Chapter 47: Relatives
Among the female instructors at Mingyi Hall, Jiang Li had formed friendly relationships with some, but the only one who openly displayed hostility was Ji Luo.
Ji Luo taught etiquette and had once been a palace maid in the Empress Dowager's court. After Mingyi Hall was established, she was appointed by the Empress Dowager herself to instruct noble young ladies, which made her exceptionally arrogant.
Jiang Li knew that Ji Luo valued moral character and etiquette above all else. When the incident involving Xue Fangfei occurred, Ji Luo had stepped forward to indignantly condemn her. Now that Jiang Li carried such a notorious past, having a student like her in class must be unbearable in Ji Luo's eyes.
After Ji Luo entered the classroom, she began the lesson promptly when the time came. Jiang Li had long since read and could even recite backwards classics like "Yan Li," "Yi Li," "Nü Shu," and "Classic of Filial Piety" taught at Mingyi Hall. However, Liu Xu beside her listened with great concentration, her expression completely focused.
During her lessons, Ji Luo would occasionally ask students to stand and recite previous assignments. She appeared quite strict, and the students feared her, remaining perfectly disciplined in class. Yet from start to finish, Ji Luo never addressed Jiang Li once, nor even glanced in her direction.
Normally, when a new student joined Mingyi Hall, the instructors would offer words of welcome and concern. But Ji Luo acted as if Jiang Li didn't exist, showing no intention of acknowledging her.
Jiang Li observed this but wasn't surprised. Someone so devoted to propriety would naturally detest her presence. If Jiang Li weren't Jiang Yuanbai's legitimate daughter, Ji Luo might have found a way to send her back home. Unable to take action against the daughter of Jiang Yuanbai, Ji Luo could only ignore her.
Jiang Youyao also noticed Ji Luo's behavior and felt considerably uplifted. No matter how cunning Jiang Li might be, she couldn't change her past of matricide and killing her younger brother. The people at Mingyi Hall would never welcome Jiang Li. Even if she managed to enter Mingyi Hall, she would only suffer.
When the etiquette lesson concluded, Ji Luo stood at the podium and announced, "In ten days, we'll hold this year's academy examination, which will coincide with the Imperial College examination. Those who achieve outstanding results will be reported to the Empress Dowager and receive rewards—a great honor for you all." After a pause, she added meaningfully, "As for those who fail to meet the requirements, they will be reported level by level and expelled to distant places."
The classroom immediately buzzed with discussion.
Failure to meet the standards meant expulsion from Mingyi Hall.
In truth, being expelled from Mingyi Hall wasn't the main concern—after all, not everyone could be a talented scholar. But all the students at Mingyi Hall were daughters of noble families in the capital. If word spread that someone failed the examination and was expelled, the humiliation would be unbearable.
"I hope you all work hard," Ji Luo said dryly, then left the classroom expressionlessly with her books.
After Ji Luo departed, the classroom became lively. Someone exclaimed, "Will we really be expelled from Mingyi Hall? Is Instructor Ji trying to scare us? My calligraphy and arithmetic are terrible!"
"My music instruction is what gives me headaches."
"Oh no, what if I can't pass the defense strategies exam?"
Amid the noisy chatter, a clear voice suddenly rang out: "What are you all worried about? Second Miss Jiang doesn't know anything, and she just entered Mingyi Hall. Aren't you being like the man of Qi who feared the sky would fall?"
It was Meng Hongjin.As soon as Meng Hongjin finished speaking, those around her froze for a moment before bursting into mocking laughter. "Exactly, we were being foolish."
"Second Miss Jiang is truly unlucky. If she knew this would happen, why even come to Mingyi Hall?" Their words dripped with schadenfreude.
In their eyes, Jiang Li was little better than an illiterate commoner—after all, these noble young ladies had begun their education seven or eight years earlier than Jiang Li. If anyone were to be expelled from Mingyi Hall, it should be Jiang Li first.
Jiang Li heard these remarks but merely smiled without responding.
"Tutor Ji's words may not be true," Liu Xu suddenly spoke up beside her. Jiang Li turned to look at her. Liu Xu kept her head down while organizing her books, avoiding Jiang Li's gaze, but Jiang Li knew the words were meant for her. Liu Xu continued, "Moreover, Lord Jiang would never let you fall into such a predicament. You can explain things to the guardians of Mingyi Hall when the time comes."
Jiang Li curved her lips into a slight smile. "I know. Thank you."
Seemingly uncomfortable with Jiang Li's gratitude, Liu Xu stiffened momentarily and fell silent.
After Ji Luo finished her lesson, another tutor soon arrived to continue the instruction. Jiang Li was no stranger to these tutors, nor to the subjects they taught. Yet despite this, she maintained a serious attitude, as if she were genuinely learning everything for the first time.
However, just like Ji Luo, these tutors—whether intentionally or not—consistently overlooked Jiang Li.
The day ultimately passed without major incident. Though Meng Hongjin and her followers repeatedly provoked her, Jiang Li faced them with steady composure, occasionally offering brief rebuttals that left them with no retort.
After classes ended, Bai Xue and Jiang Li walked together to where the Mingyi Hall carriages waited outside, planning to share a ride back to the Jiang residence. Jiang Youyao and Jiang Yu'e would never share a carriage with Jiang Li, and Jiang Li found the idea troublesome as well.
Just outside Mingyi Hall, they noticed a group of people tugging and arguing across the street. Jiang Li glanced briefly before preparing to move on—relationships in Yanjing City were complex, and getting entangled in trouble could make extricating oneself difficult. Moreover, as the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family, she needed to act with extra caution.
At that moment, one of the quarreling figures declared loudly, "Doesn't the Xiangyang Ye family have plenty of silver? Use it to bribe your way into the Imperial College! This painting is an authentic work by Zeng Zimo from the previous dynasty—priceless on the market. I'm feeling generous today—give me thirty thousand taels of gold, and I'll let this matter drop."
The Xiangyang Ye family? Jiang Li's steps faltered.
Jiang Li's mother, Ye Zhenzhen, was the youngest daughter of the Xiangyang Ye family—Jiang Li's maternal relatives.
This person was her kin.
Jiang Li turned to look more closely.
Several young men surrounded a youth of about seventeen or eighteen. The boy wore a simple silver-threaded robe, modest and unadorned in design. With handsome features and refined eyes, he now glared with barely suppressed anger. Across from him stood three lavishly dressed young masters. Two of them gripped the boy's sleeves while their ringleader—a weasel-faced fellow clutching a scroll—pressed his accusations aggressively.
"Well? What'll it be?" Jiang Li recognized the weasel-faced speaker: Liu Zimin, the Minister of Ceremonies' youngest son, an uneducated bully who relied on his family's influence.
The handsome youth gritted his teeth. "And if I refuse?"Liu Zimin looked the young man over and gave a vicious smile. "Simple. I'll send you to see the magistrate!" With that, he waved his hand and said to the other two, "Take him away!"
He actually intended to have the young man taken into custody.
At this point, Jiang Li had no choice but to step forward.
"Wait," she said.
(End of Chapter)
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