Jiang Li’s appearance caused all the female students at Mingyi Hall to fall silent.
If the rumored Second Miss Jiang truly were a crude country woman from the mountains, or an unreasonably arrogant and domineering young lady, the crowd’s gossip would immediately drown her without mercy. However, Jiang Li appeared no different from any well-bred young lady from an official family—in fact, she seemed even more amiable and gentle. Even if one wanted to criticize her, there was no place to begin.
Finally, the tall young lady from earlier spoke up first, saying, “Are you the Jiang manor’s Second Miss?”
Jiang Li raised her eyes to look. She had seen this young lady before, at a family banquet at an official household. She was Miss Meng Hongjin from the Chengxuan Envoy’s manor, who was usually very close with Jiang Youyao.
Jiang Li replied, “Yes.”
“You actually dare to come to Mingyi Hall?” Meng Hongjin raised her eyebrows. “I heard you went to a nunnery at age seven, and there was no one there to teach you your basic education. Someone like you, instead of hiring a private instructor at your manor, comes to Mingyi Hall—aren’t you afraid of listening to lessons in complete confusion, understanding absolutely nothing?”
These words were truly grating. Everyone in the hall stared at Jiang Li to see how she would react.
Meng Hongjin also stared at Jiang Li, but contrary to her expectations, others who heard such words would likely have become furious with rage, especially someone like Jiang Li, a Chief Minister’s daughter. Jiang Li merely smiled and said, “Then there’s no need for this young lady to trouble herself with worry on my behalf.”
With bland indifference, she blocked Meng Hongjin’s words right back at her.
Meng Hongjin hadn’t expected Jiang Li to react this way. It was like punching cotton, and she was extremely stifled inside. Yet Jiang Li continued smiling, her attitude unchanged in the slightest. In her irritation, Meng Hongjin used a voice loud enough for everyone to hear to “whisper,” “No wonder they say the family temple calms one’s spirit—just look at this spineless appearance.”
“If this young lady wishes to calm her spirit, she too can go stay at a family temple for a while,” Jiang Li said softly.
“You!” Meng Hongjin was furious. Jiang Youyao spoke up to mediate, “Second Sister, how can you speak to Hongjin like that?” With a worried expression, she then said to Meng Hongjin, “Hongjin, my second sister just returned to Yanjing and doesn’t understand the rules. Please forgive her.”
Meng Hongjin said, “It’s nothing. Besides, it was your second sister’s fault—why are you apologizing? Youyao, your temperament is just too soft. You’re too easily bullied by others.”
Jiang Li glanced at Jiang Youyao and spoke with calm composure, “Third Sister, your temperament really is too soft. I haven’t said anything yet, but you’ve already apologized on my behalf. This young lady said I was spineless, yet not only did I not get angry, I responded kindly—is that also wrong?”
Just as Jiang Youyao was about to speak, Jiang Li continued, “I’ve heard that in some places, victory isn’t determined by reason but by status and position. Could it be that Mingyi Hall is such a place? I clearly have reason on my side, yet I still must admit defeat. Could it be that this young lady’s status and position are so much more distinguished than mine that I have no choice but to admit my error? May I ask this young lady, what rank does your honorable father hold?”
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent. Immediately after, some students could barely suppress their laughter, while Meng Hongjin’s face flushed bright red, unable to utter a single word.
With one breath, Jiang Li both accused them of being unreasonable and ruthlessly humiliated Meng Hongjin’s family background. Everyone knew that Jiang Li’s father was the current Chief Minister, while Meng Hongjin’s father was the Chengxuan Envoy. No matter how capable the Chengxuan Envoy might be, he could never compare to the current Chief Minister. Yet Jiang Li had asked this question with such earnestness that Meng Hongjin instantly became a laughingstock.
The atmosphere grew awkward, and Jiang Youyao didn’t know what to say. To speak on Meng Hongjin’s behalf would be equivalent to trampling on her own father. To agree with Jiang Li’s words would certainly earn Meng Hongjin’s resentment. Secretly cursing Jiang Li for being so cunning, Jiang Youyao had no choice but to exchange a meaningful glance with Jiang Yu’e.
Left with no alternative, Jiang Yu’e coughed lightly twice, breaking the silence and stiffly pulling the conversation in another direction. She said, “Second Sister, let’s not discuss that anymore. Since you’ve just enrolled, you need to choose a seat. Fourth Sister and I sit together as a group, Third Sister and Miss Meng sit together as a group. Because you arrived so late, you need to ask if anyone is willing to be in a group with you.”
If anyone was willing to be in a group with her? Jiang Li didn’t need to think to know there would certainly be no one at all.
Sure enough, as Jiang Li stood in the hall, not a single person called out to invite her to sit beside them.
Baixue couldn’t enter the hall and remained outside by the carriages with the maids of the other young ladies. Those maids probably also disdained Baixue for her robust build and left her isolated and alone outside. Baixue didn’t mind and simply squatted down by the rockery to sun herself alongside the stray cats.
In the midst of the silence, suddenly a voice called out, “There’s no one on my side. Come sit here.”
Jiang Li was somewhat surprised. She saw a girl wearing a blue-green dress stand up from the front and look toward her.
This girl was fairly pretty, though her slightly square jaw gave her a somewhat upright and resolute appearance. Between her brows and eyes was a faint shadow of Madam Liu. Jiang Li suddenly understood—this was Miss Liu Xu from the Chengde Lang’s manor.
Jiang Li didn’t hesitate and walked toward the desk beside Liu Xu. Mocking laughter came from behind, “Liu Xu, you really dare sit with her? Aren’t you afraid that one day she’ll push you down the stairs too, and when your life is in danger, don’t say we didn’t warn you.”
Liu Xu silently cast those words aside, as if she hadn’t heard them at all. Jiang Li sat down beside Liu Xu with a smile. Liu Xu frowned, and one could faintly see a somewhat unwilling expression, though she said nothing.
Jiang Li understood in her heart. Madam Liu had probably also received news that she would be enrolling at Mingyi Hall and had spoken with Liu Xu beforehand, asking her to look after Jiang Li. In truth, for one girl to feel afraid of another who had supposedly murdered her mother and younger brother was a perfectly normal thing. That Liu Xu could suppress her fear and fulfill Madam Liu’s instructions was already quite remarkable.
Seeing Jiang Li observing her, Liu Xu tightened the corners of her mouth and turned her head away. Jiang Li couldn’t help but smile—this was also a lovely girl.
The murmur of discussion behind them continued without cease, and one could still hear voices inquiring of Jiang Youyao. Jiang Li knew that Jiang Youyao and Jiang Yuyan would now do their utmost to slander her.
However, not long after, someone entered. The newcomer was a female instructor wearing a pine-colored long robe with her hair pulled up high in a bun. She had narrow eyes, thin lips, and a slender frame. As soon as she entered, the clamor of Mingyi Hall immediately vanished.
She was a strict instructor.
Jiang Li looked at the female instructor before her, feeling somewhat dazed.
This female instructor’s surname was Ji, with the single given name Luo. At Mingyi Hall, among the Six Arts, she taught “Propriety.”
Ji Luo was also someone who strictly observed etiquette—in Jiang Li’s view, she was even somewhat conservatively rigid. Ji Luo was aloof and had once greatly admired Shen Yurun, publicly praising his overflowing talent. Toward the her who was still Xue Fangfei, however, she had been pitifully harsh.
As one woman to another, she could naturally see that Ji Luo harbored romantic feelings for Shen Yurun.
Later, when the affair of Xue Fangfei’s adultery spread throughout Yanjing, Ji Luo had even come to her door and berated her to her face for not observing wifely virtue, expressing deep sympathy for Shen Yurun’s plight.
However, Jiang Li lowered her eyes. If Ji Luo were to learn of Shen Yurun’s true face, would she still feel such deep affection?