The time she left Wan Feng Hall was earlier than what Jiang Li was anticipating.
Tong'er, who was burning with anxiety, was walking back and forth at the gate to Fang Fei Garden. Seeing the two, Jiang Li and Baixue, returning, she stared blankly for a while before speaking: "Why is it so fast?"
Jiang Li smiled: "Yes ah, it's faster than I thought."
At first she thought the three branches would jointly nag for a while and didn't expect that it wouldn't take long. First, it's because Jiang Li acknowledged her mistake sincerely. Second, what's done couldn't be undone and the bet could not be cancelled now. Both old madam Jiang and Jiang Yuan Bai couldn't come up with any solution, Ji Shuran and Jiang You Yao were looking forward to Jiang Li's scandal. In spite of everything, this matter was decided smoothly without a hitch.
Jiang Yuan Bai was still thinking of looking for a teacher to properly teach Jiang Li in these few days, so as not to lose too ugly. But Jiang Li tactfully refused him. Jiang Li merely said that it's barely enough with only a few days and it's better for her to nurture her spirit.
Jiang Yuan Bai probably felt that Jiang Li's head was blocked and gave a deep sigh before storming away in a huff. Jiang Li guess he probably went to think of other ways.
After they entered the room, Tong'er poured a cup of tea for Jiang Li and said: "No matter what the result will be, even if miss loses, that is still an upright loss. It's more courageous compared with those who even dare not to compete and retreat."
"I think miss will not lose." Baixue said seriously: "Miss is a blessed person."
Jiang Li was amused by Baixue's words but felt sad after laughing. If she was a blessed person, she wouldn't have met Shen Yurong and caused harm to the Xue family and caused them to be ruined.
She had only sat for a moment before Jiang Jing Rui turned up uninvited and full of joy. He should have just returned from outside and had not yet returned to his own courtyard as he was carrying a cage with a long-horned grasshopper inside. He immediately spoke when he saw Jiang Li: "Jiang Li, you are so amazing. Now your bet is spread widely outside. My close pals all know that I have this cousin and really wanted to have a glimpse at your style."
"I'm not a famous courtesan from the brothel, what style is there to see?" Jiang Li said without any restraint.
His tea had not yet gone down and Jiang Jing Rui almost coughed it out. He shouted: "What words are you talking about! You are a girl, speak a bit more refinely! If eldest uncle heard these words, you'd have to write 10,000 words of the family rules in the ancestral hall."
"Okay, so what did you come here for?" Jiang Li asked.
That strange feeling again rose up in Jiang Jing Rui's heart. He was clearly older than Jiang Li, but he often felt that he was like a younger brother. Jiang Li was like an adult who refused to amuse a child and endured with his willful temper.
But today he wasn't here to make trouble. Jiang Jing Rui said: "cough, cough, although the way you responded to the bet was very much like my style back then, this time, your deed was really too impetuous. A young lady really kneels to apologize, in the future, do you still want to marry? You should have thought about it at that time. That Meng family's girl is not a good person, she was evidently waiting for you to fall into a pit."
"Are you that certain that the one kneeling to apologize would be me?" asked Jiang Li.
Jiang Jing Rui looked at her: "I know you are unwilling to concede, unreconciled, but now is not the time to get peeved. I reckon eldest uncle is perhaps thinking of other ways so you won't lose too badly. I have some silver here." Jiang Jing Rui took out three banknotes from his chest, "Lend it to you. You use these silvers, go to Ming Yi Hall and take a look, see if anyone is willing to help you."
This was to let Jiang Li use silver to bribe her fellow students, to help her cheat.
Jiang Li glanced at the pitifully few banknotes in Jiang Jing Rui's hand and calmly opened her mouth: "If you take out several tens of those banknotes, then perhaps that will be possible."
"Too little?" Jiang Jing Rui touched his nose. "This is already everything that I possess. My mother doesn't usually give me much money, if you really need, I can still look for my older brother. But a few tens of banknotes is too difficult."
Jiang Li shook her head. The people who'd entered Ming Yi Hall were daughters of government officials, how could they lack this bit of silver. Moreover, the current issue was not about silver. In Ming Yi Hall, apart from Liu Xu, practically all the people attending Ming Yi Hall were all enemies. Whoever helped Jiang Li would be the enemy of the entire Ming Yi hall. Except for Liu Xu, the silly girl, who would do such a thing?
Furthermore, she would certainly lose very miserably. This was a fact that all the people in Yanjing had tacitly agreed to.
"Miss," From the side, Tong'er's eyes suddenly brightened: "If talking about silver, young master Ye surely has a lot. How about we ask him?"
Jiang Li was stumped for words while Jiang Jing Rui from the other side also reacted. He spoke excitedly, "Not bad, that elder cousin of yours is a person from the Ye family, should not be lacking in silver. Didn't you just help him recently? If you look for him, he certainly won't refuse your request."
Tong'er and Jiang Jing Rui simultaneously looked at Jiang Li. Jiang Li was silent for a while before she said: "Let it go, he is also going to take part in the Imperial College's examination. At this time, being bothered with my affair is not a sensible thing to do."
If Jiang Li requested help from Ye Shijie at this time, Ye Shijie would look down on her. In addition, the matter between Ye Shijie and Li Lian had not been made clear. Jiang Li truly didn't wish to expose the good relationship she had with Ye Shijie now.
In fact, the best method was to pass the exam this time around. Ye Shijie amazed the world with a single brilliant feat while she equally became famous in one move. Whatever things happened afterwards, let nature take its course. When conditions are right, success will follow naturally, it couldn't be better.
Jiang Li said: "The six arts, calligraphy, music, etiquette, mathematics, riding, and shooting. To get the top spot, it's best to be first in all of them."
Jiang Jing Rui said: "What nonsense are you talking about?"
Jiang Li calculated, calligraphy should be writing documents. It's something that she was good at since young. Music should be playing the guqin. In her previous life, her seven notes qin was about the same as Xiao Deyin, so it's not too difficult. Etiquette would be even simpler with her outstanding memory. Besides, she had gone through it before. Mathematics should be business calculations. There was no female in the house since she was young so she was the housekeeper and managed the household. Riding would be horse riding, she had also practiced this with Xue Zhao before and was applauded. Shooting would be archery, she had gone hunting, shot a sparrow and ate game.
These things were once integrated into her life and became a common thing in everyday life. But at Ming Yi Hall, at Yanjing, these were plated with a layer of gold and became the noble ladies' grand "assignments"
In her previous life, when she arrived at Yanjing she thought that she must not act ostentatiously and exercise restraint as much as possible. Still she received the reputation of the number one talented woman and the first beauty. In this lifetime, having the Jiang family's shield and an honorable identity, she was naturally secure in the knowledge that she had a backing.
Covering the capital with flowers was just a common saying, but she planned to achieve that.
This battle, she was sure to become famous in this land under heaven.