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

Xiao Che gave him a cool glance.

Shi'an felt a sense of disappointment and frustration: "Just now, if you had told the girl, 'I just wanted to see your bright and wise eyes when you analyze a situation,' she wouldn't have gotten angry. She might even have seen her blush!"

Xiao Che's thin lips curved into a cold, hard line: "Hindsight is 20/20!"

Shi An said leisurely, "The Duke of Shao is much better at saying nice things than you are."

Xiao Che gave a forced smile: "You want to acknowledge him as your master?"

Shi An shook his head, his expression resolute and earnest, as if he were going to war: "I am your loyal servant in life, and I will be your loyal servant in death!"

Xiao Che snorted coldly!

Shi An: "..."

Got it!

He's the one who got injured again!

The sun is high in the sky.

It's getting hotter outside.

The Wen family invited the guests into the banquet hall, and the incense appreciation event began.

Seating arrangements were still based on residences.

However, since Xiao Che was the one with the highest status in the room, he took the main seat, and Jiang Ruining, not being the Regent's Consort, naturally could not sit with him.

Unable to find out which family the veiled girl belonged to, the Wen family arranged for her to sit in the first seat to the left of the Regent.

The others didn't have any objections.

Jiang Ruining had a lot to say; she was sitting alone and it was really boring.

Shao Yunting sat diagonally opposite her, raised his glass in her direction, and smiled.

Xiao Che had Shi An bring her a plate of fruit that was only available on his table.

Others were surprised or envious when they saw that she received special treatment, and many eyes fell on her, looking at her curiously.

Jiang Ruining continued eating the fruit, completely ignoring everyone else.

At Shi An's behest, Qi Yue, who was serving by his side, said in a low voice without any emotion, "There are many useful and intelligent people around the Prince, but no one has ever been so indulged by the Prince. You are special in the Prince's heart."

Is it special?

Jiang Ruining pursed her lips and thought for a moment, then said, "That's because I'm a very special person. Every monkey has its own way of being leashed! He must also have different ways of indulging others!"

wrong!

Why did she compare herself to a monkey?

Intuit!

"Besides, if I could enter the court and wield real power, just look at how he'd treat me!"

July agreed in her heart, so she didn't continue.

Just like those of them who act as bodyguards, if they don't have the ability to talk about loyalty, who will listen to them?

She looked up and gave Shi'an a helpless look.

Shi An sighed.

The numb expression seemed to say: I can't carry this, I really can't carry this!

Someone asked her, "Why didn't your family come with you, young lady?"

Jiang Ruining blurted out, "Busy! Everyone's busy serving the Prince, so no one's looking after me. They just dumped me on the Prince."

Xiao Che did not deny it.

Speculation immediately took hold in everyone's minds.

After all, men and women are different. If someone dares to leave their daughter with a prince, does that mean the marriage between them has already been arranged?

Those who were on good terms with the Xu family couldn't help but sympathize with Xu Nianyin, who went from being a wife to a concubine.

Most of those present today are the Regent's men, but even within the same faction, there are conflicts of interest, and they may band together, leading to some friction between them.

While some felt sorry for the Xu family, others naturally gloated.

Yin and Yang then moved toward Xu Nianyin.

The noblewoman A gently waved her silk fan, her smile radiant: "We thought the Regent was naturally aloof and indifferent, but it turns out he just hadn't met anyone he liked before!"

Qianjin Yi smiled with a hint of sneer: "It really comes down to favoritism. Those the Regent doesn't care about, no matter whose daughter or granddaughter they are, they receive no special treatment!"

Prince Bing, who had previously expressed his desire to marry her but was rejected, smiled enigmatically: "I thought the position of Regent's Consort was rightfully mine, but now it seems I can only be a concubine."

The disapproving tone of the spectator, Ding, still betrayed his disdain: "Although she's a concubine, being the Regent's concubine is different. Upon entering the palace, she's granted the rank of a third-grade noblewoman, something many women could never achieve in their entire lives!"

Jiang Ruining was astonished; where there are many people, there is always something interesting to see.

After being watched all morning, it was finally her turn to watch others' misfortune unfold!

However, why do these people all seem to think she will be the regent's wife?

Haven't you ever seen superiors give special treatment to useful people as a sign of favor?

If she were to become the regent's wife, would there be no word of it at all?

Are they all out of their minds?

Madam Xu remained calm and responded to the people who spoke with a smile.

Who doesn't have some shameful secrets that can't be brought to the table? Who doesn't have some sore spot that turns red at the slightest touch?

"His Majesty is about to select his consorts, and those chosen will naturally all be noble ladies from prominent families of equal status. There can only be one empress; does that mean the other three noble ladies, having become concubines, can complain about His Majesty and the Empress Dowager, and disrespect their families?"

"Whether it's a principal wife or a concubine, it all depends on the master's will! If the master is willing to grant her a title, that's the greatest favor. The Xu family will only be happy and will have no complaints!"

"If a woman is like some others, constantly talking about her love life, she'll only give others the impression of being unworthy of respect! Her future will be pretty much over!"

After she finished speaking, the expressions on the several sarcastic faces changed.

But not everyone has a point of attack. He retorted, "If the Xu family's daughter were truly as sensible as Madam Xu claims, there wouldn't have been the fire and the framing incident earlier, would there?"

Madam Xu remained calm, her slightly upturned lips like a sharpened blade: "Which family doesn't have a few ignorant juniors!"

The man chuckled softly and simply said, "Is that so?"

That gesture clearly said: You Xu family can hear what the fool has to say!

Madam Xu stopped speaking. When one's shortcomings are obvious, arguing is pointless!

Xu Nianyin was young and had never experienced such humiliation. In addition, she had just suffered a setback from her opponent, so her mentality was unstable. Even though she tried her best to remain calm, cracks still appeared on her face.

Xu Nianyin was born into a noble family and had a smooth life. Before this, who didn't believe that she was the only candidate for the Regent's Consort?

Today, without any warning, she was told that she, the grandson of the Grand Tutor and the daughter of the Vice Minister, could not be a princess and had become a concubine, a person of low status!

Even if the regent rises to a high position in the future, she can only be a concubine!

Not only does she have to kneel and bow to others every day, but her child has also become an illegitimate child, losing his status as the first in line to inherit the throne. She also has to watch him call other people "mother." How can she bear this?

Madam Xu pressed her warm palm against her trembling hand, quite firmly, with a warning: "If you cause any more trouble, you're going back to the capital immediately, and you won't be participating in the hunt!"

Xu Nianyin's tears welled up in her eyes, her voice filled with utter grievance: "Mother!"

Madam Xu said coldly, "Being born of the principal wife brings immense glory, but also immense resentment and scheming! Is being the royal wife so easy?"

"Your scheming and methods aren't the best. Even if you became the empress or the principal wife, you might not have the last laugh! Have you ever seen how many emperors throughout history were born to the empress?"

"What you need to do is to successfully enter the Prince's Palace, serve the Regent well, and give birth to as many male heirs as possible. That's the most important thing! Your status and capital are there for you. In the future, there will be plenty of low-ranking concubines who will rely on you and become your tools."

"Are you afraid you won't have a chance to eliminate obstacles and take the lead? What kind of future can you have if you only focus on titles and honors!"