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

Madam Xu failed to see the lingering fear in the other person's eyes and was instead mocked, which made her quite angry.

But it also indirectly reminded the silent illegitimate daughter of her own.

Knowing she couldn't escape, the third young lady's legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground, sobbing, "It was me... I did it! I was jealous of my elder sister's favor and how she got everything, so I deliberately framed her!"

She dared not say that she had harmed the woman who was traveling with the Regent on behalf of Xu Nianyin, fearing that the Regent would bypass the Xu family and kill her, her aunt, and her brother.

They didn't dare say they were deliberately trying to harm Cui Jingwei, fearing it would escalate the conflict between the two families, and that their aunt and brother would also suffer.

The only explanation for everything that has emerged is the infighting between the sisters.

Hopefully, considering that she took the blame, her stepmother will spare her life and treat her aunt and brother well!

"I didn't mean to hurt Cui Jingwei. I was bumped into when I was scattering the phosphorus powder, and it accidentally got on her clothes! I really didn't do it on purpose!"

Jiang Ruining clicked her tongue lightly: "It wasn't intentional to hurt Princess Cui, but the act of hurting someone was intentional, and the slander and framing were also intentional, weren't they? Crying and wailing, it's as if someone else harmed you."

Xu Nianyin immediately seized the opportunity to back down: "Haven't I been good enough to you? How could you do this to me!"

Unable to argue, Miss Xu prostrated herself on the ground, weeping and begging for forgiveness: "I know I was wrong, please be magnanimous, Princess, and forgive me this once. Please forgive me, Miss Jiang, I will never dare to do it again!"

The first act is almost over.

Jiang Ruining watched with amusement and said magnanimously, "Since you know you were wrong, I'll give you a chance to correct your mistakes and I won't hold it against you!"

He got up and left the resting place with a relaxed air.

Whether the Cui family lets go of Miss Xu or not is none of her business!

Madam Cui glanced at Jiang Ruining's retreating figure, lost in thought.

There were quite a few people standing outside the rest area.

The people who came out from inside only heard half of it and assumed that the murderer was Jiang Ruining, so they naturally gave the same answer to others.

When she came out first, completely unharmed and seemingly unpunished, I knew things had taken a turn for the better.

"If it's not her, then who could it be?"

The jeweled lady A scoffed, "Those left inside, besides that girl, are the Cui and Xu families. Cui Jingwei is the victim, and since the Regent didn't send anyone else in, the arsonist must be the Xu family girl!"

The slender girl B looked surprised: "That Miss Xu even stood up and accused others, like a thief crying 'stop thief'! She really has some nerve, daring to burn the princess in public!"

Madam A held up her round fan and waved it from side to side, saying knowingly, "The Xu family wasn't going to burn Cui Jingwei, but... her!" She gestured with her chin in the direction Jiang Ruining had left, "They just didn't aim properly when they attacked, and Cui Jingwei got the short end of the stick!"

"It's also possible that the girl noticed and deliberately shifted the blame onto Cui Jingwei."

Girl B nodded: "Possibly. That girl probably knows Cui Jingwei, and they happen to be enemies!"

Lady A, fanning herself, wore a knowing look on her face: "Just you wait! This is going to be quite a show!"

The Cui family members came out from their resting place.

A group of people surrounded Cui Jingwei, who was wearing a straw hat, and walked away without looking back.

But will the fragrance appreciation event be cancelled as a result?

Not long after.

The Xu family members also came out.

Miss Xu was carried out by an old woman. She was wearing a cloak and a hood, which clearly indicated that she had been beaten and was seriously injured.

To prove that the incident was committed by the illegitimate daughter and had nothing to do with the legitimate daughter, the Xu family kept her alive.

Xu Nianyin wiped away her tears with a handkerchief, expressing her heartbreak with sorrow: "Everyone has seen that my mother and I have always protected her, and never let her be ridiculed or bullied because she was born out of wedlock!"

"She's jealous that I dress better than her, but that's from my mother's dowry, not public funds! But she won't listen; she just keeps complaining that my mother treats her badly..."

In just a few words, she portrayed her half-sister, who took the blame for her, as an ungrateful, vicious, and madwoman.

Some of the listeners believed it wholeheartedly, while others gave it a wry smile.

In short, his expression was quite remarkable.

Jiang Ruining was stunned. It was such a waste of her acting skills that she didn't become an actress!

In comparison, her acting skills are simply too amateurish. She needs to go back and practice in front of the mirror!

Xu Nianyin probably sensed the mockery and looked over. When she met Jiang Ruining's sarcastic eyes, she suddenly clenched the handkerchief in her hand.

Jiang Ruining stood up and took a few steps in her direction.

Xu Nianyin broke out in a cold sweat of nervousness and guilt, afraid that she would stand up and expose her. She completely forgot that she was still acting and just stared at her.

Jiang Ruining had had his fun, turned around, and left.

Xu Nianyin's tense nerves finally relaxed a little.

Jiang Ruining found a quiet, shady spot and was about to sit down.

A sexy tune sounded from behind.

"have not seen you for a long time."

Jiang Ruining immediately recognized who it was; after all, the voice was so beautiful it was almost like an ear pregnancy, making it highly recognizable.

Great, he recognized me!

Turning around, she saw a man standing there, but for a moment she thought she had mistaken him for someone else.

After all, aside from his official robes, the male protagonist in the book always wore light-colored clothes. Because he and the female protagonist had similar tastes, they seemed to be wearing matching outfits when they met several times.

But today he was wearing a lake-blue soft satin shirt. When the wind blew, the large sleeves and the shirt fluttered together, making him look like a refined and elegant nobleman, a far cry from his usual sharp and efficient appearance as a criminal official.

Jiang Ruining was inevitably dazzled; it was truly...beautiful!

But his exposure displeased her: "Duke Shao has mistaken me for someone else."

Shao Yunting lowered her voice, making it even more sexy and pleasant: "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone before you go public."

Jiang Ruining's ears were a little itchy, so she raised her hand to rub behind her ears, nodded her thanks, and didn't say anything.

Shao Yunting smiled, her smile as gentle as moonlight, and said, "His Majesty, knowing he will be setting off at the beginning of next month, ordered me to inspect the hunting grounds. I happen to be staying at my family's estate nearby. I guessed you would come, so I came."

Jiang Ruining couldn't resist this man's face, which seemed to tempt one to commit a crime, as he spoke such affectionate words: "Duke Shao, please don't say such things that could be misunderstood."

"That's the truth." Shao Yunting smiled. "I just arrived. I heard about what happened earlier. They didn't give you any trouble, did they?"

Jiang Ruining remained polite: "Thank you for your concern, Duke Shao. I am not a weak or incompetent person, and no one can easily make things difficult for me."

Shao Yunting gazed intently at her: "I don't think you're incompetent. I just wanted to talk to you, and I thought starting with words of concern would be more appropriate."

Jiang Ruining: "..."

The male lead's mouth is just more pleasant to listen to than some of those ruthless villains!