The wager between Meng Hongjin, daughter of the Proclamation Commissioner’s household, and Jiang Li, legitimate daughter of the Chief Minister, stirred up tremendous waves throughout the capital. Even in the most remote alleyways and the most humble wine shops, whenever people discussed recent news, someone would speak of this matter with great relish.
Gambling dens large and small even began taking bets, and everyone from young to old would place their wagers.
At the usual spot in Wangxian Tower, three people were drinking tea.
The scholar in blue robes looked at the endless stream of people at the gambling den entrance across the way and smiled. “The wager is novel, drawing people one after another.”
“But it’s entirely one-sided.” The armored soldier—Kong Liu—shook his head. “These people have all gone mad, betting everything on the Proclamation Commissioner’s eldest daughter to win. Not a single person is betting on Second Miss Jiang. Tsk, tsk, tsk, truly pitiful.” He downed a cup of tea in one gulp, drinking it with the same panache as if it were wine, slapped the table, and said magnanimously, “I’m someone who cherishes beauty and cannot bear to see the strong bully the weak. Wenji,” he called to the guard standing outside, pulling ten taels of silver from his breast, “help me go downstairs and bet on Second Miss Jiang to win!”
“Don’t make yourself sound so righteous.” The scholar in blue robes stroked his beard with a smile. “Half an hour ago you spent a hundred taels betting on Meng Hongjin to win.”
Hearing this, Wenji’s face immediately showed contempt. Hmph, spending ten taels betting on Second Miss Jiang and a hundred taels betting on Miss Meng—Kong Liu clearly had a sure profit with no loss, no different from everyone else outside, yet he still had to put on an act.
Kong Liu flew into embarrassment and rage, glaring at the scholar in blue and saying angrily, “Surname Lu, why do you track my every move so clearly? Are you a rat spirit?”
Lu Ji—for that was the scholar in blue’s name—ignored Kong Liu’s accusation and looked at the person beside them, asking, “What does the Duke think?”
Ji Heng lifted his eyelids lazily and glanced downstairs. “Not interested.”
“I’m just saying,” Kong Liu said, “although I also admire Second Miss Jiang’s courage in making such a wager, that’s the Mingyi Hall examination. Ay, back in the day my father wanted to send me to Mingyi Hall too. I didn’t even get past the main gate before being kicked out. Is Mingyi Hall a place ordinary people can enter?” Kong Liu clicked his tongue. “That Miss Meng has at least spent several years at Mingyi Hall. Second Miss Jiang has only just arrived, and not only that, the place Second Miss Jiang stayed before was a nunnery. Never mind that the nunnery was apparently a dissolute one—even if it had the most flourishing incense offerings, how could nuns compare to teachers who came from the palace? If Second Miss Jiang can beat Miss Meng, that would truly be seeing a ghost.”
“I beg to differ.” Lu Ji said, “Since Second Miss Jiang dared to state the wager, especially three separate wagers with stakes escalating at each level, spoken with such determination, she must have something to rely on. Otherwise why would she go to such trouble to bring problems upon herself?”
“You usually seem quite clever, so why have you become stupid now?” Kong Liu mocked. “When Second Miss Jiang spoke like that, it’s the same as when we’re at war and make bold threats—first overwhelm them in momentum before anything else! Where’s all this deeper meaning? You scholarly types, your thoughts are just too complicated!”
That last sentence choked Lu Ji quite thoroughly. After a long while, he finally managed to say, “One cannot play a lute to a cow.”
“A rooster cannot speak with a duck.” Kong Liu retorted.
Ji Heng supported his chin with utter boredom. Even such a casual gesture, when done by him, possessed considerable aesthetic appeal.
“My lord,” Lu Ji looked at Ji Heng again. “The matter with Ye Shijie was disrupted by Second Miss Jiang’s involvement, throwing off your plans. Though I don’t know if it was coincidence, Second Miss Jiang doesn’t seem as brainless as the rumors suggest. This matter could perhaps become an opportunity. Why not observe quietly and wait for developments? The Jiang family cannot make mistakes in the plan. Second Miss Jiang could become a catalyst.”
Kong Liu was puzzled. “But Second Miss Jiang isn’t valued in the Jiang family. How could she influence the Jiang family’s decisions?”
Lu Ji quietly waited for the answer from the person across from him.
After quite a while, Ji Heng finally spoke. “The Jiang family’s show hasn’t begun yet. No rush.” He beckoned, and Wenji stepped forward and bowed. Ji Heng said, “Take ten thousand taels of silver and go to the capital’s largest gambling den.”
Kong Liu’s eyes lit up. “You’re also planning to take this opportunity to make a fortune?”
“To watch a show, one must watch until the end,” Ji Heng chuckled lightly. “Go. Bet on Second Miss Jiang to win.”
…
Jiang Li had no idea that the entire capital was in an uproar over her wager with Meng Hongjin. Because from that day on, she had been in the Jiang household “preparing for the examination in peace.”
However, this matter concerned the entire Jiang household’s reputation. Once Jiang Li’s actions spread and reached the ears of Old Madam Jiang and Jiang Yuanbai, it became a major issue.
In Wanfeng Hall, Old Madam Jiang stared at Jiang Li, her gaze extremely complex, asking, “Girl Li, what exactly are you trying to do?”
“Mother, don’t be angry.” Ji Shuran said cautiously. “Li’er is still young after all and prone to impulsiveness, which is why she made this wager with someone.”
“Young?” Jiang Yuanbai said coldly. “She’s already had her coming-of-age ceremony. In a short while she’ll be of marriageable age, yet she still acts so recklessly!”
In Wanfeng Hall, only the first branch of the family was present. Although this concerned the entire Jiang household, the one in trouble was Jiang Li after all.
“Perhaps Second Sister is fully confident,” Jiang Youyao added fuel to the fire without hesitation. “That’s why she so confidently accepted Miss Meng’s wager and even made additional demands.”
This statement only made things worse. Upon hearing it, Jiang Yuanbai’s anger grew even more intense. In his life, he most disliked arrogant and conceited people, especially those arrogant and conceited without any real ability. The look he directed at Jiang Li was full of reproach. “I know your calligraphy is passable, but if you think that alone will let you pass Mingyi Hall’s examination, you are gravely mistaken! Don’t be a frog at the bottom of a well. People of the Jiang family must above all have self-awareness. You don’t even know yourself, yet you dare to dream of taking first place. Do you know that what you’re wagering is not just your own lifelong reputation, but also my Jiang family’s honor? If you lose, the entire Jiang family will be criticized behind our backs!”
Jiang Li’s face showed great respect with timely contrition, though inwardly she was distracted. It was understandable that Jiang Yuanbai and the others thought she didn’t know the immensity of heaven and earth—after all, they didn’t know she wasn’t the real Second Miss Jiang. If she were in their position facing such a situation, she would also find it utterly absurd.
Jiang Li lowered her eyes meekly and said, “Father, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have acted on impulse. But now that things have come to this point and the whole city knows, canceling the wager now would also make us a laughingstock. Either way we’ll be laughed at, so we might as well try our best—there’s still a slim chance of winning.”
Everyone was stunned, not expecting Jiang Li to admit her mistake so readily. And her attitude in admitting fault was so good that Jiang Yuanbai couldn’t even continue reprimanding her.
Jiang Li remained calm inwardly. She had learned from Xue Zhao that “admitting mistakes requires sincerity and straightforwardness, and even when making mistakes one must stride forward boldly without looking back.” Such an attitude had always been useful.
After all, a dead pig doesn’t fear boiling water, so one could only treat a dead horse as if it were still alive.