The Double

Chapter 89: Uncle

After Jiang Li left, the opera performance at Gazing Immortal Pavilion hosted by Jin Mantang had not yet concluded. Amid the lilting opera melodies, Ji Heng lazily took a seat and asked, "So?"

"Second Miss Jiang is quite clever," Lu Ji smiled faintly. "Despite my prolonged questioning, her responses were flawless—a very perceptive young lady."

"What were you asking her about?" Kong Liu looked at him suspiciously.

"After all, she is Jiang Yuanbai's daughter," Ji Heng replied indifferently.

Meanwhile, the returning guard reported, "It's confirmed. Ye Shijie and Second Miss Jiang didn't arrange to meet beforehand—it must have been a chance encounter on the street. However, the Ye family's second young master, Ye Mingxuan, arrived in Yanjing yesterday."

"Ye Mingxuan is here?" Kong Liu frowned. "The Ye family's businesses aren't in Yanjing. Why would he come? To congratulate his nephew on the promotion? Coming personally—how tiresome."

"The Ye family's business has encountered some troubles," Lu Ji explained. "Ye Mingxuan likely came to Yanjing to seek connections, hoping to find assistance."

Ji Heng chuckled. "When a man leaves, the tea grows cold. No one will help."

"Then why doesn't he seek Ye Shijie's help? Now that Ye Shijie holds an official position, many would curry favor with him. Finding a breakthrough here should be easy!" Kong Liu stated matter-of-factly.

Lu Ji shook his head. "The Ye family has been merchants for generations. Ye Shijie is the first among them to enter officialdom. Now that he's finally gaining traction, using his political career as leverage for business matters—the Ye family isn't bold enough to do such a thing."

Kong Liu glanced at Ji Heng, who was toying with a fan, and muttered, "They're similar people, yet so different." He then thought of something else and said, "Then why doesn't he go to the Jiang family? Weren't they once in-laws? Although the Ye family's grandmother has passed away, there's still Second Miss Jiang as a connection. If Ye Mingxuan visits the Jiang family, Jiang Yuanbai, who values face so much, would naturally find it hard to refuse help."

Lu Ji sighed. "You should pay more attention to the latest news in the capital. Second Miss Jiang, along with the Jiang family, severed ties with the Ye family ten years ago. How could Ye Mingxuan possibly go to the Jiang family?"

They fell silent for a moment.

Ji Heng said, "Ye Mingxuan might still go to the Jiang family."

"My lord?" Lu Ji was puzzled.

"Because of Second Miss Jiang," Ji Heng replied.

...

After reuniting with Jiang Jingrui, Jiang Li and he quickly found Lu Shi and the others. Lu Shi's group was remarkably carefree; despite walking for so long and witnessing their son and niece disappear, they remained unhurried. When questioned, Lu Shi said, "Rui'er wanders the streets all day—how could he get lost? With Li'er accompanying him, I'm completely at ease."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Li remained expressionless, truly unable to see how Jiang Jingrui could be considered reliable.

She thought of Ye Shijie earlier and couldn't help but shake her head. If Ji Heng's guards hadn't suddenly appeared and taken her to that pointless opera performance, she should have exchanged a few words with Ye Shijie. Due to the Right Prime Minister's youngest son, Li Lian, Jiang Li felt that Ye Shijie's official career might not be smooth sailing. She couldn't yet discern Li Lian's intentions, but she already sensed the budding signs of a conspiracy.

No matter what, Ye Shijie must be extremely cautious.A considerable amount of time had been delayed, and after only a short stroll with the second branch of the family, it was time to return to the estate. Upon arriving, Old Madam Jiang had already retired for the night. Naturally, Jiang Li had no intention of greeting Ji Shuran and her daughter on her own initiative and headed straight back to her courtyard.

She had intended to sleep early, but her mind was restless tonight, and she simply couldn’t close her eyes. Ji Heng’s striking phoenix eyes kept surfacing in her thoughts, along with his murmured words in her ear: "Eyes are the seedlings of emotion. Your eyes betray your heart."

Even Ji Heng could see the hatred buried deep within her.

Jiang Li shook her head, as if trying to cast off the tangled thoughts troubling her heart. She wished she could hurry—faster, even faster—to immediately expose Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong’s ugly true faces and clear the wrongful charges against the Xue family. But for now, the evidence was insufficient, and she lacked enough leverage, leaving her no choice but to proceed slowly and deliberately.

It was truly agonizing.

That night, her sleep was anything but peaceful. By midnight, heavy rain began to fall, the thunder mingling with the downpour, making it even harder for Jiang Li, who was already sleepless, to find rest. It wasn’t until the rooster crowed three times, dawn broke in the east, and the rain began to subside that she finally drifted into a fitful slumber.

By the time she awoke, the sun was already high in the sky.

After a night of rain, the air was exceptionally fresh. Tong’er and Bai Xue were by the flowerbed at the courtyard entrance, watering the plants and pulling weeds. When they saw Jiang Li emerge, Tong’er straightened up and smiled, saying, "Young Lady, it’s rare for you to sleep in, so I told Bai Xue not to wake you." As Jiang Li approached, she added cheerfully, "The rain was so heavy last night, it even shattered the crabapple blossoms."

Mention of crabapple blossoms reminded Jiang Li of her personal maid, Haitang. She wondered if Bai Xue’s family had managed to gather any news about Haitang in Zaohua Village. Jiang Li asked, "Bai Xue, has your family sent any letters recently?"

Wiping sweat from her forehead, Bai Xue replied, "No, Young Lady. It’s harvest season now, and farmwork keeps them busy. I imagine they haven’t had time to write. Once this busy period passes, a letter should arrive."

Jiang Li nodded.

As they chatted casually, Feicui, Old Madam Jiang’s maid, suddenly appeared. Feicui didn’t enter the courtyard but stopped at the entrance of Fragrant Garden Courtyard, smiling at Jiang Li as she said, "Second Young Lady, Old Madam requests your presence at Evening Phoenix Hall."

Bai Xue and Tong’er exchanged uneasy glances. Old Madam Jiang wouldn’t summon Jiang Li without a reason. Unlike Jiang Bingji, who often visited Evening Phoenix Hall to ask Old Madam for snacks, Jiang Li wouldn’t lower herself to do such a thing. Even if she were willing, Old Madam Jiang, who had been distant from Jiang Li for eight years, would likely feel quite uncomfortable about it.

Tong’er piped up brightly, "Sister Feicui, why does Old Madam want our Young Lady to go to Evening Phoenix Hall? Is something happening in the estate?"

"Not at all," Feicui replied with a smile. "There’s a guest in the estate, and Old Madam wishes for Second Young Lady to join them for a visit."

Hearing Feicui’s response, Tong’er relaxed. Judging by Feicui’s tone and demeanor, Old Madam likely wasn’t summoning Jiang Li to reprimand her, and Jiang Li hadn’t done anything wrong anyway.

Jiang Li could easily discern Tong’er’s underlying worries and found it both amusing and exasperating. Even if Old Madam Jiang were truly calling her to account, it wouldn’t be a big deal. She was capable of protecting herself and emerging unscathed. At worst, if the other party acted unreasonably, the consequences would likely be nothing more than house arrest.

And that truly wasn’t anything significant.She said to Feicui, "Sister Feicui, please wait a moment. I'll change my clothes and we'll go right away." Jiang Li returned to her room, draped an outer garment over herself, and went with Tong'er and Feicui to Evening Phoenix Hall.

There was quite a distance from Fragrant Garden Courtyard to Evening Phoenix Hall. Usually, when taking this path, one would always encounter others. However, with Jiang Yu'e recuperating at the estate, Jiang Youyao under house arrest, and Jiang Yuyan being too timid to leave her courtyard, they didn't meet anyone along the way—suspiciously smooth.

Jiang Li was quite pleased.

Feicui, who accompanied them, was pondering: this Second Miss Jiang, who had spent eight years in a temple, had returned to Yanjing City less than half a year ago. Since then, the young ladies in the mansion had been thrown into chaos, facing one trouble after another. Only Second Miss Jiang remained unscathed, untouched by any scandal. Not only that, she had gained widespread fame and received imperial rewards.

Truly, fortunes change. Initially, everyone thought that after Second Miss Jiang was banished to the temple, she would never return.

Therefore, Feicui didn't dare to underestimate this seemingly gentle Second Miss Jiang and, without realizing it, became much more respectful in her words and actions.

Jiang Li noticed the change in Feicui's attitude and smiled faintly without saying a word. Fawning over the powerful and looking down on the weak was human nature. As a prominent official family, even the maids in the Jiang household had adopted the habits of the official circles, adept at trimming their sails to the wind.

It wasn't a good thing, but it wasn't entirely bad either.

At the very least, it created many opportunities for her.

When they arrived at Evening Phoenix Hall, Feicui entered first and said cheerfully to those inside, "Old Madam, Second Miss has arrived."

Jiang Li followed Feicui inside. As soon as she entered, she saw a familiar young man sitting in the seat below Old Madam Jiang, slightly tilting his head as if somewhat uncomfortable yet somewhat proud.

Jiang Li paused mid-step, puzzled. Ye Shijie? Why was he here?

She couldn't claim to understand this cousin thoroughly, but she had a general grasp of Ye Shijie's temperament. Ye Shijie held a grudge over what Jiang Li had said in the past and naturally bore no goodwill toward the Jiang family. This was evident from his previous enrollment at the Imperial College, during which he never once visited the Jiang residence. Yet today, Ye Shijie had openly come and was sitting below Old Madam Jiang. Judging by Old Madam Jiang's expression, they seemed to be getting along quite well.

Before Jiang Li could figure out what was happening, she heard Old Madam Jiang say kindly, "Second girl, come quickly and greet your Uncle Mingxuan."

Jiang Li was taken aback. Uncle Mingxuan?

Only then did she notice that beside Ye Shijie sat a middle-aged man. He was dressed in silver-white robes, wore a silver crown, and had a golden belt around his waist. He looked like a scholar, yet more affluent than an ordinary scholar. His face was pale and beardless, his figure lean, and his eyes quite shrewd.

He stood up, looked at Jiang Li, and chuckled, "A Li has grown so tall, I almost didn't recognize you."

For a moment, Jiang Li was dazed. This Uncle Mingxuan called her "A Li," and in her confusion, she almost thought it was Xue Huaiyuan calling her "Ali."

Ye Mingxuan observed Jiang Li, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

From Ye Shijie, he had learned about many incidents: the bet with Meng Hongjin at Mingyi Hall, the stunning performance at the examination grounds, the episode during the palace banquet where she forced Ye Shijie to strategize rationally at knifepoint. Each event made it hard for Ye Mingxuan to believe that these were the deeds of the somewhat willful, sharp-tongued little girl he remembered.It had been ten years, and Ye Mingxuan hadn't seen Jiang Li for a decade. Back when Ye Zhenzhen passed away, the Ye family had considered bringing Jiang Li back to Tongxiang precisely because they feared that after Jiang Yuanbai remarried, a stepmother might mistreat Jiang Li. Although the Ye family couldn't compare to the Jiang family's official status, they would at least genuinely protect Jiang Li, ensuring she lived a life of luxury, clothed in silk and fed with delicacies.

Unexpectedly, the reality was that Jiang Li, not yet five years old at the time, had looked disdainful and, right in front of Old Madam Ye, scorned the Ye family as mere merchants, uttering hurtful words like "merchants are all lowly." Old Madam Ye fell seriously ill after that, and it wasn't as if the Ye family held no resentment toward Jiang Li.

How could such a young child speak so hurtfully? And it seemed that even then, she had already been tainted by the inherent coldness of the Jiang family and the hidden opportunism of those in official circles. She was even more adept at weighing pros and cons than they, as merchants, were.

It was truly hard to let go of.

But now, the girl standing before Ye Mingxuan wore a light green blouse and a pale blue long skirt. She was tall and slender, strikingly beautiful and refined. With a gentle smile on her lips and a pure expression, she no longer carried the sharpness and hostility of before, making her extremely pleasant to be around.

She was truly different from how she used to be.

For a moment, Ye Mingxuan seemed to see his younger sister, Ye Zhenzhen, in her. But upon closer look, Jiang Li and Ye Zhenzhen were not the same. Ye Zhenzhen had been bright and innocent, like a fluffy little animal raised in the sunshine, carefree and adorable. Jiang Li, however, was like a pear tree growing alone by a stream—no one could see the wind, frost, rain, and snow she had endured on her own, yet from her resilience, she had bloomed with pure, elegant flowers.

The resentment Ye Mingxuan had once felt toward that little girl gradually faded away in Jiang Li's clear, bright eyes.

He didn't know if it was the pull of blood ties that made it difficult for him to truly frown upon Jiang Li, or if it was because Jiang Li now seemed so kind and gentle that he had completely separated this Jiang Li from the five-year-old one.

He gave Jiang Li a sincere, warm smile.

Old Madam Jiang noticed Ye Mingxuan's appreciation and felt a slight sense of relief. Now that Ye Shijie had become a Vice Minister of Revenue, achieving such a position at his age was no small feat. With their past marital ties, it would be beneficial for the two branches of the Jiang family to have his support in official matters in the future. Therefore, when Ye Shijie and Ye Mingxuan took the initiative to visit, Old Madam Jiang's first thought was to restore good relations with the Ye family.

She was aware of the harsh words Jiang Li had once spoken to the Ye family. She didn't believe that the Ye family held no grudges. However, Jiang Li was no longer the same person she used to be, and Old Madam Jiang hoped that many things could be discussed after Jiang Li had met with them.

Now that they had met, Ye Mingxuan's attitude toward Jiang Li was relatively gentle. Old Madam Jiang observed this and felt that Ye Mingxuan had a good impression of Jiang Li now, which was excellent. At the very least, the Ye family wouldn't spread rumors outside that the Jiang family had mistreated Ye Zhenzhen's daughter or intentionally led her astray.

Ye Mingxuan smiled and said, "You probably don't remember me. The last time I saw you, you were just a little thing." He gestured with his hand, indicating a height up to his knee. "—About this tall." He continued, "I'm your mother's second brother. You can call me Uncle Mingxuan."

"Uncle Mingxuan," Jiang Li called softly.

She had a good impression of Ye Mingxuan, though she wasn't sure if it was because of the way he had called her "A Li" earlier, which reminded her of Xue Huaiyuan."Your Uncle Mingxuan has come to Yanjing on business and made a special trip to see you," Old Madam Jiang said with a smile. "He even brought you gifts, which will be moved to your courtyard later."

Jiang Li smiled, understanding the situation perfectly. Why would Ye Mingxuan bring her gifts? They were likely purchased recently in Yanjing City, given that Ye Mingxuan had previously had no contact with either the Jiang family or herself. His sudden visit to the Jiang residence must have been prompted by Ye Shijie informing him about her circumstances.

Jiang Li glanced at Ye Shijie, who turned his head away upon meeting her gaze, as if feeling somewhat guilty.

Why would he feel guilty? Jiang Li was puzzled.

However, Old Madam Jiang's attitude toward the Ye family members indicated that Ye Shijie's appointment as a Vice Minister of Revenue had softened the Jiang family's stance somewhat. As long as Ye Shijie continued to advance in his career and the Ye family prospered because of his connections, reconciling with the Ye family would only be a matter of time. When that happened, Jiang Li would be a young lady with the protection of her maternal family. At the very least, Ji Shuran would no longer be able to act against her as boldly as before.

Ji Shuran must be bitterly regretting her actions now, Jiang Li thought. Previously, Ji Shuran had either delayed taking action or acted discreetly to maintain her reputation as a virtuous mother. Little did she know that this would give Jiang Li an opportunity to seize the advantage. Once the right moment passed, it would not return.

Setting aside her thoughts, Jiang Li chatted with Ye Mingxuan, his nephew, and Old Madam Jiang. Their conversation was light and casual, with Old Madam Jiang inquiring about the well-being of the rest of the Ye family in Xiangyang. Ye Mingxuan responded politely and courteously, giving the impression that, at least on the surface, the relationship between the Jiang and Ye families had improved significantly.

Jiang Li also noted that no one else was present for this meeting—not even Jiang Yuanbai. Old Madam Jiang likely felt that having all the Jiang family members present at once would be awkward and had instead opted for a smaller gathering to ease into the reconciliation gradually.

Before they knew it, they had finished a pot of tea. Ye Mingxuan rose to take his leave, citing other matters to attend to and promising to visit again another day. He then smiled at Jiang Li and said, "I'll have the gifts for A Li moved to her courtyard now."

"Very well," Old Madam Jiang replied. "A Li, why don't you show your Uncle Mingxuan around your courtyard?"

This was her way of giving Jiang Li and her uncle some time to speak privately.

Both being shrewd, Ye Mingxuan readily agreed to Old Madam Jiang's arrangement. Jiang Li then led Ye Mingxuan and Ye Shijie back to Fragrant Garden Courtyard.

Tong'er walked ahead of them, her small frame held straight and proud. This was her first time meeting members of Ye Zhenzhen's family, and she was determined to conduct herself with dignity, fearing that the Ye family might still harbor resentment over Jiang Li's alleged involvement in her mother and brother's deaths. However, Ye Mingxuan seemed amiable enough and did not appear to be a harsh person.

Ye Shijie remained silent throughout the walk. For some reason, he was unusually quiet today. In contrast, Ye Mingxuan engaged Jiang Li in casual conversation, asking how she had been. Jiang Li responded with a smile.

Seeing Jiang Li's composure, Ye Mingxuan was once again greatly surprised. Years ago, when Jiang Li was sent to Qingcheng Mountain, the Ye family had secretly sent messengers to negotiate with the Jiang family. Despite Jiang Li's past insults toward the Ye family, she was still a descendant of the Ye bloodline. However, Jiang Yuanbai had been unyielding at the time, refusing to disclose Jiang Li's whereabouts, and the matter was eventually dropped.Even though he had learned from Ye Shijie that Jiang Li had accomplished significant feats since returning to Yanjing City, in Ye Mingxuan's eyes, a family like the Jiangs—who always pursued advantage and avoided harm—would not place much importance on a daughter who could tarnish their reputation. Yet judging by Old Madam Jiang's attitude, Jiang Li's status in the Jiang family seemed less lowly than he had imagined. Moreover, Jiang Li's demeanor and speech were refined and elegant, showing no signs of harsh treatment.

This niece seemed to harbor many hidden secrets, Ye Mingxuan thought to himself.

When they arrived at the entrance of Fragrant Garden Courtyard, Qingfeng and Mingyue were sweeping the courtyard. Bai Xue, seeing Jiang Li return, hurried to serve tea. Noticing Ye Mingxuan and Ye Shijie accompanying Jiang Li, she couldn't hide her surprise.

"This is Uncle Mingxuan and Cousin Ye," Jiang Li said with a smile. "Bai Xue, serve tea."

Ye Mingxuan froze for a moment upon seeing Fragrant Garden Courtyard.

Even in autumn, the courtyard was vibrant with blooming chrysanthemums and osmanthus flowers, their fragrance filling the air, showing no signs of withering or desolation. Jiang Yuanbai liked to flaunt his refinement, preferring plants in shades of green in his courtyard. In autumn, he favored stark black and white tones to emphasize his purity. Thus, along the way, they had not seen such lush scenery.

But Jiang Li's courtyard was bustling and lively, standing in stark contrast to the Grand Secretary's residence. It instantly reminded Ye Mingxuan of his late sister, Ye Zhenzhen.

Ye Zhenzhen had been a girl who loved liveliness. Before her marriage, her courtyard was always filled with the songs of birds and the scent of flowers. Her mischievous brothers often practiced swordplay there, hacking her flowers to pieces, which infuriated Ye Zhenzhen so much she would complain to Old Master Ye and Old Madam Ye.

The scene before him now brought back those memories, making Ye Mingxuan's eyes sting with emotion. The familiar scenery remained, but the person was gone—a truly lamentable thing.

Jiang Li noticed the change in Ye Mingxuan's expression and said, "This was the courtyard where my mother recuperated. After I returned to Yanjing City, Madam gave the courtyard to me. At that time, all the plants and flowers had withered. Tong'er and Bai Xue worked very hard to restore it to its current state."

She referred to Ji Shuran as "Madam."

Ye Mingxuan's gaze flickered slightly as he asked, "How does Madam Ji treat you?"

Jiang Li looked at Ye Mingxuan, smiled faintly, and without answering his question, said, "The tea is ready, Uncle Mingxuan. Let's go inside to talk."

She had avoided his question.

Ye Mingxuan and Ye Shijie exchanged a glance. After a moment's thought, Ye Mingxuan shook his head and followed Jiang Li.

Tong'er stood properly to the side, pouring tea for Ye Mingxuan and Ye Shijie in turn.

"I didn't expect Uncle Mingxuan to return to Yanjing so suddenly," Jiang Li said. "It's a bit surprising. What brought Uncle Mingxuan to the Jiang family?"

Ye Shijie coughed lightly and said, "I mentioned you to Second Uncle."

Jiang Li remained noncommittal. She had long known that, given all that had happened, Ye Shijie would eventually inform the Ye family about her. She just hadn't expected a member of the Ye family to come to Yanjing in person. However, Jiang Li also believed that Ye Mingxuan's visit to Yanjing City was certainly not solely for her sake—seeing her was likely just a incidental matter.

"Indeed, Shijie mentioned you to me. I realized it had been a long time since I last saw you," Ye Mingxuan said with a sigh. "It must have been ten years now. A Li, you seem to be doing well. I've heard everything from Shijie—how you've helped him repeatedly. On behalf of Shijie, I thank you."Jiang Li chuckled softly. "We're all family, Uncle Mingxuan. There's no need to be so formal."

Her words were sincere and gentle, her eyes as clear as a mountain stream, making it impossible to doubt her genuine feelings in that moment. Ye Mingxuan found himself momentarily speechless. It was Jiang Li who had once looked down upon the Ye family for being merchants, yet now it was also Jiang Li who so naturally declared "we're all family." The contradiction was stark, yet he couldn't bring himself to question her sincerity.

"How is Grandmother doing?" Jiang Li asked.

"Her health isn't very good," Ye Mingxuan replied. "That's how it is with old age. She originally wanted to come to Yanjing City to see Shijie this time, but her health simply wouldn't permit it."

Jiang Li frowned slightly. Old Madam Ye's poor health was not good news at all.

Ye Shijie felt somewhat uncomfortable. Hadn't Old Madam Ye's health started declining precisely after that incident where Jiang Li insulted the Ye family? Back then, Old Madam Ye fell seriously ill, which damaged her foundation, and she never regained her previous robust health. Over the years, her condition had been worsening year by year.

"If Grandmother couldn't come, why didn't my other uncles come either?" Jiang Li asked. She had inquired before - Second Miss Jiang had three maternal uncles. Ye Mingxuan was the second eldest, Ye Shijie's father was the eldest, and there was also a youngest uncle.

"There have been some minor issues with the business in Xiangyang," Ye Mingxuan said with a smile. "They've been quite busy recently."

Although Ye Mingxuan was smiling, Jiang Li clearly detected a trace of hidden worry in his eyes. These so-called "minor issues" were definitely not as insignificant as Ye Mingxuan made them sound.

If the Ye family was having problems, this was not good news at all. On one hand, Second Miss Jiang needed the Ye family's support to solidify her position in the Jiang family. On the other hand, the Ye family was in Xiangyang, and Xue Huaiyuan was in Tongxiang, Xiangyang - investigating matters in Tongxiang would still require relying on the Ye family's influence.

Jiang Li thought for a moment and asked, "How long does Uncle Mingxuan plan to stay in Yanjing City? When will you return to Xiangyang?"

"I came mainly to see Shijie and to wrap up some business here in Yanjing City," Ye Mingxuan contemplated before answering. "After these matters are settled, I'll return to Xiangyang. It probably won't take long - ten days at most. We can't afford to be away from Xiangyang for too long, so I can't delay my stay in Yanjing."

Even ten days was considered a delay - clearly the matters in Xiangyang must be quite urgent. Hearing Ye Mingxuan say this further confirmed Jiang Li's suspicions. She glanced at Ye Shijie and noticed that he too looked preoccupied.

Seeing Jiang Li suddenly fall silent, Ye Mingxuan smiled and said, "Although I came to Yanjing mainly to see Shijie, meeting A Li was an unexpected pleasure. I heard you've also become the top scholar at Mingyi Hall and received honors from His Majesty. If your grandmother knew about this, she would be very happy. Actually, it's just that there's no precedent for women to be directly appointed as officials. You and Shijie are equally capable - since Shijie became an official, you should have received an official position too."

This uncle certainly had quite the imagination, Jiang Li thought with a smile. "What a pity I wasn't born a man."

Ye Shijie glanced at Jiang Li. Although she wasn't a man, she did things that even some men wouldn't dare to do. Who else would carry a dagger in and out of the palace? If anything went wrong, she could be arrested on charges of assassination and implicate the entire family. Yet she showed no fear, treating it as if it were nothing noteworthy. Quite remarkable.

Fortunately she wasn't a man - if she were, she'd probably try to reach the heavens.

"It's been a long time since I've seen Grandmother and my uncles," Jiang Li said. "When I saw Uncle Mingxuan earlier, just as Uncle Mingxuan didn't recognize me, I almost didn't recognize Uncle Mingxuan either."

Ye Mingxuan laughed heartily. "No matter. When you have the chance, you and Shijie can come back to Xiangyang together. Then you can see your grandmother and uncles - they would definitely be very happy."Jiang Li had been waiting for him to say exactly that. Her eyes curved into a smile as she said, "Why wait? This is the perfect opportunity. After Uncle Mingxuan finishes his business, let's return to Xiangyang together."

Time to change locations~

(End of Chapter)