Reborn Spoiled Girl Tames the Regent

Chapter 129 Willing to Fall

The next morning, just as dawn broke, the thin fog had not yet dissipated.

Jiang Mian slowly got up and called Rong'er in to help her with her washing and grooming.

Washing her face with clear water and reflecting her image in the bronze mirror, Rong'er couldn't help but say, "Miss Jiang has a graceful figure. I haven't seen many beauties like you in the capital."

Jiang Wan laughed and said, "You've been in the Prince's mansion all year round, how many noble ladies have you seen?"

"When I was taken in by the slave trader, I first went to work as a maid for an official. The official's eldest son was a womanizer and kept many women in his backyard. They were all beauties, but I didn't think they were as pretty as Miss Jiang."

After Rong'er finished speaking, she quickly added, "I didn't mean to look down on Miss Jiang..."

"It's alright, I don't mind." Jiang Wan chuckled. "You're talking about Feng Ying, the eldest son of Lord Feng, aren't you?"

"Miss Jiang knows?"

"heard about it."

Jiang Mian lowered her eyes. She knew from her past life that Feng Ying was a libertine with many women in his harem, comparable to the concubines in the palace.

Such morally corrupt people had seriously framed Ning Zhi in their previous life.

After she finished washing up, the nanny sent someone to her room to bring some new tea, saying it was a special gift from the Qingzhou tribute merchants, and the prince said to give it all to her.

Jiang Wan replied with a smile, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness."

The nanny added, "The Prince went to the palace to visit the Empress Dowager this morning and will return for lunch. Please do not leave the residence, Miss Jiang, and wait for the Prince to return so we can have lunch together."

"Has the prince entered the palace?"

"Yes."

Jiang Mian heard this, raised an eyebrow slightly, and said calmly, "I understand. I will wait at the manor."

Jiang Mian put on her cloak and slowly walked out of the room.

She looked at the scene in the courtyard with a calm gaze, but in her heart she was pondering the events of the previous night.

Now that Xiao Hengzhi has gone to the palace, his study must be unattended.

The life-extending medicine in the wooden box from last night should still be in the room.

She composed herself and walked towards the study.

Along the way, servants occasionally bowed their heads in greeting, and she nodded slightly in response, her expression calm and composed.

Upon reaching the door, Jiang Mian paused for a moment, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and then slowly pushed the door open.

She held her breath, slowly walked into the room, and looked around.

The study was neatly furnished, with scrolls on the bookshelves categorized by type, and a teacup left by Xiao Hengzhi from the previous night on the desk.

She felt a slight tension in her heart and quickly searched through the drawers of the wardrobe, her back breaking out in a thin layer of sweat from the nervousness.

But found nothing.

Finally, my gaze fell upon the small cabinet next to the desk.

Opening the first cabinet revealed a collection of ordinary documents.

Pulling out the second drawer, the depth becomes noticeably shallower, suggesting there might be a hidden compartment.

Finally, they pulled back the wooden board and found the wooden box from last night.

She gently took out the wooden box, her fingertips trembling slightly with nervousness.

The box was securely fastened, and made a slight "click" sound when opened.

Inside the box lay a small, round, jet-black pill with a lustrous sheen.

Jiang Mian stared intently at it, then leaned closer to smell it; there was no obvious odor.

"Is this the medicine that can prolong his life?"

Jiang Mian was startled, and a thought suddenly came to mind.

There's only one life-saving pill. What would happen if it were replaced...?

She gritted her teeth, put the medicine back in the box, closed the lid, and hurriedly stuffed it into her bosom.

Suppressing her unease, she quickly left the study and headed straight for the gate of the mansion.

The guards at the gate, having received instructions from Xiao Hengzhi, did not stop her and simply watched her leave with their heads bowed.

She thought she had done everything without leaving a trace.

Little did she know that on the roof above the study, a corner of the tile was slightly lifted, and two figures could see her movements clearly.

"Why bother putting on this whole show?" Guiye said with a playful smile. "How does it feel to witness her choice firsthand?"

Xiao Hengzhi's face was somber, his gaze fixed on Jiang Mian's retreating figure, without uttering a word.

Guiye continued teasingly, "Do you think she might take the opportunity to switch your medicine for poison and kill you in one fell swoop?"

Xiao Hengzhi remained silent, but his eyes revealed a complex mix of emotions.

Last night, he orchestrated this scheme, deliberately leaving a loophole to lure Jiang Man here, just to see how she would choose after learning about the existence of this medicine.

When he saw her enter the study today, he even hoped that she would just take a quick look and then leave it at that.

Xiao Hengzhi found it increasingly difficult to care about Jiang Mian's desire to kill him.

Since his rebirth, he had often thought that Jiang Wan had softened her heart towards him and that she had opened up to him.

But once she found an opportunity to kill him, she was still ruthless.

Her soft heart was far too little.

His repeated probing only makes him appear more pitiful.

Guiye closed the roof tile and asked, "How can one entrust their heart to a woman who schemes so hard to kill you?"

Yes, what's so great about loving someone who doesn't love you?

But for him, Jiang Mian was a calamity.

Whether he was dead or alive, it was like a slow, agonizing death for him, drawing him deeper and deeper into the abyss.

But in that abyss, there was a light he would never let go of, which was embedded in his soul.

It made him willingly succumb and become addicted.

Xiao Hengzhi closed his eyes briefly, his voice low and hoarse: "Let's continue searching for medicine."

What do you plan to do with her?

"I owe her everything."

Guiye was stunned for a moment, then fell silent and couldn't help but sigh softly.

At lunchtime that day, Xiao Hengzhi took a walk outside before returning to the Prince's residence.

Upon entering the hall, Jiang Mian was already seated beside the main seat, quietly flipping through a book.

Seeing him enter, Jiang Mian glanced at him, then calmly closed the book: "Your Highness is back."

"Ah."

Xiao Hengzhi responded, his gaze falling on her face, his expression unchanged, his eyes and brows expressionless.

"Is the Empress Dowager feeling any better?"

Jiang Mian picked up her teacup and exchanged casual pleasantries.

Xiao Hengzhi casually replied, "I still feel tired, but it's much better than before. I said I'll go to Zhuoyue Villa to recuperate another day."

"Would Your Highness like to come along?"

"If His Majesty commands me to go, I should go."

Both were preoccupied with their own thoughts, and the atmosphere was unusually calm.

Xiao Hengzhi asked slowly, "I heard from the servants that you left the manor today? Where did you go?"

Jiang Mian paused slightly with her fingers, then smiled as usual: "I just went back to the Jiang residence to check on the progress of the renovations."

Xiao Hengzhi stared at her, his gaze deep: "How is the repair going?"

"The house is large, so it will take some time and effort to build it up."

Xiao Hengzhi nodded slightly: "If there is anything you need, please let me know, and I will have someone take care of it."

Jiang Mian glanced at him for a moment, her smile faint: "Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness."

The two spoke lightly, neither mentioning any unpleasantness, and for a moment the only sound in the hall was the light clinking of bowls and chopsticks on the dining table.

The subtle undercurrent in the air continued to spread silently.

After the meal, Xiao Hengzhi instructed the servants beside him: "Go and fetch the wooden box containing the pills from the bookcase in my study."

The servant, having received the order, hurried over.

Jiang Mian pretended not to know and asked, "What medicine does Your Highness want to take?"

Xiao Hengzhi smiled and said, "I recently sent people to search for a life-extending medicine, and I just got it last night."

"Such a miraculous medicine, if it could truly prolong life, would be the best thing ever."

Xiao Hengzhi took her hand and asked, "Then do you wish for me to live a few more years?"

"Of course I hope this medicine will work."

Xiao Hengzhi lowered his eyes and stroked the back of her hand.

This was a very tactful way of putting it; it wasn't that they hoped he could live a few more years, but rather that they hoped the medicine would work.

What if, as Guiye said, she replaced it with poison?

Xiao Hengzhi felt he must have really gone mad, actually wanting to take the medicine she had switched in front of her, just to see her reaction...

If it really were poison, would Jiang Wan feel even the slightest bit of reluctance?

Or are we really just going to watch him die...?

Soon, a servant brought the medicine.

Xiao Hengzhi took out the pills, examined them for a moment, then suddenly looked up, his gaze fixed on Jiang Mian: "This medicine prolongs life, how about we each take half?"

Jiang Mian was startled, and alarm bells suddenly went off in her mind.

She tried to keep her expression calm and said in a low voice, "Your Highness is joking. This medicine was found for you. How can you give it to me?"

Xiao Hengzhi ignored her and broke the pill in half, handing one half to her.

She was not allowed to refuse at all.