Chapter 43 Decision
In Shuxiu Garden, Jiang Youyao was sitting on the couch fiddling with her newly acquired tasseled brocade. When she heard that Jiang Li went to the study to look for Jiang Yuanbo, she immediately jumped up and asked, "She went to look for her father? What did she want to do with her father?"

The servant who replied said, "It seems that he went to see the master to ask for a favor."

Ji Shuran had a very high status in the main house. If Jiang Yuanbai made any move, Ji Shuran would know about it. The person who came was also very quick. Not long after Jiang Li went to Jiang Yuanbai's study, Ji Shuran got the news.

"What does she want? Does she want to choose the husband herself?" Jiang Youyao asked.

Seeing the servant who was speaking was hesitant, Ji Shuran asked the maid to bring him the purse filled with silver and said, "Just tell me."

"Madam." The servant took the silver and all his worries were swept away. He immediately said, "The person guarding the study is outside. He heard someone inside say that it seems that the second young lady wants to enter Mingyi Hall and is asking the eldest master for help."

"Ming Yi Hall?" Jiang Youyao couldn't help but screamed, "With her? What qualifications does she have to enter Ming Yi Hall?"

Ji Shuran waved her hand, signaling the messenger to leave. After the messenger left, Ji Shuran said to herself, "Jiang Li wanted to enter Mingyi Hall as soon as she returned to Yanjing. She is indeed a carefree person. Regardless of her own virtue and talent, if she enters Mingyi Hall, who knows what will happen. She is good at making trouble. If she plays any tricks behind the scenes, don't delay you."

The last time Jiang Youyao's coming-of-age ceremony happened, Ji Shuran took a long time to get Old Madam Jiang and Jiang Yuanbo to treat her more gently. Even so, other ladies still talked about her behind her back. Ji Shuran hadn't settled the score with Jiang Li yet, but she didn't expect Jiang Li to come to her door and cause trouble again.

Jiang Youyao said excitedly: "She must want to get close to Prince Zhou, this bitch!"

Opposite the Mingyi Hall, the official school for women, is the Imperial College, where Zhou Yanbang, the son of Ningyuan Marquis, is studying. Ji Shuran didn't think of going there for a while, but Jiang Youyao suddenly thought of it.

"I've known for a long time that she has bad intentions. On the day of her coming-of-age ceremony, she seduced Prince Zhou in the garden. She is so shameless! Now that her first plan has failed, she has resorted to another one. Mother, you can't let her succeed!"

Ji Shuran frowned when she heard this. To be fair, Jiang Li was pretty, and compared to girls like Jiang Youyao, she had an indescribable calm temperament, which made her do everything calmly and non-competitively, which in turn attracted more men's attention. Ji Shuran thought she understood men, and if Jiang Li wanted to seduce Zhou Yanbang, it might not be impossible.

She had fought hard to get this marriage for Jiang Youyao. Although Zhou Yanbang was not a royal family, Ningyuan Hou's status in Yanjing City was no lower than that of the Jiang family. What's more, Ningyuan Hou's family was simple, Zhou Yanbang's mother was easy to get along with, and most importantly, Jiang Youyao herself loved Zhou Yanbang. She couldn't let the marriage she had snatched from Jiang Li with such great efforts be in vain.

"We really can't let her go to Mingyi Hall." Ji Shuran said, "Last time at the coming-of-age ceremony, everything went perfectly smoothly, and she was able to escape unscathed in the end. This little girl is very evil, and if she is allowed to enter Mingyi Hall, who knows what will happen. It's better to keep her under our noses. It will be easy to trip her up." Ji Shuran stood up and said, "I'll go find your father right now."

……

In Fangfei Garden, Tong'er was very surprised when she saw Jiang Li and Bai Xue coming back: "Why so soon? Miss, did the master not agree?"

"The master agreed." Bai Xue smiled and said, "I've said it before, my father, if you speak nicely, the master will definitely listen." Tong'er rolled her eyes, it would be great if things in the world were that simple. She looked at Jiang Li in disbelief, and when she saw Jiang Li nodded with a smile, she believed it and said, "Really? That's great! I knew our girl's qualifications were more than enough to enter Mingyi Hall." Then, her eyes became worried again: "But girl, the master has agreed now, he won't regret it in the future, right?"

At that time, Jiang Yuanbai might have agreed to it out of pity because of Jiang Li's soft words. But how could Ji Shuran let it go after knowing it? What if Jiang Yuanbai was not firm in his determination and changed his mind?
"If my guess is correct, Ji is on his way to my father's study, or he has already arrived and is trying to persuade my father to cancel his decision to send me to Mingyi Hall."

Tong'er and Bai Xue's smiles froze for a moment. Tong'er asked, "What should we do? The master won't agree, will he? Miss, how about we go now to avoid being taken advantage of by the Ji family?"

"No need," Jiang Li smiled and shook her head: "She won't succeed."

……

"Master, isn't it inappropriate for Li'er to go to Mingyi Hall now..."

In the study, Ji Shuran was speaking to Jiang Yuanbo with concern.

"Okay, don't say anything more. I have made up my mind to send Li'er to Mingyi Hall." Jiang Yuanbo interrupted Ji Shuran before she could finish her words.

Ji Shuran had never been spoken to like this by Jiang Yuanbo before, and for a moment she felt a little aggrieved. She said, "I am only thinking about Li'er..."

Jiang Yuanbai would always feel distressed when he saw Ji Shuran being wronged. But when he saw her again today, thinking about how Jiang Li had been wronged and just stood in front of him and calmly stated the reality, Jiang Yuanbai felt that Ji Shuran's behavior was a bit artificial and glaring.

He said, "Youyao is my daughter, Li'er is also my daughter, both are daughters of the Jiang family, how can I favor one over the other. If the news gets out, where will I, Jiang Yuanbai, put my face? And you," he looked at Ji Shuran, "Li'er has been away from home for eight years and just returned. As a mother, you should take better care of her. I will feel relieved if you put half of your heart for Youyao on Li'er."

Ji Shuran looked at him in astonishment. Jiang Yuanbai was accusing him of being partial by saying this. Before Ji Shuran could say anything else, Jiang Yuanbai picked up his outer robe, walked out of the study, and left.

Ji Shuran was the only one left in the study. The servant at the door looked inside tremblingly and saw that the lady, who was always dignified and gentle, had a face distorted like a devil and a terrifying expression, as if she had become another person.

Ji Shuran's heart was filled with anger and hatred at the moment. She didn't know what Jiang Li had said in front of Jiang Yuanbo to sow discord between them. The kindness that Jiang Yuanbo had shown her a few days ago was now gone, as if everything had returned to the past in an instant.

“Jiang Li…” she gritted her teeth.

She must make Jiang Li pay for everything she did today!
(End of this chapter)