Falling into the water (repair)

This was the first time Jing Yao had taken the initiative to ask Si Pei to go with her, and it wasn't even to a tourist destination. Si Pei had mentioned wanting her to accompany him to Zhaoxin Palace before, but she had always refused.

Jing Yao thought the place was too boring because it was full of memorials and documents and white-bearded, old-fashioned ministers.

Today she suddenly said that she wanted to go together. In the past, Si Pei would naturally agree.

only……

"Si Jue is returning to Beijing today, and he is here too." Si Pei knew that Jing Yao had a bad relationship with Si Jue since childhood, and she had also hinted before that it might be Si Jue who could poison Xing Feng in the dagger.

"Shouldn't he stay in his fiefdom?" Jing Yao asked the question in his mind. As a prince who had already gone to his fiefdom, how could Si Jue leave his fiefdom and return to Beijing without the emperor's summons?

When mentioning this, Si Pei's expression turned a little cold: "The Queen Mother said that she was bored living in the Western Suburbs Palace and insisted on asking Si Jue to accompany her."

"So that's how it is." Jing Yao almost forgot that there was a Queen Dowager Xuan in the palace. He must have been extremely depressed after being taken to the western suburbs by Si Pei, so he could only set his sights on his beloved grandson Si Jue.

Si Pei had not yet ascended the throne and was still the crown prince. Although the kings all knew that the princes had to come to the capital without being summoned, the Queen Dowager Xuan still had the right to issue an imperial decree.

Previously, the Grand Secretary was controlled by Si Pei and could not be summoned, but Si Jue had no control over it.

"Why don't you just not let the Queen Mother spread the imperial decree?"

Jing Yao poked Si Pei: "You are so stupid, Xiaoli!"

"Who said I didn't care?" Si Pei shrugged, "I just couldn't control it."

Even if the Queen Dowager Xuan could be stopped for a while, Si Jue would definitely have the means to obtain the imperial edict. It was more likely that it had been prepared long ago, and there was no need for the Queen Dowager to issue another imperial edict at the last minute.

"The Queen Mother misses him, and he wants to come and fulfill his filial duty to her. As a grandson and a brother, I have no reason to stop him from doing these two things."

Yes, if Si Jue was stopped, he could make use of this to make a fuss.

By then, Si Pei would have to bear two more charges: being unkind to his brother and being unfilial to his grandmother.

Jing Yao snorted sullenly and unhappily. Si Pei rubbed her cheek and said, "Well, it's been so long. It's okay to go meet him."

It’s not that simple…

Jing Yao shook his head in his heart, wondering if Si Jue was hiding something evil.

There was no point in saying more since the matter was done. Si Jue was already waiting in Zhaoxin Palace, so the two of them had no choice but to ride together in the palace's sheep cart.

"Yaoyao, don't worry, I know everything you're worried about."

The man's palm was warm, and he held her hand gently but firmly, whispering a promise to her.

Jing Yao, who was originally nervous and had all sorts of thoughts, suddenly felt relieved. Somehow, she just believed that Si Pei could handle everything.

The two held hands tightly and did not separate until they stepped into Zhaoxin Hall.

Si Pei took her all the way to the seat in the middle of the hall. He used to sit there to handle government affairs. Ministers who needed to make reports sat on the seats on both sides of the hall.

Today, the hall was completely empty. Apart from Si Pei and Jing Yao who had arrived late, there was only a tall figure sitting at the seat closest to the upper seat on the right.

Seeing someone coming, the young man immediately stood up and kowtowed: "Your Highness, I pay my respects to the Crown Prince."

"Get up."

Si Pei's tone was flat, even more indifferent, as if the person kneeling in front of him was a complete stranger to him, like a stranger.

Si Jue thanked him respectfully and stood up, his eyes unconsciously cast on Jing Yao, who was wearing a pink dress and had a charming face.

The girl had a graceful figure and was supported by Si Pei to sit on the right side of the main seat. When she raised her eyes, she was caught off guard and met Si Jue.

In this life, she probably hasn't seen Si Jue for more than a year.

Unlike the skinny boy in the past, the eighteen-year-old Si Jue grew rapidly like a willow branch. He was tall and broad-shouldered, and his body was only slightly smaller than his brother Si Pei.

In his memory, when he broke into the Eastern Palace in his previous life, Si Jue had strong and muscular body, and his tall stature completely surpassed Si Pei. When he stabbed down with the long sword in his hand, it was particularly powerful.

Thinking of that scene still makes Jing Yao feel fear and despair, and even looking at Si Jue now makes him feel a little nauseous.

And she didn't know if she had any illusion, but she felt that the Si Jue in front of her was a little different from the young Si Jue in her memory.

"It's been a while since we last met. Is everything going well, Prince Lin?"

Si Pei asked a question perfunctorily, and Si Jue lowered his head: "My Royal Highness, everything is fine with me, but I miss the Royal Grandmother terribly."

"Well, you've been away from your grandmother for a long time, it's time to go see her." Si Pei nodded, "Now that you're back in Beijing, spend more time with her."

"I understand."

"I have heard that Prince Lin has implemented good governance in Jiangzhou and Ruzhou, and the people of Jiangzhou and Ruzhou are praising you for your achievements."

"The Jiang-Ru area is close to the river and the sea, and is rich and prosperous. Your humble servant has not done much, but has merely added icing on the cake."

The two brothers' faces were as calm as water, and there was even a hint of gentleness in their words to each other.

Jing Yao sat aside and listened, feeling like a thorn in his back and a fishbone stuck in his throat.

She glanced sideways at Si Jue, only to find that Si Jue had been staring at her again without her noticing.

Si Jue also had almond-shaped eyes, but they were larger and rounder than Si Pei's. This was also the reason why he looked much more obedient when he was younger than Si Pei, whose eyes were narrower.

Jing Yao turned her gaze away from him, but she could still feel the gaze of those dark eyes licking her flesh inch by inch like a venomous snake's tongue. Jing Yao felt a chill all over her body, and even subconsciously felt nauseous.

This wet and sticky feeling is just like Si Jue who hid his malice under a gentle appearance when he was young.

Jing Yao knew from then on that Si Jue was not as innocent as he appeared.

At the age of nine, her aunt suggested finding a companion for Si Cheng, and she was brought into the palace to study at the Huixin Academy alongside the other princes and princesses. The eldest daughter of the Duke of Jing's mansion, born with the nobility to be considered a half-princess, Jing Yao was spoiled and willful at a young age, a master who had her way. Few in the academy dared to cross her.

Baili Wenfu, Su Taifu's favorite student, also helped teach several younger students at Huixin Academy. Although he didn't say it, he was actually partial to Jing Yao, the girl next door.

Jing Yao doesn't like studying. It's normal for her to not listen in class and not complete her homework properly. Her tutor Baili Wenfu doesn't say anything and often helps her finish her homework.

Si Jue was the same age as her, but was born in May, making her over a month younger. Even though they were distant relatives, she still had to call her cousin. They both studied under Baili Wenfu, but Si Jue was much more serious than she was.

Jing Yao's first impression of him was not bad. Si Jue was one of the few people of her age at that time. He was also very handsome, with a delicate face that was naturally noble and elegant. One could tell at a glance that he was raised in the palm of someone's hand.

Si Jue loves to laugh, and when he smiles, his teeth are exposed, revealing his small canine on the right side. Add to that his round eyes, pink lips, and white teeth, and it's hard not to like him.

Jing Yao has a carefree personality, and he quickly became friends with Si Jue, who is also lively and outgoing.

Si Cheng, whom she was supposed to accompany, was secretly competing with Crown Prince Si Pei at the moment and paid no attention to her cousin at all.

If everything goes normally and there are no unnecessary complications, the days should pass by without any trouble.

The change happened in the year Jing Yao's mother died, and she was fostered in the Queen's Palace according to her mother's last wish.

It would have been a good thing to be able to stay with playmates, but Jing Yao was not happy in Yichen Palace.

Queen Yue disliked Jing Yao and was unwilling to let Si Jue have too much contact with her.

Jing Yao was assigned to live in Yuanxinyuan, a courtyard in the west, the farthest place from Si Jue. Adults often say that children don't understand the ways of the world, but children raised in aristocratic families are influenced by their surroundings and are therefore unlikely to fail to discern the emotions of adults.

After all, he was living under someone else's roof, so Jing Yao didn't dare to disobey Queen Yue and was even more afraid of making her unhappy. He could only follow her wishes and distance himself from Si Jue.

Jing Yao continued to act, and even ignored Si Jue in Huixin Academy, and was devoted to sticking to Baili Wenfu.

She didn't know whether Si Jue could see Queen Yue's disgust and her own painstaking efforts. Judging from his subsequent behavior, he probably didn't understand.

Forced to be without Si Jue, her only playmate, and Baili Wenfu was often not in the palace, Jing Yao suddenly became lonely. Fortunately, Si Pei appeared by her side at this time.

The first time she met him was when she accidentally tripped under a pear tree. At that time, Jing Yao only thought that the Crown Prince was a weird man with an unpredictable temper. He would target her brother Wenfu from time to time. He was simply bad.

So at the beginning, she was unwilling to pay attention to Si Pei.

Prince Si Pei held a colorful kite in his hand and squatted in front of the little girl who looked disdainful. "Yaoyao, do you want to fly a kite?"

"snort."

Little Jingyao turned his face away angrily, looking reluctant.

Si Pei didn't get angry at her temper, he just stayed by her side to coax her: "Look how beautiful this kite is, it must look amazing when it flies into the sky..."

Jing Yao turned her head and opened her eyes just in time to see a familiar figure looking at them from a distance. She suddenly agreed, "Okay, let's go."

Si Pei, who had not yet finished persuading her, was stunned for a moment. After he came to his senses, he immediately took the little girl to the lawn of the imperial garden with joy.

The young man, whose figure was hidden behind the rockery, silently clung to the stone, his eyes coldly scanning the backs of the two people who were jogging and playing.

Jing Yao's increasingly good relationship with Si Pei was something she had not expected. Her aunt often mentioned her dissatisfaction with the prince to her, and there was obvious jealousy in her eyes because she wanted her good son Si Cheng to become the prince.

Queen Yue was obviously Si Pei's biological mother, but she repeatedly criticized and punished him. All Jing Yao could see in her eyes was her disgust for her eldest son.

Jing Yao thought that maybe he was willing to stay with Si Pei because he felt sorry for him.

It’s not because she is also lonely in the palace.

Jing Yao thought that his estrangement from Si Jue was just a delaying tactic, but he didn't expect to accidentally glimpse the truth about Yichen Palace.

She could no longer face Si Jue.

What kind of person is it that can watch his brother suffer because of him without any ripple in his heart, and even think it is justified.

Si Jue was obviously so smart, she didn't believe that he didn't understand Queen Yue's intention.

But the reason why Jing Yao became completely disappointed with Si Jue was just because of a frog.

Her good cousin, Si Cheng, showed more and more of his reckless and overbearing temperament after he turned fourteen. Spoiled by Concubine Jing, he relied on his mother's favor and the emperor's preference to act tyrannically in the palace.

Jing Yao is so close to the thorn in his side - Prince Si Pei, so naturally he is also the target of his teasing.

But most of the time, their confrontations were tit-for-tat, neither of them losing. Si Cheng had a savage personality, and Jing Yao was not one to be trifled with. Miss Jing could scratch anyone who dared to mess with her until his face was disfigured.

Concubine Jing knew she was in the wrong. Although she felt sorry for her son, she didn't want to create any rift with her brother, so she could only endure it and try to smooth things over for the two children.

Si Cheng had never suffered such injustice before, and he vowed to make this ignorant cousin suffer.

Jing Yao will never forget the scene of Si Cheng throwing frogs at him.

Si Cheng and a group of eunuchs who followed him led her to the rockery by the pond. Jing Yao put her hands on her hips and called out, "Cousin, what are you planning to do today?"

Si Cheng's annoying face showed a nasty smile: "Cousin, I have a surprise for you."

The girl was about to push through the crowd with an impatient look on her face: "I don't have time to play these boring tricks with you."

Si Cheng frowned upon hearing this and signaled the people around him to take action.

"ah!"

Jing Yao suddenly felt something wet and sticky on his hand. When he looked closely, he found that it was a warm, live frog.

"What the hell!"

She hated this horrible, sticky thing the most and threw her hand away in disgust: "Si Cheng, are you disgusting!?"

"Why, isn't this what you're most afraid of?"

"How did you..."

Si Cheng laughed wildly. How could Jing Yao show weakness in front of him? He pushed them away angrily and continued to move forward.

She was caught off guard and was pushed into the pool by a hand that came out from nowhere.

There was a rockery in the pool and the water was not deep, only reaching her knees when she stood up straight, but she was still frightened when she fell in suddenly.

The most terrifying thing was that she heard a "quack" sound in her ear.

At some point, several frogs had been released into the pond, and now they were scurrying around Jing Yao. These creatures were easily frightened, and Jing Yao's panicked shouting and screaming only made them jump around.

Jing Yao felt so nauseous that he felt dizzy and almost struggled to get out of the pool.

She was soaking wet and in a daze. She missed several steps and was about to fall to the ground when she fell into a familiar embrace.

Si Pei gently embraced the soaked girl and repeatedly whispered in her ear, "It's okay, don't be afraid. Yaoyao, don't be afraid."

Jing Yao was speechless and trembling all over. Si Pei immediately signaled Eunuch Ming to take his cloak and wrap it around Jing Yao.

The tense nerves in Jing Yao's mind finally relaxed. She buried her head in the boy's chest, tears streaming down her face. "So disgusting..."

Si Pei frowned in pain, hugged her and whispered softly: "Don't be afraid, let's go back to the East Palace."

It was chilly in spring, and catching a cold was no small matter. Si Cheng had already been brought before the Emperor by Si Pei's men. Upon hearing the news, Imperial Concubine Jing immediately rushed to plead for mercy, completely forgetting to care for her niece who had been pushed into the water.

Little Jingyao, nursed by the head palace maid, took a warm ginger bath to ward off the cold. She sat wrapped in a blanket, still terrified, on the couch in Yilan Palace. Si Pei, upon entering and seeing her like this, knew the little girl must be terribly frightened. He suddenly felt that simply taking Si Cheng away would be too easy for him.

He should be beaten up first before anything else.

Jing Yao stared ahead with empty eyes. She knew that Si Cheng had gone to such great lengths to find a frog to torment her, and she knew that there was only one person who was most afraid of this thing.

Because she only told him.

Before being pushed into the pool, she caught a glimpse of the familiar figure hiding behind the crowd out of her panicked eyes.

Si Jue was standing not far away, watching coldly as she was surrounded by the things she feared the most, and observing her pitiful appearance as she was frightened to the extreme.

She didn't understand why Si Jue treated her like this.

How did he become like this?

Jing Yao only knew that from this moment on, she hated Si Jue, the guy who assisted the evildoer.

Si Jue's betrayal and Queen Yue's partiality gradually overlapped, and Jing Yao felt more and more that Si Jue was simply a wolf in sheep's clothing pretending to be innocent.

In time he will surely become a horrible monster.

After that, Jing Yao rarely lived in Yichen Palace, and the Prince's Eastern Palace became her most frequent residence. The closer her relationship with Si Pei became, the colder her relationship with Si Jue became.

In her previous life, Si Jue even cursed him at the end, saying that he hated her the most and was a fool, and he wanted to kill her as soon as possible.

Whenever Jing Yao thought of that bloody memory, he felt an unbearable pain in his heart.

She was completely baffled by Si Jue's immense hatred for her. How could they have come to this point?

The young man sat in the hall, looking at Jing Yao with an inexplicable melancholy look in his eyes.

Jing Yao didn't realize there was any deeper meaning behind this, only a chill running down his back. Si Pei was keenly aware of Si Jue's expression and naturally stretched out his arms to embrace the girl.

Si Jue retracted his inappropriate gaze, clenched his clothes tightly with his fingers, and forced a smile through gritted teeth.

He forced himself not to look at the two people cuddling tenderly, but he was still irritated by Si Pei's smug and disdainful look. He smiled and asked, "It's been a long time since I last saw my sister. I'm not sure if I should call her cousin... or sister-in-law?"

He narrowed his eyes, looking like he was enjoying a good show.