The news of Tang family's extermination, as well as Tang Zhengping going to jail, spread to all of the elite circle of Jiangnan on the very night it happened. They didn't dare to gossip about it as this matter was a big one. Only the top members of Jiangnan's elite circle knew that the person behind this incident was Mr. Jiang.
Within a hotel suite, Lin Yueling questioned her son, "Son, honestly tell dad and mom. How did you become Mr. Jiang? Not only the power holders of Jiangnan but even Gu Dezhi gave you face."
Jiang Yi was also puzzled about it. They were both clueless though they pondered on it a lot.
They were bewildered at how a well-behaved child like him had changed so much.
"It's difficult to explain it. I acknowledged a master who is very amazing. Everything I have now is all due to him. It's inconvenient to tell some of the things."
He didn't wish to weave an unnecessary lie, but it was quite difficult to believe it even if he spoke the truth.
They both glanced at each other. Jiang Yi and Lin Yueling could accept this explanation. Their family had nowhere to go, so there was no need to be concerned about such a good person's help.
Lin Yueling asked, "Can we see your master?"
Jiang Xiu's prideful gaze dimmed down. His master was most important to him. However, he had already passed away. "Master has already departed."
"Aaah?"
Jiang Xiu turned back and gazed through the glass window towards the boundless stars, "Master taught me a lot of things, he gave me a second life."
Jiang Yi asked, "That old mister must have been an amazing person."
"Naturally, none can compare to a person who treads the heavens." Jiang Xiu replied.
Jiang Yi couldn't help but get excited while looking at his son's back as it blended into Ninghai City's nightscape behind the window. It gave off a feeling as if the entire city was under his son's feet. His son's mannerisms were a hundred times better than his own and possessed a pride which disdained everything in this world. He felt that old mister was a great benefactor to the Jiang family as he had made Jiang Xiu so outstanding.
Tang Zhengping's case was put on trial on the next day. This matter also involved the issue of Jiang Yi's redressal, so its progress was quite fast due to pressure from Secretary Gu. Cheng Hanlin also matched correctly. According to his words, he wishes to atone for his crime.
As Tang Zhengping had lost the Tang family, there were no chances of any reversal due to the several criminal charges on him. The judgment had come after 5 days, Jiang Yi's case was redressed. 7 days later, Jiang Yi was restored to his former post. Only, it wasn't the same place where he was removed from before. He took up the position as the Mayor of Annan County.
According to Gu Dezhi, Annan would ascend from a county-level city to a prefecture-level city soon. So, this was almost a freebie.
The Gu family wanted to have a good relationship with Jiang Xiu, so they did their utmost to achieve the best possible outcome for Jiang Yi. This time, they had helped Jiang Xiu a lot by handing the clean-up about the Tang family.
"Mr. Jiang, do you remember our deal?"
Jiang Xiu naturally remembered it, but a mishap had occurred before.
"I won't make an extravagant request like asking Mr. Jiang to enter my elder brother's camp, but I hope you can act as an adviser of the camp and we will also award an army rank to you…"
Jiang Xiu felt that these Gu brothers were indeed astute. This suggestion left no way for Jiang Xiu to deny as it conformed well with his promise. He won't be entering the camp and would merely act as an adviser so he'll be free from the army's deployment and also receive an army rank.
"I'll naturally fulfill my words."
"That's great…"
After ending the call, Jiang Xiu gazed at Jiang Yi and Lin Yueling who were packing their things. Lin Yueling spoke to him, "Your father is really excited and impatient to take up the position there."
"I already wasted 12 years so I naturally can't waste any more of it." Jiang Yi commented.
Jiang Xiu laughed, "There's no need to hurry so much, right?"
"How can't I hurry? Your father has a heavy responsibility on his shoulder now. Since Secretary Gu has arranged such an important post for me, I must undertake the duty properly."
Lin Yueling puckered her lips while giggling. At this moment, she felt as if she saw the young Jiang Yi again, back when he was full of enthusiasm and thirsted to advance in officialdom.
"At least have food before you leave." Jiang Xiu told them.
Lin Yueling looked at the time, "Aaah. Just look at me, I forgot to make food due to the happy rush."
"Let's toast!"
"This is fine wine! Hahaha…"
Jiang Yi laughed contently while holding the wine cup. He had never felt like this before. It was as if he was reborn again. Jiang Xiu and Lin Yueling were sincerely happy for him. The hard times were over, the good times just beginning.
Three people arrived at their house at this moment.
"Brother Yi…"
Jiang Yi furrowed his brows while standing, "Why have you come here?"
Cheng Hanlin had a bottle of Maotai in his hand. Jiang Yi loved to drink this. The first time he had drunk Maotai back then was a bottle gifted to him by Jiang Yi. He said, "I came to congratulate you."
He wore an awkward expression on his face. He had already forecasted Jiang Yi's cold manner.
"I also came to sincerely apologize to you."
Though Jiang Yi was driven out of his family back then, he was a talented person and had built up pride right from his childhood, so he never viewed anyone on an equal level as him, yet he became close to Cheng Hanlin on their first meeting. Perhaps, this was fate.
"Uncle Jiang, we came over to send you off after hearing that you're leaving for Annan today." Cheng Lingsu said with a smile. As she still held the identity of Jiang Yi's future daughter-in-law, it was proper that she had come to send him off.
Jiang Yi wore a taut face while Lin Yueling welcomed her with a smile, "Susu is truly sensible. Come here, sit beside Aunty."
"Thank you, Aunty! It's fine, I have work to do…"
"What work?"
"I need to go work part-time at the convenience store…"
Lin Yueling was outraged, "Part-time work? What work! Tell Aunty if you're short on money, Aunty will give it to you. People will bully such a little girl like you if you work outside. There's no need to go to work."
Cheng Lingsu smiled in response, "I'm not a little girl, Aunty. The work is quite easy, it's just arranging the goods then receiving the money."
"Uncle, Aunty…" She then gazed at Jiang Xiu, but he simply ignored her. She still called out to him, "Jiang Xiu, we'll be leaving then."
The entire family left after that.
Jiang Yi looked at the bottle of Maotai Cheng Hanlin had left behind on the table. It would have taken a lot of effort to buy this bottle with the state their family was in.
"Feeling regret now is all in vain." He commented.
Jiang Xiu asked his mother, "Mother, why do you still want me to marry Cheng Lingsu? Isn't this just hurting father?"
As long as there's this relation with Cheng Lingsu, their Jiang family and the Cheng family would still have to interact.
Lin Yueling scolded him, "Stinky brat, Cheng Hanlin is Cheng Hanlin, and Susu is Susu. Did you forget about how I sat on the ground for a day and night back then when your father went to jail?"
Jiang Xiu didn't remember it clearly but had an impression of it, "What about it?"
"I had fainted, and you had also lost consciousness from the hunger. We both would've died if no one saved us."
"You mean…"
Jiang Yi was also hearing this for the first time. His eyes grew wide open in surprise.
Lin Yueling continued, "Yes, it was that little girl. She was only 5 years old back then yet your mother can never forget the scene of her feeding porridge to me."
"Cheng family had harmed us yet also saved us."
Jiang Xiu's eyes were filled with disbelief, but after hearing Lin Yueling's words, he vaguely remembered that he had spent 1-2 days at the Cheng family's home with his mother back then.
He also remembered the scene of Cheng Lingsu feeling porridge to him.
"I asked Susu back then that she's so small and couldn't even take care of herself so why did she save us? Can you guess what she said? She told me that I am her future mother-in-law and you are her future husband. From that moment onwards… I had decided that she'll be my daughter-in-law."
Jiang Xiu went silent. His heart was confused. The person who had caused his family's demise in the previous life was the same person who had saved them.
Since it was this way, he decided to end this grievance and let her go.
They would follow their own paths from now on.
Jiang Yi's cell phone began ringing at this moment. His expression changed after he saw the caller ID as this call had come from the Imperial Capital. He got up and left the house.
"Hello!"
The person on the other end spoke, "Didn't I tell you to wait for me? Why did you not stay put? What happened to the Tang family? Who helped you?"
Jiang Yi retorted, "Just know that it wasn't you."
"You are even taking up a position at Annan. Jiang Yi, tell me honestly, you didn't do anything to let the Jiang family down, did you? Did you sell out the benefits of the family?"
"The family's benefits?" Jiang Yi questioned him.
"Those benefits were that you had just looked on as I got imprisoned a decade ago."
"Those benefits were that you ignored my plea for help a few days ago and left my family to meet its end."