Forbidden to Bully the Storybook’s Heroine – Chapter 24

Warm Fragrance, Soft Jade¹

“Jiang Yao, may I call you that?”

Murong Ci asked, his voice rather gentle.

Murong Qing narrowed his eyes, wondering if Murong Ci also wanted the Jiang family’s support.

No, even if this one can’t get it, this one will absolutely not let Murong Ci have it!

Murong Ci was already the Central Palace’s di son², which gave him more standing than himself; he absolutely could not be allowed to gain the support of Jiang Heng as well.

Jiang Yao was still thinking about Song Muyun at Yueshang House, so her expression looked rather cold and numb. “Mm, call me whatever you want. Doesn’t Your Highness have questions? Hurry up and ask.”

Once he was done asking, she could go back and see her little fairy.

Seeing her get straight to the point, Murong Ci went along and asked a few questions he didn’t understand. Jiang Yao frowned as she listened. “Didn’t Your Highness shoot very well today? How do you still not understand these things?”

Murong Ci shook his head helplessly. “Good? This one missed the target completely several times.”

Jiang Yao hadn’t been paying attention. She only knew that he had occasionally shot a few arrows, and while they didn’t hit the bullseye, they weren’t too far from it either. For these princes who focused on literary studies, that was already quite good.

“Archery is like memorizing a book; the more you practice, the more skilled you become. If Your Highness goes back and practices for a few more days, you will definitely improve.”

“Thank you for your auspicious words³, but… could you come over and teach me? This one is afraid of grabbing blindly⁴ if practicing alone.”

It’s here!

Murong Qing’s whole body jolted. He quickly sat up straight and spoke in a serious tone, “Then teach me as well, while you’re at it. This one’s practice is also very poor. We’ll have to trouble Miss Jiang.”

Jiang Yao: …

Nice, working me like a donkey, one teacher for two students?

Just as Jiang Yao was about to refuse, she immediately heard Murong Ci’s clear voice, “This one recently acquired a sweat-blood treasured horse⁵. This one heard that you like to ride? It would be perfect to gift it to you.”

Jiang Yao: ? The Central Palace’s di son’s sweat-blood treasured horse? A little tempted.

She couldn’t help but look at Murong Qing.

Murong Qing: …

He spoke with difficulty, “Qing has also recently acquired a pair of crystal-clear agate bracelets. They can be gifted to Miss Jiang.”

Crystal agate bracelets? Those were a rare item too.

Jiang Yao nodded reservedly. Teaching one was teaching, and teaching two was also teaching. What was wrong with her teaching two!

And she’d even profit from it.

“Cough, the Seventh Highness and Eighth Highness are too polite. In that case, Jiang Yao finds that to be respectful is not as good as to obey⁶.”

Jiang Yao smiled, her expression looking extremely pleased. Murong Ci knew his gift had hit the mark, so he didn’t say more, gesturing toward the dishes he had ordered. “You’ve worked hard these past few days. Quickly, have some food.”

Jiang Yao perfunctorily ate a little, then rose to take her leave.

Having achieved his goal, Murong Ci didn’t try to make her stay, watching her as she left.

Murong Qing then stood up. “Eighth Brother, your Imperial Elder Brother has important matters to attend to at the manor and will take his leave first as well.”

Although they had not been enfeoffed as kings, they all had princely manors outside the palace. No one knew what the Emperor was thinking, giving them manors without giving them fiefs or titles.

Murong Ci watched Murong Qing leave with a smile. Once he had craned his neck to confirm the man was gone, he nearly fell backward in his chair from laughing. The injuries he’d personally inflicted were hilarious every time he saw them. It was just so to his liking.

He wondered which capable hero had dared to tie up the current Seventh Prince and toss him in a small alley.

Jiang Yao left Zui Xiang Pavilion⁷ and walked back to Yueshang House, stopping on the way to queue up and buy a bag of fresh, hot pastries.

Women mostly loved sweets, and Song Muyun was also a bit fond of them. Buying some for her would be a good way to satisfy her cravings when she had nothing to do.

Inside Yueshang House, Song Muyun obediently waited for Jiang Yao in the private room she had reserved. With one hand propping up her chin, she gazed out at the street, with its carriages like a stream of water, horses like a circling dragon⁸, just so she could be the first to see Jiang Yao the moment she returned.

Finally, that fiery red figure appeared in her line of sight. Song Muyun’s eyes lit up. She didn’t call out loudly, but as if she couldn’t wait, she ran to the top of the stairs.

The first floor was brightly lit, where many sons of rich families were amusing themselves with women in their arms. The air was thick with a lecherous scent.

Song Muyun frowned and felt like going back again. Ever since she had met Jiang Yao, she had been well-protected and no longer had to endure such things.

Forget it, Jiang Yao is about to come up. I want to be here to greet her.

Jiang Yao was a martial artist with an impatient temperament, so she walked quickly. In just a few bounds, she appeared downstairs, looked up, and her eyes met Song Muyun’s from afar.

Suddenly, she broke into a huge grin and rushed up the stairs, very naturally taking Song Muyun’s hand. “Why are you here? Waiting for me?”

Song Muyun let herself be led inside, nodding lightly. “Mm, I saw you coming from the window.”

The sky was growing dark, and she had actually been a little worried that Jiang Yao wouldn’t come.

But she still came.

It’s so late, yet she still came to see me. A strange sense of satisfaction rose in Song Muyun’s heart.

“I was held up for a bit by the Eighth Prince and Murong Qing today, so I’m back late. I brought you some pastries to make up for it. Want to try?”

Jiang Yao passed over the still-warm pastries in her hand. Song Muyun’s gaze fell on the oil-paper package, her eyes brimming with a smile. “Did you buy these specially for me? The pastries from Bai Yu House⁹?”

“Mm, give them a try.”

The two entered the room. Song Muyun gently opened the oil-paper package and saw the small, exquisite, and fragrant snacks wrapped inside. Her eyes brightened. “It’s wandouhuang¹⁰!”

The little maiden loved wandou huang. Jiang Yao could see that. She casually stroked Song Muyun’s fluffy hair and coaxed, “Try it and see if it’s good. If it is, I’ll bring you more next time.”

She was very gentle. This kind of gentleness, as far as one could see, was reserved for her alone.

Song Muyun’s beautiful eyes twinkled with tiny specks of starlight. She thought of Jiang Yao’s attitude toward others, then thought of her attitude toward herself, and her mood inexplicably lifted.

The corners of her lips curved upward as she nodded. “Mm!”

Jiang Yao sat down again in her favorite rocking chair, leaning back to watch the smoke and fire air¹¹ of the people coming and going outside.

Song Muyun hesitated again and again before taking the pastries and sitting down next to Jiang Yao.

Just like in the morning.

Jiang Yao very naturally made a little room for her, then wrapped an arm around the slender waist beside her. “Is it good?” she asked.

Song Muyun had already taken a bite of the pastry, her cheeks stuffed full like a little hamster’s, looking utterly adorable.

She carefully swallowed a little before speaking to her, “It’s good, very good. Thank you.”

She said thank you again.

Jiang Yao shook her head, took Song Muyun’s wrist, and lay back in the rocking chair with her eyes closed. “Between you and me, there’s no need for thanks.”

They were already very close.

Song Muyun leaned against her. Hearing this, a surge of joy welled up in her heart. They were already so familiar; she treated her as one of her own people…

How wonderful.

There was someone who would treat her this well, not because of blood ties, but simply because of who she was.

Night fell, and it was time for Jiang Yao to go back. Seeing how pitch-black it was outside, for some reason, she felt a little too lazy to move.

But she hadn’t cleared it with her father before coming out. If she dared to stay the night, she would be dead for sure when she went back tomorrow.

Sigh.

Jiang Yao forced her tired and lazy body to stand up and said to Song Muyun, “I might have to teach the Eighth Prince and the Seventh Prince archery for the next few days. I’ll come over when I have time, so I’ll have to trouble you to wait for me a bit longer. If anyone bullies you while I’m gone, you don’t have to endure it. Just use my name to scare them. When I get back, I’ll help you get justice.”

She had always been a sweet-talker when it came to beautiful women; every sentence she spoke was filled with favoritism and doting affection. Song Muyun blushed and nodded, her soft, jade-like fingers pulling at Jiang Yao’s hand, telling her not to tire herself out.

Jiang Yao finally understood why those men with spare money liked women so much. Warm fragrance, soft jade—truly alluring.

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The author has something to say:

A little late. I met a girl while gaming, she thought I played great and pulled me into her team! Hehe, she kept praising me, I got a little carried away by the praise, so I played for a long time. I’ll definitely be on time tomorrow.

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