The Double

Chapter 147: Sincerity

"Xiao Deyin, and everyone in the Shen family," Haitang said.

The lamplight was dim, perhaps because the wick was too long. A faint breeze from outside made the flame flicker, nearly extinguishing it for a moment. Jiang Li steadied herself, picked up the silver scissors nearby, and trimmed the wick shorter. The flame stabilized, and the shadows in the room ceased to waver.

"Why do you say that?" Jiang Li asked.

Haitang didn't answer directly but looked at Jiang Li and asked, "Can I trust you?"

Haitang was a calm, rational, and resolute girl. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been ruthless enough to disfigure her own face to evade the authorities. But the fact that she could ask this question now showed that, in this vast world, she no longer knew whom she could trust. She needed to find someone to rely on, a reason to keep living.

Jiang Li's heart ached at the sight of Haitang, as if she were looking at her past self. She said gently, "You can trust me. Like you, I want the truth to come to light and for Xue Fangfei to be cleared of all accusations."

Haitang seemed moved by the sincerity in her eyes. After a long pause, she slowly said, "That day, at Madam Shen's birthday banquet, Xiao Deyin came. She and the young lady were close friends and often played the qin together. That afternoon, Xiao Deyin kept drinking with the madam. The madam was pregnant and not good at drinking, so she only agreed to a little. But Xiao Deyin pretended to be upset and insisted on finishing a whole cup with her."

"I found it strange. Miss Xiao had always been gentle and considerate, never one to force others, especially not the young lady. But the young lady didn't think much of it, and as a servant, I couldn't openly criticize Xiao Deyin."

"Later, the young lady got drunk. I was about to help her back to her room when Xiao Deyin's maid pestered me, saying she couldn't find the way to the kitchen and needed to fetch some sobering soup. By the time I returned from the kitchen, the young lady had disappeared. They said Miss Xiao had taken her back to her room."

"Shortly after, Xiao Deyin returned alone, saying the young lady was resting in her room. Not long after, someone discovered a man in the young lady's room, accusing her of adultery."

Haitang's voice filled with bitterness as she continued, "We were with the young lady day and night and knew she was innocent, incapable of such a thing. But the evidence was overwhelming. Later, as I thought about it more, Xiao Deyin's actions that day were highly suspicious. I wanted to gather more evidence to confirm she had framed the young lady, but before I could, the young lady drove me and Dujuan away." She let out a bitter laugh. "Even if I had told the young lady, she might not have believed me. After all, Xiao Deyin had no apparent reason to harm her. She wasn't ambitious or greedy, always gentle-natured, and she and the young lady had always been on good terms. I couldn't find any motive for her to do such a thing."

Jiang Li shook her head gently. "The human heart is hard to fathom. Anything could be a motive."

"You believe me?" Haitang started.

"I do," Jiang Li replied. Of course she believed. In her previous life, confined to her sickbed in the Shen residence, she had recalled the details of that day countless times. The more she thought about it, the more suspicious Xiao Deyin seemed. As for why Xiao Deyin had done it, she had agonized over it in her past life without finding an answer. But after the Six Arts Examination in this life, she had finally grasped a clue.

It was nothing more than jealousy.Jealousy makes one ugly, especially when Xiao Deyin pretends to be aloof and ethereal on the surface, yet cannot tolerate anyone surpassing her. She conceals her ambition and selfishness beneath a facade of generosity and gentleness, which is precisely what makes her most repulsive.

Jiang Li paused briefly before continuing, "Then, what do you mean by 'everyone in the Shen family'?"

Haitang's gaze shifted, and she suddenly let out a cold laugh. "Don't you find it strange? When the rumor of the young lady's affair emerged, she kept defending herself, yet not a single person in the Shen family was willing to listen. Such a scandal would also tarnish the Shen family's reputation, yet instead of investigating the peculiarities, they seemed eager to pin the blame on the young lady. Especially the young master."

Jiang Li's heart skipped a beat. "Shen Yurong? What did he do?"

Hearing Jiang Li refer to Shen Yurong by his full name, Haitang was momentarily taken aback but quickly brushed aside her confusion. "Before the marriage, the young master was exceedingly attentive to the young lady. After the wedding, our young lady followed him to Yanjing City. In an unfamiliar place, with the demanding Madam Shen and Miss Shen, our young lady handled everything personally, suffering countless grievances in secret. Each time, the young master would apologize but never made any changes. He would rather let the young lady endure hardships than mildly reprimand Madam Shen or Miss Shen. But that's not all," she said bitterly. "When the incident happened, as her husband, he should have trusted her unconditionally. But what did he do? He said nothing and even blamed her—it was like cutting her flesh!"

"Others think that not divorcing or punishing her shows his deep affection and loyalty. How ridiculous!" Haitang's words came faster, as if unleashing all her pent-up anger. "That's not the case at all. Our young lady was completely innocent and even lost a child for nothing, yet he never did anything. Pretending to be devoted on the surface—who doesn't know he had already changed his heart!"

At these last words, Jiang Li's heart trembled violently. She asked slowly, "What do you mean by 'changed his heart'?"

Haitang seemed to realize what she had revealed and clamped her mouth shut, a flicker of panic in her expression.

Jiang Li gave her no chance to remain silent. "Did you discover that Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning were having an affair?"

"How do you know?" Haitang shot to her feet, unable to hide her shock.

Understanding dawned on Jiang Li. She patted Haitang's hand and said, "Sit down first. Speak slowly."

Haitang sat back down, her gaze filled with wariness and confusion as she pressed again, "How do you know?"

"After Xue Fangfei's death, I was entrusted to investigate this matter thoroughly. I found out that Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning had an unspeakable relationship. It was precisely because of this that the Xue family met with sudden disaster, Xue Fangfei died, and the charge of adultery was pinned on her."

"You... you mean," Haitang gasped in horror, "it was Princess Yongning who did it? She wanted to take over the Shen family, so she harmed our young lady and destroyed the entire Xue family!"

Jiang Li nodded.

"That venomous woman!""Now can you tell me why you said you had long known Shen Yurong developed disloyal intentions? Perhaps you discovered Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning together long ago?" Jiang Li asked. In her previous life, by the time she learned of their affair, Jiang Li was already bedridden and on the verge of death. She never imagined her personal maid had known about this all along.

"I wasn't certain," Haitang calmed herself before slowly recalling, "That was when my lady had just become pregnant, and the young master had just achieved the top scholar title. The entire residence was filled with joy. I accompanied my lady daily during her pregnancy. One day while shopping outside the residence, I saw the household carriage parked in front of a teahouse - the one the young master normally used. Thinking he might be inside having tea, I was about to leave when I saw the young master and a young woman emerge one after another."

"I had accompanied my lady to banquets before and recognized this woman as Prince Cheng's sister, Princess Yongning. The young master hadn't done anything improper, but Princess Yongning's gaze was quite telling. I understand the look of a woman in love, and Princess Yongning's eyes were clearly filled with admiration for the young master."

"But I didn't dare tell my lady. Firstly, she was in delicate health during pregnancy and shouldn't be troubled by such matters - any disturbance to the pregnancy would have been disastrous. Secondly, this was only my personal observation, as what I witnessed showed the young master didn't display any special behavior toward Princess Yongning. It seemed to be one-sided affection from the princess."

"I thought it was a minor matter. The young master already had our lady as his wife, and a royal princess would never become someone's concubine. Even if Princess Yongning had feelings for the young master, there was nothing she could do. Yet for some reason, I couldn't let this matter go. Later I noticed that whenever there were important banquets where the young master attended, Princess Yongning would invariably be present. I didn't know if I was overthinking, but I actually felt some resentment toward the young master."

"If the young master truly didn't want Princess Yongning's attention, he could have been more dismissive or colder to make her retreat. That Princess Yongning persisted so relentlessly must mean the young master's attitude wasn't firm enough." Haitang let out a soft sigh, as if still troubled by these memories. "My lady has a soft heart and always considers the young master's feelings. Even if I had told her, she would likely have pretended not to know. And being pregnant, she couldn't have done anything anyway."

"Who would have thought... such things would happen..."

After hearing Haitang's account, Jiang Li didn't know what to feel. She never expected that signs of these events had appeared so early in her previous life. But because she had shown such deep affection for Shen Yurong and been so accommodating, Haitang didn't dare voice her suspicions, fearing to hurt her, which ultimately led to tragedy.

"If I had known Princess Yongning harbored evil intentions and the young master was letting the wolf through the door, I should have told my lady about Princess Yongning earlier! Then my lady could have been cautious and wouldn't have fallen prey to Princess Yongning's schemes unprepared!"

"You're wrong," Jiang Li said calmly. "Even if you had told your lady early about Princess Yongning's affection for Shen Yurong, she still wouldn't have avoided this outcome. Because while she could guard against Princess Yongning, she couldn't guard against the person sharing her bed."Haitang frowned, "What do you mean by that?"

"Xue Fangfei did not die by Princess Yongning's hand alone—she died by the hands of both Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong. Shen Yurong knew early on that Princess Yongning intended to harm his wife, yet he stood by and did nothing. So, it was impossible for Xue Fangfei to survive. When her husband conspired with an outsider, given her gentle nature, she had no way to resist."

She knew her past self had been too soft-hearted, too trusting of Shen Yurong, unaware of the cruelty and complexity of human hearts. Had she not died once, how could she see so clearly now? How could Jiang Li live with such clarity and detachment?

"I didn't know... I didn't know..." Haitang murmured. "After what happened to you, Miss, I had a shameful thought—perhaps the master would take this chance to divorce you and marry Princess Yongning. That this was all a scheme to smoothly bring Princess Yongning into the Shen family. But the master never showed any intention of divorcing you, so I thought I was overthinking it. Even though you suffered day by day, I believed that after so many years of marriage, the master would eventually soften. As long as this knot was untied and we found a way to uncover the truth, there was still hope for a good outcome."

"I never imagined that instead of divorcing you, he would kill you." As soon as the words left her mouth, Haitang suddenly looked up at Jiang Li, her tone fierce, as if demanding an answer. "Why would he do this? Why be so ruthless? If it was just to let Princess Yongning marry into the Shen family, divorcing you would have been enough. Why go to such extremes and take your life?"

"Because Princess Yongning wanted it." In contrast, Jiang Li's tone and expression were much calmer. She said, "If Xue Fangfei were alive, she would remain a thorn in Princess Yongning's heart, a constant reminder that Shen Yurong once belonged to Xue Fangfei. For someone as possessive as Princess Yongning, that is an unforgivable sin. Moreover, if Xue Fangfei lived, she would surely continue investigating the affair. If it were discovered that she had been framed, complications would inevitably arise. To end it once and for all, to remove the thorn in her side, Xue Fangfei had to die."

"As for Shen Yurong, it's even simpler. From the moment he chose to stand by and do nothing, he was bound to comply with any decision Princess Yongning made. He had no right to oppose—perhaps because he never wanted to oppose in the first place."

The truth felt brutally cruel—that even between husband and wife, such betrayal could exist. Haitang looked at Jiang Li. This unfamiliar girl spoke gently and calmly, without the same agitation, yet somehow, her demeanor held a faint trace of familiarity.

It was as if she had seen her somewhere before, making it hard for Haitang to feel any dislike. She realized that, faced with this Second Miss Jiang, she had unknowingly revealed everything she knew. Her mind told her to be cautious, but when facing Jiang Li, she couldn't help but trust.

Perhaps it was because the nearly year-long flight and hardship had worn her down too much. Bearing such pressure alone, only to suddenly have someone gently take her hand and offer to share the burden—someone with the same goal—made her instinctively want to rely on that person, to trust, to seek an ally. She was unwilling to question whether hidden motives or exploitation lay beneath.Jiang Li said, "I believe that the sudden official warrant for you and Dujuan back then was also Princess Yongning's doing. She is on good terms with the Magistrate of the Capital, so it would be effortless for her to bribe the authorities into such actions. She could use the government's reputation to convict and kill you while erasing all traces—this shows she does not operate in an upright manner."

"She is truly... too vicious!" Haitang gritted her teeth.

"Your young lady released you two back then, only guarding against Shen's mother's schemes, but she never anticipated Princess Yongning's involvement. This led to Dujuan losing her life for nothing—it was an oversight on her part." Jiang Li sighed, filled with self-reproach. If she had thought more deeply at the time, perhaps these two maidservants wouldn't have suffered such a tragic fate.

"Second Miss Jiang, you are mistaken. Our young lady treated us without any fault; even in such perilous times, she still thought of protecting us. We are merely servants, born to serve our masters—how could we deserve such protection from her? The blame lies with that adulterous couple, who committed such murderous and lineage-destroying deeds. If Heaven has eyes, may they be condemned to the eighteenth level of hell!"

"Why pray to Heaven?" Jiang Li said calmly. "If Heaven had eyes, such tragedies would never occur in this world. It's better to rely on ourselves."

Haitang looked at her and asked doubtfully, "Second Miss Jiang, though I don't know who entrusted you, may I ask—are you here to help clear our young lady's name?"

"Yes," Jiang Li replied.

Haitang gazed at her for a moment, then suddenly stood up and knelt, kowtowing twice to Jiang Li. "Haitang is but a servant, with nothing of value to offer. If you can seek justice for our young lady, I am willing to pay any price you ask!"

Xue Fangfei was already dead; in principle, Haitang was free—no longer anyone's servant, able to live as she pleased. Yet she had stayed for the Xue family.

Jiang Li helped her up and said, "I don't want you to pay any price. You only need to live well. As long as you are alive, you are evidence of Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning's crimes. With you here, when the truth comes to light one day, you will be the witness." She smiled. "I will do everything in my power to protect you, ensure they cannot find you, and let you live in peace. Just wait for the day when the Xue family's case is brought back into the light, and you will achieve your wish."

These words brought hot tears to Haitang's eyes. She had lived in darkness for so long that she no longer dared to hope for light, knowing she could never reach it—so she stopped thinking about it altogether. Now, suddenly, someone had appeared, telling her that the darkness was nearing its end, and if she kept going, she would see the dawn.

Amidst sorrow, a glimmer of light was like a drowning person clutching at a life-saving straw—unwilling to let go no matter what.

Jiang Li spoke with Haitang a while longer, carefully inquiring about the events she and Dujuan experienced while evading the soldiers. Haitang also learned from Jiang Li about Xue Huaiyuan's imprisonment and subsequent rescue, expressing great surprise. Having hidden in Zaohua Village to avoid the authorities, she had been unaware of such changes in the Xue family. Jiang Li promised that in a few days, she would take Haitang to the Ye family to meet Xue Huaiyuan in person.It wasn't until the oil in the lamp had burned out that Jiang Li finally left the room. The Duke's residence had sent several servants to attend to Haitang, but she was always wary of others and easily tense. It had taken considerable effort to get her to rest peacefully for a while.

Beside the stone table in the courtyard, Ji Heng sat quietly, with Wen Ji holding an umbrella behind him to shield him from the drifting snowflakes.

When Jiang Li stepped out, Ji Heng motioned for Wen Ji to bring the umbrella over to her.

Snowflakes fell thick and fast onto his crimson robe, adorning it with a shimmering brilliance. He asked, "Finished talking?"

"Finished."

Ji Heng raised an eyebrow. "You don't seem too enthusiastic."

Jiang Li forced a smile. Anyone who learned of such a matter would hardly be in high spirits. She parted her lips hesitantly, then closed them again without speaking. Noticing this, Ji Heng merely smiled and said, "If you have a request, you can speak directly. No need to hem and haw."

"Miss Jiuyue..." Jiang Li began, "Could you please ask Miss Jiuyue to examine the wound on Haitang's face? I know it might be asking too much—the scar is deep—but I still hope she could take a look, even if it only helps to fade the scar a little."

To evade the pursuing soldiers, Haitang had resorted to disfiguring her own face, though she had once been a delicate and lovely girl. Now, in this state—neither fully human nor ghost—even if Haitang said nothing, Jiang Li could sense her inner despair. Since Situ Jiuyue was a renowned physician, she might have some methods of her own.

"Agreed," Ji Heng said. "I'll have her come tomorrow."

"Thank you." Jiang Li murmured softly, "These past days, I've been deeply indebted to the Duke's care. I am truly grateful. I don't know how I can ever repay your kindness, I... but I sincerely thank the Duke, from the bottom of my heart."

"Sincerity is the cheapest of all. I have no use for it." Ji Heng looked at her with an amused smile. "Why not ensure this play reaches a satisfactory conclusion? That would make my efforts worthwhile."

Jiang Li smiled faintly. "I will do my best."

"What did you learn from her?" Ji Heng asked.

After a moment's thought, Jiang Li decided not to conceal it. "How Yongning and Shen Yurong framed Xue Fangfei for adultery."

A flicker of surprise passed through Ji Heng's eyes, as if he hadn't expected such a direct answer. After a pause, he asked, "What do you plan to do?"

"Follow the clues," Jiang Li replied. "In this frame-up, there's another key figure: Xiao Deyin, the current qin instructor at Guangwen Hall. From what Haitang implied, during Shen's mother's birthday celebration, Xiao Deyin might have been the one who drugged Xue Fangfei. I think if we can track down Xiao Deyin, either have her confess and implicate Princess Yongning, or make Yongning panic and expose herself through her own mistakes."

Ji Heng nodded. "Not a bad plan. But Yongning won't be easy to deal with."

"I know," Jiang Li said. "But targeting Yongning would also strike a blow against Prince Cheng. In a way, I'd be helping you, wouldn't I?" She smiled.

"Helping me?" Ji Heng seemed to find this amusing. "Why would I want to strike a blow against Prince Cheng?""Of course your goal wasn't to strike against Prince Cheng - you needn't bother, as the balance of courtly influence you desired had already been achieved. Now you wish for His Majesty to disrupt this situation, with the final outcome being Prince Cheng's defeat and His Majesty's victory. Naturally, Prince Cheng must become the sacrificial offering. As for His Majesty winning this conflict with minimal losses, that too is an outcome you'd be pleased to witness." Jiang Li smiled faintly. "Any objective you wish to accomplish, if I can be of assistance, I'm willing to help. It's just a pity that as someone insignificant with little influence, what I can do is merely trivial." She let out a soft sigh as if genuinely regretful.

Wen Ji and Zhao Ke simultaneously twitched the corners of their mouths.

There are few in this world who can guess Ji Heng's thoughts, and even if they do, they likely wouldn't dare to voice them so plainly. How many people in this world can tolerate someone who can read their mind living alongside them? That's why so many feign ignorance while understanding perfectly. Yet Jiang Li never conceals her shrewdness—is this audacity or naivety?

Ji Heng withdrew his smile and gazed quietly at Jiang Li. He was a peerless beauty in this world, and when he looked deeply at you, he unconsciously captivated your soul. Yet his gaze was cold, bitterly cold, like a snowy winter night devoid of any warmth.

After a long while, he finally murmured softly, "You know everything."

Jiang Li remained silent.

"Ali, this is you pledging allegiance to me." He curved his lips, his voice languid. "You're laying all your cards on the table—to put me at ease?"

"It's sincerity exchanged for sincerity," Jiang Li corrected him. She had no choice; she had to rely on Ji Heng's power, even more than the Jiang family's support. Yet she had nothing to repay him with, and Ji Heng didn't need her repayment. All she could do was gather fragments of intelligence from the current situation and relay them faithfully to Ji Heng.

She was telling him: See, I harbor no ulterior motives. I stand with you, so we are allies.

Ji Heng said, "I accept your sincerity. As for what you can repay me with, first accomplish the task at hand."

He didn't refuse.

Jiang Li smiled. "Alright."

After Jiang Li left the Duke's residence, Zhao Ke followed suit. Haitang remained at the Duke's residence—after all, her identity was too sensitive. Even though she had disfigured herself, to ensure absolute safety from Yongning's detection, the Duke's residence was the most secure place. After all, Yongning's people wouldn't dare to surveil the Duke's residence.

Ji Heng didn't return indoors but remained seated in the courtyard. The snow seemed to have lightened considerably, and Wen Ji no longer held up an umbrella. Amid the vast whiteness, only a striking, abrupt red stood out vividly.

He still sat there, as if unaffected by the cold. Snowflakes had gently kissed his eyelashes, leaving a faint, fuzzy white that made him appear even more enchanting.

This cunning girl had taken the initiative to pledge allegiance, yet he found himself perplexed. Indeed, Jiang Li had nothing to repay him with. If initially it was merely for amusement—to see what would remain of this man-eating flower after being thrown into the garden of Yanjing City to fight—now, what he had invested far exceeded the mental energy required for mere spectatorship.

Was he the kind of person who gave without seeking returns? No, he wouldn't expend an ounce of effort on matters devoid of benefit.

Then why was he doing this? This wasn't an exceptionally brilliant drama that one must watch or regret for a lifetime. In some aspects, it had no connection to his life at all. Yet unconsciously, he had invested so much that he often found himself paying attention without realizing it.

He had gone too far.

Ji Heng frowned slightly.

A beauty's frown should be a lovely sight, especially when those amber eyes held a trace of bewildered confusion—both alluring and innocent, as if seeking an unknown answer.

Could it be that the reward for such efforts was merely a verbal declaration of "sincerity"?True feelings are nothing but useless waste, existing only for a fleeting moment—like spring blossoms that bloom briefly, never eternal. Once time passes, they swiftly wither, becoming unsightly and foul-smelling. They rot into mud, leaving no trace of their existence behind.

He needs neither true feelings nor companions.

He asks nothing of this world.

(End of Chapter)