Forbidden to Bully the Storybook’s Heroine – Chapter 80

Departure

In the Imperial Palace, within Qinzheng Hall¹, Song Muyun, who had just been summoned from outside the palace, was kneeling.

The Emperor was furious over the death of a prince. In the afternoon, he had berated many of the serving palace maids and eunuchs—how could two princes disappear without anyone noticing!

Now, he sat on the dragon throne, his expression fluctuating between light and shadow. When he saw Song Muyun enter, he merely frowned at her.

The one who questioned Song Muyun was the Dali Temple Minister², who had received his orders earlier and was waiting here.

He was a young Dali Temple Minister, but he had presided over many cases of injustice and wrongful convictions. He was most skilled at discerning the human heart; no one who lied before him could hope to escape his eyes.

The Dali Temple Minister bowed respectfully to Song Muyun and addressed her, “Miss Song.”

Song Muyun remained kneeling. She found it strange that she was kneeling while he stood and bowed to her, so she gave a couple of perfunctory nods before lowering her head again. She felt a bit flustered and lost.

I’ve heard this Dali Temple Minister is exceptionally skilled at interrogations, with eyes that can see right into a person’s heart. Will he see through me?

The hand hidden in her sleeve was already damp with sweat, soaking the inner layer of her clothing.

The Dali Temple Minister saw the tension beneath Song Muyun’s expressionless face at a glance. He frowned slightly and asked, “Miss Song, do you know why His Majesty has summoned you to the palace?”

“This humble subject does not know.”

She kept her gaze lowered, her expression as placid as ever, her respectful demeanor tinged with a hint of confusion.

Then she heard the Dali Temple Minister say, “Miss Song, the Seventh Prince passed away today.”

As he said this, even the Emperor on his high seat wore a cold expression, craning his neck to see Song Muyun’s reaction.

Song Muyun feigned the appropriate amount of shock. Her eyes widened as if she had misheard something. “My lord, what did you say?”

The minister wanted to laugh, but he held it in. With his back to the Emperor, he quickly quirked his lips into a smile before returning to his solemn expression. “During the Hundred Flowers Banquet³ today, the Seventh Prince was murdered. A palace servant found a note on his body inviting him to the Cold Palace⁴. Your name was written on it.”

Song Muyun’s heart hammered in her chest. She immediately collapsed to the floor, her face pale. “But… but this humble subject never invited the Seventh Prince to a meeting.”

“How could this be? I was with Jiang Yao the entire day. Jiang Yao can testify for me! And several other young ladies as well. Jiang Yao and I chatted with them for a long time. I absolutely did not go to any Cold Palace!”

Song Muyun lifted a panicked face, the terror in her expression not seeming feigned. The Emperor, who had just been craning his neck, sighed and settled back into his seat.

Only the Dali Temple Minister seemed to have noticed something, but his expression remained calm. He didn’t say anything, only asking, “Miss Song, could you tell me which young ladies you chatted with today?”

Song Muyun furrowed her brow as if in deep thought, then gave a few names after a moment.

The Dali Temple Minister nodded in understanding. He turned, bowed deeply to the Emperor, and said in a calm and respectful tone, “Your Majesty, this subject has finished his questions.”

“Mm. Investigate this clearly and quickly. The Seventh Prince’s mother-consort is causing quite a scene in the palace.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

…

At the Jiang Residence, Jiang Yao had just finished explaining everything to Jiang Heng⁵.

If not for his years of experience navigating the treacherous waters of officialdom, Jiang Heng’s jaw would have dropped in shock.

He could have wracked his brain and never imagined that Song Muyun would enter the palace to assassinate a prince.

That girl had such a delicate and weak appearance and was always so proper and polite, yet she was capable of killing.

“This matter… did she tell you herself?” Jiang Heng asked, his face grim as he forced his incredulous thoughts back into order.

“No, she tried to hide it from me. I saw it myself when I went over. Father, do you think there will be trouble if someone saw her going to the Cold Palace?”

“There certainly will be.”

Jiang Heng’s brows were furrowed so tightly they could trap a mosquito. He was vexed, unable to think of a solution for the time being. He used to think his daughter was wonderful. He would help her pick a husband, and his judgment was better than his wife’s, so he wouldn’t pick too poorly. He’d thought he could have a more peaceful old age. Heh, who knew that a grown daughter is beyond her father’s control? She had already found someone for herself. She was already a troublemaker spirit⁶, and now she’d brought back a little troublemaker spirit. The moment something happened, all she did was open her mouth and cry ‘Father’!

Jiang Heng looked up at the moon outside the window, his face a mask of weather-beaten weariness.

Jiang Yao frowned. “No one should have seen her, right? Will the Emperor have Muyun interrogated? Who will he send? His Majesty is the Son of Heaven; surely he wouldn’t resort to torturing a weak woman?”

She was worried sick, but upon hearing this, Jiang Heng suddenly calmed down.

He narrowed his eyes in thought for a moment, then shook his head. “It should be fine.”

Jiang Yao: ???

How is it fine now? Your expression just a moment ago certainly didn’t say that.

Jiang Heng saw Jiang Yao’s confusion and explained in a placid tone, “I just remembered. The Emperor will have the Dali Temple Minister handle this case. Song Yunqian⁷ once saved the Dali Temple Minister’s life. He has always been a man of discretion. It should be fine.”

Jiang Yao: ?!!!

She had almost unconditional trust in her father. If he said so, then it was most likely true.

“So that’s how it is. Thank you, Father. You really know so much.”

Her father shot her a cold glance, bringing up an old grievance with great displeasure. “I think you’ve been so bewitched by beauty that you’ve lost your mind. You spend the entire day clinging to that girl from the Song family. Have you forgotten your proper duties?”

What proper duties could Jiang Yao have, other than practicing her martial arts? She certainly hadn’t forgotten that. She quickly retorted, “Don’t talk nonsense. I practice every single day, without a single day of rest.”

“Hmph.”

Jiang Heng snorted. The old Jiang Yao would spend the entire day practicing martial arts, too lazy to even go out. Now, she spent the entire day with that girl from the Song family, only practicing a few moves when she had a spare moment.

Romantic love was a true scourge. Even his daughter, who he suspected would spend her life with swords and sabers, was now trapped in its depths, unable to free herself.

Jiang Heng shook his head and told Jiang Yao to hurry back and stop being an eyesore.

Jiang Yao returned to Hengwu Courtyard⁸. She waited until late into the night before Song Muyun finally returned.

She had been escorted back by people from the palace. The moment the guards at the gate saw Song Muyun, they immediately sent someone to inform Jiang Yao.

Jiang Yao walked briskly toward the entrance, and finally, her eyes met Song Muyun’s.

Song Muyun’s expression had been cold, but the moment she saw Jiang Yao, her eyes suddenly lit up, and the corners of her lips curved into a faint arc.

Jiang Yao beckoned. “Come here, Yun’er.”

Song Muyun lifted the hem of her skirt and ran over, crossing the bluestone path and throwing herself into Jiang Yao’s arms, the joy in her voice impossible to hide.

“Jiang Yao!”

“Mm, I’m here. Let’s go back and talk.”

“Okay.”

Jiang Yao led Song Muyun back. After bathing, they changed into thin inner robes and sat cross-legged on the bed. Jiang Yao asked her, “Did the Emperor have the Dali Temple Minister interrogate you?”

“Yes.”

That hurdle was likely cleared. Song Muyun felt much more at ease, her eyes gentle and calm.

“My father said your father once saved his life. Did he give you a hard time?”

A trace of surprise flashed in Song Muyun’s eyes. “So that’s why.”

This Dali Temple Minister hadn’t held his position for long. Song Muyun vaguely remembered that after Murong Qing⁹ ascended the throne, he was stripped of his post and sent to a poor, remote region to serve as a county magistrate¹⁰. So that was the reason.

Song Muyun bit her lip lightly. Even though Murong Qing was dead, her hatred for him deepened another layer.

“He told the Emperor that everything I said was the truth. I thought his reputation for having sharp eyes and being a brilliant judge was just an exaggeration.”

The young woman lowered her head, a little ashamed.

Jiang Yao held out her hand, and Song Muyun slowly shuffled over, moving into Jiang Yao’s embrace.

Her soft cheek was pinched, occasionally pulled outwards, leaving a red mark when released. Jiang Yao chuckled. “Well? Are you satisfied now?”

Song Muyun leaned against her. When she closed her eyes, she saw the image of her soul leaving her body. When she opened them again, she was still in this body, still held in Jiang Yao’s arms.

“Mm, all my wishes have come true.”

She had killed the person she hated most in the world and tasted the world’s gentlest kindness. She had no regrets.

Her dark, smooth black silk hair fell into Jiang Yao’s palm, and she kneaded it gently. “Mm.”

She responded, but the hand that had just been stroking her hair inexplicably moved to her chest.

Song Muyun froze, then blushed, looking very embarrassed.

But Jiang Yao was only feeling her heartbeat. It had been steady a moment ago, but now it had suddenly quickened.

Song Muyun saw no further movement from her and guessed that, as usual, she wouldn’t touch her.

She and that her were different, after all.

Song Muyun sighed quietly. She was a little disappointed, but it was also for the best. If she did touch her, then what would that make her?

She couldn’t get over that knot in her heart¹¹.

After a moment, the person nestled obediently in the woman’s arms finally spoke, still asking about the issue that weighed on her mind. “I caused the deaths of your parents and relatives. Do you truly not blame me?”

Seeing her ask again and again, Jiang Yao sighed. “I was a little angry, but I can’t say I blame you. After all, none of it has happened yet, and you were deceived by Murong Qing. Stop thinking about it. Forget it. But if there is a next life, you’re not allowed to be so easily tricked again.”

Song Muyun’s eyelashes drooped, her expression a little downcast. “My sins are too heavy. I won’t have a next life.”

Jiang Yao: ???

What on earth is my little baby talking about?

“The one whose sins are heavy should be Murong Qing. What kind of sin is this? If this counts as a sin, then I’ve killed hundreds, if not a thousand, people on the battlefield. By your logic, wouldn’t all the officers and soldiers at the borderlands be deeply sinful?”

Song Muyun was taken aback and quickly shook her head, her unbound hair scattering across her shoulders. “No, that’s not what I meant.”

She hurriedly tried to explain herself.

Of course, Jiang Yao knew that wasn’t what she meant.

She just deliberately put on a fierce, stern face. “Then you’re not allowed to say such things again. Don’t even think it in secret.”

Song Muyun couldn’t argue with her. She could only lower her head and obediently agree.

“Okay, I won’t say it again.”

She was so obedient and well-behaved that Jiang Yao’s mood improved. She once again tucked that round, nice-to-touch head into her embrace, holding her quietly for a long while in the darkness.

After a sleepless night, news spread from the palace the next day: the Seventh Prince and the First Prince¹² had gotten into a dispute, and the First Prince had killed him by mistake. During the struggle, the First Prince had also been struck on the head and turned into a fool. Everyone was shocked, but no one doubted it. After all, it was common knowledge that the two had a terrible relationship. The common people sided with the Seventh Prince, practically trampling the First Prince into the dirt. Noble Consort Meng¹³ was not one to be outdone, either; she had been cutting Zhaoyi Ning’s¹⁴ daily provisions and causing trouble for her maternal family. It was said the two nearly came to blows in a palace corridor.

Everything was proceeding according to Jiang Yao’s plan. She could finally rest easy.

In time, although Murong Chun would regain his senses, his crimes had already been established. The situation was hopeless, lacking the skill to reverse the heavens¹⁵.

Just as expected, with the push from the Dali Temple Minister and Jiang Heng, the matter progressed rapidly. The Seventh Prince’s birth mother, Zhaoyi Ning, along with her noble maternal family, repeatedly petitioned the court for justice for the tragically deceased Seventh Prince. This time, even Noble Consort Meng’s kneeling outside the main hall day and night was useless. Once Murong Chun’s crime of harming his own kin was confirmed, he was to be executed.

He would be the first prince to be executed in this dynasty.

It wasn’t that the Emperor wanted this. It was just that Murong Chun was utterly worthless. Ever since his scheme to frame the Song family was exposed, the complaint petitions¹⁶ filed against him by the common folk were about to flood the Capital Prefecture office¹⁷.

The Capital Governor¹⁸ couldn’t decide on his own, so he brought the petitions to the Emperor. After reading them, the Emperor nearly died of anger.

He never knew that his First Prince had used his status to bully men and tyrannize women to such an extent, and he was completely indiscriminate¹⁹!

He had caused the deaths of so many people. If he didn’t execute Murong Chun, the common people would start to have opinions about him.

Murong Chun was a prince, after all. Even if he had to die, he couldn’t be executed in a bustling market for all to see. He died in the palace. Watched over by the Emperor’s own Chief Eunuch²⁰, his hands were restrained as he drank a cup of poisoned wine, dying right in Noble Consort Meng’s arms.

It was said that after Murong Chun passed away, Noble Consort Meng was overcome with grief and quickly fell ill.

But none of this had anything to do with Jiang Yao.

She sat with Song Muyun in a teahouse, sipping tea and listening to the storyteller²¹ recount tales that subtly alluded to Murong Chun.

With the Emperor busy and Noble Consort Meng ill, no one cared what they said.

But when she looked up, she saw Song Muyun staring blankly into space.

“Muyun, Muyun, what are you thinking about?”

Jiang Yao had to call her several times before she snapped back to reality.

The young woman’s dazed eyes fell on Jiang Yao, and she subconsciously denied it. “Nothing, I wasn’t thinking about anything.”

“You’ve been spacing out a lot lately when you’re with me. Are you hiding something from me again?” Jiang Yao asked, raising an eyebrow.

Song Muyun lowered her head guiltily, biting her lip.

It wasn’t exactly hiding it. It was just that she knew in her heart that she was probably going to be leaving.

She didn’t have to tell Jiang Yao; it was her own business, after all. But…

Song Muyun looked up at Jiang Yao. The woman’s round eyes were already fixed on her.

She was incredibly sharp; she must have sensed something.

“Jiang Yao…” Song Muyun called out in a small voice.

Jiang Yao crossed her arms and tilted her chin at her, a clear signal: Speak. This isn’t over until you do.

The young woman’s gaze fell, and she remained silent. Only when Jiang Yao’s brows began to furrow slightly did she suddenly speak. “I’m going to be leaving, Jiang Yao.”

“Leaving? Leaving to where?” Jiang Yao asked instinctively, but she understood as soon as the words were out.

Where else could she go? She was a lonely soul from another world. The abbot²² had also said she wouldn’t remain here forever. Naturally, she was… going to the place she was supposed to go.

Suddenly, both of them fell silent. Song Muyun stared blankly at the tea in front of her, thinking of nothing. She was spacing out again. Her soul and this body were already a poor fit. She didn’t know when she would leave, which was why she was so often lost in thought.

After a moment, the clamor from downstairs brought her back to her senses. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she looked at Jiang Yao and forced a smile. “If I leave, will you miss me? Will you remember me?”

These past days, although Jiang Yao hadn’t touched her, they had shared a bed every night. She thought they could be considered close, right?

Jiang Yao had known for a long time that she wasn’t that her. It was clear there were some differences between them.

So… would Jiang Yao remember her?

Jiang Yao looked at the hopeful expression on the woman’s face. With her usual sharp-tongued personality, this was the moment she would definitely make a sarcastic remark. But… she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Ah Yun had already suffered so much. She didn’t have the heart.

Even if she had to depart, she should at least know that there was someone in this world who would think of her.

Jiang Yao lowered her head, stroking the celadon cup in her hand. Her gaze softened. “Mm. I’ll think of you, and I’ll remember you. I will never forget you.”

She even considered burning some paper money for the young woman every year, but since she and Muyun shared the same name, it felt a bit unlucky.

Hearing her promise, Song Muyun was happy. She squinted her beautiful phoenix eyes²³, pleasure bubbling up in her voice. “Okay, you can’t lie to me.”

Jiang Yao’s expression was gentle as she nodded. “Mm, I won’t lie.”

The young woman was coaxed into a beaming smile, feeling as if she could die right then without any regrets.

She was someone who should have died long ago. Her parents were already waiting for her in the underworld. It was only because of the hatred in her heart, her desire for revenge, that she had found a chance to cling to life for a few more days.

Now that her revenge was complete, it was time for her to return the body. It belonged to the other her.

A faint smile remained on Song Muyun’s lips as she calmly accepted it all. The wind from the window blew past her cheek, lifting a few stray strands of her unbound black hair.

Sometimes, Jiang Yao would see her secretly dip a pink, tender fingertip into her tea and write on the table. If one looked closely, they could see she was writing the two characters for ‘Jiang Yao’.

“Jiang Yao, what do you think the Emperor will do with the things confiscated from the residences of the Seventh and First Princes? Will they be added to the national treasury?”

“They should be sent to Luzhou²⁴ to aid the disaster victims. That’s what should be done.”

“Oh, that’s good.”

Song Muyun felt relieved again. Now Murong Qing was dead, but the Jiang family was still alive. This world was so beautiful it was hard to believe.

The two drank tea for a while longer before hearing the sound of a horse galloping down the street below. A high-spirited young man sat atop the horse, his long hair tied in a ponytail that swayed in the wind, his expression proud. Jiang Yao glanced down and was surprised to see he was back, but she quickly averted her gaze, ignoring the flamboyant and eye-catching figure below. She looked only at Song Muyun and asked, “Shall we go home?”

Song Muyun shook her head gently, her voice like a spoiled child’s. “I don’t want to. I want to eat the pea flour cake²⁵ from Furong Pavilion²⁶. Will you take me? Please?”

The girl’s bright eyes looked at her. It was rare for her to make a request, and Jiang Yao couldn’t bear to refuse. She immediately agreed.

“Alright, alright. You just want some pastries, right? I’ll buy them. I’ll buy you as many as you want.”

She waved her hand grandly, full of magnanimity.

Her little girl never asked for anything, only liking to eat a pastry or two in her leisure time. She was very easy to raise.

So thought Jiang Yao, the one raising her.

“Let’s go, I’ll take you to eat pastries.”

She held out her hand, and Song Muyun obediently placed her own in it. Jiang Yao led her by her slender fingers, and the two strolled along to buy pastries. The most famous pastry at Furong Pavilion was the hibiscus crisp²⁷, so Jiang Yao naturally bought some of that, along with some of the pea flour cake that the young woman loved most. She had said that in her past life, she rarely got to eat pea flour cake and hadn’t had any in years.

The moment Jiang Yao heard that, her heart ached terribly, and she bought many pieces of pea flour cake to be wrapped up.

The freshly baked ones were still warm, a different flavor from the cooled ones. Jiang Yao led her to the side of the road and told her to try one first.

Song Muyun rarely ate on the street, always feeling it was unsightly. But the feeling of her soul detaching was growing stronger, and she was afraid she wouldn’t make it back to the Jiang Residence. She wanted to taste her favorite pastry before she left.

“Try it.”

Jiang Yao picked up a piece and brought it to Song Muyun’s lips, reminding her, “It’s a little hot, be careful.”

Song Muyun nodded obediently, blew on the pastry, and then took a big bite, eating half of it in one go.

So cute.

“Jiang Yao, I think I’m about to leave.”

Song Muyun said suddenly after eating in silence for a moment, startling Jiang Yao. She frowned and touched Song Muyun’s forehead. “Are you feeling very unwell?”

Her forehead wasn’t hot. Song Muyun took her hand down and held it in her own palm. The smile on her face was already very calm as she shook her head. “I just feel like the time has come.”

Seeing her like this, Jiang Yao felt a pang of sorrow. After a moment, she asked, “Is there anything else you want to eat? Tell me, and I’ll go buy it for you.”

Song Muyun’s eyes lit up, and she pointed to a sugar figurine²⁸ stall not far away. “I want to eat a sugar figurine. Can you buy one for me?”

“A sugar figurine?”

Jiang Yao looked over and chuckled softly after a moment. “Alright. If you want one, I’ll go buy it for you. You stay here and eat. Wait for me for a moment, okay?”

She walked quickly to the old man’s sugar figurine stall and carefully selected the two cutest ones. When she turned back, someone was standing in front of Muyun.

He held a horsewhip, and his ponytail was adorned with a bright red jade bead. He had a boyish air but was blocking Song Muyun’s path like a ruffian. The young woman seemed to be trying to get past him to come over, but he kept blocking her.

Jiang Yao was surprisingly furious. “Sima Jushan²⁹! Are you asking for a beating from me?!”

She ran over menacingly from the sugar figurine stall, launched herself into a spinning kick, and slammed her foot into Sima Jushan’s back. The kick caught him off guard, sending him sprawling to the ground in a ‘dog eats shit’³⁰ fall.

Jiang Yao quickly looked up at her little wife, whose eyes were rimmed with red, and her heart filled with nothing but pain.

“Muyun, come here. Let me hold you.”

Song Muyun ran and threw herself into her arms, but unlike usual, she didn’t bury her head. Instead, for the first time, she actively raised her head to kiss her neck.

She could feel that her time was up. That’s why she had been so anxious to get to Jiang Yao, only to be blocked halfway. She was so anxious she was about to cry. This person kept saying strange things, and she hated him so much.

The young woman pressed against Jiang Yao’s neck. It was the first time she had been so bold, but her voice was as faint as a mosquito’s buzz. “Jiang Yao, my time is up. I hope you can remember me forever. Be good to her, and be happy… always, always happy…”

Before Jiang Yao could react, she had already fainted against her shoulder.

Jiang Yao was completely stunned, holding the girl, unable to say a word. Just then, Sima Jushan, whom she had kicked to the ground, finally struggled back to his feet. He ran over to Jiang Yao, pointed a finger at her, and said viciously, “Jiang Yao! You-you-you-you, you launched a sneak attack from behind! That’s not what a hero would do!”

Jiang Yao, holding Song Muyun, shot him a cold glance. “What did you say to Muyun just now?”

Only then did Sima Jushan spare a glance for the girl who had collapsed in her arms. He scoffed disdainfully, “And she’s supposed to be a well-bred maiden³¹? Acting like this with you on the street. She’s even more shameless than me.”

Jiang Yao kicked out again. Luckily, Sima Jushan’s martial arts weren’t bad, and he dodged it. Otherwise, that kick would have sent him sprawling again.

He said indignantly, “Jiang Yao! Do you really want to fight me?!”

Jiang Yao couldn’t be bothered with him. She shifted her hold to carry the unconscious Song Muyun and simply handed Sima Jushan the two sugar figurines, her expression cold. “Hold these.”

Sima Jushan stared at the person in Jiang Yao’s arms, eyes closed and unconscious, and was completely dumbfounded. His eyes widened in disbelief. Seeing Jiang Yao walk away, he scurried after her and secretly tugged on Song Muyun’s dangling sleeve. A glare from Jiang Yao made him withdraw his hand sheepishly. “Hey, did she really faint? It can’t be that serious, right? Was it because you kicked me too hard and scared her?”

Sima Jushan, terrified the blame would fall on him, immediately started to shift responsibility.

Jiang Yao ignored him, only tossing out a sentence. “Follow me with the sugar figurines. If you lose them, I’ll beat you to death.”

Then she hurried in the direction of the Jiang Residence.

Sima Jushan was probably feeling guilty, because for the first time, he was incredibly obedient and quickly followed.

---

---