Chapter 41 Part 1 - Convince

 

In Fang Fei Garden, Jiang Jing Rui sputtered to no avail. He was also unable to change Jiang Li’s idea. In the end, he had no other alternative but to open his mouth and said: “I’ve said what I should say. Since you insist on doing this, I have nothing else to say. You want to go to eldest uncle, then go. If it doesn’t work out, let your servant girl come and tell me. We will discuss going to grandmother.”

 

He being able to say all this, from Jiang Jing Rui’s standpoint, was already extremely benevolent.

Jiang Li spoke: “Many thanks.”

Jiang Jing Rui shook his head. Jiang Li mulled for a while then looked at him and asked: “I want to ask you a question.”

“What is it?”

“How are your studies going?”

Hearing Jiang Li’s question was about this, Jiang Jing Rui unexpectedly blushed. Slapping the table and standing up he shouted loudly: “Jiang Li, you shouldn’t bully too much! You made fun of me, I haven’t teased you yet! Just do what you like to do, this young master won’t be concerned anymore!” Done speaking, he kicked the stool furiously and walked out.

Tong’er’s lips twitched: “This second young master looked like he was jabbed in his sore spot; rushing at the young lady with so much anger?”

Jiang Li also didn’t expect Jiang Jing Rui to reject studying this much. After all, the Jiang family could be considered as a clear stream of literary officials. Jiang Li still thought that everyone here were all gifted scholars and talented girls. However, Jiang Jing Rui displaying such look of shame made Jiang Li have a kind of amiable feeling. That was because Xue Zhao was also like this.

Xue Huaiyuan only had a pair of daughter and son. As it happened, since young Xue Zhao liked wielding blades and playing with swords. It was not likely for Xue Huaiyuan to deliberately let Xue Zhao choose this road. Xue Zhao was very interested in military study but had a headache dealing with reading books. Everytime Xue Huaiyuan was about to check his assignments, Xue Zhao always exhausted his thought to come up with ways to slip away.

Since young, didn’t know how many times Jiang Li had covered for Xue Zhao.

Now……. thinking that this person was no longer around, a trace of sorrow flashed across Jiang Li’s eyes.

Bai Xue could be considered as having a good grasp in boiling scented tea. At the height of summer, she didn’t feel boiling tea was a difficult task. She poured the tea into a white porcelain cup then adding a preserved plum inside before placing the cup on a small table to cool it down. Bai Xue asked: “Young lady, that Ming Yi Hall, is it very good?”

Jiang Li smiled: “Most of the teachers in Ming Yi Hall are invited by the palace. The current courtiers, in order to spread learning, had specially set up a male and female academic institution. Many ladies from imperial families are studying at Ming Yi Hall. Every year, for Ming Yi Hall examination, the highest achiever would receive a reward from the Empress Dowager.

Listening to this, Bai Xue was puzzled and promptly asked: “Then it’s very difficult to get in, right?”

“What hard to get in?” Tong’er by the side said in a small voice: “As long as you have silver and face, why cannot get in?”

“Then why can’t our young lady enter? Why didn’t the master let our young lady to go there?” asked Bai Xue.

“Why? He’s afraid she would bring humiliation to the Jiang family! Tong’er glared at Bai Xue and thought to herself that she should carefully teach Bai Xue to speak properly in the future. How could she just stab a knife cleanly into the master’s heart.

Jiang Li’s tone was very calm as she spoke: “Talent and learning are secondary. My moral character is corrupt, if I go out, people will point fingers at me and make the Jiang family be ashamed.”

“Young lady!” Tong’er couldn’t help yelling: “You mustn’t say that about yourself!”

“Exactly.” Bai Xue looked earnestly at Jiang Li: “This servant has previously been to many officials’ houses. Although one wasn’t picked, but this servant has also seen those young ladies. Many of them look gentle in front of others, but lash out at their servants at the back. Young lady is the first one that this servant has seen which has the best temper. What ruined moral character, if young lady being this way is considered as a person with a ruined moral character, then there are no good people on earth!”