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

The dense foliage swayed gently in the autumn wind, and the slivers of light that fell through the gaps reflected in his cool, pale amber eyes, gleaming with a warm golden light that seemed to envelop her.

Jiang Ruining didn't speak, she just looked at him.

Xiao Che continued, "You're very smart, the smartest girl I've ever met! Although you can be a little silly at times."

"You're the fool!" Jiang Ruining spat at him, struggling to get down. Being held like this wasn't very comfortable! "I'm naturally very smart. It's you men who are arrogant, thinking you're the smartest and looking down on women!"

"snort!"

Xiao Che slowly put her down, but didn't let go of her.

He had no rebuttal to her accusations; he had indeed been arrogant in the past!

But during the three months they spent together, he witnessed her gradually reveal her intelligence. At the beginning, she stayed away from the court, but with his guidance, she was able to analyze the true purpose of an old fox she had never met, which was heavily concealed.

Now, she no longer needs anyone's prompting to independently detect conspiracies and the series of schemes that follow!

If she had received careful nurturing from a young age, her current abilities would be second to none, including his!

How could he let go of such an outstanding woman, from her appearance and temperament to her wisdom?

No way!

He was more than willing to fawn over her, watch her laugh, and listen to her tantrums: "Princess Jiang is clever and capable; you have to flatter her, please her, and never be harsh with her, otherwise what if she runs away?"

"That's more like it!" Jiang Ruining's smug little face smiled, then drooped. "I don't want power, I'm just greedy for money and a bit arrogant. I've given you the cold shoulder a few times. You can't expect me to be so unbearable now that you've risen to a higher position, can you?"

Xiao Che cupped her head in his hands and pulled her lips up with his thumb: "No! I need to secure my position. No matter what stage we are in, treating capable and extraordinary people well is the fundamental principle."

"You'll be intolerable if you're either too arrogant and try to surpass your master in status and power, or you try to threaten him with your master's past dark deeds. If you don't want power, no matter how arrogant you are, how far can you go?"

"I will not let you see my ruthless side, I will not let you do anything shady, I will not let your hands be stained with blood... That way, you will never have to worry about whether I will be wary of you."

He extended his little finger toward her.

"Pinky promise."

Jiang Ruining thought to herself: I know better than anyone how dark you are. I still remember every detail of how you skinned your mother's killer in the middle of the night and made a lantern! After all, this book has a comic book adaptation, and the visuals are very... vivid!

Looking at his hand, she paused for a moment, then pressed him down: "If you really can't tolerate me anymore, do you think I'd use these childish games to beg for forgiveness?"

Xiao Che's joints twitched slightly.

It's pointless to talk about what will happen in the future now.

Just like a pinky promise game, you might agree to something today but not necessarily keep it tomorrow.

But she used to always do the pinky promise game, and the fact that she's unwilling to do it now only means one thing: she doesn't believe his kindness towards her can last for many years.

Everyone thought she was arrogant and domineering because she relied on the Regent's power, and that she was ruthless and would criticize anyone she met. They thought she depended on him and was confident that she would always be fawned over. But in fact, she was always very clear-headed and never believed in the "future" that she couldn't see at a glance. Her ruthless criticism was just her nature.

"So what do you want me to do? What can I do to make you feel at ease?"

That's exactly what Jiang Ruining wanted to hear!

But she wasn't in a hurry to fulfill her promise; she wanted to see how long it would last.

"I can't think of anything right now, I'll owe you for now!"

Xiao Che didn't get to hear the words he wanted to hear.

marriage!

Husband and wife are one, sharing both fortune and misfortune, without distinction between "you" and "me".

Even though the late emperor doted on his concubine to the point of allowing her to kill innocent people indiscriminately, he never thought of deposing or killing his empress.

"Okay, then I'll owe you for now." He took her hand and gently squeezed it. She was very thin, but her skin was soft, fragrant, and smooth. Touching her made him want to knead her. "Are we... back together?"

Jiang Ruining shook her head.

Xiao Che was taken aback, and his hand, which was rubbing her slender white hand, paused.

Jiang Ruining winced as he suddenly pinched her, exclaiming, "Ouch!"

Xiao Che's fixed gaze suddenly cleared, and he took her hand, kissing the spot he had pinched so hard it had turned red. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice low and slow, tinged with sadness and fear. "Why are you still not satisfied with my apology?"

Jiang Ruining really found it hard to bear, especially this seemingly suppressed yet ultimately unintentionally revealed trace of melancholy, which was the most fatal: "Pretend for a few days."

The gloom on Xiao Che vanished instantly, replaced by a bright and sunny expression: "A plan?"

Just as Jiang Ruining was about to tell him about Xie Lanheng, July's voice came from behind the big tree.

"Miss, Miss Wan has arrived."

Jiang Ruining instinctively took a few steps back, bumping her back against a tree, and quickly moved to the side while hugging the tree.

They were afraid of being seen standing close together!

A hint of hurt flickered in Xiao Che's pale eyes: "You despise me?"

"No," Jiang Ruining denied. "I'm still an unmarried girl, after all. You wouldn't want people to talk about me behind my back, saying I'm promiscuous and shameless, would you?"

Xiao Che nodded, then shook his head. After a pause, perhaps feeling that gestures alone couldn't accurately express his meaning, he added, "I can't bear to see you being scolded."

Jiang Ruining: "..."

What's going on? I feel like I'm drowning in a beehive.

It feels like this guy has been possessed. What's going on?

She turned around and went out from behind the big tree first.

She had only taken two steps when he grabbed her again.

Jiang Ruining turned around helplessly: "Hmm?"

Xiao Che's lips, still rosy from the previous kiss, parted slightly: "One more kiss."

Jiang Ruining blinked, thinking: Who would have thought that the cold and ruthless Yama in the eyes of outsiders would be so good at seduction once he starts fighting and grabbing!

She was stunned.

Xiao Che moved closer to her, but didn't initiate a kiss: "Kiss."

Seeing that he wouldn't let go unless she kissed him, Jiang Ruining decided to tiptoe slightly and touch his lips briefly before pulling away.

A light peck after a passionate kiss can be even more alluring.

Xiao Che's heart fluttered, a tingling, unbearable sensation spreading through him...

Jiang Ruining broke free from his hand and went out from behind the big tree.

The sound of horses' hooves was already very close.

Looking up, I saw Wan Yi riding a haphazardly towards me.

The girl, who cares a lot about her image, is not good at riding horses and always rides slowly. But now she's riding like she's running for her life. It's obvious that the horse isn't out of control, so something must have happened. She's in a hurry to deliver the message!

really.

As soon as Wan Yi arrived, without even dismounting, she shouted urgently, "Xiao Zheng has been killed by Xie Lanheng!"

A confident ease flashed in Jiang Ruining's eyes, but her face showed utter astonishment: "What happened? Explain in detail!"

Xiao Che emerged from behind the big tree, bent his finger to his lips, and blew a sound.

The horse was flying fast, its golden-brown mane and tail fluttering in the wind, as smooth as ribbons.

Jiang Ruining felt a sense of lightness in her body.

They've already been lifted onto the horse's back.

Wan Yi paused for a moment as she watched the Regent's smooth movements.

How many times did you serve her before she cooperated so smoothly?

And these two, one with wrinkled clothes and sleeves, one with a swollen mouth and the other with a sore mouth, it seems they were hiding behind the tree and not doing much work!

My mind started to fill in uncontrollable images... My little face flushed instantly.

Jiang Ruining pulled on the reins, moved closer to her, and flicked her forehead: "Get to the point!"

The images in Wan Yi's mind were jumbled up, and she finally remembered the purpose of her hasty arrival: "Oh, oh, oh!"

There was nothing she could do. Although she and Lingyi were very close, she was no less capable than the killer and the victim. Her anxiety stemmed from her concern that Lingyi would be heartbroken.

"Just now! Xiao Zheng suddenly went berserk and tried to kill the Xie family's daughter. Xie Lanheng intervened and the two started fighting. Nobody knows exactly what happened, but Chu Jin and I, who were passing by, saw with our own eyes that Xie Lanheng's sword pierced Xiao Zheng's heart!"

"What should we do? No matter how bad Xiao Zheng is, he's still a member of the royal family. I'm afraid Xie Lanheng... What about Lingyi?"

Jiang Ruining pursed her lips.

What should I do?

Of course, it should be served cold!

break off an engagement!

Originally, he wanted his cheap father to help set a trap for Xie Lanheng, put him in jail, and then use public opinion to force the Xie family to cancel the engagement. He didn't expect Xiao Zheng to run into him. Isn't that perfect?

He betrayed his master and harmed others, including his closest relatives. He should have died long ago!

He used his life to send Xie Lanheng to prison and to free Zheng Lingyi from those scoundrels. Consider it his way of atoning for his sins!

"Where is Lingyi? I'm going to see her!"

Wan Yi shook her head: "I don't know. I came to find you as soon as the incident happened. Chu Jin is with her."

Jiang Ruining left the tent.

Asking questions along the way.

The patrolling imperial guards replied, "Lord Xie was caught red-handed committing murder and has no way to deny it. He has already been taken off the prison cart and should be at the camp exit right now. Miss Zheng has also gone there."

Head to the camp exit.

Xie Lanheng was indeed taken off the prison cart.

The Xie family women gathered there, weeping and wailing.

Zheng Lingyi stood guard over Xie Lanheng in the prison cart, completely at a loss.

Chu Jin comforted her from the side.

Upon seeing her, Zheng Lingyi seemed to have found her pillar of support, throwing herself into her arms and sobbing, "Ningning..."

Chu Jin whispered, "Ningning, the Empress Dowager says he has committed a capital offense and wants to be beheaded!"

The Empress Dowager gave the order.

This is an attempt to force the Xie family to surrender!

Jiang Ruining gently patted Zheng Lingyi's back: "Don't cry, there will be a way to solve this!"

Madam Xie, wiping away her tears, approached and was about to kneel down to plead with her: "Princess! Please, for Lingyi's sake, beg His Highness the Regent for us! Besides the Regent, we don't know who else can save Heng'er!"

Jiang Ruining supported her as she knelt, his tone not particularly warm: "Now I need to understand exactly what happened back then so I can find loopholes and plead for Xie Lanheng."

"Otherwise, it's impossible for the Xie family to remain neutral and for the Regent to offend his trusted advisors for the sake of unrelated people."