Chapter 25 Ahri
Jiang Li didn't know that her actions in front of the Jixiang Building were all seen by others. When Tong'er came back from the pawnshop, she shook her head and said, "The jade I had before has been redeemed by someone, but I found a very beautiful jade pendant in the pawnshop, so I bought it back." She spread out her palm.

The jade pendant in Tong'er's palm was of average quality. In a place like Jiang's house, Xiangqiao herself was used to seeing good things. Compared with this piece of jade, there was nothing special about it. If there was anything special, it was that there was a fat civet cat carved on the jade, which was very lifelike.

Xiang Qiao looked away after just one glance, but Jiang Li stared at it intently. She took it and couldn't let it go. She said to Tong'er, "It's really beautiful."

"I know you will like it, so take it if you like it."

Jiang Li accepted it without any hesitation. Xiang Qiao looked at him and laughed at him in her heart. After all, Jiang Li was a country bumpkin who had lived in the mountains for eight years, and yet he liked such a broken thing.

When they returned to Jiang's Fangfei Garden, it was already very late. Xiangqiao disappeared without a trace, and Jiang Li knew that she must have gone back to Shuxiu Garden to reply to Ji Shuran.

Seeing that no one was in the room, Tong'er closed the door, poured a cup of hot tea for Jiang Li, and asked softly, "Miss, why do you suddenly want me to redeem this jade pendant? Whose jade pendant is it? What's so special about it?"

Tong'er and Jiang Li have lived together in Qingcheng Mountain for eight years. They are master and servant, and even better than master and servant. Tong'er knows everything about Jiang Li, but since some time ago, Tong'er no longer understands the meaning of some things Jiang Li does.

For example, before she left the house today, Jiang Li told her that she must redeem a jade pendant for her. Jiang Li had taught Tong'er what she said in front of the Jixiang Building. The deceased mother was all made up.

Jiang Li smiled at her and said, "You did a good job." She stroked the jade pendant in her hand and said, "This jade pendant belongs to an old friend, who is no longer with us."

The jade pendant in her hand was carved by Xue Huaiyuan himself with a knife when she was born. The night before Xue Fangfei's mother gave birth to Xue Fangfei, Xue Huaiyuan dreamed of a civet cat coming to the door of his house and bowing in a formal manner. After she was born, he asked a fortune teller to read Xue Fangfei's fortune. The fortune teller said that Xue Fangfei would be a drifter all her life and that her beauty would be short-lived. Xue Huaiyuan, who had always been steady and upright, was so angry that he almost beat the fortune teller to death with a stick. Although he said he didn't believe it, he still cared about it in his heart. He heard from neighbors far and near that people with short fortunes should be given a lowly nickname, so that the King of Hell would not bother to take away their lowly lives.

So Xue Huaiyuan didn't give Xue Fangfei a nickname, but directly gave her the nickname Ali.

Xue Huaiyuan used his half-year salary to buy this jade pendant from a traveling merchant. It was not expensive. Xue Huaiyuan personally asked a senior monk to consecrate it and carved it himself, hoping that it would bless Xue Fangfei with a safe and smooth life.

Later, this jade pendant accompanied Xue Fangfei to Yanjing City. After Shen Yurong won the first place in the imperial examination and was appointed as a secretary, she needed to take care of social activities. The Shen family was too poor, so Xue Fangfei took out all her dowry and even pawned this jade pendant when she was in the most difficult situation.

She had thought that she would redeem the jade pendant when her family got better. But she didn't know that the birthday banquet incident happened not long after. Her reputation was ruined and she was too ashamed to go out. She died without redeeming the jade pendant.

Seeing that Jiang Li had no idea what she was thinking about, Tong'er's eyes looked very desolate, and she couldn't help but say, "Girl..."

Jiang Li came back to her senses and said with a smile: "Nothing, although the old friend is gone, I am still here."

Although Xue Fangfei is gone, Jiang Li is still here. Xue Fangfei failed to redeem the jade, but Jiang Li did.

Xue Fangfei's nickname was Ali, and Jiang Li's given name was simply "Li". Perhaps it was this fate that allowed her to replace this poor girl and return to Yanjing City.

Jiang Li, Jiang Li, the names do not have good meanings, but the original Xue Fangfei never had a prosperous life, which shows that destiny is ultimately in one's own hands.

Tong'er blinked her eyes, and when she saw Jiang Li smile, she also breathed a sigh of relief. She thought of something and said, "The two maids in Shuxiu Garden don't do any work on weekdays, and the few sweepers from the outer courtyard who came today are also lazy. Miss can't just let them go. Ji doesn't care about this matter, and the master can't interfere in the backyard. The old lady has to take care of it!" "The old lady is not close to me. If I bring up this matter, I can only take care of it for a while, but not for a lifetime. I'll solve this matter myself." Jiang Li shook her head. Old Lady Jiang is strong and capable, and being stable and obedient may not please her. Besides, Jiang Li has disappointed Old Lady Jiang before. If she really wants to care about it, I don't know who she will favor.

"What are you going to do, young lady?" Upon hearing this, Tong'er immediately rubbed his hands and was eager to try. Ever since Jiang Li used a monkey to plot a way back to Beijing on Mount Qingcheng, Tong'er had no doubt about Jiang Li's decision.

"These past few days, you've been complaining to Yunshuang about how much I've done for Xiangqiao." Jiang Li said, "Most of the jewelry that Ji gave me is now in her possession."

"Miss, do you want to alienate them?" Tong'er was also smart and asked immediately.

"They are not close to each other, so there is no question of alienation." Jiang Li smiled, "This is just a small test for them."

It's just a test. If you win, everything will be fine. If you lose, everything will be a complete loss.

……

In Shuxiu Garden, Xiangqiao was standing in the room. In front of the table, Jiang Youyao was practicing calligraphy, but her eyes were absent-minded.

Ji Shuran asked: "Ruby headpiece?"

"Yes, the ruby ​​headpiece sold from Jixiang Tower cost four hundred taels of silver. I saw it with my own eyes." Xiang Qiao said.

"A headgear worth four hundred taels of silver is nothing. It's so shabby." Jiang Youyao said disdainfully.

"Although it's not much, it won't lose face." Ji Shuran pondered, "It's probably about the same as what your two cousins ​​from the second house gave. Logically speaking, there's nothing wrong with it."

Xiang Qiao heard this and started to think that Ji Shuran's words clearly meant to make a fuss about Jiang Youyao's coming-of-age ceremony.

"Mom, how can I let her have such an easy life?" Jiang Youyao put down her pen and looked at Ji Shuran hurriedly.

"She just returned to Beijing these days. With Liu Yuanfeng watching over her, your father also feels guilty about her. However, it is also very easy to gain people's dislike for her." Ji Shuran said.

"How to do it?" Jiang Youyao's eyes lit up.

"Don't forget, she has a reputation as a wicked woman. How can her past of killing her mother and brother be erased so easily? Now it's been too long and people are almost forgetting about it. Once people remember, she will have no chance of survival." Ji Shuran smiled virtuously, "The nobles in Yanjing cannot stand being stained by dirt."

Xiang Qiao's heart skipped a beat and she watched Ji Shuran looking at her.

(End of this chapter)