Chapter 29 Part 1: Identify
“Heaven ah, what is this?”
Jiang Youyao’s fearful cry broke the happy and harmonious atmosphere in the main hall. The guests who were close by subconsciously looked into the box in her hand.
Jiang Yuan Bai and old madam Jiang were a bit further and couldn’t clearly see what was in the small box. Lu shi and Yang shi got up to take a look. Jiang Jing Rui was standing on the side where the male guests were and wanted to step forward to take a look but was pulled back by Jiang Yuan Ping.
Before Jiang Youyao had spoken, the servant girl by her side, Jin Hua, had reached her hand and brought the thing inside the small box out. She glowered towards Jiang Li and shouted: “Second miss, what do you mean by this?”
Only then was everybody able to see clearly, the servant girl was holding a ruby head ornament. At first glance, this ruby head ornament was of considerable value. But it could be seen that the ruby on the head ornament was entirely mottled with extremely dense knife cuts, making the people who saw it couldn’t help sucking a breath.
“Second miss, all of us servants know that you are dissatisfied and you don’t like third miss. But you sent this kind of thing at the third miss’s birthday ceremony, it’s really too much!” This servant girl’s tone when speaking didn’t carry any respect towards Jiang Li. If it was at other people’s residence, being charged with being disrespectful and arrogant towards the master was not excessive. But over here, nobody bothered with her action. On the contrary, she was praised by others as a servant who was loyal and devoted to her master.
Jiang Li’s gaze fell on the ruby head ornament in Jin Hua’s hand and surprise flashed through her eyes. Her brows immediately wrinkled, she shook her head and spoke: “No, since buying this ruby head ornament, it has been in my hand and never been touched. I don’t know how it turned out like this.”
“Is there any misunderstanding?” Ji Shuran also walked over without the slightest doubt towards Jiang Li on her face. Instead, she seemed to showed a lot of concern and asked: “Is there a problem with the head ornament? Li’er was cheated?”
“How is it possible?” Tong’er quipped and immediately said: “Young lady specially went to Jixiang Lou to pick a birthday gift for third miss. It was a total of 400 taels of silver. How could Jixiang Lou’s jewels have any problems?”
It was actually bought from Jixiang Lou.
The guests looked at Jiang Li with different expressions. Since she could use 400 silvers to buy Jiang Youyao’s head ornament, first, it indicated that Jiang Li was generous. Secondly, it indicated that the chief assistant’s house did not treat Jiang Li unfairly. Jiang Li still had a very good financial resources. The imperial censor wouldn’t impeach for this matter.
“The problem doesn’t lie with the head ornament. The head ornament was perfectly fine, it also won’t scratch by itself. To say again, this was clearly cut by a knife.” Jiang Yu’e suddenly opened her mouth and said: “Second sister, it’s okay if you don’t like third sister. There’s no need to waste a head ornament for no reason?”
Yang shi didn’t anticipate her own daughter to suddenly open her mouth. It was too late for her to cover Jiang Yu’e’s mouth. Jiang Yuyan timidly pulled the corner of Jiang Yu’e’s clothes back, her head lowered without speaking a word. Jiang Yu’e was proud of herself. She knew the main branch’s mother and daughter didn’t like Jiang Li, if able to make Jiang Li feel even more stressed, the main branch would definitely be happy. First, she could win favor from the main branch, second, Jiang Yu’e also didn’t like Jiang Li.
Jiang Youyao had the support of Ji family, what did Jiang Li have? Her biological mother had already passed away so she was trampled by people in her life. How could she still sit perfectly fine in the position of the rightful di daughter? Jiang Yu’e really wished Jiang Li would be pulled towards the same position as her. Even better if it was worse than her, only then would she be happy.
Jiang Li looked at Jiang Yu’e, her look however could be regarded as unhurried. She was merely somewhat puzzled and said to Jiang Yu’e: “Fifth sister, where do these words come from? It’s untrue that I don’t like third sister.”
“Where do these words come from?” Jiang Yu’e swept a look at Ji Shuran and saw that there was satisfaction in Ji Shuran’s eyes and her confidence was even more boosted. She continued: “If you liked third sister, at that time you wouldn’t push eldest aunt and harm eldest aunt to miscarry. You’ve stayed in the nunnery for several years, perhaps you’ve harbored hatred towards eldest aunt. You simply vented your anger onto this head ornament and deliberately sent it as a present to third sister, this is……., this is cursing third sister!”