Reborn as the Regent's Beloved

All eyes were on her, waiting for her to continue.

Actually, she only knew about this from hearsay in her previous life.

Legend has it that the "Jiepei" was a treasure sent from another country, which Feng Mingjing desperately wanted, but it was bestowed upon his ninth brother, Feng Xingye, by His Majesty.

Feng Mingjing never got the zither and remained resentful ever since.

In her previous life, he would often mention this zither to her, so Xiao Fengyi remembered it.

However, the Emperor's gift to Feng Xingye was done in secret, and only a very small number of members of the royal family knew about it...

“It was Fengyi who told me that Ninth Prince had a fine zither.”

Upon hearing this voice, Xiao Fengyi turned around.

The wind is clear and the sky is bright; it's been a long time.

Feng Mingjing, who had been absent for some time, finally walked to the side of Luoyan Lake under everyone's gaze.

After bowing to the Emperor and Empress, he explained, "Father, Mother, I have always loved fine zithers, as everyone knows. That's why I told Miss Xiao that Uncle Jiu had a zither at home, and that's how she found out about it."

At this point, people started to discuss it.

"So Xiao Fengyi and the Seventh Prince have such a deep friendship."

"The Seventh Prince is indifferent to worldly affairs and would not approach Xiao Fengyi because of her reputation. It must be Xiao Fengyi who is pestering the Seventh Prince, and the Seventh Prince does not want to be with her."

Having learned her lesson from her previous life, Xiao Fengyi did not want to have anything to do with this man anymore.

He and his lover Xiao Qingyin were truly a pair of unparalleled pure and innocent lovers.

In the eyes of others, Xiao Fengyi was a tyrant who bullied men and women.

"Seventh Prince, don't try to distort the truth. I have no connection with you. I know that Ninth Prince's residence has a famous zither named Jiepei. He told me about it himself."

Feng Xingye immediately took over the conversation, saying in a deep voice, "I told her."

The Emperor's gaze swept between the two men. "How did you two meet?"

"His Highness Prince Zhao saved me yesterday."

Next, Xiao Fengyi told everyone how Chen Mu had bullied her, and also how Feng Xingye had saved her.

She wasn't afraid of others knowing that she had injured Chen Mu's eyes with a hairpin; what she feared most was that others would think she had a relationship with Feng Mingjing.

When Feng Mingjing heard Xiao Fengyi say that it had nothing to do with him, he immediately sensed something was wrong.

She was a phoenix destined for greatness, the stepping stone for his ascension to the throne. How could he possibly lose her like this?

She clearly showed a lot of affection for me before, so how come she's hooking up with the Ninth Prince now?

Could it be... that Qingyin was right, that Xiao Fengyi was indeed a fickle and promiscuous woman?

By the way, where's Qingyin?

As he was thinking, he turned around and glanced at Xiao Qingyin kneeling beside him, looking pitiful and weak.

Feng Mingjing wanted to say something ambiguous about Xiao Fengyi, but stopped after seeing the kneeling woman, because the Empress wanted to punish Xiao Qingyin.

The Empress, unable to bear seeing Xiao Fengyi wronged, advised the Emperor: "Your Majesty, Xiao Qingyin has wronged Fengyi; shouldn't she be punished?"

Should we impose some punishment?

Upon hearing the Empress's words, Xiao Fengyi immediately knelt before the Emperor and cried out, "Your Majesty, please do justice for me!"

The people on the ground also heard the queen's words and were already so frightened that they didn't know what to do. They tried to use tears to escape punishment, but it seemed to be of no use.

"Now that the truth has come to light, Xiao Qingyin is lying. Xiao Qingyin has deceived the emperor and caused trouble in front of the palace. She deserves twenty strokes of the cane," the emperor said coldly.

Xiao Qingyin was almost scared to death by this order.

She kept looking at Feng Mingjing, but kept pleading with the Emperor, "Your Majesty, please spare me, I did not lie."

"Father, Qingyin didn't mean it." Feng Mingjing was also a little anxious and clasped his hands in pleading.

The maids and servants around Xiao Qingyin also stammered and pleaded for mercy, crying and begging for mercy.

The Emperor ignored him, his tone unwavering, "Since it wasn't intentional, then it's a lie. Twenty strokes of the cane is already a light punishment."

This is already considered mild.

After he said that, who would dare to plead for Xiao Qingyin?

Xiao Qingyin was immediately dragged away by the eunuchs and given twenty lashes in front of everyone.

After the punishment was completed, the woman was already on the verge of death and was sent directly back to the Xiao residence.

After this farce ended, the Empress summoned Xiao Fengyi to her side and ordered the palace maid beside her to change her clothes.

Although Xiao Qingyin was punished, the palace banquet had to continue, as the emperor's mood could not be easily disturbed.

At the banquet, everyone toasted and drank, but no one dared to mention what had just happened, for fear of implicating themselves.

All of this disappeared without a trace, just like the pink palace dress that Xiao Fengyi changed out of.

By the time the banquet ended, it was already getting dark.

Xiao Fengyi looked around and realized that Prince Zhao, Feng Xingye, was no longer in his original position; he had probably already left.

She was also preparing to leave, but the Empress was worried and sent her maid with her.

When the group reached the palace gate, the palace maid spoke a few more words to Xiao Fengyi and the maids and servants around her, and then let them take a carriage home.

Xiao Fengyi had not gone far when she was stopped by Feng Mingjing, who was already waiting there.

"Fengyi, are you angry with me? I just pleaded for Xiao Qingyin because she is your sister. It's best not to involve Father Emperor in matters concerning your Xiao family."

Xiao Fengyi stood coldly in place, listening intently to the nonsense spouted by the man in front of her.

That's how it was in the past life. Whenever Xiao Qingyin was wronged, the first person to stand up for her was always Feng Mingjing.

He always said that Qingyin was his younger sister, and that Xiao Fengyi, as the older sister, should give in to her. He never blamed the other party for starting the trouble.

Xiao Fengyi looked at him coldly and asked in return, "You only say that she is my sister and that I should give in to her, but have you ever thought that I am also her older sister and that she should let me go?"

"Feng Mingjing, she pushed me into the lake, she tried to frame me for having an affair. Instead of teaching Xiao Fengyi a lesson, why are you blaming me for not being lenient with her?"

The night wind whistled and lifted the hem of Xiao Fengyi's palace dress, making her appear aloof and independent.

Her words left Feng Mingjing speechless.

The man presumptuously thought that Xiao Fengyi was probably so angry because she was jealous.

As long as we appease her and make good use of Xiao Fengyi to seize the throne, everything will be fine.

"Fengyi, don't be angry, I'll take you home."

"Need not!"

Xiao Fengyi directly refused Feng Mingjing and returned to her carriage with her maids and servants.

In her previous life, she suffered because of Feng Mingjing's relentless pursuit, and in this life, she must stay far away from him.

Stay away from it!

Xiao Fengyi withdrew her gaze from the window, closed her eyes, and leaned against the carriage.

In his mind's eye, the image of Feng Mingjing standing in the cold wind, feigning pitifulness, lingered.

Hmph, does Feng Mingjing think she's still the same Xiao Fengyi she used to be?

After returning to the Xiao residence, Xiao Fengyi sensed an unusual atmosphere.

There were no lights on in the Xiao family hall, so Xiao Qishan sat in the darkness and spoke to the people who had just entered.