The Double

Chapter 110: Deaf Woman

Jiang Li stepped out of the tavern.

Ye Mingyu had been squatting by the roadside for quite some time. Seeing Jiang Li approach, he spat out the grass root he'd been chewing and asked, "How'd it go? Finished talking?" He didn't inquire whom Jiang Li had met or what business she had attended to. Had it been Ye Jia'er, he would have pressed for details, but with Jiang Li, he sometimes felt this junior displayed more decisiveness than his peers, making worry unnecessary. More importantly, Ye Mingyu believed that even if he asked, Jiang Li wouldn't divulge anything.

Why waste effort then? Better not to ask.

Jiang Li nodded. "It's done, Uncle. Let's head back."

Neither meeting Ji Heng nor their conversation weighed heavily on Jiang Li's mind. Though rumors painted Ji Heng as capricious, she saw it as mere facade—his actions were always calculated. After several encounters and careful reflection, she concluded it was highly unlikely Ji Heng would disrupt her plans. Even if she inadvertently crossed him, it would be trivial in his eyes, hardly worth personal intervention. His pursuit from Xiangyang to Tongxiang stemmed from curiosity about her unusual actions; he merely wanted a front-row seat to the drama.

So be it—let him watch. She had never feared being a player on stage, but the plot's twists and turns would be hers to command.

Ji Heng was irrelevant. What mattered was that her father faced execution in seven days. If she failed to find evidence to exonerate him, she had to prepare for the worst: a rescue mission at the execution ground. Yet even success could bring widespread repercussions, demanding careful consideration. Thus, the soundest approach remained uncovering evidence.

Ye Mingyu readily agreed to return. Their temporary lodging, a guesthouse in Blue Stone Alley, stood close to the sealed Xue residence. Feng Yutang's men were likely monitoring their whereabouts, and choosing Blue Stone Alley was conspicuously bold. But Jiang Li intended to make her presence known—to signal to Feng Yutang that she had come to settle scores.

Back at the guesthouse, Ye Mingyu tasked others with fetching food and surveying the local terrain with guards. Jiang Li remained in her room, where Ye Mingyu had given her the Xue case files. Not daring to disturb her, he stationed Tong'er and Bai Xue outside to attend to her needs like tea or snacks.

Jiang Li pored over the files intently.

If possible, she needed to identify inconsistencies and loopholes in the case against the Xue family, leveraging them to pursue the truth step by step. Failing that, she could exaggerate these flaws to create confusion and buy time for Xue Huaiyuan.

The files, likely compiled under Feng Yutang's orders—perhaps at Princess Yongning's behest—were meticulously crafted to conceal the truth. They depicted Xue Huaiyuan as a corrupt official of unparalleled wickedness, his crimes "too numerous to record." The more Jiang Li read, the more a cold sneer welled within her.

Not a single accusation aligned with Xue Huaiyuan's conduct; instead, each mirrored the deeds of Feng Yutang, the current county magistrate of Tongxiang. Yet Xue Huaiyuan had confessed. Jiang Li could imagine the torment inflicted to extract that confession—the very reason he had lost his sanity.From a certain perspective, this case file was indeed seamless. Feng Yutang must have expended great effort to pin these crimes on Xue Huaiyuan. But because everyone in Tongxiang knew what kind of person Xue Huaiyuan truly was, these accusations appeared utterly ridiculous.

Jiang Li skimmed through the document rapidly.

There were minor loopholes that could be exploited in the case file. For instance, the disaster relief funds Xue Huaiyuan was accused of embezzling were allegedly dug up from the backyard of the Xue residence. Yet, those relief funds had clearly been distributed to every commoner back then. The newly "discovered" silver was likely added by Yongning's people themselves.

While Feng Yutang could fabricate false charges against Xue Huaiyuan, he couldn't erase Xue Huaiyuan's past kindness and administrative achievements. By relentlessly focusing on this point alone, Jiang Li could secure a sliver of opportunity for Xue Huaiyuan.

"It's not enough," Jiang Li murmured to herself. This was far from sufficient. The slight chance she'd created for Xue Huaiyuan was practically negligible. If Yongning and his allies noticed and used Feng Yutang's current position to fabricate more evidence and exaggerate the charges, this small piece of evidence would become useless.

She had to render Feng Yutang ineffective. Even though he was the county magistrate of Tongxiang, he must be prevented from interfering in the Xue family case. But how to achieve this?... Jiang Li pondered deeply.

Tong'er approached quietly to pour tea for Jiang Li. Absorbed in her thoughts, Jiang Li didn't notice the teacup beside her hand. Reaching out absently, she knocked the cup over with a clatter, sending scalding tea splashing across her arm.

"Heavens!" Tong'er exclaimed in alarm, hastily using a handkerchief to wipe Jiang Li's arm while calling out, "Are you alright, young mistress? Bai Xue, bring some burn ointment quickly!"

As Bai Xue hurried away, Ye Mingyu heard the commotion and rushed over. "What happened? What's going on?"

Tong'er was on the verge of tears from self-blame. "It's my fault! I poured the tea that scalded the young mistress. I hope it doesn't leave a mark - what should we do?"

"A Li, are you alright? Does it hurt?" Ye Mingyu turned to Jiang Li, only to find her sitting motionless, staring blankly at the shattered teacup on the floor.

Thinking Jiang Li had been stunned by the pain, Ye Mingyu stepped forward and waved his hand before her eyes. "A Li? A Li?"

Jiang Li slowly turned her gaze toward him, as if finally coming to her senses. Then she suddenly stood up, exclaiming excitedly, "I know! Now I know!"

"Know what?" Ye Mingyu was bewildered, and Tong'er looked equally confused.

"According to Northern Yan law, when there's conclusive evidence and witnesses to accuse a local official, one can appeal to the higher administrative office. But the superior office is under Tong Zhiyang, who likely won't help. After careful consideration, only Yanjing City's complex political situation offers a solution. If we bring this case to Yanjing City and have the Dali Temple reinvestigate it - but what I want investigated isn't the Xue family case itself, but Feng Yutang! As long as Feng Yutang becomes personally implicated in the case, he can no longer interfere in it. Any evidence processed through Feng Yutang would then become invalid!"

This was about conflict of interest. Feng Yutang might freely fabricate evidence, and Jiang Li could let him do so. Once the case reached the Dali Temple, all of Feng Yutang's evidence would be rendered invalid. Meanwhile, she, having no relation to the Xue family, would be a genuine outsider to the case.Ye Mingyu was not part of the official circles and had little understanding of Northern Yan's bureaucratic system. He simply asked, "But why would the Court of Judicial Review take on a case from Tongxiang?"

A mere Tongxiang case—was it worth it?

"That's precisely why we need to make a big fuss about it," Jiang Li replied.

Tong'er's act of knocking over the teacup had reminded her: to draw everyone's attention to this hot tea, merely causing ripples in Tongxiang was far from enough. The commotion needed to be bigger, much bigger. If it could implicate some noble in Yanjing City, even better. This way, with all eyes gathered on it, the Xue family's case would no longer be just a simple matter of a corrupt official. It could be framed as a conspiracy, tied to an old case, or even labeled as treason.

She was not afraid in the slightest. She would escalate this case further and further. If even the Court of Judicial Review dared not take it, she would appeal directly to the emperor. No matter how harmonious Hongxiao Emperor appeared with Prince Cheng and Princess Heping, if an honest official was wrongfully accused, the people would question whether the Son of Heaven truly held the Mandate of Heaven. If only to stabilize public sentiment, Hongxiao Emperor would not let things slide. Moreover, Prince Cheng and Hongxiao Emperor were natural enemies.

Hongxiao Emperor would never pass up any opportunity to make Prince Cheng suffer.

Ye Mingyu thought it over but still didn't understand, so he asked, "How do you plan to make a big fuss?" Truthfully, the Xue family had nothing to do with Ye Mingyu. But because Jiang Li was so invested in this matter, and because Ye Mingyu also found Feng Yutang utterly repulsive—if Xue Huaiyuan was truly innocent, it would be too pitiful. Upholding justice and hating evil were inherent traits of those in the martial world. Since that was the case, why not step in and right a wrong when they encountered one?

"Merely investigating the evidence in the case files is far from enough. The weight is insufficient; it wouldn't hold up even if brought to the Court of Judicial Review," Jiang Li said. "We need witnesses."

"Witnesses?" Ye Mingyu asked. "You mean the commoners of Tongxiang stepping forward to clear their former county magistrate's name? How is that possible? Haven't you seen how these people avoid soldiers like mice scurrying from cats? They're too terrified to even speak the truth—how would they dare step forward? And did you know, today the guards found out that someone who spoke up for Xue Huaiyuan had their son arrested by the authorities. Using family members as leverage—even those with a sense of justice wouldn't dare speak out, for fear of harming their loved ones!"

Jiang Li replied, "That's because Feng Yutang has gone too far, and he gives the impression that he can remain in his position as county magistrate indefinitely. The commoners are seething with anger but dare not speak out. Once they believe Feng Yutang might fall from power, they will find the courage to testify against his crimes."

"So then? Are the commoners you're looking for the witnesses?" Ye Mingyu asked.

"No," Jiang Li shook her head. "What the commoners can say is limited to Feng Yutang's wicked deeds and County Magistrate Xue's integrity. Their words can only serve as the final straw that breaks the camel's back. They shouldn't appear now; their impact will be much greater at another time."

Ye Mingyu grew even more puzzled. "Then, A Li, who are the witnesses you're looking for?""They're government officers," Jiang Li said with a profound gaze. "They used to be Xue Huaiyuan's subordinates. All the officers in the county office have been replaced by Feng Yutang. Those original officers were people of strong character. Feng Yutang replaced them with his own people, and we don't know whether the former ones are dead or alive. If they're alive, we need to see them; if they're dead, we need to see their bodies. If they're still living, they would be evidence. If they're dead, those corpses would also be evidence. If all the officers in the entire county office were to die unnatural deaths, that would surely be considered a strange occurrence in Beiyan, wouldn't it?"

Ye Mingyu was stunned by her words.

Jiang Li's gaze remained calm, but as she spoke these words, a chilling intensity emanated from her eyes. When Ye Mingyu considered the scenario she described, he couldn't help but feel a shiver run down his spine. Even in the martial world, those who would exterminate entire families were extremely rare, and even then only in cases of deep-seated hatred. Of course, there was the saying about new rulers bringing in their own officials, but Feng Yutang was merely a minor county magistrate. Could replacing a county magistrate really require so many lives?

"A Li, how do you know these officers were all replaced by Feng Yutang? You haven't even seen them before," Ye Mingyu suddenly remembered something and asked.

Jiang Li smiled: "It's obvious at a glance. How could proper government officers behave like that? Their words and actions don't even follow basic official etiquette. I wonder where Feng Yutang found such a motley crew. They were probably street thugs and ruffians before. When County Magistrate Xue was still here, he would never have had such subordinates unless he wanted to ruin his own reputation."

Seeing she made a valid point, Ye Mingyu nodded: "Indeed, those officers I saw didn't seem like proper people either."

"A Li, do you want our guards to search throughout Tongxiang for people?"

"Not exactly. Although Tongxiang is small, the terrain is complex. It would be better if I could find a map first. The problem is, if Feng Yutang discovers we're searching for these officers, he'll likely hide them away."

"Then we'll just snatch them!" Ye Mingyu said without hesitation.

"We will take them, but not right now," Jiang Li pondered for a moment. "Uncle, there's an old woman who collects night soil at the county office - they call her Deaf Woman. Could you have your people find a way to bring her out to meet me? But we mustn't alert anyone, and Feng Yutang's people can't find out."

"Just one person?" Ye Mingyu patted his chest. "No problem, kidnapping is something I'm good at." Noticing Tong'er and Bai Xue staring at him, he scratched his head. "Didn't I personally kidnap Tong Zhiyang's mistress and son last time? Tong Zhiyang still hasn't figured out it was me." He sounded rather proud of himself.

"Not kidnapping. This Deaf Woman likely knows the current whereabouts of the officers," Jiang Li said. "So we must be very careful."

Ye Mingyu stood up: "Don't worry, when has your uncle ever messed things up for you?" He took a few steps, then suddenly turned back. "But this Deaf Woman - they call her Deaf Woman, is she actually deaf? If she's deaf, how will you question her? Does she know how to read?"

"She's not deaf," Jiang Li said from behind him. "She can speak."

...

Ye Mingyu left.After Ye Mingyu left, Jiang Li had someone bring in paper, brush, and ink, and began meticulously sketching a map for Ye Mingyu. No one understood Tongxiang better than she did—she knew every corner of the place. The only exception was the newly renovated county office, which Feng Yutang had transformed into "his" office. Jiang Li had no way of knowing exactly how much it had changed.

But as for the rest of Tongxiang, she knew it like the back of her hand. With this map, Ye Mingyu would be like a tiger with wings in his operations here—no one could have drawn it more detailed than she did.

After finishing the map, she turned to reviewing the case files, noting down any inconsistencies, and considering whether she could use them to uncover more evidence later.

Unnoticed, time flew by. Bai Xue and Tong'er called Jiang Li to eat, but she was too preoccupied. As the sky darkened and oil lamps were lit in the room, Jiang Li suddenly realized it was already night. She glanced out the window and frowned, asking, "Has Uncle not returned yet?"

Bai Xue shook her head.

"Why is it taking so long..." Jiang Li murmured. Just then, A Shun, who was with Ye Mingyu, came to report, "Cousin, Third Master has returned, and he's brought Deaf Woman with him. Would you like to see her now?"

Overjoyed, Jiang Li said, "I'll be right there."

When she entered the room and saw Deaf Woman, the elderly woman was devouring her meal as if she hadn't eaten well in a long time. Ye Mingyu sat nearby, legs crossed, munching on a steamed bun. Seeing Jiang Li arrive, he boasted, "A Li, what do you think? I brought her here, and no one noticed a thing." He added, "Ugh, Feng Yutang is such a nuisance—he had someone tailing me. If I hadn't had someone impersonate me to throw him off, I wouldn't have shaken that trouble so easily. There was no one watching Deaf Woman's place, but to be safe, I waited until dark to bring her over."

Jiang Li turned her gaze to Deaf Woman.

The white-haired old woman swallowed her last mouthful of porridge before looking at Jiang Li.

Deaf Woman's face was deeply lined with age, her eyelids drooping, her back hunched, and her frame small and frail—a woman in the twilight of her life. Likely due to her work collecting night soil, she carried a foul odor that made others avoid her.

Jiang Li, however, showed no sign of disgust and spoke calmly, "Deaf Woman."

Deaf Woman stared at Jiang Li for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Who are you?"

Ye Mingyu was startled. Throughout the journey, from the moment he took the old woman away, she hadn't uttered a word. Even her initial surprise at being taken had been brief. He had assumed she was just slow with age. When Jiang Li had earlier mentioned that Deaf Woman could speak, Ye Mingyu thought it was a joke. But now, hearing her speak clearly, albeit in a hoarse voice, he muttered under his breath, "So she really can talk."

"My name is Jiang Li," she replied, smiling at the old woman. "Deaf Woman, I brought you here to ask about the whereabouts of County Magistrate Xue's former subordinates."

Deaf Woman said, "I don't know."

Jiang Li smiled. "How could you not know? Feng Yutang replaced all of Xue Huaiyuan's people, except for you. Probably because he thought you wouldn't cause trouble. But I know you do know, don't you?"The Deaf Woman said, "I know, but I can't speak. Speaking would cost me my life."

"Don't you want to avenge County Magistrate Xue?" Jiang Li smiled. "County Magistrate Xue was a good man." There was one more thing she didn't say—Xue Huaiyuan had once helped the Deaf Woman.

The Deaf Woman was originally a widow whose husband died young. She had no children and never remarried. Because of her ugly appearance and solitary life, she was often bullied. By the time Xue Huaiyuan took up his post, the Deaf Woman had already become an ugly, bullied old woman.

She often scavenged for leftover food but refused to beg on the streets, frequently going hungry. Xue Huaiyuan, seeing her old age and pitiful state, allowed her to empty night soil at the county office, giving her a monthly wage that ensured she had enough to eat and wear.

If not for Xue Huaiyuan, the Deaf Woman would have frozen to death on some winter day long ago. Her muteness was not innate; it came from years of enduring bullying, gradually making her unwilling to speak until others assumed she couldn't. But Jiang Li knew the Deaf Woman could speak because once, when Xue Zhao gave her wild fruits he had picked, she heard the Deaf Woman say "thank you" to him.

Feng Yutang replaced everyone in the county office but kept the Deaf Woman, likely because he thought she was just a night soil carrier, useless and mute—even if she saw or heard something, she couldn't speak of it.

But the moment Jiang Li saw the Deaf Woman still in the county office today, she knew her opportunity had come.

The Deaf Woman stared blankly at Jiang Li, making her seem like a lifeless puppet. She mumbled, "Why should I trust you?"

"This isn't about trusting me," Jiang Li said softly. "It's about trusting fairness and justice."

"Was County Magistrate Xue's imprisonment fair? Is it just for someone like Feng Yutang to become a judge? Leaving that aside, when County Magistrate Xue was here, weren't you better off—at least well-fed and clothed?" Jiang Li smiled, her gaze sweeping over the nearby table where the Deaf Woman had devoured every scrap of food, and the winter clothes she wore were full of holes.

The Deaf Woman lowered her head.

The wealthy young lady before her was right. When Xue Huaiyuan was around, she had enough to eat and wear. Xue Huaiyuan's son, Xue Zhao, and daughter, Xue Fangfei, often gave her things to help her out. Now, even though she remained at the county office, she no longer received a monthly wage and had to survive on leftovers from the officials.

Life was hard. Feng Yutang's tenure felt like the days of her youth when she suffered humiliation. Why was it that good people never lived long, while scoundrels endured for a thousand years?

The Deaf Woman lifted her head to look at Jiang Li and asked, "Why are you helping the Xue family?"

"I have old ties with the Xue family," Jiang Li replied. "I'm also acting on someone's behalf to clear their name. Rest assured, I won't tell anyone that you revealed this information. Feng Yutang won't trace it back to you—I can guarantee your safety."The Deaf Woman laughed hoarsely. When she smiled, the wrinkles on her face bunched together, making her appear much kinder than her earlier gloominess. She said, "What do I have to fear? I've lived this long and have long had my fill of life. The only reason I stay at the county office is to see how long Feng Yutang can last as the county magistrate. I hoped to avenge the Xue family, but I couldn't do it. I waited and waited, and finally, I've waited for you."

Ye Mingyu's mouth fell open. It was truly astonishing to hear such a long speech from this usually reticent old woman. Yet her words also stirred deep emotions.

Jiang Li watched her quietly for a long moment before reaching out to grasp the Deaf Woman's hand. "Thank you," she said.

The young, full hand and the aged, withered one lay together, as if infusing new life into the old woman. The Deaf Woman's eyes grew bright. She spoke slowly, but every word was clear and distinct.

"Feng Yutang replaced everyone in the county office. When Lord Xue was imprisoned, his subordinates refused to comply and were locked up. One particularly defiant young man named Xiao Hei was killed by them. Afraid that killing too many would cause trouble, Feng Yutang sent the rest to the mine shafts in East Mountain to mine."

"East Mountain mine shafts?" Jiang Li exclaimed in surprise. "Isn't that an abandoned mine?"

The Deaf Woman glanced at her. "Rare that you know about it."

Ye Mingyu interjected, "What mine? There's a mine in Tongxiang?"

The Deaf Woman sighed. "Very few people know about the mine. Among the younger generation, even locals in Tongxiang don't know there's a mine here. Decades ago, someone found gold in East Mountain of Tongxiang. People said it was a gold mine and reported it to the imperial court. The court sent officials to investigate and had people mining in the shafts, but after a full year of digging, aside from a tiny amount on the surface, no gold was found. The officials in charge of mining were dismissed, and the mine was abandoned."

Jiang Li listened to the Deaf Woman's words, her expression not as surprised as Ye Mingyu's. While even some older people in Tongxiang didn't know about this, she did. Before Xue Huaiyuan took office, he needed to understand Tongxiang's past, and he had personally reviewed the matter of the East Mountain mine.

Jiang Li asked, "Since it's an abandoned mine, why would Feng Yutang send them there?"

The Deaf Woman sneered. "Because Feng Yutang wants to torment these people. He sent them to the mine to work from morning till night in the shafts, telling them they must dig until they find gold. Everyone knows East Mountain yields no gold, so those people will never find any and can never hope to leave."

"This is an abuse of power! All mining operations must be reported to the imperial court. He's mining gold privately! Even if it's an abandoned mine, this alone is enough to convict him!" Jiang Li said angrily.

"Young lady, you should know that none of the people working in that mine are comfortable. Moreover, Feng Yutang intends to torment them and will only make it worse. I heard from Feng Yutang's subordinates that those officers were stripped naked, shackled hand and foot, forced to work all day. If they don't work well, they're beaten and kicked. Death and injury are common occurrences. Strong men are living worse than dogs. Who knows how many can endure this, or how many are still alive."

"This is too much!" Ye Mingyu slammed the table after hearing the Deaf Woman's words. "Absolutely insane!"

Jiang Li pressed her lips together without speaking. Turning former officers into slaves to be driven—she could imagine their miserable current state. Such torment wasn't just physical; it was also devastating to their self-respect.

Feng Yutang truly had no regard for law in Tongxiang.

"This is all I know," the Deaf Woman said. "Young lady, if you're looking for those missing officers, go to East Mountain. But don't let anyone discover you—Feng Yutang's men are still watching the place... Do you know where East Mountain is?"

"I know," Jiang Li said. "I know how to find those people."The Deaf Woman looked at her and slowly said, "Young lady, I don't know who you people are, but since you've started investigating the Xue family's case, I hope you'll see it through to the end. This old body of mine is about to enter the coffin. As long as the Xue family's name can be cleared, and I can see that there is still fairness and justice in this world, even if it costs me my life, it's worth it."

"Don't worry," Jiang Li looked at her, speaking as if taking an oath. "I swear I will pursue this to the very end, without giving up halfway. No matter what troubles I encounter, I will never abandon this cause. If I break this oath, may I be struck by lightning."

The Deaf Woman felt reassured.

(End of Chapter)