Chapter 57 Part 1: Three Bets
Xiao De Yin entered Mingyi Hall and immediately started teaching. Jiang Li looked at her familiar figure and her train of thought flew far away.
After Shen Yurong became the top scorer, Jiang Li also had several friendships with all the teachers at Mingyi Hall who taught the six arts. Beside Ji Luo who held a considerable hostility against her, the other teachers also had their own temperament. Among them, Xiao De Yin was actually the one who hit it off very well with Jiang Li.
Because Xiao De Yin had the most gentle temperament, whenever Ji Luo targeted Jiang Li, Xiao De Yin would be the one who smoothed things over. Moreover, Jiang Li really appreciated Xiao De Yin’s talent. Xiao De Yin, as the first musician in Yanjing, her skill in playing the seven note guqin was superb. Due to this skill, she was once nearly asked to enter the palace by the Empress Dowager. However, rather than becoming a court musician, Xiao De Yin would rather be a minor teacher in Mingyi Hall.
Jiang Li’s skill in guqin was also extremely high. The two of them often compared notes, each one had the feeling of bosom friends of high mountain and running water.
But it was precisely this intimate friend that never came even once to visit her after the matter of her engaging in illicit affair came out. Perhaps it was because Xiao De Yin cherished her reputation and wasn’t willing to be a.s.sociated with the she who didn’t know honor and shame. However, by coincidence, Jiang Li recalled something. That day, mother Shen’s birthday, Xiao De Yin was also among the ranks of people invited to dinner and was seated by Jiang Li’s side. At that time, Xiao De Yin frequently urged her to drink and it was her who supported her to return to the room to rest. When she woke up, there’s a major upheaval. Yet Xiao De Yin simply said that while she was supporting her halfway, her personal servant girl took over supporting her back.
No other evidence could prove that Xiao De Yin was also partic.i.p.ating in the matter during mother Shen’s birthday, but Jiang Li’s intuition informed her otherwise. Maybe Xiao De Yin was also involved. It’s just that she truly couldn’t understand what her reason was. Saying that she was bribed by Princess Yongning, Xiao De Yin even refused the opportunity to enter the palace and became the court’s musician, proving that she really didn’t covet riches and honor. But Xiao De Yin didn’t have any grievances or animosity with her, so why did she take the side of the evildoer?
It didn’t matter if she currently couldn’t think clearly. In any case, the present her was already in Mingyi Hall. If Xiao De Yin truly had a problem, she would expose clues.
Furthermore, supposedly Xiao De Yi truly partic.i.p.ated in the matter that happened during mother Shen’s birthday, waiting for the day when the whole truth was revealed, she would be a superb witness.
Jiang Li pondered slowly.
From the beginning of cla.s.s, Jiang Li was pondering over other things. From other people’s perspective, it was because she was ignorant and incompetent. On the contrary, Liu Xu had carefully reminded her with a few well-intentioned sentences. However, Jiang Li merely smiled and continued in her own way as before.
When Xiao De Yin concluded her lesson, she also specially talked about the examination in a few days. Xiao De Yin spoke: “The person who achieved the top score in the examination this year will attend the palace feast and receive the holy gift. For you, this was an excellent opportunity. If the emperor personally gifts something to you, your future prospects will be very favorable. I hope everyone can exert your utmost effort.”
The emperor personally gave the gift! The females in Mingyi Hall immediately discussed excitedly.
“Similarly, if the performance of the examination was unreasonable, you won’t see any light. I could be regarded to have a few years of teachers and students relationships with everyone these few years, naturally I do not wish any one of you to be expelled from Mingyi Hall.” Xiao De Yin spoke: “Therefore, everyone practices diligently in the remaining few days. These few days Mingyi Hall will have no cla.s.ses, just wait for the next few days when the examination will take place. Later, the detailed rules and regulations pertaining to the examinations will be pasted in front of the hall. Everyone remember to take a look.” Xiao De Yin had a smile on her face after she finished talking, immediately held her guqin and left without taking any look at Jiang Li.
Jiang Li saw her being this way and a plan formed in her heart.
After Xiao De Yin left, the enthusiastic atmosphere in Mingyi Hall didn’t disperse. Waiting until the children to finish pasting the rules and regulations of the examination, the females immediately went forward in twos or threes to take a look. Liu Xu pulled Jiang Li’s sleeve, a hard to cover excitement in her eyes as she spoke: “Let’s go and see.”
Jiang Li was unable to resist her and followed her to the front of the hall. Jiang You Yao and Meng Hong Jin were also already there. Liu Xu attentively looked at the rules and regulations and sighed: “The top scorer of this year’s examination will have really impressive scenery. If I could……. Even if just one, my father would inevitably be extremely happy.”