Chapter 23 Part 1: Acquaintance

After meeting Jiang Jing Rui, Jiang Li spent a lot of time to be familiar with the roads in the Jiang residence.

The Jiang family’s foundation was deep, and the residence was enormous. Fortunately, Jiang Li’s ability to memorize things was not bad. Moreover, when she was in Tongxiang, although her residence was small, she loved following Xue Huaiyuan to go and handle official businesses. Therefore, she had gone to every corner in Tongxiang and actually was quite an expert in recognizing roads.

The following days, they surprisingly lived in harmony. Apart from Xiang Qiao fawning over her daily and Yun Shuang being arrogant, nothing out of the ordinary occurred. Subtly, whether it was Old Madam Jiang, the second branch or the third branch, except for that one day where they met coincidentally outside, not even one person took the initiative to go look for Jiang Li. Even Jiang Li’s father, Jiang Yuan Bai, was too lazy to keep his outer appearance after a while. In the entire Jiang residence, Jiang Li was like an insignificant person, inviting her to return home just to be put coldly at the side. After a few more days, she would be thoroughly tossed at the back of everyone’s mind.

No, no need to say after a few more days, she had already been forgotten even at this moment.

Others didn’t give her face, it was also not worthwhile for Jiang Li to rush and show warm feelings. Just act as if nothing happened, no need to take the initiative to meet Old Madam. Her everyday meals were also arranged by her for Tong’er to pick it and bring it back to Fang Fei Garden. In this way, it was precisely the saying: ‘what the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over’.

However, just by refusing to acknowledge her, she wouldn’t automatically disappear. This peaceful time was also a preparation for the coming wave.

In the early morning of this day, the sky cleared after the rain, a rare cool and refreshing day, unlike the previous sizzling hot days. After having breakfast, Jiang Li told Xiang Qiao of her plan to go out for a round trip.

Yi Shuang who was standing a bit further away kept calm, without any word or movement and raised her ear to listen to Xiang Qiao asking Jiang Li: “Second miss, why do you suddenly want to go out?”

“I’ve stayed in the residence for half a month, every day just staying here foolishly, and felt really bored. I don’t even know how Yanjing looks after these few years. I merely want to go out and stroll around.” Not waiting for Xiang Qiao to speak, she continued: “In addition, third sister’s birthday is in a few days. I cannot come empty-handed.”

Xiao Qiao’s eyeballs turned around before asking: “Young lady wants to go out to find a present for third miss?”

“Correct.” Jiang Li replied with a smile: “At the same time, look around to see if there are any new things for playing.”

Suddenly, Xiang Qiao had an itch in her heart. When Jiang Li went out to buy things, if she followed suit, who knew whether she might also be rewarded with some stuff. To say, this second miss, although she grew up in the nunnery, she was extremely extravagant when spending. No idea if she was stupid or had an extravagant temper like the previous Madam Ye Zhen Zhen. Every day, she would reward her very generously. Just from staying next to Jiang Li this past month, the jewelry she rewarded Xiang Qiao had quickly overtaken the previous one year’s reward.

She deliberately asked: “Second miss, these few days, you’ve also spent quite a bit of money…….”

“The silver that grandmother has sent is not spent yet.” Jiang Li interrupted her sentence and laughed: “Enough to buy some good things.”

Xiang Qiao thought, that’s right, Jiang Li only rewarded her with jewelry yet didn’t move the silver at all. Is silver more precious than jewelry? But Xiang Qiao naturally wouldn’t actively cut off her own livelihood. Thinking that she might get some money today, at once, the advice she had prepared for Jiang Li not to go out was swallowed back into her belly. She merely spoke: “If that’s the case, this servant will accompany second miss to look around outside. This slave used to accompany third miss to go out and knows the good shops in Yanjing.”

Yi Shuang had some dissatisfaction towards Xiang Qiao’s response, but Jiang Li had already opened her mouth and spoke: “Okay, Tong’er, you also accompany me. Then, I’ll trouble Xiao Qiao jiejie.”

She actually, or perhaps intentionally, ignored Yi Shuang.

Two servant girls were sufficient, naturally Yi Shuang also wouldn’t go out together with them. Although from the beginning, Yi Shuang didn’t intend to accommodate this second miss, Jiang Li’s current action seemed to clearly declare in the open that she also didn’t accept Yi Shuang.

Waiting for Jiang Li and Xiang Qiao, the two people, go out from the room, Yi Shuang spat out hatefully, then turned to go to Warm and Graceful Courtyard1, where Ji Shuran resided.

Footnotes:

1: 淑秀园 (shūxiùyuán): Shū – warm and virtuous; Xiù – refined, elegant, graceful. Yuán is the land used for growing plants; site used for public recreation.:leftwards_arrow_with_hook: