The seductive princess is no longer being pursued; the aloof prime minister is facing a crematorium.

Chapter 43 You're disgusting!
"Don't move around."

Jiang Jinshuang, with impure thoughts, recalled what had just happened.

Pei Du was like a Buddha statue, devoid of joy or sorrow, and even his voice came down from above her head.

"Don't move around, you'll get hurt."

Jiang Jinshuang closed her eyes slightly, her ear tips feeling a little hot.

It wasn't because she was shy, but Jiang Jinshuang felt awkward showing such an unpleasant side of herself to the man she once admired.

It was as if all my previous rejections had become a feigned reluctance, a way of playing hard to get.

Pei Du wondered what he thought of her.

Oh well, she wasn't expecting to leave a good impression on Pei Du anyway.

Just like what Pei Du said back then—

She only treated him as an inanimate object.

His thoughts drifted away until Si Ning's voice came again from above: "It's getting a bit too tight, Your Highness, please wait a moment."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jinshuang burst out laughing.

Although Si Ning was gentle and kind, even a young master from a wealthy family rarely did such things.

As he awkwardly pulled out strands of hair from Jiang Jinshuang's head, he shook his head helplessly: "What are you laughing at, Your Highness?"

"Mr. Si Ning, if someone who didn't know the situation heard what you said, they would probably say you were despicable."

What does "wrapped up a bit too tightly" mean?
Si Ning paused slightly as he was fixing her hair, then smiled indulgently: "Your Highness, I still think it's you who's more despicable."

Jiang Jinshuang admitted it readily, without any shame: "My filth is notorious throughout the entire capital!"

Si Ning's smile grew even more helpless. He glanced up casually, his gaze sweeping over the hair ornament on the girl's head, and he immediately spotted someone not far away.

With just one glance, Si Ning lowered her eyes and continued what she was doing: "Your Highness's hair ornament is a bit too heavy."

"Really?" Jiang Jinshuang asked without suspicion. "It's fine after wearing it for a long time."

Si Ning then smiled and said, "I'll have someone make a jade hat for me another day; it's lighter than gold jewelry."

"Since it's Mr. Si Ning who's paying, I naturally have no objection."

Don't take advantage of the bastard.

"hiss--"

Si Ning pulled her hair painfully, and Jiang Jinshuang gasped, laughing in exasperation: "Si Ning, are you even capable of this?!"

Upon hearing this, Si Ning smiled helplessly: "Your Highness..."

What kind of talk is this...?

Finally separating the hair from the hair ornament, Si Ning took a few steps back and glanced at the distance behind her: "That's enough."

Jiang Jinshuang rubbed her head in pain, and was about to say something when she heard a voice behind her.

"Greetings, Mr. Si Ning; greetings, Your Highness."

It's Jingmo.

Jiang Jinshuang frowned and turned to look at him.

"Is there anything I can help you with, Lord Jingmo?"

Jiang Jinshuang felt a little upset when she thought about what happened in the palace.

Jingmo lowered his head and cautiously spoke, "Your Highness, my master... has something to give you."

"what?"

Jiang Jinshuang glanced into the distance. Pei Du had already left the palace gates at some point and was now on a carriage, having climbed onto a bench. He hadn't looked in their direction once.

Jingmo swallowed hard, looking troubled. "My lord instructed me to... hand this over to you privately."

Jiang Jinshuang glanced at Si Ning beside her and said indifferently, "No need, Mr. Si Ning is not an outsider."

Jingmo glanced at Si Ning, then at Jiang Jinshuang.

He took a deep breath and slowly handed over what he was holding.

The object was neatly wrapped in a rather inconspicuous bluish-gray cloth, so Jiang Jinshuang couldn't see what was inside.

She reached out and opened it, but after opening only a corner, she quickly closed it as if she had been burned by fire!
Jiang Jinshuang snatched the carriage from Jingmo's hand, glanced resentfully at the carriage in the distance, glared at Jingmo again, and then turned and got into the carriage!

Jingmo looked helpless and embarrassed, and kept his head down, not daring to say a word.

Si Ning probably guessed something, glanced at the carriage of Wenshan Pavilion, and then smiled at Jingmo: "Thank you for your trouble, Lord Jingmo."

Jingmo lowered his head and said, "Then I'll take my leave."

"it is good."

When Si Ning entered, Jiang Jinshuang was resting with her eyes closed.

"The clothes that the Grand Secretary sent were the ones His Highness wore when he came?"

Jiang Jinshuang slowly opened her eyes and nodded.

If it were just an outer garment, that would be fine, but that bastard Pei Du actually sent over her undergarments as well!

The moment she opened it, even though she only caught a glimpse of the white lining hidden inside her outer skirt, she instantly realized what was happening!
Si Ning was always clever, and seeing her attitude, he wisely refrained from asking any further questions.

He discovered that this Grand Secretary was very self-serving.

……

On the carriage back to the manor, Si Ning sat opposite Jiang Jinshuang, smiling as she asked, "What are Your Highness's plans next?"

The atmosphere finally calmed down a bit.

Jiang Jinshuang took a deep breath and smiled, "The Empress Dowager told me to behave myself."

"Then how does Your Highness intend to behave?" Si Ning asked with a smile.

"I intend to... turn the entire capital upside down."

Jiang Jinshuang's original plan was to use Jiang Biechen to obtain the qualification to investigate the case.

The case of Prince Ruiyang was originally handled by the Dali Temple, and all the files related to Prince Ruiyang at that time are now in the Dali Temple's file archives.

Two years ago, His Majesty handed over the management of the Dali Temple to Crown Prince Jiang Biechen.

In front of everyone, Jiang Jinshuang, in order to prove the Crown Prince's "innocence" and safeguard his position, righteously proposed to investigate the matter. Jiang Biechen was caught in a dilemma and would definitely grant her this right.

However, the Empress Dowager appeared later and thwarted her plans.

Since that's the case, Jiang Jinshuang has no choice but to resort to more violent and direct methods.
-
That night.

Jiang Jinshuang was dreaming.

She dreamed of Pei Du.

In the dream, Pei Du was younger than he is now, a promising young man, the center of attention.

I first met him a few days after the results were announced in Chang'an.

At the capital city fair, talented young people from all over Shanxi gathered together to discuss their ideas.

The young man sat alone before countless talented young men, his features clear and bright, his demeanor serene and radiant.

From the crowd, someone shouted: "You arrogant scholar! Seeking advantage and avoiding harm, seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune, is human nature, and it is also the way of nature. What kind of logic are you talking about?"

The young man's voice was calm and unambitious: "If everyone only wants to seek profit and avoid harm, to seek good fortune and avoid misfortune, then should those who hold official positions in the court also follow the trend and disappear into the ranks of the ministers?"

Another person stood up: "Nature cannot be defied. Even if someone wants to act on impulse and go against the current, they will eventually be crushed into pieces by the torrent!"

Someone continued, "Just like General Wenzheng in ancient times, who tried to defend the border alone, wasn't he ultimately trampled to pieces by enemy horses and his body was never found?"

The boy stood there, slightly bowing, and spoke in a measured tone.

Jiang Jinshuang still remembers what he said.

"Those who hold salaries for everyone must not freeze to death in the wind and snow."

That year, even the top scholar on the imperial examination paled in comparison to him, becoming merely a foil.

That was the first time she had ever seen such a handsome young man.

However, not everyone will look up to and respect the chosen ones.

Wearing simple clothes but possessing great wealth will only make others wary of you.

This is a principle that Jiang Jinshuang understood when she was a child.

Among the crowd, there were naturally many wealthy young men who exchanged glances and understood the meaning in each other's eyes.

"He cannot stay."

"Yes, if he participates in the scientific expedition three years later, won't we have no chance at all?"

"Find an opportunity to take care of him..."

The second time she saw him, Jiang Jinshuang was sitting high in a sedan chair.

She tilted her chin up and asked him with a smile, "What's your name?"

"This humble citizen is Pei Du."

Jiang Jinshuang smiled at him, her eyebrows and eyes arrogant and unrestrained: "Pei Du, come with me."

She also dreamed about that night.

The man's eyes were filled with humiliation and disappointment.

He stared intently at her, like a raging beast, his gaze alone capable of engulfing her.

"Isn't this exactly what Your Highness wants?"

"Isn't this what Your Highness has always wanted from me?"

He seemed to have gone all out.

They wouldn't let her go.

At that time, Jiang Jinshuang thought to herself, "So Pei Du has hated me for three whole years."

……

When Jiang Jinshuang woke up again, it was already daytime.

Chun Tao's voice came from outside the door.

"Your Highness, are you awake? Young Master Su Xiu has been waiting for you in the main hall for a long time."

Jiang Jinshuang's eyes darted around.

It took her a while to realize: Why is Lu Xiao here?

"I understand. Come in and help me change."

(End of this chapter)