Hope You Don't Regret It

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. But Aunt Wan is the most generous person; I'm sure she wouldn't harbor any unnecessary thoughts just because we've mentioned elevating her status." Grace said. "Besides, my father is here too! He'll protect my mother."

Colin Gu smiled, "Is that so?"

Grace nodded.

"Alright. I understand your intentions." Colin Gu stood up. "I hope you won't regret this."

Won't regret it?

A threat?

This girl isn't buying it!

Grace smiled but said nothing.

Colin Gu looked at her for a moment, brushed past her, and strode out.

Grace turned to look at the open door, her heart slightly unsettled.

In her previous life, she spent all her days racking her brain, trying to win Colin Gu’s affection. If he looked at her even once, she’d be happy for days.

But even until her death, he never said anything like 'I like you.'

This time around, she tries every way to escape, yet he keeps chasing after her.

And now he even says he likes her.

Sometimes, life is just ridiculous like that...

...

Meanwhile, in Wendy Zhu’s room, Grace Wan and her two daughters sat together.

Grace Wan and Wendy Zhu wore identical expressions—complex, but both remained composed.

Cindy Zhu was pacing back and forth in the room, restless and uneasy.

After circling the room a dozen times, she worriedly asked, "Mother, Sister, do you think it will work?"

Wendy Zhu’s face was blank, lost in thought, saying nothing.

Grace Wan comforted Cindy Zhu, "She’s always admired His Majesty. As long as he takes the initiative, she’ll definitely agree."

"But I feel like the emperor really cares about her now. Do you think we’re inviting trouble into our home?" Cindy Zhu still sounded worried.

"Trouble? You still don’t know what she is?" Grace Wan sneered. "She just takes after her sickly mother, born with a fox-like face! The emperor is just infatuated with her beauty for now. Once she’s in the palace and the novelty wears off, he’ll toss her aside."

Cindy Zhu bit her lip, "But how is that useless girl fit to be Imperial Noble Consort? And they want to make her son the Crown Prince? Just thinking about it makes me uncomfortable!"

"You need to look at the bigger picture," Grace Wan said. "The position of Crown Prince can’t go to an outsider. If it does, their family will grow powerful, maybe even surpass ours. The Crown Prince’s mother—Grace—is the best candidate."

Cindy Zhu: "But—"

"Why don’t you go, then?" Wendy Zhu suddenly cut her off, clearly impatient.

"I... I can’t..." Cindy Zhu shivered. "Didn’t you say all the hostages sent to the Upper Kingdom live worse than animals, eat pig slop, and sleep in pig pens...?"

"Then shut up." Wendy Zhu shot her a glare.

So Cindy Zhu fell silent.

Just then, Wendy Zhu’s trusted maid entered and whispered a few words to her.

Wendy Zhu frowned slightly, looked at Grace Wan, and shook her head.

Grace Wan’s expression changed. "What’s going on?"

"She must have refused. The emperor left looking very displeased," Wendy Zhu said.

"She actually refused..." Grace Wan frowned deeply, thoughtful. "I thought she was just throwing a tantrum, but she really went through with it?"

"Could it be she caught wind of something?" Cindy Zhu asked.

"Impossible," Wendy Zhu said firmly. "Besides me and the emperor, only you two know. Even the Empress Dowager doesn't know."