Hearing Jiang Li say it this way, Jiang Yuanbai was momentarily stunned. He actually didn't know what kind of expression he ought to make now.
He didn't know when the girl standing in front of him had grown to be a slender and elegant young lady. She seemed to be a little slimmer and more delicate than Jiang You Yao and her appearance resembled him more. At that time when Jiang Li was sent to the nunnery, she was just seven years old, still a chubby little girl. Eight years, time passed quickly, the chubby little girl had turned into a fine young lady. Yet in the end, the slightest sense of familiarity had disappeared.
Jiang Yuanbai felt strange.
After all was said and done, he had missed eight years of Jiang Li's life, to the extent that the memory he had of Jiang Li was still that of an insensitive, arrogant and unruly child. As that child stood in front of him with her pair of clear eyes, seemingly able to distinguish clearly right from wrong, and serenely put forward her request, Jiang Yuanbai didn't know how he should respond.
He said: "Do you know what you are saying? You've never received proper teachings, how are you going to keep up with the assignments from Ming Yi Hall......."
"Father, I am also your daughter." Jiang Li interrupted him: "We both are equally your daughters, third sister can attend Ming Yi Hall, yet I can only follow a teacher invited from outside and learn a few superficial knowledge. Father, you are being unfair."
Jiang Yuanbai was once again at a loss for words. He looked at Jiang Li and suddenly the time before Ji Shuran entered the door appeared in his mind. He had two daughters, the eldest daughter was a concubine-born, somewhat unsophisticated. Jiang Li was the daughter born from his first wife, she was born smooth and round, adorable and lovely. At that time, he was very sorry towards Ye Zhen Zhen for giving birth to Jiang Li with a lot of effort and often held Jiang Li, letting her ride on his neck to play as a child.
Those were some days spent with family love, but afterwards, Jiang Li was too excessive and the father-daughter relationship was obliterated. However today, before his eyes, Jiang Yuanbai looked at Jiang Li and didn't know why he recalled those past events. A sentence, "father, you are being unfair", unexpectedly made his heart ache.
Jiang Yuanbai wasn't aware since when it started, he himself also forgot that he still had another daughter. He held Jiang You Yao, spoiled her as a pearl in the palm of his hand, yet treating the other daughter particularly alienated. Yet Jiang Li didn't strive or fight over, merely standing in front of him and looking at him, calmly narrating, making him ashamed.
This point of feeling ashamed was observed by Jiang Li and she relaxed.
Since earlier, she discovered that Jiang Yuanbai was not completely without father-daughter feelings. On the day when Jiang second miss returned to the residence, Jiang Yuanbai's eyes clearly still held some concern. It was true that Jiang Yuanbai wasn't a good father, but apart from this, Ji Shuran must have exerted a lot of ability. She also had no feelings towards Jiang Yuanbai, however to be able to make use of Jiang Yuanbai's feeling of being ashamed, she was willing to accomplish the harmonious relationship on the surface.
If she made a lengthy discussion, saying from the beginning how Jiang Yuanbai wasn't treating her well, Jiang Yuanbai might not be moved. On the contrary, by her speaking serenely, Jiang Yuanbai would think more deeply.
"Jiang Li, now you are not suitable to attend Ming Yi Hall." After a long time, Jiang Yuanbai spoke. Although he rejected her, his tone as he was speaking was much gentler.
"The reason why father is not willing to let me attend Ming Yi Hall is because of the fear that people will point their fingers behind, causing the Jiang family to be humiliated. Father has good intentions, however has father ever thought that the current ministers prais female learning? Father as the Chief Assistant in court, the head of the scholars, yet permits the first wife's daughter to invite a teacher home and not attend Ming Yi Hall. How is this not hitting the emperor's face?"