Chapter 34: Old Acquaintances Meet For The First Time
Yang Luo walked into the hall where today’s exam was being held, and there were already more than ten young ladies inside the spacious hall.
Those who came to participate in the selection were all around the same age as the princesses. Looking over at a glance, the teenage girls were like a hundred flowers blooming together, a dazzling sight.
However, she didn’t recognize a single one of them.
Although she had lived in the capital city for five years in that life, she had been confined at home the whole time, and moreover, from the day she arrived, Duke Ding’an’s Mansion no longer held any banquets.
She hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but later realized it was clearly to keep people in the capital city from seeing her.
Speaking of which, her uncle and aunt were truly very patient.
Those five years were precisely when the children of Duke Ding’an’s Family needed to attend banquets and socialize to decide on marriages, yet they stubbornly refused to open the mansion doors to others.
Not hosting others meant naturally reducing attendance at others’ banquets.
Yang Hui, unable to reciprocate invitations, didn’t dare attend others’ banquets and threw many tantrums over it.
Her impression was that even up until the day she married and died, the brothers and sisters of the Yang Family had not yet married, and hadn’t even settled on suitable candidates.
It had caused quite a delay.
Yang Luo couldn’t help but smile.
“This younger sister doesn’t seem nervous at all.”
A voice came from beside her.
Yang Luo came back to her senses and saw a young lady who had walked over at some point.
This was a girl with a round face and round eyes. Seeing Yang Luo look at her, she reached up and rubbed her own face.
“My face is all stiff; I can’t smile at all.”
Yang Luo said, “No, I’m just too nervous and giggling foolishly.”
The round-faced girl was amused and laughed: “You can even joke around, which shows you’re really not nervous.” With that, she curtsied. “My name is Qin Ying.”
Since everyone was there today for the exam, they didn’t mention their family backgrounds, to avoid being accused of bullying others by relying on one’s power or making others feel intimidated.
Yang Luo hurriedly returned the courtesy: “Liu Chan.” Although not mentioning family background, she still added, “I’m from Fuzhou.”
Qin Ying was very surprised: “Then Miss Liu speaks the official dialect really well.”
This was also a problem with impersonating someone else—Yang Luo couldn’t speak the Fuzhou dialect at all, but since it was a fake identity anyway, she could find plenty of excuses. As long as she had the invitation, no one would question it.
“My family’s academy has scholars from the capital city, and I learned from them,” she said with a smile.
Qin Ying didn’t suspect a thing, her round eyes shining: “Your family runs an academy? You must be very learned.” Smiling as she spoke, “I only read at the clan school.”
Yang Luo thought to herself, she wasn’t learned at all; she only had foreknowledge.
She knew in advance what would be tested and prepared ahead of time.
“My family wanted me to come see the world,” she said. “To know there are always people better and mountains beyond mountains.”
Qin Ying’s round eyes curved into crescents with her smile: “Don’t be modest. There aren’t many who truly know there are people better and mountains beyond mountains. Most are those who know a few characters and dare to pretend to be talented ladies…”
She didn’t finish her words when a cold snort came from behind her.
“Qin Ying, who are you talking bad about behind their back again?”
Qin Ying wrinkled her nose and turned her head to look. Yang Luo also looked over and saw several more young ladies walk in.
This time, she recognized them.
They were also the only ones she recognized in the capital city.
Yang Luo’s gaze directly fell on one of the girls.
Her cousin, Yang Hui.
And it was Yang Hui who had spoken.
“Someone like you who doesn’t love reading, what are you here for?” Yang Hui was clearly very familiar with Qin Ying. Walking closer, she continued, “Didn’t you disdain associating with us?”
Qin Ying pursed her lips, not looking at Yang Hui, her gaze falling on the girl behind Yang Hui. Her round eyes curved again, and she took a step forward.
“Older Sister Jiang, I saw the poem you wrote last time,” she said. “It was both beautiful and clear, unlike some people who just pile on flowery words, leaving readers confused.”
As she spoke, she didn’t forget to huff at Yang Hui.
It was obvious that “some people” referred to Yang Hui.
Yang Hui furrowed her brows to retort when someone else spoke first.
“Miss Jiang… is General Liwei your father?”
Yang Hui’s gaze fell on the girl beside Qin Ying. She had actually noticed her upon entering, but at a glance, the girl had an ordinary appearance and unfamiliar face—not one of the most famous noble ladies in the capital city that she knew, so not worth paying attention to.
“Sister Rui, your reputation is truly known to everyone,” she said with a smile, also looking at the girl beside her.
The girl beside her was sixteen or seventeen, with delicate features, wearing plain clothes without any jewelry, her expression distant and seeming somewhat cold.
“Yes, I am Jiang Rui,” she said, looking at the girl beside Qin Ying and finding her expression a bit odd. “You know my father?”
Qin Ying seized the opportunity and hurriedly said: “Sister Rui, although your father has passed away, his mighty reputation endures. Miss Liu came from Fuzhou and doesn’t know anyone else, yet she knows your father.”
A trace of surprise appeared in Jiang Rui’s eyes, and her indifferent expression softened.
Actually, it wasn’t… Yang Luo felt a bit awkward, but of course she wouldn’t deny it now.
“Yes, I’ve long heard of General Liwei’s mighty reputation. Seeing his daughter today, truly a tiger father does not have a dog daughter,” she said.
Yang Hui pursed her lips beside them. This country girl—how do you praise someone like that? Jiang Rui wasn’t a boy, and besides, although General Liwei was a military general, his daughter hadn’t followed in his footsteps but had become a famous talented lady. Jiang Rui had always taken pride in her talent and learning.
Jiang Rui wasn’t displeased at being called a “dog daughter” and her expression softened even more: “Thank you for the praise. I only seek not to tarnish my father’s reputation.”
Yang Luo looked at her and suddenly asked: “Do you have a younger sister?”
It seemed this girl from Fuzhou really knew about their family. Jiang Rui nodded, and perhaps because her sister was mentioned, a hint of a smile appeared in her eyes: “Yes, her name is Jiang Meng, but she’s still young and couldn’t come this time.”
Yang Luo said “oh” as if talking to herself: “Yes, at this time she’s still young.”
Yang Hui was already impatient. She had no interest in chatting idly with a country girl and wasting time, so she interrupted them: “Sister Jiang, Miss Shang and the others are over there. Let’s go greet them quickly.”
While they were talking, the others in the building had also looked over. At this moment, they waved at Jiang Rui and Yang Hui.
Jiang Rui thus didn’t linger, nodding slightly at Yang Luo before walking away with Yang Hui.
Qin Ying whispered beside her: “You’re amazing. The first time talking to her, and you made Iceberg Jiang smile.”
Yang Luo looked at her: “Iceberg Jiang?”
Qin Ying giggled and nodded toward Jiang Rui’s retreating figure: “She’s always cold and doesn’t smile easily, so everyone gave her the nickname Iceberg. But today’s iceberg melted really fast. Usually, she only smiles in front of the Heir of Duke Yongwu.”
At this, she winked mischievously again.
“Do you know the Heir of Duke Yongwu?”
Yang Luo looked at her: “Yes, the Heir of Duke Yongwu is named Zhu Yunxiao.”
Qin Ying’s eyes widened: “Ha, you from Fuzhou really did your homework—even this you know.”
Yang Luo smiled. Yes, she had indeed prepared thoroughly.
She just hadn’t expected not to see her husband Zhu Yunxiao first, but instead to meet her husband’s former wife—or more precisely, his late wife.
And moreover, one who had died because of her: the daughter of General Liwei’s family, Jiang Rui.
