Reborn to abuse the scumbag, the demon queen destroyed her ex-husband's entire family

"I just got back yesterday. I heard that Miss Xiao was going to move back to the General's Mansion. I thought you would be there, so I came over to join in the fun!"

While answering his friend's questions, Duanmu Ling looked at Mu Gu and Xiao Ruge.

Unexpectedly, half a year after he left, the two people who had nothing in common actually got engaged.

"To congratulate Miss Xiao Er for escaping from the hell, I dug out this famous painting from the previous dynasty from my father's study to add some ink and book fragrance to you!"

Duanmu Ling patted the brocade box in his arms, looking like a good brother and a man of great loyalty, which made Xiao Ruge smile even more.

Since they came to celebrate with good intentions, Xiao Ruge certainly couldn't stop them from coming in, so she invited everyone into the house, and after exchanging greetings, they gathered around the dining table.

We are all young people, and there are differences between men and women, so they should sit at separate tables.

But there were only a few of them, so Xiao Ruge asked housekeeper Yang to get a big table and leave a seat for each person so that there would be no need to avoid suspicion.

Princess Jianing had been chasing after Duanmu Ling. Xiao Ruge asked her to sit next to her, while Duanmu Ling sat on the other side of Princess Jianing, so as to separate them from Ao Fang who was sitting next to her.

Mu Gu naturally sat next to Xiao Ruge, and Zhu Chengxi sat on Mu Gu's left, next to Ao Fang. There were six of them, and the seat was just barely full.

"Today is the day when Miss Xiao II moves back to the General's Mansion. Let's celebrate together. I hope she will be happy and have a smooth life in the future!"

Duanmu Ling was the first to raise his glass. After hearing this, everyone offered auspicious words. Princess Jianing also smiled and wished Xiao Ruge's family eternal peace and prosperity.

Xiao Ruge raised the wine glass to thank everyone, clinked glasses with everyone, then tilted his head back and drank the wine in the glass.

Everyone was of similar age and had many common topics to talk about. Sometimes they talked about Duanmu Ling following his mother back to his grandfather's house, and sometimes they talked about Mu Gu going to Qizhou to provide disaster relief.

By the time the whole story was told, four or five wine jugs on the table were empty.

Although Xiao Ruge could drink a lot, Mu Gu didn't let her drink too much. She only drank the first three cups, and the rest was rose water that she drank with Princess Jianing.

Because Mu Gu disliked Zhu Chengxi, he pulled Duanmu Ling to talk to Ao Fang. Although Zhu Chengxi felt a little embarrassed, he did not leave. Instead, he sat aside and listened to them quietly.

Fortunately, Ao Fang was a man who knew how to take other people's emotions into consideration and would occasionally turn around and say a few words to him, which prevented Zhu Chengxi from wanting to find a hole to crawl into.

Princess Jianing looked at Xiao Ruge and asked with a smile, "I heard that the general's mansion has elegant scenery and there are beautiful views all year round. I wonder if Miss Xiao can take me to see it?"

"That's what I meant. Princess, please!"

Princess Jianing said this to me, which must mean she wanted to be alone with me.

So after Xiao Ruge said something to Mu Gu and the others, she took Princess Jianing to the small garden at the back.

The General’s Mansion occupies a large area, after all, hundreds of people from the Xiao family once lived here.

Before the family split up, the general's mansion was very lively. But after the split, many courtyards were uninhabited and were closed off.

However, with Butler Yang looking after it in the capital and repairing it regularly, it does not appear dilapidated.

The general's mansion was prosperous in the past, and everyone had different hobbies. There was enough space in the house, so the elders decorated it according to their own preferences, which was quite unique.

The small garden where the two came at this time was full of various flowers and trees, the most eye-catching of which were the red plum blossoms. A breeze blew by, and bursts of plum fragrance were refreshing and smelled very good.

"This red plum is so beautiful!"

Although it was already night, there were lanterns lit all around and a waxing moon hung in the sky, so it was not so unclear that it gave me a hazy feeling of appreciating a beauty under the lamplight.

"These plum blossoms were planted by my great-aunt before she got married."

Xiao Ruge smiled and told the origin of plum blossoms.

Speaking of that great aunt, Xiao Ruge sighed slightly in her heart.

Speaking of it, her great-aunt's life was not perfect. Although her husband was loving to her, he was unfaithful after all and later took a concubine.

In order to win favor, the concubine framed my great-aunt while she was pregnant, causing her to suffer root injuries during childbirth, and the child died when he was ten years old.

Although he died early, it is a good thing that the Xiao family does not have to be sad about the demise of its direct line.

"I guess this great-aunt of yours must be a quiet and elegant person!"

Princess Jianing was right. Xiao Ruge's great-aunt was indeed proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting. She was from a noble family, but she was full of bookish air.

The two of them admired the plum blossoms for a while. Princess Jianing turned to look at Xiao Ruge and asked with a smile, "Xiao Ruge, how did you make my cousin fall in love with you?"

She called Mu Gu like that and Xiao Ruge didn't react at first. But when she realized who she was referring to, she couldn't help laughing.

"My encounter with the prince is indeed somewhat like the plot in a storybook. Princess, have you ever heard of a hero saving a beautiful girl?"

Seeing Princess Jianing nod, Xiao Ruge continued, "But I am exactly the opposite of the prince. I saved the prince."

"You mean, you helped my seventh cousin through a crisis?"

Princess Jianing tilted her head and looked at Xiao Ruge. She didn't ask her what danger Mu Gu was in at that time, because she understood that there were some things she shouldn't know.

Xiao Ruge nodded, "Yes, the prince was in a bit of a mess at that time, and I happened to be out collecting herbs, so I helped him when I saw him."

Princess Jianing felt a little envious after hearing this. "You guys are doing very well, it helps to cultivate feelings. But it's different for me. I chase after Brother Duanmu every day, but he doesn't seem to have much sympathy for me."

She reached out her hand with some melancholy and touched a drooping red plum blossom. The red plum blossom bloomed at her fingertips, looking even more beautiful and charming.

Thinking of how Princess Jianing died for Duanmu Ling in her previous life, she felt that Princess Jianing was also a heroic woman, and such a woman was worthy of admiration.

"I heard that the princess and Master Duanmu were childhood sweethearts?"

Speaking of this, Princess Jianing perked up a bit and nodded, "Yes, my mother and the Prime Minister's wife were close friends. They often met after they got married, and they didn't lose their friendship even after they had children."

A good relationship between the elders will naturally affect the children. In addition, Duanmu Ling is a few years older than Princess Jianing. When his grandmother brought the tender little Princess Jianing to visit the Prime Minister's Mansion, he consciously assumed the responsibility of an older brother.

Princess Jianing was very cute when she was a child, so Duanmu Ling took good care of her, so much so that he took root in Princess Jianing's heart since childhood and thought that Duanmu Ling was the best person in the world.

When she was older, Princess Jianing realized her feelings and started chasing after Duanmu Ling.