CHAPTER 705: CHAPTER 215 CONFESSION_2

Jih Heng knitted his brows, "What do you mean by that, saying you won’t be coming back in the future? Does Jiang Yuanbai know about this?"

Jiang Li hesitated for a moment, then shook her head and said, "I have kept it from him, or rather, I intend to leave the Jiang Family, to leave Yanjing."

"This is not leaving; it’s fleeing," Jih Heng asked, "What has the Jiang Family forced you to do?"

Jiang Li smiled and shook her head, "It’s my own decision."

"It’s about Yin Zhili, isn’t it."

Jiang Li paused.

With a cup of tea in hand, which only heightened the attractiveness of his hands, his expression seemed careless, yet his tone was certain as he said, "The Yin Household pressuring for marriage?"

He had actually guessed it?

Jiang Li thought it made sense; since Jih Heng was always keeping an eye on the Yin Household, he would naturally be aware of the schemes Yin Zhan had previously had in mind. With her hurried desire to leave, it wasn’t hard to guess the reason.

Jih Heng knitted his brows again, "How dare they force a marriage?"

"It’s an arranged marriage." Now that Jih Heng was aware, Jiang Li decided not to conceal anything. She said, "My maid overheard a conversation between my father and the old madam. Yin Zhan interrupted during the victory banquet, when His Majesty was bestowing honors, to exchange military achievements for an arranged marriage—to arrange my marriage with Yin Zhili."

After these words were spoken, Jiang Li felt a chill in the room, a sensation that was especially striking given the blazing summer.

Jiang Li looked towards Jih Heng, who still wore a delightful smile, but that smile seemed deadly no matter how one looked at it. He leant back in his chair, probably because it was nighttime, he was merely draped in his outerwear, revealing the inner garment beneath, which was carelessly open, showing his collarbone. His skin was pale, which made him look particularly enticing, and in the night, even more alluring.

Jiang Li averted her eyes and said, "If it really becomes an arranged marriage, I won’t have any other choice. It seems my father and the old madam are quite fond of Yin Zhili."

"You don’t wish to marry Yin Zhili, which is why you’re fleeing the marriage?" he asked, staring at Jiang Li.

"Yes," Jiang Li answered briskly, "But I currently don’t have another way out. I’ve also advised the Jiang Family not to get too close to the Yin Household, but my father won’t listen. There’s something I’d like to ask of you; if you ever confront the Yin Household, I believe they are no match for you, but could you spare the Jiang Family, at least spare their lives?"

Jih Heng raised an eyebrow, "No."

Jiang Li asked, "Why not?"

"They’re not your real family anyway, so why protect the Jiang Family? Jiang Yuanbai is using you as a pawn now. If I were you, I’d have them all killed." He spoke nonchalantly, but his eyes were full of deadly intent. Jiang Li knew Jih Heng was not lying.

"No matter how you look at it, after becoming Miss Jiang the Second, the Jiang Family provided me a place to belong. I’m not threatening you, Duke. I just hope to remain true to my conscience. As for whether you’re willing or able to act on this, it doesn’t matter to me. I’ll leave behind a letter to warn my father before I go," Jiang Li said. "Similarly, whether he’s willing to listen or chooses to hear it, is up to him."

"You really are kind," he said, his voice tinged with sarcasm, leaving one to wonder if he disapproved of Jiang Li’s actions. He suddenly leaned in closer and asked, "Why don’t you want to marry Yin Zhili?"

Why?

The evening breeze rattled the trees outside, filling the space with their rustling sound. Jiang Li found Jih Heng’s question odd and said, "Naturally, it is because I do not like Young Master Yin, nor do I intend to marry, so I shall not marry Young Master Yin. You know as well, Duke, that I have been married and deceived before, wounded in the process. Marriage is no longer an essential undertaking for me in this lifetime."

"What if you meet someone you truly love?" he leaned forward, invading her space, "You still don’t plan to marry?"

He was too close for comfort, and Jiang Li nearly held her breath. She wanted to look away but collided with Jih Heng’s gaze instead. She’d been astonished by the young man’s beauty when they first met, his long, expressive phoenix eyes full of sentiment. Now, caught in those amber orbs, it was hard to escape.

"It won’t happen," she forced herself to remain composed, smiling slightly, "I haven’t met anyone to my liking yet, so there’s no need to think about such baseless matters. If I ever do meet someone one day, then I’ll consider what to do when the time comes."

The young girl tried to dodge the matter with a pretense of seriousness despite her shyness, and it was quite endearing. She’d indeed been married once and hurt before, yet it seemed she didn’t know how to protect herself, or perhaps she felt she had nothing to fear. Whether one called it bravery or recklessness, she would still fall in love and would not allow outside influences to change her, to become someone else.

Maybe Jiang Li now, having let go of her hatred, was not much different from the young Xue Fangfei of the past.