The night passed.
Early the next morning, there were all kinds of noises in the monastery, and the sound of knocking on the door could be heard. Li Mi's voice revealed some anxiety, "Miss Jiang, Miss Jiang!"
Jiang Ruan propped herself up from the bed and ordered Bai Zhi and the others to go out and take a look. At the same time, she quickly put on her clothes. When she put on her coat and went out to take a look, a strong smell of blood assaulted her.
Li Mi saw that Jiang Ruan was fine and breathed a big sigh of relief. He asked nervously, "Miss, are you alright?"
Jiang Ruan looked at him doubtfully, "For daren to ask like this, did something happen?" She then looked behind Li Mi and cried out in alarm. She turned her head and said with some fear, "This …"
The snow-covered ground was littered with corpses and blood flowed everywhere. It was as if a massacre had just occurred. Bai Zhi and the others quickly stood in front of Jiang Ruan to protect her.
Li Mi shook his head, "Last night, the thieves came here, and this morning it was like this. I was afraid that Miss Jiang might have met with an accident. Fortunately, nothing happened."
Jiang Ruan frowned, "Then … why am I fine?"
"It shouldn't be because of you." Li Mi said sternly, "It could be an ordinary revenge, and no innocent people were harmed. However, I have to stay behind to investigate this matter. Miss Jiang, this is my duty. I'm sorry, but I have to stay behind today. The rest of the journey is not far, Xiao Ma will escort you back to the capital."
Jiang Ruan hurriedly returned the greeting, "Daren need not worry about me. On the contrary, the matter here is more important. Human lives are at stake, and the people in the monastery are bound to be involved. I don't know if I can help."
Seeing the sincerity in her words, Li Mi comforted her, "Miss Jiang worries too much. This matter has nothing to do with Miss Jiang at all. The monastery needs to be thoroughly investigated. Miss Jiang, it's best if you leave early. Do not delay your return to the capital." What he said was not false. Although the people in the monastery had their reasons to be suspicious, Jiang Ruan was the least suspicious one. Firstly, she had just happened to pass by here to stay. Secondly, the corpses all over the ground were the handiwork of people with martial arts. Such a massacre last night did not alarm anyone in the monastery. This showed that the killer's martial arts were high, and it was even more impossible for Jiang Ruan and the other three weak women.
Since things had come to this point, it would be more trouble to request to stay. Jiang Ruan ordered Bai Zhi and the rest to pack up before following Imperial Censor Wang onto the carriage to bid farewell to Li Mi.
The rest of the journey was very close to the capital. Around noon, the carriage arrived at the gate of the capital.
Dewdrop had never been to the capital. She curiously lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and exclaimed, "This is the capital. I've always heard people say that the capital is prosperous. Now it seems that it's true. It's so beautiful!"
Bai Zhi and Lian Qiao also looked out. The two of them had been away from the capital for five years. Returning to the capital once again, there was only an indescribable excitement in their hearts. They were happy for Jiang Ruan, and there was a kind of happiness after suffering. Jiang Ruan, on the other hand, did not have the slightest bit of their cheerful expression. She slowly lifted the corner of the curtain on her side, and just happened to see a jet-black steed brushing past the carriage. That steed was a rare precious treasure, and she could not help but take a few more glances at it. When she looked again, she could only faintly see the silhouette of its back. She only felt that the figure on the horse's back was incomparably graceful.
Jiang Ruan smiled faintly and began to size up her surroundings. The streets of the capital were bustling and bustling, and the crowds were jostling shoulder to shoulder. It coincided with what she remembered. She recalled that when she had left the capital to go to the rural residence, she had also left the capital in a mourning carriage with a few lonely attendants. Coming and going, she had been separated by a lifetime. When she returned, she was no longer the same person from the past.
She raised her head and the wind outside slowly blew on her face, feeling the capital's sparse winter breeze. Lian Qiao was just about to ask Jiang Ruan to lower the curtain to prevent her from catching a cold, but when she turned her head and saw the expression on Jiang Ruan's face, she could not help but be startled. She only felt that her young lady's gaze was cold and indifferent. Although there was no expression on her face, there was an incomparably gloomy and cold aura, as if she was an evil spirit that had returned from hell.
When the carriage reached a place not far from the Jiang fu, Imperial Censor Wang and Jiang Ruan parted ways. Now that he had lodged a complaint against Jiang Quan, he was already very disdainful of Jiang Quan, and was even more unwilling to see him. He let Xiao Ma drive the carriage to send Jiang Ruan and the others back to the Jiang fu, and left first.
The closer they got to the Jiang fu, the more nervous Bai Zhi and the others in the carriage became. To them, the Jiang fu might mean an improvement in their lives, but it also meant the beginning of a struggle. On the contrary, Jiang Ruan appeared to be the calmest of them all, but the raging hatred in her heart was something that only she knew.
The Jiang fu was located on the most prosperous street in the capital. Because they had received the news from a servant boy, everyone in the Jiang fu had come out to welcome this di daughter of the Jiang family. Since Jiang Quan was not present, Xia Yan personally came out to welcome her. The wrath of the Emperor, coupled with the rumors of the common people, only by showing that the Jiang fu valued this di daughter of the Jiang family very much could this storm gradually subside.
Some of the common people saw Xia Yan personally coming out with her servant girls, and understood the ins and outs of the matter. Unexpectedly, there were some who stood at the entrance of the Jiang fu and did not leave, waiting to watch the excitement. After a while, the entrance of the Jiang fu was surrounded by many people. Xia Yan did not order the retainers to drive them away. The more people there were, the easier it was to bear witness.
The carriage rumbled along, and finally stopped at the entrance of the Jiang fu.
"Eldest Young Miss has returned!" An old woman standing beside Xia Yan exclaimed loudly. Suddenly, a gentle smile floated on Xia Yan's face.
The crowd of onlookers looked curiously at the carriage. Jiang Ruan's actions in the court had already spread throughout the capital. Everyone wanted to see how this virtuous, yet bitter, di daughter of the Jiang family looked like.
Very quickly, two servant girls alighted from the carriage. One of them helped to lift the curtain, while the other stretched out her hand to support the person in the carriage.
"Da Jiejie!" A pleasantly surprised voice rang out, and a young girl dressed in white walked out from behind the door of the Jiang fu. This young girl was about ten years old, but she was already an outstanding beauty. She was as graceful and graceful as an ink painting, and her pair of beautiful eyes seemed to contain clouds. She wore a rouge embroidered lily coat skirt with white brocade, which made her fair skin look even more like jade. Her lips were pink and tender like cherries, and her most beautiful feature was the tear mole under her eye, which was lovely and moving, like a fairy in the clouds. There were no ornaments on her body, only two jade-green ribbons in her hair, which made one's heart feel soft, elegant and refined.
Some people recognized her. The eldest di daughter of the Jiang fu was not favored, so there were only a few people who knew Jiang Ruan's name. However, Jiang Su Su's name was known throughout the capital. She was the Jiang family's pearl in the palm of their hands. She was exceptionally beautiful, and had outstanding talent. She was the number one beauty in the capital.
With this stunning little beauty at the side, there were fewer people looking at the carriage.
"Miss, slow down." A crisp voice suddenly sounded from inside the carriage.
In an instant, a slender jade-like hand stretched out. This hand was as fair as jade, and it looked as if it could not be grasped, as if it was boneless. It was only a hand, but for some reason, it caused the hearts of the people present to sway. The gazes that had been attracted by Jiang Su Su unexpectedly returned to the carriage.
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