Reborn Spoiled Girl Tames the Regent

The wind and snow have lessened a bit.

The shouts from afar grew clearer.

Jiang Mian turned her head and saw Ning Zhi's anxious figure.

She used the cold stone to support herself as she stood up, waving her hand vigorously: "Here!"

Ning Zhi rushed over and caught her, asking, "Where are you hurt? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Jiang Wan shook her head gently. "I just bumped into something, and my leg hurts a little. Luckily, Miss Guo appeared in time and shielded me from it."

Ning Zhi looked at Guo Qiongfang and saw that the strips of cloth wrapped around her arm were soaked with blood, which slightly reduced his anger.

He asked, "Miss Guo, you must give an explanation for what happened today."

Guo Qiongfang, enduring the pain, replied, "Young Master Xu, I have already stated that there was a problem with the grain, but it was absolutely not my doing! If I wanted to harm someone, why would I bring them to my territory and use my own horses? Wouldn't that be courting death?"

Jiang Mian spoke up at the right moment: "There is indeed something strange about this matter. The most urgent thing right now is to go back to the stables and check."

Ning Zhi took a deep breath: "Okay, let's go back first."

The group helped each other back to the stables at the old training ground.

Ning Zhi walked to the feeding trough, grabbed a handful of the remaining hay, sniffed it carefully, and frowned.

Guo Qiongfang explained, "This plan must have been aimed at me. Everyone knows I love to come here to ride horses, but no one expected that the person riding it today would be Miss Jiang."

"Do you have any suspects?" Ning Zhi clapped his hands.

"I..." Guo Qiongfang stammered, "I don't know for the time being... but Young Master Xu, I will definitely find a way to investigate this matter."

Jiang Wan noticed that her arm was still bleeding.

She said, "Miss Guo's injuries are quite serious and require immediate hemostasis and treatment. It's getting late, and we don't know if there are still ambushes in the woods. We should return to the manor first and discuss this matter further."

Ning Zhi nodded, then whispered to Lu Fang, "Send a team to search the nearby mountains and forests to see if there are any clues."

"Yes."

After returning to the Guo residence, a doctor quickly came to treat him.

Fortunately, Guo Qiongfang only suffered superficial injuries and did not suffer any damage to her bones or muscles.

Fortunately, Jiang Mian was dressed warmly enough, so she only had bruises on her legs and was not seriously injured.

Zhao Yulian stayed by her daughter's bedside, feeling both heartache and lingering fear. She couldn't help but scold her, "You little rascal! How dare you take someone horseback riding! Wait till your father gets back, he'll punish you severely!"

Before he could finish speaking, Guo Huaiming hurriedly stepped into the courtyard.

However, the first thing he looked at was not his injured daughter.

Instead, his face showed alarm, and he hurried straight toward the quiet courtyard.

The study in the quiet courtyard was brightly lit.

As soon as Guo Huaiming entered the room, he knelt down on the ground with a thud.

"Your Highness! This humble official... This humble official has failed in his duty to educate his daughter, resulting in our honored guest being placed in grave danger. This humble official deserves to die! Please punish me, Your Highness!"

He kowtowed heavily, his voice trembling.

Ning Zhi put down her teacup, looked at him, and remained silent for a long time.

The study was extremely quiet.

Aside from the crackling sound of the charcoal popping, there was only Guo Huaiming's increasingly heavy breathing.

After a long silence, Ning Zhi finally spoke—

"Master Guo."

Why...why did you do such a cruel thing?

Guo Huaiming's eyes were filled with shock: "Your Highness! What are you talking about?! How could I... how could I have done such a treasonous thing?! I'm innocent!"

"Injustice?" Ning Zhi frowned. "The horse feed contained Drunken Horse Vine Powder, which needs to be strictly sealed and stored, otherwise the medicinal properties will be lost very quickly. Judging from the efficacy, the time of administration can only be between last night and this morning."

"Miss Guo made the invitation on a whim last night. Only a handful of people know about it. Besides you, who else could have arranged all this?"

Guo Huaiming shook his head frantically: "This humble official...this humble official has no idea what the Drunken Horse Vine is. Please, Your Highness, investigate!"

Ning Zhi remained expressionless and nodded slightly to Lu Fang, who was standing to the side.

Lu Fang stepped forward and unfolded a piece of coarse cloth, inside which was a piece of hay.

“Lord Guo,” Ning Zhi said calmly, “I’m giving you one last chance. Tell the truth.”

"No! It wasn't me!" Guo Huaiming kowtowed repeatedly in his anxiety. "If that horse really goes berserk, Fang'er will be the first to be hit, Your Highness! How could I possibly harm my own daughter?! Your Highness, please see the truth!"

"If your daughter mounts her horse, then the whistle will naturally not sound!"

Guo Huaiming's forehead was covered in cold sweat. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

Ning Zhi gave him no chance to catch his breath, her voice suddenly turning stern: "Guo Huaiming, do you know what your punishment will be if Miss Jiang Wan is seriously injured today?!"

"This humble official...this humble official would never dare!" Guo Huaiming's voice was hoarse, and he almost collapsed to the ground. "Even if you gave me ten thousand lives, I would never dare to harm Your Highness's friend! Your Highness, please understand! This matter...this matter must be someone trying to harm my daughter, and Miss Jiang was accidentally injured! This humble official is also a victim, Your Highness!"

"Accidental injury?" Ning Zhi sneered. "The timing was so precise, you're telling me this was an accident?"

"If you confess now, I may consider your years of hard work and treat you leniently. But if I find out the truth, the three judicial authorities will conduct a joint trial, and your entire family will be implicated. Lord Guo, have you thought this through?"

"Your Highness..."

Guo Huaiming trembled violently, cold sweat dripping onto the ground.

Suddenly his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed, losing consciousness.

Lu Fang stepped forward to check his breathing and reported to Ning Zhi, "Your Highness, Lord Guo has fainted due to a sudden surge of anger."

"Take him away and let the doctor watch over him. Report to me immediately when he wakes up."

Ning Zhi waved his hand expressionlessly.

Just then, Jiang Wan walked in from outside the door.

She had changed out of her snow-stained outer garment and was wearing a plain nightgown with a thick robe over it. Her long hair was loosely tied up, and her face was still pale under the lamplight.

She was slightly taken aback when she saw Guo Huaiming being carried out, and quickly walked to Ning Zhi's side.

"Your Highness, what has happened? Lord Guo, he..."

"It's alright, she just fainted when I asked her so many questions." Ning Zhi gestured for her to sit down. "How's your leg injury? Does it still hurt? Why didn't you rest more?"

"It's much better after applying the medicine."

Jiang Mian asked, "Why is Your Highness interrogating Lord Guo? Is it because you suspect he tampered with the horse?"