Reborn Spoiled Girl Tames the Regent

Chapter 15 Killing Without Entering the Jiang Residence

She spoke with such tenderness and affection, her voice so soft it seemed to overflow with honey.

Xiao Hengzhi remained unresponsive, only lowering his eyes and taking a step back, politely replying, "I did not know the Second Miss's feelings before, but now I do."

Jiang Wan looked him up and down; his face was calm and indifferent, showing only disappointment and frustration, without the slightest sign of anger.

Proper manners and polite speech are nothing out of the ordinary.

She breathed a slight sigh of relief, realizing that she must have been traumatized by the Regent, which was why she was so suspicious.

"Alright, you can go now. I'm tired today and don't have time to punish you." She waved her hand.

Xiao Hengzhi lowered his head and slowly returned to the house.

The moment the door closed, his eyes suddenly darkened, and his fingertips pressed against the door gradually turned white.

He didn't know how he managed to hold back just now. Even though he knew that Jiang Wan was testing him with those words, he still felt a vague unease.

What if?

What if she really still has feelings for Ning Zhi?

In a few days, the Empress will hold a banquet. If she really wants to become the Crown Princess, she will definitely be able to catch the Empress's eye with the methods she used in her previous life.

How can he keep her then?

......

Just as he was pondering this, there was a knock on the door.

He opened the door and saw Ruilan coming over with clean water, a towel, and medicine for her injuries.

“Young Master Xiao, I noticed you seemed a little unwell while walking, so I brought you some medicine for your injuries.”

Xiao Hengzhi turned and went into the room, saying calmly, "Put it on the table."

"Yes."

Ruilan took the things into the house, but didn't leave.

Xiao Hengzhi sat down in the chair and asked, "Is there anything else?"

“Young Master Xiao,” Ruilan said softly, her voice carrying a hint of charm, “You see, you are injured. If needed, I can help you recover.”

Xiao Hengzhi looked up at her, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "How do you intend to help me recover?"

When Ruilan saw his reply, her eyes lit up. She moved closer and said with a smile, "Whatever you wish me to do, young master, I will do."

"Oh? Then help me apply the medicine."

"Yes."

He gave a soft hum, watching as Ruilan took a towel and put it in clean water. She carefully pulled his robe down to his shoulders, gently wiped him, and then applied ointment.

Xiao Hengzhi had broad shoulders and a straight back. When his arms were slightly bent, his muscles were firm and well-proportioned.

Ruilan's gaze sharpened, her face flushed instantly, and she unconsciously bit her lower lip, her eyes sparkling with shyness.

She smiled slightly and said softly, "Young Master Xiao, if you ever need anything from Ruilan in the future, please don't hesitate to ask. Ruilan will do her best. The Second Miss is rather domineering, while you, Young Master, are gentle and refined. If you ever feel troubled, you can also confide in Ruilan..."

As soon as she finished speaking, she felt his fingers hook her belt in front of her.

Their eyes met, and her heart pounded so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her throat.

"Young Master Xiao..."

Xiao Hengzhi smiled and flirtatiously hooked her belt.

"A colorful ribbon adorns her waist, delicately embroidered with flowers; her smile is enough to captivate the city, earning her praise from all..."

He raised his eyelids and said leisurely, "This embroidered belt is quite beautiful."

Ruilan's heart pounded so hard she could hardly breathe. She stammered, "If you like it, young master, I can give it to you..."

As she spoke, she reached out to untie it, but Xiao Hengzhi raised an eyebrow and said, "Like it? What I like... is the owner of this belt."

Ruilan's expression froze, and she looked up incredulously, saying, "What?"

Immediately afterwards, Xiao Hengzhi twisted his wrist and tore off her belt. Before she could react, he grabbed her wrist and braced it on the table. Then he pulled out a dagger and brought it down from mid-air.

"do not want!"

Ruilan trembled all over as she saw the dagger fall between her fingers. If it had missed by even a fraction of an inch, it would have severed her fingers.

Cold sweat beaded on her forehead, and her legs trembled.

A pair of eyes stared at Xiao Hengzhi in horror, only to hear him speak indifferently: "This thing was bought by the Second Miss at Yuemingfang a long time ago. She can't remember it, so you took it for yourself?"

His tone was chilling, completely unlike his usual kind demeanor.

Ruilan didn't know why he had changed like this. She wanted to explain, but found herself trembling and unable to speak.

A few days ago, while tidying up the storeroom, she noticed that Jiang Mian had several boxes of useless belts and shoes. Feeling a desire to look beautiful, she decided to take this belt.

They thought no one would notice, but to their surprise, Xiao Hengzhi remembered Jiang Mian's personal belongings so clearly.

In the brief moment of her silence, Xiao Hengzhi had already drawn his dagger and patted her face.

"With such dirty hands and feet, tell me, what should be done?"

She was so frightened that she knelt down on the ground and kept kowtowing.

She stammered as she explained, "This servant...was momentarily blinded, this servant will return it right away..."

She pressed her forehead to the ground, not daring to look up, but out of the corner of her eye she saw the person in front of her squatting down, still playing with a dagger.

She instantly withdrew her hands, her hair standing on end and her scalp tingling.

Xiao Hengzhi grabbed her hair with one hand, forcing her to look up, and used the dagger in his other hand to lift her chin, asking, "You just said that the Second Miss is domineering?"

Ruilan lowered her eyes, her face streaked with what looked like cold sweat or tears of fear, and choked out, "...This servant...this servant saw that the Second Miss often punished you."

After she finished speaking, the person in front of her fell silent, but she could feel the dagger moving inward along her chin, slowly approaching her throat.

She quickly corrected herself: "It was my mistake! I have never seen the Second Miss punish you!"

Xiao Hengzhi then stopped what he was doing.

He leaned closer, one hand on her shoulder, his voice low and dangerous: "Listen, she can do whatever she wants to me, even cut off my flesh to feed the dogs, I'll give it to her..."

He paused, a chilling smile playing on his lips: "You should be thankful I didn't kill anyone at the Jiang residence..."

Ruilan met his gaze, and heard the sound of bones cracking in her shoulder.

She shuddered, a sense of dread washing over her.

I never imagined that Xiao Hengzhi, who usually lets Jiang Mian beat and scold him and is gentle and refined, would be so terrifying.

……

The next morning, in the backyard, Xu Mama distributed the monthly allowance to the maids and servants as usual.

Ruiju took the silver, looked around, and couldn't help but ask, "Granny, why isn't Ruilan here today?"

As she counted the silver, Granny Xu shook her head and said, "She broke her hand somehow and can't work. She looks pitiful, so I let her go this morning."

Ruiju nodded silently.

After she took the silver, she was about to go to Xiao Hengzhi's room to clean when she saw Jiang Mian pacing back and forth at the door, looking around.

She hurried over and asked, "What brings you here, Second Miss? Are you looking for Young Master Xiao?"

Startled by her voice, Jiang Mian turned and replied, "Oh, right. Where is he?"

"I didn't see you when I arrived today, young master. You're probably in the front hall..."

As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Xiao Hengzhi walking over from the front hall.

Jiang Mian stepped forward, about to speak, when she noticed some water stains and mud spots on the hem of his clothes.

But it hasn't rained for the past two days, so where has he gone?

She suddenly realized that Xiao Heng's destruction of the palace in his previous life could not have been achieved overnight. Could it be that he was already secretly plotting something?

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but ask, "Xiao Hengzhi, you didn't sneak out at night, did you?"

Xiao Hengzhi paused for a moment, then calmly asked, "What do you mean by that, Second Miss? Why would I go out at night?"

She stared at the hem of his clothes, drew closer, and could even smell the faint scent of grass and trees on him, as if he had been in the mountains and forests for a long time.

"Where exactly did you go?" Jiang Wan asked again.