Chapter 19 Part 1: Worth

 

“Yes, what interesting things have been happening in Yanjing in recent years? I heard the old madam of Rong Xin Ling passed away three years ago. I remember when I was small, she gave me a double-sided embroidery of the Goddess of Mercy. Also, I heard Yu Xiang jiejie mention Yanjing’s first beauty. Her husband was also the latest top scorer in the palace examination. I heard she died of illness a few days ago, is that true?”

Without any head nor tail, why suddenly bring up these insignificant things? Xiang Qiao was already confused since earlier. Now, seeing Jiang Li still earnestly looking at her, it dawned on her, Jiang second miss had probably stayed in the mountain for too long. Although she was now 15, in the end, she was still a child and liked to listen to these fresh and entertaining stories.

Xiang Qiao, this person, even though she was greedy, yet after she took the money, she would handle matters satisfactorily. Especially at this time, she only needed to move her mouth, a simple errand. So, soon afterward, the usual gossip was all spilled out to the young lady. 

 She spoke: “It’s true. Three years ago, when Rong Xin Ling’s old madam passed away, our old madam went there to offer condolences. The husband of Yanjing’s first beauty that you mentioned is last year’s top scorer in the palace examination and now a newly-appointed official. He should now be an official in the Ministry of Rites, Shen Yurong, Lord Shen.” 

Hearing this name, Jiang Li’s heart contracted tightly. However, there was a smile on her face when she said: “It’s really this person.”

“Lord Shen is awesome. I heard the master once mentioned it to madam, among the newly-selected officials in the imperial court, Lord Shen had the fastest promotion. Really someone with talent. His wife was really beautiful, however …….” Reaching here, Xiang Qiao stopped talking and disdain flashed across her eyes. Then she tensely looked at Jiang Li and continued by mumbling. 

“Was she the madam who had an affair?” asked Jiang Li.

 Xiang Qiao was surprised: “You also know this thing?” She smiled apologetically and continued: “I was originally afraid to talk about it and dirty your ears. I didn’t expect that you knew it already. That’s right, the matter of Madam Shen having a corrupted woman’s virtue is known by everyone. Think about it, which part of Lord Shen is not good. Young and promising, handsome, but this Madam Shen still had an affair outside. Really don’t know what she was thinking.” Her voice was tinged with deep loathing.

“Corrupted woman virtue? Known by everyone?” 

Xiang Qiao felt Jiang Li’s facial expression was somewhat strange and the atmosphere was suddenly stagnant. She paused and hesitantly opened her mouth: “Second miss?”

Jiang Li smiled: “Nothing, continue talking.”

Xiang Qiao paused and seemed to recall some matters before talking: “This Madam Shen had done such a disappointing and disgraceful thing to Lord Shen yet Lord Shen was infatuated with her and not only did he not blame her, he still treated her like in the past. Perhaps the heavens were unable to stand idly by, ever since Madam Shen’s affair was found out, she fell ill. A few days later, at the beginning of the first month, she left this world. To say, it must be retribution.”  Xiang Qiao shook her head and sighed: “After he knew that his wife was gone, he was broken-hearted and stayed at home without eating and drinking for three days and three nights, nearly following after his wife. His Majesty reproached him for being such an infatuated husband and instructed him to take a few days off from attending court. But recalling his emphasis on feelings and relationship, the master said that Lord Shen probably will once again be promoted.” 

After saying all these words, Xiang Qiao didn’t hear Jiang Li say anything and lifted her head to see. A stiff smile was at the corner of Jiang Li’s mouth but in a short moment, Jiang Li raised the cup in her hands and drank a mouthful before talking: “This Lord Shen is truly someone who has deep affections.”

Chapter 19 Part 2: Worth

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“Indeed.” Xiang Qiao nodded, her heart though was apprehensive. Wasn’t it? Which man wouldn’t be offended when his own wife cuckolded him? Against the norm, this top scorer official did not mind at all. Fortunately, that Madam Shen died early, otherwise, if the top scorer official carried a green hat for a lifetime, he would receive peculiar gazes from the people, not to mention his colleagues. Even among common people, he would already be a laughingstock.

So to say, in the end, the heavens still have eyes.

Jiang Li covered her mouth and softly let out a yawn. “That’s it, today you’re already tired from accompanying me. I will also prepare to rest earlier. There’s Tong’er here to wait for me, the rest of you can go out.”

Xiang Qiao was Ji Shuran’s person, originally, she should stay close to keep watch over Jiang Li. However, today she was eager to go back and admire the hairpin with gemstone rewarded by Jiang Li. Therefore, she immediately agreed and retreated happily.

Tong’er closed the door after Xiang Qiao retreated and worriedly spoke: “Young lady, that Xiang Qiao is not good. She saw that you are easy to bully and deceived to take money out of you.”

“She deceived me, how would you know that it wasn’t me who had deceived her?” Jiang Li replied with a smile. Carelessly, she fished out two things out of the small box of jewelry given by Ji Shuran. All of them were luxurious jewelry. Although presumably it couldn’t be compared to Jiang You Yao’s things, at least, it was dazzling enough for a person who had stayed at the mountain for eight years.

But if one were to closely observe, upon seeing these shining jewels and hair pins, Jiang second miss’s eyes were not the slightest bit disturbed.

The entire Yanjing already knew of Xue Fang Fei’s death. The entire Yanjing also knew that Shen Yurong almost died together with Xue Fang Fei in the name of love. A man who had talent, appearance, and deep feeling. In people’s eyes, he didn’t have the slightest flaw. In his seniors’ eyes, in the Emperor’s eyes, the subject had deep emotion and his talent could be used.

Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning were working hand in hand, a pair of adulterous couple, causing the death of his life partner, Xue Fang Fei. All for the sake of establishing a name for himself as someone with a deep affection. Moreover, he still wanted to gain a good reputation, step by step seizing opportunities to climb to a higher position.

But this person with deep affection, in his innermost heart, how much shamelessness and fickleness, only heaven knew. If God really had eyes, he wouldn’t be so unfair.

What a good and affectionate person!

Nowadays, Shen Yurong had already stood at a tall enough position. It was also due to Princess Yongning’s support behind him. Even if Xue Fang Fei was dead and reborn, he and she were like the cloud and the mud. She would be incapable of reaching her hands and pulling him down from the clouds. And if she were to lose the key moment, Shen Yurong would only go even higher, even further, to a place she would not be able to touch.

Luckily, now she was Jiang second miss. In Yanjing, the Jiang family was an official with high status. Leaning on this tree, she would still be able to cool off in its shade1. This was her shortcut.

However, she must find ways to establish her position in the Jiang family. A Jiang second miss whose words carried weight would be able to do things more easily compared to a Jiang second miss who no one cared about.

At the moment, no need to mention the stepmother who harbored evil intentions, also no need to mention the unfamiliar second and third branches. There were even only faint affections with the nearest blood-related person, Jiang Yuan Bai, not at all deep and profound.

Then how shall she gain a foothold in the Jiang family?

Xue Huaiyuan once said, at whatever time, there must be one’s own worth.

She had to let the people in Jiang family know her worth.

Footnotes:

1: She meant it as, the Jiang family was like a huge tree, big enough to shade aka support her.

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