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

Jiang Ruining narrowed her bright eyes slightly, her displeasure mixed with a smile: "I just saved Prince Zheng, and the Zheng family is extremely grateful to me. Even if I can't save Xie Lanheng, they won't blame me in the slightest!"

"If Madam Xie has the ability to threaten me, why not take advantage of the presence of powerful and influential people and go to seek help from a few more families? That way, we can save ourselves some trouble."

Madam Xie felt as if her nostrils were stuffed with a wad of damp cotton; every breath caused a sharp pain in her lungs. But since she needed their help, she had no choice but to endure the arrogant attitude: "We'll wait. Please, Your Highness, do your utmost to help the Xie family!"

Jiang Ruining gave a faint "hmm" and saw her off: "I have other matters to attend to, so I won't keep Madam Xie for lunch."

Madam Xie knelt for a long time, until her knees ached.

He staggered several times before finally standing up, taking his leave.

We stepped out of the tent.

The dry autumn wind brushed against her, and Madam Xie swayed slightly.

Although she was only a third-rank noblewoman, she was able to navigate the circle of noble ladies with ease thanks to her high emotional intelligence. However, today she was overshadowed by a little maid and could not lift her head. The sense of powerlessness made her resentment grow in her heart!

A maid helped her up: "Madam!"

Madam Xie gripped the maid's hand tightly to prevent herself from revealing her hatred for Jiang Ruining!

It was something that could have been resolved simply by bowing to the Regent, so why wouldn't she help?

She refused to move forward, her resentful voice low, so low she could barely hear herself: "What kind of good sister is she! She probably wishes my son were dead, that Zheng Lingyi would become a widow and the laughingstock of the whole capital!"

"A selfish, domineering, cold-blooded, and disgusting person like her will sooner or later be rejected by the Regent and die without a proper burial!"

"Let's see how long she can be so smug!"

The maid couldn't hear what she was cursing, and dared not ask. Her arm was bleeding from being dug, but she didn't dare to utter a sound.

in the tent.

Jin Yu wiped the spot where Madam Xie had knelt twice, then said with disdain, "This servant has truly never seen anyone beg like this before. It's not that we care about any treasures the Xie family has, but they don't even have the basic manners to ask for help. They just take it for granted and offer nothing but empty words!"

"She clearly knows you and Miss Yi's relationship is too good to pass up. She's putting on an act for herself, to make it seem like she, as a mother, loves her son so much!"

Jiang Ruining said nonchalantly, "It doesn't matter. The Xie family won't be able to cause trouble for much longer anyway. Let the Zheng family hear that the Xie family is trying to drag Lingyi into this mess! Let the winds blowing in the Xie family's favor grow even stronger!"

If they don't take the initiative to annul the engagement, the Xie family will be considered to have sided with the Empress Dowager, and Xie Lanheng will never be able to leave!

If the Xie family has the guts, they can use Xie Lanheng's name to vent their anger!

Jin Yu leaned close to her master and whispered, "Isn't the Xie family complaining that you wouldn't kneel and beg the Regent for their sake? Why not add this to the mix and let everyone see what kind of family the Xie family really is!"

Jiang Ruining pinched her soft cheek and nodded approvingly, "My little Jinyu is so smart! Okay, we'll do it your way!"

Jin Yu smiled and agreed, then got up and went to the Zheng family's tent.

The message was relayed.

Madam Zheng trembled with rage. Even though she was usually good-natured, she smashed her teacup: "I considered her a close friend, and I married my only beloved daughter to her son. And what did she do? She actually tried to drag my daughter down with her, and even cursed Ningning to die a horrible death!"

"How can there be such shameless people in the world!"

Jin Yu sighed: "The county princess said that some people are all gentle and graceful when things are going well, but they will reveal their true nature when they are powerless. They want to drag others down with them, resent everyone around them who is better off than them, and curse everyone to be as unlucky as they are."

"Madam, there's no need to get angry over such a person. It's not a loss to see the true nature of the whole family through this incident."

Zheng Lingyi, who was so anxious that she "fell ill," appeared indifferent, but her heart was still clenching and aching.

After all, he was someone she had genuinely cared for.

But Ningning is right; it's a good thing to be able to see through people before marriage.

break off an engagement.

The pain is temporary.

Marrying him will bring you a lifetime of pain.

She knew how to choose.

In the following days.

The Xie family was thrust into the spotlight.

Girl A took small, quick steps and leaped into the crowd: "You all know, right?"

"Just now, Xie Qinghe got into an argument with someone and even shouted in public that if the Zheng family couldn't help get her brother out safe and sound, she would make Zheng Lingyi a widow and never be able to live with her family again, and she would have to be buried with her brother!"

"They even said that the county princess could have resolved the matter simply by bowing her head and kneeling before the regent, but she refused, which means she's trying to harm her brother!"

Everyone exclaimed in shock, "My God! How could an unmarried young girl say something like that?"

Girl B said with utter contempt, "I knew it! Xie Lanheng was sentenced to death, just waiting to be beheaded. Why hasn't the Xie family said a word? They were trying to drag Zheng Lingyi down with them!"

Boy C: "The county princess is only helping because of Lingyi's sake. Who do they think the Xie family is? Why should they expect the county princess to be subservient to unrelated people?"

"Besides, I clearly saw the county princess plead with the regent on behalf of the Xie family; it's not like she did nothing!"

Xiao Qing rolled up his sleeves. If he weren't someone who didn't hit women, he would have immediately gone over and given that person a good beating!

"This family looks respectable, but their hearts are so vicious; it's disgusting!"

The young woman's betrothed brother was planning to meet a girl from the Xie family, and upon hearing this, he utterly disapproved: "Someone like her dares to dream of marrying into our family! She's dreaming!"

……

When these words reached the ears of Vice Minister Xie and his wife, they were so angry that they almost rolled their eyes.

He slapped Xie Qinghe twice, once with each hand.

"You wish your brother were dead! How could I have given birth to such a scourge!"

Xie Qinghe covered her face, panicked and trembling all over.

How could she dare admit that she blurted out all her innermost thoughts after being provoked?

If her brother really can't get out because of her, how will she live in the future?

She vehemently denied it, saying, "I didn't say that; they're framing me!"

Madam Xie: "It wasn't just one or two people who heard it. Do you think those people are deaf and blind!" She grabbed her wrist and dragged her outside. "Come on! Go apologize to the Zheng family and the county princess!"

Xie Qinghe refused, gripping the tent flap tightly: "I'm not going! I didn't say why I should go apologize!"

Once she apologized, she couldn't get rid of the crime!

But she really didn't say that on purpose. It was because the other party kept mocking the Xie family that she was provoked.

She did nothing wrong!

Madam Xie turned around and stared coldly at her: "If you cause your brother to be unable to get out, the Xie family will no longer have a daughter like you!"

Xie Qinghe was scared, and tears streamed down her face. Finally, she let go of the curtain she was holding tightly.

We went to Zheng's tent.

The Xie family mother and daughter originally intended to apologize privately and let it go. After all, the two ladies had been friends for a lifetime and were related by marriage. They thought that once Madam Zheng said "I understand," the matter would be over, and they could ignore what others said.

Then they asked Madam Zheng to accompany them to find Jiang Ruining.

When they went inside, they found quite a few people sitting there.