Farm Tough Girl
Chapter 637 - 637 638 Bad Temper_1

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 me. My little boy hardly ever studies diligently; he merely muddled through with some ink. He’s entering the examination merely to try his luck. As for the outcome, 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 noblemen’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 seemed the examination was not going to be easy after all. Muniang began to worry about Jiangshui; she wondered how well he had performed 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 remembering 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 temperament. 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 moment Lady Jin made her remark, Muniang hadn’t shown any sign of panic or embarrassment. 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 time to properly educate her.”

Lady Jin stood up sharply, her voice elevated, “My Jianing is certainly not…”

“Lady Jin, what is the meaning of this outburst? It was merely a bit of jest; why are you so agitated? It’s unseemly,” the Empress intervened in a timely manner, her gaze at Lady Jin full of authority.

Lady Jin, seething inside, pointed at Muniang and exclaimed, “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 me, 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 mean 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 mean?” Muniang innocently asked.

“I…” Lady Jin found herself at a loss for words. It was only now that she realized that every statement 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 mean 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 me. I was simply following Lady Jin’s words, yet I don’t know why she suddenly flew into such a rage, accusing me of slandering her daughter. So if I have misinterpreted Lady Jin’s meaning due to my ignorance, please enlighten me so that I can apologize in person. It wouldn’t be fair for me to bear such an undeserved accusation without understanding why.”

Everyone there was no fool. Originally, they had come 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 meant. I too don’t quite understand the meaning 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 me.”

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,” someone replied, “I hear it’s called the Mei 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 astonishment. 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 claimed as part of the Marquis Chen’s estate!

Jian Yue scoffed lightly, then smiled, “She has always been a restless child, doing some business when she has nothing urgent. There’s nothing strange about it. Our Ze’er is picky and has never liked women who can only lose their temper and serve as ornamental vases.”