Marriage of the Di Daughter

Chapter 92 Part 4: Travelling Together

There were always places that couldn’t be seen under the bright heaven and earth. Yanjing was under the foot of the Son of Heaven, yet everyday there were many obscure deaths. A little family clan was still not bad, those who had no power or influence, for the most part, were like grass mustard entering the sea, not even causing any waves, just sinking  until they could no longer be seen. 

“Where did this Xue Zhao come from?” Lu Ji was puzzled: “Never heard of such a name within the official families in Yanjing.”

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Wen Ji paused before saying: “To speak of, this Xue Zhao could not be regarded as a person from Yanjing. He was the current assistant secretary’s*, Shen Yurong’s younger brother-in-law. Shen Yurong’s first madam, Xue Fang Fei’s biological younger brother. After Xue Fang Fei’s death, Xue Zhao probably heard about this matter, thus entering the capital. Unexpectedly, he lost his life as he entered the capital.”

“Xue Fang Fei’s younger brother?” Lu Ji was stumped for words. He immediately shook his head: “This is really unexpected.” 

Talking about Xue Fang Fei, it could be said that the entire Yanjing knew this person. However, the matter of Xue Fang Fei’s younger brother was truly not known to anyone. It seemed that this matter was handled very quickly at that time and didn’t arouse any wind and waves. 

“But what’s the relationship between Xue Zhao and Jiang Li?” Lu Ji was even more puzzled, “the Xue family and the Jiang family are not related in any way. Jiang Li stayed in Mount Qingcheng for eight years. During this period of time, there’s no way she could have any relations with Xue Zhao. Moreover, Xue Zhao passed away last year, Jiang Li just returned this year, so it’s also not possible for Jiang Li to know the person after she came back.” He hesitated for a while, then asked: “Had Xue Zhao been to Yanjing before? Or Mount Qingcheng?” 

Wen Ji shook his head: “Shouldn’t be. Xue Zhao grew up in Tongxiang, Xiangyang and had never left Tongxiang. The first time he went to Yanjing was precisely last year, and he died before he met Xue Fang Fei.”

Lu Ji looked at Ji Heng and said: “That is weird.” 

How could two people who had never crossed paths have any relations? Moreover, according to Wen Ji’s report, Jiang Li felt sad while grieving for Xue Zhao. Wen Ji wasn’t someone who would exaggerate. If he said that Jiang Li looked somewhat sorrowful, then Jiang Li truly was somewhat sorrowful. 

No matter how kind Jiang second miss was, she wouldn’t show a sad expression towards someone irrelevant. Without even mentioning what Ji Heng said, how Jiang Li made such a big round in order to go see Xue Zhao’s burial mound. What was it for if not familiar? 

But no matter how Lu Ji racked his brain, he couldn’t find any other cause. 

“Perhaps…….” Wen Ji deliberated for a moment before cautiously raising a conjecture: “This Xue Zhao and Jiang second miss had encountered each other and Jiang second miss had an interest in Xue Zhao?”

“Didn’t you say it’s impossible for the two of them to have met each other before?” Lu Ji said: “Having never met, how do you show interest in?” 

This was actually true, Wen Ji no longer spoke.

Ji Heng narrowed his eyes and suddenly spoke up: “Xue Zhao was from Tongxiang, Xiangyang?” 

Wen Ji: “Exactly.” 

“Jiang Li’s biological mother, Ye Zhen Zhen, was from Xiangyang. Xue Zhao was also from Xiangyang…….” Ji Heng said: “No need to investigate the relation between Jiang Li and Xue Zhao. Investigate from the Xue family.”

“The Xue family?” Lu Ji was puzzled: “Top scorer’s madam, Xue Fang Fei, her father seemed to be a mere small official. The family is thin, there is nothing unusual.” 

At the time, Xue Fang Fei was absolutely splendid, but also made people feel sorry for. Some people said, if only Xue Fang Fei’s background was a little bit better, relying on her appearance and talent, it’s enough for her to be a prince’s wife. Entering the palace to be an imperial concubine was absolutely not considered as social climbing. A pity, her father was merely a small official, which in turn could only allow her to marry a scholar from a commoner’s family. Although later on Shen Yurong passed brilliantly, became the top scorer and an official, because of this, some people said that Xue Fang Fei did not match Shen Yurong. 

Think about it, if Xue Fang Fei was an official’s daughter, as long as the official position wasn’t too low, how could she be said as not being worthy. 

Such an ordinary Xue family, how is it worth sending someone to specially pay attention to? Lu Ji couldn’t understand. Even if Jiang second miss’s manner was suspicious, in addition she had repeatedly ruined Ji Heng’s plans, which made Ji Heng understandably take note of her, it was really unnecessary to attach importance to the Xue family.

“Don’t forget, Jiang Li is about to go back to Xiangyang together with Ye Ming Xuan. Don’t you think it’s odd?” Ji Heng had a smile on his face, yet his sight was extremely calm. He said: “According to Jiang second miss’s character, why would she abandon the Jiang family that she had triumphed over and suddenly move the battle somewhere else? Unless there’s something more important in Xiangyang.” 

“Isn’t she going back to repair the relationship with the Ye family?” Lu Ji asked. 

“Jiang second miss doesn’t seem like a sentimental and righteous person.” Ji Heng said lazily: “Previously, I didn’t understand why she wanted to go back to Xiangyang, but now I do.”

“She has relations with the Xue family, or to speak of, the Xue family has something that she wants.”

Both Wen Ji and Lu Ji listened to the end and their thoughts turned thousands of times. After some time, they didn’t know what to say. Supposed that it was said by someone else, they would definitely say that this person was speaking nonsense. Jiang second miss and the small Xue family in Xiangyang, what kind of relationship could they have? However, Ji Heng had never spoken groundlessly, what he believed was usually facts and it was rare to be mistaken. 

“Wen Ji, carefully investigate Xue Zhao’s cause of death.” Ji Heng fiddled with the folding fan in his hand and said: “Maybe our Jiang second miss knows more about the weird death of Xue Zhao.”

Lu Ji was startled: “She even knows this?”

“The secret she hides is not just one or two.” Ji Heng carelessly brushed off the crease on his gown and indifferently said: “By lucky coincidence, I also want to go to Xiangyang. Seems this journey is going to be lively.”