Chapter 62 Part 1: Top of The List

Sometimes I feel all these people insist on their own views. Not considering why others acted the way they did and just delude themselves into thinking what they want to think. This really lead to their own downfall *sigh*

Calligraphy, Mathematics, Etiquette. According to Jiang Li, they were very easy.

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The school in Tongxiang wasn’t as wealthy and beautiful as Ming Yi Hall, but it was not at all shallow. On the contrary, Jiang Li believed that in terms of learning, the rich had their own noble way of learning, while the common people also had their commoner way of learning. Although there wasn’t any teacher from the palace personally instructing them, Jiang Li thought under Xue Huaiyuan’s attentive teaching, she could be considered not too bad. Moreover, Xue Huaiyuan was never stingy and let her see the vast sky and freedom, causing her to be even more far-sighted than most men. 

Otherwise, when she was staying in Yanjing, aside from being the first beauty, she wouldn’t have the name of the first talented girl.

Pondered, put the pen to paper, finished writing, as if it was something that could be done in one go. Once more, taking off the chain of being “madam of the top scorer”, perhaps due to being dead once, she was even more open-minded. Jiang Li wrote even more smoothly and easily. The supervisor patrolling inside the room was astonished upon seeing her put her pen to paper as if possessed, with hardly any pause.  

Time quickly passed by and the three exams were over. The supervisor carefully collected the scrolls of paper away, exhorted a few important matters repeatedly before immediately departed. What was left was to wait for the announcement five days later to find out the results. 

Jiang Li left Ming Yi Hall’s outer garden and Jiang You Yao immediately chased after her. From far away she asked: “Second sister, what do you think?”

“Not bad.” Jiang Li replied with a smile.

“Second sister does not have to force it.” Jiang Yu’e took the opportunity to taunt Jiang Li, “second sister must be racking your brain in today’s exam, extremely tired. Use these few days to have a good rest in the residence. Wait for the day the notice is put up, us younger sisters will together help you to take a look.” 

“Then thank you for your trouble.” Jiang Li nodded. 

Seeing that Jiang Li wasn’t angry at all and there wasn’t any panic or weariness on her, both Jiang You Yao and Jiang Yu’e were annoyed. But in a flash they thought, perhaps Jiang Li pretended to look happy and they were once again in a cheerful mood.  

Meng Hong Jin stood by the gate. After the examination was over, she felt that she had done pretty well. She looked at Jiang Li with a provocative smile and said: “Jiang second miss, don’t forget our wager. The day the notice is put up, all of us will come to Ming Yi Hall’s gate. When the moment comes, don’t make excuses and be unwilling to come. Then it will be considered as going back on your word and will certainly be ridiculed by others.”

“Right back at you.” Jiang Li remained calm.

“Meng Hong Jing snorted coldly and walked away. Liu Lu looked worriedly at Jiang Li and asked: “Just now… did you feel it was difficult?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I said it wasn’t hard.” Jiang Li patted her hand, “no need to worry, just rest easily in the following few days. I’ll see you again in five days, okay?”

She smiled and walked further away with Tong’er and Bai Xue.

When they came close to the carriage, Jiang Li saw Ye Shijie standing far away at the Imperial College’s gate talking to the person beside him. Looking at his carefree appearance, he must have done pretty well. Bai Xue asked: “Does miss want to go and greet young master Ye?” 

“There’s no need.” Jiang Li smiled slightly, “there are many people and many different eyes looking. We’ll meet on the day the notice is put up.”

When Jiang Li returned to the Jiang residence, Jiang Jing Rui again came to Fang Fei Garden to bother and annoyingly asked Jiang Li how today’s battle went. After sending him away with great difficulty, Ji Shuran also dispatched someone to send fruits, saying that they were to relieve tiredness. 

The following few days passed with tranquility within the Jiang residence. Old madam Jiang and Jiang Yuan Bai didn’t ask Jiang Li anything about the examination, probably deliberately avoiding this subject. All day long, Jiang Jing Rui was anxious that Jiang Li was going to be thoroughly humiliated at the gate of Ming Yi Hall. Yet Jiang Li wasn’t worried and passed her days leisurely and carefreely, appearing absolutely not anxious about the bet with Meng Hong Jin. 

Chapter 62 Part 2: Top of The List

One day, two days, three days, four days, five days. At last it was the morning of the fifth day. Surprisingly, all the gambling dens in the city opened their doors early in the morning to welcome customers. The continuous stream of gamblers crowded the gambling dens’ doors, making them impenetrable. In addition, the tea shops and restaurants were also exceptionally bustling with excitement today and every seat was taken by guests. Even those shabby, tiny taverns that usually had no visitors during the day were jam-packed with diners. 

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What the people were discussing enthusiastically about was precisely the notice that would be put up today. 

“In the Imperial College’s notice of successful examinees today, don’t know how many handsome and talented youngsters will fill Yanjing this year.”

“Ming Yi Hall will also put out their notice today. Many of the noble misses are talented and good-looking. Who would carry the best reputation this year?”

The most talked about were still “Meng Hong Jin” and “Jiang Li”, these two names. 

“In my opinion, the best thing to see today is Ming Yi Hall’s notice. Everyone, let’s not forget, before the examination, the young lady from Cheng Xuan envoy’s residence and the noble daughter from the chief assistant’s house have made a bet. Whoever loses has to kneel at Ming Yi Hall’s gate and apologize. What Imperial College’s gifted scholars and Ming Yi Hall’s talented girls, they both don’t have the excitement of this wager. Don’t you think so?”

Everyone toasted in agreement. Someone shook their head and said: “The chief assistant is pitiful. This time, the peaceful house of the chief of the court official is implicated by this malicious daughter and reduced to a laughingstock.”

“So sad, so sad.” Another person followed with a sigh. 

“Isn’t there still a third miss in the chief assistant’s house? That third miss is worthy of being a daughter of a noble house. Master Jiang couldn’t be counted as totally embarrassed.”

“Let me state the difference, the birth mother of Jiang third miss is the young lady from Vice Imperial Censor Ji’s family, educated and intelligent. While the birth mother of Jiang second miss was just a merchant. So to speak, marry a virtuous wife from the same status. You see how a daughter from a merchant’s family turned out to be, the daughter she gave birth to is also not proper to be seen…….”   

At this moment, Ye Shijie was sitting among the guests downstairs in Yanjing’s biggest restaurant, Wang Xian Lou. His ears were buzzing with the comments made by the people on this matter. Hearing “a merchant”, Ye Shijie clenched his fists. 

A close friend beside him asked: “Looking at the time, the notice should have been put out. Why is there still no movement?”

He just finished speaking and immediately saw the crowd near the window suddenly made some noise. Someone said: “Coming, coming!”

The man who posted the long-awaited list came.

The people waiting outside cheered and surrounded him at once but the imperial bodyguards kept the crowd back. After the red list of names were posted on a prominent wall and the man posting it had left, the impatient crowd immediately moved like the wind and encircled it. 

Some people couldn’t squeeze in, their heads could be seen bouncing outside, trying in vain to see. From time to time they asked the people inside: “Have you seen it? Who’s at the top of the list?”

There was an uproar outside, Ye Shijie, this name was too unfamiliar, apparently not belonging to any of the capital’s official families. 

“What about Ming Yi Hall?” In the middle of the chaos, some people were more concerned about other things and asked: “Who occupies Ming Yi Hall’s top position?”

A young man acting just like a microphone lengthened his voice and said: “The top position at Ming Yi Hall is, is ——” His voice abruptly stopped and was replaced the sound of a long, cold breath sucked in. 

The surrounding crowd became increasingly anxious and their heart itched. They urged and scolded: “Quickly ah, why the suspense, in the end who is it?”

The young man was shoved a few times before he came out of his daze. He turned around in a bad mood and spat out a name.

“Jiang Li!”

Jiang Li?!

The crowd exploded.

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