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

Xu Nianyin was still embarrassed.

But what my mother said wasn't entirely unreasonable.

Throughout history, the crown princesses and empresses, along with their families, have almost always been targets of public criticism. Very few of them have a peaceful end, not to mention their children, who have suffered the most deaths.

From this perspective, it seems that there's really nothing for this principal wife to do!

After several attempts to reassure himself, he took a deep breath and finally managed to calm his expression.

Her eyes, filled with hidden resentment and disgust, coldly stared at the veiled face: "Yes, daughter knows what to do. I will make the Xu family rise even higher in my hands, and I will not disappoint my parents and grandfather!"

When Madam Xu heard that her daughter had changed her mind and was no longer losing control, she patted her hand with satisfaction: "Of course, Mother believes in you!"

Jiang Ruining sat opposite them, about four or five meters away. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but her two warning glances were quite obvious, and her expression was very controlled.

But she was still able to guess most of what the mother and daughter were whispering about.

It's nothing more than Xu Nianyin being angry, resentful, and jealous because she thought her position as the Regent's Consort had been taken away, and wanting to get rid of her. Madam Xu, on the other hand, advised her, "Don't worry about titles," and "Giving birth to a son and making him the Crown Prince in the future is the most important thing."

Arrogant and conceited people use this excuse to comfort themselves when they cannot change the facts but have to accept them.

If you're so prone to overthinking, you should go write storybooks!

Xiao Che should be able to see what these people are thinking, right? Why doesn't he explain?

Those who want to marry him will scheme and plot.

When he announces that he will marry someone else, those who mocked Xu Nianyin today will be the ones mocking her in the future!

"This is really going to get me into trouble!"

"Who upset the girl?"

Shi An's voice came from behind my ear.

Jiang Ruining glanced at him: "Why did you come here?"

Shi An said, "Master noticed you've drunk a bit too much tea, so he asked me to remind you so you don't toss and turn all night unable to sleep."

Jiang Ruining glanced at the teacup beside him. It seemed that the maid had indeed refilled the teacup twice. He had drunk too much!

worry!

"He's such a busybody!"

Shi'an implied, "The Prince wouldn't even glance at someone unimportant!"

Jiang Ruining chuckled: "Thanks to my good brain!"

Shi'an discerned the crux of her discomfort: "You have an interesting personality and a good family background, but those two alone aren't enough to make the Prince take notice. You need to add a sharp mind, beauty, and genuine concern for the Prince—those are your most important assets for getting the Prince's favor!"

"Let's look at it from another angle. If the prince were still wise, powerful, and appreciated your intelligence, and would indulge your recklessness, but he were a fat, pot-bellied, and plain-looking man, would you still be willing to let him protect you when you're afraid at night?"

Jiang Ruining shook her head, leaving afterimages, unwilling to even imagine it; she was a shallow, appearance-obsessed person!

He's good-looking, so if something happens, she won't lose out!

He's not good-looking... Just kidding!

Shi An knelt beside her, his finger lightly tapping the edge of the table: "Is it reasonable for you to judge people by their appearance?"

Jiang Ruining: "..."

Shi An continued, "You're only willing to befriend the Prince because of his good looks, so why can't the Prince value you because of your intelligence? Your intelligence is a fact, and that won't disappear, but the Prince's good looks and physique might vanish if he's not careful!"

"Even the Prince isn't competing with his own advantages, so why are you doing it?"

Jiang Ruining's mind went blank for a moment.

Suddenly, I felt a sense of openness and brightness.

But there's still a corner shrouded in shadow: "He's surrounded by plenty of smart people!"

Shi An smiled and said, "But there's only one Jiang Ruining who is smart, beautiful, interesting, from a good family, worries about his safety, and dares to order him around."

Jiang Ruining found it agreeable: "Did you say that? Or did he say it?"

Shi An nodded very seriously. He circled the words "what he said" in his mouth for a moment, then changed his words: "Your Highness would not say such mushy things, but in my opinion, that's what Your Highness meant."

Jiang Ruining nodded.

That bastard would never say something so sour.

If Shi'an were to say that it was indeed him who said it, she definitely wouldn't believe him!

She glanced at Xiao Che, her brows and eyes relaxed.

Xiao Che breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the displeasure in her eyes had disappeared.

Shi'an stood up, thinking to himself: This family really can't function without me!

Scent tasting party.

It's basically a disguised matchmaking event.

Most of the attendees were female elders who brought their children.

Young ladies and gentlemen came out to showcase their talents.

Music, chess, calligraphy, painting, playing wind and string instruments, singing, and dancing—one round after another unfolds amidst the rising smoke. The women's looks fluctuate, their skills vary, and some men stare at others in a daze, while others blush in front of others. The future mother-in-law nods with a smile, and the future mother-in-law admires and praises them. Waves of flirtatious glances are sent to the regent, making it as exciting as a concert by a superstar!

This was the first time Jiang Ruining had seen so many unmarried men and women of similar age since she transmigrated into this world. She guessed that they were all rich and powerful and had taken many beautiful concubines. After several generations of genetic fusion and modification, there were quite a few good-looking young people.

With careful dressing up, she is even more pleasing to the eye!

Seeing this makes me feel much better.

I'd like to pick someone I like and have a casual relationship with them.

In her previous life, she fell ill shortly after reaching adulthood, and until she was twenty-two when she was forced to transmigrate into a book, she had never experienced the sweet taste of love.

The second son of Prince Ke's mansion looks quite good. He has delicate features and a smile that makes him look like a carefree, sunny, and innocent young man. We should be able to get along well, right?

However, this is not the modern era that advocates freedom of marriage. The premise of love is to be engaged. She has no desire to sell herself to marriage so early, be locked in the inner quarters by her husband's family, be a virtuous wife and loving mother without freedom, and then endlessly fight with her mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, concubines and illegitimate children!

Although the innocent-looking young man was tempting, she was scared when she thought about the married life in various domestic drama novels. This relationship was not something she had to do!

Xiao Che sat at the head of the table, utterly bored.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the little girl who had been in a bad mood when she entered, but now she was all smiles as she watched the performance. Especially when the second young master of the Prince Ke's family came out to perform the sword dance, her eyes lit up. Even after the other person left the stage, she was still staring at him, her eyes clearly saying "I like it so much" and "Want to play with me!"

"How can someone be interested in someone with such looks!"

Shi'an saw her master's silent gnashing of teeth and quietly added his thoughts: "Yesterday he said he loved me the most, but today he loves other young men the most. Can those wildflowers be as pretty as me? You little scumbag!"

Seeing that she was so eager to chat with people, her mind already wandering, Xiao Che took a deep breath: "We really should lock her up and give her a good talking-to!"

Shi An silently shook his head: Men who fall in love are all seriously ill! You were the one who took the initiative to bring that girl out because you thought she was bored! If you don't want her to see other men, why don't you just bring her home? You can be openly jealous.

"The second young master of Prince Ke's mansion has no interest in officialdom or ambition; he's playful and mischievous, which makes him a good match for the young lady!"

The fruit that Xiao Che was playing with in his hand was crushed with a "poof".

The purplish-red juice accentuated his pale, indifferent skin, giving him an alluring allure. The juice then slid down his long, slender fingers with distinct knuckles to his prominent wrist bones, disappearing into his sleeve, tempting one to peek inside and indulge in endless fantasies…

Several girls in the audience stared wide-eyed.

Xiao Che slowly turned his head to look at Shi An, his smile sinister: "I see you want to go back to the camp and reshape your life!"