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

Xiao Che scoffed, "Finding the antidote is all thanks to me, isn't it? Have you ever been polite to me? Don't you know who's got whom under their thumb?"

Jiang Ruining had previously acted recklessly because she knew he was a person who would repay kindness after reading the novel. Only later did she realize that he might also have feelings for her, which is why she dared to treat him coldly and act out!

She stretched out her delicate fingers and drew circles on his chest, her expression spoiled and arrogant: "I'm your savior, try not to save me!"

Xiao Che grabbed her misbehaving hand, his cool tone tinged with hoarse desire: "Not only will I save you, but I'll also save you in a way that makes you comfortable and happy."

Jiang Ruining spat at him, calling him "shameless," and fell back onto the bed, pulling the covers over her head: "You're so shameless!"

Xiao Che looked at her ostrich-like appearance huddled under the covers, his usually cool and aloof eyes filled with a doting smile.

To be with her.

The regent did not attend the morning court or go to the government office; he stayed in his residence.

The officials were suspicious, but dared not inquire further.

Only when a matter is too important to resolve will a trusted official dare to come to the door.

When someone came, Jiang Ruining hid in her bedroom and kept quiet, listening intently to the sounds outside.

Wait until everyone has left before coming out.

If they wanted to know something, they would ask the regent; if they didn't want to know, they would look at their newly bought sketchbook.

The officials left the study.

The Left Vice Minister of Revenue whispered mysteriously to his colleagues, "Have you noticed? There's someone in the Prince's bedchamber!"

The salt commissioner nodded: "If she were an official, why would she hide it? Nine times out of ten, she's a woman."

He glanced at Jiang Huai beside him.

His eyes held a hint of schadenfreude.

"The Prince's quarters are usually quiet, but suddenly a lady appears and can even enter the important study. It seems she is very much favored by the Prince!"

The Minister of Personnel smiled shrewdly: "At Your Highness's age, it's normal to have a concubine or two in your household. Even if they receive some favor, they can never surpass the Empress!"

Jiang Huai wore a calm, indifferent smile, as if it were none of his business, but inwardly he was somewhat suspicious.

Does the Regent not know Ningning's criteria for choosing a husband, and that he would not consider anyone with a concubine?

Keeping concubines in the mansion is one thing, but to have people come and go in the study during the day to serve you is simply going too far!

Was the indulgence and pampering shown to Ningning in the hunting grounds, where she was allowed to lord it over others, just an act?

No!

He needs to talk to Ningning about it when he gets back.

We need to let her come and ask her herself.

I've been scammed, what should I do?

"Whether it's a wife or a concubine, or an official, the real skill lies in being able to solve the prince's problems. Besides, how could the prince be the kind of person who favors concubines over his wife? What does the Salt Commissioner think?"

The Salt Commissioner chuckled twice. "What Grand Secretary Jiang says is true." He then changed the subject, "At the hunting grounds, I noticed the Prince treated your county princess very differently. I thought I'd hear some good news after returning to the capital!"

Jiang Huai was perfectly aware of the other party's probing and sarcasm, but he simply smiled faintly: "I promised not to pry into their young people's affairs, so why should I interfere?"

The salt transport official's expression changed slightly.

It wasn't that he was scolded for being talkative, but rather Jiang Huai's comment, "They're just young people," which was a self-important attitude. In his eyes, the Regent was not a master, but a junior!

This one sentence alone is enough to prove that the relationship between the Regent and the Princess of Funing is extraordinary!

"Marriages are arranged by parents and matchmakers; how can children decide their own marriages?"

He was implying that the Regent had no intention of making the county princess his queen, and that Jiang Huai was merely saving face for himself.

Jiang Huai ignored his words, his eyes filled with obvious disdain as he turned to him: "When your children have the wisdom and skill of a county princess, you will let them make their own decisions, after all, your children are already wiser than you, their father."

The salt commissioner was choked by this and was furious.

The Minister of Rites raised an eyebrow but remained silent.

Fearing that the Salt Commissioner would be upset, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue quickly changed the subject, saying, "I heard that the Regent has already chosen the daughters of the Xu and Li families as his concubines, and various families have started sending portraits of their daughters to the Prince's residence. This time, the Prince has not sent any back. I wonder how many more he has chosen as his concubines."

Everyone knows about the matter of sending the portrait to the Regent's Palace.

The fact that the Xu family had entered the Prince's residence was already an open secret.

Surprisingly, another concubine was chosen from a woman surnamed Li.

I had never heard of Li having this idea before.

However, in a centuries-old wealthy family, even if their daughter wanted to be the principal wife, it was permissible.

All eyes were on Jiang Huai. Seeing his calm demeanor, they speculated that the position of the principal wife was undoubtedly his daughter!

In the study.

Jiang Ruining's nose itched, and she sneezed three times in a row: "Who's talking badly about me behind my back? How shameless!"

A palace banquet was held in the evening.

However, the return of lost territory is not so simple. As the regent and the one who most wants to reclaim the lost territory, Xiao Che naturally needs to meet with the person in charge of Northern Liao to discuss the details.

"Stay home and be a good girl, don't run around. Once you're better, I'll take you out to play." After a slight pause, she added, "And I also need to give you the antidote!"

Jiang Ruining leaned against the soft pillows and looked at him. Judging from his expression alone, she would never have guessed that he was spouting lewd remarks!

She kicked him in the stomach and snapped at him in a sweet, coquettish voice, "Get lost!"

Xiao Che grasped her ankle, bent it, and pressed it against his chest, the same position they had been in that night when they were intimate. She was so delicate, her breath trembling, making his blood surge: "I could see it clearly during the day."

The rare golden sunlight of early winter shone through the window screen and fell brightly on the two people lying intertwined.

It was so bright it was dazzling, making Jiang Ruining feel a little ashamed, and her face flushed!

She clenched her fist and punched him: "Xiao Che!"

Xiao Che kissed her warm cheek: "The audacious little county princess is so cute when she's shy!"

Jiang Ruining's voice was low and unconsciously coquettish: "Stop it! The window is open!"

"No one will dare to peek!" Xiao Che gently nuzzled her: "Give me a kiss, make sure you open your mouth."

Unable to resist his persistent advances, Jiang Ruining wrapped her arms around his neck and shared a passionate kiss with him.

When they parted, their silvery threads lingered, an ambiguous and tender connection.

Xiao Che gently stroked her moist lips with his fingers, his knuckles pressing against her tongue, teasing her tongue: "Wait for me to come back."

Jiang Ruining nodded slightly and said, "Be careful."

"Okay." Xiao Che placed another kiss on the corner of her lips.

gone.

The palace banquet was a lively and extravagant affair.

It is the dignity of a powerful nation, and also a demonstration of deterrence.

Those attending the banquet tonight, besides officials of the third rank and above, included members of the imperial family of high status and a few scattered officials' spouses.

The young emperor made a few opening remarks, and the rest of the proceedings were controlled by the regent who held absolute power.

"Let the Northern Liao people into the palace."

Yelü Jing, the crown prince of the Northern Liao, who had been waiting outside the palace, entered the palace with his trusted ministers.

Yelü Jing's fingertips rested on the silver-inlaid belt at his waist, his knuckles distinct. His chin was slightly raised, his eyes and brow bones were high and broad, and his cheekbones carried the cold hardness honed by the winds and frosts of the north.

As he stepped over the gold bricks, the rivets on his boots clattered crisply. His shaved head was left with only two long, thin strands hanging down his shoulders. He wore an ochre-yellow, left-fastening, round-necked, narrow-sleeved robe, with dark dragon patterns embroidered all over. The knotted buttons depicted a real dragon coiling around him, and the robe sash hanging down his chest swayed flamboyantly with each step.

His gaze swept over the entire court of the Great Zhou, and he could not tell that they had come for the sake of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Instead, they seemed like ferocious beasts patrolling their territory. Even the party that took the initiative to seek peace still had an arrogant attitude.

They walked to the center of the main hall, but didn't stop there; they went a little further ahead.

It was a test, a mere gesture. They held the sixteen prefectures on the border of the Great Zhou Dynasty in their hands; they weren't here to beg for mercy!

The officials were furious at his arrogance.

"put……"

Before the official could even utter a rebuke, "Bang!"—the sound of a wine cup slamming onto the table was neither loud nor soft, not frightening at all, but the person who made the gesture had the power to intimidate.

Yelü Jing paused slightly as he took a step forward, then turned to look at the Regent.

He seemed to be judging something, then smiled slightly and withdrew his foot.

He then cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Crown Prince Yelü Jing of Northern Liao greets the Emperor and Regent of Great Zhou!"

While the officials secretly cursed the Northern Liao people for their arrogance, they couldn't help but sneer, "So they do know they should pay homage to the Regent, the actual ruler of the Great Zhou!"

The young emperor glanced at the regent, and seeing that he remained silent, he slowly spoke, his complexion not very good, perhaps due to the rapid drop in temperature and a cold: "Greetings, Crown Prince of Northern Liao. Please take a seat!"

Yelü Jing was positioned in the same place as the Prince of Da Zhou.

He didn't seem very satisfied, frowned, but ultimately said nothing and sat down.