The Double
Chapter 316 - 118: Gratitude_4

Chapter 316: Chapter 118: Gratitude_4

"There’s nothing to be grateful for," Butcher Zhang waved his hand, "When I became a rat crossing the street, everyone shouting to beat me, only Lord Xue was willing to believe in me, not disdain me. Without Lord Xue, I would’ve been tortured to death in prison long ago. I often look at the sun outside and tell myself that being able to feel all this is thanks to Lord Xue. My life already belongs to Lord Xue, if he’s in trouble and I just sit by and do nothing, how can I still be considered human? They say that killing too many will send you to hell, I never believed that, but being ungrateful will, and that I believe."

"Just think of me as not wanting to go to hell!" he said.

Jiang Li looked at the ferocious-looking man and found him quite endearing. As they looked at each other, both of them laughed.

...

The next night, when it was time to meet up with Ye Mingyu and the others, Jiang Li found that only Butcher Zhang was willing to step forward as a witness.

After meeting Butcher Zhang, the people she later visited all had troubled expressions and were hesitant. Jiang Li didn’t force anyone, if others were unwilling, so be it. Ye Mingyu and the other guards found nothing, and Ye Mingyu felt somewhat deflated.

"It’s okay," Jiang Li cheered him up, "we did find one person, didn’t we? As I said, one person a day, we can find five, it’ll be fine."

Ye Mingyu looked at Jiang Li, but didn’t speak. What made him sigh wasn’t the inability to find people, but his disappointment in humanity.

House after house, the booklets that Jiang Li had given out were all written down, every household truly had received help from Xue Huaiyuan. And now that Xue Huaiyuan was in trouble, just because of Feng Yutang’s power, was no one brave enough to step forward?

Knowing that he was acting a bit petulant in thinking this way, yet like a bucket of cold water, it extinguished the fiery heat in Ye Mingyu’s heart, leaving him feeling ice-cold. He enjoyed the uninhibited life of the martial arts world, where gratitude was shown openly and grudges were clear. But the trip to Tongxiang made him see too much helplessness in the marketplace. He couldn’t blame anyone because everyone had their reasons. Yet there was an uncomfortable blockage in his chest, heavy and suffocating.

He looked at Jiang Li, the young girl of about fifteen or sixteen. Facing such setbacks one after the other, how could she still remain so calm? As if being rejected was nothing out of the ordinary. If it had been Ye Jiaer and Rufeng facing this situation, he feared they would’ve become disillusioned by now.

But Jiang Li never did.

Indeed, Jiang Li wouldn’t be hurt by these things. In fact, since she had died once before, she was still willing to treat others kindly, not becoming cruel and brutal because of what she had suffered. But her expectations for people had vanished.

Just like becoming Miss Jiang the Second, regarding the paternal affection from Jiang Yuanbai, the grandmotherly love from Madam Jiang the Elder, and the closeness to the many members of the Jiang Family, indeed it was because she wasn’t the real Miss Jiang the Second, but she also hadn’t invested much emotion. She didn’t care how the Jiang Family would treat her because she had no expectations.

Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning had ultimately changed her. She couldn’t say whether this change was for better or worse, but sometimes, she could feel the indifference in her bones, watching these people related to her as if she were watching the bustling excitement of unrelated strangers.

Just like... just like Jih Heng.

Maybe the current her and Jih Heng were fundamentally the same. Jih Heng’s goal was to achieve his political desires, while hers was revenge. Living for a purpose might just be inherently dull, colorless.

Jiang Li pulled herself out of her thoughts: "It’s okay, uncle, there are still three days. Starting tomorrow, I will begin to report to the Magistrate of Xiangyang, Feng Yutang’s indictment will be established, County Magistrate Xue’s execution order suspended, and on the last day, we will be able to release County Magistrate Xue from prison, taking these Tongxiang citizens to the capital to file a lawsuit."

"Tong Zhiyang will agree?" Ye Mingyu asked.

"He has no choice but to agree, the rules are such, besides, the Head of the Weaving Department, Lord Tang, has not left yet. Lord Tang knows the pros and cons, and will persuade Tong Zhiyang." Jiang Li said: "Of course, it would be better if we could find more citizens willing to come forward as witnesses."

...

Jiang Li’s steps did not halt. On the third morning, she still got up early, and together with Ye Mingyu’s subordinates, they split up to persuade the citizens who had benefited from Xue Huaiyuan’s goodwill.

Aunt Chun Fang didn’t go out either, standing in the courtyard, she watched as Jiang Li and the others left, standing there in a daze, not knowing what was on her mind.

Another day of early rise and late return.