Chen Mianmian blinked, wanting to say—no, Miss, didn't your mother teach you any basic knowledge of palace intrigue? So willful and capricious, who would want you?
Little Ding was also extremely embarrassed. "Rui'er, don't be willful! Be good, quickly apologize to your aunt and cousin."
Zheng Ruier bit her lip tightly, tears streaming down her face, and glared fiercely at the beautiful woman beside the table.
She knew, of course, that her behavior was very rude.
But should she just stand by and watch this bitch swagger around?
Previously, whenever she visited her aunt's house, she was always pampered and spoiled by everyone, whether it was her aunt or her cousin.
Her cousin has such a large collection of books, and she can take whichever one she wants. Sometimes she accidentally damages them, and even though her cousin is heartbroken, he never scolds her.
Everything has changed!
Before, when she came, it felt like coming home; this time, she clearly felt like an outsider.
Her cousin also treated her like an outsider... This was the hardest thing for her to accept.
No wonder the storybooks say that men change completely when they meet a vixen; now she's seen it for herself.
Bai Qingzhou originally felt guilty towards his cousin, but when he heard his cousin call Mianmian a vixen, he was also furious. "Zheng Ruier, Mianmian is my person. If you continue to be disrespectful to her, get out of the Anning Marquis's mansion."
Ding became agitated and angrily said, "Qingzhou, how dare you speak to your cousin like that? She's your cousin!"
Bai Qingzhou was furious. "Mother also said she's my cousin. If she's my cousin, then she shouldn't be thinking about those crooked ways! Since my cousin insists on speaking out regardless of the occasion, then let's just say it now."
I, Bai Qingzhou, have no siblings since childhood, and I long for some younger brothers and sisters. Therefore, I love and care for my cousin Rui'er, as well as my other cousins, just like I would my own brothers and sisters. Similarly, I treat them with the same care and affection as an older brother.
I know what you're thinking, but I treated her like a younger sister before. If we were to marry her now, wouldn't I be considered a beast? I have no brothers or sisters, but you do. Would you be willing to marry your own brother?
The dining hall was completely silent.
This was the most assertive the young master had ever shown them since they entered the manor, including the maids.
When the prince was away from home, he had a nickname: "softie".
Inside the Marquis's residence, although no one would offend the heir apparent, everyone knew about this nickname.
But the strong-willed prince before us, with his reasoned arguments, forceful and resolute, showed no trace of a coward.
Bai Qingzhou suddenly turned his gaze to Jiang Yinjin behind his wife. "Madam Jiang, I know I've wronged you. We are both victims of this marriage arrangement, but I can take a concubine while you cannot. I can see that you have tacitly approved of my relationship with my cousin and are even trying to bring us together. I'll take that as a sign of your good intentions. But I've heard that you and Imperial Censor Jiang have a very good relationship. So let me ask you, are you willing to marry Imperial Censor Jiang?"
Jiang Yinjin's expression changed, then she suppressed her anger and said, "Your Highness is joking. You and Miss are cousins, which is a double blessing, but my brother and I are biological siblings, which is incestuous."
Bai Qingzhou raised her voice slightly, "Didn't you understand what I just said? I've never had any brothers or sisters since I was young, so I've always treated them like my own siblings. For me to marry my cousin is no different from you marrying Jiang Shenyan!"
“You…” Jiang Yinjin gritted her teeth, her anger growing as the other party kept bringing up her brother.
While watching the drama unfold, Chen Mianmian caught a glimpse of a name—Jiang Shenyan? The name sounded familiar.
Suddenly, she remembered—wasn't that Chief Minister Jiang? How could she have forgotten him?
Jiang Yinjin's elder brother will follow his sister and serve the Regent. With the Regent's support, he will rise through the ranks to become the Grand Secretary.
Of course, Jiang Shenyan's rise to the position of Grand Secretary was not due to any unspoken rules, but rather to his own abilities.
Chen Mianmian sighed—the female lead was troublesome enough, but she forgot about her brother. She should be more vigilant.
Seeing that the situation was not good, and fearing that she would completely offend the Marquis of Anning's mansion and the young master, Xiao Ding hurriedly said, "Young master, you must have misunderstood. Rui'er has no intention of entering the mansion. We are just visiting as guests and taking the opportunity to visit the young mistress and... Aunt Shen for the first time. We really have no other intentions."
Zheng Ruier panicked, "Mother..."
Madam Ding tugged hard at her daughter's skirt under the table as a reminder, "I know you're being stubborn, Ruier. You're only upset because your cousin doesn't dote on you. The young master will always be your cousin, and now you have a cousin-in-law who loves you, don't you?"
“I…” Zheng Ruier knew what her mother meant, how could she be willing to accept it?
Madam Ding interrupted, "Moreover, your father has recently been asking around about the Zhang family. If there are no problems with Young Master Zhang, you and Young Master Zhang will soon be engaged."
As she spoke, she tugged hard at her daughter's skirt.
Zheng Ruier could only accept it, "...Yes, daughter understands."
Ding quickly changed the subject, asking, "The Zhang family? Which Zhang family?"
Xiao Ding also pretended to be enthusiastic, and the two sisters started chatting.
Seeing that the commotion had temporarily subsided, Jiang Yinjin did not insist on switching seats with Miss Ding and sat back down next to her.
They listened with great interest to the Ding sisters chatting, their smiling faces making it seem as if nothing had happened.
When Madam Ding noticed Jiang Yinjin, she was secretly amazed. The young mistress that the young master had married was no ordinary person.
His gaze involuntarily fell on his willful and good-for-nothing daughter, and he thought to himself: With such a young mistress around, my daughter, as a concubine in the Marquis's mansion, probably has no chance of getting ahead.
This marriage is off!
Ding Shi and Xiao Ding Shi were chatting, and Jiang Yinjin was listening.
Zheng Ruier sat next to Ding Shi, sulking and wiping away her tears.
Chen Mianmian was really hungry, so she secretly picked up a piece of meat and stuffed it into her mouth.
Only Bai Shizi remained standing in the empty seat next to Shen Mianmian.
Bai Qingzhou was both amused and exasperated, and asked in a low voice, "You still have the appetite to eat? Never mind... eat up, don't go hungry."
Shen Mianmian also felt that she was being a bit too cold-blooded, so she hurriedly put down her chopsticks and analyzed the "script," thinking about what her mindset, reaction, and lines should be in this situation as a concubine.
Bai Qingzhou turned to look at the maids, "Didn't I tell you to move the chairs? Do you expect me to move them myself?"
The maidservant panicked, "Your Highness, please forgive me, I'll move it right away."
They hurriedly and hastily moved the chairs.
Bai Qingzhou sat down next to Shen Mianmian, still somewhat angry, but he quickly suppressed it, afraid of scaring his beloved. Then he cautiously asked, "Mianmian, just now... I didn't scare you, did I?"
Shen Mianmian immediately blinked her innocent big eyes, her thick eyelashes fluttering, "I'm not scared anymore."
Actually, I wasn't scared at all just now; I actually found it quite exciting.
Bai Qingzhou thought for a moment and said in a low voice, "Good boy, help me think of a way to make Mother happy later, and... try not to let her interfere in my affairs anymore."
Chen Mianmian was both amused and exasperated. "What can I do?"
"You definitely have it!" Bai Qingzhou said confidently.
"Don't forget, I'm just an uneducated skinny horse, I even learned to write from you, Your Highness."
but……
Shen Mianmian looked at Jiang Yinjin, who was standing next to the madam with a smug smile on her face, and murmured, "However, I really need to think of a way to help Fengchu improve his favorability as well."
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