Among the female instructors at Mingyi Hall that Jiang Li was acquainted with, the only one who clearly displayed an unfriendly relationship with her was Ji Luo.
Ji Luo taught etiquette and propriety. She had once been a palace maid in the Empress Dowager’s palace gardens. Later, after Mingyi Hall was established, Ji Luo entered the hall to teach the noble young ladies. Because she was personally appointed by the Empress Dowager, she had always appeared extremely arrogant.
Jiang Li knew that Ji Luo was someone who valued moral character and propriety above all else. Back when the Xue Fangfei affair occurred, Ji Luo had stood up to denounce Xue Fangfei with righteous indignation. Now that Jiang Li had such a scandalous past, in Ji Luo’s heart, having such a person among her students must be an intolerable matter.
After Ji Luo entered, shortly after when the hour arrived, she began her lesson. Books like “Yanli,” “Yili,” “Women’s Learning,” and “Classic of Filial Piety” taught at Mingyi Hall were ones Jiang Li had already read through long ago—she could even recite them backwards and forwards. However, Liu Xu beside her listened very attentively with a highly focused expression.
During Ji Luo’s teaching, she would occasionally have students stand and recite previous lessons. She was evidently quite strict, and the students all feared her, sitting properly and obediently during class. However, from beginning to end, Ji Luo never once asked Jiang Li a question, nor even glanced in her direction.
Generally speaking, when Mingyi Hall had new students, instructors would make a special point of saying a few words to show concern. Yet Ji Luo acted as if she had ignored Jiang Li’s very existence, showing absolutely no intention of caring about her.
Jiang Li observed this and was not surprised. Someone who adhered so strictly to propriety and virtue must find her presence utterly distasteful. If Jiang Li weren’t Jiang Yuanbai’s legitimate daughter, Ji Luo would probably have found ways to drive her back to the manor. Since Ji Luo couldn’t do anything to Jiang Yuanbai’s daughter, she could only ignore her.
Jiang Youyao also observed Ji Luo’s behavior, and her mood instantly lifted considerably. No matter how cunning Jiang Li might be, she couldn’t change the past of having murdered her mother and younger brother. The people at Mingyi Hall ultimately didn’t welcome Jiang Li. Even if Jiang Li entered Mingyi Hall, she would only feel miserable.
When the propriety lesson concluded, Ji Luo stood on the platform and said, “In ten more days will be this year’s academy examination. This year’s examination will be held simultaneously with the Imperial Academy examination. Those who achieve good rankings will be reported to the Empress Dowager and receive rewards—for all of you, this is a tremendous honor.” She paused, then added pointedly, “And for those who cannot meet the requirements, their names will be reported up through the levels, and they will be expelled to distant places.”
A murmur of discussion immediately arose around them.
Those who couldn’t meet the requirements would be expelled from Mingyi Hall.
In truth, being expelled from Mingyi Hall was a small matter—after all, not everyone was a talented scholar. But those who came to study at Mingyi Hall were all young ladies from noble families in the capital. Once word spread that someone had failed to meet the examination standards and been expelled, it would truly be mortifying.
“I hope you will all work hard,” Ji Luo said dryly, then left the hall expressionlessly with her books.
After Ji Luo departed, the hall immediately became lively. Someone remarked, “Will we really be expelled from Mingyi Hall? Instructor Ji isn’t deceiving us, is she? My calligraphy since coming here has been absolutely terrible.”
“My music instruction is what gives me headaches.”
“I’m finished, finished—what if I can’t pass the archery test?”
Amid the clamor, suddenly a particularly loud voice rang out, “What are you all afraid of? Second Miss Jiang doesn’t know anything and just entered Mingyi Hall, yet she’s not afraid. Aren’t you all just worrying needlessly?”
It was Meng Hongjin.
Once Meng Hongjin said these words, the people around her froze for a moment, then began to joke, “That’s right, we were being foolish.”
“Second Miss Jiang is truly unlucky. If she knew it would be like this, why did she even come to Mingyi Hall?” The words carried no small amount of schadenfreude.
In these people’s view, Jiang Li was hardly different from a complete illiterate—at the very least, these noble young ladies had begun their education seven or eight years earlier than Jiang Li. If someone truly had to be expelled from Mingyi Hall, the first one expelled should rightfully be Jiang Li.
Jiang Li heard these words but merely smiled and paid them no mind.
“Instructor Ji’s words may not necessarily be true,” Liu Xu beside her suddenly said. Jiang Li looked toward her. Liu Xu merely tidied her books, keeping her head lowered without looking at Jiang Li, but Jiang Li knew these words were meant for her. Liu Xu continued, “Besides, Minister Jiang won’t let you fall into such a predicament. When the time comes, he can simply explain to Mingyi Hall’s administrators.”
Jiang Li curved the corners of her mouth and said, “I know. Thank you.”
Seemingly somewhat uncomfortable with Jiang Li’s thanks, Liu Xu stiffened for a moment and said nothing more.
After Ji Luo finished teaching, before long other instructors came to give lessons. Jiang Li was not unfamiliar with these instructors, and she was even more familiar with the subjects they taught. Nevertheless, her attitude remained very earnest, as if she truly understood nothing at all.
However, these instructors, like Ji Luo, all seemed to intentionally or unintentionally ignore Jiang Li.
This day finally passed peacefully. Although Meng Hongjin and her group had continuously provoked her, Jiang Li always faced them with a smile. She occasionally retorted a few words, but in such a way that left people unable to respond.
After classes ended, Baixue and Jiang Li went together to the carriage waiting outside Mingyi Hall, preparing to ride back to the manor together. Jiang Youyao and Jiang Yu’e would absolutely never share a carriage with Jiang Li, and Jiang Li also found the trouble too bothersome.
Just as they left Mingyi Hall, she saw several people pulling and tugging at each other across the street not far away. Jiang Li merely glanced once before preparing to leave. Relationships in Yanjing were complex and intricate—if one wasn’t careful and got involved in some trouble, it would be very difficult to extricate oneself. Moreover, she was now the Jiang family’s legitimate daughter, so she needed to be even more cautious in her actions.
Just at this moment, among those pulling and tugging, someone suddenly said, “Doesn’t the Ye family of Xiangyang have plenty of silver? Use your silver to batter down the gates of the Imperial Academy. This painting in my hands is an authentic work by the previous dynasty’s painter Zeng Zimo—it’s priceless. This young master is in a good mood today, so if you produce thirty thousand taels of gold, I’ll let this matter go.”
The Ye family of Xiangyang? Jiang Li’s steps halted.
Jiang Li’s mother, Ye Zhenzhen, was the youngest daughter of the Ye family of Xiangyang. The Ye family of Xiangyang was Jiang Li’s maternal family.
This person was her relative.
Jiang Li looked in that direction.
She saw several young men surrounding a youth of about seventeen or eighteen. The youth wore only a simple robe embroidered with silver thread, with a style that was neither exaggerated nor elaborate—it could even be called plain and simple. This youth had handsome brows and refined eyes, and at this moment his gaze couldn’t conceal his anger. The people facing him were three richly dressed young masters. The other two held the youth’s sleeves, while the leader, who had a weasel-like face and rat-like eyes, held a painting in his hands and was relentlessly making difficulties.
“Well, what’s it going to be? Will you pay or not?” Jiang Li recognized the weasel-faced man—he was Liu Zimin, the youngest son of the Grand Minister of Ceremonies, an incompetent good-for-nothing who relied on his position to bully others.
The handsome youth gritted his teeth and said, “And if I don’t?”
Liu Zimin looked the youth up and down and gave a vicious smile, “Simple. This young master will send you to see the magistrate!” With that, he waved his hand and said to the other two, “Take him away!”
They were actually going to drag the youth away.
With matters having reached this point, Jiang Li had no choice but to step forward.
“Wait,” she said.