After leaving the Zhu residence, Jiang Si was lost in thought.
In her previous life, when her elder sister mentioned that they shouldn’t have saved Qing’er, it implied that her sister’s dire situation of being accused of adultery and divorced was inextricably linked to Qing’er.
Qing’er was a maid in her elder sister’s courtyard…
Qing’er and Yu’er – the crux of that scheme must have hinged on their identical appearances.
What kind of scheme could it have been?
Jiang Si pondered until her head began to ache. Distracted, she boarded the carriage and sat beside Yu Jin.
Seeing her distant expression, Yu Jin thought for a moment and decided to leave her be.
After all, the carriage was heading to Prince Yan’s mansion. Si’er had chosen to follow him back there. Ah, he was quite troubled by this as well.
Jiang Si absent-mindedly grabbed Yu Jin’s sleeve, using it like a handkerchief as she muttered, “What malicious deed would be best suited for two identical people?”
Yu Jin replied offhandedly, “Of course, they could act as each other’s body double.”
Perhaps because Jiang Si was particularly sensitive to the term “body double,” she snapped back to reality upon hearing this, clutching his sleeve tightly as she asked, “What did you say?”
Yu Jin was taken aback. His bright black eyes gazed at her, both innocent and bewildered.
He hadn’t said anything, so why did Si’er look like she was about to throw him off the carriage?
Jiang Si collected herself, calming down before hesitantly saying, “You just mentioned acting as each other’s body double…”
Yu Jin breathed a sigh of relief.
So that’s what she was asking about.
Without giving it much thought, he smiled and said, “Well, with twins, if one person commits a misdeed, they could pin it on the other.”
Jiang Si seemed to grasp something, instinctively asking, “What if outsiders didn’t know about the existence of twins?”
The fog of confusion seemed to part as if sunlight was breaking through. Just a bit more illumination and it might dissipate entirely.
“That would be even better. If one person commits a crime, while the other is with someone else during that time, since outsiders only know of one person’s existence, the other could provide the perfect alibi for the wrongdoer…”
A bolt of lightning struck Jiang Si’s mind, instantly scattering the fog.
A pair of twins, where one person could provide the perfect alibi for the other. But what about the reverse?
If either Qing’er or Yu’er had lured her elder sister into the “adultery” trap, while the other appeared before everyone’s eyes at that time, then when her sister was caught in the act of “adultery,” any attempt to point out Qing’er’s involvement would be utterly futile.
This way, her elder sister would be irrefutably guilty of adultery, resulting in her divorce and return to her maiden home.
Jiang Si felt as if she’d been struck by a sudden revelation, finally understanding what kind of trap her elder sister had fallen into in her previous life. Although she couldn’t verify the events of that life, she believed this conjecture was very close to the truth.
And Zhu Ziyu…
Jiang Si felt her heart plunge into the icy water.
For a man to be so cruel to his lawfully wedded wife, his heart must truly be more venomous than a viper.
The young woman’s fingers tightened, gripping Yu Jin’s sleeve.
She vowed that she would never let Zhu Ziyu off the hook, determined to make him taste the bitterness of disgrace and ruin.
Disgrace and ruin?
Jiang Si suddenly thought of Cao Xingyu, the heir of Marquis Changxing.
Cao Xingyu had been sentenced to immediate execution, to be carried out in autumn. Come to think of it, the day of his execution was drawing near.
Jiang Si had no interest in watching Cao Xingyu’s beheading.
She was only responsible for bringing scoundrels down from their lofty perches; there was no need to further sicken herself with the rest.
However, this gave Jiang Si confidence.
If she could bring a demon like Cao Xingyu, the heir of Marquis Changxing, to justice, she could certainly unveil the true face of a hypocrite like Zhu Ziyu.
Having understood the trap that Jiang Yi had fallen into in her previous life, Jiang Si felt much calmer.
Since Zhu Ziyu’s scheme relied on the twin pair of Qing’er and Yu’er, breaking that scheme would be simple – they just needed one of them to disappear.
At present, dealing with Yu’er in the civilian residence seemed the most convenient option.
But Jiang Si didn’t want to resort to that unless necessary.
Whether it was Yu’er or Qing’er, they were merely pawns. The real key was Zhu Ziyu.
Even if she thwarted the scheme from her previous life, what of it? With a wolf lying beside her elder sister, there were countless ways to bring about her demise. Dealing with Zhu Ziyu was the only permanent solution.
“Si’er…” Yu Jin finally couldn’t help but speak up, “If you keep rubbing, my sleeve is going to tear…”
Jiang Si snapped back to reality and sheepishly withdrew her hand.
Yu Jin leaned in close. “Did you figure something out?”
“Mm.” Jiang Si nodded.
The young man’s long, narrow eyes lifted slightly, revealing a hint of a smile. “That’s thanks to me, right? Don’t I deserve some kind of reward?”
Jiang Si was indeed in a good mood. Seeing his shameless expression, she smiled and said, “You do.”
“What is it?”
The young woman’s soft lips pressed against his.
Yu Jin was momentarily stunned, but soon an overwhelming joy swept over him like a tidal wave, and he willingly let himself be submerged.
He pulled the young woman closer forcefully, their lips and teeth intertwining in a passionate embrace.
After a while, they separated. Accompanying the creaking sounds of the carriage wheels was their rapid breathing.
Yu Jin suddenly lifted the carriage curtain, taking in several deep breaths of the crisp air.
Stay calm, he told himself. The closer victory seemed, the more crucial it was to remain level-headed. Haste was a grave mistake in warfare…
Jiang Si straightened her slightly disheveled clothes, regaining her composure as if nothing had happened.
Yu Jin was displeased when he saw this.
Here he was, still burning with desire and caught in limbo, while she acted as if nothing had occurred.
This was no way to treat someone!
“Si’er,” he called out.
Jiang Si looked over.
“You just kissed me,” he said.
Jiang Si raised an eyebrow, not denying it.
“On your initiative,” Yu Jin emphasized.
Jiang Si remained unmoved, and Yu Jin grew somewhat anxious. “Si’er, shouldn’t you take responsibility?”
Leaning against the carriage wall, Jiang Si smiled and said, “No.”
Yu Jin was at a loss for words.
To be able to shirk responsibility so confidently – this girl’s face was getting thicker by the day.
Unable to argue and unwilling to use force, he closed his eyes and sulked.
Jiang Si secretly observed him.
The young man’s features were becoming increasingly sharp, with a faint stubble growing beneath his lips. Yet when he closed his eyes, there was a childlike softness and silliness to him.
The person before her was increasingly resembling the one in her memories.
In this life, they had known each other for over a year, and their circumstances were vastly different from her previous life.
Perhaps… they could start anew?
This thought suddenly emerged, like a fragile yet precious flame in the cold wind.
Jiang Si’s eyes inexplicably stung, her heart swelling with emotion.
Could she start over with him? To once again enter the vortex of the imperial family, even if it meant meeting the same fate as in her previous life – death without a proper burial – would she still have no regrets?
A tear silently disappeared into the corner of her eye.
Undeniably, as a mere mortal, she was still somewhat afraid.
The young man suddenly opened his eyes and pulled the slightly teary-eyed young woman into his embrace.
In their ears was the rhythmic sound of the carriage wheels, accompanied by their irregular heartbeats.
Yu Jin rested his chin on Jiang Si’s thick, raven-black hair and sighed, “Alright, I won’t ask you to take responsibility if you don’t want to. Don’t cry.”
This silly girl, she thought he was asleep? She dared to steal glances at him.
Hehe, stealing glances at him.