Jiang Chengli was startled. He remembered the changes that had occurred in the mansion, and that his father and second brother had stopped bothering Xing Xiaoya as before, and had not come to visit even once, completely getting rid of Xing Xiaoya.
In all those previous worlds, once they met Xing Xiaoya, they couldn't help but become deeply entangled in her world.
Even though they knew she was his mistress and they were not allowed to touch her, the other men in the Jiang family still couldn't control themselves and moved closer to her as if they were bewitched.
But this time, they really didn't come back.
Could it be because of Xu Wanying's new artifact? Or is it simply that the time hasn't come yet, and the world's consciousness hasn't begun to force it?
"Don't overthink it. You've been frowning so much you've left marks. Don't be so serious at such a young age. Wanying likes handsome men, so you should take good care of your good looks, lest she finds you unattractive later." Cen Ying raised her hand and waved it in front of him, bringing the man back to his senses.
Jiang Chengli subconsciously relaxed his brow, but upon hearing the latter part of her words, he was left speechless, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
“Mother, what are you saying? As long as the son is capable, that’s all that matters. I’d rather he look a little older.”
He suffered a lot because of his feminine appearance.
When he entered the special training of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, his appearance was so stunning that it was unforgettable, but he spent a lot of time learning how to disguise himself.
After all, the Embroidered Uniform Guard was responsible for covert investigations and assassinations, and what they feared most was having obvious personal characteristics that made them easy to remember and leave evidence.
Their line of work prefers inconspicuous appearances, so that they can blend into a crowd and not be recognized. This way, after gathering information, they are not afraid of being investigated or leaving any clues.
He studied disguise diligently and repeatedly told himself that he wished he looked more ordinary.
To my utter surprise, my own mother is asking me to protect this face today.
"Can't you have both talent and good looks? I don't care about anything else, but you have to protect your face. Good-looking people have a natural advantage. When you brothers were young, you were naughty, but your eldest brother was the one who got beaten the most, just because he looked the most honest."
"With your handsome appearance, you're pleasing to the eye even just looking at someone. Wanying is your wife, and she sees your face every day. If you're good-looking, she'll naturally find it pleasing to the eye and be in a good mood. If you were ugly, every time she looks at you, her mood will worsen, her energy will decrease, and the artifact will naturally not announce the news!"
“Li-ge’er, you have to listen to your mother on this matter. For the sake of the Marquis’s future, you also have to protect this face. You absolutely cannot have any scars, and it’s best to avoid sun exposure. Wan-ying likes pretty boys. Also, next time you’re angry and want to kill someone, you have to protect yourself. If you lose an arm or a leg, that won’t do…”
As Cen Ying spoke, she brushed aside his stray hairs and stared intently at his face, becoming more and more satisfied with the look.
Jiang Chengli felt extremely uncomfortable under her gaze; heaven knows how long it had been since he had his appearance scrutinized like this.
He's just a member of the Imperial Guard, what does he need a pretty face for!
Moreover, the Jiang family's ancestral motto is that men don't need to be good-looking, as long as they can fight.
In addition, Marquis Zhongyi has a natural aversion to pretty boys, after all, he is not fair-skinned and always says things like "pretty boys are a disgrace and cowards", so it is hard for Jiang Chengli not to be influenced.
But now his own mother is telling him to protect his face, and he feels like something is wrong.
"It's almost time, you can go back now." Cen Ying patted his shoulder after confirming that he nodded.
Jiang Chengli lifted the curtain and jumped off the carriage. Even after leaving the narrow alley, he still looked dizzy.
He truly didn't understand what his mother meant by what she had just said.
It wasn't until a cold wind blew by that he realized what was happening.
Does Mother mean he should use his beauty to please his wife?
He shook his head, immediately rejecting the idea. Impossible, absolutely impossible!
Having grown up in the educated family of the Marquis of Zhongyi, and being appreciated by the emperor, he became a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard at a young age, with a bright future ahead of him. There is no way he would be allowed to rise to prominence through male beauty, right?
The term "male beauty" has absolutely nothing to do with him!
He must have misunderstood!
As he was about to return to his residence, he discovered that there were people hiding around, clearly someone's bodyguards.
Jiang Chengli frowned. He had just parted ways with Cen Ying, and his mother had told him that neither his father nor his second brother would send anyone over. Could it be that his mother's constant nagging had caused the world's consciousness to start pushing everyone forward?
He didn't have time to think, he immediately dodged and went around from behind.
An unfamiliar female voice came from inside the courtyard.
"Xiaoya, you mean you're living with a man? Who is he? Are you lying to him?"
The defenses behind the courtyard were not heavy, so he could only listen in secret and could not see what was happening inside.
Judging from this demeanor, this woman must hold a high position of power.
“Brother Da Niu is a good person. He just lost his memory. If it weren’t for him saving me, I would still be being bullied in the countryside. Sister Zhaoyang, you can’t wrong an innocent person!” Xing Xiaoya’s slightly coquettish voice came from behind.
Upon hearing the name "Zhaoyang," Jiang Chengli's pupils instantly contracted.
Among the powerful women in Wangjing, only the eldest princess's legitimate daughter, Princess Zhaoyang, could be addressed as "Zhaoyang".
"Hmph, I don't believe it. What good man could there be in this world? You're so kind and innocent, you must have been deceived!" Princess Zhaoyang didn't listen at all and unconditionally stood by Xing Xiaoya's side.
Jiang Chengli didn't listen anymore; he immediately took a few steps back and disappeared into the alley.
I was just telling Cen Ying that everyone in the Jiang family was avoiding Xing Xiaoya, which would at least buy them some time, but I didn't expect things to develop so quickly.
Even if no one from the Jiang family pays attention to her, other people will run into Xing Xiaoya.
This Princess Zhaoyang is the Emperor's niece and the Empress Dowager's granddaughter. She is extremely favored, even surpassing several princesses in favor of her.
Whoever can get close to her will be able to walk sideways in the elite social circles of Wangjing. He won't even need to keep an eye on her anymore; just by listening to those few sentences, he can understand what the outcome will be.
Clearly, Princess Zhaoyang and Xing Xiaoya hit it off immediately, and she will soon lead Xing Xiaoya into the circle of noble ladies, and even the royal circle, where the nightmare continues.
He gritted his teeth and pulled out the dagger from his sleeve.
His father and second brother had already gone against the script, and his mother told him that there was still a chance to fight back, so he had to try again.
Even if he can't kill Xing Xiaoya, he will kill Princess Zhaoyang, at least to prevent her from getting a powerful backer so quickly, and to keep her out of the elite circles as long as possible.
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