Reborn as the Regent's Beloved

Seeing Xiao Qingyin's pitiful and adorable coquettish appearance, Xiao Qishan felt a warmth in his heart and couldn't help but smile.

He also praised, "Qingyin is much more likable than that strange Fengyi."

Upon hearing her father's words, Xiao Qingyin seized the opportunity to act coquettishly, saying, "Father, since I'm so cute, could you give me and my sister the same dowry? I was so jealous when I heard you and Grandmother were going to give my sister a jade ruyi and red coral."

The old nanny beside Xiao Qingyin finally couldn't stand it anymore and said to Madam Liu, "Madam, this second young lady isn't even engaged yet, and she's already brazenly asking Father for a dowry. Just like her sister who's going to be a princess, she's really too unruly. I'm just a servant and I can't talk about the young mistress, but this kind of behavior is fine at home because she's pampered, but if she acts like this when she goes out, she'll be ridiculed."

Then the old woman said indignantly, "How dare the Second Miss ask for the crown that the Emperor designated for the Princess Consort of Zhao? The Empress and the Imperial Concubine both wanted this crown, but it was later said that it was to be given to the Prince Zhao, who had made great military achievements, so the two gave up the competition. If the Emperor, the Empress, and the Imperial Concubine find out about it, it will kill everyone in the Duke's Mansion."

Liu said to the nanny, "You understand me best. How could I not know that Qingyin is a girl who needs to be disciplined? But with Qishan and Shen protecting her, who would dare to touch her?"

"Madam, why don't we take this opportunity to punish her and warn her not to covet the betrothal gifts from Prince Zhao!" The old woman said this in a low voice, her words tinged with resentment.

“You’re right. We can’t let her continue harassing Fengyi. This matter also involves His Highness Prince Zhao, so she must be punished to make her behave herself.” Madam Liu agreed with the old woman’s words, so she prepared to appear.

Xiao Qishan was unaware that his mother had been staying at Jing'anzhai for a long time and was constantly scolding his other daughter, Xiao Fengyi.

"Hmph, ever since Fengyi came of age, she's become even more cunning. If she doesn't give us the betrothal gifts, we can just snatch them. If she still won't give them, then I won't give them either."

thump—

Accompanied by the heavy, thumping sound of the dragon-headed cane striking the ground, came the old lady's reproach, "Xiao Qishan, did I not teach you to go back on your word? You promised to give Fengyi the fake clothes, but you're going to back out just because of a few words of provocation from this mother and daughter?"

The old lady's appearance startled Xiao Qishan so much that he slipped off his armchair and fell to the ground. Neither Madam Shen nor Xiao Qingyin helped him up.

When the mother and daughter saw the old lady, they were like mice seeing a big cat, their fur standing on end as they scurried away.

The old lady walked to the front of the desk with her cane, the tapping sound causing the three of them to dodge towards the display shelves behind her.

Xiao Qingyin and Shen Shi retreated with their feet, while Xiao Qishan moved forward by shuffling his buttocks.

The old lady couldn't stand her son's spineless attitude, and pointed at him, saying, "Get up right now!"

Then, she said to the two of them, "You two good-for-nothings, why don't you help your husband and father up? Don't you know any manners?"

The old lady's voice grew louder and more intimidating, startling Xiao Qingyin so much that she jumped twice. With Shen's shoving, she helped Xiao Qishan up.

"Quickly help your father up."

"Father, get up quickly."

When Xiao Qingyin finally managed to help Xiao Qishan up, she didn't dare to look at her grandmother who had walked up to her side.

"Step aside."

Grandmother easily pushed her away with her dragon-headed cane, and as she fell to the edge of the display shelf, she nearly broke the vase on it.

Immediately afterwards, she heard her grandmother interrogating her, "Qishan, I didn't know you were so bold as to dare to imitate the crown that the Emperor gave to Princess Zhao? Do you think Fengyi received that crown? It's because she is Princess Zhao, not someone else. Do you think you and Qingyin are worthy of it? Are you going to kill our whole family before you're satisfied?"

Upon hearing his mother's words, Xiao Qishan felt as if he had been struck by lightning, realizing that he had almost been tricked by Shen Shi again.

“Mother, you’re right. The phoenix crown was originally fought over by the Empress and the Imperial Concubine. To prevent the two noble ladies from continuing to fight and hurting their relationship, the Emperor gave it to Prince Zhao, who then gave it to Fengyi. No one will say anything about that. But if the phoenix crown is given to someone else… then our entire Xiao family will suffer.”

Liu gave him a sharp look, "It's good that you know."

Upon hearing Xiao Qishan's words, Madam Shen broke out in a cold sweat. Although she disliked Xiao Fengyi, she did not want to be implicated because of the phoenix crown.

She had just been persuaded by Xiao Qingyin and had become obsessed with wanting the phoenix crown.

“My mother was never granted an official title or bestowed with the robes of a noblewoman in her entire life, and she cannot wear them without permission, otherwise it would be an overstepping of her authority. However, the phoenix crown of the Empress of Yong Kingdom does not belong to our Dayun. Is it alright for her to wear it?”

With Xiao Qingyin's words still ringing in Shen's ears, she couldn't help but glare fiercely at her daughter.

"You're so foolish."

Xiao Qingyin wasn't confused; she simply didn't care about anyone else and only cared about herself. Even when her own family was threatened, she remained unmoved.

Her mother's reproachful gaze forced her to plead, "Mother, Father, it's all my fault, please punish me."

She was just saying it casually, but her grandmother took it seriously and hit her on the back of the knee with a dragon-headed cane, forcing her to kneel on the ground.

"This is to punish you, you wicked girl, so you won't covet things that don't belong to you, or you'll ruin our whole family."

The old lady's tone was grave, clearly indicating that she had reached her breaking point.

Hearing her grandmother's scolding, Xiao Qingyin was terrified and kept tugging at her mother and father's clothes. "Father, Mother, please save your daughter! I know I am not as likable as my sister. I don't know where I have offended Grandmother and made her so angry."

Looking into his daughter's pitiful eyes, Xiao Qishan pleaded with his mother, "Mother, Qingyin is still young and doesn't understand many things. If she said something wrong, please forgive her."

Madam Shen also knew that the old lady was angry because of the Empress's phoenix crown.

The other person had already heard them speaking and couldn't help but think, "This is bad."

But she still knelt beside her daughter, begging for forgiveness, "Mother, Yin'er said the wrong thing because I, as her mother, have taught her wrongly. If you want to punish someone, punish me instead, okay!"

After she finished speaking, she hugged Xiao Qingyin in her arms.

"Hmph, I'm going to punish both of you for spouting nonsense in front of Qishan!" Although Liu was poisoned, she was still extremely strong and used her dragon-headed staff to separate the mother and daughter.

After scattering the blows, she didn't rely on anyone else and went straight for Xiao Qingyin's back, hitting her while saying fiercely, "Today, on behalf of our ancestors, I'm going to teach you a lesson, you unfilial descendant, Xiao Qingyin!"