloquism Master. There must be many talented people in the Duke Residence, and I think you should know some such individuals."

After she stated these three tasks, Zhao Ke’s expression turned sour. He did not ask Jiang Li why she wanted these things done but reluctantly said, "Second Miss, you are not my master."

"I may not be your master, but your Superior has lent you to me, which means I have the right to use you," Jiang Li smiled. "Otherwise, you can go back and protest to your Superior, or why not leave the Jiang Residence and have someone else sent in my stead?"