Chapter 618: Chapter 181 Visit to the Prison_2
“Think it over again,” Jiang Li said, “I’m going to Yaoguang Mansion first, I have sothing to say to Father.”
Ever since the trial by the three divisions of the Ministry of Punishnt concluded, Jiang Yuanbai stopped attending court and spent all his days at ho with Jiang Youyao. He was filled with extre guilt, always feeling that if he hadn’t been so cold to Jiang Youyao in the first place, she wouldn’t have left the house in a huff and encountered such a disaster. Now that she had lost her sanity, Jiang Yuanbai often stayed by her side, as if trying to make up for sothing.
Upon arriving at Yaoguang Mansion, she saw Jiang Yuanbai in the courtyard as expected.
Jiang Yuanbai sat on the edge of the courtyard, staring blankly at Jiang Youyao. Surrounded by her maids, Jiang Youyao sat on a soft stool, gazing vacantly at the sky. The eye from which her eyeball had been gouged was wrapped in thick white cloth, leaving only her other eye visible, its gaze also dull and confused, unaware of the passing days and no longer recognizing anyone.
Jiang Li’s steps halted at the edge of the courtyard, saying, “Father.”
Upon hearing her voice, Jiang Yuanbai looked over. After seeing it was Jiang Li, he said, “Ah Li, why are you here?”
“I ca to see Third Sister and also to visit Father,” said Jiang Li as she approached. Jiang Youyao showed no awareness of Jiang Li’s arrival. Lost in her own world, no one could disturb her, and she no longer displayed her forr willfulness and capriciousness.
Jiang Yuanbai heaved a long sigh. The Jiang Family had been smooth-sailing for many years, but within just a short year, everything had fallen apart. Ji Shuran had died, leaving behind two daughters; Jiang Li beca a stranger, polite and distant, and Jiang Youyao had gone mad. All of a sudden, he also felt a sense of powerlessness, and even his official career seed bleak.
In a soft voice, Jiang Li said, “There’s sothing I’d like to ask Father for help with.”
“What is it?” Jiang Yuanbai asked.
“In the Ministry of Punishnts’ Heavenly Dungeon, death-row prisoners are not allowed visitors,” Jiang Li said, “I wish to see Princess Yongning and hope Father can speak to the authorities there on my behalf, to make an exception.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuanbai furrowed his brow and asked, “Why do you want to see Princess Yongning in the Sky Prison?”
“There are so answers that only Princess Yongning can reveal to , let’s say it’s for the sake of County Magistrate Xue,” Jiang Li explained. “I don’t need to go in, just seeing her through the bars will be enough. Can Father agree to this? If not, I’ll think of another way.”
Her tone was gentle, yet she said, “If not, I’ll think of another way,” instead of, “If not, then let it be.”
Jiang Yuanbai stared at Jiang Li, her stubbornness inside was sothing he found both astonishing and rare, and she was very assertive. Moreover, she was not completely open with him as a father.
She kept her secrets to herself but would not confide in him as her father. Jiang Yuanbai felt very powerless, but he couldn’t demand anything from Jiang Li. In her youth, because of his wrongful bla, she had suffered and grown estranged from him, and due to his neglect, Jiang Li’s mother had been killed by soone. Were it anyone else, they would not have been able to restore their forr closeness with him as a father. It was he who had pushed Jiang Li out of his life, and now he had to swallow this bitter fruit he had himself prepared.
Therefore, all he could do was say, “All right, I’ll talk to them. You just go there when it’s ti.”
With Jiang Yuanbai’s status, a simple word to the officials at the Ministry of Punishnts was sufficient for him to arrange a visit for his daughter to see a death-row prisoner, especially since everyone knew Princess Yongning had caused the death of Miss Jiang the Third, and that Jiang Li would not take advantage of the situation to do anything.
Jiang Li smiled and said, “Thank you, Father.” She glanced again at Jiang Youyao and said, “Father should take care of Third Sister, so I won’t disturb you any longer.” She then turned and left.
Jiang Yuanbai watched Jiang Li’s retreating figure, a wry smile on his lips. She hadn’t co specially to see him or Jiang Youyao; it was clearly just to talk about this matter. This daughter of his… truly resembled a mber of the Ye Family, clear in their transactions and grudges.
But being clever was good too, so as not to be deceived, Jiang Yuanbai sighed.
…
That evening, when Jiang Yuanbai’s people ca to say that they had notified the Ministry of Punishnt, and Jiang Li could visit the prison anyti, Jiang Li was determined to leave the house.
Bai Xue glanced outside, “Miss, it’s still raining out. Why don’t we forget it?”
“They will put her to the question tomorrow,” Jiang Li said, “If I don’t go today, I won’t get another chance.”
Speaking with such certainty, the two maidservants no longer tried to dissuade her. But they were both puzzled as to why she insisted on visiting the Ministry of Punishnts’ Heavenly Dungeon to see Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning. Although Princess Yongning had hard Jiang Youyao, Jiang Li wasn’t close to Jiang Youyao, so it seed unnecessary for her to take up the cause on Jiang Youyao’s behalf. Furthermore, Jiang Li didn’t even recognize Xue Fangfei and Xue Zhao, and she hadn’t sought out Princess Yongning over their affair.
However, the mistress must have had her reasons, Tonger thought, and then suddenly noticed Jiang Li combing her own hair and was taken aback, “Miss, why are you combing your hair yourself? Let the servant do it.”
“No need.” Jiang Li had already inserted the last hairpin and said, “I’ve finished combing.”
When she stood up, Tonger and Bai Xue were both taken aback.
Jiang Li usually favored wearing azure and dressed simply, with plain and modest attire; even her makeup was sparingly applied. However, Jiang Li tonight seed like a different person. She had applied delicate eyeliner, swept on a layer of light powder, which made her skin appear even more like creamy jade, and her lip color was a soft red. Her eyes, still clear as water, now held sothing indecipherable. She wore a moon-white embroidered jacket and an empress-colored long brocade skirt. Her hair was styled in a loose cloud bun fastened with an agate hairpin, and small ruby earrings dangled from her earlobes, making her look radiant and unfamiliar.
It was still her familiar features, yet in the span of a single night, she had taken on the perfect grace of a young woman, the magnificent beauty that only a rare few possess. Standing there, even the night rain seed to blur into misty smoke around her, compelling one to gaze without being able to look away.
Tonger muttered, “I can barely recognize the Miss.”
Although Jiang Li had always shown herself to be different from before, as ti passed, Tonger had grown accustod to it. Yet today, she felt this sensation even more strongly, as if the person in front of her was not Second Miss Jiang but so other woman, a beauty the likes of which the Jiang Family had never seen.
“Let’s go,” Jiang Li smiled, “We shouldn’t wait too late.” She pushed the door and went out.
The rain hadn’t stopped, and Jiang Li walked slowly to avoid splashing muddy water on her skirt. In the past, when she was Xue Fangfei, she liked to dress up this way, for a woman dresses for the man who delights in her. She was willing to make herself exceptionally beautiful to see the admiration in Shen Yurong’s eyes. But tonight, she dressed herself familiarly not to please soone else but to remind them.
Xue Fangfei could live well, in another way, not as they had imagined she would. Just before she was strangled, Princess Yongning had still been advising her to be born into a wealthy family in her next life. Tonight, she would tell Princess Yongning that her wish was granted, but she wondered what expression Princess Yongning would reveal now?
The grudges from her previous life needed to be settled once and for all.
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