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

Madam Jiang froze, all her anger and displeasure stuck in her throat. She stared in astonishment as her daughter, with blood dripping from the corner of her mouth, collapsed limply. Her mind went blank, and she even forgot to reach out to help her up.

A gasp of surprise rippled through the crowd.

They all rushed forward to support the weakened Jiang Ruining as she collapsed.

Yunmi hugged her master and cried loudly.

The wet nurse wiped away her tears, her sobs carrying a subtle, sharp edge that pierced Madam Jiang's heart: "Good girl, don't argue with Madam. You've begged her for so many years, just so she would look at you more and show you more affection. Don't upset Madam for the sake of two servants."

"You should try to please Miss Cousin more in the future. If she likes you, Madam will be more likely to give you a second glance!"

These words sounded like advice to Jiang Ruining, but they actually hit Jiang's wife where it hurt.

For a daughter to have to fawn over a stranger just to get a glance from her mother—if word got out, wouldn't everyone find that a huge joke!

Jiang Ruining propped herself up, panting heavily. Blood was still dripping from the corner of her mouth, but she felt a surge of exhilaration: "If you want to touch Yun Mi, you'll have to step over my dead body first!"

Chu Jin grabbed Madam Jiang's arm and pleaded, "Aunt! Let bygones be bygones! Let it all go! If anything happens to my cousin, how can I face anyone to live on? If you drive her to the brink of death, you'll regret it for the rest of your life!"

Madam Jiang stood there blankly, her eyes vacant, as if she were under a spell. A drop of blood splattered into her eye, and with each blink, her vision was veiled in a bloody mist.

Suddenly, his expression changed drastically, revealing anger, shock, confusion, and a hint of indescribable pain and struggle.

A storm swirled in her eyes.

Her lips moved slightly, and unconsciously, she uttered a nickname she hadn't used in a very long time: "Ningning..."

She took two steps forward, getting closer to Jiang Ruining, and raised her hand slightly, as if subconsciously wanting to get closer.

However, at that very moment, his gaze involuntarily drifted toward Chu Jin, who was standing to the side.

In that one glance, all the complex emotions that had just surfaced on her face instantly froze and shattered, as if frozen in ice.

She abruptly covered her ears, as if defending against an attack that no one else could hear or see. The muscles in her face contorted with the force, and finally, a sharp, low growl escaped her throat: "Shut up! Shut up... Don't say another word!"

Everyone assumed she was telling Jiang Ruining to shut up.

Only Jiang Ruining noticed an unusual signal in her violently trembling fingertips and her rapidly changing expression!

It wasn't just anger, but a struggle, a failed attempt to break free from some deeply ingrained habitual way of thinking. The uncontrollable pain overtly manifested, causing her to lose her composure.

This discovery, like a spark ignited in the darkness, thrilled Jiang Ruining, who was struggling to shake off the image of Chu Jin as a brainless fan.

With such progress in just two days, there's even more confidence in fulfilling the original owner's wish to "make her mother regret favoring the female lead"!

Supported by her wet nurse, she walked step by step into the house. As she passed Madam Jiang, she softly asked, "Do you still remember when my loving and doting mother disappeared?"

Madam Jiang was stunned.

The sound in my ears suddenly contracted and then exploded again, leaving only a muffled roar.

Jiang Ruining is exhausted.

He went straight back to his room.

I had just sat down on the edge of the bed when I heard the screams of the maids and servants outside.

She looked up and saw seven or eight male figures, their shapes distorted by the torchlight, reflected on the window.

Just then, a maid rushed in, flustered, to report: "Miss! The patrolmen suddenly came down from the roof, saying that rebels have entered Chaohua Residence and want to search the eldest young lady's courtyard!"

Jiang Ruining immediately realized that the people who assassinated Xiao Che had followed the bloodstains here!

The wet nurse and Jinyu both showed a hint of nervousness.

Jiang Ruining took a deep breath and reminded them, "If he is discovered, the entire Jiang family will die! You should focus your attention on me and just worry about me."

Yun Mi was completely unaware of the situation.

The wet nurse and Jinyu nodded vigorously.

Outside.

Madam Jiang suppressed all her emotions and turned to leave.

Seeing seven or eight burly men with knives standing brazenly in the courtyard, he said with displeasure, "How dare you! What do you think the Jiang residence is, allowing you to force your way in like this!"

The patrol battalion commander, with one hand on his sword hilt, stepped forward, his footsteps treading over the torchlight dripping onto the ground. His posture was respectful, and his words were impeccable: "Madam Jiang, please forgive us. We were ordered to capture a traitor who colluded with the enemy. We followed the trail of blood all the way to your residence."

"Under normal circumstances, we would not dare to disturb your esteemed residence. However, that traitor is ruthless; he not only kills and dismembers people but also rapes women. To prevent him from harming anyone further, we had no choice but to break in!"

"Lord Jiang and Young Lord Jiang serve the court. If we allow bandits to harm their families, that would be the most unforgivable mistake we can make!"

This is yet another case of treason and collusion with the enemy.

It was another case of dismemberment and humiliation.

Madam Jiang trembled, but she had been the mistress of the house for twenty years and was not easily frightened!

Maintaining the demeanor of a lady of high society, she did not readily agree to his explanation.

With so many people and so many eyes in Chaohua Residence, which fugitive is so stupid as to hide in a crowded place?

Perhaps the master's neutral stance angered some people, who wondered what tasks the eldest son and his family had performed in their respective posts, or what interests they had infringed upon, so they deliberately came to humiliate and disgust these women!

Something similar happened last year.

The lady believed it and let people into her daughter-in-law's yard to search.

The very next day, rumors spread that "the daughter-in-law was hiding a man in her room and had an affair with someone, resulting in her having an illegitimate child," which angered the daughter-in-law so much that she miscarried on the spot.

No matter how bad Ningning is, she's still her daughter. How could she let such a thing happen!

"If you have a warrant for arrest, I will let you go! If not, then you are breaking into the residence of a high-ranking official in the dead of night, deliberately harassing the women of the Jiang family!"

The clerk glanced at the brightly lit room: "The arrest warrant has already been sent to the yamen for approval by express courier, and it's on its way now. But capturing the assassin is of utmost urgency; what if the thieves have taken the women of the household hostage..."

Only half a sentence was spoken.

The intimidation was effective.

The conversation turned.

"We dare not soil the ground of your mansion, nor dare we damage a single plant or tree. We only ask that you have a quarter of an hour to search every corner of this place. If we cannot find anyone, we will immediately apologize to you and the young lady."

Madam Jiang refused to budge: "Please leave the inner quarters immediately. You may only come in when the official documents arrive."

The clerk gripped his sword hilt: "Madam Jiang, the rebels hold the secrets of our great border defenses. If something goes wrong and they escape, it's a small matter if we fail to capture them, but if this is brought to court tomorrow, the Jiang family will likely be accused of treason, which would be a much bigger problem!"

"We implore Madam Jiang to do us this favor!"

Could you do me a favor?

It's clearly a threat!