I Am This Type of Woman

Hateful words could be as hurtful as the coldness of the 6th month in winter.

Rong Xia was a genuinely talented, capable and presentable noble gongzi, but rumours made him out to be a man who relied on his fiancee to get promotions.

Educated people valued character the most. For many rumours was merely something to gossip idly after a meal, but the object of the rumours might not be able to swallow it.

Du Jiu had never dared to mention the rumours because they were too outrageous.

Therefore he did not expect that Master Marquis was not taking it as seriously as he imagined.

“Just ignore the rumours. I am going to write a memorial of gratitude, you can send it to…. Jingting residence. Ask Duke Jingting to help me passing it to His Majesty.”

“Master, why Duke Jingting, won’t it be better to ask other Darens?” Du Jiu was not trying to be nosey, he just thought Ban Huai was unreliable. Twenty years ago, there was once the previous emperor asked him to announce a decree, but he ended up dropping it in the lotus pond in the imperial garden.

The previous emperor was so angry that Ban Huai was punished to copy the books ten times.

“Duke Jingting is the best choice.” Rong Xia did not explain, “Go grind the ink, I’ll write now.”

“Yes.” Du Jiu dared not say further, he went to lay the paper and grind some ink.

The memorial was written with such passions and appreciation that anyone reading it could feel the gratitude brimming on the lines. Rong Xia put the brush down, and after the ink was dry, he handed it to Du Jiu, “Go.”

“Yes.” Du Jiu accepted it, he went as ordered.

—

Rong Xia being promoted to a marquis was good for Ban Hua’s reputation. She was now called lucky or blessed, and last year’s rumours of her being a husband-curse had long disappeared, everyone had seen the benefits that she brought to her fiance. They could pretend indifference on the surface, but actually everyone was very envious.

Various kinds of rumours were buzzing outside, but Rong Xia had a lot of admirers. While some called him ‘a soft rice eater’, the others who were his defenders refuted that by saying that as an extremely talented person, Rong Xia becoming a marquis was just a matter of time, it did not make a difference whether he had Fule Junzhu or not.

T/N – Eating soft rice means a husband who relying on his wife for his living.

The fact that Rong Xia’s promotion attracting so much noise was a testimony to his position in the Capital. The young ladies who was worried for him but were unable to openly inquire had mixed feelings in their hearts. It was good that Rong Xia was not harmed, but they were also jealous for Ban Hua’s towering prestige and the favour she received from His Majesty.

—

“How long can she last?” The Second Prince Wangfei laughed. She turned to Jiang Luo who was sitting on the bed, “She’s just a miss from a duke’s house. You are an esteemed Wangye, can’t you do anything about her?”

T/N – (Refresher) This Second Prince’s main wife is Xie Wanyu, the daughter of Count Zhongping.

“You are a Wangfei, what can you do about her?” Instead of getting angry, Jiang Luo laughed. He impatiently jumped off the bed, “Before you were married, you were unable to take on her. Now that you are a Wangfei, this is still all you can do. I say, you better just stay quietly at home, and give This Prince a son soon.”

Xie Wanyu felt like hurling the jade ornament she was holding to his face. Giving birth, giving birth. With him chasing outside women all day, how was she supposed to give birth?

“Why are you staring at me?” Jiang Luo felt uncomfortable under her glare. “Benwang is overseeing the country, no time to accompany you throwing tantrum.”

T/N – Benwang = This Wangye / This Prince.  — Qie = This Wife (humble)

“Wangye does not have time for qie.” Xie Wanyu sneered. She tossed the jade ornament to the table, it landed with a peng sound. “But always has time for cats and dogs.”

The jade ornament was given by Second Brother as her dowry. She was now estranged to Second Brother, so the jade ornament has become annoying to her.

T/N – (Refresher) This Second Brother is Xie Qilin, Ban Hua’s ex-fiance, the one who eloped with a courtesan and lost one of his eyes.

“What are you mad about again?” Jiang Luo frowned, “What do you think you look like throwing things around all day long?”

Xie Wanyu saw him getting angry, she dared not cross him further. Picking up an eyebrow-liner, she started to draw her eyebrows, ignoring Jiang Luo.

“Report!” A eunuch in light blue garb came in a hurry, sweating all through, “Reporting to Wangye, Wangfei. Something happened at Count Zhongping residence.”

Xie Wanyu fingers lost the grip. The eyebrow-liner fell on the dressing table and broke into two. One of her eyebrows was as dark and curved like the crescent moon, the other one was as smokey and as light as the cloud.

“What happened at Count Zhongping residence?”

“Replying to Wangfei, the Eldest Gongzi was in an argument in the downtown area, he is injured.”

“You, what did you say?” Xie Wanyu felt her throat tightened, “How is the Eldest Gongzi’s injury?”

“Nubi is not sure, but imperial doctors have gone to Count Zhongping residence.” The little eunuch did not dare to say that Xie Chongjin had injured his family jewel so he chose to answer vaguely.

“Prepare the carriage.” Xie Wanyu leaned on the palace maid’s arm to stand up. Her face was as white as flour, scaring people. “I am going to Count Zhongping residence.”

Jiang Luo was planning to visit his concubine’s room for a nap, but no matter how unwilling he was, he had to cancel that plan for this serious matter. He offered to go with Xie Wanyu.

Xie Wanyu had no mood to pay attention to him, she was rushing outside. If her personal palace maid had not insisted on fixing her eyebrows first, she might have really left the Palace in that looks.

—

Ban family house.

Ban Huai received the memorial of gratitude, but he did not open it yet, he was asking Du Jiu about Rong Xia’s injuries.

Du Jiu replied to the questions one by one. Ban Huai nodded, “Good that he’s fine, I am relieved. As for anything else, tell your master not to take it to the heart, people love to talk in malice. Our Ban family won’t ever put down anyone of our own. We understand that ‘the glory of one is the glory of all, the ruin of one is the ruin of all’.”

Du Jiu was stumped for a while, then he realised what Duke Jingting was saying.

Duke Jingting seemed to have also heard the rumours ‘matrilocal husband’, ‘eating soft rice’ and so on. Was he trying to reassure his master?

“Master Duke please don’t worry, our Master never believes the slanders.” Du Jiu bowed in a salute, “Those are just jealousy talks.”

“That’s right, just jealousy talks. It’s not worth feeling hurt for, only a fool will feel hurt.” Ban Huai was becoming more and more satisfied with Rong Xia, and this has pleased him even more. Ban Huai nodded, “Your master is sensible. In this world, only those with wisdom can live well.”

What he said made Du Jiu thought, was Duke Jingting a sensible one, or a muddled one?

“Father, you are spewing false logics again.” Ban Heng came out. He patted Du Jiu’s shoulder and sat down, “I remember your name is Du Jiu?”

“It is, Shizi.” Du Jiu twisted his head to look at the shoulder that Ban Heng patted. He cupped his hands, “Does Shizi have any instruction?”

T/N – Shizi = The Heir.

“None.” Ban Heng sipped his tea. He found it to be quite hot, and put the cup down in disgust, “Just asking.” This Du Jiu was often seen next to Rong Xia, almost like wherever Rong Xia was, Du Jiu’s shadow would be there too. Was he a death soldier Rong family cultivated from young?

Du Jiu knew Ban Heng was a happy-go-lucky person, so he did not take it to the heart.

His eyes swept around but there was no Fule Junzhu anywhere. It was almost dark, and Fule Junzhu was not home yet? She left Rong residence at noon, not long after the lunch.

“Shizi, is Junzhu at the residence?”

“Maybe she met her ladies friends and forgot the time.” Ban Heng waved his hand, “Women, always dilly-dallying in everything. Get used to it.”

Only when Ban Hua was not around that he spoke like this. In front of her, he would not dare to utter even half a word.

Du Jiu: ……

—

Ban Heng was correct, Ban Hua had met Miss Zhou on the way, so the two of them went to a teahouse.

As they were leaving the teahouse, a luxurious carriage was speeding over.

Zhou Wenbi stepped back, “Isn’t this an imperial prince’s carriage? What year is this, still plundering out of the Palace in a fanfare?” Whenever she saw an imperial carriage, she thought of the Second Prince making big scenes in his quests to chase women.

Jiang Luo has been made a qinwang, but his qinwang carriage was not ready yet, so he was still using his imperial prince carriage.

* qinwang 亲王 = prince of the first rank.

Ban Hua saw the disgust on Zhou Wenbi’s face, “Maybe something has happened?”

Jiang Luo’s reputation was so bad that even young ladies deep in their boudoirs had heard of his ill-fame. The first thing that came to their mind about him was always something negative.

“Even if something has happened, can he help?” Zhou Wenbi’s voice was full of mockery, not much respect there. The Second Prince had not done anything worthy since he started supervising the country, and her father had been at the receiving end of his censures.

Her father had helped everytime His Majesty was sick, and His Majesty often praised him. Jiang Luo, this thing, all he ever did was nitpicking and berating the officials all day long. He was only an overseer now, and he was already this ridiculous. How if he became the emperor in the future, could the officials survive?

“It’s going to the direction of Duke Zhongping residence,” Zhou Wenbi suddenly realised, “Could it be that something happened there?”

Ban Hua looked at that direction quietly.

“Let’s go.” Zhou Wenbi tugged on Ban Hua’s sleeves, “Let’s go there and see what’s going on.”

“Sister ah, do you know how late it is now?” Ban Hua pointed to the sky, “If you are really curious, get the servants to secretly check it. If the two of us just rashly appear there, won’t we make Count Zhongping people angry?”

“You are saying this…..” Zhou Wenbi snickered, “As if you have never pissed off Xie family.”

“Mocking them is not fun anymore.” Ban Hua was already bored of her constant and unchallenged victories, “I’ve mocked them too much, even if they do something more ridiculous, I am not interested.”

“You are so bad.” Zhou Wenbi stopped laughing, “But you’re right, I’ll send two servants to join in the fun.”

She despised both the Second Prince and Count Zhongping family but she still had her common sense. Ban Hua did have a point, swaggering to their door to watch the show would be like adding fuel to the fire.

“Then go home now, Uncle and Aunt will be worried if you return late.” Zhou Wenbi stroked Ban Hua’s horse, “Let’s meet again in a few days to enjoy lotus flowers.”

“Alright.” Ban Hua climbed up her horse, “Sister Zhou, farewell.”

“En.” Zhou Wenbi nodded. Her eyes followed Ban Hua’s departing figure before she went into her own carriage.

—

Count Zhongping residence was in chaos, people were crying and making scenes. Xie Chongjin’s servants cried desperately begging for mercy, but Count Zhongping ignored it all, he ordered that they be flogged and sold away.

As to whether they could survive, he did not care.