The Double

Chapter 57: I’ll Keep You Company

If Jiang Li did not come in last in the examination, Meng Hongjin would have to kneel and apologize to Jiang Li.

If Jiang Li performed even better than Meng Hongjin in the examination, Meng Hongjin would have to kneel and apologize to Jiang Li at the entrance of the Imperial College.

If Jiang Li not only outperformed Meng Hongjin but also surpassed all the female students in Mingyi Hall, Meng Hongjin would have to kneel and apologize to Jiang Li at the entrance of the Imperial College, carrying thorns on her back as a symbol of contrition.

Three conditions, each more shocking than the last; three stakes, each more terrifying than the previous!

Mingyi Hall fell into a dreadful silence. Not only was Meng Hongjin stunned, but Jiang Youyao and her companions, and even Liu Xu, were also dumbfounded. No one spoke, and no one could find the words to speak.

After a moment, Meng Hongjin snapped back to her senses and exclaimed furiously, "Jiang Li, how dare you!"

"My courage has always been considerable," Jiang Li replied with a faint smile. "I just don’t know how courageous Miss Meng is. You seemed quite bold earlier, but now... can you bear the weight of this wager?"

Meng Hongjin gritted her teeth and remained silent. Jiang Li’s tone was far too casual. Such a terrifying wager, yet she spoke without the slightest fluctuation, as if it were nothing more than a trivial game for a few coins. Little did she know that their wager was nothing short of earth-shattering. Whoever won would leave the losing party utterly disgraced throughout Yanjing City, and even their family would be shamed.

Jiang Li had even mentioned the Imperial College...

The students of the Imperial College were all the promising young talents of Yanjing City, many of whom came from noble and official families. Young ladies like them might very well choose their future husbands from among these men. To lose face in front of the Imperial College would mean losing face in front of potential future husbands. Which young man would ever marry a woman who had become a laughingstock? Jiang Li’s intentions were truly malicious.

Meng Hongjin felt a chill run through her heart.

"Let’s bet!" A petite girl standing behind Meng Hongjin sneered. "Sister Hongjin, agree to it quickly. Second Miss Jiang is quite confident, but perhaps she’s overestimating herself."

Liu Xu also regained her composure and looked at Jiang Li with extreme anxiety.

It was only then that Meng Hongjin remembered: she had proposed this wager precisely because she had never considered the possibility of losing. After all, a woman who had spent eight years in a nunnery—even if she had access to scriptures to learn how to read—could not possibly compare in the Six Arts. Each of the Six Arts—writing, mathematics, charioteering, archery, music, and rites—required long-term practice. Jiang Li, to say nothing of the others, had likely only just begun to study the Six Arts. In such a short time, it would be difficult even to grasp the basics. Meanwhile, the other young ladies in Mingyi Hall had been studying there for years. If they were to lose to Jiang Li, it would be truly unbelievable.

Jiang Li was destined to come in last. Her wager was nothing but a deep pit she had dug for herself.

Thinking of this, Meng Hongjin curled her lips into a smile and said, "Since Second Miss Jiang is in the mood and has the courage, of course, I’ll keep you company to the end. Let your words be your bond. Today, all the sisters in Mingyi Hall are witnesses. Once the examination results are out, Second Miss Jiang must not use her status as the Grand Secretary’s daughter to go back on her word."

"I won’t," Jiang Li replied with a smile. "I hope you won’t either."

Her expression was calm, free of worry or fear, which Meng Hongjin found deeply irritating. With a cold snort, she turned and strode away.The crowd gradually dispersed in small groups, their gazes toward Jiang Li filled with both disdain and pity, as if they had already foreseen her humiliating defeat. Jiang Youyao approached and said to Jiang Li, "Second Sister, why must you compete with Miss Meng? Hongjin has always ranked among the top three in Mingyi Hall's evaluations. Challenging her head-on like this is truly unwise."

Jiang Li looked at her and replied, "So, according to Third Sister, I should go find Meng Hongjin now and ask her to cancel the bet?"

Jiang Youyao stiffened slightly and hastily added, "But everyone in Mingyi Hall has witnessed it. If you cancel the bet now, others will think you can't accept defeat and tarnish our entire Jiang family's reputation."

"Since that's the case," Jiang Li said, "the bet cannot be canceled. Third Sister need not worry about me. I've always been quite lucky—what if fortune smiles on me this time and I win?"

Jiang Youyao smiled. "That would be wonderful," she said, though her tone betrayed utter disbelief.

After Jiang Youyao left, Liu Xu stepped forward, glancing disdainfully at her retreating figure. "Your third sister is clearly someone who kicks others when they're down, waiting to see you make a fool of yourself."

"She's a bit foolish," Jiang Li chuckled. Jiang Youyao was so eager to see her disgraced and humiliated that she failed to consider how honor and shame are shared within a family. If Jiang Li truly lost and had to kneel before Meng Hongjin as agreed, the entire Jiang household would be disgraced. As a young lady of the Jiang family, how could Jiang Youyao escape unscathed?

Jiang Youyao didn't understand this principle—or perhaps she did but would rather suffer herself than miss the chance to see Jiang Li humiliated, just as Yun Shuang had once acted toward Xiang Qiao.

"It's all my fault," Liu Xu said guiltily, looking at Jiang Li. "I was provoked by them earlier. If not for me, you wouldn't be in this situation."

"It's not because of you," Jiang Li reassured her. "They were determined to find fault. Even if it weren't this incident, they would have found another excuse to cause trouble. There's no point in constantly guarding against thieves—better to settle things thoroughly this once."

"But what will you do now?" Liu Xu asked. "I thought since you dared to accept the bet, you must have some confidence. But the Six Arts at Mingyi Hall are notoriously difficult. To be honest, I fail one or two subjects every year during evaluations, and you've only just returned to Yanjing."

"Actually, I have a photographic memory," Jiang Li said with a wink.

Liu Xu stared in shock, nearly exclaiming aloud, "Really?"

"Of course not," Jiang Li laughed, patting her shoulder. "But I'm not as hopeless as they think either. Don't worry about me. Focus on your studies and just wait for the day after the evaluation when Meng Hongjin kneels at the Imperial College gate to apologize."

Liu Xu wanted to say more, but Jiang Li had already changed the subject. Though still immensely worried, seeing Jiang Li's calm smile inexplicably put Liu Xu at ease, and she found herself believing Jiang Li's words completely.

Perhaps she truly had a plan.

Jiang Li smiled faintly to herself. It was just an examination, and Meng Hongjin's provocation had indeed worn thin on her patience. Yet another goal intrigued her: if she achieved the top rank, she would have the opportunity to enter the palace for an audience with the emperor and receive honors.

At the palace night banquet, the newly prominent court official, the current Imperial Secretariat Writer Shen Yurong, would likely be present—as would Princess Yongning.She truly wished to see these two individuals. Even if she could do nothing, even if she could not yet avenge her enemies with her own hands, merely sitting at a distance and gazing upon their faces would suffice.

This way, she could constantly remind herself of the Xue family's wrongful injustice and the blood debt of her closest kin.

She must not forget. She dared not forget.

(End of Chapter)