31: Chapter 29 Identification 31: Chapter 29 Identification “Oh my God, what is this?”
Jiang Youyao’s cry of alarm shattered the cheerful atmosphere that had just prevailed in the courtyard.
Guests who were close by instinctively peered into the box in Jiang Youyao’s hands.
Jiang Yuanbai and Madam Jiang the Elder were standing farther away and couldn’t see clearly what was inside the box.
Lady Lu and Lady Yang stood up and craned their necks to see, while Jiang Jingrui, standing at the end of the male guests, wanted to step forward for a closer look, but was held back by Jiang Yuanping.
Before Jiang Youyao could speak, her maid, Jin Hua, reached out to lift the object from the box, looking up at Jiang Li with an angry stare, and demanded, “Second Miss, what is the meaning of this?”
Only then could everyone see clearly that the maid was holding a ruby headdress.
At first glance, the ruby headdress was extremely valuable.
However, the gemstones of the headdress were covered with dense knife marks, shocking those who saw it into drawing a sharp breath.
“Second Miss, we know you are unhappy and do not like the Third Miss, but giving such a thing for her hairpinning ceremony is really too much!” The maid’s tone towards Jiang Li was far from respectful, which in other household’s might have warranted the accusation of lacking respect for her masters.
However, here, no one minded her behavior, and she was even praised for being a loyal servant.
Jiang Li’s gaze fell upon the ruby headdress in Jin Hua’s hands, surprise flashing in her eyes, and her brow furrowed as she shook her head and said, “That’s not it, I’ve kept this ruby headdress safe since I bought it and have never touched it.
I don’t know how it turned into this state.”
“Could there be some misunderstanding?” Ji Shuran also came over, with no hint of suspicion towards Jiang Li on her face, but rather a caring expression as she asked, “Is there a problem with the headdress?
Did Lili get cheated?”
“How could that be?” Tonger, quick to speak, immediately said, “This headdress was specially selected by Miss at the Auspicious Building for the Third Miss’ hairpinning ceremony, and it cost four hundred taels of silver.
How could there be any issue with the jewelry from the Auspicious Building?”
It was indeed purchased from the Auspicious Building.
The expressions of guests looking at Jiang Li varied, knowing that she had spent four hundred taels of silver on a headdress for Jiang Youyao, which showed, first, that Jiang Li was generous, and second, that the Chief Minister’s Family did not mistreat Jiang Li.
Her financial situation was clearly comfortable, and the Imperial Censors could not pursue any claims on this matter.
“It’s not an issue with the headdress itself; a perfectly good headdress wouldn’t just crack on its own.
Besides, it’s clearly been cut open with a knife,” suddenly spoke Jiang Yue.
She continued, “Second Sister, if you don’t like Third Sister, that’s one thing, but why waste such a fine headdress for nothing?”
Lady Yang hadn’t expected her daughter to speak up so suddenly, and it was too late to cover Jiang Yue’s mouth.
Jiang Yuyan timidly tugged on Jiang Yue’s sleeve and lowered her head without speaking.
Jiang Yue was smug, knowing that the main branch of the family certainly dislike Jiang Li.
Causing Jiang Li trouble would naturally make the main branch happy.
By pleasing the main branch and also because Jiang Yue herself did not like Jiang Li, she felt satisfied.
Jiang Youyao had the backing of the Ji family; what did Jiang Li have?
With her own mother dead, she deserved to be trampled on.
How could she still sit in the position of the legitimate daughter?
Jiang Yue would be delighted to see Jiang Li fall to her level, or even lower.
Looking at Jiang Yue, Jiang Li’s expression remained calm, only visible confusion, and she said to Jiang Yue, “Younger Sister, why do you say this?
I do not dislike Third Sister.”
“Why do I say this?” Jiang Yue glanced at Ji Shuran and, seeing clear satisfaction in her eyes, felt even more emboldened and continued, “If you liked Third Sister, you wouldn’t have knocked over our great aunt, causing her to miscarry.
After staying in the temple for a few years, you must have harbored resentment towards our great aunt.
You might as well take out your anger on the headdress, deliberately giving it to Third Sister as a curse!”
“Yue, be quiet!” Lady Yang, naturally timid and fearing trouble, couldn’t help but interrupt her daughter when she saw Jiang Yue speaking so recklessly.
It was well known that among all in the Jiang family, the third branch had the least status.
While Jiang Yue had pleased Jiang Youyao, she also offended Jiang Li.
No matter how down and out Jiang Li was, she was still Jiang Yuanbai’s biological daughter.
Who knew if she might rise to power again one day?
Having said all she wanted to say, Jiang Yue remained silent.
The guests around looked at Jiang Li with evident wariness.
Jiang Li was once again gruesomely presented before everyone as a mother-killer and fratricide, and this time, because of Jiang Yue’s words, a scene emerged in everyone’s minds—the image of Jiang Li, under the light of the lamps, ferociously carving into the headdress with a knife, with each and every stroke.
Vicious as a viper, ruthless and cold-blooded.
Madam Liu could no longer hold back.
She was good friends with Ye Zhenzhen and had met Jiang Li once on Green City Mountain, mysteriously taking quite a liking to her.
Seeing her friend’s child being targeted by all, she said, “Miss Jiang the Second is kind-hearted, she is not that kind of person.”
No sooner had she spoken than a lady in the crowd whispered, “It’s often those who seem kind-hearted that are the most fearsome, knowing the face but not the heart.”
Though spoken softly, the words clearly penetrated the ears of the audience.
Madam Liu’s face turned a furious shade of iron blue.
At this moment, Jiang Youyao began to weep softly.
Usually seen with a carefree and cheerful smile, her tears now made her look incredibly pitiable.
Sobbing, she said in a low voice, “Why does Second Sister treat me this way?
I thought that…
that Second Sister had already resolved any hard feelings with us…”
“I don’t have any hard feelings, nor did I damage the headdress,” Jiang Li looked at her, seemingly helpless, “It’s just that you don’t believe me.”
“Bad person!
Bad person!” Jiang Bingji suddenly started to fuss in his nanny’s arms.
“Have you all made enough of a racket?” Madam Jiang the Elder suddenly shouted.
Leaning on a cane, she stood up with the assistance of a maid.
She coldly surveyed those around her, and the guests immediately fell silent.
Madam Jiang the Elder looked at Jiang Li and coldly asked, “Did you truly not carve into this headdress?”
Jiang Li replied, “I did not.”
“How do you prove it?” she asked.
Jiang Li looked towards Madam Jiang the Elder’s side, where Jiang Yuanbai was watching her, his gaze somewhat wavering.
Ji Shuran was covering her face with a sleeve as if deeply distressed.
Lady Lu, on the other hand, wasn’t pretending at all, watching the scene unfold with a look of enjoyment.
As for Lady Yang, she was staring with wide eyes, discussing something with Jiang Yue.
The entire Jiang Residence seemed filled with passive onlookers.
Beside Tonger, there didn’t seem to be a single person on her side.
“My maidservant Xiangqiao can testify for me,” Jiang Li said.
“After purchasing the headdress, Xiangqiao has always been the one to take care of it for me; I never touched it.”
Madam Jiang the Elder commanded someone beside her, “Bring Xiangqiao here.”
Suddenly, Xiangqiao was brought over.
Jiang Li asked her, “Xiangqiao, the headdress was in your care, placed in the box.
You saw it clearly that I never touched it.”
Xiangqiao hung her head, her body trembling slightly, and was silent for a long while.
Just as the crowd began to wonder, Xiangqiao suddenly knelt to the ground and cried, “Second Miss, I’m sorry, I cannot lie.” Without waiting for Jiang Li to speak, she turned to Madam Jiang the Elder and kowtowed, crying out, “Old Madam, I will tell it all.
The headdress, it was indeed Second Miss who carved it up with a knife.
I saw it with my own eyes!”
A stir broke out among the crowd.