The Double
Chapter 165 - 165 88 Hall Meeting_2

165: Chapter 88 Hall Meeting_2 165: Chapter 88 Hall Meeting_2 Following Madam Jiang the Elder’s words, after dinner, as the sky darkened, Jiang Li was forced to go out with the people from the second branch of the family.

In the absence of Madam Jiang the Elder, who had mobility issues in her legs and stayed in the residence to amuse Jiang Bingji, there was only Jiang Li who went out from the main branch.

Everyone from the second branch was present.

Lady Yang and Jiang Yuanxing from the third branch did not venture out either.

As for Jiang Yue, outside of such occasions, now that Jiang Yuanxing had to lower his head when he met his colleagues in public, he certainly wouldn’t go out and lose face.

It was even less likely for Jiang Yuyan to go out.

Tonger and Bai Xue accompanied Jiang Li, both maids experiencing the lantern festival for the first time, uttering gasps of amazement now and then.

Jiang Jingrui intentionally lagged behind, walking side by side with Jiang Li, saying, “Why aren’t you a bit curious?

I see that the two maids beside you seem much happier than you.”

Jiang Li’s expression was very bland, an unusual kind of blandness for her.

Jiang Jingrui noticed she could even be described as indifferent.

Although her lips bore the usual slight smile, not even the warm glow of the lanterns could illuminate her smile.

However, this beauty tinged with a touch of serenity attracted quite a few young nobles out enjoying themselves.

Along the way, Jiang Jingrui alone spotted no fewer than seven or eight young masters stealing glances at Jiang Li.

In Yanjing City, the streets and alleys, wine houses, and teahouses were filled with various types of handcrafted lanterns by the citizens.

The customs were similar in every place, such as the lanterns in Yanjing City, which were like the river lanterns in Tongxiang.

The only difference was that the lanterns were hung from ropes, while the river lanterns floated on the water’s surface.

There were hexagonal ones, and some crafted in the form of lampposts.

Many people were skilled with their hands, and while Jiang Jingrui was normally careless, he was surprisingly quite interested in these beautiful things.

He kept pulling Jiang Li along, debating whether this or that lantern looked better.

Jiang Li was somewhat speechless, feeling that compared to herself, it was Jiang Jingrui who truly resembled a naive teenage girl, with a face of innocent joy and tender longing.

When they saw a rabbit-shaped lantern, Jiang Jingrui just couldn’t move on.

He lost track of the people from the second branch and insisted on buying it.

Unfortunately, the owner crafting the rabbit lanterns was also quite stubborn, declaring he wouldn’t sell the lantern unless someone could solve the riddle written on it and offered it as a gift in return.

Jiang Jingrui, who dreaded dealing with anything involving reading and writing, noticed that Jiang Jingyou and the others had already walked on ahead.

So, he grabbed Jiang Li’s sleeve and said, “Aren’t you the top scholar at the school examination?

Come on!

Solve this for me.

Help me win this rabbit lantern, and I’ll give you fifty taels of silver!”

Jiang Li looked down on this behavior of Jiang Jingrui, initially wanting to refuse, but when she heard his last sentence, she changed her mind.

Fifty taels of silver was not a small amount; Jiang Jingrui truly was a prodigal son, willing to spend lavishly.

It was a pity to use fifty taels of silver for such a useless lantern.

Little did she expect there would come a day when she’d trade her scholastic abilities for silver.

Nevertheless, having silver was better than not.

Many scholars in the world, despite their erudition, lived without a name.

She stopped in her tracks and looked earnestly at the rabbit lantern that Jiang Jingrui favored so much.

The person who crafted the lantern had some skill, as animal-shaped lanterns were difficult to make, yet this one looked lifelike.

The body was wrapped in snow-white cloth, with a bamboo frame inside.

The long ears, tinged with pink, and eyes embellished with two red beans, made the rabbit’s eyes seem lively as the light inside flickered, as if it would jump up at any moment.

Indeed, it was a very beautiful lantern.

Then looking at the riddle written on the wooden plaque below the lantern, Jiang Li was smiling as she read, but suddenly, her smile froze, her expression drastically changed.

The riddle written in fine letters was a familiar one: “Searching for him a thousand times in the crowd.”

In an instant, it was as if the passionately spoken voice returned to Jiang Li’s ears, saying, “This word is just like my feelings for you.”

The bygone events of the past all fell before her eyes, and Jiang Li withdrew her hand as if burned.

Jiang Jingrui urged her, “What happened?

Hurry up and guess!”

“I cannot figure it out,” Jiang Li said coldly.

“How is that possible?” Jiang Jingrui said, “You are the top student from Mingyi Hall; this riddle isn’t red, so it’s not the hardest to solve.

How can you possibly not figure it out?”

“If I cannot figure it out, then I cannot,” Jiang Li said, “You should ask someone else for help.” Turning her head, she walked away swiftly, as if she found the lantern utterly repulsive, unwilling to even give it another glance.