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

Jiang Ruining raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

A few breaths passed in silence inside the tent.

Jiang Huai spoke again: "The Prince told me that my escape from the pursuit was due to your foresight and proper arrangements. Thank you, Father."

Jiang Ruining smiled faintly: "Since we are family, saying thank you would be too formal."

The more understanding his daughter was, the more uneasy Jiang Huai became: "Father will no longer send you out to work, and I won't let you be bullied anymore. Father will make it up to you. Whatever you want, as long as Father can do it, I will do my best."

Jiang Ruining was just waiting for him to say that!

"I spent a lot of money to hire someone to protect Father. If Father wants compensation, please reimburse this amount first! It's six thousand taels in total. This money was a thank-you gift from Xiao Che, and I raised it by selling the few pieces of jewelry I had left."

"Right now I have nothing left, no money, no jewelry, no treasures, I'm a penniless pauper."

Jiang Huai readily agreed, then reached into his sleeve pocket before realizing he didn't have much silver with him: "I'll make it up to you when we get home, double the amount, okay? I've already taken back what your mother stole from your storeroom."

"If you don't like it anymore, Dad will get you a new one, but it will definitely be worse than what you had before!"

Jiang Ruining nodded.

Sure!

If you wait a month or two, you can earn as much interest as your principal. Why not take advantage of it!

"So, what about the old ones? I get to deal with them too?"

Jiang Huai's henchman said after a moment, "It's all yours to begin with, so of course you can do whatever you want with it."

Jiang Ruining was quite satisfied.

This cheapskate father may have been negligent, but he's quite generous!

"Thank you, Dad!"

Seeing his daughter's obvious happiness, Jiang Huai instantly understood the essence of coaxing his daughter: "After we return to the capital, I will transfer five hundred acres of fertile land in the suburbs to your name."

"I will also entrust you with managing the household affairs. If you are willing to learn, I will teach you how to interact with other families in the future."

Managing the household affairs?

To communicate with various government offices?

Jiang Ruining is lazy and doesn't want to at all.

But when I thought about how it would help me develop my skills, I readily accepted it. After all, I'll be living in this era and in this circle in the future, so it's always good to learn more!

"it is good."

Jiang Huai smiled when his daughter agreed.

Looking around, the items were complete, but a bit small.

Although the campsite is large, the number of tents is limited.

Unless someone holds an extremely high position and can use a tent by themselves, other families usually share tents with men and women, with each family sharing a tent with the people of other households.

Jiang Huai is now a first-rank official and a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. Since he has no wife, he uses a hat all by himself.

"You move into my tent; it's bigger and more comfortable. I'll go live with your Uncle Cen; he came alone too."

Jiang Ruining refused, saying, "This place is enough for me to live in alone. It's too big and empty, which would scare me. People who want to get close and curry favor with me will use that as an excuse to squeeze in, which would be troublesome."

Jiang Huai's eyes flickered slightly.

The Empress Dowager, the Cui family, the Xu family... I'm afraid many people would have such thoughts.

She nodded: "Was this specially prepared for you by the Regent?"

Jiang Ruining took a sip of tea and softly hummed in agreement.

"The Regent is very thoughtful." Jiang Huai hesitated for a few moments before asking, "You...you and the Regent...do you like him?"

Jiang Ruining lowered her eyes, slowly sipping her tea. After a moment, she raised her cool gaze and asked, "Father, do you think I'm getting too close to him, that people are gossiping about me, and that I'm embarrassing you?"

Jiang Huai shook his head, carefully observing his daughter's expression. A slightly hot, rich mist swirled around her, making her appear distant and mysterious, her true nature unreadable: "That's not what Father meant."

"I just wanted to ask what you think. If you're interested, given my current position in court, I can help you fight for the position of the principal wife."

Jiang Ruining was silent for a moment, then put down her teacup and asked him, "Father, can I handle my own marriage? I might get married, or I might never want to get married."

Jiang Huai was stunned: "Not getting married?"

Jiang Ruining's reasoning was simple and direct: "If I can't find someone compatible, I won't marry. I don't want to settle, I don't want to compromise, and I don't want to sacrifice myself for my family."

Although she liked Xiao Che, all she wanted to do was sleep with him and be affectionate with him.

I have no interest in asking him to bring in a bunch of wives and concubines to join in the fun.

This world is cruel to women. Rather than marrying a woman with a body that has already experienced lovemaking, only to be despised, branded as lewd, and subjected to mistreatment, it would be better for her not to marry at all, but instead sponsor a few respectable and educated students from poor families, and create beautiful memories with each of them!

Jiang Huai didn't think she was joking.

From what he learned about his daughter after returning, he found her to be intelligent, perceptive, insightful, and far-sighted. Every single thing she did had a profound impact, and she was no longer the impulsive, reckless child she once was.

She has her own ideas, and forcing her will only sever the father-daughter relationship completely.

A lonely person who is not protected by a family will naturally not be willing to sacrifice for the family.

He couldn't utter a single word of criticism.

"Alright, I trust your judgment and your ability to handle things. If you really don't want to get married, the family can support you. I only have one request."

He agreed readily, which made Jiang Ruining quite amusing.

Her smile softened slightly: "Please go ahead."

Jiang Huai's serious voice contained both love and worry. The situation was unstable and fraught with crises. He was afraid that she would be disappointed in the family and try to shoulder everything on her own, which would be hard and dangerous for her: "If anything happens, you must let your father know in time, so that your father will know what to do for you."

Jiang Ruining nodded: "Okay, I understand. I will carefully consider and listen to your suggestions and opinions. So if you really care about me and want to make it up to me, just don't take it upon yourself to do anything you think is good for me."

Very opinionated.

Jiang Huai was relieved, but also heartbroken.

This conviction and composure have been gradually cultivated through countless disappointments and despairs.

"Alright, I'll listen to you. I don't ask for you to be rich and powerful in the future, I only hope that you can have a happy and fulfilling life."

Jiang Ruining has experienced too much of the coldness and warmth of human nature, and the insidious scheming in her past and present lives. She can sense whether someone is sincere or not.

I'm willing to believe that his three years of indifference were due to being misled.

The choking pain in the throat was an instinctive reaction originating from the original owner's body.

She thought that the original owner of this body must already know that her father hadn't abandoned her.

However, the author's arrangement prevented her from finding redemption, leading her down a path of error and madness from which there was no return.

"Yes, I will try my best to live my life well."

Father and daughter sat quietly.

I slowly finished sipping my cup of tea.

The candlelight was warm and cozy.

Jiang Huai finally steered the conversation to a sensitive topic: "Your mother..."

Jiang Ruining didn't want to hear anything about Madam Jiang and said directly, "She made a mistake, but she wanted to get away with abusing and murdering me. This is no small matter. It's impossible for me to forgive her."

"I won't forgive her, and I can't be bothered to argue with her. Let her stay on the estate for half a year to reflect, and then bring her back to the manor at the end of the year! When my brother comes back, it'll be time to arrange marriages. Without a mistress to manage the household, people will laugh at us."

The teapot continued to simmer on the small stove.

The misty white vapor was scorching, just like her and the original owner's disgust for Madam Jiang!

"After she returns to the manor, please do not interfere with how we get along, and do not try to persuade me to forgive her. As long as she doesn't go crazy again, I will give her face in front of outsiders, just for your and my brother's sake."

"But if you can't do it and insist on making things difficult for me... I can live without a mother, and I can live without a father and brother."

Jiang Huai's face darkened with disgust and helplessness at his wife's ruthlessness: "Fine, I won't make things difficult for you. I'll also talk to your brother and make sure he doesn't say anything more."

Jiang Ruining nodded: "I am glad that Father can understand my feelings." He added, "Chu Jin is also a victim of Madam Jiang's scheme. We have already resolved everything in the past ourselves. Father, please don't be harsh on her. Let her stay at home and find her a good marriage in the future."

"This is what your wife owes her mother; she should pay it back!"

Jiang Huai slowly exhaled a breath of stale air: "Ningning is right, Chu Jin is innocent too! When we get back, Father will order that you two sisters be exempted from the morning and evening greetings, and that you don't have to dislike each other."

Jiang Ruining's lips curled slightly, a sharp curved knife in his hand.

It's good that I don't have to face that annoying face every day.

But she won't really not go for even a single day.

For example, when Madam Jiang is sick, you should go there to upset her and make her illness even more intense.

For example, when she's very unhappy and needs to vent her anger, Madam Jiang owes her a slap, but out of filial piety, she can't retaliate. So she'll pay interest in installments until Madam Jiang is satisfied!

"Thank you for your consideration, Father."

Outside, Shao Yunting's voice could be heard.

It was blocked by July.

Hearing his voice reminded Jiang Ruining of something important.

She got up and went behind her desk.

He picked up a pen and wrote a sentence, then handed it to Jiang Huai: Be careful of the emperor, and watch out for Shao Yunting and Xie Lanheng.

The Xie family and the Jiang family have a close relationship and are on good terms.

Jiang Ruixiao, Shao Yunting, and Xie Lanheng are friends of many years. It's hard to say whether she might have been tricked into saying something without knowing it. If she's been set up, there's no way to escape it!

Jiang Huai stared at the words above, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

After returning to the capital, he spoke with the regent several times and learned more about the many secrets his daughter had discovered while pretending to be stupid and foolish in order to protect herself.

He said everything, but he just nodded very seriously and said "okay".

He threw the note into the small stove.

Watching it being consumed by flames and completely reduced to ashes!

Before getting up to leave, she couldn't help but ask again, "What happened to Shao Yunting?"