I Am This Type of Woman

Shen Yu had never imagined he would be so humiliated, whipped like a dog in the middle of the street.

"Scholar Shen, so refined and elegant, unexpectedly you are also a vulgar person who hurts others with your words," Ban Hua, mounted on her horse, her face etched with scorn. "Forget it, just consider that this Lady was blind before, unexpectedly agreeing to your proposal under your relentless pursuit. Who knew you were such a shameless ingrate, crossing the river and demolishing the bridge. Once you attained the rank of Scholar, your true colors were revealed, allowing me to see through your petty nature."

Shen Yu, at this moment, was in a dilemma. Whether he explained or not, it was wrong. His face flushed as he looked at the surrounding crowd watching the spectacle. He forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart and bowed to Ban Hua. "Lady Ban, please stop this."

Had Ban Hua gone mad? How could she, a Lady, dare to whip a Scholar appointed by the Emperor? Did she not care about her reputation or her future marriage prospects?

"Oh, right," Ban Hua suddenly said, "You just said that I went too far by whipping a court official in the street?"

Looking at Ban Hua's condescending posture on horseback, Shen Yu had a vague premonition of something bad.

"Don't worry, you won't be a court official for much longer." Looking at Shen Yu's frightened and apprehensive appearance, Ban Hua laughed heartily. With a flick of the reins, her horse started walking.

"Lady Ban!"

"Lady Ban!"

Shen Yu wanted to chase after her, but Ban Heng, who was following Ban Hua, suddenly turned around and glared at him, raising his whip. "Try taking another step forward."

Shen Yu, remembering the pain of being whipped earlier, dared not move forward. He was anxious and resentful. Were all the Ban family members crazy?

Early the next morning, at court, a censor impeached Ban Hua, saying that as a Lady conferred by the imperial family, she had used private punishment on an official, which was a blatant disregard for the rules.

This was originally a small matter, but coming from the censor's mouth, it became a major issue. Before the Emperor could speak, several censors started arguing amongst themselves.

Fortunately, there were no major events in the court recently, so everyone started arguing about the Lady whipping the Scholar.

"Your Majesty," just as the argument was getting heated, someone unexpected stood up and spoke. "This humble minister has an opinion on this matter. May I have your attention?"

Seeing that the speaker was Cheng'an Bo, the censors all fell silent.

"In this humble minister's opinion, this is not a case of a Lady whipping a court official, but rather a jilted woman punishing a heartless man," Rong Xia cupped his hands towards everyone. "This humble minister heard that before Scholar Shen passed the imperial examination, he repeatedly proposed marriage to the Marquis Jingting's Residence. Marquis Jingting, seeing his sincerity, did not mind that his status was not worthy of Lady Ban and agreed to the proposal."

"The fiancé, once he became a Scholar, couldn't wait to break off the engagement. Isn't this ingratitude?" Rong Xia spoke calmly and unhurriedly. "Your Excellencies also have female family members. Why don't you put yourselves in their shoes?"

The court suddenly fell silent. After a while, a censor said, "Lady Ban is unruly, extravagant, and unrestrained. How many men can tolerate her? Cheng'an Bo, since you are so righteous, why don't you marry her?"

"Censor," Rong Xia's voice turned cold. "You have studied for decades, and now you stand in the Golden Palace, just to ridicule women and use their reputation to argue?"

"If this is the gentlemanly demeanor of a censor," Rong Xia cupped his hands towards the Emperor sitting above, "Your Majesty, this humble minister is ashamed to stand alongside such a person!"

"Your Majesty, this humble minister believes that Cheng'an Bo is right."

"I second that!"

The censor reprimanded by Rong Xia swayed, his face pale as a sheet. Without looking up, he knew what kind of looks his colleagues were giving him.

Rong Xia was a renowned gentleman in the capital. Now that he had become the object of Rong Xia's disdain, how would the people of the capital view him in the future?

It was over, all over.

Rong Xia, however, didn't even look at him. He simply bowed to the Emperor and retreated, standing quietly in his original position.

One was elegant and graceful with an upright posture, the other pale and distraught. The difference was immediately apparent.

After the court session, as soon as the Emperor returned to the palace, a palace maid reported that Grand Princess Dening requested an audience.

The Emperor had deep affection for Grand Princess Dening. His mother was not favored, and his father favored the son of a Noble Consort. If it weren't for his aunt's constant support, his position as Crown Prince would have long been usurped by the Noble Consort's son. Moreover, Grand Princess Dening was not someone who took advantage of her position, so over the years, she had always been highly respected by the Emperor.

Now, hearing that Grand Princess Dening wanted to see him, he immediately asked his trusted eunuch to invite her in.

"Greetings, Your Majesty," as soon as Grand Princess Dening entered the inner hall, she curtsied to the Emperor, startling him. He quickly reached out to support her. "Aunt, what are you doing? Between us, aunt and nephew, there's no need for such formalities."

Grand Princess Dening straightened up. Although she was nearing sixty, she was still in good health, and every movement exuded the dignity and grace of a royal princess.

"I came today to apologize to you on behalf of my unworthy granddaughter," Grand Princess Dening took out a handkerchief, dabbing at the seemingly non-existent tears in the corners of her eyes, and choked up. "Back then, I didn't teach her father well, which led to him being so frivolous at his age, and his two children followed his example."

Speaking of her sorrow, Grand Princess Dening was already sobbing uncontrollably, covering her face with her handkerchief and weeping softly.

"Aunt, please don't be sad." The Emperor knew clearly that his aunt had married a military general who only understood warfare to consolidate his father's imperial power. It was precisely because of this sentiment that his aunt was able to protect him and his mother later, allowing him to become the Emperor.

His cousin's current frivolous behavior was not his aunt's fault. It was the fault of that vulgar and reckless Marquis Jingting for not teaching his son well. Thinking of how his aunt had devoted her entire life to their family, and now, in her old age, a minor censor had impeached her only granddaughter in court, the Emperor felt a pang of guilt.

"Aunt, this matter has nothing to do with my cousin. It's Shen Yu's fault for being fickle and unrighteous."

"Your Majesty, there's no need to comfort me. It's my Ban family's lack of discipline that has caused you trouble in court."

"My cousin is a good girl. Everyone in the palace praises her. I am also very fond of her. It's my fault for not protecting her well, causing her to suffer such grievances."

In the end, the Emperor personally helped Grand Princess Dening onto her carriage. The entire palace witnessed the depth of affection between the aunt and nephew.

Sitting in the carriage, Grand Princess Dening wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, a cold smile appearing on her face.

Born into the imperial family, she knew better than anyone that there were no true feelings in this imperial city, only calculations. Just like how the late Emperor had schemed against her husband, causing him to live the latter half of his life in pain. And like her good nephew now, who treated her with respect everywhere, only because she knew her place and her children had no ability to interfere in the affairs of the imperial family.

The late Emperor had schemed against her husband, so she made it so his beloved son could not become the Emperor. This was fair.

The day after the censor impeached Ban Hua, an imperial edict was delivered to Marquis Jingting's Residence. The gist of the edict was that the Emperor's niece was very good, and he was very fond of her, and felt that the title of Lady was not worthy of her status, so she was promoted from Xiangjun to Junjun, with an estate of 700 households.

At the same time that Ban Hua was promoted to Lady Junjun, Shen Yu was dismissed from his official position due to his moral failings. Even the censor who impeached Ban Hua was removed from his position for being "unrighteous."

"Sister, was this part in the dream?" Ban Heng looked at the imperial edict in Ban Hua's hand. "A Lady Junjun with an estate, this is a treatment that even the legitimate eldest granddaughter of a Prince might not have. Grandmother is truly amazing."

The day before yesterday, after his sister whipped Shen Yu, she didn't return home directly but went to Grand Princess Dening's Residence to complain.

Then, his sister not only brought back a large box of jewels but also gained the title of Lady Junjun with an estate. Ginger truly gets spicier with age.

"I don't remember," Ban Hua stuffed the imperial edict into his hands. "You can read it slowly."

"Intelligent and virtuous, graceful and refined…"

Ban Heng pointed at the words on the imperial edict and shook his head. "His Majesty is really working hard, speaking blatant lies."

Ban Hua snatched the imperial edict and placed it on the ancestral altar in the main hall, letting it lie alongside the previous imperial edicts.

"His Majesty is wise and brilliant, with discerning eyes!"

Ban Hua suddenly realized that this incident didn't seem to have happened in her dream. Such a major event concerning her status and rank, even if it were a dream, she wouldn't forget it.

So… because she whipped Shen Yu, reality had started to change?

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