Chapter 241 Finale (Part )

After the Jiang family moved out of Yanjing City, Jiang Li actually moved into the Duke's Mansion.

Jiang Li's attitude was seen by many people in Yanjing City. In the past few months, Emperor Hong Xiao had dealt with the former ministers who had disloyalty in the court and replaced them with new nobles he trusted. The situation in the court was completely reversed, and a new situation had begun for the Northern Yan.

But even so, just as Jiang Li had expected, Ji Heng's death in battle caused some of Ji Heng's former enemies to start to stir. At this point, some people who were waiting to see if Ji Heng would come out to kill them were completely relieved and began to deal with Ji Heng.

Jiang Li lived in the Duke's Mansion and had been guarding it. Some ministers petitioned Emperor Hong Xiao to deprive the Ji family of their titles, because if Jiang Li remarried in the future, the title would fall on someone else. Jiang Li went to the palace to ask for permission, saying that she would never marry. On the other hand, Xue Huaiyuan also gave Ye Shijie some advice, asking him to work hard in the court to protect the Duke's Mansion.

Over the past few months, there have been several storms, but in the end, everything was fine. Later, those people saw that Jiang Li's attitude seemed very tenacious, and Ye Shijie was climbing higher and higher. The most important thing was that Emperor Hong Xiao's attitude was very clear, and it seemed that he did not intend to take back the title of the Duke's Mansion, so those people stopped. More people were just watching the fun. Jiang Li swore that she would never marry, but she was a young girl after all, and life was long. She thought so now, but she would wait and see in a few years, and she might break her promise. If she couldn't swallow the bitter fruit she had brewed, she might cause a romantic affair and become the talk of the streets.

Jiang Li knew that those people were just there to watch the fun, but she didn't care. She practiced whip techniques with Xue Zhao every day. She didn't have as much martial arts foundation as Xue Zhao, so she simply focused on learning how to use various poisoned hidden weapons. Now in Yanjing City, you can't sit back and relax. Danger can appear at any time, and now there will be no Ji Heng. She has to find a way to protect others.

Jiang Li still had another thought in her mind, and she didn't know how to tell Xue Huaiyuan. She wanted to go to Qimin in person after a few days. Now the mountain was blocked by heavy snow, and she couldn't go into the mountain. When spring comes, she can go into the mountain. No matter what, she will go in. Ji Heng's body has not been found until now, and everyone said that he was eaten by wild beasts. It seems that the prophecy has come true, but Jiang Li always feels that he will not be so ruthless. Even if he really can't come back, she has to go to confirm it in person, instead of waiting for news from others in Yanjing City.

Time seems to pass very slowly, but also very quickly, and in the blink of an eye it is the end of the year.

This year, Jiang Li still spent the holiday in Yanjing City. Before the New Year, Jiang Li had already recognized Xue Huaiyuan as her adoptive father under the witness of Ye Mingyu, and she has been calling Xue Huaiyuan "Dad" ever since. Ye Mingyu didn't think it was a big deal, and in his opinion, Xue Huaiyuan was much better than Jiang Yuanbo. At least now, Xue Huaiyuan and Xue Zhao were with Jiang Li. Ye Mingyu also liked Xue Zhao's free and easy loyalty, and if it weren't for the generation difference, he would have called Xue Zhao his sworn brother.

This year, Kong Liu and Lu Ji did not show up for the New Year at the Duke's Mansion. Since the Jinwu Army returned to the court, Lu Ji was said to have returned to his hometown. Wen Renyao said that Lu Ji followed Ji Heng because Ji Heng had shown him kindness. At that time, Lu Ji's family was hunted down by their enemies and the whole family was wiped out. It was Ji Heng who took Lu Ji to find those enemies and killed them one by one in front of Lu Ji. From then on, Lu Ji decided to follow Ji Heng. Many years ago, when he was still a child, he was known as a "child prodigy", and he did not become mediocre because of his age. At first, he followed Ji Heng probably to repay his gratitude, but later he also sincerely wanted to follow Ji Heng. Now that Ji Heng is gone, there is no point for Lu Ji to stay in Yanjing City. He didn't need to be an official to protect his descendants, so he simply went home to farm.

Kong Liu was still in Yanjing City, but he was too busy with the year-end affairs to come. Wen Renyao was still there as usual, and Situ Jiuyue was also there. Fortunately, it was because of this that the Duke's Mansion did not become a deserted house with no people.

During festivals, Jiang Li would go to pay respect to Ji Heng's parents, Ji Minghan and Yu Hongye, on his behalf. Thinking of how amazing these two people were back then, it was a bit of a pity that they could no longer see each other. Jiang Li did it very meticulously.

When the New Year's Day comes, everyone will have a New Year's Eve dinner at home.

The chef hired by Ye Mingyu was really good at cooking. But when Jiang Li sat at the table, she kept thinking of Ji Heng cooking in person. Wen Renyao and Situ Jiuyue probably thought of the same thing, and their faces looked a little unnatural. Ye Mingyu didn't know why, so he just complained a few times about the weird atmosphere, and finally let it go. But Xue Huaiyuan guessed it, he didn't say anything, but looked at Jiang Li with a look of worry.

Xiaolan has grown very tall and has become a handsome horse. His temper has also become worse. Xiaohong likes to land on his head and peck at his mane. Xiaolan runs around the yard and almost knocks people over. Ye Mingyu complained several times, saying that Jiang Li and the others really doted on Xiaolan and Xiaohong. Jiang Li just smiled and said nothing. Xiaolan and Xiaohong were left by Ji Heng after all. Without Ji Heng, they no longer had any fear and acted very unbridled. It's just that... Jiang Li occasionally wondered if Xiaolan and Xiaohong would sometimes think of their master and feel that the Duke's Mansion had lost that touch of red, as if it had lost its soul and was no longer as bright and dazzling as before.

At night, when everyone was staying up together to celebrate the New Year, Wen Renyao suddenly said something out of the blue, "Last time we also stayed up together with the Second Miss."

Everyone was stunned. Ye Mingyu narrowed his eyes and asked, "What do you mean? How could Ah Li stay up with you guys? Can Jiang Yuanbo agree to that? Are you dreaming or are you confused in your sleep? But don't spread rumors and ruin our Ah Li's reputation." He pulled out the knife from his waist and slammed it to the ground, "Hmph!"

Xue Zhao and Xue Huaiyuan realized something and looked at Jiang Li inquiringly.

Jiang Li couldn't help but burst out laughing, thinking of the scene in the middle of the night when Zhao Ke escorted her out of Jiang's house and went to roast venison for General Ji. But as she laughed, her smile faded, and she felt very sad.

That joyful and straightforward feast turned out to be their first and last time celebrating the New Year together. She still remembered every clear scene and every word spoken by General Ji Lao and Ji Heng, but they were no longer there. She had thought that there would be countless days like this in the future, but she didn't expect it to come to an abrupt end like this.

Situ Jiuyue glared at Wen Renyao. Wen Renyao saw Jiang Li's expression and seemed to realize that he had said something wrong. He immediately picked up the wine cup in front of him and said, "I think we should toast first! Happy New Year, everyone!"

Everyone raised their glasses to celebrate, and no one noticed that when Jiang Li raised the glass to her lips, she whispered another sentence.

She said, "Happy New Year, Ji Heng."

After the New Year's Eve, everyone felt tired and went back to sleep. Jiang Li also felt tired, but more importantly, she felt that she had so many thoughts in her mind that she couldn't fall asleep. The more she thought about it, the more she thought about Ji Heng. She always thought that if Ji Heng was still alive and came back, what would happen tonight? At least this night would not make her feel so cold.

She took out a fan pendant from her neck. She had carefully repaired the butterfly fan pendant, and it finally looked the same as before. She made the fan pendant into a necklace and wore it around her neck, letting it touch her chest and feeling the warmth of her heartbeat, as if Ji Heng was by her side.

The red butterflies glowed gorgeously under the light. Jiang Li was holding the fan pendant, staring at them in fascination.

I don't know how long it had been, the sound of wind and snow outside seemed to have subsided, and in the silence, there seemed to be a "knock knock" sound on the door. The knock was neither fast nor slow, as if someone was standing at the door with a smile, braving the wind and snow, wearing a gorgeous red dress, knocking on the door of an old friend.

Jiang Li was shocked, and then a burst of ecstasy swept through her heart. She didn't even put on her outer clothes, and rushed out the door and opened it immediately. However, there was nothing outside the door.

She was unwilling to give up, and walked a few more steps outside. The Duke's Mansion was so big that she walked along her own courtyard and even outside. Under the corridor, the lanterns were swaying slightly in the wind, and the lights seemed to be blown out. There was a thick layer of snow below, but the snow in the sky did not fall again.

But nothing.

It was as if she had become the character in the play, and everything was just a beautiful dream. The knock on the door was just a joke played by the wind, but she took it seriously because of her extreme longing for him.

Jiang Li couldn't help but slowly squatted down, covering her face and crying.

She cried very restrainedly, more like a lost person who couldn't find the direction, confused, and afraid that others would see her fragility, sobbing softly. These days, she smiled lightly in front of everyone as usual, and seemed to care nothing. She could go on well without Ji Heng, but today, this cruel dream was completely destroyed. She couldn't pretend. No matter how she pretended, there would be a day when she would be tired. Especially living here, there were memories everywhere, and his shadow everywhere. How could she pretend to be indifferent? She was not a fairy, nor was she heartless.

Jiang Li cried for a very long time. She didn't like to cry in front of people. The few times she cried, it seemed that Ji Heng was always there. But now, when she cried, neither Ji Heng who watched coldly on the side nor Ji Heng who gently wiped away her tears would appear again.

When the wind died down, Jiang Li raised her face from her arms. She saw Ye Shijie standing not far away, looking at her with a complicated expression.

He didn't know how long he had been standing here, nor how long he had been listening to her crying. In short, Ye Shijie did not come to disturb her, but just stood there quietly as a bystander, just as he had done in the past.

"Cousin Ye?" Jiang Li stood up and rubbed her numb knees. Her face was still filled with sadness, and she was now filled with astonishment. "Why are you here?"

Ye Shijie said: "I couldn't sleep, so I came out for a walk and happened to see you."

"I'm sorry to have been laughed at by my cousin." Jiang Li said softly.

Ye Shijie took two steps forward, staring at Jiang Li's face. Jiang Li's eyes were slightly swollen, but her eyes were as clear as ever. This reminded him of the time when he first saw the grown-up Jiang Li in Yanjing City. At that time, Jiang Li suddenly appeared from the street, revealing her identity. She had a smile on her lips, calm and composed, with a slight pride and alienation in her eyes.

Jiang Li is no longer alienated. Her temperament has become more gentle, as if this is her nature. She is not shaken by external events. No matter what happens, she is calm. But it turns out that all her enthusiasm and emotions are given to another person, and will not be known to outsiders.

"Why are you crying?" Ye Shijie heard his own voice, "Is it because of Ji Heng?"

As soon as he said this, Ye Shijie himself was stunned. He didn't understand why he asked such a stupid question. This was obviously an obvious thing, but the unwillingness in his heart made him suddenly want to ask this question.

"Yes." Jiang Li answered frankly, "I seemed to have dreamed about him before. When I woke up from the dream, I felt very unwilling. My cousin must think I am childish. Crying for a dream is something only children would do."

So what? Ye Shijie thought silently in his heart, this shows that Jiang Li can show all her joys, sorrows, anger and happiness without scruples in front of Ji Heng. She is mature and decent in front of others, but in front of Ji Heng, she is a willful girl. This is a side that others can't see, only Ji Heng can see it.

He suddenly felt jealous. The jealousy was so fierce that he was caught off guard, so he said, "Cousin, Duke Su will not come back. If you want to live an easy life, you'd better forget about him."

Jiang Li looked at Ye Shijie in surprise when she heard this, as if she was surprised that Ye Shijie would say that. Ye Shijie was looked at by her, and suddenly he felt his face burning. He knew that what he said was a little too selfish, but he couldn't control himself.

Yin Zhili liked Jiang Li, at least he tried to get her. However, he liked Jiang Li, but he couldn't even say it out loud. Ye Shijie also had his own pride. He didn't think that he was born in a merchant family, so he was not worthy of the daughter of the Prime Minister Jiang family. Besides, Jiang Yuanbai was not the Prime Minister now, and he had already entered the official career. The reason why Ye Shijie couldn't say it out loud was simply because he knew very well that Jiang Li only had Ji Heng in her eyes. In Jiang Li's eyes, he was just a cousin and a brother, but there was no love between men and women.

When Ye Shijie learned that Ji Heng would never come back, he was worried about Jiang Li's future, but at the same time, he couldn't help asking himself if this was a chance for God to test him. Maybe if he had been taking care of Jiang Li, one day, something else would happen between them.

But no one expected that Jiang Li would resolutely block all her escape routes without waiting for others to say anything. She vowed to never marry, so Ye Shijie's last humble wish was shattered. He knew that he no longer had a chance and that he could only be Jiang Li's brother in this life.

But he still didn't understand why Jiang Li liked Ji Heng so much. Was it because of Ji Heng's beauty? There were countless beauties in the world, and Jiang Li was not such a superficial person? Was it because of Ji Heng's status? The status of the Yin family was not low at the time. Ye Shijie could only be sure that there were some pasts between Jiang Li and Ji Heng that belonged only to each other, and it was because of those pasts that Jiang Li's heart would never change.

Although he said this to Jiang Li out of genuine concern for Jiang Li, he also had his own selfish motives. However, when he saw Jiang Li's eyes, Ye Shijie felt that Jiang Li might have already known his thoughts.

"Cousin, do you also think Ji Heng will never come back?" Jiang Li asked softly.

Ye Shijie was silent, and silence represented his answer.

"But I always feel that he will come back. He just delayed a little on the way." Jiang Li smiled slightly, "Although the wait is very long, I will wait for him until he stops. As for whether the future days will be easy or not, I only know that if I forget him, there will be no happy days."

Ye Shijie sighed deeply in his heart. Jiang Li's stubbornness was something they all had experienced. He should have known this long ago. Everyone tried to persuade her, but Jiang Li didn't take it seriously. Would the result be different if he changed her? Of course not.

"My cousin hasn't met that person yet." Jiang Li smiled and said, "When my cousin meets the most important woman in his life, he will understand that sometimes, waiting for a lifetime is not that scary. If my cousin faces the same situation as me, he will make the same choice. Of course, I hope my cousin will never meet that person."

Ye Shijie looked at Jiang Li with a complicated expression. The girl smiled at him. Her eyes regained her usual calmness and composure. She was no longer as broken and fragile as when he found her just now. She had never changed since the first time they met, but he went from hostility and ridicule at the beginning to admiration.

It was not clear when he fell in love with her. Maybe it was when she spoke up for Xue Huaiyuan from Tongxiang, or when she smiled happily in front of Ye Mingyu, or even earlier, when he was entangled in a lawsuit on the street and a strange girl walked out of the crowd, stood in front of him, and helped him resolve the dilemma slowly and confidently, he noticed her.

As fate would have it, I finally lost to time.

Jiang Li was indeed a kind-hearted person. She understood all his thoughts. What she said just now was a tactful rejection, and she hoped that he would pursue his own happiness.

But... Ye Shijie thought bitterly, if Jiang Li really had to wait for Ji Heng for her whole life, would he also have to wait for Jiang Li hopelessly for his whole life? Was it really as Jiang Li said, this was just a crazy love in his youth, and one day, he met the woman he really loved in his life, and all these became the past, not worth mentioning. Or as time passed, the crazy love became an obsession, just like Jiang Li, guarding a shadow that would never turn back for the rest of his life, and no one could see it.

No one can predict the future, and neither he nor Jiang Li can be an exception. No one can control emotions, so he gave up.

Let it be, walk and see, at least he should feel satisfied, and he will have the chance to see the lively Jiang Li and talk to her here in the night.

"Cousin, you should go back and rest early." Jiang Li said with a smile: "It's already a new year."

"Yes," Ye Shijie looked into the distance and said in a dreamy voice, "It's already a new year."

There is still new hope in the end.

……

The next morning, Jiang Li got up a little late.

Last night, because she met Ye Shijie and talked outside for a while, it was already very late when Jiang Li fell asleep. It was just New Year, so Bai Xue and Tong'er didn't wake her up. In the New Year, everything was worth forgiving.

Jiang Li ate something and walked out of the house. It snowed heavily again in the second half of the night. Qingfeng and Mingyue were sweeping the snow in the yard. Even so, when she walked out of the yard and stepped into the snow, it was almost up to her knees.

Jiang Li heard the voice coming from the other side of the flower garden and walked over there. As soon as she approached, she was stunned to see Zhao Ke and Wen Ji standing there, talking to Situ Jiuyue. Situ Jiuyue had her back to Jiang Li, but Zhao Ke saw Jiang Li's shadow first and called out, "Second Miss."

Jiang Li did not answer him. Instead, she looked into the flower garden and fell into complete silence.

The entire flowerbed was completely destroyed by the heavy snow last night. Some flowers were buried in the snow, while others were exposed but leaning and scattered, looking very miserable.

The flowers in the Duke's Mansion, or rather the precious poisonous herbs, were originally delicate. Ji Heng had brought them to the Duke's Mansion from afar and had them carefully tended. They grew in clusters and were very pleasing to the eye. The flowers in the mansion also grew more and more every year. It was because of this that Situ Jiuyue could find the raw materials for refining poison in the flower garden.

After the Jinwu Army returned to the capital and Ji Heng died on the battlefield, according to Ji Heng's previous instructions, the entire Duke's Mansion was given to Jiang Li, and naturally Jiang Li was asked to take care of the flower garden. Jiang Li was not a gardener. She used to take care of flowers and plants in Tongxiang. She really didn't know how to take care of poisonous herbs. Fortunately, the original gardener was still there and helped with the care. Jiang Li also often went to the flower garden to help, as if only in this way could she dilute the melancholy in her heart and find something to do for herself.

However, the winter in Yanjing this year was exceptionally cold, and the snow and wind were exceptionally strong. In the second half of last night, the snow and wind were so strong that no one noticed that the snow had almost buried the entire flower garden. Situ Jiuyue and others discovered it early this morning and immediately asked people to clear the snow. Even so, it seemed that there was nothing they could do to save the situation, and they could only watch this prosperous land become barren.

Jiang Li squatted down and reached out to pick up a flower on the soil. The petals were still covered with frost and snow, and had been crushed beyond recognition. The original beautiful peach pink color could still be vaguely seen. Jiang Li held the petals and looked at Situ Jiuyue: "Are these... no longer salvageable?"

Situ Jiuyue shook her head.

"These herbs are not easy to find, and their growing environment is very harsh. The climate in Yanjing City is not suitable for their growth here. Ji Heng has been spending a lot of money to find a way to grow them for many years. But this year it is really not possible. Yanjing City is getting colder every year, and these herbs can't survive. The roots are all broken." There was regret in Situ Jiuyue's voice.

Although the flower garden seemed to have lost its meaning after Ji Minghan's death, it was much easier for Situ Jiuyue to refine poisons with this flower garden. And in a way, the flower garden did add a lot of color to the Duke's Mansion, making the mansion full of fairy and demon aura, which made people yearn for it. The snowstorm today was like waking up from last night's beautiful dream, leaving only the sober truth.

It is always cruel to those who love to dream.

Jiang Li didn't know what to say. It seemed that since Ji Heng left, this place had lost its vitality little by little. Even though the Ye family and Xue Huaiyuan moved in, and there was a lot of noise every day, it seemed very lively, but it always felt like something was missing. It was as if this mansion also knew that its owner would never come back, so it just continued to decay.

She looked at the desolateness of the flower garden and felt that this was a very bad omen, so she stood up and said, "In that case, let's bury this flower garden. Bury these flowers and plant them again in spring."

Situ Jiuyue looked at her in surprise: "Plant again?"

"Ji Heng has only two hobbies," Jiang Li said slowly, "one is to appreciate flowers, and the other is to watch plays. He handed the Duke's Mansion to me. If I make it gray, he, who is so picky, will definitely not like it. Besides, some color will add some liveliness."

Situ Jiuyue remained silent. Since Jiang Li said so, she couldn't say anything else. What's more, the Duke's Mansion now belonged to Jiang Li, so Jiang Li could do whatever she wanted.

"However," Situ Jiuyue pointed to the other side, "these flowers are dead, but the tree is still alive."

Jiang Li followed her movements and saw a small tree growing in the flowerbed. It was a pear tree. She had come to the Duke's Mansion from the Jiang Mansion that night and saw Ji Heng planting it. She went forward and planted it with Ji Heng.

She walked to the tree. The tree had grown a lot taller. From a tender sapling, it had grown straight and tall, and looked very graceful. It might not be long before it continued to grow taller and bigger. In summer, its branches and leaves would be lush and become a green shade. In the spring of the following year, it would grow white flowers. It grew slowly in the Duke's Mansion, starting when Ji Heng was alive and continuing until a long, long time later.

Jiang Li reached out to touch the trunk. The branches were also covered with snow, which made the tree tilted. Jiang Li brushed off the snow, and the tree seemed to be relieved and grew taller. At this moment, Jiang Li touched something uneven. She felt like someone had carved it, so she looked at it. Her eyes suddenly turned red and she almost cried.

The handwriting on it was familiar. It was Ji Heng's handwriting, probably carved with the tip of a sword: Planted by hand with A Li in March of the twenty-eighth year.

She seemed to be able to see through the line of handwriting and see the young man in red half-kneeling on the ground, carving each word with the tip of his sword. He had a serious expression, his amber eyes were focused under the moonlight, and there was a smile on the corner of his mouth, which was beautiful beyond words.

This was just a small matter for Jiang Li at the time, but he took it to heart and commemorated it seriously, as if it was a big event worth remembering in his life.

Why is he... like this?
Jiang Li turned her back, tears falling in an instant, sinking into the soil. The small tree trembled slightly in the wind, gentle and puzzled, and her heart was surprisingly bitter.

After calming down for a while, Jiang Li turned around and walked out. She thought that maybe this was also something Ji Heng left for her. This pear tree they planted together would replace Ji Heng and stay by her side for countless years.

After Jiang Li came out, she saw Xue Huaiyuan outside the yard. Xue Huaiyuan looked at her expression and seemed to have something to say. Jiang Li was stunned and asked, "Dad, what happened?"

Xue Huaiyuan waved his hands quickly: "Nothing, I just want to discuss something with you."

"Dad, please go ahead." Jiang Li said. Xue Huaiyuan pulled Jiang Li to sit down at the stone table outside, and then said: "I thought, the New Year has passed, since you will stay in Yanjing City in the future, we should go back to Tongxiang first. We will deal with the old house over there, and then say hello to the villagers, as a farewell, and we will not go back in the future. You see..." He looked at Jiang Li inquiringly.

Jiang Li was not surprised. Xue Huaiyuan had mentioned this plan to her before, and Jiang Li agreed. She also planned to go to Qimin again after returning to Tongxiang. She would pass through Tongxiang when going to Qimin. She said immediately, "Okay."

Xue Huaiyuan seemed to be relieved. After hesitating for a while, he said, "Ali, Dad knows what you are thinking. Dad will not say the words of advice from others. You know it in your heart. But wherever you are, Dad and A Zhao will be there. Our family will never be separated again in the future. Whether you stay in Yanjing City or go somewhere else, Dad will not leave you alone. So do whatever you want to do. Don't care about other people's eyes and words. Dad and A Zhao will understand you."

Jiang Li smiled, "I know, Dad."

"Then let's plan when to set off." Xue Huaiyuan said, "There is no time to lose. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can come back."

"Dad," Jiang Li interrupted Xue Huaiyuan, "I also have something I want to discuss with you."

"what's up?"

"After returning to Tongxiang, I don't want to go back to Yanjing City right away. I want to go to Qimin."

Xue Huaiyuan didn't answer for a long time after hearing this.

"Dad, no matter how I think about it, I just can't accept it. If you want me to wait in Yanjing City, it's not that I can't wait, but I always feel that I can do something else. Only when I go to find it myself and feel that there is no hope, will I give up. Otherwise, I will live with this regret for the rest of my life. Shouldn't people act according to their hearts? This is what Dad taught me and A Zhao."

Xue Huaiyuan smiled and sighed, then shook his head and said, "Ah Zhao told me before that you would definitely go to Qimin once. I didn't believe it at first, but now it seems that the brat knows you very well. Ah Li, Dad has said that I won't stop you from doing anything you want to do, but Dad and A Zhao will go with you."

"But your bodies..."

"Our bodies are not good, how can a weak woman like you be good? So be it, Ahri, Ji Heng is your obsession, and you are also my obsession. I have lost you once, and I don't want to lose you again."

Jiang Li clearly saw the pain in Xue Huaiyuan's eyes, and she suddenly felt that she was too selfish. Ever since Ji Heng's accident, she was immersed in sadness, but she forgot how worried her family members would be if she looked like this. Xue Huaiyuan watched her die last time, and he couldn't bear such pain again.

Jiang Li nodded and said, "Okay, Dad, let's find a few more guards and go to Qimin together."

Xue Huaiyuan was satisfied. When the two of them talked about when to leave and who to take with them, Ye Mingyu happened to pass by. He was stunned when he heard what they said and said, "What are you talking about? Going on a long journey? Where are you going?"

Jiang Li turned around and saw Ye Mingyu coming back from outside, carrying his big knife. Jiang Li replied, "We plan to go back to Tongxiang."

"Going back to Tongxiang?" Ye Mingyu looked at Xue Huaiyuan, "What? Mr. Xue is going back to his hometown?"

"No." Xue Huaiyuan explained: "This time I went back to Tongxiang to deal with the old house in Tongxiang and say goodbye to my blind dates. After that, I will not go back to Tongxiang and will stay in Yanjing City to accompany Ali."

"Is that so?" Ye Mingyu said carelessly, "Then let's go together. I also want to go back to Xiangyang."

This time, it was Jiang Li's turn to be surprised. Jiang Li asked, "Uncle is going back to Xiangyang?"

"Yes, I received a letter from my eldest brother yesterday. He said that Tao Shui Wen is selling very well in Yanjing City. Shijie is doing well in his official position now. Mom wants to visit Shijie but can't. We can't be separated like this forever. The Ye family has been in Yanjing for many years and now plans to return to Yanjing from Xiangyang. This time I go back to pick up mom and my eldest brother." Ye Mingyu laughed and said, "Ali, when your cousin and the others are here, you won't be so lonely in Yanjing City. You may need your help with things in the Ye family's shop."

This was beyond Jiang Li's expectation, but she was really happy. She hadn't seen Old Madam Ye and the others for a long time, so she said, "This couldn't be better."

"So, when are you going to leave? Take me with you." Ye Mingyu patted his chest. "With me with you, the bandits who block the road will have to take a detour. It will be safe along the way. We will have a smooth journey and I guarantee we will arrive earlier than you think!"

Jiang Li and Xue Huaiyuan looked at each other, and Jiang Li said, "Then please ask uncle to set off with us."

"Okay." Ye Mingyu answered readily.

……

The journey from Yanjing City back to Tongxiang was the second time Jiang Li had walked since her rebirth. The last time, she had no one around her. Now Xue Zhao and Xue Huaiyuan were both by her side. Maybe God was forgiving. But God was unwilling to give people a peaceful and fulfilling life, so he took away her precious things again.

Jiang Li set out on the tenth day after the Chinese New Year. When she left, no one in Yanjing City knew about it. The Duke's Mansion also left some people to look after her. Zhao Ke and Wen Ji followed her. Situ Jiuyue was also there, saying that they could take a look on the way to see if they could find any precious poisonous herbs as raw materials. Along the way, as Ye Mingyu had promised before, they did not encounter any mountain bandits blocking the road, but perhaps because they had too many people, the guards escorting the carriage did not look like vegetarians. Even if there were really bad guys, they did not dare to approach.

All in all, the journey to Xiangyang was safe and sound.

Everyone first went to Xiangyang and met the Ye family. Old Madam Ye had heard about what happened to Jiang Li in Xiangyang, and she kept holding Jiang Li's hand and crying. She felt that Jiang Li was so young that she would never get married, and her life was miserable. Other people in the Ye family also felt sad for Jiang Li, and Ye Jiaer was even more sad that Jiang Li's future husband died on the battlefield. Because of this, the Ye family treated Jiang Li more attentively, hoping that Jiang Li could live as happily as possible during her time in Xiangyang and temporarily forget those sad things.

Because Madam Ye was not in good health, the Ye family had to wait until the weather was warmer before returning to Beijing. At the same time, it would take some time to deal with things like the shops and houses in Xiangyang. This time, the Ye family moved to Yanjing City and did not plan to come back.

Jiang Li stayed at Ye's house for the time being. After more than ten days, Xue Huaiyuan and Xue Zhao were going to Tongxiang first, so Jiang Li told Old Madam Ye that she also wanted to go to Tongxiang. After all, the last time she was here, she was only concerned with dealing with Feng Yutang, but did not take a good look at what Tongxiang was like.

Now Madam Ye was afraid that Jiang Li would be upset, so she would do anything as long as Jiang Li was happy. She agreed immediately, but she was afraid that it would be boring for Jiang Li to go alone, so she asked Ye Jiaer and Ye Rufeng to go with her. The three young people, Xue Zhao, Xue Huaiyuan, and Situ Jiuyue returned to Tongxiang.

Tongxiang was still the same. After Feng Yutang fell, a new county magistrate came. This county magistrate was not very old, not even thirty years old, but perhaps because of his youth, he was quite talented. He had done several major things in Tongxiang, and the people were very satisfied with this county magistrate. Hearing that Xue Huaiyuan had returned, the people of Tongxiang all rushed to the door of Xue's house and gave him eggs and food.

When Jiang Li rescued Xue Huaiyuan from Feng Yutang, Xue Huaiyuan had already gone mad. The people of Tongxiang also knew this and sighed. Now Xue Huaiyuan stood in front of them in good health, speaking clearly. Except that he looked a little older and haggard than before, he was exactly the same as before. The people could only thank God for his help. Butcher Zhang laughed and said, "I knew that Lord Xue would get better! In this world, good people are rewarded!"

Everyone agreed. When the people saw Jiang Li again, they even knelt down and kowtowed to Jiang Li to express their gratitude. If Jiang Li had not brought them to Yanjing City to beat the stone lion drum to appeal for justice and punish Feng Yutang, Feng Yutang would have continued to bully others in Tongxiang, and they did not know how long they would have to suffer.

Jiang Li didn't dare to let them kneel down, so she quickly moved aside and helped them up, saying that it was okay. Those people saw Xue Zhao sitting in a wheelchair again and sighed.

After finally sending these enthusiastic people away and cleaning up Xue's residence, everyone actually moved in.

Xue Huaiyuan said to Ye Jiaer, "My humble abode is simple, please bear with me, Miss Ye."

"It's okay, Uncle Xue." Ye Jiaer said with a smile, "The Xue family is very popular in Tongxiang."

Xue Huaiyuan smiled but said nothing. Perhaps, but this time I came back, I really had many feelings. In the Xue family's ancestral hall, Mrs. Xue's tablet was covered with dust. Xue Huaiyuan asked Jiang Li to come in, burn incense for Mrs. Xue, and say something.

At night, Jiang Li lived in the courtyard where she lived before she got married, sleeping in her old bed. Feng Yutang sealed the Xue residence, but because the Xue family was poor and there were no valuables in the house, no one moved the house. Sitting on her old bed, Jiang Li couldn't calm down for a long time. It seemed that all these years, getting married, being killed, reborn, and being given a marriage, and now Ji Heng was missing, were just a dream she had, or the people watching the show in the audience accidentally entered the show and couldn't tell whether it was in the game or in reality.

But the days passed by like this. She felt the butterfly on her neck, warm and translucent, like flowing blood, bright and dazzling, making her memory unable to fade.

She closed her eyes.

This can be considered as... bringing Ji Heng back to his hometown.

……

The first day of April is the Spring Lantern Festival.

There is a long river in Tongxiang. On the day of the Spring Lantern Festival, many girls and ladies will put down hand-made lanterns on the river bank. The lanterns are filled with candles. From a distance, the water surface is covered with lights, which also illuminate the water below, making the waves sparkle like a fairyland in the Dragon Palace.

At night, several young people were going out to experience the lively Spring Lantern Festival. Xue Huaiyuan had difficulty walking, so he did not go with them. He only asked the guards to take care of them.

Except for Xue Zhao and Xue Huaiyuan, the rest of the people saw such a scene for the first time. Tongxiang is not as prosperous as Yanjing City, but the people are simple and honest. Perhaps it is because the Spring Lantern Festival is also very important to them, so this night is as lively as the temple fair in Yanjing City. The streets are full of people who come out to watch the excitement, including young ladies, young boys and girls from ordinary families, and children playing. Many people on the street wear masks. The masks are painted with the faces of gods, colorful and all. At first glance, they look like opera performances. It's just because the people of Tongxiang believe that the gods will turn into mortals to play in the Spring Lantern Festival. Wherever the gods go, they will bless that place with good weather and a good harvest this year. So the people of Tongxiang are used to wearing masks of gods when they go out to play during the Spring Lantern Festival.

Situ Jiuyue bought a black-faced statue, while Ye Jiaer bought a kind-looking Bodhisattva with eyes narrowed into slits. The mask worn by Ye Rufeng looked like he was blowing his beard and glaring, looking very fierce. Xue Zhao and Jiang Li bought a pair of masks of twin boys and wore them.

There were lanterns everywhere, and people were making clay figurines everywhere. Situ Jiuyue even had a candied haws stuffed into her hand. The people doing juggling and blowing candy figurines were very different from the capital, but there was a kind of prosperity beyond the mundane world, like a paradise recorded in books.

It was Situ Jiuyue's first time in Tongxiang, and her expression was full of surprise. Xue Zhao explained these things to her, and before they knew it, the two of them were left behind. Seeing this, Jiang Li did not urge them, and let them be alone for a while. It was rare for Situ Jiuyue to be so relaxed, and when Jiang Li looked back, she could still see the smile on Situ Jiuyue's face.

She is really happy.

Jiang Li was also happy for her. Ye Jiaer and Ye Rufeng happened to stop in front of a juggler. The juggler was holding a stack of plates in his hands and another stack on his head. The stacks were so high that they wouldn't fall down. The crowd cheered. Ye Jiaer and Ye Rufeng were fascinated by the scene, and Jiang Li stopped aside and waited patiently.

At this moment, Jiang Li accidentally turned her head and her eyes suddenly froze. She seemed to see a familiar figure flash in the crowd, and the bright red color eclipsed the surrounding prosperity and bustle. Jiang Li's heart was shocked, and her body was faster than her thinking. She ran towards the person without thinking, wanting to see clearly who that person was.

There were people all around her, and Jiang Li bumped into many people. She apologized to them and then continued to look. She couldn't find it no matter how hard she tried. It was as if she was dazzled, or it was her hallucination, but it was so real and incredible. Jiang Li caught up with a masked man in red in front of her. For a moment, she almost thought she had found him. She trembled and reached out to take off the other person's mask. Then her smile froze on her face. It was a strange middle-aged man, looking at her suspiciously.

Jiang Li choked up for a moment before saying, "I'm sorry, I recognized the wrong person."

The man wanted to blame her, but when he saw Jiang Li's eyes were red, he thought she was scared, so he said, "It's okay, it's okay. Why are you crying if you recognized the wrong person?" He walked away embarrassedly.

Jiang Li stayed where she was. Many people came and went. She tried to find the red figure in the crowd. But the lights were dim and she couldn't see anything. People who came and went wore all kinds of masks, but none of the faces under the masks were what she wanted to see.

She lost Ji Heng and couldn't find her.

The streets of Tongxiang were lined with peach trees. This year's spring was particularly strong, and the trees were in full bloom. It was a rare beauty in the world, but in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the crowd, Jiang Li felt miserable and desolate.

She searched again and again, and the person she saw seemed to be the same person. Finally, she got tired and stopped.

Ye Jiaer and Ye Rufeng were no longer around her. She left in such a hurry that she didn't even say hello to the siblings. But after going around in circles, she left with nothing.

The wind in April seemed to be warm, and it felt itchy on the face. Jiang Li walked slowly along the riverside, where many girls were setting off lanterns. The water surface was lit up, and lovers wrote about their lovesickness with ripples, and there was singing and dancing. Jiang Li walked slowly, as if she had returned to that intoxicated night of spring breeze many years ago. Ji Heng did the same, walking slowly. The bustle had nothing to do with him. He was out of tune in the bustling scene, like a stranger who had broken in.

Some people cast curious glances at Jiang Li, and saw that this beautiful and smart girl had a distraught look on her face, and no one knew what she was thinking, and she walked very slowly.

The lights seemed to never go out. Jiang Li walked for a long time until she reached the end of the riverbank. At this moment, she heard Ye Jiaer's voice: "Cousin!"

Jiang Li turned around and saw Ye Jiaer running over breathlessly. She grabbed Jiang Li's hand, looked left and right, and said, "Cousin, where have you been? I couldn't find you. I thought you were missing and almost reported you to the police."

"I'm fine." Jiang Li forced a smile at her. Not seeing Ye Rufeng, she asked, "Where's Rufeng?"

Hearing this, Ye Jiaer's face became even uglier, and Jiang Li asked, "But what happened?"

"At first, Rufeng and I didn't know you were missing. We thought you were waiting for Master Xue and his men. Not far ahead, someone was setting up a stage to perform a play. Rufeng had never seen such a good troupe, but there were people guarding the stage. I don't know where this rich young man came from, but he booked the show for himself. Rufeng was young and hot-tempered, so he got into an argument with that man. Later, Master Xue came and helped to resolve the situation, and we still haven't figured it out yet."

Jiang Li frowned: "How could this happen?"

"I want to persuade you, but I can't." Ye Jiaer's face was full of anxiety.

"Don't worry, sister. I'll go see what's going on. Since Ah Zhao is here, I don't think Ru Feng will get into trouble." Jiang Li comforted her. Jiang Li knew all the people in Tongxiang. Unless they were from other places, Jiang Li knew everyone here. It was probably a misunderstanding.

Ye Jiaer nodded: "I'll take you there."

The two hurried to the place Ye Jiaer mentioned, and saw that they were downstairs in Tongxiang East Street, in Qinglianfang. From a distance, they could hear the melodious and graceful singing of opera, which was "The Peony Pavilion".

"In my dream, the orioles are chirping, and the years have passed in a mess. I stand alone in a small courtyard. The heavy smoke has been drained away, and the remaining embroidery thread has been thrown away. Is your concern this spring the same as last year?"

The female singer's voice was distant and lazy. In an instant, the spring scenery suddenly opened up. The audience around did not enter the alley, but just looked outside. The road was lined with beautiful peach blossoms, just like the spring scenery in the opera. Tourists accidentally walked into it and broke into a dream.

"You think the green skirts and scarlet gowns are beautiful, and the hairpins are filled with eight treasures. But do you know that my lifelong love is natural? The beauty of spring is not seen by anyone. I am not afraid of the beauty that can make fish sink to the bottom of their chests and geese fall to the ground, but I am afraid of the beauty that can make flowers shy and the moon hide, and the flowers tremble with sorrow."

"It turns out that all the colorful flowers are in full bloom, but they are all given to the broken wells and dilapidated walls. What can we do about the beautiful scenery? Whose yard can be so pleasing? Flying in the morning and rolling up in the evening, clouds and green pavilions, raindrops and wind, painted boats in the mist, the people on the brocade screen are too cheap to spend this beautiful time."

Even though Jiang Li knew why she came, she couldn't help but be amazed by the singing voice, and her steps slowed down. She walked forward, and there was indeed a huge stage at the entrance of Qinglianfang. The people on the stage sang about the spring love that was hard to get rid of, the deep resentment, and the spring light flowing in the dark.

There was a row of chairs under the stage, but only one person was sitting there. Only his cloak could be seen. Jiang Li did not see Xue Zhao, nor did she see Ye Rufeng. When she turned around to look, there was only the crowd, not even Ye Jiaer.

She didn't know why, and was about to go forward when she suddenly froze.

The man had his back to her, so she couldn't see his appearance, but she could see the folding fan in his hand.

The folding fan unfolded little by little. The peony on it was embroidered with gold thread, delicate and gorgeous, beautiful and moving, just like Jiang Li's memory, never fading. She couldn't help but touch her neck, where the butterfly fan pendant seemed to have come to life in an instant, almost spreading its wings and ready to fly. Her heart also flew high, not in the human world, her feet could not touch the ground, floating in the air.

"You are as beautiful as a flower, and time flows like water. I have been searching for you everywhere, feeling sorry for myself in my secluded room. I have turned around the peony fence and leaned against the rocks beside the lake and mountains."

There was unexpectedly a lingering tone in the opera voice. Jiang Li stared at the man's back without moving, unable to move at all.

The man seemed to know that Jiang Li was also here. He stopped waving his folding fan, held the handle of the fan with his slender hand, stood up, and turned around, letting the moving opera voice continue.

The lights were dimming, and the time passed in an instant. The stunning man was still stunning, standing in the boundless spring night. Peach blossoms bloomed for him. The young man was wearing red clothes, holding a folding fan, with red lips and white teeth, and was stunningly beautiful. His amber eyes reflected the stars and lights at night, and even through the crowd, he could clearly see her.

Jiang Li's hand loosened, and the butterfly fan pendant suddenly fell to the ground, hitting the ground with a crisp sound, which was instantly drowned out by the hustle and bustle. But she didn't care at all, just staring at the young man in red, who was walking towards her step by step.

Everything in the world seemed to have lost its sound, as if he had been sitting on the other side of the wall many years ago, and she had been singing on the swing inside the wall. It was also like the roof of the Buddhist temple, the moonlight was dim, she looked up with a candle, and was surprised to see the most beautiful woman in the world.

All the bitterness, sadness, disappointment and despair have gone. In the peach blossom color, he walked towards him slowly, and the coming and going of people in the world did not stop his steps. Wild geese fly across the blue sky, red beans grow in the south, there are thousands of kinds of lovesickness, but there is only one lover. It is him, only him, there will be no one else.

He walked up to Jiang Li, bent down and picked up the butterfly fan pendant that fell at her feet. His expression was as frivolous and seductive as ever. He handed it back to her with a smile, "Girl, it seems you picked up something of mine."

Jiang Li burst out laughing.

She once thought that meeting each other was the most beautiful thing, but it turns out that reunion is rare in this world.

"Then how do you plan to repay me?" She tilted her head, her eyes full of smiles, "How about giving yourself to me?" End of the article
　The main text of the first marriage ends here. Next is the extra chapter. The reasons why Brother Ji disappeared and what he did are all written in the extra chapter. The secondary CP extra chapter has Zhao and Jiuyue as a pair. The update time of the extra chapter has been adjusted to 8 pm. Don't come too early. Also, I won't drive in this article. Recently, the website is strictly strict about driving. If you drive, you will be directly blocked and the whole article will be removed. I'm going to leave now.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)