After Saving The Disabled Villain, I Was Attacked In Return! - Chapter 46

Grand Secretary Shen sat at the head of the hall, his expression dark. Jiang Yu secretly broke into a cold sweat. The Little Tyrant’s reputation would likely be impossible to shake before this venerable official.

This isn’t good, Jiang Yu thought. Has Gu Meng set me up? Just as everyone seemed at a loss for how to help her, a clear, melodious voice rang out from behind Jiang Yu: “Miss Gu, your words are misleading. While Miss Jiang may have been somewhat willful in the past, she just now greeted and bowed to every elder present. Though this is only proper, I observed from afar. Madam Grand Secretary is also your elder, isn’t she? Why did I hear no greeting or see any bow from you?”

Hearing this, Jiang Yu suddenly felt her heart swell with warmth. She’d never before experienced the feeling of someone standing up for her. Grand Secretary Shen’s fixed opinion, shaped by the original story’s events, couldn’t be changed by her knowledge of the plot. Since transmigrating into this novel, she’d never felt what it was like to have someone willing to help her.

Qi An, though still developing her own influence, couldn’t bear to hear others speak ill of her.

Shen Yun had noticed Gu Meng’s hostility toward her daughter from the moment she entered the room. But Shen Xi’s second sister had always been so kind to her, leaving Shen Yun in a difficult position. Confronting Gu Meng in front of the family might upset Shen Xi, so she had been holding back.

But now even Qi An couldn’t stand by silently. Shen Yun felt her anger rising. Even if you don’t respect me, show some deference to our family. To think Gu Meng would openly target her daughter right in front of her—did she think she was dead?

Gu Meng was speechless after Qi An’s rebuke. The Shen family had never been particularly strict about formalities. She’d always believed that simply sweetly addressing her maternal grandparents would suffice. She never imagined this would happen!

Stung by Qi An’s words, Gu Meng turned to scrutinize her appearance. In her mind, she immediately compared her to Qi An, hailed as the foremost among the noble young ladies of their generation. Jiang Yu had inherited Shen Yun’s beauty, yet even that couldn’t outshine Qi An’s brilliance. In the Capital, noble young masters and ladies often argued over who deserved the title of “the most beautiful woman in the city” during their leisure hours.

In the end, no clear winner emerged. Jiang Yu, though undeniably beautiful, was often criticized for her arrogant and domineering personality, her frequent disdain for others, and her lack of social grace. Qi An, on the other hand, remained elusive and enigmatic, like a divine dragon glimpsed only in fragments. The entire Qi family was shrouded in mystery; not only did the Qi family’s legitimate daughters avoid all the Capital’s flower-viewing poetry gatherings, but even Madam herself rarely appeared in public.

Qi An only ventured out when the Emperor, Dowager Consorts, or Princes hosted banquets, and even then, she was brought along only as an afterthought. This rarity only fueled speculation: if even a lowborn daughter like Qi An was so stunningly beautiful, might the legitimate daughters of the Qi family be even more breathtaking?

The debate raged on without resolution. Gu Meng, who had once carefully studied Qi An’s appearance in the crowd, now glanced up and noticed that the personal maid accompanying Jiang Yu wasn’t her usual attendant, Lu Wu.

Gu Meng’s mind finally snapped back to reality. Vaguely, she recalled recent rumors that after the Qi family’s fall from grace, Qi An had been demoted to serve at the General’s Residence.

“You’re just the daughter of a disgraced official, and you’ve even been reduced to slave status! What gives you the nerve to speak to me like that?” Gu Meng finally realized she had just been lectured by the daughter of a disgraced official. Burning with humiliation and anger, she ignored her mother’s warning look and desperately tried to regain the upper hand.

Jiang Yu frowned slightly, shielding Qi An behind her with a protective arm. Her voice was soft and sweet. “But what she said wasn’t wrong, was it? So what if she’s a slave, or the daughter of a disgraced official? The Current Emperor rules with mercy and has provided a path to survival for innocent people. Are you going to criticize even that? Wouldn’t that imply dissatisfaction with the Emperor’s decisions?”

Jiang Yu’s unbroken speech sent the atmosphere in the Main Hall of the Shen Residence plummeting to freezing point. Shen Xi, who had been sitting nearby, began to feel uneasy. Though she knew her daughter had provoked the situation, if the Emperor heard Jiang Yu’s words, it would be child’s play for him to punish her.

“Jiang Yu! How dare you maliciously slander your elder sister like that? Meng’er is merely blunt with her words—how dare you put such a terrible label on her?”

Hearing this, Shen Yun grew even more angry. In the corner, Qi An noticed Shen Yun’s expression and stopped herself from defending Jiang Yu, a faint smile playing on her lips.

“Second Sister, what are you saying now? Ningning is young and doesn’t fully understand these complex matters. Besides, there’s no one else here. Why would you assume she did it deliberately? Do we really need to be so guarded with our own family?” As Shen Yun spoke, she symbolically dabbed at nonexistent tears with her handkerchief.

Grand Secretary Shen, seated at the head of the hall, had initially seemed uninterested in intervening. But upon hearing that his beloved youngest daughter was being subjected to such suspicions—even though he didn’t particularly like Jiang Yu—he couldn’t help but speak up.

“Xiao-Ya, you really went too far. Ever since Ningning entered the Main Hall, Meng’er has been targeting her with her words, so it’s no wonder Ningning reacted like this. A little sharpness in her tone is hardly worth such unfounded accusations against our own family…” The bias in Grand Secretary Shen’s words was clear to everyone present.

Shen Xi, who had been rather naive as a child and oblivious to the jealousy simmering around her, now found his words like a bucket of cold water dumped over her head, drenching her in her fury.

Gu Meng could see the situation clearly. She wasn’t foolish, and since even Grand Secretary Shen was supporting Jiang Yu and Shen Yun, she had no choice but to swallow her anger. She walked over to Jiang Yu, intending to take her hand and apologize.

But at that moment, Qi An offered Jiang Yu a hand warmer. Jiang Yu accepted it, holding the golden-wire hand warmer in both hands to warm herself, neatly avoiding any physical contact with Gu Meng.

Jiang Yu also didn’t want to be touched, so she naturally took the hand warmer from Qi An. She smiled faintly at Gu Meng, her seemingly innocent expression always driving Gu Meng mad enough to want to tear Jiang Yu’s beautiful face apart.

Jiang Yu thoroughly enjoyed seeing Gu Meng like this, relishing the look of resentment and frustration. Gu Meng’s hand hung in the air, frozen. Jiang Yu lazily glanced at Qi An, who stood behind her, as if forming a plan to teach Gu Meng a lesson. “Sister Gu Meng, do you now think there was any mistake in what Qi An said?”

Hearing Jiang Yu willing to speak to her, Gu Meng assumed she was offering her a way out. She nodded cheerfully and said, “I was indeed too hasty earlier. Now that I’ve calmed down and thought about it, Miss Qi An was right.”

Gu Meng wasn’t unattractive, but her smug, self-satisfied smile was utterly irritating. Jiang Yu smiled faintly, her vermilion lips parting slightly. “Then you should apologize to Qi An. After all, you were rude to her just now.”

Jiang Yu’s eyes twinkled like starry skies, showing no trace of malice. From their seats of honor, Grand Secretary Shen and Madam Grand Secretary saw nothing amiss, and even began urging Shen Yun and Shen Xi to make peace. Gu Meng clenched her fists hidden within her wide sleeves, glancing around for support. Seeing none, she forced another smile. “Could I just apologize to you…?”

Jiang Yu shook her head and even tugged on Qi An’s sleeve, urging her forward. The two stood calmly, arms crossed, gazing at Gu Meng.

At that moment, Gu Meng’s mind was dominated by Qi An’s status as the daughter of a disgraced official. She could almost hear the mocking voices of the noble ladies of the Capital discussing her.

Gu Meng wasn’t mature enough yet. No matter how skilled she was at scheming, she was still a naive calf. Unable to contain her emotions, she raised her voice, “Jiang Yu! What exactly do you mean? Do you really expect me, a noble young lady, to apologize to a mere personal maid like you?”

Gu Meng’s outburst shattered the atmosphere that had been growing calmer in the Main Hall. When Grand Secretary Shen’s gaze turned toward them, Qi An immediately dropped to her knees with a thud. She looked up at Gu Meng with pleading eyes. “Miss, did you mishear? Our young lady never told you to apologize to me…”

These words stunned both Gu Meng and Jiang Yu. But Jiang Yu quickly realized this was Qi An, the Villainous Big Boss, disciplining Gu Meng.

After all… everyone was talking just now. Who could say for sure if I actually told Gu Meng to apologize? Jiang Yu felt a surge of satisfaction, and her eyes glistened with tears.

“Sister Gu Meng… I know you don’t like me, but why would you slander me like this? Ever since that day in the Ancestral Hall during winter, when Mother punished me to kneel, I’ve resolved to change my old habits. It takes time, but I’m determined… Why are you still clinging to me like this?” Jiang Yu lowered her head, lacking Shen Yun’s ability to burst into tears on command.

But… as Jiang Yu bowed her head, her long hair cascaded down slowly, revealing her delicate and vulnerable figure, evoking deep sympathy.

Grand Secretary Shen grew slightly angry. “Gu Meng! You’re so young, yet you’ve already mastered the art of stirring up trouble and drawing attention. What exactly are you trying to achieve?! We’re elders having a discussion, yet you’ve managed to become the main focus!”

Though he addressed “you all,” Gu Meng felt a burning heat on her face.

Feeling deeply wronged, tears finally welled up in her eyes. But Grand Secretary Shen knew Gu Meng’s true nature well; her tears held no weight.

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