??Chapter 637: Chapter 638: Bad Temper_1
Chapter 637: Chapter 638: Bad Temper_1
Chapter 4:
Muniang’s interest was piqued when she heard about the imperial examination. Following the gaze of the noblewoman who had spoken, she saw Lady Feng indeed smiling radiantly as she repeatedly said, “Lady Jin is making fun of . My little boy hardly ever studies diligently; he rely muddled through with so ink. He’s entering the examination rely to try his luck. As for the outco, we’ll have to leave that to fate.”
Although her words were modest, Muniang sensed an unwavering confidence in Lady Feng’s smile, suggesting that Mr. Feng Rui was no ordinary character. Muniang didn’t look down upon the scholarly pursuits of these noblen’s sons. Normally, they have a higher chance of passing compared to commonfolk because wealthy families can provide the best educational resources. Moreover, being in the elegant Daqian Dynasty, even the sons of affluent families would carry a bit of literary grace, if only to elevate their status.
It seed the examination was not going to be easy after all. Muniang began to worry about Jiangshui; she wondered how well he had perford in the tests.
“Oh dear, look at us, once we start chattering we just can’t stop. We’ve been neglecting the Princess of Marquis Chen’s heir. She’s just returned to the Capital with Marquis Chen’s son, and to be so overlooked during her first visit—she must be feeling slighted,” said Lady Feng, as if suddenly rembering Muniang, and turned the conversation towards her.
Muniang looked indifferently at Lady Feng and replied, “Why would Lady Feng think I feel slighted? I am quite enjoying the conversation.”
Then, Lady Jin laughed and said, “It’s good you’re not feeling slighted. Indeed, children from common families tend to have a better temperant. If it were my daughter, she surely would have been sulking by now.”
Once Lady Jin uttered “common families,” everyone couldn’t help but chuckle under their breath, looking at Muniang as if she were a joke. Clearly, they were mocking her origins. Jian Yue’s expression stiffened; Lady Jin’s public humiliation was clearly a sign that she didn’t hold her in high regard. Just as she was about to speak, Muniang beat her to it.
From the mont Lady Jin made her remark, Muniang hadn’t shown any sign of panic or embarrassnt. Now, she said with an unaffected air, “Although Miss Jin may have a bad temper, Lady Jin needn’t make it a joke to be shared in public. Now that everyone is laughing, if word spreads, Miss Jin will lose face, which could pose a problem for her future marriage prospects.”
Lady Jin was choked with anger and quickly retorted, “I didn’t…”
Muniang, however, continued, “As Miss Jin is such a child, Lady Jin bears responsibility. While it’s necessary to indulge a girl, one shouldn’t spoil her. Otherwise, a bad temper without any virtues is one thing, but I’m afraid it would be a grave matter if she turns out to be neither virtuous nor filial. Lady Jin should really take the ti to properly educate her.”
Lady Jin stood up sharply, her voice elevated, “My Jianing is certainly not…”
“Lady Jin, what is the aning of this outburst? It was rely a bit of jest; why are you so agitated? It’s unseemly,” the Empress intervened in a tily manner, her gaze at Lady Jin full of authority.
Lady Jin, seething inside, pointed at Muniang and exclaid, “The Princess of Marquis Chen’s heir has maligned my daughter’s reputation in public, how can I tolerate this?”
“Lady Jin is overreacting. When did I ever malign her? It was clearly Lady Jin who compared her daughter to , saying her temper was worse than mine and that she gets angry over trifles,” Muniang blinked innocently.
“You!” Lady Jin almost choked on old blood, “I clearly didn’t an it that way!” She indeed compared Qiao Muniang with Jianing, but she was obviously saying that Qiao Muniang was of humble origin and couldn’t compare with her well-born Jianing! Who present could not understand that? Yet this Qiao Muniang deliberately twisted it into this!
“Then what does Lady Jin an?” Muniang innocently asked.
“I…” Lady Jin found herself at a loss for words. It was only now that she realized that every statent this woman made set a trap for her, forcing her into this inescapable situation. If she admitted that her original intent was to slander Qiao Muniang, wouldn’t she be slapping her own face? And if she acknowledged that she did indeed an Jianing had a worse temper than Muniang, wouldn’t she be slapping her daughter’s face?
Not giving Lady Jin a chance to react, Muniang already bowed to the Empress and spoke, “My Lady, you must deliver justice for . I was simply following Lady Jin’s words, yet I don’t know why she suddenly flew into such a rage, accusing
of slandering her daughter. So if I have misinterpreted Lady Jin’s aning due to my ignorance, please enlighten
so that I can apologize in person. It wouldn’t be fair for
to bear such an undeserved accusation without understanding why.”
Everyone there was no fool. Originally, they had co to watch the drama with Muniang, but she had turned the tables on them, step by step. The Empress glanced at Lady Jin and then said, “Lady Jin, please clarify what you ant. I too don’t quite understand the aning of your words.” Clearly, she had no intention of muddying her hands in this matter.
Grinding her teeth, Lady Jin looked at Muniang and saw a mocking smile hidden in her eyes. Her rage had nowhere to go, and yet she had to swallow it, “It is I who was wrong, I have wrongly accused the Princess of Marquis Chen. I hope the Princess will not hold it against .”
Muniang smiled lightheartedly, “Lady Jin worries too much. I’m generally good-natured. I won’t take such a trifling matter to heart.”
Lady Jin was so furious that she nearly fell backward and could scarcely contain the urge to run up and tear Muniang’s mouth.
The Empress simply shifted the topic, saying, “I hear that the Capital has been quite lively recently, not only because of the recently concluded examinations but also due to a new theatrical troupe that has arrived. It seems quite interesting. Does anyone know which troupe it is?”
“My Lady,” soone replied, “I hear it’s called the i Family Troupe, apparently from Qinghua City. Didn’t my Lady accompany the Emperor on an inspection there earlier this year? Didn’t you see their performances? Nowadays, this troupe is all the rage in the Capital!”
The Empress’s eyes lit up, and she looked toward Muniang, “Oh? Is it the troupe sent by the theatre owned by Marquis Chen’s son’s wife?”
Muniang nodded slightly, “Indeed.”
Upon these words, the room fell silent, and all eyes turned to the woman before them in astonishnt. Wasn’t she a woman of humble farming origins? How could she own such a popular theatre? Was it a gift from Marquis Chen Mansion? That cannot be right; the theatre started in Qinghua City, well before it could be claid as part of the Marquis Chen’s estate!
Jian Yue scoffed lightly, then smiled, “She has always been a restless child, doing so business when she has nothing urgent. There’s nothing strange about it. Our Ze’er is picky and has never liked won who can only lose their temper and serve as ornantal vases.”
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