The Eldest Princess' Substitute Husband (Transmigration) - Chapter 35

“How should I torment her?”

*******

Outside Song Jinsheng’s room, two maids and a young girl stood in front of the door. The leading maid announced, “Consort, we have brought the person as you requested.”

A moment later, the door was opened. Song Jinsheng first glanced at the girl standing behind them before nodding at the two maids. “Mmm, thank you for your hard work. You may leave.”

“Yes.” The maids bowed in unison and left together.

After walking a short distance, the younger maid couldn’t help but turn her head to look back. She saw Song Jinsheng half-crouching, speaking softly to the girl, her expression gentle.

“Sister, tell me… who is this person to the Consort? Why is the Consort treating her so differently… She doesn’t look like she’s from a rich family, but her face is still quite pretty…”

The younger maid mumbled softly, about to say something else, but the older maid beside her suddenly shoved the lantern she was holding into her hands, interrupting her thoughts.

“What are you thinking, girl? You dare to gossip about the master’s business? Just walk properly.” The older maid scolded her, then glanced at her again, teasing with a laugh, “What? Are you still thinking about the Consort? You talk about how handsome he is all day. I’m getting tired of it.”

“What are you saying! Sister, you’re so annoying!” The younger maid nudged the other with her elbow in embarrassment. When she looked up, she noticed someone slowly walking toward them not far away.

When they saw who it was, they were both terrified. They quickly lowered their heads and bowed. “Greetings, Your Highness.”

“Mmm.” Wei Luoyi walked in front of them, not even lowering her head, but just glancing down at them.

After watching the two of them hurry away, Wei Luoyi looked at Dongyang beside her. Dongyang immediately understood and leaned in.

“Were those two the Consort’s maids?”

Dongyang thought for a moment and said, “They look unfamiliar to me. They should be the ones serving the Consort’s daily life.”

“Oh. Then have them transferred here starting tomorrow.”

“But… but they are new. They might not be familiar with the etiquette of serving Your Highness…” Dongyang stopped mid-sentence. She looked up and saw Wei Luoyi’s eyes staring at her silently, a natural authority in her gaze. She immediately sucked in a breath and swallowed her words. “I understand. I’ll take care of it tonight.”

At that, Wei Luoyi’s gaze moved away. Her eyes were calm and empty as she looked at the dark path ahead, continuing her slow walk.

*******

Outside, it was already deep into the night.

Inside the room, several candle stands were lit, making the room bright. The girl stood in the middle with her head bowed, her hands clasped together awkwardly.

Song Jinsheng sat in front of her, her expression one of frustration.

She hadn’t expected this girl to be so stubborn. Ever since she brought her in, she hadn’t said a word. No matter what she said, the girl wouldn’t answer, and she wouldn’t even sit down when asked nicely.

Song Jinsheng wanted to see her face, but she kept her head down. Song Jinsheng sighed softly in frustration. “Lift your head so I can see you.”

Hearing this, the girl’s body flinched. She frowned, her lips tightly pursed. She very slowly lifted her head.

They’re so alike… How can two people look so much alike?

Song Jinsheng frowned, staring at the girl. For a moment, she was lost in a daze.

When the girl was brought back to the estate, her clothes were ragged, her hair was a mess, and her face was covered in dirt, making her look quite unremarkable. But she hadn’t expected that after having a servant take her to wash up and change into clean clothes, she would look like a completely different person—a little beauty.

But her daze was not just because of this. The main reason was that the girl looked incredibly similar to someone she knew in her modern life, almost identical. Their ages were also probably the same.

That person’s nickname was Junjun, her sister from the orphanage.

Song Jinsheng had been an orphan since birth and had no siblings. When she was a teenager, she met a quiet little girl at the orphanage. The two of them hit it off and had similar personalities. From then on, they treated each other like family.

But after Song Jinsheng started working, they contacted each other less. Now, thinking of her, she felt a wave of emotions.

Song Jinsheng, thinking of her past, subconsciously treated the girl like Junjun. She wanted to take her hand and have her sit down. But before her hand could even touch her, the girl immediately took a step back, her eyes filled with panic.

Song Jinsheng froze, wondering why the girl was so timid… But then she suddenly looked down and saw that she was dressed in men’s clothes. She understood right away.

She retracted her hand and sighed deeply. She said to the girl in a low voice, “Don’t worry. I won’t do anything to you. As for your mother, I will have someone arrange a proper burial for her. You can also go and see her another day.”

Hearing her mention this, the girl’s head shot up. Her eyes lit up. She had been forced to sell herself on the streets to bury her mother properly. All she wanted was for her mother to have a good final resting place.

With a thud, the girl knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Song Jinsheng. Her voice was very soft. “Thank you… thank you, my Lord… as long as you can have my mother laid to rest… A’jun… A’jun is willing to be your servant.”

“Hey, no, no, no… get up, get up…” Song Jinsheng was startled by her actions. She quickly helped her up and looked at her carefully. “You just said… your name is A’jun?”

A’jun nodded timidly, still not daring to look Song Jinsheng directly in the eye. But Song Jinsheng stared at her face and fell into deep thought.

She was certain that the girl’s face was identical to Junjun’s. If she didn’t know that the girl was completely unaware, Song Jinsheng would have wondered if she had also transmigrated.

She’s also named A’jun?

It’s one thing for them to have the same appearance, but their names are also so similar… Is there such a coincidence in this world?

Is this dynasty… not a fictional world separate from her own?

How could someone she knew have such a strange connection to this place?

As Song Jinsheng was lost in thought, the door was suddenly pushed open, startling both her and A’jun.

And Wei Luoyi, dressed in white, stood there like a celestial being. Her cold eyes were half-lowered, staring at the two of them. The air of a superior naturally exuded from her, and she didn’t feel at all that it was inappropriate to have barged in like this.

“Your Highness.” Song Jinsheng came back to her senses. She immediately stood up and walked forward, shielding A’jun behind her. She forced a smile and greeted her. “Your Highness, you…”

“Step aside.” Wei Luoyi only spared a glance for her smile and gave a cold command.

Song Jinsheng was stunned. She awkwardly put away her smile. Seeing the unpleasant look on Wei Luoyi’s face, she could only obediently move aside.

Wei Luoyi’s gaze fell on A’jun’s face. Her eyes were still cold, and she scanned her from head to toe without any emotion.

Although A’jun didn’t know her identity, she knew from Song Jinsheng’s “Your Highness” that the person in front of her was incredibly noble. In her panic, she wanted to lower her head, but since Wei Luoyi was staring at her, she didn’t dare to move.

The room was silent for a long time.

Song Jinsheng was the first to break the silence. Without waiting for Wei Luoyi to speak, she said to Dongyang, who was standing outside the door, “Dongyang, take her to the guest room to rest first. Her Highness and I have something to discuss.”

Dongyang looked up. She didn’t answer right away, but looked at Wei Luoyi’s back. When she saw that she hadn’t said anything, she nodded in agreement. “Yes.”

With that, she took A’jun and gently closed the door as she left.

“Your Highness, please forgive my recklessness. If you want to punish me for anything, please let it be on me.” Song Jinsheng walked back in front of Wei Luoyi. Seeing that she seemed lost in thought, she took the initiative to plead guilty.

At her words, Wei Luoyi’s eyes slightly shifted. Her gaze slowly moved to her. “Guilty? What crime are you talking about, Consort?”

Song Jinsheng looked at her nose, then at her heart. She wasn’t sure what Wei Luoyi’s intention was. Why was she playing dumb?

Wasn’t she here because I brought a stranger back to the estate without her permission?

Song Jinsheng took a silent breath. She kept her head down and explained, “I brought an outsider into the residence without Your Highness’s permission. It was a sign of disrespect…”

After speaking in a low voice, Song Jinsheng cautiously looked up, only to find that Wei Luoyi was staring at her.

After hearing her explanation, Wei Luoyi’s expression didn’t change at all. She only raised an eyebrow and asked, “Then who is she?”

“She… to be honest, I don’t know this child. It’s just… I met her on the street when she was in trouble, and I found that her face was a little similar to my sister’s, so I felt sorry for her and brought her back… I beg Your Highness to take her in…”

Song Jinsheng tried her best to lower her stance to appease Wei Luoyi. She knew that although the residence was called the “Consort’s Residence,” the true master was still Wei Luoyi. If she said something that made her unhappy, it would be bad if A’jun was kicked out.

Song Jinsheng was lost in thought, completely unaware that Wei Luoyi’s expression had already changed.

Wei Luoyi was slightly frowning. She looked at her, her eyes deep, a hint of confusion flashing through them.

Didn’t Song Jinsheng say he was an orphan? He lived by begging since he was little, and when he got a little older, only Guzi followed him. He never heard, nor did he find out, that Song Jinsheng had any sisters or a sister he had taken in.

Is he lying to me?

“Your Highness?”

Wei Luoyi’s thoughts were broken. Her gaze focused back on Song Jinsheng’s face. She slightly curled her red lips, a half-smile on her face. 

“Actually, I didn’t come here tonight to punish you…”

“But since the Consort says she is guilty… wouldn’t it be wrong for me not to punish you?”

Song Jinsheng couldn’t help but frown. She could see the playful look in Wei Luoyi’s eyes. She didn’t believe for a second that Wei Luoyi wouldn’t care about this matter. What she was saying now was clearly on purpose.

Wei Luoyi saw her awkward and embarrassed expression and suddenly let out a soft laugh. Her laughter was calm and ethereal, almost a little chilling.

She stopped laughing and sighed softly. She took a step forward, raised her hand, and pinched Song Jinsheng’s cheek. Her fingers gently sank into the soft flesh of her face. “Then tell me, Consort, you are guilty, so how should I punish you?”

“Nnngh…” Wei Luoyi’s hand slowly tightened. Song Jinsheng’s chin was forced up, and she couldn’t answer. She could only frown and look at her.

At this moment, she felt like a fish on a cutting board.

And the more surprised, shocked, and helpless she looked, the more Wei Luoyi’s lips curved into a smile.

Tsk, tsk, tsk, look at my little Consort’s fair face… This soft, vulnerable expression… He’s truly like a flower waiting to be picked…

How should I torment him?

I really don’t want to hurt him.

[Author’s Note]

She’s a very cunning Princess.

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