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

"You hate me?"

Madam Jiang finally asked the question.

Chu Jin held the medicine in her hand, gently scooping it with a spoon. Upon hearing this, she paused for a moment, then said without beating around the bush, "It was the Liao people who killed the entire Chu family and made me an orphan. I have no reason to be hostile to you."

"But I hate that you favored me, treated Ningning harshly, exacerbated the conflict between us, and tried to use me to deal with Ningning."

Madam Jiang's eyes were filled with astonishment, and her face turned pale and then flushed.

Chu Jin's sharp gaze fixed on her: "Actually, you've always harbored deep hatred, haven't you? Hatred that people say you killed my mother because you stole her marriage!"

"You're using Ningning as a scapegoat, but isn't that the same way you hate me for treating me like your mother?"

"You think that by torturing and killing Ningning, you can sever ties with your past mistakes, and that by framing me as the murderer who hurt Ningning, others will naturally think that the mother who gave birth to such an ungrateful child is also evil, a poisonous woman who deserves to be framed and killed at the border."

"And you will be able to clear your name of all your sins, and no one will care about the terrible consequences of your fighting and scrambling when you were young."

She used the most down-to-earth tone to expose the darkest corners of Madam Jiang's heart.

This stirred up a storm in Madam Jiang's heart.

She never revealed her hatred for her elder sister to anyone, believing that no one could see through it!

But it turns out...

Since Jiang Ruining's death, she has been plagued by nightmares, constantly thinking about the past, and always feeling disoriented, wondering why she had acted so cruelly and ruthlessly, as if she were possessed.

Embarrassment, regret, and excitement intertwined, forming a thorny rope that tightly strangled her neck. She gasped for breath, yet still felt like she was about to suffocate.

"I didn't want to! I don't know why I acted so extremely... Jin'er, believe me, those things weren't my intention!"

Chu Jin listened to her weak and feeble excuses and felt only disappointment.

He scooped up a spoonful of herbal medicine, tested the temperature, and then fed it to her lips: "You have raised me for nearly eight years, taught me music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and provided me with a comfortable life. I should be filial to you and repay you no matter what."

"We can't hate, and we can't love. Let's just live this awkward life together!"

Madam Jiang covered her face and wept bitterly.

Chu Jin withdrew her hand, listening and watching indifferently, offering no comfort.

If you comfort her.

What are the hardships Ningning endured compared to this?

How can I be held accountable for almost becoming the murderer who harmed Ningning?

"Madam! Miss Jin!"

The usually composed Granny Song cried out in surprise and stumbled in.

Leaning against the doorframe, his expression incredibly excited, he exclaimed, "It's Miss Ning!"

Chu Jin's hand trembled, knocking over the medicine bowl and porcelain spoon. A sharp "clang" pierced her heart, and she suddenly panicked: "Explain yourself!"

Granny Song's voice was filled with shock: "Miss Ning is not dead!"

"I don't know how she ended up with the Regent. Today, they even attended the flower-viewing banquet hosted by Minister Wen's wife. During the banquet, assassins broke in, and the young lady was shot with an arrow and poisoned while trying to save His Highness the Regent. She's currently at the Wen family estate, and we don't know if she's alive or dead!"

"Go check it out!"

"How could this happen!" Chu Jin's heart clenched, and without waiting for Madam Jiang, she rushed out.

Song Mama stepped forward, tears streaming down her face, and the stunned Madam Jiang said, "Madam, this servant will help you change your clothes."

Madam Jiang finally reacted, gripping Song Mama's wrist tightly, her throat churning with a fierce, hoarse voice: "She's not dead! She's not dead! Why... if she's not dead..."

"Madam!" Granny Song glanced quickly towards the direction outside the bedroom, afraid that she might say something foolish again and be overheard by the master's men. What would happen then!

A sudden exclamation interrupted her: "It's a great joy that the young lady is alive! The master will be happy to know, and you'll have a chance to make amends!"

He stared solemnly into his master's eyes.

He lowered his voice and tried to persuade her.

"Madam, don't be confused! The girl fell off the cliff while praying for your well-being; that's an undeniable fact. You should see her filial piety! She is, after all, your own daughter, and you should cherish the happy memories you share!"

"You must cherish this opportunity! Don't make the same mistake again!"

Madam Jiang's eyes were glazed over, as if two extreme emotions were clashing.

After a long time, one emotion took over.

His stiff body suddenly went limp, and the hand that was gripping Granny Song fell to its bottom: "I...I know! I won't hurt her again, Granny, I really don't know what happened to me those years..."

Granny Song hugged her, sighing silently, "If you regret it, then make amends!"

……

The Jiang family's estate and the Wen family's estate are several kilometers apart.

Heavily armed guards stood at the main gate, their tokens bearing the Regency's Palace dangling from their waists.

Chu Jin spurred her horse forward, and upon dismounting, she gasped for breath, her eyes pounding with nervousness. "Sir," she said, "I am Jiang Ruining's sister. I've come to see her. Please let me in!"

The guard brandished his long sword, blocking her path: "By imperial decree of the Regent, no one is permitted to enter or leave. Any unauthorized entry will be treated as an assassin and imprisoned!"

No entry or exit allowed?

Chu Jin had a bad feeling again, and her heart was filled with panic: "Do you know what her current situation is?"

The guard shook his head: "We don't know what's going on inside." He paused, then added, "If you have a message, we can pass it on."

Chu Jin took out a purse from her sleeve and stuffed it into the other person's hand: "Please convey my message that Jiang Ruining's sister wants to know what her current situation is, and if there is anything I can do for her. Please be sure to pass on the message, I will be waiting here."

Upon hearing her claim to be his younger sister, the guards dared not be negligent and immediately mounted their horses, preparing to enter the estate.

Just then, I saw Shao Yunting come out.

He dismounted and bowed respectfully: "Duke Shao, Miss Jiang's sister has come to inquire about news. Are you aware of Miss Jiang's current situation?"

Shao Yunting glanced at Chu Jin.

Seeing her anxious expression, he stepped forward and said, "Miss Chu, Ningning has been shot in the arm with an arrow that was coated with a deadly poison. She is currently unconscious and her life is still in danger."

Chu Jin felt as if all her strength had been drained away in an instant; her body went limp, and she was about to collapse: "How could this happen! Doesn't the Regent have many experts around him? Why was she injured!"

Shao Yunting reached out to steady her: "Don't worry, the Regent has returned to the capital. He will find a way to get the antidote."

Chu Jin gripped his arm tightly, pleading with him, her bright eyes brimming with tears, her expression broken and pitiful: "Could you please find a way to let me in?"

Shao Yunting was puzzled. When did the two of them become so close?