“Heavens, what is this?”
Jiang Youyao’s cry of alarm instantly shattered the previously joyful and harmonious atmosphere in the courtyard. The guests standing nearby instinctively looked into the box in Jiang Youyao’s hands.
Jiang Yuanbai and Old Madam Jiang were standing farther away and couldn’t see clearly what was inside the box. Lu Shi and Yang Shi stood up and craned their necks to look. Jiang Jingrui stood among the male guests and wanted to step forward for a better look, but was held back by Jiang Yuanping.
Before Jiang Youyao could speak, her maid Jinhua reached into the box, lifted out its contents, raised her head to glare furiously at Jiang Li, and shouted, “Second Miss, what is the meaning of this?”
Only then did everyone see clearly that what the maid held was a set of ruby jewelry. At first glance, this ruby jewelry set appeared quite valuable. However, the surface of the jewelry was covered with dense knife marks, carved extremely finely, making people gasp involuntarily at the sight.
“Second Miss, we servants know you’re unhappy inside and don’t like Third Miss, but at Third Miss’s coming-of-age ceremony, for you to send something like this is truly too excessive!” This maid’s tone toward Jiang Li could hardly be called respectful. In any other household, she could easily be charged with disrespecting her mistress and being arrogant beyond her station. However, here, no one took issue with her behavior. Instead, she was praised as a loyal servant protecting her mistress.
Jiang Li’s gaze fell on the ruby jewelry in Jinhua’s hands. Surprise flashed in her eyes, her brows immediately furrowed, and she shook her head, saying, “That’s not right. Since purchasing this ruby jewelry, I’ve kept it stored away and never touched it. I don’t know how it could have become like this.”
“Could there be some misunderstanding?” Ji Shuran also walked over. Her face showed not a trace of suspicion toward Jiang Li. Instead, she seemed quite concerned as she asked, “Could there be a problem with the jewelry itself? Was Li’er deceived and cheated?”
“How could that be?” Tong’er’s mouth was quick, and she immediately said, “Miss specially went to Jixiang Pavilion to select this coming-of-age gift for Third Miss. It cost a full four hundred taels of silver. How could there be a problem with jewelry from Jixiang Pavilion?”
So it was purchased from Jixiang Pavilion.
The guests looked at Jiang Li with varied expressions. Since she could spend four hundred taels of silver to buy jewelry for Jiang Youyao, first, it showed that Jiang Li was generous in her spending, and second, it showed that the Grand Secretary’s household had not mistreated Jiang Li—she still had quite ample funds. Even the censors couldn’t impeach anyone over this matter.
“It’s not a problem with the jewelry. Good jewelry wouldn’t crack open by itself. Besides, these are clearly cuts made by a knife.” Jiang Yue’e suddenly spoke up. She said, “Second Sister, if you don’t like Third Sister, that’s one thing, but why waste such a fine set of jewelry?”
Yang Shi hadn’t expected her daughter to suddenly speak up. By the time she tried to cover Jiang Yue’e’s mouth, it was too late. Jiang Yuyan timidly tugged at the corner of Jiang Yue’e’s robe and lowered her head without speaking. Jiang Yue’e felt triumphant inside. She knew that the mother and daughter of the first branch certainly didn’t like Jiang Li. If she could cause trouble for Jiang Li, the first branch would be pleased. First, she would ingratiate herself with the first branch, and second, Jiang Yue’e herself didn’t like Jiang Li either.
Jiang Youyao had the Ji family as her backing—what did Jiang Li have? Her own mother was dead, so she deserved to be trampled on. How could she still properly occupy the position of legitimate daughter? Jiang Yue’e wished Jiang Li would fall to the same position as herself, or even worse. That would make her happy.
Jiang Li looked at Jiang Yue’e. Her expression couldn’t be called panicked—just somewhat puzzled. She said to Jiang Yue’e, “Fifth Sister, why do you say such things? I don’t dislike Third Sister.”
“Why do I say such things?” Jiang Yue’e glanced at Ji Shuran and saw that her eyes clearly conveyed satisfaction. Feeling even more confident, she continued, “If you liked Third Sister, you wouldn’t have pushed Aunt back then, causing her miscarriage. You stayed in the nunnery for several years—you probably harbor resentment toward Aunt in your heart. You simply vented your hatred on the jewelry and deliberately sent it to Third Sister. You’re cursing Third Sister!”
“Yue’e, be quiet!” Yang Shi was naturally someone who feared causing trouble. Seeing Jiang Yue’e becoming more and more excessive, she couldn’t help but try to stop her. After all, the third branch had the least status in the entire Jiang family. While Jiang Yue’e might have ingratiated herself with Jiang Youyao now, she had also offended Jiang Li. A starved camel is still bigger than a horse—no matter how fallen Jiang Li was, she was still Jiang Yuanbai’s biological daughter. Who knew if she might rise to power again someday?
Jiang Yue’e had already said everything she wanted to say and didn’t speak further. Looking at the surrounding guests, their gazes at Jiang Li clearly carried wariness.
The scene of Jiang Li committing matricide and fratricide seemed to be bloodily laid out before people once again. Moreover, this time, because of Jiang Yue’e’s words, another image floated into everyone’s minds—that of Jiang Li viciously carving and stabbing the jewelry with a knife under lamplight, one cut after another.
Venomous heart, ruthless methods.
Madam Liu finally couldn’t hold back. She had been close friends with Ye Zhenzhen and had met Jiang Li once on Mount Qingcheng. Inexplicably, she liked Jiang Li very much. Watching her good friend’s child become the target of public criticism, she said, “Second Miss Jiang is kind-hearted and not that kind of person.”
As soon as she finished speaking, some madam in the crowd quietly said, “People who appear kind-hearted are the most terrifying. You can know a person’s face but not their heart.”
Though the voice was small, it could still drill clearly into everyone’s ears. Madam Liu’s face turned iron-blue with anger.
At this moment, Jiang Youyao began to sob softly. She was accustomed to showing an innocent and radiant smile, but when she cried, with tears brimming in her eyes, she was quite pitiable. She sobbed softly, “Why does Second Sister treat me this way? I thought Second Sister had already resolved any grievances with us…”
“I don’t have any grievances, and I didn’t damage this jewelry.” Jiang Li looked at her, seemingly somewhat helpless. “It’s just that you don’t believe me.”
“Bad person! Bad person!” Jiang Bingji suddenly started making a fuss in the nanny’s arms.
“Enough of this commotion!” Old Madam Jiang suddenly shouted, leaning on her cane as she stood up with the support of maids. She coldly surveyed her surroundings, and the guests immediately fell silent. Old Madam Jiang looked at Jiang Li and said coldly, “You truly didn’t carve this jewelry?”
Jiang Li said, “I didn’t.”
“How can you prove it?” she asked.
Jiang Li looked toward Old Madam Jiang’s side. Jiang Yuanbai was watching her, his gaze somewhat wavering. Ji Shuran was covering her face with her sleeve, as if extremely sorrowful. Lu Shi didn’t even bother pretending, wearing an expression of watching a good show. As for Yang Shi, she was staring wide-eyed, apparently reminding Jiang Yue’e of something.
In the entire Jiang household, everyone was just watching from the sidelines. Except for Tong’er, there didn’t seem to be a single person by her side.
“My maid Xiang Qiao can testify for me,” Jiang Li said. “After the jewelry was purchased, Xiang Qiao was the one who kept it stored for me. I never touched it.”
Old Madam Jiang ordered the person beside her, “Summon Xiang Qiao.”
In a moment, Xiang Qiao was brought over. Jiang Li asked her, “Xiang Qiao, you stored that jewelry in the box for me. You saw clearly that I never touched it.”
Xiang Qiao lowered her head, her body trembling slightly. After a long silence without response, just as everyone was wondering what was happening, Xiang Qiao suddenly dropped to her knees and cried, “Second Miss, I’m sorry. This servant cannot lie.” Before Jiang Li could speak, she turned to face Old Madam Jiang, kowtowed, and called out, “Old Madam, this servant will tell everything. That jewelry was carved and ruined by Second Miss with a knife. This servant saw it with her own eyes!”
An uproar erupted.