The Double
Chapter 187 - 187 92 Colleagues_4

187: Chapter 92 Colleagues_4 187: Chapter 92 Colleagues_4 “I’ve heard that the Cloudy Pavilion is the best place to enjoy the misty rain,” Lu Jiu suddenly recalled something, smiling as he said, “Miss Jiang the Second wouldn’t have gone to watch the rain, would she?

That would be quite elegant.”

“No,” Wen Ji said, “Miss Jiang the Second sat for a while in the Cloudy Pavilion with two maids, then she went to the peach tree behind the pavilion.

There is a grave there, and Miss Jiang the Second left her umbrella on the grave, to shelter it from the rain.”

Jih Heng and Lu Jiu’s movements paused simultaneously.

Jih Heng raised an eyebrow, a trace of interest visible in his beautiful eyes, he asked, “Oh?

Did she go to pay respects?”

“She didn’t bring anything to offer, but Miss Jiang the Second looked as if she knew the deceased.

She stood in front of the grave for a long time and seemed very sad,” Wen Ji’s response was very detailed.

“Then that is paying respects,” Jih Heng said.

Lu Jiu asked, “My lord, why do you say that?”

“This Miss Jiang the Second is always meticulous in her actions and accustomed to covering her tracks,” Jih Heng said with a nonchalant smile, “Going out today to shop, visiting the Cloudy Pavilion to watch the rain, all are but a front.

Her true purpose was to stand before this grave for a moment.”

“The person in the grave must be someone important to her,” he concluded directly.

If one said Jiang Li was meticulous in her actions and her front very thorough, Jih Heng was someone who could see straight to the heart of matters, discerning the true nature of things at a glance.

“Who is in the grave?” Jih Heng asked.

“It’s someone named Xue Zhao,” Wen Ji answered, “A year ago, he was killed by bandits and his body discarded in the river.

However, our people found that there might be more to the story; Xue Zhao’s death might have something to do with the current Mayor of Jingzhao.”

In a clear and boundless world, there are always corners the light does not reach.

Beneath the emperor’s feet in Yanjing City, there is no lack of people who die under unclear circumstances.

It’s better for those with some family; those without power or influence often vanish like chaff into the sea, sinking without causing a ripple, never to be seen again.

“What is the story behind this Xue Zhao?” Lu Jiu wondered, “I’ve never heard this name among the government households of Yanjing City.”

Wen Ji paused before saying, “Speaking of Xue Zhao, he cannot really be considered a man of Yanjing City; he is the younger brother-in-law of the current Assistant Head Writer, Shen Yurong.

The younger brother of Shen Yurong’s late wife, Xue Fangfei.

After the incident with Xue Fangfei, it is likely that Xue Zhao heard of it and came to the capital, but unfortunately, he lost his life shortly after arriving.”

“Xue Fangfei’s brother?” Lu Jiu was startled then shook his head, “I didn’t expect that.”

Mentioning Xue Fangfei, Yanjing City could say no one was unaware.

But very few knew about the matter of Xue Fangfei’s brother.

It seemed that the incident had been dealt with swiftly at the time, without stirring up any storms.

“But what connection does Xue Zhao have with Jiang Li?” Lu Jiu was even more puzzled, “The Xue Family has nothing to do with the Jiang Family, and Jiang Li stayed in Green City Mountain for eight years; during that period, she surely wouldn’t have had any relationship with Xue Zhao.

Moreover, Xue Zhao died last year, and Jiang Li only returned this year, so she couldn’t have known him after she returned.” He hesitated then asked, “Did Xue Zhao ever visit Yanjing City or Green City Mountain?”

Wen Ji shook his head, “That seems unlikely, Xue Zhao grew up in Tongxiang of Xiangyang and never left.

The first time he came to Yanjing City was last year, and he died before he could meet Xue Fangfei.”

Lu Jiu looked towards Jih Heng and said, “Now that’s strange.”

How could two people who had nothing to do with each other foster any relationship?

According to what Wen Ji said, Jiang Li was saddened by mourning Xue Zhao.

Wen Ji was not one to exaggerate; if he said Jiang Li appeared somewhat sad, then Jiang Li was indeed truly saddened.

Miss Jiang the Second, even if kindhearted, would not show a sad expression for someone unrelated.

Not to mention what Jih Heng mentioned, that Jiang Li today took such a big detour just to visit Xue Zhao’s grave.

If they weren’t close, why bother?

But no matter how hard Lu Jiu racked his brains, he could think of no other reason.

“Maybe…” Wen Ji pondered for a bit, then cautiously suggested an idea, “Did this Xue Zhao and Miss Jiang the Second have something in the past, Miss Jiang the Second favored Xue Zhao?”

“Didn’t you say it was impossible for the two of them to have met in the past?” Lu Jiu said, “Having never met, how could there be any favoring?”

That indeed was the case, so Wen Ji fell silent.

Jih Heng narrowed his eyes and suddenly asked, “Was Xue Zhao from Tongxiang of Xiangyang?”

Wen Ji: “Exactly.”

“Jiang Li’s biological mother, Ye Zhenzhen, is from Xiangyang, and Xue Zhao is also from Xiangyang…” Jih Heng said, “No need to investigate the relationship between Jiang Li and Xue Zhao.

Start with the Xue Family.”

“The Xue Family?” Lu Jiu puzzled, “Madam of the Top Scholar Xue Fangfei, her father seems to have been just a minor clerk, the family lacking in members, nothing special.”

Xue Fangfei had indeed dazzled the city of Yanjing, but it also provoked pity.

Some said that if Xue Fangfei’s background had been somewhat decent, given her looks and abilities, she would have been well-suited as a Princess, even becoming a Royal Consort would not have been too high a reach.

It’s a pity her father was but a humble clerk, which made her only able to marry an untitled scholar.

Although later Shen Yurong also became the top scholar and took office, precisely because of this, some would say that Xue Fangfei was unworthy of Shen Yurong.

Consider, if Xue Fangfei had been the daughter of a Government Household, as long as the office was not too low, there would be no question of her being unworthy.

Such an ordinary Xue Family, what was there to pay special attention to?

Lu Jiu did not understand; even if Miss Jiang the Second’s behavior was suspicious, and because she had repeatedly undermined Jih Heng’s plans, it was reasonable for Jih Heng to take notice, but for the Xue Family, he just could not see the need for such importance.

“Don’t forget, Jiang Li is about to return to Xiangyang with Ye Mingxuan.

Don’t you think that’s quite strange?” Jih Heng’s lips curled into a smile, his gaze exceptionally clear, as he said, “Given Miss Jiang the Second’s character, why would she abandon the winning grounds of Jiang Family, and suddenly turn to fight elsewhere, if not that Xiangyang holds something far more important?”

“Isn’t she returning to repair her relationship with the Ye Family?” Lu Jiu asked.

“Miss Jiang the Second doesn’t seem like the sentimental and faithful type,” Jih Heng said lazily, “Previously, I didn’t understand why she wanted to return to Xiangyang, but now I do.”

“She is related to the Xue Family, or to put it another way, the Xue Family has something she wants.”

After hearing this, Wen Ji and Lu Jiu were deep in thought, and for a moment they didn’t know what to say.

If someone else had said this, they would have dismissed it as nonsense, for what could Miss Jiang the Second have to do with the Xue Family of a small county in Xiangyang?

But Jih Heng never spoke without reason; the facts he determined were seldom wrong.

“Wen Ji, the cause of Xue Zhao’s death, you should also investigate thoroughly,” Jih Heng said, playing with his folding fan, “Perhaps regarding the mystery of Xue Zhao’s death, our Miss Jiang the Second knows quite a bit.”

Lu Jiu was startled, “She knows about this too?”

“She has her secrets, one or two less won’t make a difference,” Jih Heng said, brushing off the folds in his robe carelessly, and spoke calmly, “Conveniently, I’m also going to return to Xiangyang.

It seems this journey won’t be lonely.”

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