Minglan is reborn, this time with no regrets!

Qi Heng: "You and Gu Tingye both refuse to admit it, but I can see clearly that he treats you differently from others, and you treat him better than I do. Anyway, he has already left the capital to join the army in Yuzhou, and it will take a long time for him to come back. Instead of waiting for him here indefinitely, why don't you turn back and look at me?"

Minglan: "Whether I wait for him or not is none of your business. Besides, young master, I really have no interest in you. I will not agree to your request even if there is someone else. Young master, you should leave now!"

"Why? Why am I inferior to Gu Tingye?"

"You are from a higher family background and more handsome than him, how can you be inferior to him? However, marriage is a matter of parents' orders and matchmaker's words, it can't be achieved by just comparing two people. Your family is a mansion with a long history, and your mother is a noble princess, while my father is just an insignificant fifth-rank official, and I am not Madam Wang's biological child. Our statuses are so different, I don't want this marriage! And I dare not want it! Looking at the entire Bianjing City, apart from the princess, which girl dares to say that she is worthy of you?"

"No, you little liar, you are lying again. You said before that you couldn't ride a horse, but in fact you can ride better than anyone else, even Xiaotao and Danju beside you can ride; you pretend to be innocent and ignorant about everything, but in fact you can see clearly and plan well. I won't believe what you say about family background now, you just think I am not as good as Gu Tingye!"

Minglan's entire back was soaked with sweat. She realized that this was not going to work, so she said decisively, "Yes, you can't compare to him!"

Qi Heng was just speaking in anger, but he didn't expect Minglan to actually admit what he said. He was choked for a moment and stood there in a daze.

"Gu Tingye will think about my reputation and will never embarrass me like you do. He knows what to do and what not to do. He understands how much effort is needed to get something. He also knows not to think about things that he shouldn't think about and not to say things that he can't do. He won't deceive himself like the young master."

"I want to marry you, how come I am just deceiving myself?"

"Because it's impossible to do this. Not to mention that I don't have you in my heart, even if you insist on marrying me regardless of my feelings, will the princess agree? Will she allow me to be the next head lady of your Qiguogong Mansion? Or will she allow you to take a concubine before marrying your wife? Young master, you should know the princess' temper! If she hears what you said to me now, won't she turn around and teach my father a lesson? Her casual words can cause an uproar in Bianjing City. Are you planning to drive me and the entire Sheng family out of Bianjing completely?"

"No... that's not what I meant. My mother wouldn't be like that either. Although she looks strict, she is actually the kindest person. If... if you get along with each other in the future, you will understand."

"Young Master, the Princess is of course kind to a son as outstanding as you, but she is the harshest to the person who led you astray! If she knew you were saying these words to me, she would definitely think that I seduced you, and then even if I died a hundred times, it would not be enough to relieve her hatred."

"Since you also said that my mother is kind to me, then as long as I ask her, she will definitely agree! My mother is not an unreasonable person. If she understands you, she will definitely know how rare you are."

"But this is your lifelong event, young master! This concerns two families and has never been a matter for you alone. No matter how much the princess loves you, is it possible for her to gamble the future of the entire family for you?"

"Why would I bet my whole family's future on you if I marry you?"

"Not to mention how many people will laugh at your mansion if you marry a concubine like me as your first wife, my family background is so far inferior to yours. If our two families marry, you will not be able to get any help from us at all."

"A real man is a man of integrity. If I inherit the title, I will definitely rely on my own abilities to ennoble my wife and children. Why should I rely on my wife's family?"

"There are so many talented people in the world, can each of them be given a title and a son? For example, Su Daxueshi, his poetry talent is amazing, and his family is even more outstanding. His father and brother both passed the imperial examination and became officials. But after the Wutai Poetry Case, he embarked on a lonely road. If it weren't for his brother Su Daxianggong's support in the court, do you think he would still be able to indulge in the mountains and rivers and write so many famous poems? Young master, don't be fooled by the sour Confucianism in the book. Without help, it will be difficult to make a difference in the complicated court. As the saying goes, many hands make light work. Only with more help can your ambitions, your ideals, the future of the Duke of Qi's Mansion... these lofty ambitions be realized." Minglan almost pleaded, "Young master, I know you are a gentleman and will not really force me to marry you. Now that we have talked it out, let's not see each other again from now on! You should prepare well for the exam and pass it as soon as possible. You will definitely have a bright future in the future."

"If I can't marry you, what's the point of passing the exam..."

Minglan didn't want to argue with him anymore, so she bowed and said, "I still have to go to the backyard to help, so I won't chat with you any longer. Please walk around the yard a few more times, and if you have nothing else to do, please go to the front hall quickly, so as not to make the princess wait anxiously."

She took two steps forward, paused, turned back, and said something even more cruel: "Young Master, I don't know when you started to have these thoughts. If I have ever done anything that made you misunderstand, I beg you to forgive me. I have never had any feelings for you, not in the past, not now, and not in the future. Your future is not with me. Please let me go for the sake of our schoolmates!"

After that, he turned around and left.

Qi Heng stood there, not moving for a long time.

Minglan's words were like charcoal, stuffed into his body and burning him to the core.

……

Princess Pingning noticed that Qi Heng was uneasy when she was in the front hall. When she saw him and Buwei walking away from the crowd, she pretended to go to the toilet and followed them.

Minglan was running in front, Qi Heng was chasing behind, and the princess was following far behind.

Seeing Qi Heng approaching to talk to Minglan, Princess Pingning was so angry that she wanted to go up and separate them, but then she thought again and became curious about what they were going to say, so she turned around and looked around.

The Sheng family's mansion was not small, with the front and back of the courtyard separated by a pond, but compared with a mansion like the Duke of Qi's Mansion, its structure was still simple. Princess Pingning soon discovered that she could hide behind the row of walls at the side and listen to their conversation.

Qi Heng did not avoid others, and Minglan was also in a panic. The two of them stood by the pond and drove everyone around them away, thinking that no one could hear them. However, they did not know that their conversation had already been heard by Princess Pingning.

After Qi Heng also left, Princess Pingning asked Nanny Yang beside her: "Do you think what that girl said just now was sincere or just an act?"

Nanny Yang bowed and said, "Your Highness, I can see that she looks very anxious and her words are very cruel. It doesn't seem like she is acting."

Princess Pingning looked at Qi Heng's dejected back and said, "What he said was really cruel. Look how it hurt my silly son. The last time I saw him like this was when he failed the imperial examination. Do you think my son can listen to these words?"

Madam Yang: "Your Highness, I think that the young master is extremely smart and can understand things quickly. Although these words are unpleasant to the ear, the logic is clear. The young master should be able to listen to them."

Princess Pingning snorted, "Don't just pick out things I like to hear. How could I not know that my son is good in every way, except that he is a little stupid. He has become stupid because of reading too much and doesn't understand human nature."

Nanny Yang lowered her body and said, "What is valuable is the truth! There is one thing that the woman said just now. The young master is a man of good talent and good family background. Only the princess can be his match in Bianjing."

Princess Pingning nodded: "She is quite self-aware. Let's wait and see. If she really does what she said and never sees Heng'er again, then I will still look up to her."

Nanny Yang whispered, "I'm afraid the young master will not give up?"

Princess Pingning glared at her: "Didn't you just say that my son is smart and can listen to others?"

Madam Yang: "I am stupid!"

"Okay, I know what you mean. My son is really honest. Once he likes something, he only cares about that thing and doesn't care about anything else. It's probably difficult for him to wake up on his own. I, as his mother, have to teach him a lesson so that he can understand what he should and shouldn't do."

"Your Majesty is the pillar of stability in this mansion. With you here, this family will be peaceful and smooth."