Yuan Siyin had always possessed exceptional beauty, yet whenever people mentioned her, the first thing that came to mind was her willful and malicious nature.
Yu Shiyan stared at her, momentarily unsure how to position himself.
He did want to enter the water, but he couldn’t comprehend why this woman was acting so erratically, insisting he remain standing there.
“Just avoid contact with water these days.”
Suddenly recalling Liu Huai’s words, his expression faltered slightly.
Could it be… she had remembered all along?
Unpleasant memories from the past surged relentlessly through his mind. Yu Shiyan closed his eyes, gradually calming his turbulent emotions.
This was all part of her scheme.
She must have devised some new method to torment him.
Hadn’t she always relished the thrill of manipulating him like a puppet?
“Step aside.”
Yuan Siyin lifted her head to gaze at him.
Squinting slightly against the direct sunlight, her appearance resembled poppies swaying in the wind—stunningly beautiful yet dangerous: “What is it?”
“I need to go down.”
Seeing his stubborn determination, Yuan Siyin let out a soft sigh.
“Fine.”
She rose and without another word, used her whip to bind him securely.
Did he really think Yuan Siyin would let him have his way?
That would tarnish her reputation as the quintessential villainess.
Yu Shiyan looked down at the perfectly tied bow knot restraining him, his face flushing crimson with anger.
“Yuan Siyin! Release me!”
He’s getting agitated, he’s really agitated.
Tsk-tsking twice, Yuan Siyin ignored him and turned away. She rolled up her sleeves and, under the watchful eyes of everyone, lifted her skirt and stepped into the lotus pond.
Not only were the young eunuchs astonished, but even Yu Shiyan was visibly shocked.
The bottom of the lotus pond was filled with mud. Most women wouldn’t venture in, and even the palace servants were reluctant.
Yuan Siyin didn’t overthink it; she simply believed these people were incompetent and that she had to take matters into her own hands.
“Miss Yuan, please come up quickly! If the Empress Dowager finds out, we… we would be guilty beyond redemption!”
“Am I missing any limbs? Why would you be guilty beyond redemption?”
She rolled her eyes.
The jewelry of ancient consorts was exquisitely crafted and certainly not fake.
She had seen the red bean hairpin clearly—it was gold. Gold, being denser than water, would sink.
Bending over, Yuan Siyin plunged her hands deep into the muddy bottom of the pond, searching intently.
Staying bent for too long made her dizzy, especially under the scorching sun.
Feeling sweat beading on her forehead, she withdrew one arm and wiped it with her sleeve.
I wonder if there’s mud under my fingernails.
The thought alone was unbearable.
Hesitating for a moment, she reluctantly turned her palm over.
Good heavens, the gaps between her fingers and under her nails were caked with mud, and when she brought it closer, it smelled distinctly fishy.
Suppressing the urge to vomit, she carefully parted the lotus leaves and continued reaching into the water.
The air seemed stagnant, without a hint of breeze. Fortunately, the lotus pond provided some coolness, alleviating the burning heat on her back.
After roughly the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, everyone’s hands had softened from soaking, yet there was no sign of the red bean hairpin.
“Seventh Prince, perhaps we should give up. It’s our fault—we deserve to die. If you truly feel guilty, you could ask the Empress Dowager for a favor and request another hairpin…”
Knowing it was futile to plead with Yuan Siyin, the lead eunuch turned his attention to Yu Shiyan.
This might also give the proud Yuan Siyin a way to save face.
Before Yu Shiyan could respond, Yuan Siyin turned and slapped the eunuch.
“Shut up!”
“If I ever hear such words again, I’ll beat you every time I see you!”
The crowd was intimidated by her furious expression, and for a moment, everyone timidly lowered their heads.
Yuan Siyin clenched her fists and silently continued searching for the hairpin while bending over.
This was the first time she had lost control of her emotions since transmigrating into the book.