The Double

Chapter 133: Exorcism

That night, Jiang Li slept restlessly.

Ji Heng's words echoed in her ears like a curse. Ever since becoming Second Miss Jiang and re-entering the Jiang residence, she had thought the Jiang family was merely cold-hearted and prone to the typical social climbing of official households. Now it appeared that the filth within noble families was far more horrifying than in ordinary homes. The background of Second Miss Jiang was far more complicated than she had imagined.

Moreover, her environment had become more dangerous. If Second Miss Jiang had truly known about Ji Shuran's scandal, or if Ji Shuran believed she might have known, then Ji Shuran's relentless persecution over the years would have a reasonable explanation. Ji Shuran wanted to set her mind at ease, to eliminate the root of the problem.

This was a war—a fight to the death. It wasn't just for Jiang Li herself, but also for the deceased Ye Zhenzhen, for Second Miss Jiang whose soul had long departed, and for Jiang Yue'er who had died under mysterious circumstances.

The news brought by Ji Heng suddenly gave her another idea. Regarding Ji Shuran's next move—if Ji Shuran intended to use someone else to do her dirty work, she might as well go with the flow. As for who would have the last laugh, it would depend on who was more cunning.

Preoccupied with these thoughts, she fell asleep very late. The next day, Jiang Li woke up later than usual. Seeing her rare tardiness, Tong'er and Bai Xue did not wake her.

After breakfast, Tong'er came over and said, "Miss, Ji Shi went to the palace again today?"

"Oh?" Jiang Li gathered the papers scattered by the wind on the table and replied, "She certainly visits the palace frequently."

"I heard Consort Li isn't feeling well, as if she's fallen ill. Ji Shi rushed to the palace early this morning, saying she wanted to check on her sister." Tong'er spoke with disdain, "Everyone knows she has a sister who's a consort, but they've never seemed particularly close before. What a fuss."

"You," Jiang Li turned and tapped Tong'er's forehead, "are becoming increasingly outspoken. You can only say such things in front of me—don't let others hear you."

"I know, I know my limits," Tong'er said. "Ji Shi took Jiang Youyao into the palace with her but didn't inform you. Isn't that a slight against you?"

"What slight? We're not family, and there's no blood relation," Jiang Li said indifferently. "If they had actually invited me, that would have been disgusting."

Tong'er nodded, "That makes sense. Let's pay them no mind then." Happily, she went to help Bai Xue gather morning dew.

Jiang Li stood by the table, tracing circles on the gathered papers with her hand, her gaze fixed outside the window. Ji Shi's early morning visit to the palace was no coincidence. No sooner had she visited Consort Li than the latter fell ill. It seemed the opposition was coming on strong, giving her no chance to catch her breath, already acting so brazenly.

But if she were afraid, she wouldn't be Jiang Li. She wanted to see what excuse Ji Shi and Consort Li would use to properly invite the renowned Chongxu Daoren of Northern Yan into the Jiang residence. She would make sure to give them an unforgettable welcome.

"Tong'er, bring the hand warmer. We're going to visit Hu Yiniang's courtyard," she said with a faint smile.

...In the palace, within the side hall, only the lingering scent of medicinal herbs remained, carrying a bitter and astringent taste.

On the bed, a woman reclined half-sitting and half-lying against the pillows. Her hair was not styled in a bun, and her slightly disheveled locks cascaded loosely behind her, accentuating her pale complexion and bloodless lips.

Overnight, she seemed to have grown noticeably thinner and more haggard. She felt utterly weak, as if plagued by nightmares throughout the night, waking multiple times until, in the end, she hardly slept at all. She simply sat in a daze until dawn.

Upon receiving the news, Hongxiao Emperor hurried to see Li Pin after court. Yet, he found that Li Pin, who was usually full of smiles, now appeared gravely ill, lacking even the strength to get out of bed. The imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau had all examined her and confirmed that her pulse showed no abnormalities and there were no signs of illness. As for why she was in such a state, the cause remained unknown.

Initially, the palace servants suspected that Li Pin might have been poisoned, but a thorough investigation of the entire palace—her food, clothing, and surroundings—revealed nothing unusual. However, Li Pin's sudden and severe decline was so alarming that even the Empress Dowager was disturbed. She personally came to visit, but Li Pin continued to weaken at an astonishing rate, seemingly on the verge of death.

When the Ji family received the news, they all rushed to the palace. Chen Jishi held Li Pin's hand and asked, "What on earth has happened? How could something like this occur for no reason?"

"Indeed, when I visited Her Ladyship the day before yesterday, she was perfectly fine. How could she have deteriorated so drastically in such a short time?" Ji Shuran also wiped her tears with a handkerchief.

At that moment, Hongzhu, Li Pin's personal maid, knelt before Hongxiao Emperor and said, "This humble servant has something to say, and I dare to inform Your Majesty."

Hongxiao Emperor replied, "Speak."

"Several years ago, Her Ladyship encountered a similar situation. At that time, she was critically ill, and it was... Chongxu Daoren who identified the cause and saved her from disaster. Now, for no apparent reason, Her Ladyship has fallen victim to this misfortune again, yet no cause can be found. From what I observe, it bears a resemblance to the incident years ago. Thus, I dare to implore Your Majesty to summon Chongxu Daoren to the palace to examine Her Ladyship. Perhaps some malevolent force within the palace has attached itself to her!"

After saying this, Hongzhu kowtowed repeatedly to Hongxiao Emperor with a "thump, thump, thump." Seeing this, Lüwu, who was standing nearby, also knelt down.

Years ago, Li Pin had been envied and resented by another consort in the palace. That consort, having obtained Li Pin's birth characters from somewhere, used sorcery to make Li Pin grow thinner by the day, nearly causing her demise. It was only by chance, during the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration, that Chongxu Daoren was invited to purify the palace and noticed something amiss. He discovered the hidden effigy. The Empress Dowager was furious that someone dared to commit such an act within the palace. The consort was given a cup of poisoned wine, and it was publicly announced that she had died of illness. Li Pin thus narrowly escaped death and gradually recovered.

Now, at this moment, Hongzhu suddenly brought up the events of the past.

One might have expected Hongxiao Emperor to be relieved at finding a new solution upon hearing this. However, after a long silence, no response came from him. For some reason, Hongzhu grew uneasy, and cold sweat began to form on her forehead. Just as she hesitated whether to kowtow a few more times, Hongxiao Emperor's voice came from above. He said, "Chongxu Daoren travels far and wide, and now, no one knows where he is...""Your Majesty, are you referring to that eminent master Chongxu Daoren?" Chen Jishi rose from her seat nearby and said, "This humble consort heard three days ago that an eminent master had come to perform rituals at a Taoist temple in Yanjing City, seemingly Chongxu Daoren. If so, he might still be in Yanjing City."

"Is that so?" Hongxiao Emperor's voice betrayed neither joy nor anger as he waved his hand. Eunuch Su hurried forward: "Issue Our decree: summon Chongxu Daoren to the palace immediately to examine Consort Li."

Eunuch Su accepted the order and departed.

Ji Shuran remained kneeling by the couch, though her grip on Li Pin's hand tightened imperceptibly. A fleeting trace of triumph flashed in her eyes before she shed two more tears.

Chongxu Daoren arrived at the palace within two hours.

The Taoist master, already in his fifties, appeared lean and resolute with an aura of celestial grace and righteous demeanor. He carried a peachwood sword on his back, held a horsetail whisk, and wore simple Taoist robes and cloth shoes. Upon entering the palace, he paid respects to Hongxiao Emperor with neither subservience nor arrogance.

"After all these years apart, you remain unchanged, Daoren." Hongxiao Emperor's furrowed brow relaxed.

"This humble Taoist is honored by Your Majesty's remembrance." Chongxu Daoren said, "I heard Your Majesty summoned me regarding Consort Li?"

"Indeed." Hongxiao Emperor replied, "The imperial physicians are at a loss, unable to determine the cause. Consort Li's maid begged Us to seek your assistance. Coincidentally, We heard you were currently in Yanjing. Thus We wished to invite you to examine Consort Li."

Hongxiao Emperor couldn't state this too explicitly. Throughout history, only foolish rulers believed in ghosts and deities, seeking divine guidance. Naturally, Hongxiao Emperor didn't wish to be seen as a foolish monarch and leave himself open to criticism. Yet with Consort Li in such a state, he had no alternatives. Moreover, Chongxu Daoren wasn't ostentatious, often traveling incognito for spiritual cultivation. Just as when dark magic was discovered being used against Consort Li in the palace years earlier, the matter never became public knowledge.

This proved his trustworthiness.

Chongxu Daoren cupped his hands toward Hongxiao Emperor: "In that case, this humble Taoist shall first examine Consort Li."

Hongzhu and Lüwu promptly escorted Chongxu Daoren inside.

Consort Li was helped onto the soft couch, her complexion pale as if each word required tremendous effort. She looked at Chongxu Daoren and said, "Troubling you to make this personal visit..."

Chongxu Daoren waved his hand: "You flatter me, Consort Li. To share His Majesty's concerns is this humble Taoist's blessing." As he spoke, his brow furrowed while staring around Consort Li as if seeing something invisible. His gaze unwavering, he slowly retrieved a small bell from his bag.

Upon closer inspection, it was a palm-sized drum surrounded by red bells. Holding the bell, he began shaking it slowly, gradually accelerating until the ringing transformed from gentle to urgently sharp, clear to piercing.

Consort Li suddenly bent over, coughing violently as if clearing a blockage in her chest. Taking the handkerchief from Hongzhu to wipe her mouth, she appeared to expel something invisible.

The spectacle frightened the women present. Consort Liu patted her chest exclaiming, "Heavens! How terrifying! What exactly was that?"Chongxu Daoren did not speak but instead turned and quickly walked to the table in the hall. He once again pulled out yellow talisman paper from his bag, scooped a handful of cinnabar and poured it onto the table, then uncorked a gourd-like container and took a fierce gulp before spitting it all onto the cinnabar. The hall was immediately filled with the scent of alcohol. The liquid in the gourd was likely some unknown strong liquor.

The liquor mixed with the cinnabar, slowly blending into a deep crimson. Chongxu Daoren then produced a wooden brush, dipped it fully into the cinnabar-infused liquor, and swiftly wrote a series of illegible symbols on the yellow talisman paper.

When finished, he unfolded the talisman to let it dry, then deftly folded it into a triangular shape. Handing it to Li Pin, he said, "Your Highness must have someone thread this talisman with a red string and store it carefully. After a month, all will be well."

His actions were swift and decisive, exuding an air of authority that made it hard not to believe he possessed genuine skill and was no charlatan. The Empress Dowager asked, "I do not understand how Li Pin ended up in this state. Daoist Priest, were your actions just now because someone in the palace used witchcraft against her?"

Chongxu Daoren turned and replied, "Your Majesty, Li Pin’s condition is not due to witchcraft employed by anyone in the palace. This matter is unrelated to the actions of others. Rather, Li Pin has been invaded by an evil energy. This malevolent force is difficult to control and nearly drained her vital essence. However, I have already performed an exorcism for Li Pin and suppressed the evil with a talisman. There should be no further issues."

"Invaded by evil energy?" Consort Liu took a step back, flustered, and said, "What do you mean by that? Could it be that there is evil energy within the palace? Daoist Priest, you must not speak recklessly."

The Empress Dowager interrupted her, "Do not be disrespectful to the Daoist Priest." She looked at Chongxu Daoren, her tone much more polite and gentle than Consort Liu’s. "Daoist Priest, what exactly is going on?"

"Your Majesty, please rest assured. This evil energy did not originate within the palace. The Emperor, as the Son of Heaven, is protected by the true dragon’s aura and is impervious to evil toxins. If there were any evil spirits in the palace, they would gradually dissipate and could not gain significant influence."

Hearing this, Consort Liu breathed a sigh of relief but then remembered something and asked, "Then where did Li Pin encounter this evil energy? She hasn’t left the palace."

"May I ask..." Chongxu Daoren inquired, "Has Li Pin encountered anyone from outside the palace in recent days?"

There were no evil spirits in the palace; they must have come from outside. Li Pin could not leave the palace, nor could those around her. The only possibility was that she had met someone.

Li Pin stared blankly at Chongxu Daoren, her voice weak: "I have..." She said to the Hongxiao Emperor, "Your servant previously met with my younger sister, Shuran."

Ji Shuran was taken aback for a moment, then quickly knelt and said, "I did indeed meet with Li Pin a few days ago. We chatted about family matters, and I stayed for half a day before returning. I... I have no idea how this happened. I would never harm Her Highness. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly!"

Her anxious and confused demeanor did not seem feigned. Li Pin also struggled to straighten up and said, "I can vouch for my younger sister. She would never harm me.""Right, right, right," Chen Jishi seemed to snap back to reality and knelt as well, saying: "Li Pin and Lady Jiang are biological sisters who have always been deeply affectionate. How could she possibly harm anyone? Your Majesty must investigate this thoroughly!"

Emperor Hongxiao frowned: "I haven't said anything yet. Why are you all kneeling in such haste?" He asked: "Chongxu Daoren, what do you see? Are there any issues?"

Chongxu Daoren stared intently at Ji Shuran.

His gaze was sharp as a sword. Ji Shuran grew somewhat frightened under his scrutiny and instinctively took a step back. The next moment, Chongxu Daoren sighed, approached Ji Shuran, and said: "This lady is plagued by evil energy. Though she appears healthier than Li Pin on the surface, in reality, the evil energy has already penetrated her body. If this continues, I fear her life may be in danger."

"What?" Ji Shuran exclaimed in shock and confusion: "Please speak plainly, Daoren."

"I wonder where the lady encountered such malevolent energy. It appears only through daily proximity to an evil object could the infiltration be so deep. Have any strange occurrences happened in your residence?"

Ji Shuran shook her head: "Nothing of the sort."

"Daoren," Li Pin struggled to sit up: "Are you suggesting my sister is also contaminated with evil energy? Did it come from my residence?"

"Most likely." Chongxu Daoren stroked his long beard: "Please think carefully again. Has nothing unusual occurred in your residence? Or have there been any peculiar individuals?"

Ji Shuran pondered more carefully, and as if remembering something, her expression suddenly turned strange. Noticing this, Chen Jishi asked: "Shuran, have you thought of something?"

Ji Shuran hesitated: "No... nothing." She seemed reluctant to speak, and anyone could tell she appeared unwilling to share.

Consort Liu had watched enough of the spectacle. She had sent several nieces to the palace, but Emperor Hongxiao only favored Li Pin, rendering her nieces useless. She had rushed over today thinking Li Pin was dying, only to find it was a false alarm. She thought to herself that even the current Empress couldn't compare to Li Pin's favor, practically being a mere decoration. Now that Li Pin had survived this disaster, she would probably dominate the palace for some time again.

Consort Liu said: "Who knows what she's hiding." She snorted through her nose, bid farewell to the Empress Dowager and Emperor Hongxiao, and returned to her own palace. Consort Liu had always been arrogant and domineering, much like Princess Yongning's temperament, so no one dared comment on her behavior.

After Consort Liu left, Li Pin also urged Ji Shuran: "Shuran, what difficult circumstances are you hiding? Clearly you had something to say but refused to speak. His Majesty is here now - whatever it is, he will see justice done for you."

After some thought, Ji Shuran firmly shook her head: "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness, but nothing particularly unusual has occurred in my residence. As for the evil energy, I don't know where it came from. The suggestion that I've been living under the same roof as an evil object fills me with endless terror. I don't know what could have gone wrong."

"If the lady finds it inconvenient to speak plainly," Chongxu Daoren contemplated: "You could take this humble Daoist to your residence. Once I visit your home, I will naturally identify where the problem lies.""This..." Ji Shuran was taken aback, but Li Pin had already taken over the conversation for her. Li Pin said, "If the Daoist Master visits the Jiang residence and happens to see the evil spirit, naturally you can help exorcise it. If you don't see anything, consider it just a visit, and everyone will be happy. Your Majesty..." She looked pleadingly at Hongxiao Emperor: "May it be permitted?"

"Granted." Hongxiao Emperor said to Chongxu Daoren, "Daoist Master, please go to the Jiang residence to investigate what exactly is wrong with Lady Jiang."

Chongxu Daoren agreed, and Ji Shuran hurriedly expressed her gratitude.

"This humble wife will first return to the residence today to explain the matter to my husband. Tomorrow we will gather everyone in the household to respectfully welcome the Daoist Master, so as not to miss any trace of the evil spirit," Ji Shuran said.

"Good," Chongxu Daoren nodded.

Thus the matter was settled. Half an incense stick's time later, Li Pin's complexion indeed looked much better than before, and she appeared more energetic. Everyone praised Chongxu Daoren as a divine being. Although the Empress Dowager practiced Buddhism, she treated Daoist masters like Chongxu with due respect. After Chongxu Daoren finished attending to Li Pin, he followed the Empress Dowager's instructions to go to Cining Palace to pray for blessings and purification.

Ji Shuran and Chen Jishi also left. Because she needed to discuss this matter with Jiang Yuanbai, Ji Shuran was absent-minded when departing. Chen Jishi had to support her as she boarded the carriage.

Once they left the palace and were seated in the carriage, Ji Shuran saw there were no outsiders around anymore. She completely shed her previous anxious demeanor, accepted the tea handed by her maid, took a sip, and then said, "It's done."

"You and eldest sister acted without consulting me first," Chen Jishi complained. "Fortunately I guessed what was happening and could play along with your performance."

"It happened too suddenly, how could I have had time to tell you?" Ji Shuran shook her head. "I was forced into this by Jiang Li. I keep feeling that if we don't eliminate her quickly, something major might happen. Since she started this game, I'll finish it. Don't blame me for being ruthless."

"This time there shouldn't be any evidence left behind," Chen Jishi added. "Eldest sister always handles things meticulously."

After a moment of silence, Chen Jishi continued, "Today I noticed that His Majesty still cares quite deeply for eldest sister."

"Indeed," Ji Shuran said. "I heard from the palace servants on our way here that throughout the entire palace, eldest sister remains the most favored. With her methods and cunning, consolidating her position shouldn't be difficult."

"But she has no son." Chen Jishi's words made Ji Shuran fall silent again.

Having no son - in these times, even in ordinary households, this was a fatal flaw for women, let alone in a place like the imperial palace. Without a son, one had less bargaining power, and for oneself, it meant greater danger.

"Father is already looking for suitable daughters from other distant branches of the Ji family," Chen Jishi said. "If eldest sister still cannot produce a son, Father fears such imperial favor won't last long. He'll have to send several more daughters into the palace."

Ji Shuran frowned. "Eldest sister has sacrificed so much. Will she willingly let these Ji women so openly share in her achievements?"

"What can she do even if she's unwilling?" Chen Jishi sighed. "As long as she's a daughter of the Ji family, she must consider the bigger picture. The same goes for you and me."

Ji Shuran said nothing more.In the palace, the imperial physician had examined Li Pin and prescribed several restorative formulas for her. Hongzhu led the servants to prepare the medicine, while the Hongxiao Emperor remained in the side hall, seated by Li Pin's bedside.

"Your Majesty pities your humble consort, summoning Chongxu Daoren to examine and save my life once again. I am eternally grateful," said Li Pin.

Pale and weary, she wore no makeup, yet exuded a pure, unadorned elegance. The Hongxiao Emperor comforted her, "You are my woman. Of course, I cannot let anything happen to you."

Li Pin rested her head on the Hongxiao Emperor's shoulder and whispered softly, "I understand that currently, the entire nation must not indulge in superstitions or supernatural affairs. For my sake, Your Majesty did not hesitate to risk giving others grounds for criticism... In this life, I am already content. Even if I were to die now, I would have no regrets."

"Don't speak such nonsense," the Hongxiao Emperor scolded with a laugh, his tone full of affection. Leaning against him, Li Pin could hear his gentle words but could not see the coldness in his eyes.

There wasn't a trace of warmth.

...

When Ji Shuran returned to the Jiang residence, she wasn't alone. Chen Jishi accompanied her back. When Tong'er reported this to Jiang Li, she was sitting at her desk reading—though in truth, she hadn't absorbed a single word. Her mind was entirely occupied by the shocking secrets Ji Heng had revealed the day before, and her conversation with Hu Yiniang earlier that day.

"I heard Ji Shi was so unsteady on her feet when she returned that Chen Jishi had to support her," Bai Xue said. "How did she become so weak? Could she have been beaten in the palace?"

"How could that be? Li Pin is her elder sister. If she was beaten in the palace, it could only mean one thing," Tong'er replied.

"What thing?" Bai Xue asked curiously.

Tong'er answered swiftly, "Li Pin has fallen out of favor, of course!"

She couldn't help but chuckle at her own remark. Jiang Li found it amusing too and scolded lightly, "Where did you learn such improper talk? You dare say anything."

Tong'er shot a smug look and continued, "But speaking of which, what exactly did Ji Shi go to the palace for? How did she end up in such a state? Could she be playing the victim to win the master's sympathy?"

Jiang Li's gaze deepened. "What else could it be? She's putting on a show."

Ji Shuran was moving faster than Jiang Li had anticipated—so fast that even Jiang Li found it somewhat baffling. She didn't know whether Ji Shuran was truly that terrified of her and thus eager to eliminate her, or whether Li Pin, who was assisting from the palace, was simply someone of such decisive and ruthless character that she left no room to breathe, pressing forward relentlessly to ensure someone's demise.

Only this time, it remained to be seen who would end up dead.

"Chongxu Daoren is coming to the residence?" On the other side, Jiang Yuanbai was taken aback upon hearing the full story, then frowned. "Nonsense! What evil spirit! How could there be an evil spirit in our residence!"

Jiang Yuanbai was not one to deeply believe in ghosts and gods, so he instinctively rejected Ji Shuran's claims. Seeing this, Chen Jishi said, "Lord Jiang, it was His Majesty himself who ordered Chongxu Daoren to come to your residence to exorcise the evil spirit. If you are dissatisfied with the Emperor's decision, why not go to the palace yourself and clarify matters with him? Taking your frustration out on Shuran is hardly fair."

Ji Shuran merely twisted her handkerchiff anxiously.

Jiang Yuanbai was deeply displeased. Among Ji Shuran's sisters, he had never particularly liked this Chen Jishi. She was far too domineering and often refused to humble herself or show deference. Back when Ji Shuran had first married into the Jiang family, Chen Jishi had even presumed upon her status as Ji Shuran's elder sister to meddle in the Jiang household's internal affairs. Now, as Ji Yanlin's official career flourished, Chen Jishi seemed to grow even more audacious, as if her backing had become more formidable.

"Elder Brother is merely puzzled, that's all," Jiang Yuanping interjected with a smile, trying to smooth things over. "So, Chongxu Daoren's visit to exorcise the evil spirit is already by the Emperor's decree, is that right?"

"Exactly," Chen Jishi retorted sharply. "This isn't just for the Jiang family's sake. Li Pin in the palace nearly lost her life to the evil spirit in your residence. She is a consort of the palace! If anything were to happen to Consort Li, you, Lord Jiang, would not escape blame. So, in a way, this is also about seeking justice for Consort Li."Jiang Yuanbai was seething with anger inside. She was merely a woman, yet she was being spoken of as if she were some extraordinary figure. Moreover, she hadn't even given birth to a Dragon Child, and no one knew how many more years her favor would last. It was entirely possible that she would be cast into the cold palace in a few days. Yet, on the surface, he still managed to force a smile and said, "Since it is His Majesty's decree, I shall obey."

His words were dripping with sarcasm. It wasn't for Li Pin's sake, but because it was an imperial decree—he had no choice but to comply!

(End of Chapter)