The Double

Chapter 144: Haitang

"Prince Cheng knew Li Pin's resentment. He enticed her, and she fell for it."

Jiang Li could hardly conceal the shock on her face.

She knew Li Pin was from the Ji family and enjoyed Hongxiao Emperor's favor, but she never imagined Li Pin had long been colluding with Prince Cheng. Perhaps it wasn't an emotional entanglement, but merely Li Pin securing a retreat path for her future. This was a royal secret—from her current position, Jiang Li could never have uncovered these connections. Had Ji Heng not revealed it, she would never have guessed.

"But... just because the Ji family wants to send new women to the palace, Li Pin would collude with Prince Cheng?" Jiang Li asked. "That doesn't make sense. Li Pin is the Emperor's favored consort, and to Prince Cheng, she isn't particularly important. Rather than clinging to Prince Cheng, wouldn't currying the Emperor's favor be better? Even if the Ji family's girls enter the palace, with Li Pin's methods, she could control or suppress them—she'd find a way. Why take such a risk?"

"That's your perspective," Ji Heng said meaningfully.

Jiang Li paused. "Perhaps."

"A childless woman in the palace has only one ending: eventually being replaced," Ji Heng said lightly. "Li Pin is clever—she saw this earlier. Moreover, in her eyes, the Emperor's position may not be secure."

Jiang Li was startled. "But the Ji family hasn't sided with Prince Cheng!"

"The Ji family is timid," Ji Heng smiled. "Even if they were to choose sides, they'd at most follow your Jiang family's lead. Though Li Pin is a consort, to the Ji family, she's just a married daughter who can't influence the larger situation. Ji Yanlin's approach to officialdom is cowardly and opportunistic—he wouldn't dare openly defect to Prince Cheng." Ji Heng took a sip of tea before continuing unhurriedly, "But his daughter is different. She's much bolder than him."

"If Li Pin has broken from the Ji family to support Prince Cheng," Jiang Li said, "then if Prince Cheng wins, the Ji family avoids disaster, but if this is exposed, they'll be implicated."

"It's not so easily exposed," Ji Heng said. "Ji Yanlin remains uninvolved—a single consort alone wouldn't raise suspicion."

Suddenly, Jiang Li understood. "No wonder... no wonder when the Xue family case was submitted, Prince Cheng learned its contents so quickly. I suspected there was a spy for him in the palace, but I never thought... it would be Li Pin."

Whoever could see the secret memorial Ye Shijie submitted must be very close to Hongxiao Emperor. Jiang Li had even considered eunuchs but never suspected Li Pin. After all, Li Pin enjoyed the Emperor's utmost favor—why would she betray him? Hearing the truth from Ji Heng, Jiang Li felt complex emotions, unsure whether to lament how easily hearts change or to reflect that she hadn't prepared backup plans like Li Pin.

"But if the Emperor knows, why hasn't he acted against Li Pin?" Jiang Li asked. Any emperor discovering his consort colluding with someone coveting his throne would find it unbearable. If he could endure it, besides exceptional willpower, there must be a reason.But no matter how she looked at it, Jiang Li couldn't find a reason. Perhaps the Hongxiao Emperor simply didn't know about this matter? Or maybe he only suspected but hadn't verified it yet.

Ji Heng didn't answer Jiang Li's question, merely smiling at her without any intention of enlightening her, as if wanting her to figure it out herself.

After thinking for a while, Jiang Li hesitantly asked, "Is His Majesty planning to move against Prince Cheng?"

Ji Heng's eyes narrowed slightly but quickly returned to normal. He asked casually, "What makes you say that?"

"If His Majesty intends to deal with Prince Cheng sooner or later, he needs a suitable reason. Though cunning, Prince Cheng leaves no traces in his actions. Apart from Princess Yongning's arrogance, he hasn't left any handles among the common people. Even if we want to act against him, there's currently no pretext. Acting rashly might allow Prince Cheng to counterattack. Keeping Li Pin might someday serve as 'evidence of crime' when Prince Cheng confronts His Majesty, making it justifiable to eliminate Prince Cheng."

Ji Heng smiled: "Did Jiang Yuanbai teach you this too?"

Jiang Li was taken aback, lowering her gaze: "Just hearsay."

His smile grew more meaningful: "Your hearsay seems more insightful than those directly involved."

Jiang Li sighed. Her father had once been the Minister of Works, a man of great talent who concealed his sharpness. Growing up in such an environment, she could see further than ordinary girls. Fortunately, Jiang Yuanbai was also a senior official at court, so she could use him as cover when needed. If Jiang Yuanbai were just a commoner, these inconsistencies about her would be impossible to explain.

Ji Heng's words tacitly confirmed her speculation.

This somewhat surprised Jiang Li. The Hongxiao Emperor could actually endure present humiliation for future gains. Looking at it this way, his past favor towards Li Pin probably contained elements of performance. Could Prince Cheng truly be a match for such an emperor? Or in this game of mantis stalking the cicada, was the Hongxiao Emperor actually the oriole behind?

"Is His Majesty planning to move against Prince Cheng?" Jiang Li asked nervously. "In that case, how should the Jiang family position itself?"

"Not moving against Prince Cheng, but waiting for Prince Cheng to make the first move."

Jiang Li was puzzled: "Is Prince Cheng that impatient now?"

"Impatient?" Ji Heng countered. "Why not see it as acting with confidence after careful planning?"

Jiang Li chuckled, this time not concealing her sarcasm as she stated firmly: "I rather think the confident one isn't Prince Cheng, but His Majesty."

That emperor who always appeared weak, who seemed likely to lose his throne at any moment under Prince Cheng's pressure - now it appeared he might not truly be weak. He was merely waiting in the shadows for an opportunity to take down Prince Cheng in one move, showing everyone clearly who truly ruled Northern Yan.

"Prince Cheng has me behind him," Ji Heng reminded.

"His Majesty has you behind him too," Jiang Li retorted.

"Then who do you think I'll stand with?" Ji Heng asked with interest.

Jiang Li remained silent for a moment before shaking her head: "I don't know. I only know I'll stand with the Duke."

"You're lying," the young man said calmly.

"I'm not," Jiang Li's gaze was firm.The girl's tone wasn't heavy, even gentle, but it was this gentle persistence that always evoked a sense of solitary courage and tragic grandeur, making one's heart soften involuntarily.

Ji Heng's eyes flickered: "What if I intend to take that position?"

"I will stand by the Duke's side," Jiang Li said.

Ji Heng fell silent, the smile fading from his lips as his gaze gradually sharpened, almost becoming aggressive. Jiang Li didn't yield in the slightest, stubbornly holding her ground.

After a long moment, Ji Heng averted his gaze and laughed scornfully: "Flatterer!"

In Jiang Li's heart, she breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Although Ji Heng wanted a balanced court, she still didn't understand why. But Jiang Li could vaguely sense that Ji Heng had little interest in the emperor's throne. While he appeared to favor lavish and complex things, his methods weren't indirect or circuitous—they could even be described as brutal. If he wanted the throne, he could have used much simpler means rather than these convoluted maneuvers that left everyone guessing his true intentions.

Yet why he was doing all this remained a mystery. Jiang Li couldn't help but think of his biological mother Yu Hongye and the Golden Crow General, whose lives were also shrouded in mystery. Perhaps his actions were related to his parents, but these matters were too private for Jiang Li to probe.

Perhaps it was best not to probe.

When Ji Heng spoke about the emperor eventually acting against Prince Cheng, he showed little emotion. This suggested he likely wouldn't intervene, possibly because this scenario was within his expectations. If Ji Heng had previously sought to maintain stability among three powers, his current stance indicated he was prepared for the court's balance to be disrupted.

What was the real reason?

"Was Lady Li Pin's matter what you wanted to ask me about today?" Ji Heng's words pulled Jiang Li back from her thoughts.

She quickly replied: "There's one more thing I truly don't understand. The truth about Ji Shuran's death was strictly forbidden from being disclosed outside the Jiang family. Yet the news still leaked, and everyone suspects me, though I didn't do it. My father sent people to investigate but found no clues. I wanted to ask the Duke if Zhao Ke could help investigate how the information was leaked?"

"You seem quite proficient with that whistle," Ji Heng teased her deliberately: "If you want to order Zhao Ke around, just say so directly. Why ask me?"

Jiang Li felt somewhat embarrassed. She had indeed used the whistle quite frequently recently and had grown accustomed to employing Zhao Ke's services: "Zhao Ke is after all from the Duke's residence, and you are his master. Naturally, I should seek your permission before asking him for favors."

Ji Heng smiled faintly: "Granted." After a pause, he added: "Isn't it good?"

Jiang Li was taken aback: "What isn't good?"

"Having Ji Shuran's past exposed publicly is beneficial for you," Ji Heng said leisurely: "You no longer have to bear the blame."

"It appears so, but I don't think whoever did this acted to vindicate me. Now everyone suspects me, and the Jiang family's reputation has suffered. If this was actually targeting my father, that would be problematic. It would mean someone within the Jiang household is colluding with outsiders to damage the family's reputation. As you know, Duke, internal traitors are hardest to guard against."

"You suspect this is aimed at Jiang Yuanbai?""To be precise, I suspect Prince Cheng is involved," Jiang Li sighed. "After all, the Jiang family has long been at odds with the Right Prime Minister's Li family, and now Prince Cheng is targeting me because of the Xue family case."

Ji Heng observed the girl before him. She seemed troubled, her brows slightly furrowed, yet the corners of her mouth remained relaxed—likely because she believed even this predicament was temporary, something she could resolve with her own confidence.

"Investigate freely," Ji Heng raised an eyebrow. "Under my protection, no one can take your life."

Jiang Li was momentarily stunned before smiling faintly. "Thank you."

...

When leaving the Duke's residence, Wenren Yao generously offered Jiang Li an entire box of pastries—all handmade by Ji Heng herself.

Jiang Li didn't dare look at Ji Heng's expression, imagining it couldn't be pleasant. The fact that the esteemed Duke would personally prepare meals—and quite skillfully at that—was as scandalous as if the affair between Li Pin and Prince Cheng were exposed. Thus, Jiang Li decided to bury today's events deep within, never speaking of them. After all, unlike Wenren Yao who could divine her own death through planchette writing, she possessed no such fortune-telling abilities.

Yet this Winter Solstice hadn't passed as coldly and quietly as she'd anticipated. First meeting Ah Zhao, then visiting the Ye residence, and finally experiencing unexpected liveliness at the Duke's residence—so much so that returning to the Jiang family felt strangely unfamiliar in its chill atmosphere.

This winter had brought consecutive misfortunes, including several deaths. Recently, Jiang Yuanbai and Jiang Yuanping had been overwhelmed dealing with malicious colleagues at court, leaving no mind for Winter Solstice celebrations. The household remained as ordinary as ever, so Jiang Li avoided causing trouble and directly returned to Fragrant Garden Courtyard.

Back home, Tong'er carefully stored the pastry box from the Duke's residence. Jiang Li observed that had these been jewelry instead of food, Tong'er would likely have locked them away in a treasure chest.

Even Bai Xue joined Tong'er's enthusiasm, declaring, "These pastries are extremely precious—we mustn't pair them with ordinary tea, only the finest will do."

"What tea did they serve at the Duke's residence?" Tong'er whispered cautiously, careful not to let others overhear their young mistress's connection to the Duke.

"Tributary tea bestowed by the Emperor," Jiang Li replied indifferently.

She expected this would curb her maids' excitement, but instead Bai Xue asked with utmost seriousness, "Should we try to obtain some from the master? He must have received some as well."

Jiang Li could only laugh in exasperation.

Amid the chaos, Mingyue entered smiling. "Bai Xue, there's a letter for you."

Bai Xue was overjoyed. Letters from her family came infrequently—sometimes only once every two or three months. Her family lacked literate members, requiring travel dozens of miles to hire a scribe. Being poor, each letter cost a string of copper coins, making them truly cherished.In recent days, Bai Xue had become more familiar with Jiang Li. Clutching the letter, she happily retreated to a corner to read it. Tong'er watched Bai Xue's retreating figure and remarked, "She's truly overjoyed this time. Just a few days ago, she told me that with the New Year approaching and no word from home, she feared her family had forgotten about their daughter. Now she can finally rest assured—they still remember her."

Jiang Li smiled. When those around her were happy, she naturally shared in their joy.

A short while later, Bai Xue returned after reading the letter. Seeing her beaming expression, Jiang Li assumed all was well at home. Tong'er teased, "Why so delighted? Did you stumble upon some silver?"

"My sister-in-law has given birth to a nephew," Bai Xue replied cheerfully. "It's wonderful news."

"Indeed, it is," Jiang Li said, pleased. "Later, I'll fetch some silver for you to send home as a celebratory gift."

Bai Xue quickly waved her hands in refusal. "No, Miss, you've already been so generous to me. Besides, my family has enough to get by."

"This is my gesture of goodwill. It wouldn't be right for you to refuse," Jiang Li insisted.

"If the Miss offers it, you should accept," Tong'er advised. "Just remember her kindness and remain loyal to her in the future."

Bai Xue thought for a moment, realizing that further refusal might seem ungrateful. She smiled apologetically and said, "I thank you on behalf of my brother and sister-in-law." Suddenly remembering something, she added, "Oh, Miss, you once asked if there was a girl named Haitang in my hometown. My family has been inquiring, and the letter mentions they've found some information."

Jiang Li froze, then abruptly stood up. "What did you say?"

Both Tong'er and Bai Xue were startled by her intense reaction. Bai Xue quickly grasped that news of this Haitang must be significant to Jiang Li. Since the letter contained only ordinary family matters, she saw no harm in sharing it and handed the letter to Jiang Li. "It's all written here, Miss. Please read it."

Jiang Li eagerly unfolded the letter. Tong'er stood beside her and noticed, with sharp eyes, that Jiang Li's hands were trembling slightly. Puzzled, Tong'er wondered how a mere sheet of paper could be so unsteady in Jiang Li's grasp.

But Jiang Li could hardly contain her agitation. When she was Xue Fangfei, she had been trapped in a conspiracy orchestrated by Yongning, confined to the estate under a cloud of disgrace, and vaguely aware that it might all be a sinister plot. Soon after, her two personal maids were executed by Shen's mother on fabricated charges—Jiang Li arrived too late to stop it, finding only their lifeless bodies. The remaining two maids, she had secretly "dismissed" from the estate, accusing them of theft.

When Shen's mother returned and confronted her, Jiang Li stubbornly refused to explain, insisting the maids had stolen her money and fled. Left with no choice, Shen's mother reported it to the authorities, but after searching the vicinity, the officials found no trace of the two maids and eventually dropped the matter.At that time, Xue Fangfei hadn't thought too deeply about it, only feeling that given the Shen family's nature, whether there was a conspiracy or not, once they believed she had committed "shameful deeds," they would inevitably target the maidservants by her side. These maidservants had grown up with her since childhood, as close as sisters. The dead could not be revived, but the living might still have a chance at survival. As long as Du Juan and Haitang escaped, she wouldn't have dragged them down, and perhaps in the future, there would be an opportunity to revisit the past.

Little did she know that this parting would be forever.

From the moment she first saw Bai Xue, though Bai Xue was not particularly attractive, she was strong, could recognize a few simple characters, and most importantly, she came from Zao Hua Village—Haitang's hometown. Jiang Li clung to a sliver of hope, thinking that if she could learn news of Haitang through Bai Xue, it would be a great comfort to her.

However, Jiang Li knew the chances were incredibly slim. Though the Shen family might not know where Haitang's hometown was, it didn't mean Princess Yongning wouldn't use her means to find out. If Princess Yongning also knew about this and sent people to investigate, Haitang and Du Juan, being two vulnerable women, would find it difficult to hide, no matter how vast the world was.

What had been an almost negligible hope had now suddenly borne news, suggesting that this hope might be real. The joy in Jiang Li's heart was as overwhelming as when she had learned that Xue Huaiyuan was still alive, and she could hardly conceal her expression.

She quickly read the letter, skimming through it line by line, but as she read on, her gaze grew heavy.

Good news always seemed to come with bad. Bai Xue's family wrote in the letter that, as Bai Xue had previously asked them to inquire, there was indeed a family by the rice shop in the west of Zao Hua Village with a daughter named Haitang. However, that girl's parents had long passed away, and now only two young boys remained. It was said that their sister, the girl named Haitang, had become a maidservant for an official's daughter many years ago.

A few months ago, a girl arrived in Zao Hua Village. No one knew her name or her relationship to the two boys, but she lived in their home. Bai Xue's family happened to pass by once and heard the two boys call her 'sister,' leading them to speculate whether she might be the Haitang that Bai Xue had asked about.

However, based on Jiang Li's description relayed by Bai Xue, Haitang was supposed to be tall, slender, fair, and quite pretty. This newly arrived girl did not match that description. Though she was tall and thin, her appearance was shockingly ugly, with two long knife scars on her cheeks, the flesh torn and gruesome. At the end of the letter, Bai Xue's father expressed puzzlement, remarking that if a girl with such scars could serve as a maidservant for an official's daughter, then it was no surprise that Bai Xue could become a close maidservant for a high official's daughter.

Jiang Li nearly lost her grip on the letter. Steadying herself, she read it twice more, paying particular attention to the parts about Haitang. The more she read, the more certain she became—this person was almost certainly Haitang.But how had Haitang become like this? Where had Dujuan gone? In his letter, Bai Xue's father mentioned that a strange girl had come to Zaohua Village, only one person, not two. And at the time, she had told Haitang and Dujuan to flee together. Dujuan had no one to rely on and couldn't possibly have gone elsewhere—she must have stayed with Haitang. But now only Haitang remained. Could it be that Dujuan... Jiang Li didn't dare to think further, especially after learning that Haitang's appearance had been completely ruined, which made her unable to stop her wild speculations. Had these two girls fallen victim to foul play? Or had they encountered something terrible on their escape? The more she thought about it, the more troubled she became, and Jiang Li's expression grew extremely grim.

Tong'er and Bai Xue rarely saw Jiang Li with such an expression. They instinctively glanced at each other, both equally baffled. Especially Tong'er, who had practically grown up with Jiang Li and knew everything about her. But she had never heard of a maid named Haitang, much less understood what relationship Haitang had with Jiang Li that could affect the young lady's emotions so deeply. Her curiosity about this never-before-seen Haitang grew even stronger.

Jiang Li said, "Bai Xue, go and make preparations. I'm going to the Ye residence."

"Ah?" Bai Xue was taken aback and reminded her, "Young lady, you've already been to the Ye residence today. You just returned from there."

Jiang Li finally snapped back to reality. Right, she had already visited the Ye residence today. Although she had actually spent most of the day at the Duke’s mansion, in the eyes of the Jiang family, she had left for the Ye residence in the morning and only returned in the evening. It would be unreasonable to leave for the Ye residence again now.

Pressing down her nausea, Jiang Li realized she had been so frantic that her thoughts were muddled. She said, "Then I’ll go to the Ye residence first thing tomorrow morning." She needed to send someone to Zaohua Village as soon as possible to bring Haitang to Yanjing City. Firstly, she had no idea what condition Haitang was in, and staying in Zaohua Village might not be safe. If she could find traces of Haitang, Princess Yongning certainly could as well. Secondly, if the affair between Shen Yurong and Yongning were exposed, and the truth about Xue Fangfei’s alleged adultery came to light, Haitang would be a crucial witness to testify that Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning had conspired to murder and eliminate an heir.

No matter what, she had to bring Haitang back. After much thought, she realized she had no one trustworthy in the Jiang family to rely on, so she could only turn to the Ye family for help. After all, Ye Mingyu had plenty of connections in the martial world. As long as Ye Mingyu’s men went to fetch Haitang, it should be no problem.

"Young lady, are you alright?" Bai Xue asked cautiously.

"I’m fine," Jiang Li forced a smile. "Bai Xue, let me burn this letter for you."

Bai Xue nodded. "As you wish, young lady." Though she didn’t know how important the contents of the letter were, judging by Jiang Li’s expression, the news about that Haitang girl was clearly no simple matter. Since she didn’t understand it herself, she would let Jiang Li handle it.

Jiang Li walked to the fireplace and tossed the letter into the flames. Watching the flames rise and consume the paper until nothing remained, she let out a soft sigh of relief.

She sat back down at the desk.

Perhaps because the initial shock had passed, she now felt calmer and began to see the flaws in her earlier reasoning.

While Ye Mingyu was indeed a man of the martial world, because of her connection to him, Princess Yongning’s people were likely keeping an eye on the Ye residence. If Ye Mingyu made any moves, Princess Yongning would surely send followers, which would inevitably expose Haitang’s existence. Moreover, if Ye Mingyu went to Zaohua Village in person, there would be no one left to protect Xue Huaiyuan at the Ye residence. If Yongning secretly plotted against him, Xue Huaiyuan might fall victim to her schemes. If Ye Mingyu didn’t go to Zaohua Village himself, Jiang Li couldn’t trust anyone else to do it.

Most importantly, while Ye Mingyu was highly skilled in martial arts, it was uncertain whether he could prevail against the assassins Yongning might send. If both sides suffered losses and Ye Mingyu were harmed, Jiang Li would regret it deeply. She genuinely cared for this uncle of hers and hoped he would remain safe and healthy.

Asking Ye Mingyu for help was not ideal. Who else could she turn to?

Just as Jiang Li was hesitating, her fingertips brushed against the porcelain whistle in her sleeve.

That’s right—she still had Zhao Ke. Although Zhao Ke was only one person, he was from the Duke’s mansion. Ji Heng had even spoken to her today, telling her to feel free to blow the whistle whenever she needed. If Ye Mingyu might struggle to handle the assassins sent by Princess Yongning, the situation would be entirely different with someone from the Duke’s mansion. Jiang Li was quite certain of two things: first, the Duke’s men would not let this matter leak out, and second, even if it were exposed, Yongning’s forces would be no match for the Duke’s men in a confrontation.

After careful consideration, asking Zhao Ke to handle this matter—or rather, asking Zhao Ke to find trustworthy people to carry out the task—was the best choice.The only downside to this matter was that Ji Heng now knew of Haitang's existence and would surely question her connection to Haitang—why she was investigating Haitang would inevitably reveal the intricate ties between her and Xue Fangfei.

But one cannot cover all bases in every endeavor. Future troubles could be dealt with later. For now, she must find Haitang.

Jiang Li blew the whistle.

The last day of June has arrived! We've spent another June together!

(End of Chapter)