Chapter Twenty-Five: Secret Investigation

  "If that's what you think, then there are many people in the capital who have a better family background, character and appearance than Lin sister. Why can't you see those who are even better?"

  Han Jiangxue smiled and asked back, for the first time discussing such a topic with her own big brother, she didn't expect it to be so natural, without any awkwardness or embarrassment.

  Han Jing scratched his head, thought for a moment with a very serious expression, and then said: "That's different, because I've already liked Xiaoxiao, so naturally I won't pay attention to others. Could it be that my sister has someone she likes in her heart?"

  Han Jing said this, with a face full of excitement. He has never been the kind of person who adheres to conventions. What's more important than his own sister's lifelong happiness is the engagement? Moreover, the Zhang family has been delaying mentioning this marriage, which can be seen from their small thoughts.

  However, Han Xue shook her head and said that there wasn't one for the time being, which made Han Jing worry again, and he kept asking his sister what kind of man could catch her eye.

  Although people like them don't need to rush their daughters into marriage, dragging it on like this won't do either. The girl should at least put some thought into considering her own future!

  Han Jiang Xue didn't originally want to discuss emotional issues with her older brother so thoroughly, but was pestered by Han Jing's questioning and could only think for a moment before simply responding: "Actually it's not as complicated as you think, in the future I just want to find someone who likes me and whom I like! He'll marry only me, and I'll marry only him, that's all!"

  "Pfft!" Han Jing burst out laughing, "You're really something, saying you'll only marry him. Do you think you can marry multiple people or what?"

  Han Jiangxue also smiled, but her expression didn't show any embarrassment. She said naturally, "What's wrong with that? If I get married in the future and my husband dares to take another wife, I'll divorce him and remarry. Can it be that only men can do as they please, while women must compromise?"

  "Great, great, great!" Han Jing heard this completely unconventional and subversive speech, not only without any displeasure or worry, but instead showing his true nature with utmost delight. He clapped his hands loudly and praised: "You're indeed my sister! You have spirit! You have ambition! You have charisma!"

  It's been two months since then.

  During this period, Han Jing often followed his father out to handle matters. He was originally clever and with Qingmu's guidance by his side, he also kept Han Jiangxue's words in mind at all times, so along the way, he learned things quickly and made great progress in all other aspects.

  Most of the time, he still stays at home reading and practicing martial arts as usual. Occasionally, he goes out to meet with friends for a small gathering. Every time he goes out, he will inform his father in advance and return home on time. Friends who only know how to drink and eat almost never come to visit him anymore. Nowadays, the people he hangs out with are all young talents that his father knows about.

  It turns out that it's not easy for some people who intentionally want to find fault with him.

  Men are not like women, because they have more opportunities to show their faces outside, so Han Jing's reputation is actually getting better and better every day. For men, no matter how ridiculous they were before, now that they've changed and become completely different, they're naturally gradually being accepted by some people.

  Han Feng is genuinely delighted from the bottom of his heart and has increasingly high expectations for this son, slowly preparing to take him to more important occasions.

  Han Jiangxue has recently become more obsessed with cultivating flowers and trees, even finding a master in the capital city who is extremely skilled at it, and visits him every month to learn from him.

  At other times, even if occasionally going out to ride horses and the like, every time they would properly ask their father in advance, and return very promptly, without ever again causing any trouble or incidents.

  In the capital, people gradually began to have some new discussions about Han's siblings, whether it was half-believing or guessing, in short, nowadays there is no longer any news of these two siblings doing anything wrong.

  Liu's mother and daughter were temporarily able to hold their breath, and they hadn't made any trouble for so long, but Han Jiangxue was clear that the calmer it was, the more one should be on guard, because often before a storm, it is usually the calmest time.

  Today, Han Jiangxue came again to Teacher Fu's home, who specialized in studying horticulture.

  However, she didn't really learn how to take care of the flowers and plants, but instead sat with Master Fu chatting and talking about things that had nothing to do with flowers and plants.

  That Teacher Fu was not actually old, but because of her seniority in this field, she was respected as such. She was at most in her forties, with skin that was well-maintained and had very few wrinkles, having a unique charm of a middle-aged woman.

  A middle-aged woman named Guo is not only a master gardener but also has another unknown identity.

  Twenty years ago, Guo was originally a personal maid of Han Jiangxue's mother before she got married. Han's mother recognized her exceptional talent in gardening and not only helped her find a famous teacher but also granted her freedom. Therefore, even after decades have passed, Guo remains loyal to Han's mother.

  "Miss Xue, the thing you asked me to investigate last time, I've been trying every means to find out over the past few months. But all those people who might have known something back then are now either dead or crazy, or else they're missing and there's no way to continue investigating."

  Guo sighed, looking extremely sad: "In my opinion, Miss Xue's guess is correct. The birth of the eldest miss was not an accident at all, but rather a deliberate act of harm. Otherwise, how could it be that all those midwives and servant girls who assisted in the delivery room died or went mad one by one? It's too much of a coincidence! Unfortunately, I don't have the ability to investigate further, so I don't know how to help the eldest miss clear her name."

  "Aunt Guo, this matter can't be blamed on you. Whoever dared to do such a thing in front of the Han family must not be a simple person, so it's only normal that all those who knew about it back then were silenced."

  Han Jiang comforted her with a couple of words, then asked: "How crazy is that madman? If there's a brilliant doctor, can he be cured? And what about the one who disappeared without a trace?"

  Upon hearing Han Jiang Xue's words, Guo Shi immediately reignited some thoughts and carefully replied: "The crazy one now only has a breath left, stupid to the point of not even knowing how to use the bathroom, it's impossible for Hua Tuo to cure her even if he were reborn. However, the one with an unknown fate might still be alive, we can try to investigate and find out, maybe there's still a glimmer of hope. Moreover, that person was the midwife who delivered our eldest sister, she disappeared on the night she returned home, I reckon she must have known something beforehand and was afraid someone would harm her, so she escaped in the middle of the night."

  "What's the name of that midwife, how old is she and what does she look like?" As soon as Han Jiangxue heard this, he naturally focused all his attention on this person. As long as it wasn't confirmed that she was already dead, then there was still a glimmer of hope that she was alive.

  "That person is called Song Yuhua, and she should be over sixty years old. This old lady has a most distinctive feature: there's an extremely large mole at the lower left corner of her mouth. Otherwise, there's nothing special about her." Madam Guo was extremely concerned about this matter, and had already inquired about everything that could be known with complete clarity.

  Han Jiangxue couldn't help but nod slightly, and naturally shifted the focus of her next steps to finding Song Yuhua.

  As she was about to leave, she specially reminded Guo again that these things must not be leaked out in the slightest, even if it were her own brother, lest they cause unnecessary trouble. She also left some silver tickets with Guo as funds for searching and handling matters, and finally Han Jiangxue took Zi Yue away.

  On the way back, Ziyue thought for half a day and finally suggested: "Young lady, this matter is of great importance. Why not inform General Tan about it? With his help, I think we can find the person much faster."

  PS: Thank you for the peace symbol sent by 美目盼兮yxq, muah muah~~~