Seeing Jiang Li arrive, Jiang Yuanbai opened his mouth, seeming not to know what to say, and awkwardly cleared his throat twice.
Jiang Li stepped forward: “Second Uncle, Third Uncle.”
Jiang Yuanping smiled as he looked her over and said: “Little Li did well. Being able to win first place in Mingyi Hall’s examination is no easy feat. I was just telling your father that you should be handsomely rewarded this time.”
Jiang Li smiled and bowed: “Thank you, Second Uncle.”
Jiang Yuanping looked at her even more affectionately. This second uncle seemed like a good-tempered person. Compared to Jiang Yuanbai’s pretentiousness and Jiang Yuanxing’s timid and cowardly image, Jiang Yuanping was actually the easiest to get along with. However, Jiang Li wouldn’t truly believe that Jiang Yuanping was just a kind elder. This was a smiling tiger—though he liked to smile, he was still a tiger. If provoked, he would show his tiger’s tail.
Jiang Yuanxing stood at the very end. Looking at Jiang Li, he also smiled, though this smile was somewhat cautious as he said: “Congratulations, Little Li.”
As the Jiang family’s illegitimate son, Jiang Yuanxing and the entire third branch weren’t very valued. Especially when Jiang Yuanbai and Jiang Yuanping’s official careers were bright and promising, Jiang Yuanxing was even more forgotten in the corner.
As if completely out of place with the Jiang family’s prosperity.
Seeing Jiang Yuanxing also praise Jiang Li, Madam Yang felt extremely uncomfortable. In past years’ examinations, Jiang Yue had always been the best among the Jiang mansion’s young ladies in the first three subjects. Jiang Youyao excelled at music because Ji Shuran had hired the best famous teachers to instruct her since childhood. Jiang Yue hadn’t been able to have such excellent teachers, but in calligraphy, arithmetic, and rites, she had truly become accomplished on her own merits.
The only opportunity to shine in the Jiang mansion had now been stolen by someone else. How could Madam Yang not be furious?
However, her fury ultimately couldn’t compare to the fury at the bottom of Ji Shuran’s heart.
Seeing the three masters of the Jiang mansion, including her own father, all turn their gazes toward Jiang Li and lavish praise on her, Jiang Youyao felt both indignant and angry. She couldn’t help but blurt out: “Second Sister, now that you’ve won first place, many people will surely find it hard to accept.”
Everyone in the room fell quiet. Jiang Li turned to look at Jiang Youyao and said softly: “Oh?”
Noticing everyone looking at her, Jiang Youyao hesitated, then looked at Jiang Li with great concern: “Second Sister, you hadn’t come to study at Mingyi Hall before, and you only recently returned to the capital. You’ve been at Mingyi Hall for less than ten days. To win first place without having studied… it’s truly quite shocking.” After speaking, without waiting for Jiang Li to answer, she advised earnestly: “I know the wager between Second Sister and Miss Meng is no small matter, and Second Sister certainly didn’t want to lose. But we are the Jiang family, and Father still holds office at court. We must not damage the fundamentals over small matters. After all, reputation is important, but moral character and integrity cannot be discarded either.”
Jiang Li wanted to applaud Jiang Youyao in her heart.
Look at how this speech was delivered—so dignified and righteous, so full of noble spirit. Yet also so ill-intentioned, directly suggesting that Jiang Li had won first place through cheating.
Jiang Jingrui snorted derisively: “What do we care what others think? If they’re not convinced, let them be unconvinced. Can they really drag out Mingyi Hall’s examiners and beat them to change the rankings? There’s even a saying at gambling houses—accept your losses gracefully. What, is it that only Meng Hongjin is allowed to win, and if Jiang Li wins it’s cheating?”
These words thoroughly embarrassed Jiang Youyao. Her face flushed red. Jiang Jingrui was a scoundrel—there was no reasoning with him. In her heart, Jiang Youyao included Jiang Jingrui in her hatred as well.
Ji Shuran hastily said: “Youyao is just worried.” She looked toward Jiang Yuanbai.
Though Jiang Youyao’s words were vicious, to be fair, they weren’t entirely unreasonable. Jiang Yuanbai stared into Jiang Li’s eyes and said: “Li’er, you never studied before. How could you place first? I looked at the red rankings—for the first three subjects, calligraphy, arithmetic, and rites, you were first in all of them. You… went to the nunnery when you were seven, when you had barely begun your education. Now you’ve just returned to the capital—how could you have such results?”
“Father,” Jiang Li smiled. “With a heart that loves learning, whether or not there are learned teachers to instruct you, there will always be gains.” She paused, then said as if reminiscing: “Back then on Qingcheng Mountain, life on the mountain was hard and had no pleasures to speak of. Fortunately, the nunnery had quite a collection of books. Many pilgrims had donated books. Every night, when I felt the days were difficult to endure, I would read those books. Immersing myself in them this way, time would pass more quickly, and the bitter days wouldn’t be so hard to bear.”
Everyone froze.
Jiang Li sighed softly: “I stayed on Qingcheng Mountain for eight years. After reading through all the books in the nunnery, I went to the nearby Helin Temple to borrow and read. In this way, over all these years, the books I’ve read are no fewer than those read by the teachers in the capital’s academies.” Jiang Li smiled slightly. “There’s no need for any teacher to instruct—when you’ve read enough, you naturally understand.” When she said this, her tone inexplicably carried some melancholy. Though clearly a fresh and tender young girl in her youth, she seemed to already carry the weathering of someone who had experienced life’s vicissitudes.
It made people feel inexplicably heartsore.
Jiang Yuanbai felt a lump in his throat. Jiang Li hadn’t said a single word against him, yet every word and sentence seemed like an accusation. Before his eyes seemed to float an image of a shabby hut in wind and snow, where Jiang Li as a young girl clumsily held books, accompanied only by dim lamps and ancient Buddhas, living lonely and sad days.
After all, blood was thicker than water. Jiang Yuanbai’s heart suddenly softened by a degree. As for whether Jiang Li had cheated, he became unwilling and didn’t want to pursue it further.
Old Madam Jiang was evidently the same. She said: “You did very well.” Dry and stiff, yet also containing some comfort within.
Ji Shuran’s spine stiffened. Once again, Old Madam Jiang and Jiang Yuanbai’s attitudes had changed, just because of Jiang Li’s few words reversing the situation.
Extreme fury rose in Ji Shuran’s heart. Just a fourteen or fifteen-year-old little girl, yet she seemed to have become a spirit, grasping people’s minds perfectly. Since entering the mansion, she herself hadn’t gained any advantage, but instead let Jiang Li occupy the upper hand in everything.
How utterly absurd.
Jiang Youyao also stopped talking. Her few provocative words had no effect whatsoever. Even Jiang Yue could read the current situation and no longer spoke.
Madam Lu actually felt a bit of sympathy rise for Jiang Li. Looking again at Jiang Jingrui, it seemed as if he was the one who had been thrown into a broken temple, as if with just one word from Jiang Li, he would stand up for her.
“Second Girl, don’t be proud.” Old Madam Jiang said lightly. “You got first place in the first three subjects. Of the six arts, the last three subjects haven’t been examined yet. I heard the Meng family girl got second in the first three subjects. If she surpasses you in music, chariot driving, and archery, you’ll still lose the wager.”
“You must continue to win in these three subjects.” She asked: “Do you have confidence?”
Jiang Li smiled sweetly: “I only ask to try my best and do what I can.”