Is It Forbidden to Bully the Heroine of the Novel? - Chapter 48
Chapter 48
During a rare family banquet, everyone’s mood was somber, except for Jiang Yao, Song Muyun, the Eighth Prince, and Jiang Ru, who were enjoying their conversation immensely, their eyes smiling.
Jiang Heng wished neither his daughter nor his niece would associate with the Eighth Prince. The prince had ambitious intentions, and both his girls were unmarried. He frequented the Prime Minister’s residence, surely with ulterior motives, likely coveting the influence of the Prime Minister’s family.
Jiang Heng was so angry his beard twitched. Liang Qingyin also sensed something amiss and barely spoke throughout the meal, her brows furrowed in concern.
As Jiang Ru set down her chopsticks, Lady Jiang, her stepmother, stood up with a smile, “Ru’er, the dress I had ordered for you has arrived. Would you like to come see it with me?”
Jiang Ru, an obedient child, immediately agreed, “Okay.” She then turned to Jiang Yao, “Sister, I’ll be going first.”
“Alright, go ahead. We’ve made some new pastries in the kitchen. If you return late, we’ll save some for you.”
“Okay.”
After Jiang Ru left, the table quickly cleared. Murong Ci stood to take his leave, and Jiang Heng, still maintaining a polite facade, personally escorted him out.
Before seeing him off, Jiang Heng glanced at Jiang Yao, “Wait here, I have something to discuss with you.”
Confused, Jiang Yao was about to return to the courtyard when Song Muyun, also looking worried, gently tugged at the tip of Jiang Yao’s sleeve, “What does your uncle want to talk about? Is he upset about me wanting to join the autumn hunt?”
She tended to blame herself first and was visibly anxious.
Jiang Yao quickly reassured her, “Of course not. My father knows I like spending time with you. It must be something else and has nothing to do with you.”
As she comforted Song Muyun, she found her adorable and affectionately ruffled her hair.
Despite Song Muyun’s continued worry, she let Jiang Yao comfort her without resisting.
Liang Qingyin had some accounts to review. Seeing Murong Ci leave, she also excused herself, trusting her husband to handle the situation.
Jiang Huai, Jiang Yao’s brother, lounged in his chair, feeling slighted that his sister treated a stranger better than him, often scolding him.
“Hmph, Sister, you really know how to enjoy life. All my classmates know about your infamous exploits,” he said sarcastically.
He was upset that she brought a courtesan from Yue Shang Fang to live at home, an unprecedented act that even their parents didn’t seem to object to. Lin, one of his classmates, constantly ridiculed Jiang Yao.
Jiang Huai, still a young boy, was teased by his classmates, and though he initially liked Song Muyun, he had grown to dislike her.
Jiang Yao didn’t care whether he liked her or not and responded sternly, “Shut up, or I’ll beat you until you can’t speak.”
Frustrated, Jiang Huai’s chest heaved with anger, but he turned away, arms crossed, and fell silent.
Jiang Yao didn’t care about his anger and continued to comfort Song Muyun, “Don’t mind that brat’s nonsense. He’s the only one in the family who doesn’t understand. How about I take you to Flower Street in a few days?”
Song Muyun was still troubled by Jiang Huai’s words, feeling a tightness in her heart, but she remained gentle towards Jiang Yao and nodded in agreement.
She simply liked being with Jiang Yao.
Realizing Jiang Huai didn’t like her, Song Muyun thought to give him space and avoid provoking him.
She didn’t want to leave the Jiang residence. Without Jiang Yao bringing her in, it would have been difficult to meet her, let alone share a bed every night.
Jiang Yao was her only friend, and she didn’t want to lose her.
Jiang Heng soon returned and called Jiang Yao to his study. Song Muyun waited in the hall. Jiang Huai, who seemed about to leave, came back, standing with crossed arms and scrutinizing Song Muyun.
Nervously clutching her teacup, Song Muyun avoided his gaze as Jiang Huai arrogantly asked, “What kind of spell did you cast on my sister? She likes you so much, and my classmates tease me about it.”
Song Muyun’s fingers trembled, her eyes filling with tears. Unsure how to respond to make Jiang Huai dislike her less, she apologized softly, “Sorry.”
“Hmph, what good is an apology? Can’t you persuade my sister to beat up those classmates who gossip? I’m sick of their talk.”
Jiang
Huai believed his sister’s influence was the most effective, thus feeling justified in his request.
Song Muyun thought about how her presence had affected Jiang Yao’s reputation. Despite the ongoing investigation into her family by the Dali Temple, some people didn’t care about the truth and only wanted to slander others.
She nodded, “I’ll talk to your sister about it.” But she wouldn’t encourage violence. Jiang Huai’s mood improved considerably after Song Muyun agreed to speak to Jiang Yao on his behalf. His attitude towards her softened, “Alright, it’s a deal then. You must get my sister to stand up for me. Li Yun said my words are ineffective, but I know she’ll listen to you. This is what they call, ‘favoring the lover over the brother’!”
Jiang Huai wasn’t fond of studying and his words often sounded odd, but Song Muyun didn’t correct him and simply nodded in agreement, thinking to herself that she was just Jiang Yao’s friend.
After Jiang Huai left, Jiang Yao faced a stern reprimand from her father in the study. Despite this, she firmly defended herself, “Father, the Eighth Prince truly has no romantic intentions towards me. How could he possibly be interested in me?” She remembered how the Empress had suggested her as a bride for the Eighth Prince, and he had shown no interest, proving he wasn’t just trying to win her over.
Jiang Heng, unaware that Murong Ci was a woman, firmly believed that the prince was interested in his daughters. He saw the prince’s frequent visits as a strategic move to leverage their family’s power.
Jiang Yao argued fruitlessly with her father, eventually giving in, “Fine, fine, I won’t argue anymore. I’ll be careful, okay? You’re just overthinking this.”
“Watch over your sister too, and make sure she doesn’t fall for any prince with ulterior motives,” Jiang Heng instructed, convinced he wasn’t being overly cautious. He believed that as young and tender-hearted girls, his daughters could easily be swayed by sweet words.
Jiang Yao, wanting to end the conversation, agreed somewhat exasperatedly, “Alright, alright, I know. If anyone dares deceive my sister, I’ll make them regret it.” She playfully showed her fist, delicate yet capable of breaking bones.
Normally, Jiang Heng wouldn’t have condoned such behavior, but this time he surprisingly allowed it, then dismissed her.
Jiang Yao hurried back to the main hall to find Song Muyun still sitting quietly, lost in thought. “Xiao Yun’er, let’s go lie down. I’m exhausted after all that talking,” she said heartily.
Song Muyun seemed distracted and followed Jiang Yao obediently, responding to her chatter but not fully engaging.
Jiang Yao noticed Song Muyun’s absent-mindedness and asked with concern, “What’s wrong? Are you unhappy?”
Song Muyun remained silent, not wanting to lie.
Jiang Yao gently squeezed her soft hand, as if to say, ‘tell me what’s troubling you, and I’ll take care of it.’ This kind of reliable presence was something Song Muyun had never experienced before.
They walked back to their room, Song Muyun still looking unhappy. Jiang Yao sat her down and pressed for an answer, “What’s the matter? Talk to me, don’t keep it to yourself.”
Song Muyun had been struggling with how to bring up what Jiang Huai had said about persuading Jiang Yao… She had never influenced someone in such a way and didn’t know how to approach it effectively. Her anxiety was evident as she hesitated before finally looking at Jiang Yao and softly revealing, “Jiang Yao, your brother seems to have been bullied.”
Jiang Yao was taken aback, confused as to why Song Muyun would be so upset about Jiang Huai. The idea of someone bullying her brother seemed unlikely.
Then she remembered the dream where the entire Jiang family was executed, a dream in which Song Muyun disliked Jiang Huai for his involvement in her mistreatment by Murong Qing. In the dream, Jiang Huai was viewed as Murong Qing’s lackey, and even when he later realized his mistake and tried to make amends, Song Muyun didn’t change her opinion of him.
The difference between the dream and reality was that Jiang Yao had been protecting Song Muyun, preventing anyone, including Jiang Huai, from mistreating her. Could it be that Song Muyun actually had a liking for Jiang Huai?
Jiang Yao looked at Song Muyun, her eyes widening slightly, her first instinct being to confront Jiang Huai. She couldn’t understand why Song Muyun would develop feelings for Jiang Huai.
Song Muyun had been by her side for so long, never involving herself in others’ affairs. But maybe, just maybe, she had developed a fondness for Jiang Huai. Jiang Yao became increasingly irritated and frustrated on behalf of Song Muyun, who seemed unaware of Jiang Yao’s growing displeasure. Song Muyun, noticing Jiang Yao’s round, seemingly glaring eyes, felt nervous and quickly explained, “It was your brother who told me about the mockery he faces at school because of me. It’s not that I want to meddle in your brother’s affairs.”
Believing that Jiang Yao was upset with her for interfering in her family matters, Song Muyun’s mood dropped further. After all, they were only friends; how could she be so involved?
Jiang Yao, familiar with Song Muyun’s expressions, could easily discern her distress. Frowning, she moved closer and embraced Song Muyun, who stiffened slightly at the sudden intimacy but didn’t resist, unable to muster any will to do so.
“Why are you upset again? I’m not forbidding you from dealing with him. It annoys me that he, a grown man, runs to you with such trivial matters. If someone bullied me, I’d punch them straight away,” Jiang Yao said, her voice carrying a mix of frustration and concern.
As Jiang Yao comforted Song Muyun, the latter finally relaxed completely, leaning into the embrace. After a while, Song Muyun spoke in a low voice, “Your brother said… it’s because you brought me back to the house that people bully him.”
Jiang Yao suddenly understood why Song Muyun was concerned about Jiang Huai and was relieved it wasn’t due to affection for him. She internally vowed to find the most suitable and outstanding match for Song Muyun, dismissing the idea of her foolish brother being worthy of her.
“So that’s the case. Don’t worry, if they dare speak ill of you, I’ll take care of them tomorrow,” Jiang Yao declared, ready to confront anyone who dared to slander Song Muyun.
However, Song Muyun panicked at this suggestion, pulling back a little, “Don’t go fighting for me. Those in the academy are from noble families. It’s not worth it to offend them because of me.”
Jiang Yao, somewhat boastfully, assured her, “I’ve already offended many in the capital. Adding a few more won’t make a difference.”
Song Muyun, worried about the potential backlash from the elders of those families, pleaded, “Just talk to them, don’t get physical. I don’t want their families causing trouble for you.”
Jiang Yao, somewhat playfully but with a hint of bravado, declared she’d take on their elders too. However, realizing the absurdity of her statement, she quickly changed the subject, asking about what her father had discussed with her.
Song Muyun, amused by Jiang Yao’s attempt to deflect, inquired about the conversation. Jiang Yao shared her disbelief about her father’s suspicion that the Eighth Prince harbored feelings for her, completely oblivious to Song Muyun’s fading smile and growing coldness.
Song Muyun, with a hint of unease, questioned how Jiang Yao could be so sure of the prince’s intentions. She worried about the possibility of Jiang Yao marrying him, feeling distressed at the thought of Jiang Yao being with someone else.
Jiang Yao, puzzled by Song Muyun’s concern, reassured her, “How can it be possible for the Eighth Prince to be interested in me?” She was confident in her assessment, unaware of Song Muyun’s growing discomfort.
Song Muyun, still not fully convinced, pointed out that the prince frequently visited their house and interacted mostly with Jiang Yao and Jiang Ru, but not with Jiang Huai, leading her to suspect his intentions might indeed be romantic. This observation, coupled with her own fears, suggested that her doubts were not unfounded. Jiang Yao, unable to explain the situation to Song Muyun’s satisfaction, grew increasingly frustrated. She reiterated one last time, “Believe it or not, Murong Ci won’t have feelings for me, nor for Ru’er.” In her mind, since both she and Murong Ci were women, it was impossible for Murong Ci to have such intentions unless she had no desire for an heir.
As they were discussing, snacks were brought in from the small kitchen. Eager to change the subject, Jiang Yao quickly took a piece of cake and offered it to Song Muyun, “Enough about others, try this cake. It’s fresh but still a bit hot, so be careful.”
Song Muyun was still unconvinced about Murong Ci’s intentions but didn’t want to argue with Jiang Yao. She leaned forward and bit into the soft, sweet cake. Seeing Jiang Yao eating the other half of the cake she had bitten, Song Muyun’s displeasure faded a bit, although she felt a bit embarrassed.
Jiang Yao teased her, “I don’t mind sharing with you. Do you mind sharing with me?”
Song Muyun hurriedly clarified that she didn’t mind at all; she was just worried about what others might think. Jiang Yao, undeterred by societal norms and opinions, reassured her that she didn’t care about what others thought.
They finished their cakes in silence, saving some for Jiang Ru to enjoy when she returned. Afterwards, they each took a bath and went to bed.
The next day, Jiang Yao dressed in a Lu Qing-colored martial arts uniform and, with a long whip coiled at her waist, headed to Qing Lu Academy. The teachers at the academy recognized her from a martial arts competition she had won. They occasionally met for drinks and meals, which made it easy for her to enter the academy.
Jiang Yao, not a bookworm herself, respected true scholars. She greeted the teachers politely and made her way to her brother’s class, nodding to the female students she passed.
Finding her brother’s class, she leaned against a willow tree in the courtyard, casually playing with her whip. Soon, the class ended, and the teacher, recognizing Jiang Yao, approached her.
After a brief exchange, Jiang Yao asked to see her brother, Jiang Huai. The news of her presence quickly spread among the students, and some of them went to inform Jiang Huai.
Believing that Song Muyun’s influence had worked, Jiang Huai excitedly approached his sister, pretending to be surprised by her visit. Jiang Yao, not in the mood to play along, bluntly asked him to bring out the bullies.
The students, realizing whom they were about to face, became apprehensive. Jiang Yao’s reputation as a nightmare for the capital’s ruffians was well-known. Even noble families couldn’t protect their sons from her if they crossed her path.
As the students gathered, Jiang Huai cheekily told them that it was his sister who wanted to see them. One of the students, Ji Chunyan, panicked at the sight of Jiang Yao, remembering how his brother had been beaten by her and couldn’t get out of bed for half a month.
Ji Chunyan, instinctively wanting to flee, was held back by Jiang Huai, who pointed out that it was his sister who had called for them. The students, fearful of Jiang Yao’s attention, kept their heads down, not wanting to provoke her any further. Jiang Huai, emboldened by his sister’s presence, taunted the other students, daring them to repeat their words about Jiang Yao in front of her. The students, led by Ji Chunyan and Lin Shancui, denied ever speaking ill of Jiang Yao, but Jiang Huai accused them of mocking Jiang Yao for being charmed by a courtesan from the music house.
When Jiang Huai mentioned Song Muyun in a disrespectful manner, Jiang Yao quickly reprimanded him, reminding him to show respect as she referred to Song Muyun affectionately as ‘your Sister Song’.
Jiang Yao’s presence intimidated the students, who lined up before her, fearful of her reputation. As the daughter of the Prime Minister, Jiang Yao’s wrath was not something to be taken lightly.
Addressing the students, Jiang Yao questioned them about their disrespectful remarks behind her back. Ji Chunyan was shocked and vehemently denied saying anything derogatory. Jiang Huai stirred the pot further by bringing up the rumors about Song Muyun, earning another rebuke from Jiang Yao.
Jiang Yao then sternly warned the students about the consequences of speaking ill of Song Muyun, whose father was known for his integrity. She made it clear that any further disrespect towards Song Muyun would bring trouble to their families. This threat was effective due to the interconnected nature of power and influence within the capital.
The students nervously denied any wrongdoing, fearing retribution from Jiang Yao. They were aware of the rumors about Song Muyun’s father being a corrupt official, but Jiang Yao’s intervention made them realize the seriousness of their gossip.
Jiang Yao instructed them to apologize to Song Muyun at her residence the next day, setting a non-negotiable appointment. The students reluctantly agreed, not wanting to involve their families in the matter.
Jiang Huai, basking in his sister’s support, felt vindicated. He was pleased that his complaints at home had brought Jiang Yao to his defense.
As they were leaving, Jiang Yao reminded Jiang Huai to inform her if anyone spoke ill of Song Muyun again, making it clear that she would not tolerate any disrespect towards her.
The students, now fully aware of Jiang Yao’s protective stance over Song Muyun, resolved never to mention the courtesan again, fearing Jiang Yao’s wrath.