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

Jiang Ruining sighed irritably, "You can forget, but sweat won't forget the wounds it tormented! Or do you think you're so powerful that even a high fever and inflammation have to be afraid of you?"

"Why are you acting like an immature child! You have no respect for the hard work I put into caring for your wound!"

He took out anti-inflammatory and wound-healing medicine from the medicine box Yunmi brought and applied a thick layer of it.

Then wrap it with new cotton gauze.

That itch came over me again.

Xiao Che reached out and pressed down the stray strands of her hair: "I'll be more careful next time."

Jiang Ruining was taken aback.

The devil actually knows how to reflect!

"That's more like it!"

Xiao Che softened upon hearing her complaining and angry tone, and raised an eyebrow: "The hemp seed juice you gave me was very effective. I have no feeling in the wound, can move freely, and no one will notice that I am injured."

Even with countless talented individuals under his command, no one had ever heard of such a miraculous medicine.

Furthermore, considering her behavior over the past seven or eight days, she doesn't seem like a simple-minded fool at all!

Jiang Ruining proudly raised her chin: "Of course! This is a treasure I finally got my hands on! Just wet the gauze and apply it for fifteen minutes, and it will keep the wound numb for two to three hours."

"Your position as regent is truly dangerous! Take that bottle of hemp seed juice with you when you leave. It's best if you don't need it, but if you do get injured again, it might come in handy at a crucial moment."

"Even if you hold a high position of power, you're still only flesh and blood. If you get injured, behave yourself and take it seriously. Inflammation and infection are no joke!"

Xiao Che watched her take the bottles and jars from the large medicine box, and then, remembering the many strange and unusual things hidden in the secret compartment of the room, he couldn't help but ask curiously, "How come a young lady like you has these things?"

"It's useful for many things: protecting oneself, playing tricks, seeking revenge, and scheming." Jiang Ruining knew he had already revealed all her secrets, and that he wasn't exactly a good person, so she spoke these words without any qualms: "Isn't it a bit late for Your Highness to ask now?"

Xiao Che's eyes were deep and unfathomable.

When he was drugged that day, she appeared but did not make a move, which means that her purpose was to gain his trust and obtain more and deeper secrets from him.

He hid in to give her a chance to prove that he had "no ill intentions," and in order to gain his trust, she would not only refrain from doing anything malicious, but would also do everything she could to heal and protect him.

He didn't turn back. How could he let her know that she was gaining his trust? And how could he find out who else was hiding behind her?

"Given your cowardice, you wouldn't dare to lay a finger on me."

Jiang Ruining didn't like what she was hearing and pressed hard on his wound.

The medicinal effects of the hemp seed juice have almost worn off.

Xiao Che winced in pain and frowned.

He tapped her on the head with the piece of wood in his hand: "You're asking for it!"

Jiang Ruining covered his head, puffing out his cheeks in anger, and said, "How can you, a grown man, be so petty!"

Xiao Che scoffed, "If I were truly so petty, I would have been torn to pieces by five horses long ago for your disrespectful behavior."

Jiang Ruining grinned: "..."

Power is such a shameless thing!

"Let me tell you, what subjects want is a reasonable master. If you treat them like this, your subjects will eventually turn against you!"

Xiao Che declared confidently, "I have a knack for managing my subordinates!"

Jiang Ruining scoffed and blurted out, "Your Highness, please! That confidant of yours named Qian Qian is no good; he's one of Cui Sheng'an's men."

This pawn was buried deep, intended as a killing move. It was loyal to the God of Slaughter and devoted itself to helping Xiao Che devise strategies to deal with the Empress Dowager and Cui Sheng'an's people. Therefore, it was highly valued by the God of Slaughter.

Because of this trust, I had frequent contact with the ministers under the savior's command. I not only learned about the savior's plans, but also discovered the secrets of the savior's officials, which I could then use at crucial moments.

In the end, the villain's attempt to force the emperor to abdicate failed, partly due to the author's forced intellectual decline, and partly due to the villain's betrayal.

However, before committing suicide, the evil spirit pierced through this person's skin.

This person didn't even get to enjoy a single bit of wealth and luxury while he was alive!

The moment Xiao Che heard her words, his handsome face seemed to be half shrouded in dark clouds, half bright and alluring, half gloomy and bloodthirsty: "Say it again."

Jiang Ruining was taken aback.

I finally realized that in the heat of the moment... I let it slip!

Damn!

Xiao Che's androgynous face slowly drew closer to her, his amber eyes like a bottomless abyss, threatening to suck her in.

An oppressive feeling descended, and Jiang Ruining felt as if she were standing under extremely low thunderstorm clouds.

He didn't shout or yell, but it was as if thunder was booming in her ears, making her head ring.

What should I do?

You're so quick to blurt out the plot from the book!

How can she explain herself without arousing suspicion that she has a relationship with the Empress Dowager and her ilk?

The CPU was running at high speed, and sparks were flying everywhere.

Brain, oh brain!

You'd better think of something already!

Xiao Chengyan spoke slowly, drawing out the last syllable: "What's wrong? You know too many secrets, and your mouth runs too fast. You don't know how to make up a lie to cover things up?"

"Or is this 'casual' revelation a way of revealing your 'disguised' trump card to me, so that I can further understand your role and abilities?"

Jiang Ruining swallowed hard. "I was thinking about exactly when I'd notice something was off about that guy surnamed Qian! That way, it'd be easier for His Highness to send someone to verify, wouldn't it?"

Xiao Che's eyes narrowed slightly, a half-smile playing on his lips, and the light filtering through his thick, long eyelashes was as sharp as a needle.

Without further ado, he began a countdown, forcing her thoughts to race: "Three..."

Jiang Ruining's breathing became erratic due to her frantic heartbeat, and her pupils trembled with panic.

"two……"

Just as Xiao Che's patience was running out.

By searching through the original owner's memories and the plot of the novel, Jiang Ruining quickly came up with a plausible reason: "It's this year's Flower Festival!"

"That day, Cui Jingwei invited a group of people to go to the lantern festival. Halfway there, she set up a trap to ruin the engagement between Princess Zhaoning, who was then engaged to Shao Yunting. During the big show of catching the adulterer, I was standing at the back window of Room 1, Yazi, on the third floor of Guanyue Tower as a bystander. I happened to see that the man surnamed Qian brush past a steward of the Cui family."

"The two didn't stop walking, didn't speak, and didn't look at each other, but from my angle, I could clearly see their hands touch. Qian Qian slipped a note to the Cui family's steward!"

"That manager has narrow eyes and a birthmark about the size of a little finger near his temple; he's easy to recognize!"

After listening, Xiao Che showed no particular expression. He simply placed his hand gently on the back of her neck, stroking it slowly, and raised a slight tone: "Oh?"

Jiang Ruining looked like a cat being held by the scruff of its neck; her neck stiffened, her shoulders hunched, and her expression was both obedient and timid. Even her mind seemed to be controlled, turning sluggishly.

Oh what?

She didn't quite understand what he meant, and she couldn't see through his abyss-like eyes.

So, did they believe it, or did they not?

There was nothing she could do but continue to try to find excuses and explain.

"The situation in the capital is turbulent and unpredictable, and my father and brothers are not around. Although I am not very smart, I can see the purpose behind those people's struggles. I don't want to get involved in those tricks of winning people over and dealing with them, so I can only use the conflicts at home as a cover to pretend to be stupid."

"Stupid people are easy to manipulate, but they won't be allowed to know any secrets, so I'm safe in the end. I really have no political ties with the Cui family faction."

Xiao Che remained noncommittal, only asking in return, "You're not exactly smart to begin with, so what's the point of pretending?"

Jiang Ruining felt a lump in her throat, wanting to glare but not daring to: "..."

So annoying!

Why is it so annoying?

I was being modest; I wasn't giving you a question to find fault with!

Xiao Che applied slight pressure, pinching the skin on the back of her neck: "A girl who lies will have her neck broken, hmm?"