I Am This Type of Woman

“I heard that those people from the barbarian lands are savage, drinking blood and eating raw meat. They also have their eyes on our prosperous land. Isn't it inappropriate for your Jingting Marquis Household to deal with barbarians?” Kangning rose, offering Ban Hua a curtsy befitting equals. “Of course, I don't mean anything else by it, I just hope you will be more careful.”

Ban Hua tilted her head, looking at Kangning with incomprehension, and did not return the curtsy. “Deal with them?”

Seeing Ban Hua still seated comfortably, Kangning smiled and said, “Yes, families like ours shouldn't associate with such people.”

“Yes, families like ours only need to speak and someone will bring us what we want to eat. Do we need to specifically ‘deal’ with anyone for a bite to eat?” Ban Hua looked utterly perplexed. “Junzhu Kangning, what are you thinking?”

“Hua Hua is right. You young ladies don't need to worry about such things,” the Empress said with a smile. “Kangning, you are a good girl, but you think too much.”

The Empress’s words were like a slap in Kangning’s face. For an unmarried young lady to be called overly thoughtful by the Empress was hardly a compliment. Kangning's heart bled with resentment, but she still had to curtsy to the Empress. “Thank you for your instruction, Your Majesty.”

Unfortunately, the Empress disliked this restrained demeanor the most, as it reminded her of the days when she was the Crown Princess but not valued by the late Emperor. Kangning’s mother was favored by the Empress Dowager, and as Crown Princess, she had less influence than a mere Princess Consort. She had always carried this humiliation in her heart.

As the child of this couple, the Empress could never bring herself to like Kangning. Although Kangning always acted obedient and well-behaved in front of her, the Empress saw it all as an act, just like her mother's skilled performances.

Like mother, like daughter.

Princess Anle found Kangning rather tedious. She whispered to Ban Hua, “She can make a big fuss even over food. Isn't she tired?”

“Do you think… she wants some chili sauce but is too embarrassed to ask me?” Ban Hua brushed a thin layer of chili oil on the skewers and hid the chili sauce between them. “I only have half a jar left, and I snatched it from Ban Heng.”

“You bullied him again?” Princess Anle laughed. “Other sisters treat their younger brothers like precious jewels. You're not like that at all.”

Also, how did this girl even come to the conclusion that Junzhu Kangning was giving her a hard time just for a bit of chili sauce?

Ban Hua said, “I'm a delicate young lady. He should give in to me a little.”

Hearing this, Anle felt both envy and sadness. Although her father doted on her, she could never surpass the Crown Prince and her second brother. Even the man she married wasn't chosen by her. If it weren't for that man's self-destructive behavior in keeping a concubine, she wouldn't be able to live as freely as she did now.

After the barbecue, Emperor Yunqing sent someone over, saying that a target range had been set up outside and invited the Empress and the noble ladies to watch the warriors compete.

Upon hearing this, the Empress smiled and said, “Good, we’ll go over now.”

After washing their hands and rinsing their mouths, the group followed the Empress to the target range outside. Within just an hour, a row of targets for archery practice had appeared on the previously empty ground.

Seeing Ban Heng with a group of his usual dandy friends, Ban Hua didn't go over to him.

“Junzhu Ban,” Kangning took the opportunity to approach Ban Hua. “I misspoke earlier. Please don't take it to heart.”

Seeing her pitiful and wronged expression, Ban Hua raised an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?”

“It’s just… just…” Junzhu Kangning’s cheeks flushed crimson, as if it was difficult to speak.

“Ban Hua, you should know when to stop,” a young lady in blue riding attire walked to Kangning’s side. “Junzhu Kangning is good-tempered and doesn't hold it against you, but you, a mere Junzhu, can you accept a curtsy from a Junzhu of higher rank?”

“And who are you?” Ban Hua glanced at the young lady indifferently. “I didn't ask her to curtsy to me. What's there to ‘accept’ or not?”

She didn’t understand why these noble ladies liked to play these games, acting wronged to gain sympathy and pity. Was the sympathy and pity of others so important that it was worth bowing and scraping, doing things they didn't want to do?

If she were Kangning, she would never curtsy to a Junzhu of lower rank. Even if others accused her of using her status to bully, she wouldn't bend an inch.

The blue-clad girl was Li Xiaoru, whom Ban Hua had mocked for her plain looks at Princess Anle’s chrysanthemum and crab feast. After that incident, Li Xiaoru had been ridiculed for a long time. So, seeing Ban Hua daring to accept Junzhu Kangning’s curtsy, she couldn’t help but jump out.

“Junzhu Ban truly has a poor memory. I am Li Xiaoru, whose appearance you mocked,” Li Xiaoru sneered. “What, you don't remember me again?”

Ban Hua gave her a knowing look. “Miss Li is truly prescient.”

“Pfft!”

Ban Hua turned to see a richly dressed young man standing not far away. He bore some resemblance to Kangning and was likely Jiang Yuchen, the Heir of Prince Hui and Kangning’s older brother. Hadn't he gone traveling three years ago? Why was he back now?

“Big Brother.” Seeing Jiang Yuchen, the wronged expression on Kangning’s face deepened. She walked to Jiang Yuchen and hung her head without speaking.

Ban Hua frowned. Was she going to ask her brother for help? She pulled out the horsewhip from her waist and cupped her hands towards Jiang Yuchen. “Greetings, Your Highness.”

Jiang Yuchen noticed that the whip in Ban Hua's hand didn't look ordinary. The handle was wrapped in gold and black silk, suggesting it might be an imperial item. He just didn't know how it ended up in this girl's hands. Whatever the reason, this girl must be highly favored by the Emperor, otherwise, with his sister's personality, she wouldn't be so tolerant of her.

No one understood his sister’s personality better than Jiang Yuchen.

However, what this girl said just now was quite interesting. He rarely saw someone speak and act so directly, leaving no room for saving face.

“You are too kind. I don't know how my younger sister has offended you. On her behalf, I apologize. Please forgive her,” Jiang Yuchen bowed to Ban Hua.

Ban Hua found this pair of siblings from Prince Hui’s household rather strange. They loved to bow and curtsy for no reason, simply looking for trouble.

“What are you doing?” Ban Heng saw a blue-clad woman glaring at his sister from afar and, worried that his sister was being bullied, immediately rushed over with several guards, placing himself in front of Ban Hua. Recognizing the newcomer, he said sarcastically, “Oh, isn’t this His Highness, the Heir of Prince Hui? Didn't you find the capital city too noisy and vulgar, and go traveling around? Why are you back now?”

Eight years ago, Ban Heng had accompanied his grandmother to a minister's house for a visit. Playful and young, he hid in the artificial rockery, waiting for others to find him. Unexpectedly, he overheard Jiang Yuchen speaking ill of his father to a servant. As a little tyrant, how could he tolerate someone speaking about his father like that? He immediately made the matter public.

Because he publicized it, the matter became a big deal. The Emperor not only issued an imperial decree reprimanding Prince Hui for failing to discipline his son, but also said that Jiang Yuchen was disrespectful to his elders and violated the principles of a gentleman. After this incident, Jiang Yuchen almost lost his position as Heir. In the end, because his grandmother was softhearted and spoke a few good words for him in front of the Emperor, the Emperor withdrew the decree to remove Jiang Yuchen’s title.

Since then, Jiang Yuchen rarely appeared in public and left the capital to travel four years ago, saying before he left that the capital was filthy and not a peaceful place.

It seemed one shouldn't speak too definitively. Only a few years had passed, and he had returned, tail between his legs.

“Ban Heng, shut up!” Hearing this, Kangning remembered that all the things her brother had suffered were because of Ban Heng, and her hatred for the Ban family intensified!

“How dare you yell at my younger brother?!” Hearing Kangning yelling at her younger brother, Ban Hua became unhappy. She pulled her foolish brother to her side. “Junzhu Kangning, this is the Heir of the Marquis Household of Ban, not your servant. You don't have the right to give him attitude!”

Kangning’s anger was also ignited by Ban Hua. “He’s just the heir of a Marquis Household. In front of my brother, he should still bow respectfully. What’s there to be arrogant about?!”

“Junpo, why is there a commotion over there?” Emperor Yunqing saw a faint argument in the distance, and one of the voices sounded a bit like Ban Hua’s. He called Rong Xia over and whispered, “Take some people and go see what’s happening.”

Junpo was so handsome; those young ladies should restrain their tempers a bit when they saw him.

Author’s Note: The Ban family are all fiercely protective!

ʕ◉ᴥ◉ʔ

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