Marriage of the Di Daughter

Chapter 48 Part 1: Relatives

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The relationship between Jiang Li and the female teachers of Mingyi Hall could be called good. Just this way, obviously showing to whom the relationship wasn’t good, was only Ji Luo.

The Rites and Ceremonies instructor Ji Luo formerly was the palace maid in the Empress Dowager’s palace. Afterwards, when Mingyi Hall was built, Ji Luo joined in to teach the noble ladies. Because she was ordered by the Empress Dowager, from the beginning she was extremely arrogant. 

Jiang Li knew Ji Luo, this person, valued a person’s virtue and etiquette the most. At that time, Ji Luo immediately came out to criticize Xue Fang Fei with righteous indignation. Now, Jiang Li had such a bad reputation in the past, Ji Luo must have certainly felt unbearable that there was a student like that among her students. 

Not long after Ji Luo came in, she immediately began her lesson. Mingyi Hall’s《Yan Kingdom’s Rites》《Rites and Ceremonies》《Women’s Book》《Classic of Filial Piety》 and other books, Jiang Li had read them earlier, she even knew them by heart. However, the Liu Xu beside her was listening very seriously and looked very focused.

Midway through Ji Luo’s lesson, she would ask some students to get up and recite the previous assignments. She should be regarded as strict since the students were also afraid of her. During class, everyone was studying in accordance with the rules. However, from start to finish, Ji Luo never asked Jiang Li a word, not even so much as a glance towards Jiang Li. 

Generally speaking, when there was a new student studying at Mingyi Hall, the teachers would all specially say a few words to express their concern. However, Ji Luo looked as if she overlooked that there was this person, Jiang Li, without the meaning of caring about her.

Jiang Li took it all in, not feeling that it was unexpected at all. Such a person who scrupulously abided by the rules, of course would be disgusted towards her presence. If Jiang Li wasn’t Jiang Yuan Bai’s blood-related daughter, perhaps Ji Luo would have the idea of telling Jiang Li to rush back home. Ji Luo couldn’t treat Jiang Yuan Bai’s daughter this way and could only ignore her.

Jiang You Yao also observed Ji Luo’s conduct and her mood improved a lot. No matter how cunning Jiang Li was, she was also incapable of altering the previous ‘harming the mother and murdering the younger brother’ reputation. In the end, the people in Mingyi Hall did not welcome Jiang Li. Even if Jiang Li attended Mingyi Hall, she would only suffer.

At the end of the lesson, Ji Luo stood on the stage and said: “In ten days is this year’s examination. This year’s examination will be conducted at the same time as the Imperial College’s examination. If you are able to get a good rank in the examination, you can meet the Empress Dowager and be conferred a reward. For all of you, this is the greatest glory.” After pausing for a moment, she continued: “As for those who cannot reach the requirement, each part will be individually reported and be expelled.”

Suddenly the surroundings became noisy with discussions. 

The ones unable to reach the requirement would be expelled from Mingyi Hall.

In fact, being expelled from Mingyi Hall was a small matter. After all, not everyone was talented. Those able to study at Mingyi Hall were all the young misses of the capital’s nobility. But in the case the matter of their examination did not reach the target and was expelled came out, it would indeed be really shameful and they would not be able to show their faces. 

“I hope everyone will strive hard.” Ji Luo said this closing sentence drily and expressionlessly brought her books out of the hall. 

After Ji Luo walked out, the study hall was immediately lively. Someone commented: “Really, they will be expelled from Mingyi Hall? Teacher Ji wouldn’t be messing with us right? My writing can be regarded as horrible.” 

“My music makes other people have a headache.”

“It’s over, it’s over, if I cannot pass, what’s to be done?”

Within the racket, suddenly there was a voice that was transmitted clearly: “What are you afraid of? Jiang second miss cannot do anything. A person who just entered Mingyi Hall is not afraid, then aren’t you afraid for nothing?”  

That voice belonged precisely to Meng Hong Jin.

Chapter 48 Part 2: Relatives

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.

The surrounding people were stunned hearing Meng Hong Jing’s words at this time. Immediately after, there were jokes around: “Exactly, it’s us who were muddled.”

“Jiang second miss is really unlucky. If she had known earlier, what is she entering Mingyi Hall for?” Within the words, there was joy from other people’s misfortune.

Apparently in the eyes of these people, there was not much difference between Jiang Li and a commoner. At least compared to Jiang Li, these precious girls had received teaching seven or eight years earlier. If anyone were to be expelled from Mingyi Hall, it was only right for Jiang Li to be the first one expelled.

Jiang Li listened to these words in her ears but she merely smiled and didn’t pay any attention.  

“Teacher Ji’s words may not be true.” Liu Xu at her side suddenly opened her mouth to speak. Jiang Li looked at her, Liu Xu was tidying up her books and lowered her head without looking at Jiang Li. But Jiang Li understood that this words were for her. Liu Xu said: “Moreover, Lord Jiang will not let you land in these circumstances. When the time comes, just need Mingyi Hall’s Bao Fu1 to explain and that’s it.”

The corner of Jiang Li’s mouth bent up and she said: “I know, thank you.”

Seemingly uneasy with Jiang Li’s thanks, Liu Xu stiffened and no longer said anything.

Not long after Ji Luo’s lesson ended, another teacher came in. Jiang Li wasn’t unfamiliar with this teacher. She was even very familiar with their assignments. Despite this, her attitude was still very earnest, as if she truly didn’t understand anything.  

But these teachers were the same as Ji Luo. It was unknown whether it was intentional or accidental, they all overlooked Jiang Li. 

Today could be considered as having passed by peacefully. Even though she kept being provoked by some people led by Meng Hong Jin, Jiang Li had continuously confronted them with a smile. Occasionally she refuted with a few sentences, rendering the people speechless. 

After school, Bai Xue and Jiang Li together went out of Mingyi Hall to where the carriage waited. Both of them prepared to return to the residence in their carriage. It was impossible for Jiang You Yao and Jiang Yu’e to ride in the same carriage together with Jiang Li. Jiang Li also disliked the trouble.

They went out of Mingyi Hall and immediately met with the scene of a few people pulling at a person not too far away. Jiang Li only shot a glance and got ready to leave. The relationships in Yanjing were complicated, a bit of carelessness and one could be drawn into any kind of trouble. Then it would be very difficult to free oneself. Moreover, she was now the noble daughter of the Jiang family, she had to be even more careful when doing things. 

Right at this moment, one of the people pulling at a person suddenly said: “Don’t the Ye family from Xiangyang have a lot of money? Using the money to smash open the Imperial College gate.2 This painting of mine is an original ink painting from the previous dynasty’s Zeng Zimo, it’s invaluable. This young master’s mood is good today, you just take out 32,000 gold and I won’t bother you with this matter anymore.”

Xiangyang’s Ye family? Jiang Li’s footsteps paused.

Jiang Li’s mother, Ye Zhen Zhen was precisely the youngest daughter of Xiangyang’s Ye family. The Ye’s home in Xiangyang was Jiang Li’s maternal family.

This person was her relative.

Jiang Li looked over there.  

She saw a few youngsters circling a 17 – 18 year-old young man. That young man was dressed in a simple silver-colored silk gown. The style was not excessive or complicated at all, it could even be counted as plain. This handsome young man had beautiful eyes, at present that gaze contained a hard-to-conceal anger. In contrast, the people facing him were three pampered sons of wealthy families who were dressed expensively. Two people were pulling the young man’s sleeves while the head of the group, who looked ugly and cunning, was holding a picture scroll in his hand, making things difficult and refusing to listen.    

“How about it, are you going to do it or not?” Jiang Li knew the ugly-looking person, he was the youngest son of Taichang Qing3, Liu Zimin. An ignorant and incompetent, hopeless bully. 

That elegant young man clenched his teeth and said: “What if I don’t?”

Liu Zimin sized the young man up and down once and laughed fiercely: “Simple, this young master will send you to the government official!” Done speaking, he waved his hand and spoke to the other two people: “Take him away!”

They even went as far as going to detain the young man.

The matter had already gone so far, Jiang Li had no alternative but to step up.

“Wait a moment.” She said. 

Footnotes:

1: Bao Fu: is a good and able official in ancient times who was assigned as the people who raised their children. 1.
2: This guy implied that the person used a lot of money to enter the Imperial College to study. 2.
3: Taichang Qing or Taichang Siqing is a third grade official title in ancient China, responsible for sacrificial ceremonies. 3