Chapter 47 Part 1: Liu Xu

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Jiang Li’s appearance quietened the female students in Ming Yi Hall.

Supposedly, if the rumored Jiang second miss was truly a vulgar village girl, or perhaps a harsh and ill-mannered bossy young girl, then everyone’s unrestrained comments would be able to drown her straight away. However, Jiang Li didn’t seem to appear any different from any other trained young misses from official families. She was even more gentle and polite. Even if they tried to criticize her, they did not know which part they could criticize. 

At last, the tall young girl just now took the lead to ask: “Are you that second miss from the Jiang residence?”

Jiang Li raised her eyes to look, she had seen this girl once during a dinner party. This was the young miss from Cheng Xuan Envoy’s1 residence, Meng Hong Jin, who was usually on good terms with Jiang You Yao.   

Jiang Li said: “Yes.”

“You actually dare to come to Mingyi Hall?” Meng Hong Jin raised her eyebrows: “It’s said that you were sent to a nunnery when you were seven and nobody taught you over there. With you being like this, instead of inviting a teacher to teach at home, you come to Mingyi Hall. Aren’t you afraid that you will be confused when listening to the lessons and won’t understand a word?”

These words were really harsh. The people in the school fixed their gazes at Jiang Li, waiting for her response. 

Meng Hong Jin also stared at Jiang Li. However, against her expectation, the others listening to her words felt utterly discomfited. Moreover, Jiang Li was still the honorable chief assistant’s daughter. Jiang Li simply smiled and said: “Then there is no need for you to be troubled worrying about this miss.” 

Not salty and not weak, yet able to block and return Meng Hong Jing’s words. 

Meng Hong Jing didn’t anticipate Jiang Li to respond like this. She felt as if she was punching cotton and her heart was on fire. But Jiang Li was beaming and there was not the slightest change in her manner. As she was irritated, a low voice that others could hear sounded: “No wonder it’s said the temple calms the mind, look at this cowardly manner.”

“If this miss desires a calm mind, you can also stay in a temple.” Jiang Li spoke softly.

“You!” Meng Hong Jin was angered, Jiang You Yao opened her mouth to persuade: “Second sister, how could you speak like this to Hong Jing?” Looking very anxious, she said to Meng Hong Jin: “Hong Jin, my second sister just returned to Yanjing, she doesn’t understand the rules. I’m sorry.” 

Meng Hong Jin said: “It’s okay. Besides, it’s your second sister’s fault, why did you apologize. You Yao, you are too soft, too easy to be bullied by others.” 

Jiang Li glanced at Jiang You Yao and calmly opened her mouth: “Third sister, you are too soft, I haven’t said anything but you first apologized on my behalf. This miss said that I am cowardly. Not only did I not get angry, I only counteracted her words. Is this also considered wrong?”

Jiang You Yao was about to speak but Jiang Li once again started speaking: “I heard that in some places, the win or loss outcome is regardless of reasons. Rather, it’s according to status and identity. Don’t tell me Mingyi Hall is this kind of place? I was clearly being reasonable, but still have to concede. Could it be because this miss’s status is much higher than mine? Then I would have no choice but to acknowledge my mistake. Dare to ask this miss, what is your esteemed father’s rank?”

 

Footnotes:

1: 承宣使:  Chengxuanzhi is the ancient official title of a military minister with a false title, meaning he had no fixed staff and no duty

Chapter 47 Part 2: Liu Xu

Please, read this at BloomingTranslation blog. We spend a lot of time and effort to bring you the best quality translations we can provide, so please show us respect by reading from our site instead of aggregators that steal our work.

When these words came out, the entire study hall became quiet. Following immediately, some students almost exposed their smiles. Meng Hong Jing blushed deeply, she was unable to say a word out.  

On one side, Jiang Li said that they were deliberately provocative while on the other side, she humiliated Meng Hong Jin’s family background. Everyone knew Jiang Li’s father was the chief assistant and Meng Hong Jin’s father was the Cheng Xuan Envoy. No matter how, a Cheng Xuan Envoy couldn’t be higher than a chief assistant. Contrary to expectation, Jiang Li still asked this question seriously, making Meng Hong Jin be reduced to a laughingstock.

The atmosphere was awkward, Jiang You Yao also had no idea what to say. If she helped Meng Hong Jin to speak, it was equal to stepping on his own father. If she agreed with Jiang Li’s words, it’s be weird if Meng Hong Jin didn’t hold grudges towards her. Secretly hating that Jiang Li was so cunning, Jiang You Yao had no alternative but to glance meaningfully at Jiang Yu’e.

Without any choice, Jiang Yu’e softly coughed a couple of times, breaking the silence and stiffly pulled the topic away to another direction. She said: “Second sister, don’t talk about those things first. You just entered school, you need to pick a seat. Fourth sister and I are seated together, third sister and Miss Meng are seated together. Because you came too late, you have to ask if there’s anyone who’s willing to be together with you.”  

Who’s willing to be together with her? Jiang Li did not need to think she was also aware. Of course there wouldn’t be anybody.

As expected, Jiang Li stood in the middle of the hall yet nobody called out to Jiang Li to sit beside them. 

Bai Xue couldn’t enter the study hall and stayed outside with the carriage along with the other misses’ servant girls. Those servant girls probably also disdained Bai Xue’s solid built and isolated Bai Xue. Bai Xue didn’t mind and squatted by the side of a rockery, basking in the sun with a stray cat. 

In the silence, someone abruptly yelled: “There’s nobody by my side, why don’t you come and sit here.”

Jiang Li felt unexpected and saw a girl dressed in a cyan dress standing up at the front, looking at Jiang Li.

This girl could be regarded as beautiful, however, her lower jaw was rather square which came across as somewhat firm and persistent. There was a faint shadow of Madam Liu in her features and Jiang Li suddenly realized that this was the young miss from Chengde Official’s residence, Liu Xu. 

Jiang Li didn’t hesitate and walked over to the desk beside Liu Xu. A jee came from behind her: “Liu Xu, you really dare to sit together with her and not afraid one day she’ll push you down the stairs? When there’s life threatening worries later, don’t say we didn’t warn you.”

Liu Xu silently tossed those words to the back of her head, seemingly didn’t hear anything at all and Jiang Li sat beside Liu Xu, all smiles. Liu Xu knitted her brows, a faint unwillingness could be faintly seen. However, she didn’t say anything. 

Jiang Li understood, most probably, Madam Liu also received the news of her attending Mingyi Hall and talked to Liu Xu, asking Liu Xu to look after her. In reality, a girl must be feeling afraid when facing someone with a reputation of attacking the mother and murdering the younger brother. It’s a very normal thing. Liu Xu being able to restrain her fear and complete the task entrusted to her by Madam Liu was already very amazing.

Seeing that Jiang Li was assessing hers, the corner of Liu Xu’s mouth was stretched taut and she flung her head sideways. Jiang Li laughed when she saw her, thinking, this is an adorable girl.

The voices of discussion came to a halt one by one. Still the voice of someone asking Jiang You Yao could be heard. Jiang Li knew Jiang You Yao and Jiang Yuyan were very likely to go all-out to discredit her. 

But not long after, a person came in. It was a female teacher dressed from head to toe in a pine colored long gown. Her hair was coiled tall above her head into a bun, her eyes and lips were thin, and her figure looked thin and weak. When she entered, the noise in Ming Yi Hall immediately faded.

She was a strict teacher.

Jiang Li looked at the female teacher in front of her and felt somewhat absent-minded. 

This female teacher’s surname was Ji, with one word Luo as her name. In Ming Yi Hall, what she taught from the Confucian Six Arts was “etiquette”.

Ji Luo was also a person who strictly abided by etiquette. In Jiang Li’s view, she was even somewhat old-fashioned and inflexible. Ji Luo was lofty and admired Shen Yurong greatly in the past. In public, she praised Shen Yurong as brilliant, brimming with literary talent. But towards Xue Fang Fei, she was pitifully harsh. 

As a female, naturally she could see that Ji Luo admired Shen Yurong.

Afterwards, the matter of Xue Fang Fei having an illicit affair spread widely in Yanjing. Once Ji Luo visited and cursed and berated in her face that she didn’t observe women’s virtue and sympathized deeply with Shen Yurong’s bitter experience.

But, Jiang Li lowered her pupils, what if Ji Luo learnt of Shen Yurong’s true appearance, would she still have those deep feelings?

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