Chapter 180: Zhong Xintong Died
After the carriage left, Jiang Rui looked at the wheels of his carriage, but frowned slightly, “Just a country girl, Second Master, is she worth Second Master cherishing her so much?”
Could there be something fishy going on?
“Third Master, Second Master mentioned several marriage proposals before, but all the brides died suddenly on their wedding night. It must be that this new Madam is special, so he cherishes her a bit more.” The guard beside him analyzed.
Jiang Rui’s gaze was profound, “Just a country girl, yet she survived the wedding night. Don’t you think this country girl has great abilities?”
“This…”
The guard didn’t know what to say. Jiang Rui paused, “Go investigate and see what background this Jiang Ruanxi really has.”
“Yes.”
The carriage swayed northward. Hong Ye saw she was unhappy and said, “Madam, do you know what news I heard when I went out today?”
Jiang Ruanxi shook her head. Hong Ye continued, “It’s news about the Zhong Family.”
“Sir Zhong let those two get married?”
Hong Ye shook her head, “No, Zhong Xintong died.”
Jiang Ruanxi was somewhat surprised, but then she thought about it and understood what happened.
“Only Zhong Ding could be ruthless enough.”
But thinking carefully, the official position he obtained back then relied on his original wife’s dowry. Now, even if he favored Zhong Xintong greatly, he wouldn’t ruin his future prospects for her sake.
So, even if he personally killed his own daughter, he would still find a way to protect his future prospects.
Although the method was extremely cruel, Jiang Ruanxi felt this was already the best thing he could do for Zhong Ling.
“Indeed, it is said he directly administered arsenic. Zhong Ding, to ensure it was foolproof, watched her drink it with his own eyes.”
When Hong Ye heard this news, her mood was exceptionally heavy.
She didn’t know what Zhong Xintong would feel in her heart upon realizing her own biological father had poisoned her.
Would she be so angry that she crawled out of the grave?
“A tiger doesn’t eat its cubs. This servant thinks Sir Zhong is too heartless.”
“Sacrificing one daughter can exchange for all the glory and wealth. This deal is profitable no matter how you look at it. Sir Zhong doesn’t lose out.”
“By the way, this servant also heard that Sir Zhong was promoted, but Sir Zhong doesn’t seem very happy.”
“Oh?” Jiang Ruanxi finally showed a trace of curiosity, “Why?”
“Sir Zhong’s new post is in the Northern Wasteland.”
Northern Wasteland?
The northernmost part of the Qin Dynasty.
A barren land where not even a blade of grass grows.
Sir Zhong is from the south. Going to such a place is tantamount to suffering, isn’t it?
For such an opportunity to rise in office and gain wealth, Zhong Ding probably wouldn’t want to go even if he wasn’t promoted.
Why did Wei Chang send him to such a place?
Jiang Ruanxi looked at her slender hands and immediately understood his intention.
Few people knew about her coming to Lingnan.
Now back in the Capital, with a new identity.
He didn’t want to leave any handles, so he sent the man far away?
She planned to find an opportunity to ask, so she didn’t think more about it.
The carriage headed north all the way. Jiang Ruanxi always thought they would go straight back to the Capital.
But at dusk, the carriage stopped in a patch of woods.
“Madam, we’re here.”
Jiang Ruanxi looked at the pitch-black wilderness. She frowned subconsciously, “What are we doing here?”
Wei Chang reached out to help her off the carriage, saying mysteriously, “You’ll know in a moment.”
The guards lit the torches. Jiang Ruanxi finally saw the surrounding environment clearly.
In front of her was a forest, and soon, twinkling lights appeared inside.
Before she could react, a familiar voice came from inside.
“Little Xi, is that you?”
The familiar voice made Jiang Ruanxi’s body stiffen involuntarily.
Her eyes stung as she looked at Wei Chang.
Wei Chang nodded to her.
Her tears flowed down immediately.
Seeing a blurry familiar figure walking out from not far away, her voice choked, “Mother.”
Slowly, a matron walked out from the woods. As she got closer, her face became clearer. Finally, upon seeing her face clearly, Jiang Ruanxi’s tears flowed down.
She quickly stepped forward and hugged the matron, “Mother, I finally see you. I thought I’d never have the chance in this lifetime.”
Thinking of Madam Jiang’s favor for her in the previous life, her arms hugged tighter.
Madam Jiang gently patted her back, “Silly girl.”
As she spoke, her tone also became choked, “Little Xi, it’s so good that you’re alive. Mother really misses you.”
“Mother, I miss you too.”
Knowing Jiang Ruanxi was excited now, but thinking of something, her expression was still very grave. She stepped forward and said, “Although there are no outsiders here now, just in case, let’s go inside to talk?”
Jiang Ruanxi was stunned, a bit confused. She left Madam Jiang’s embrace and looked at Wei Chang with doubt.
Before Wei Chang could speak, Madam Jiang reacted, wiped her tears, and said, “Second Master is right. I was too excited to see Little Xi and almost forgot the important matter.”
After saying that, she pulled Jiang Ruanxi’s hand toward the dense woods. Jiang Ruanxi could only dazedly let her lead.
After walking less than a quarter of an hour, a ruined temple appeared ahead.
Jiang Ruanxi’s eyes widened slightly. She didn’t expect there to be a ruined temple in this wilderness.
While she was puzzled, Madam Jiang explained, “Second Master sent a message saying we should just pack some light belongings and leave. At the time, I thought it was a scam until he showed your token, then I believed. After that, we were brought here. This place is remote. Though it looks rundown, there is plenty of food and water inside, so it’s not too hard to endure.”
Hearing this, Jiang Ruanxi breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look gratefully at Wei Chang.
As she spoke, Madam Jiang’s face was full of resentment.
“I didn’t expect the Jiang Family to be so vicious, actually thinking of burning us alive. Luckily, thanks to Second Master.”
Jiang Ruanxi felt it was because of her relationship that this happened, her heart full of guilt, “Mother, it’s because of me that I implicated you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have suffered all this.”
They were just ordinary merchants. If not because she was the daughter of Yongyi Marquis Manor, they would have lived an ordinary well-off life and wouldn’t have nearly lost their lives for offending someone they shouldn’t have.
“How can we blame you? You were already considered dead in the Capital. Their exterminating our Jiang Family was also because they discovered we didn’t fulfill the promise.”
“Mother, what promise?” Jiang Ruanxi asked, full of doubt.
Madam Jiang didn’t intend to conceal it anymore and told the whole truth of the matter.
It turned out that back then, when Yongyi Marquis Manor had the Jiang Family take Jiang Ruanxi away, they were told to kill her. But Jiang Family parents, having no child for many years, saw how cute she was and kept Jiang Ruanxi to raise her.
To avoid discovery by Yongyi Marquis Manor people, they moved directly from the Capital to Lingnan to live.
