She accidentally flirted with the villain and was fiercely criticized as the regent for forcibly mar

"You're the girl my cousin brought back?"

He was about to ask Xiao Che where he lived.

Jiang Ruining was stopped in his way by a girl.

The girl was about thirteen or fourteen years old. She was very pretty and cute. She wore a white dress with red pomegranate flowers embroidered on it, and her hair was adorned with a red pomegranate-shaped gemstone hairpin. Her movements were accompanied by a dazzling red light, which was very flamboyant.

A pair of large, honey-dipped black eyes stared at her curiously, scrutinizing her before bombarding her with a series of questions: "What's your name? Who are you? What's your relationship with my cousin? Why are you with my cousin? Are you trying to take advantage of him?"

Jiang Ruining was unable to determine which character the person in front of her was based on their appearance.

But the only person who could call Xiao Che his cousin was a girl from his maternal grandfather's family, the Li family of Hedong.

"If you want to know who someone is, shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"

The young woman arrogantly raised her chin: "My father is the Marquis of Anyang, and I am Li Jingyu, the second legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Anyang's household! His Highness the Regent is my cousin! Now that you know my identity, why don't you bow and greet me!"

The Li family of Hedong was a large clan.

In his early years, when the late emperor was just a prince, he fought fiercely with his brothers, and the struggle was deadlocked. In order to secure her position, Lady Li married her eldest daughter to a prince born to the emperor, and sent outstanding daughters from collateral branches to the late emperor's residence.

Xiao Che's birth mother was that woman from a collateral branch of the family who was forced to become a concubine.

After he fought his way back from the border and purged the court, he only promoted relatives from his birth mother's own family.

The maternal family members were quite capable, doing their jobs very well in recent years. Xiao Che went along with it and bestowed upon them the title of marquis.

This marks the end of his term as a posting official.

She wanted to stay in the capital and also wanted the Regent to grant Li Jingyu the title of concubine in order to solidify the blood ties between the two sides.

Given her status, no one in the Regent's Palace dared to neglect her. Unfortunately, she was seduced by the young emperor who deliberately approached her and fell madly in love with him.

In order to ensure that the young emperor could smoothly seize power, she betrayed her relatives and Xiao Che.

She revealed all the secrets she had stolen from her unsuspecting father and brothers to the young emperor, which led to the tragic deaths of her entire family.

Finally, she got her wish and was made a concubine.

But the young emperor could not tolerate such a vicious woman who would even betray her own relatives for her own purposes, so he instructed the concubines to kill her, resulting in the deaths of both her and her unborn child!

Judging by the time, she should have already met the young emperor who had disguised himself and left the palace, and her heart should have already been secretly moved!

Jiang Ruining looks down on her!

Should we still bow?

The eldest daughter of a marquis's family has a high status, but Li Jingyu's father is a third-rank official.

In terms of personal value, her father and brothers' abilities, and her family's influence, she is far superior. Why should she put up with this idiot's temper?

What the hell is this bowing for!

"It's Miss Li! My apologies." Despite saying this, she didn't perform any formalities, and her face showed no sign of intimacy or flattery. She even seemed about to roll her eyes. "My surname is Jiang. I'm just a daughter of an ordinary minor official, nothing to mention."

Li Jingyu was so angry at her attitude that she puffed up her cheeks. She was even more skeptical that she was just the daughter of a minor official: "A girl from an ordinary minor official's family could not possibly enter my cousin's manor. Only his closest relatives and trusted ministers are allowed to enter."

"Is your identity something to be ashamed of? What can't you say?"

Jiang Ruining not only looked down on her, but was also annoyed by her: "My identity is nothing to be ashamed of, but you speak very rudely."

Walk straight past her and keep going.

When has Li Jingyu ever been ignored like this?

Ever since her cousin became regent, the Li family has been promoted. During her tenure, she was fawned over by all the officials, who said she was more noble than a princess. Even though the capital was full of noble ministers, as long as her cousin held power, she would be noble!

Even the Empress Dowager's own daughter, Princess Xinyang, treated her with utmost respect.

Why should this woman not respect her or fawn over her?

"How dare you talk to me like that! Don't you know my cousin dotes on me?"

Jiang Ruining casually said "Oh," and replied, "You were able to enter the resort because your father and brothers are capable, not because you have any value. I was able to enter the hot spring resort and be treated as an honored guest because I myself have ability and value."

"So, why should I fawn over you?"

Li Jingyu, however, wore her disdain on her face: "My cousin has countless talented men under his command; he doesn't need you! There's a difference between close and distant relatives; my cousin will definitely protect me, not you!"

"I'm warning you, you'd better apologize to me right now and leave the hot spring resort, or I'll immediately go to my cousin and tell him you tried to murder me!"

Jiang Ruining stopped and looked at her.

Li Jingyu raised her chin, waiting for her to show a look of fear:

Jiang Ruining hugged herself, exclaiming with an exaggerated and perfunctory expression, "Oh dear, I'm so scared!"

Then, his expression changed, and he continued walking forward.

It's brimming with sarcasm.

"You!" Li Jingyu pointed at her, stomping her foot, and said, "I'm telling you, I absolutely hate you!"

Jiang Ruining scoffed, "What a coincidence, I can't be bothered with you either!"

Li Jingyu threatened her: "I'm going to tell my cousin that you don't know your place and deliberately offended me, and I'll make sure he punishes you properly!"

Jiang Ruining suddenly remembered.

She still didn't know where Xiao Che lived.

I asked about Crescent Moon.

Crescent Moon, trembling with fear, pointed behind her: "It's next door on the left."

next door?

So close?

Jiang Ruining smiled.

Oh my, she's really quite valuable to Xiao Che now!

He turned around, grabbed Li Jingyu, and strode towards Qing'an Residence.

Li Jingyu instinctively struggled: "What are you doing! Let go of me!"

Jiang Ruining was stronger than these young ladies who only knew music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and didn't give her a chance to break free at all.

Crescent Moon was so frightened she almost fainted: "Miss! Miss Yu is of noble birth and cannot be harmed!"

Seeing her mistress at a disadvantage, Li Jingyu's maidservant was about to step in and hit her: "You lowly servant, how dare you pull on my young lady! Let go of her at once!"

Jiang Ruining shot him a glare, her eyes cold and menacing: "You dare to harm the Regent's personally brought guest on his territory? Have you thought about how you're going to die?!"

The maidservant met her gaze and trembled in fright. Hearing her words, she abruptly withdrew her raised hand, her voice trembling with fear: "My...my young lady is His Highness the Regent's cousin!"

Jiang Ruining didn't even glance at her, pulling Li Jingyu along as they continued walking: "We're not here to complain, but there's no time like the present, let's go now!"

Li Jingyu was unwilling to go.

The thought of her cousin, the Regent, with his sinister eyes and hands that had killed countless court officials terrified her. She didn't dare utter a single word in front of him, as he always ignored her. If it weren't for the desire to appear to have a good relationship with him, she would never have wanted to come to the manor!

Unlike the gentleman I met a few days ago, who was gentle and refined, whose words and smiles were like a breath of fresh air!

What if he finds out that she offended his guest and disrespected her father and brothers, and wants to punish her?

Thinking of this, her voice began to stammer, "I... I'll give you a chance. As long as you apologize to me, I won't tell my cousin!"