Reborn as the Regent's Beloved

Xiao Qingyin always looked at her sister with resentment and thought the worst. She felt that Xiao Fengyi made her wear gold and red, ostensibly for her own good, but actually to trample her underfoot.

The reactions of those around her, in particular, further confirmed her suspicions.

She gripped her skirt tightly and said fiercely, "Xiao Fengyi, I will definitely get my revenge!"

Xiao Fengyi, sitting in the crowd in a daze, tried to take off her water-red clothes and throw them into the water, but was stopped by Shen.

Hearing the comments from others, Madam Shen also felt that Xiao Fengyi's decision to have Xiao Qingyin wear gold and red was ill-intentioned and suspicious.

She was about to get angry, but after standing up, she realized that this was the Imperial Concubine's private garden and she couldn't act recklessly. So she grabbed her daughter's shoulders and stopped her from taking off her clothes.

Xiao Qingyin didn't understand why her mother hugged her. She pulled out the gold hairpin from her hair and said, "Mother, I really don't want to wear this dress and be ridiculed for my appearance."

Madam Shen didn't want to hear people say that her daughter was inferior to Fengyi, but for the sake of the overall situation, she couldn't embarrass the Imperial Concubine, so she could only suppress her anger and remind her daughter.

"Qingyin, you can't take off your clothes now. You still have to see the Seventh Prince and the Imperial Concubine later. Wouldn't it be impolite to ask them to open a room for you like this?"

At night, at Leyuan Lake, musicians played music for the nobles, their melodious strains oblivious to the dark, shadowy covered walkways.

Inside the covered walkway, Xiao Qingyin's eyes appeared even more fierce in the shimmering lake water, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her head. She suddenly turned around and stopped what she was doing. "Mother, it's good that you reminded me, otherwise I would have displeased the Seventh Prince and the Imperial Concubine."

Madam Shen pulled the gold hairpin she was clutching from her hand and put it back into her loose hair bun. As she combed her hair, she said slowly, "I told you long ago not to give the invitation to Xiao Fengyi. If she hadn't come today, none of this would have happened."

Xiao Qingyin sat on the corridor, letting her mother gently tidy her hair behind her, her small fists clenched inside the sleeves with delicate gold thread.

It was her; it was she who instructed Shen to deliver the invitation to the poetry gathering to Xiao Fengyi.

She was filled with regret, but she had no way to refuse Feng Mingjing's orders.

“I didn’t want to give it to her either, but it was the Seventh Prince.” Xiao Qingyin was so excited that she tried to turn her head away, but her hair was pulled by Shen’s fingertips, so she had no choice but to obediently turn back. “If she doesn’t come, there’s no way to explain to the Seventh Prince and the Imperial Concubine.”

Ms. Shen was focused on fixing her hair and did not understand the meaning behind her daughter's words.

"Qingyin, you can tell the Seventh Prince and the Imperial Concubine that Xiao Fengyi herself did not want to come. We did say that."

Xiao Qingyin said dejectedly, "Mother, you didn't understand what I meant. Xiao Fengyi was able to appear at the poetry gathering because the Seventh Prince and the Imperial Concubine's wet nurse specifically requested her to come. It can be said that without her, there would be no poetry gathering."

Without Xiao Fengyi, there would be no poetry gathering.

Ms. Shen was so shocked that she didn't even notice when her busy hands stopped.

"Seventh Prince values ​​Xiao Fengyi so much, is it because the Imperial Advisor said she has the destiny of a phoenix?"

Xiao Qingyin lowered her head as she answered Shen's question.

"Hmph, so what if you have the destiny of a phoenix? Money makes the world go round. I'll go to the Imperial Advisor and tell him you have the destiny of a phoenix too."

Hearing her mother's words, Xiao Qingyin's hope was rekindled, "Is it really possible to find the Imperial Advisor?"

Shen assured, "Yes, but the Imperial Advisor is not in the capital. We'll get started on this once he returns."

Seeing her daughter's appearance, she couldn't help but think that the Seventh Prince had given the invitation to Xiao Fengyi in order to curry favor with him. Recalling her sister's death in childbirth, Madam Shen resented this niece even more.

"Seventh Prince, your sachet has a very unique scent."

The person who greeted Feng Mingjing was the dissolute nephew of the Duchess of Ye, who kept fanning himself with a folding fan.

His shout of "Seventh Prince" was so loud that Xiao Qingyin and Madam Shen had no choice but to look over.

While Madam Shen looked at Lady Ye's nephew with disdain, Xiao Qingyin looked at Feng Mingjing.

He said shyly to the nephew of the Duchess of Ye, "It was given to me by the eldest daughter of the Xiao family."

When Lady Ye's nephew heard that the sachet was sent by Xiao Fengyi, in addition to his exaggerated expression, a lewd smile appeared on his lips.

He gripped his folding fan and bowed to Feng Mingjing with affected manner: "Congratulations, Seventh Prince, you have finally won the beauty's heart!"

Hearing the Seventh Prince and the Heir Apparent of the Ye State Duke talking loudly, the illegitimate son of the Duke of Yang and a group of纨绔 (playboys) walked over to their side and laughed, "The Seventh Prince is still the most handsome and charming. That Miss Xiao is so arrogant, looking down on us ordinary people, but she secretly approves of Dian Xian."

“Well, it’s understandable that she doesn’t like us. The Seventh Prince is a golden branch and jade leaf, and is His Majesty’s most beloved prince. Isn’t Xiao Fengyi throwing himself into his arms?” The heir of the Duke of Xu also chimed in.

Lady Ye's nephew, who considered himself a romantic, deliberately hit Feng Mingjing on the shoulder with his folding fan. "Xiao Fengyi is considered by the Imperial Preceptor to be destined for greatness. Whoever gets her will rule the world. Whoever she marries will become the Crown Prince. If you ask me, the Seventh Prince's wife is very lucky."

Feng Mingjing's amiable expression turned unpredictable, and his relaxed hands clenched into fists. Xiao Fengyi, who had been listening to others slander her, picked up the wine cup on the table, but instead of drinking it, she used it to cover her cherry lips and curl them into a smile.

"Xiao Fengyi, do you know how much I hate it when people say that I became the emperor because I married you?"

Before she died in her previous life, Feng Mingjing's complaint to her naturally came to her ears.

Heh, it's not like she forced Feng Mingjing to bother her, nor did she force Feng Mingjing to fight for the throne. In the end, it's all her fault.

"Miss Xiao, are you really going to give the Seventh Prince a sachet?"

"If it were true, I would be very happy. I love the Eleventh Prince, but he clearly likes you a little. If you are with the Seventh Prince, then I would be at ease."

The fragrant breeze and elegantly dressed ladies surrounded her, making her feel extremely disgusted.

She chuckled listlessly, feeling that these richly dressed noble ladies spent their days either with the princes or trying to win their favor—it was all incredibly boring.

They were displeased to see that Xiao Fengyi was willing to remain silent.

"What's so great about the Seventh Prince liking you?"

"Don't talk to her, she's about to become the Seventh Prince's wife."

After the noble ladies left, the playboys who were always watching Xiao Fengyi whispered among themselves.

"Since Xiao Fengyi didn't refute it, did she really personally give the sachet to the Seventh Prince?"

"Perhaps. Xiao Fengyi is usually stern and unsmiling, like an ice queen. I didn't expect her to be so proactive."

"She is destined to be a phoenix, and only associates with princes. Of course, she won't smile when she's with us."

These harsh words made Xiao Fengyi drink the wine she hadn't touched in a while and slam the glass down heavily.

She suddenly stood up and, in her loudest voice, said, "I have no relation to the Seventh Prince! I didn't give him that sachet!"