Chapter 700: Chapter 214 Farewell

Jiang Li arrived at the Night Wind Hall, and indeed, Yin Zhili was there again. This time, Yin Zhiqing was also present, and the congratulatory gifts they brought for Jiang Li were encased in a trunk, which she instructed Tonger to carefully put away. Madam Jiang the Elder was very pleased, and she asked Yin Zhili some questions about Yin Zhan, since he is the darling of the people in Yanjing nowadays.

It seemed that Yin Zhan had some friction with the Right Chancellor, who was now like a grasshopper after autumn, unable to leap much longer. With Yin Zhan holding his ground, the Jiang Family presumably didn’t have anything to worry about anymore.

The Jiang Family hoped Jiang Li would spend more time with Yin Zhili, so they had Jiang Li accompany the brother and sister for a stroll in the garden. Jiang Jingrui and Jiang Jingyou stayed in the Night Wind Hall to take care of Jiang Bingji.

Knowing it was the Jiang Family’s arrangement, Jiang Li did not object; she was always obedient on the surface and accepted the arrangement. Yin Zhili walked in front, with Yin Zhiqing and Jiang Li lagging behind.

The garden in the morning was not very hot, and it was still quite cool under the shade of the trees; the wind of summer blew, creating waves of greenery that settled the heart. As they walked, Yin Zhiqing suddenly tugged at Jiang Li’s sleeve and whispered, “Miss Jiang the Second, have you ever been to the Duke Residence?”

Jiang Li was taken aback and looked at Yin Zhiqing.

Yin Zhiqing was wearing a crimson chiffon gown today, which if not worn well could appear frivolous, but on her, it was just the right touch to complement her radiance. Seeing Jiang Li looking at her, Yin Zhiqing said, “I once saw Duke Su in the palace.”

On hearing this, Jiang Li couldn’t help but stop in her tracks.

“That Duke Su must have just emerged from the palace; we met in the Imperial Garden. Since we had seen each other once, I took the initiative to greet him. He greeted me back, and I wanted to say more to him, but he seemed very busy and left quickly.”

“I see,” said Jiang Li, her heart feeling slightly peculiar.

“I’ve heard that the Duke Residence has collected various exotic flowers from around the world and that it has the best scenery in Yanjing City. It’s a pity I’ve never had the chance to see it. Since you know Duke Su and have been to the Duke Residence, haven’t you?” She stared at Jiang Li with a twinkle in her eye, but her tone had a subtle probing edge to it.

Jiang Li immediately sensed it, probably because she was particularly sensitive about matters related to Jih Heng, and perhaps also because she was inherently wary of the Yin family members. She shook her head almost without hesitation and said, “No, I have never been to the Duke Residence; I don’t know what it’s like inside.”

“So you haven’t been to the Duke Residence either,” Yin Zhiqing said, her tone slightly disappointed, but her expression clearly lightened.

“It seems the County Princess is very interested in Duke Su’s affairs?” Jiang Li asked in return.

“You could say that. I’ve heard a lot about him in Yanjing City, though I haven’t seen him often. He always seems so mysterious,” Yin Zhiqing said with a smile. “But there will probably be opportunities to meet him in the future, so there’s no rush.”

Her words were very straightforward and could be considered quite forthright. Perhaps it was the custom for women from Yunzhong to be so candid.

“Ah, we’ve fallen far behind my brother. Let’s catch up with him,” said Yin Zhiqing as she pulled Jiang Li to where Yin Zhili was waiting under a vine trellis, having realized they were falling behind. Pushing Jiang Li towards him, Yin Zhiqing laughed and said, “I’m suddenly feeling thirsty. Brother, Second Miss Jiang, you two chat here while I go with the maids to the tea shop for some tea to quench my thirst. Northern Yan is much hotter than Yunzhong during the summer.” She then walked away with the maids without waiting for Jiang Li’s response.

Jiang Li watched their retreating figures, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

“I’m sorry,” Yin Zhili also felt a bit awkward and apologized to Jiang Li. “My sister means no harm; she’s very innocent and doesn’t think a lot before acting.”

Jiang Li said, “It’s all right. Young Master Yin doesn’t need to explain to me. I see that the County Princess and Young Master Yin have a very close sibling relationship. Are you and the County Princess half-siblings from the same father?”

In reality, Jiang Li’s speech was usually very soft and circumspect, seldom so direct. But Yin Zhili was different; his consistent warmth and magnanimity made one inadvertently want to probe the limits of his patience, to see when he would become angry. So Jiang Li asked such a sharp question as if Jiang Yuanbai were here, he would likely reprimand her for her lack of propriety.

However, Yin Zhili was only momentarily taken aback before he smiled and said, “Yes, my birth mother passed away very early, and I barely remember her being around. Later… my stepmother treated me very well, as if I were her own. Zhiqing and I never felt estranged from each other as children.”

Jiang Li carefully watched Yin Zhili’s eyes as he spoke, and it seemed he wasn’t lying, which meant at least Madam Yin hadn’t mistreated Yin Zhili, and that was why their mother-son relationship appeared so harmonious.