The Double

Chapter 115: Protection

When Jiang Li and Ji Heng returned to the edge of the forest, Ye Mingyu and his men had already come searching for them. Two of his subordinates were severely injured, while the rest had sustained minor wounds of varying degrees. Ye Mingyu himself had a gash on his arm, blood dripping steadily, but he paid it no mind, casually tearing a strip of cloth from his garment to bind the wound.

They had searched everywhere for Jiang Li without success, and just as Ye Mingyu was beginning to despair, he saw Jiang Li emerge on horseback from one end of Blue Stone Alley, accompanied by a handsome young man in red robes. Ye Mingyu recognized him—this man had once appeared outside the Ye residence in Xiangyang. Jiang Li had mentioned that he was Duke Su.

Though he didn’t understand why Duke Su had also come to Tongxiang, Ye Mingyu was overjoyed to see Jiang Li. He hurried forward with his men, calling out, "A Li!"

"Uncle!" Jiang Li was equally delighted to see Ye Mingyu. She immediately reined in her horse and dismounted. The reunion of uncle and niece was filled with relief at having survived the ordeal. Jiang Li glanced behind Ye Mingyu and asked, "Are you alright, Uncle? What happened to those assassins?"

"They were just a motley crew. The three most skilled ones went after you. By the time we dealt with the rest, you were long gone. We didn’t know the roads in Tongxiang, so we split up to search for you, but we couldn’t find you anywhere. I was worried sick. Thank goodness you’re safe." He scrutinized Jiang Li from head to toe, relieved to see she hadn’t suffered even a scratch.

Jiang Li, however, noticed the coarse cloth wrapped around Ye Mingyu’s arm, stained with spots of blood, and exclaimed in alarm, "Uncle, you’re injured!"

"It’s nothing," Ye Mingyu waved it off dismissively. "Just minor wounds, not worth mentioning. A Li, let me tell you, it’s a good thing I was here this time. If you’d brought your own guards, it would’ve been a disaster. Even so, those three skilled fighters... I couldn’t have handled them. Speaking of which, what happened to them? I saw them chasing after you and was frantic with worry, but I was held up by the others and couldn’t break free. How did you manage to escape them?"

Jiang Li pondered for a moment. Telling Ye Mingyu that she had trapped the assassins in the forest swamp would likely frighten him too much. Although she had raised many suspicions, her uncle had always trusted her wholeheartedly. It was better to let him keep things simple. She didn’t want Ye Mingyu to look at her as if she were a monster.

So she said, "I rode into a forest by accident, and those men followed me in. They probably hadn’t been in a forest before and got lost. I used the stars in the sky to guide my way and managed to get out before they did."

Her fabricated tale didn’t raise any doubts in Ye Mingyu, who simply remarked, "That was close, too close."

Ji Heng, who had remained silent all this while, glanced at Jiang Li upon hearing her words, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips as if mocking her for spinning such a web of lies.

Noticing Ji Heng’s expression, Ye Mingyu hesitated before asking, "A Li, this gentleman…"

"I ran into the Duke on my way out," Jiang Li explained with a smile. "If not for his assistance, I might not have made it back so easily."Since Ji Heng had decided to spare her life for the time being, he naturally wouldn’t go back on his word. To uphold his dignity of "not letting others take what belongs to him," he would even ensure Jiang Li didn’t die by someone else’s blade. In this way, Ji Heng became a natural shield. Jiang Li believed that, although he wouldn’t actively offer help, as long as she sought his aid in times of danger, he would step in.

It was hard to say whether this was a good or bad thing.

But whether good or bad, at least until Ji Heng intended to take her life, they could be considered temporary allies. So, Jiang Li didn’t hide the truth from Ye Mingyu.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Ye Mingyu immediately cupped his hands in gratitude toward Ji Heng and said, "Is that so? Thank you, Duke, for your assistance! Ye San is deeply grateful. If you ever have any needs in the future, I will spare no effort to repay your kindness!"

Ji Heng glanced at Jiang Li and chuckled, "Are all the people in your family so fond of repaying favors?"

Jiang Li’s cheeks flushed slightly. When Ji Heng had pressed his fan against her neck, she had pleaded for mercy by saying, "I’ll repay you in my next life, even if it means knotting grass or holding a ring in my mouth." Though she knew Ji Heng had likely seen through her ploy, it was hard to say whether her words had ultimately swayed him to spare her.

Everyone has weaknesses—some more, some fewer, some greater, some smaller. Ji Heng’s weaknesses were still unclear, but Jiang Li knew he must have them, as long as he still experienced joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.

"It’s not about being fond of repaying favors," Jiang Li replied with a smile. "We simply distinguish clearly between gratitude and grudges." Repaying kindness with kindness and vengeance with vengeance has been the way since ancient times. There’s no room for repaying kindness with enmity or forgetting favors and betraying righteousness. If such things occur, one must seek fairness and justice on their own.

"Enough, no more of this," Ji Heng said. "I’m heading back. Within seven days, Feng Yutang’s men won’t be able to touch you." He added, "I’m staying at the tavern across from the county office. If anything happens, come find me there."

Ye Mingyu felt somewhat overwhelmed by the favor. As someone who spent his adult years roaming the jianghu, he had little concept of official ranks or the authority they wielded. Thus, his gesture of cupping his hands in gratitude to Ji Heng felt entirely natural to him. Yet, deep down, Ye Mingyu didn’t truly believe Ji Heng would go out of his way to help Jiang Li. Intuitively, he sensed that this strikingly handsome man had a heart as cold as steel, impervious to sentiment or notions of loyalty and gratitude. Though he didn’t know why Jiang Li had become entangled with him, he suspected it might be a temporary act.

But now, hearing Ji Heng’s words, it seemed he was genuinely willing to assist Jiang Li. And what did he mean by "Feng Yutang’s men won’t be able to touch you within seven days"? Did it mean Ji Heng would clear all obstacles posed by Feng Yutang and safeguard Jiang Li along the way?Was this man truly so kind-hearted? Wasn't he a Duke? Would he stoop to doing such things? Could it be that a Duke held a lower rank than the Grand Secretary, and he was trying to curry favor with Jiang Yuanbai for a promotion? Or perhaps he simply wanted to ingratiate himself with Jiang Li? Jiang Li had now reached the age where marriage prospects were being considered, and in a few years, she would be ready for marriage. Not to boast, but Ye Mingyu thought Jiang Li’s appearance and temperament were exceptional—intelligent, brave, and remarkably insightful. In all the world, few could truly be considered worthy of her. Was this man a toad... dreaming of eating swan meat? But then again, exactly how high-ranking was a Duke?

Jiang Li had no idea her uncle’s thoughts had wandered so far afield. Regardless of Ji Heng’s motives for saying such things, she felt deeply grateful at that moment. She bowed to Ji Heng and said, "Your Grace, your great kindness is something I can never repay. If the opportunity arises in the future, I will certainly return the favor."

Upon hearing this, Ye Mingyu’s hair stood on end, and he eyed Ji Heng warily. Based on the storytellers’ tales he’d heard in taverns while traveling the martial world, the next line from a frivolous nobleman should be, "Then repay me with your hand in marriage!"

He must not let this scoundrel succeed! He had to protect his innocent niece!

Just as Ye Mingyu was about to speak, Ji Heng already replied, "No need for thanks. Since I’ve entered this play, I dislike seeing irrelevant people cluttering the stage."

To Ji Heng, the assassins sent by Feng Yutang were indeed "irrelevant people." If these "irrelevant people" actually succeeded in killing Jiang Li, there would be no more play to continue.

Jiang Li didn’t quite understand why Ji Heng had to phrase a good deed so awkwardly, but since he’d said it, she wouldn’t press further and invite discomfort. She simply smiled at him and said, "Regardless, I still thank you, Your Grace."

Ji Heng cast a lazy glance her way, then turned and slowly walked toward the other end of the road without looking back. Under the moonlight, Blue Stone Alley stretched endlessly, his figure both magnificent and lonely, the hem of his robes fluttering like a solitary yet powerful demon elegantly making his way home.

Jiang Li felt that Ji Heng seemed different from before.

Perhaps because she had seen through and spoken his secret aloud, Ji Heng no longer felt the need to maintain his facade in her presence. The always lingering, intimate smile had transformed into a careless nonchalance—lazy, bored, yet acutely aware and ever ready.

He was a contradictory man, but at least he no longer seemed quite so "inhuman" as before.

Seeing Jiang Li staring intently at Ji Heng’s retreating figure, Ye Mingyu inwardly panicked. Though his niece was both clever and brave, she was still young. Faced with such a bewitching man, if he were to flirt with her, it would be hard for a young girl not to be swayed. Was she already captivated, staring so fixedly at his back? Bah! The world was so unfair—a handsome man could say a few casual words and make them seem utterly sincere.

He quickly tugged at Jiang Li, hoping his niece would come to her senses, and said, "A Li, what do you think? Shall we head back now?"Jiang Li turned back and looked at Ye Mingyu's arm, saying, "Alright, Uncle, let's go home first and find a physician to redress your wound. It can't be bandaged like this. Tonight, everyone can sleep soundly." Since Ji Heng had said that Feng Yutang's men wouldn't cause trouble, it meant someone would protect Ye Mingyu and his group. At least for these seven days, in Tongxiang, Jiang Li could walk on the streets without fear of being suddenly assassinated.

Ye Mingyu hadn't cared much about his injury initially, but seeing Jiang Li's concern, he felt a stir in his heart and immediately began exaggerating his pain, exclaiming, "I'm in terrible pain! I need a physician to bandage it properly. Come, A Li, let's go back first." He thought if Jiang Li focused on him, she wouldn't dwell on that so-called Duke. Oh right, he should ask tomorrow how high-ranking a Duke really is.

Jiang Li found it odd that Ye Mingyu had suddenly become so delicate but assumed he was genuinely in pain and didn't press further, helping him back to the courtyard in Blue Stone Alley.

Bai Xue and Tong'er had been guarding the entrance, their necks strained from constant watching. For an entire day, from morning till night, they hadn't seen Jiang Li and Ye Mingyu return. The two maids were so worried they couldn't eat or sleep, and when they suddenly saw the group return unharmed, they nearly wept with joy. Jiang Li instructed them to fetch hot water and prepare food, then sent an uninjured person to summon a physician to attend to Ye Mingyu's men first.

While Bai Xue was cleaning Ye Mingyu's wound, he asked Jiang Li, "A Li, now that we've rescued Peng Xiao and the others and obtained the case files, what do we do next? Are we going door-to-door to visit the residents of Tongxiang as you said?"

"Yes," Jiang Li nodded. "Uncle, rest well tonight. Tomorrow morning, we'll start visiting each household one by one. There are only 568 families—we may not finish questioning all of them, but every household we manage to reach counts."

"Is that all we'll do these five days?" Ye Mingyu asked.

"As long as one family is willing to step forward, we can submit a petition to the Dali Temple. The Dali Temple will immediately halt County Magistrate Xue's execution order and arrest Feng Yutang to bring him to the capital. No one will be able to change this, because all cases handled by the Dali Temple must pass through the emperor's hands. Once we add the name of a high-ranking official from the capital, His Majesty will not take it lightly." There was one thing Jiang Li didn't tell Ye Mingyu: she wouldn't just write any high-ranking official—she would directly include Princess Yongning's name.

This would openly declare enmity with Princess Yongning. But there was nothing to fear; even if she pretended to coexist peacefully with the princess, Yongning had already sent assassins to Tongxiang to eliminate her. As long as Hongxiao Emperor saw Princess Yongning's name, this Tongxiang case would inevitably become a major affair, ensuring that Princess Yongning couldn't manipulate it behind the scenes.

This was exactly what she wanted. The case files and officials were already in place; the only missing piece was the people of Tongxiang. As long as she could persuade some of the residents to accompany her to the capital, the day the truth was revealed to the world wouldn't be far off."Great!" Ye Mingyu slapped his thigh. "We've done so much, and victory is right before our eyes. As long as we persuade the people of Tongxiang, the Xue family case can be overturned, and that bastard Feng Yutang can be brought to justice. I've long had it with him! How could such a scoundrel become the county magistrate? Damn him!"

Ye Mingyu was so angry that he even cursed, but Jiang Li had no time to mind that. She sighed softly, a layer of worry clouding her brow. "In fact, the final step is the most difficult."

Since ancient times, rulers have known that winning the people's hearts wins the empire. No matter who it is, gaining the people's support is never easy—especially when their very lives are under threat.

Truthfully, she wasn't confident either. She had the least certainty when it came to human hearts.

But she had to try.

...That night seemed exceptionally long. In the small county of Tongxiang, many lay awake through the night. The moon quietly hid in the deep night, wind rustled leaves as it swept through the streets, and red lanterns under the eaves swayed violently in the gusts. The calmer the town appeared, the more it seemed to be brewing an unavoidable storm.

By morning, something unexpected happened in Tongxiang, which hadn't seen snow in over a decade—a light snowfall began outside.

The snow wasn't as coarse as in Yanjing; instead, it fell gently in small, delicate flakes, shimmering with a crystalline glow. Some clung to branches, layering upon each other to form crystal-like curtains. It made this unprosperous little town appear tender and intoxicatingly beautiful.

Jiang Li was awakened by Tong'er.

Tong'er's distressed voice echoed in her ears: "How could you sleep at the desk, Miss? Didn't you go to bed at all last night?"

Jiang Li stretched and said, "It's fine."

The previous night, she had dismissed Tong'er and Bai Xue, staying up late to write some documents. There were 568 households in Tongxiang, each of which had received kindness from Xue Huaiyuan. Visiting over 500 households alone was impossible in time, so she had to delegate some to Ye Mingyu's men. With these "records of kindness," Ye Mingyu would have more leverage and perhaps find it easier to persuade the people.

However, as she wrote, she unknowingly fell asleep at the desk. Strangely, waking up like this didn't leave her feeling overly tired. Jiang Li stood up, pushed open the window, and a snowflake drifted inside. Staring at it blankly, she murmured, "It's snowing."

"Yes, it's snowing," Tong'er also looked outside.

Having lived in Tongxiang for over a decade, this was the first time she had seen snow here. She didn't know what it signified, but perhaps it marked a new beginning.

A slow smile spread in Jiang Li's eyes as she said, "That's quite nice."

On the other side, Feng Yutang arrived at the county office in the morning and put on his official robe.

Tongxiang's first snowfall in more than ten years brought a chill that had him sneezing repeatedly. Wiping his nose, a servant handed him a cup of hot tea. Feng Yutang slumped into a chair, complaining, "The weather is truly cold."

"Indeed," the servant replied obsequiously. "The lanterns at the entrance were blown over by the wind."

Feng Yutang glanced outside and asked, "Have the men sent out last night not returned yet?"

The servant answered, "No.""No sense of propriety!" Feng Yutang fumed. Princess Yongning's three assassins didn't even regard him with respect, sometimes ordering his own men around while he dared not speak up. There was nothing to be done—who could oppose Princess Yongning's people? Moreover, when he encountered problems in this area, he still had to rely on them. So despite his inner discontent, Feng Yutang only dared to mutter behind their backs.

Last night, it seemed the trio had completed their mission and taken his men somewhere unknown. Feng Yutang thought resentfully; it never crossed his mind that the assassination of Jiang Li might have failed. In his view, Princess Yongning's operatives were supremely skilled. Jiang Li was just a young girl, and among Ye Mingyu's group, only Ye Mingyu could fight, but he was no true assassin. That Jiang Li would die at their hands was an indisputable fact.

Recalling Jiang Li's gentle, lovely face, Feng Yutang clicked his tongue, feeling a pang of regret. If not for her status, he wouldn't have let such a beauty die so easily—at least not before he'd had his fun. Truth be told, Jiang Li was quite attractive, and as Jiang Yuanbai's daughter, dying in Tongxiang was just rotten luck. But then again, if she hadn't brought it upon herself by investigating Xue Huaiyuan's case, why would this have happened? So she deserved to die.

But Jiang Li was just a young girl—what connection could she have with the Xue family? Why would she investigate Xue Huaiyuan's case out of the blue? Could it be on her father Jiang Yuanbai's orders? Not only had he obstructed Jiang Li, but he'd also taken her life. If Jiang Yuanbai found out, wouldn't he make an enemy of the Jiang family? Feng Yutang's heart grew uneasy. Though he acted ruthlessly for his employers, he always tread carefully around Jiang Yuanbai—after all, he wasn't just any official but the leader of the literati.

These thoughts made him increasingly irritable. He'd been waiting all morning for news of Jiang Li's death, but there was still no word. A vague unease gnawed at him, but he suppressed it, urging his attendant, "Send more people to check—see if any of them are in the brothels or taverns!"

Just then, someone stumbled in from outside, running so frantically they tripped at the entrance, their nose nearly hitting Feng Yutang's shoes, and cried out, "Sir! Sir, something terrible has happened!"

Already on edge, Feng Yutang kicked at them and snapped, "What's all the shouting? What's so terrible?"

"Sir... you—you need to see the backyard of the county office for yourself!" The subordinate's face was pale with terror.

Seeing this, Feng Yutang knew it was bad. Without another word, he hurried to the backyard.

Before even reaching it, he caught the thick scent of blood. Fighting back nausea, he pressed onward. Not halfway in, he saw twenty corpses laid out neatly in the courtyard.

He didn't need a closer look to recognize them as corpses. A night of snowfall had dusted them with icy, hardened snowflakes—lifeless and cold. The blood had long since congealed. Feng Yutang staggered back, barely catching himself on a pillar to keep from falling.

He counted silently, three times over: exactly twenty bodies.Twenty men—he had dispatched twenty of his own men, along with three of Princess Yongning's. Now, twenty were here, but where had the other three gone?

Feng Yutang asked, "Where are the others?"

The subordinate who had spoken first stepped forward, his voice still trembling with barely suppressed panic, and replied, "Sir, out of the twenty, three are missing. We couldn't find them."

Not finding them meant they might still be alive. Yes, Princess Yongning's people were highly skilled; they wouldn't die so easily. A flicker of hope suddenly rose in Feng Yutang's heart, and he asked, "Did you find any traces of them?"

The subordinate shook his head. "We didn't see any sign of them, but we found their weapons near the swamp in the Black Forest... Sir, it's likely... they're in grave danger."

Feng Yutang's vision darkened, and he nearly fainted. When he regained his senses, he immediately erupted into curses, shouting, "They had over twenty men, surrounding and attacking just seven! And they were completely wiped out! Are they sons of bitches? A bunch of useless trash!" He cursed so vehemently that his chest heaved violently, as if he were struggling to breathe. Even his subordinates could hear the fury and terror in his voice.

Feng Yutang was afraid.

Those twenty men were his own subordinates. Now, in one fell swoop, he had lost twenty of his best fighters, and the remaining ones were insignificant. Without Princess Yongning's assassins, he could accomplish nothing. Forget about making a move against Jiang Li and the others—if Ye Mingyu were to attempt an assassination, he wasn't even sure his own men could protect his life.

Right, Jiang Li and Ye Mingyu—how are they now? Regardless of Ye Mingyu's situation, what about Jiang Li? If their people had taken Jiang Li's life before dying, then everything would still be manageable. At least he hadn't failed Princess Yongning's task. She wouldn't blame him and would even help him evade disaster. As long as Jiang Li was dead, all would be well!

"Where is Jiang Li?" Feng Yutang grabbed the messenger and demanded, "Where is Jiang Li? Is she dead? Is she dead?"

His eyes were bloodshot, his expression terrifyingly fierce, forcing the subordinate to step back slowly and shake his head.

Feng Yutang's heart gradually sank.

"Second Miss Jiang and that tall man left the residence in Blue Stone Alley early in the morning and have been moving about freely, completely unharmed."

Feng Yutang weakly released his grip.

The assassination had failed. He had lost twenty-three men, while Jiang Li remained unscathed. Not only that, but she had the audacity to stroll openly around the county town the very next day—a clear provocation, or perhaps she was acting with utter confidence.

Come to think of it, the twenty corpses in the county office's rear garden were Jiang Li's response. It seemed she had long known that Feng Yutang's men were coming to assassinate her. After eliminating all his forces, she calmly and leisurely returned the bodies for him to see clearly—this was the consequence.

She truly had no fear at all.

But he had no way out now. While he recognized the danger of Jiang Li and her group, he understood even more clearly that Jiang Li could not be allowed to live. Not only because Princess Yongning's orders were unbreakable, but because Jiang Li knew he had targeted her. If he didn't kill her, once Jiang Li reunited with Jiang Yuanbai—or even before that—he would die at her hands. She would not spare him.

This was a war between two sides: either Jiang Li died, or he did. He had to see it through to the end.

"Send more men to hunt down Jiang Li," Feng Yutang said bitterly.

"Sir..." The subordinate looked at him in surprise, as if puzzled by this decision, "I'm afraid..."

"Afraid of what?!" Feng Yutang cursed, "What do you know? Hurry up and go! If we delay, we'll all lose our lives!"

This path truly had to be walked to the bitter end.

...

In the tavern across from the county office, Wen Ji reported, "Sir, Feng Yutang has dispatched men again to hunt down Second Miss Jiang."

Ji Heng sat in his chair, gazing at the tea in his cup. Compared to usual, he seemed much more composed, staring out the window as if lost in thought. Against the icy, snowy landscape, his red robes appeared even more vibrant, his lips as enticing as flower petals.

After a long pause, he said, "Go and have someone take care of them."

Wen Ji accepted the order and left.

Lu Ji, sitting nearby, watched Ji Heng thoughtfully without speaking. Ever since learning that Second Miss Jiang had been targeted by both Ji Shuran and Feng Yutang's men the previous night, a weight had settled in Lu Ji's heart. With such a joint effort, even if Second Miss Jiang had extraordinary skills, she would find it impossible to escape. But unexpectedly, it wasn't Wen Ji who had followed Second Miss Jiang last night—it was Ji Heng. Moreover, Ji Heng, who never interfered in others' affairs, had actually stepped in to help. This was truly astonishing.Ji Heng was never one to be soft-hearted, nor would he be so benevolent as to rush to someone's aid. Yet in the end, he intervened, and afterward, he even assumed a protective stance toward Second Miss Jiang. Whatever his motives—whether for exploitation or other schemes—Second Miss Jiang had still succeeded.

Through an unimaginable method, she had drawn His Lordship into this riveting ensemble drama. His Lordship had entered the game.

There was no way to guess what His Lordship was thinking, but Lu Ji believed that Second Miss Jiang was truly remarkable.

First day of June, everyone, roar!

(End of Chapter)