The Double

Chapter 120 Departure

"You don't have to pretend to be obedient, Ali," he said.

Jiang Li looked at Ji Heng with confusion. His tone was too familiar, and she could clearly tell he was calling her "Ali" rather than "A Li."

Perhaps from the very beginning, he had seen through her, just as she had seen through him.

Jiang Li shrugged: "It's become a habit."

In her previous life, she had been genuinely obedient, though it hadn't brought her any good outcomes. Instead, it left her with nothing but blood and tears, even implicating her family. Now, being more cautious and careful, pretending obedience came more naturally to her, ingrained deep into her bones.

Ji Heng always talked about getting into character, but wasn't she herself an actress too? With makeup masking her true thoughts, performing countless twists and turns on stage while hiding murderous intent beneath the surface.

Ji Heng watched her for a moment before saying, "You should go back now." He handed the umbrella to Jiang Li, appearing like a devoted young gentleman deeply concerned about his beloved, unwilling to let her suffer even the slightest chill.

Jiang Li was taken aback for a moment, then took the umbrella from his hand and stood up from the stone. With a charming smile, she said, "Then I thank the Duke."

"No need for thanks," Ji Heng replied. "Protecting what belongs to me is only natural."

"Hearing you say that," Jiang Li pondered briefly, "makes me feel like I have a powerful backer behind me, tempting me to act recklessly and stir up trouble without any reservations."

"Haven't you caused enough trouble already?" Ji Heng said indifferently. "You're fierce regardless of whether you have backing or not."

"That's true," Jiang Li nodded. "I'll be going now." Under the plain white canopy of the umbrella, she noticed a faint embroidered peony, so subtle that it was almost invisible unless examined carefully, yet it reflected Ji Heng's usual preferences.

Holding the umbrella, she returned to her room with Tong'er and Bai Xue.

Ji Heng didn't leave immediately.

He stood by the pond, and whether it was an illusion or not, the snow in the sky seemed to grow slightly heavier. The wind blew diagonally, carrying snowflakes across the water's surface—tiny, white, crystalline specks that quickly vanished from sight.

Wen Ji stood quietly behind Ji Heng and asked softly, "My lord, why are you helping Second Miss Jiang?"

Wen Ji had been following Ji Heng since he was ten years old, sharing over a decade of master-servant bond. Ji Heng was a lonely man; others feared him, dreaded him, schemed against him, and framed him, never daring to casually ask him "why." But Wen Ji dared.

Ji Heng said, "Entrusting one's life to others, living perpetually on the edge of a blade, and still being able to smile." His voice carried a hint of laughter, yet it seemed filled with vast emptiness and solitude. "Wen Ji, don't you think she's quite similar to me?"

The difference was, he had fallen into the abyss, blooming flowers from darkness, while Jiang Li hacked a bloody path through thorns, striving to grasp even the faintest sliver of sunlight filtering through the forest.

She had taken a path entirely different from his, which was why he felt compassion for her. Like those rare flowers growing in his mansion's garden, originating from perilous places, desperately climbing upward—if not carefully nurtured, they would bloom briefly like epiphyllums and swiftly wither, disappearing from the world forever.

There are many exotic flowers in the world, but there is only one Jiang Li.

Amid the chaos, she repeatedly disrupted his plans. Though it was of little consequence, it allowed him to discover this fierce, unique man-eating flower. Ji Heng could see through her feigned compliance, her exploitation, and even her occasional genuineness and sorrow.He wanted to place this seemingly docile yet fierce plant into the garden of Yanjing, wondering how much would remain after the struggle.

They encountered each other in a feigned performance, tearing off each other's masks amidst a web of schemes—hypocritical yet sincere, exploiting one another while harboring a trace of genuine mutual admiration.

How wonderful.

In the brief span of a few decades, encountering someone so similar yet entirely different from oneself is truly a fascinating thing.

So he wished for her to live.

At least for now.

...

The next day, Jiang Li, Ye Mingyu, and their party set off to return to Xiangyang.

Most of the villagers of Tongxiang insisted on accompanying Jiang Li to Yanjing to file a grievance, not only to punish Feng Yutang but also to seek justice for the mad Xue Huaiyuan. Jiang Li initially thought the crowd was too large, but the people were impassioned—many had tears in their eyes at the sight of the deranged Xue Huaiyuan.

In the end, aside from the elderly, weak, women, and children who could not travel far, everyone else joined the caravan.

As for the travel expenses, Feng Yutang had previously extorted the people, intending to flee with his ill-gotten riches. Unexpectedly, before he could escape, the villagers cornered him at the county office. The several large chests he had packed were left behind, and the gold and treasures inside were more than enough to cover the villagers' expenses for the journey to Yanjing.

Before heading to Yanjing, they had to return to Xiangyang to obtain the official transfer order and explain the situation to the Ye family. The villagers were overjoyed, while Jiang Li sat in the carriage with the mad Xue Huaiyuan. Xue Huaiyuan paid her no mind, happily playing with a small wooden figure, calling out "Ali, Ali" and occasionally saying, "I'll take this for Ali and Ah Zhao to play with."

Jiang Li’s heart ached at the sight. During a break in the journey, Ye Mingyu asked her, "A Li, although I initially told Mother and the others that I brought you here to help me with some matters, things have escalated. How are we going to handle this now?"

With so many villagers from Tongxiang, Ye Mingxuan and the others would surely be shocked. Once they returned to Yanjing, there would be the matter of the Court of Judicial Review, and even using Jiang Yuanbai’s name to summon the Weaving Office Order. Jiang Yuanbai would undoubtedly reprimand Jiang Li when he found out.

These were no small matters, and it all depended on how Jiang Li would explain them.

"It’s fine," Jiang Li said. "I’ll explain it to Grandmother and the others." Ye Mingyu truly couldn’t justify these actions—he had no connection to Xue Huaiyuan and no reason to do any of this.

Jiang Li was different. Even if she couldn’t fully explain it, the Ye family wouldn’t press her too hard. They might even assume Jiang Yuanbai had instructed her to do these things, which would prevent further suspicion.

Ye Mingyu thought it over and agreed that Jiang Li was right.

The journey back to Xiangyang was even faster than the trip to Tongxiang. Perhaps the villagers were eager to obtain the Xiangyang governor’s official order and proceed to the capital to clear Xue Huaiyuan’s name. No one delayed, and they moved more quickly than usual. Feng Yutang and a few of his lackeys were confined in a prison cart, listlessly following the caravan.

They could neither escape nor resist, fully aware that their cause was lost and utterly disheartened. Jiang Li instructed Ye Mingyu’s men to keep a close watch on Feng Yutang and his followers, fearing that Princess Yongning’s forces might learn of the situation and silence them by killing Feng Yutang and his associates, leaving no evidence behind.However, Jiang Li believed that with Ji Heng present, such a thing should be impossible. She had gone through so much trouble just to make a little progress in this matter. Since Ji Heng enjoyed watching dramas, he wouldn’t allow just any random person to ruin this play and prevent a satisfactory conclusion.

Upon returning to Xiangyang, Jiang Li did not go back to the Ye family first. Instead, she asked Ye Mingyu to find a place to settle the commoners and then went directly with her people to find Tong Zhiyang.

Tong Zhiyang was not at the prefect’s residence but was living with his mistress and son in a rather shabby-looking small courtyard.

It was said that after quarreling with Tong Zhiyang that day, his wife, Madame He, had returned to her parents’ home in a rage. Tong’s father was furious and threatened to kill Tong Zhiyang to avenge Madame He. Tong Zhiyang was so frightened that he didn’t even dare to act as prefect anymore—in fact, he couldn’t. His position as prefect had only been secured through Madame He’s influence, and now that he had offended her, he could no longer keep his official post. He spent his days hiding in this small courtyard with his mistress and son, keeping a low profile.

Jiang Li didn’t waste any time with pleasantries and said directly, “Will you give me the official order I need or not?”

Tong Zhiyang was furious but didn’t dare show it. “Second Miss Jiang, I don’t even dare to step into the prefect’s office now…”

“Your wife is so domineering only because her brother-in-law holds the position of Zhong Guanling in Yanjing,” Jiang Li said. “If you want to live openly without fear of being hunted down by the He family, you must strip Madame He of her support and have her brother-in-law removed from office.” She glanced at Tong Zhiyang. “If you help me with this order, I will ensure that Madame He’s brother-in-law loses his position in the capital. Without their backing, the He family won’t dare to touch you.”

Tong Zhiyang’s eyes lit up. “Are you telling the truth?”

“I am the daughter of the Grand Secretary,” Jiang Li said with a smile. “Do you not believe me?”

“No, no, no,” Tong Zhiyang quickly replied. “I believe you, I believe you.” Of course, he believed her. Jiang Li had only been in Tongxiang for a short time, yet she had managed to have the Weaving Office Order from Yanjing City rush to Xiangyang within a few days to handle the Ye family’s case. And now, the official order she was asking for was to help clear the name of the disgraced official Xue Huaiyuan. Throughout history, overturning cases for disgraced officials had always been a delicate matter, as one misstep could bring disaster upon oneself. Only someone with absolute confidence would dare to attempt such a thing. As the daughter of the Jiang family, she had nothing to fear. If Jiang Li said she could do it, she surely could.

“Second Miss Jiang, I have one more presumptuous request,” Tong Zhiyang said, wiping sweat from his brow. “If Madame He’s brother-in-law loses his position, that’s only fair—after all, the troubles with the Ye family were their doing. I was just following orders… I have always been loyal to you and the Ye family! Could you let me keep my position as prefect? I promise I will look after the Ye family from now on!” He looked at Jiang Li with hopeful eyes.

Jiang Li’s smile faded, and she said coolly, “Prefect Tong, greed is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant. Moreover, as relatives of the Jiang family, whoever holds the position of prefect in Xiangyang would naturally look after the Ye family. There’s no need for you to worry about that. Besides, as things stand now, you can’t even protect the mother and son in this house, and you’re in danger yourself. I can have Madame He’s brother-in-law removed from office, so at the very least, you won’t have to hide anymore or worry about Tong Yu being killed. That’s already a stroke of luck in the midst of misfortune. If you ask for more, Prefect Tong, that would be going too far.”Tong Zhiyang looked at Jiang Li and couldn't help shrinking his neck. Though her words weren't harsh, the warning in them was unmistakably clear.

Jiang Li certainly had no intention of genuinely helping Tong Zhiyang. To her, the Right Prime Minister, who was allied with Prince Cheng, would inevitably become her adversary sooner or later. Since He Shi's brother-in-law was affiliated with the Right Prime Minister, eliminating him was merely a convenient move for her. Once she returned to Yanjing and spread the news about the Ye family's affairs, that Zhong Guanling would naturally face trouble. In the political arena, Jiang Li didn't believe the cunning Right Prime Minister would uphold any sense of righteousness or go out of his way to protect a mere Zhong Guanling.

As for Tong Zhiyang, a prefect who had once followed orders to frame the Ye family, she would never give him a second chance. Now that the entire Xiangyang city knew the relationship between the Ye and Jiang families wasn't as strained as rumored, regardless of who the new prefect of Xiangyang was, they would treat the Ye family with some respect. Tong Zhiyang's assurances were truly unnecessary.

Knowing he was in the wrong, Tong Zhiyang said nothing in defense and instead told Jiang Li, "Second Miss Jiang, please wait a moment." He then stood up and went inside.

Within a quarter of an hour, Tong Zhiyang returned with an official decree. These decrees were all written following a standard template; all Tong Zhiyang needed to do was stamp his seal. Fortunately, He Shi hadn't yet forced him to surrender his official seal, so writing a decree for Jiang Li was a simple task for him.

Jiang Li took the decree, glanced at it, and seeing it was valid, smiled at Tong Zhiyang. "In that case, thank you, Lord Tong." She turned and left with an air of ease.

Tong Zhiyang hurried after her, pleading obsequiously, "Second Miss Jiang, about Zhong Guanling's matter... please don't forget!"

...

With the decree in hand, A Shun was dispatched to pick up Jiang Li and return to the Ye family. Ye Mingyu, having settled the people of Tongxiang, had already returned to the Ye residence ahead of them. The arrival of such a large group from Tongxiang in Xiangyang had naturally attracted widespread attention. With such a sensational event, the Ye family was likely still interrogating Ye Mingyu at that moment.

Remembering Jiang Li's instruction to let her explain things to the family, Ye Mingyu had said nothing and sent A Shun to fetch her.

Jiang Li boarded the carriage and soon arrived at the Ye residence.

Fearing any mishaps due to the unusual status of Xue Huaiyuan and Feng Yutang, Jiang Li had arranged for them to be accommodated in the Ye family's courtyard. As soon as she reached the entrance, she noticed the servants at the gate looked unusually stern, as if the Ye family was facing a major crisis and was on high alert.

Seeing Jiang Li and A Shun approach, the gatekeeper immediately shouted inside, "The young mistress is back! The young mistress is back!"

Jiang Li: "..."

As if her return would magically provide a reasonable explanation for everything.

Upon entering the Ye residence, Jiang Li found the entire family gathered in the Brocade Painting Hall. Ye Mingyu was surrounded in the center, hanging his head like a scolded child.

"I told you not to cause trouble, and now look what you've done! Do you think you haven't stirred up enough chaos? You even dared to kidnap officials? What exactly is going on?" Ye Mingxuan scolded him.

Ye Mingyu felt deeply wronged; this time, it really wasn't his fault. Though he often got into trouble outside, he never involved himself in the complexities of officialdom. Moreover, when he roamed the martial world, he used aliases, never his real name. But he couldn't betray his niece, so he just sighed inwardly—what rotten luck!

Just as he was thinking this, Jiang Li entered from outside.

Old Madam Ye spotted her first and called out, "A Li!"

Jiang Li quickly walked up to Old Madam Ye.Old Madam Ye seemed to have improved in spirits these past few days. With the support of her maid, she could stand and walk a few steps. Holding Jiang Li's hand, she examined her carefully before sighing in relief, saying, "Seeing you well puts my mind at ease."

"Please don't worry, Grandmother. I'm perfectly fine," Jiang Li smiled. "Uncle has been taking good care of me."

"A Li," Guan Shi couldn't help but ask, "What exactly is going on? Those people outside... how did you get involved with the case of the Tongxiang County Magistrate?"

Jiang Li showed a somewhat troubled expression before finally saying, "Well... actually, it was Father's idea."

"Jiang Yuanbai?" Ye Minghui frowned. "Did Jiang Yuanbai send you to Xiangyang specifically for this matter?"

"You could say so. While I was returning to Xiangyang to visit Grandfather, Father had other plans and asked me to make a trip to Tongxiang. This matter is actually directed by Father, and I'm merely following his instructions. When we return to Yanjing, these affairs will be handed over to Father for personal supervision," Jiang Li smiled. "It's my fault for making Grandmother and my uncles and aunts worry."

Without hesitation, she shifted all responsibility to Jiang Yuanbai. The Ye family had little interest in Jiang Yuanbai, and by completely distancing herself from the matter, she ensured they wouldn't worry too much about her.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, the Ye family exchanged glances. Though their expressions remained somewhat uneasy, they were no longer as anxious as before.

Jiang Yuanbai was an old fox when it came to official matters, something the Ye family didn't understand, so they couldn't very well question why he would do this.

Seeing this, Ye Mingyu secretly gave Jiang Li a mental thumbs-up. Being well-read certainly had its advantages - she had managed to convince the family with just a few words. If he had Jiang Li's way with words, he wouldn't have to face the annual pressure from the old madam and his elder brothers and sisters-in-law about marriage.

It seemed that if one was foolish, one should study more. Ye Mingyu resolved to hire a tutor someday to better learn the art of conversation.

Although she had shifted the responsibility to Jiang Yuanbai, Jiang Li still needed to explain Xue Huaiyuan's case to the Ye family. However, she didn't mention that Feng Yutang had someone above him pulling the strings. Thus, what the Ye family heard was that Feng Yutang had framed Xue Huaiyuan, taken the position of county magistrate for himself, and committed all sorts of evil deeds.

Ye Rufeng said, "Feng Yutang is absolutely despicable! Poor Magistrate Xue."

"That such villains exist in the world," Ye Jia'er sighed deeply. "What's even more frightening is that such villains can become officials."

Ye Mingxuan pondered for a moment before saying, "So it seems Jiang Yuanbai has actually done a good deed this time." He glanced at Jiang Li.

Ye Mingxuan was a clever man. Although Jiang Li had shifted all responsibility to Jiang Yuanbai, he still sensed something amiss. What benefit would Jiang Yuanbai gain from handling the Xue family's case? Jiang Yuanbai was no paragon of virtue serving the people, and more importantly, he had no connection to the Xue family. Why would he specifically send Jiang Li to Tongxiang just to clear the Xue family's name?

But suspicion aside, Ye Mingxuan had no other evidence, so he had to let the matter rest."Since it's a good matter, and Minister Xue is also a pitiable man," Old Madam Ye said. "A Li, you should return to Yanjing earlier. Official orders have time limits, and it takes several days to travel from Xiangyang to Yanjing. Setting off sooner will allow you to return to Yanjing earlier." Old Madam Ye was reasonable; having heard the whole story, she advised Jiang Li thus.

"That's what I think too," Jiang Li said with a smile. "We'll stay in Xiangyang for one day and set off tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Lady Zhuo exclaimed in surprise. "Why so urgent?"

"Sister-in-law, we're going to handle official business, of course we can't delay," Ye Mingyu said.

"What, you're going too?" Ye Mingxuan asked Ye Mingyu.

"Of course! A Li said this matter requires my presence to take good care of her. With so many people, do you want A Li to lead all these Tongxiang commoners to the capital alone? Do you want to exhaust her? I'm different - back when I roamed the martial world, how many followers did I lead? I'm most suited for this kind of commanding position. With me leading, I guarantee A Li will have a comfortable journey all the way. No bandits, robbers, or thieves would dare come near! If one comes, I'll kill one; if two come, I'll kill both!" He made fierce gestures.

"Enough, I think you'll just cause trouble if you go," Ye Mingxuan said impatiently.

"Mingxuan uncle, we really owe thanks to Mingyu uncle's help this time," Jiang Li smiled. "I hope Mingyu uncle can accompany us to the capital. With him around, I feel much more at ease." Ye Mingyu was a wonderful family member - he never asked too many questions, was rough but capable, and could understand Jiang Li to the greatest extent. With Ye Mingyu around, many things would be easier to handle.

Hearing Jiang Li speak up for him, Ye Mingyu immediately straightened up proudly and gave Ye Mingxuan a "see, I told you" look.

Just as Ye Mingxuan was about to retort, Old Madam Ye spoke up: "Alright, since A Li wants the third child to go with her, let him accompany them. After all, A Li is just a girl. Although there are guards, I'm still not at ease. Third child, I'm entrusting A Li to you. If anything happens to her, I'll hold you accountable when you return."

"Don't worry, Mother," Ye Mingyu said exuberantly. "You can trust me to handle things!"

Old Madam Ye then turned to Jiang Li, her eyes full of reluctance. "A Li, you've only just returned to Xiangyang, and now you have to leave... Who knows when you'll come back next time."

Jiang Li's heart softened. She held Old Madam Ye's hand and said, "Grandmother, it's alright. After I finish my business in Xiangyang, I'll find another opportunity to return to Xiangyang as soon as possible. When you're feeling better, have my uncles and aunts bring you to Yanjing. Cousin Ye is now serving as a Vice Director in the Ministry of Revenue in Yanjing. When he's firmly settled, it would be nice for our Ye family to establish ourselves in Yanjing."

The phrase "our Ye family" warmed Old Madam Ye's heart immensely. She couldn't stop smiling and said, "Good, good. Then I'll stay in Xiangyang and take good care of my health. When I'm able to travel, I'll come to Yanjing with your uncles and aunts to see Shijie and you."

Ye Minghui and the others nearby were all touched. Before Jiang Li returned to the Ye family, Old Madam Ye had been so ill she couldn't even leave her bed and hadn't been this spirited. Though Jiang Li hadn't been back to the Ye family for long, the old madam's health had been improving day by day.It is indeed better for people to have something to yearn for. With yearning, there is hope for everything.

After conversing more with the Ye family, it wasn't until late in the evening, after they had eaten, that everyone dispersed.

Xue Huaiyuan had already gone to sleep. Jiang Li went to check on him, instructed the guards around him to keep a close watch, and then returned to her own room. Unexpectedly, she found Ye Jia'er there.

Tong'er had brewed hot tea for Ye Jia'er. Jiang Li walked in and called out, "Cousin."

"Cousin," Ye Jia'er stood up.

Jiang Li said, "Miss Jia'er coming to see me so late, is there something the matter?"

Ye Jia'er pointed somewhat sheepishly at the box on the table and said, "This is for you."

Jiang Li opened it to find a garment inside. It appeared to be a long gown with wide sleeves and a narrow waist, in a soft pearl-white hue that shimmered under the lamplight like ripples on seawater, emitting faint blue glimmers.

"We used the peacock feathers from Third Uncle to make this," Ye Jia'er explained. "We started with sample fabrics and produced several bolts of material. This is roughly what the fabric looks like. Since we're still experimenting, many attempts were wasted. So far, we've only successfully produced this single bolt. With my father and eldest uncle's permission, I had it made into a dress for you. This was your idea - since the Ancient Fragrance Satin business can no longer continue, we need to create new fabrics that can rival it... Cousin, what do you think of this material?"

"It's beautiful," Jiang Li said.

"Really?" Ye Jia'er's expectations seemed to instantly become reality, her eyes overflowing with unrestrained joy as she looked at Jiang Li.

"I never speak falsely."

"Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease. Cousin, you've seen many fine things in Yanjing City. If even you say it's good, it certainly can't be bad. I trust your judgment." Ye Jia'er was delighted. "We've discussed it and decided to call this fabric 'Wave Pattern,' since its texture resembles seawater."

"Wave Pattern..." Jiang Li murmured the name twice before looking at her. "It's a lovely name."

"I thought of it," Ye Jia'er said shyly, nervously twisting the hem of her dress. This usually poised girl showed rare bashfulness as she continued, "I thought, since cousin is the daughter of the Grand Secretary, you must know many noble ladies. When you wear this dress out, if others find it beautiful, they'll naturally ask about the fabric - what it is and where it's made. Then we can casually mention the name Wave Pattern." She paused before adding, "Please don't think we merchants are always so profit-driven. It's just that the Ye family, if we don't quickly develop a fabric to replace Ancient Fragrance Satin, will decline and our business will eventually fail. I don't want to see my grandparents' lifelong efforts go to waste. Since I bear the Ye name, I must take up this responsibility."

She said hesitantly, "I know my request is excessive..."

"Not at all," Jiang Li responded.

Ye Jia'er looked at her.

"Though I don't carry the Ye surname, my mother was a Ye. I have half Ye blood flowing in me. The Ye family's responsibilities naturally fall on me too." Jiang Li smiled. "Moreover, I don't see anything wrong with this. Wave Pattern currently exists in only one batch, suggesting it's not easy to produce. Scarcity increases value - the rarer Wave Pattern is, the more people will desire it."

"This is the Ye family's opportunity, cousin. You've seized it, and I believe the Ye business won't lack for successors."

These were Jiang Li's sincere thoughts. If Ye Jia'er didn't understand how to manage the Ye family enterprises, no matter how wealthy the family was, when the older generation - the three Ye brothers - gradually aged, the family business would eventually disperse.

But Ye Jia'er was clearly intelligent. She had inherited the Ye family's business acumen and was already demonstrating it in her youth."Cousin has entrusted this matter to me." Jiang Li stroked the garment in the box and said, "I will definitely wear it at the perfect moment when all eyes are upon me."

Ye Jia'er stared blankly at Jiang Li for a moment before suddenly breaking into a smile and nodding emphatically.

"Mm!"

I'm Ali, endorsing Taoshui Pattern~(≧▽≦)/~

(End of Chapter)