When others saw, they would only say that she was kind hearted and generous, having good morality and conduct on top of her talents. Being aggressive always appeared too calculative. Saying a sentence was not a hassle, it also wouldn't change the conclusion. So why not?
In her previous life, she didn't pay too much attention to reputation, thus letting people use her reputation as a blade. Now she wanted to become well-known. It would be much simpler while wearing a mask to handle things.
"This time Miss got first place; one heard that the person who gets first place will enter the palace and receive an award from the emperor in person." Tong'er thought of something, "Miss should soon be entering the palace and face the emperor? This is the emperor's reward, a supreme honor. In the future, no one would dare to bully Miss anymore."
Jiang Li's smile disappeared. She recalled the first time she saw Hong Xiao Emperor, it was after Shen Yurong became the top scorer. At a night feast in the palace, she went together as Shen Yurong's wife. Countless people envied her as the madam of the new top scorer. After all, Shen Yurong was outstanding and elegant with boundless prospects. At that time, Princess Yongning still drank a cup of wine together with her.
She lowered her sight, perhaps at that time, Princess Yongning had already looked upon Shen Yurong and started to have ideas about him. Treating her as a stumbling block, however, she was still foolishly unaware.
Entering the place now, she's bound to see Princess Yongning. If it was a palace feast, perhaps Shen Yurong would also be there. But this time around, she would no longer be Madam Shen, but the Jiang family's daughter.
Who's going to deal with whom?
Again, she's one step closer to the two people.
......
Inside a courtyard not too far away from the Imperial College, the lanterns were lit up inside the room as it was night time.
Ye Shijie sat in front of a table, writing a letter.
He placed first in the Imperial College's examination and in a few days going to enter the palace to receive a reward from the emperor. Soon after, he would be able to become an official. He should inform this good news to the Ye family in Xiangyang.
He had already written everything about himself with a few brief sentences. The remaining, Ye Shijie lifted his brush and hesitated.
Jiang Li also got first place in Ming Yi Hall's examination.
Ye Shijie didn't know whether he should also write about Jiang Li. For many years, not a single person in the Ye family had ever mentioned Jiang Li's name. Many years ago, Jiang second miss's words had thoroughly chilled the hearts of the people in the Ye family and even made old madam Ye seriously ill. From then onwards, the Ye family acted as if there wasn't any relation with this young lady; including Ye Zhen Zhen, no one dared to mention her name.
In this sort of situation, suddenly mentioning Jiang Li's recent development should be very abrupt. Ye Shijie planned not to write, but as he was about to put his brush down, he recalled the words Jiang Li had spoken to him.
"I was young then, maternal grandmother was also far away in Xiangyang. Mother had left early, father was busy with government affairs, many things were looked after by stepmother. Whatever I said might have been taught by someone. Perhaps, someone had even threatened me to say these words."
Jiang Li said that the Ye family was a merchant and wanted to sever the relationship with the Ye family. Was it possible that someone truly incited from behind? So as to make Jiang Li and the Ye family separated and have no more contact.
Ye Shijie discovered that he had already involuntarily inclined to believe in Jiang Li. In fact, he had not met Jiang Li many times; he even only exchanged words with her twice. With the causes from both sides, how could he have such trust in her?
Ye Shijie felt somewhat unfathomable.
But he also felt that Jiang Li was incredible. In her current circumstances where she was neglected in the Jiang residence, she had forcibly let the entire people in Yanjing to remember her name. Not only that, this name wasn't a bad name. The name made people think that the Jiang second miss was pretty talented.
This was the female who topped all six subjects in MingYi Hall, without any exception.
He lifted the brush, then put it down again, lifted it, then put it down again; this happened several times. Just as Ye Shijie was about to lose his patience, his personal servant boy, Yuan Bao, came in.
Yuan Bao took out a letter from his bosom and spoke joyfully: "Eldest young master, a letter came from Xiangyang."
"There's a letter?" Ye Shijie was stunned: "It's not yet the time for the letter to arrive." He corresponded with the Ye family through letters every half a month and it usually took a month to arrive. This was usually not the time for the letter to arrive yet.
"It should be Madam and the others who remember eldest young master's examination time," Yuan Bao said complacently: "If old madam knew that eldest young master got first place, she would most definitely arrange a huge banquet for three days and three nights in Xiangyang."
Ye Shijie didn't pay attention to him, opened the letter personally and read the content rapidly.
Yuan Bao saw Ye Shijie's surprised expression and asked: "Eldest young master, what happened?"
Father and second uncle are going to deliver goods to Yanjing." Ye Shijie said: "They are already on the road, probably they'll arrive in about seven days."
"Oh?" Yuan Bao was stunned and foolishly opened his mouth to say, "then, do we still write a letter back?"
"Write." Ye Shijie said. However, just writing about his situation would do. He thought inwardly, since father and second uncle Ye were coming to Yanjing, he could be considered having one's family present to consult on Jiang Li's suspicions. At that time, they could naturally talk it over instead of him having a headache over it by himself.
With this thought, Ye Shijie felt relaxed at once. In two three moves, he folded the first letter and sealed it inside an envelope before handing it to Yuan Bao. "Send it." He said.
Yuan Bao received it happily: "Okay!"
......
After the examination ended, there's no need for the students to go to Ming Yi Hall for the time being and they could rest at home for a few days.
On the second day, Jiang Li's people stood at the gate of the Imperial College and following Jiang Li's words, they declared that the wager with Meng Hong Jin was null and there was no need to brood over it.
As soon as these words came out, Jiang Li's value in the eyes of the people in Yanjing rose again. She had put in a lot of effort for this bet, yet after her success, she didn't hold on to it and refused to let go. Her heart was wide and she had benevolence, it was extremely hard to come by.
Consequently, Meng Hong Jin had, in contrast, become a joke.
Not only that, because Jiang Li showed an extremely gentle appearance, people started to doubt whether there's something hidden in the matter of Jiang Li harming the stepmother and murdering her brother. On the account of such a gentle and lovely lady, no matter how they looked at her, she didn't resemble someone who could do such a ruthless thing.
Moreover, Ji Shuran was a stepmother. This relationship was subtle and the guesses also differed.
These words made their way into Ji Shuran's ears and her anger wasn't small. However, as a result, her treatment towards Jiang Li became even more virtuous and devoted, which made Jiang Li feel somewhat ill at ease.
Inwarm and virtuous garden, the servant girls inside and outside were working earnestly. Everyone knew that Ji Shuran's mood wasn't too good these days. The servants were in fear that a mistake in their work would be made into a scapegoat and they worked even more carefully compared to ordinary days.
Two servant girls stood on guard by the door. Inside the house, the ice cubes inside the copper ox couldn't seem to solve the summer heat. The summer days were coming to an end and the days had become stifling hot, provoking people's mood to be impatient and restless.
Ji Shuran was in the middle of chatting with her sister, Ji Chen-shi.
Ji Chen-shi came over first thing in the morning looking for Ji Shuran. Jiang Yuan Bai wasn't in the residence, Ji Chen-shi said: "What have you been doing these past few days? Do you know what the people outside are talking about you now? Even I've heard those gossips, saying that the matter where Jiang Li harmed the mother and murdered the brother perhaps was something that you pretended to do."
It was still okay if this matter wasn't mentioned, once this matter was raised, Ji Shuran was thoroughly angry and said: "Older sister, why are you blaming me? This was spread by the people outside, up and down in my courtyard, no one dares to mention this."
"No matter who brought it up, more rumors have spread. It's not a good thing for you." Ji Chen-shi said: "This was the matter that came out because of the involvement with that girl. Why couldn't you even handle a little girl?"
Before Ji Chen-shi and Ji Shuran got married, their relationship was very close. Compared with Ji Shuran's generally graceful and subdued stance when doing things, Ji Chen-shi was much tougher.
Ji Shuran spoke in a bad mood: "That girl is slippery and too clever. Don't say me, perhaps if it's you against her would also need strenuous effort. Did you thoroughly see how the Meng family is now? Meng Hong Jin has clearly suffered a double loss.At first I thought since Meng Hong Jin was going to deal with her, I'd be the fisherman and just reap the benefits. Who would have thought Meng Hong Jin was of no use. She not only didn't succeed, but still managed to get herself thrown inside."
"What's going on?" Ji Chen-shi was startled: "Meng Hong Jin's matter also had something to do with her?"
Ji Shuran proceeded to carefully inform Ji Chen-shi about Meng Hong Jin and Jiang Li's matter. She concluded: "Ever since Jiang Li returned to Yanjing, she hasn't suffered any losses. Her age and You Yao's age weren't much different, but you see, her tolerance and ingenuity was much better than You Yao. Leaving her in the residence, in the future, how would You Yao be her opponent?"
"Listening to you," Ji Chen-shi muttered to herself before saying: "Jiang Li cannot stay, afraid in the coming days, she will become more outstanding. It's better for you to make arrangements for her to leave as soon as possible."
"You mean....... give her a marriage?" Ji Shuran said: "It is doable, it's just that Master will definitely ask about it."
"Isn't that simple?" Ji Chen-shi sneered: "there are countless pampered sons of wealthy families that have gilded exterior but ruined on the inside, just find one that seems pretty good. Just someone who's not very outstanding, you marry her over and in two three years the person would disappear. Outsiders also wouldn't search for it, isn't it such a simple matter?"
"Older sister, you help me pay attention." Ji Shuran said: "If there's such a person, I'll find a way to tell Master, let him set the marriage."