Chapter 12: Using oneself as an introduction

Chu Si stopped at a medicine shop and noticed someone following her out of the corner of her eye, a faint smile playing at the corner of her mouth.

In her past life, she had heard many stories about Zhang Yushi. He was known for his integrity, stubbornness, and his penchant for getting to the bottom of things. She had already given him quite a few clues, and she was sure he wouldn't give up easily.

With these thoughts in mind, Chu Si bought some medicine for treating colds and also some tonics at the medicine shop.

"Miss, that will be three taels and two qian," the shop assistant said.

Chu Si took out a few copper coins. Just as the assistant was about to say it wasn't enough, Chu Si placed a piece of ink jade pendant on the table. "Is this enough?"

The assistant widened his eyes and called the boss over. The boss was from the pawnshop next door. Chu Si thought he was quite shrewd in business.

Looking at the jade pendant, the boss's eyes narrowed into a smile. "How much silver do you want for this, miss?"

Chu Si raised her eyebrows. "How much does a thick cotton coat cost at the clothing store?"

"A good one would cost thirty taels."

"Then give me sixty wen," Chu Si said.

"Only sixty wen, miss?" The boss became even happier. This jade could easily be exchanged for ten taels of silver.

Chu Si nodded. She thought it would be better not to take the money back, as it would only be snatched away by Miaoyin.

The boss beamed and, after confirming several times, he also insisted on giving Chu Si a few more packets of tonics. Chu Si didn't refuse and, after buying the medicine, she also bought two thick cotton coats before heading back.

From a distance, a young man in fine clothes watched Chu Si leave and said with a smile, "What a waste of my good jade, only exchanged for so little money."

When Chu Si returned, it was already dark. She found Lv Ya lying on the ground in her inner clothes, her face turning purple from the cold, and there were still faint marks of slaps that hadn't completely faded. The room was also in a mess, as if it had been ransacked by robbers.

"Miss, why have you come back? Hurry, leave, leave!" Lv Ya saw Chu Si and weakly tried to sit up, her voice hoarse.

"Has Miaoyin been here?" Chu Si's palms tightened, and a murderous look appeared in her eyes.

Lv Ya felt intense pain all over her body. "Miss, please leave quickly. They were the ones who killed Hongye back then, and now they want to kill you."

"They killed Hongye?" Chu Si's eyes turned cold. When she went up the mountain, there were two maids following her, Lv Ya and another one named Hongye. However, Hongye's body was found on the back mountain last year, said to have accidentally fallen and died from the fall. She had actually believed it!

"Chu Miss has finally returned?" Miaoyin's voice came from outside, filled with sarcasm.

Chu Si helped Lv Ya up and put the new thick cotton coat on her. "Did you hit Lv Ya?"

Chu Si's voice was unusually calm, which made Miaoyin momentarily dazed. She looked at the person standing there, with a distant and cold look in her eyes, a slightly raised chin, and a faintly restrained gaze, exuding a noble and disdainful aura. However, she was clearly just a little maid.

"So what if I did?" Miaoyin steadied herself and, holding a string of Buddhist beads in her hand, walked up to Chu Si. "Also, your maid was killed back then, killed by Miaoxian. So you hold a grudge and killed Miaoxian." Miaoyin spoke softly, as if trying to manipulate her.

Lv Ya wanted to argue with her, but she had no strength to speak.

"Is the act of framing and shifting blame ready?" Chu Si looked at her, her heart filled with murderous intent.

Miaoyin snorted. "Don't think I don't know. Besides the scholar you mentioned, you also saw the bricks and tiles stacked against the wall, just enough for you to sneak a peek at the carved window, right?"

In the past, Chu Si might have delayed her response, but now she openly admitted it. Since they had chosen to frame her, they wouldn't kill her now.

The more ruthless Miaoyin was towards her, the deeper the investigation by Zhang Yushi would be, and the heavier the losses for Prince Xiaoyao!

Why not take advantage of it?