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In the study.

“Lifang, your parents aren’t in Beijing. Logically, your second uncle should take care of you, but he’s not capable of helping you. All he can do is tell you what he knows. You and Zhekun should be aware of this and take care of yourselves.” Uncle Jiang knew that this was not something he could interfere with, so he got straight to the point and explained his attitude to his niece.

There are some things that he doesn't want to help with, but rather that he simply doesn't have the qualifications or ability to help!

Although Jiang Lifang felt a little sad, she was more grateful to her second uncle and said, "Second Uncle, I know your difficulties. Although I don't know what happened, my parents-in-law are both veteran revolutionaries, and now they are also imprisoned, which shows that the matter is very serious. I am already very grateful that you can tell me what you know."

Compared to others, Uncle Jiang is already quite good.

Seeing his niece say this, Uncle Jiang was slightly relieved and said, "I heard some things, and I also asked people to find out privately that the Huo family is colluding with the enemy and betraying the country, and is an accomplice of the person who crashed the plane."

“Impossible!” Jiang Lifang said, “Second Uncle, although I am a daughter-in-law and have no right to listen to the men of the Huo family talk about politics, I know that the Huo family would never collude with the enemy and betray the country. The Huo family would never be in cahoots with that person, or even be considered his enemy. You know, my son Yingjie almost died at that person’s hands.”

Seeing his niece getting agitated, Uncle Jiang quickly comforted her, "Lifang, don't be hasty, listen to me first. Emotionally, I'm willing to believe you. But it's no use me believing your Huo family, we need to convince those high-ranking leaders! The evidence is conclusive, so the entire Huo family was arrested."

"Second Uncle, what evidence is it?" Jiang Lifang asked, as this was what she was most concerned about.

“These are more than a dozen confidential letters between your father-in-law and that person,” Uncle Jiang said. “The contents of these letters record the things that person and your father-in-law were plotting.”

“Impossible!” Jiang Lifang shook her head repeatedly. “There couldn’t possibly be those letters.”

“But those letters were indeed found in the confidential document box in your father-in-law’s study,” Uncle Jiang said. “The handwriting on them is exactly the same as your father-in-law’s, and many of the things mentioned coincide with the previous actions of your Huo family. The evidence is conclusive and irrefutable.”

Jiang Lifang didn't know what to say. It was a fact that those things were in her father-in-law's study.

Even if someone framed them, how could these letters have ended up in the Huo family's most secret place?

"Second Uncle, do you know where my parents-in-law and my eldest brother's family are being held?" Jiang Lifang asked. "And after the Huo family's incident, which members are causing the most trouble?"

Uncle Jiang thought for a moment and said, "The Zheng family, the Feng family, and the Xu family. I don't know where your parents-in-law are, but I do know where Huo Yingjun and his wife, as well as Huo Yingqi, are being held. They are in the police station detention center near the Huo family's old house."

Jiang Lifang nodded and said, "Thank you, Second Uncle. Do you know anything else?"

Uncle Jiang hesitated, but finally decided to remind his niece. After all, they were family, and he didn't want the Huo family to really fall. He said, "I found out about the Zhou family. It's Zhou Yuanyuan who has been seen in the capital and has close ties with the Zheng family."

Zhou Yuanyuan?

Jiang Lifang was shocked and asked, "Second Uncle, have you found out if this Zhou Yuanyuan has met Huo Yingqi?"

Uncle Jiang was taken aback and asked in return, "You suspect that Zhou Yuanyuan is using Huo Yingqi?"

"That idiot Huo Yingqi only likes to listen to Zhou Yuanyuan. She thinks even Zhou Yuanyuan's farts smell good," Jiang Lifang said angrily. "If Zhou Yuanyuan appears in Yanjing, she will definitely contact Huo Yingqi. As for how she will use Huo Yingqi, I can't guess yet."

Huo Yingqi is that kind of person, so when Jiang Lifang heard about Zhou Yuanyuan, the first thing she thought of was that Huo Yingqi had taken those things back. She just didn't know what reason Zhou Yuanyuan had used to deceive Huo Yingqi.

Old Master Huo once said that if Huo Yingqi continued to betray her family, the Huo family would eventually follow in the footsteps of the Zhou family.

I didn't expect you to hit the nail on the head.

"Oh, that's all I know. I've told you everything," Uncle Jiang said. "I don't know anything more."

"Thank you, Second Uncle," Jiang Lifang said gratefully. "At least I have a general idea from you, instead of being completely clueless."

"Alas!" Uncle Jiang sighed, "I don't know if your arrival is a blessing or a curse!"

Jiang Lifang smiled bitterly and said, "Whether it's a blessing or a curse, we have to face the difficulties head-on. We can't abandon our family. Second Uncle, I have something to do, so I'll be going now. Please take care."

"Lifang, don't rush off. Eat something before you go." Uncle Jiang tried to persuade her to stay. He couldn't help her, but he didn't want his niece to leave so sadly without eating.

Jiang Lifang knew her second uncle meant well, but she really had no appetite. She shook her head and said, "No need, second uncle. I really have something to do. Once things have calmed down and the Huo family is safe and sound, I'll treat you to a meal."

Uncle Jiang felt a pang of sadness and finally said dryly, "Lifang, don't blame your uncle. Your uncle is powerless to help. If I had the ability, I wouldn't have stood by and done nothing."

Jiang Lifang was already very grateful that her second uncle had done so much. The Huo family's affairs were too important, and she didn't want to implicate her second uncle.

"Second Uncle, I really don't blame you," Jiang Lifang said. "The Huo family will handle their own affairs. If they are destined to be unable to resolve them, then there's nothing we can do, and we won't implicate others."

After Jiang Lifang left, Aunt Jiang came out of the kitchen and asked, "Why did Lifang leave?"

“You look so pale. Lifang is proud and arrogant, of course she won’t stay for dinner,” Uncle Jiang said. “Luckily, Lifang is understanding. If it were anyone else, they would have hated us long ago.”

"Alright, it's better for them to hate us than for us to get arrested too!" Aunt Jiang said. "Anyway, let's keep our distance from now on. We have a whole family of over a dozen people, you can't be soft-hearted! We can't interfere in this matter, we can't interfere!"

Uncle Jiang had explained things to Jiang Lifang, but his wife's words still were unacceptable to him. He said, "Alright, stop talking. I've already made things clear with Lifang; I can't help. Don't try to wash your hands of this. You weren't like this when the Huo family was at its peak!"

“Times have changed,” said Aunt Jiang. “Anyway, we should keep our distance from the Huo family from now on.”

Feeling guilty, Uncle Jiang had no choice but to turn around and leave the study.

The attitude of Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang represents the attitude of many people in Yanjing.

They either feel sympathy or completely distance themselves; very few actually offer help. Seven Star Grass says February has begun, please subscribe and donate.