The Double

Chapter 154: Assassination

The next day, Jiang Li decided to go to the Duke's residence.

The Jiang family thought she was going to visit Ye Mingyu and readily allowed her to leave. Jiang Li did indeed first go to the Ye family to see Ye Mingyu and Ye Shijie, and to check on Xue Huaiyuan. Xue Huaiyuan had improved somewhat compared to previous days. Unlike when he first arrived in Yanjing City, when he would often wave his arms and dance about like a child, these days he appeared more like an adult, though he frequently sat alone in a daze, lost in thought.

If, as Situ Jiuyue had said, Xue Huaiyuan was gradually recovering, perhaps one day, through his constant pondering, he would remember the past. Jiang Li felt both joy and fear at the prospect of that day arriving. She was happy because it meant she could finally reveal her identity to her father, but she was afraid because of his advanced age and how he might bear the weight of the calamities that had befallen the Xue family over the past six months.

After leaving the Ye family, Jiang Li had the carriage driven near the Duke's residence and arrived at its entrance. She had already made arrangements with Ji Heng the previous night to visit Haitang today.

The handsome young servant at the Duke's residence gate, upon seeing Jiang Li, immediately opened the door without a word to welcome her in. Tong'er and Bai Xue were both astonished, wondering when their young lady had become such an honored guest at the Duke's residence, or whether their relationship had become so familiar that entering was as effortless as visiting the Ye family.

Jiang Li didn't dwell on it and stepped directly inside.

Her memory was excellent; she could retrace any path she had taken without needing reminders. Thus, she easily navigated the Duke's residence's complex corridors and arrived at the courtyard in front of Ji Heng's study. Whenever she met Ji Heng indoors, it was always in this study.

She had intended to first see Ji Heng and inform him of her arrival. Unexpectedly, only Wen Ji was outside. Wen Ji looked at her and said, "My lord went out today and will not return until evening. Before leaving, he instructed me that if Second Miss Jiang comes, she may proceed directly to the west wing, where Miss Haitang resides. Miss Jiuyue is also at the residence today. After seeing Miss Haitang, if you wish to meet Miss Jiuyue, return here to find me, and I will take you to her."

Jiang Li was slightly surprised that Ji Heng was not there. However, though he was absent, he had arranged everything meticulously, which showed considerable thoughtfulness. Jiang Li said, "Thank you, Brother Wen Ji."

Wen Ji hastily declined the gratitude and led Jiang Li to the west wing entrance, saying, "This is the west wing."

Jiang Li nodded, instructed Tong'er and Bai Xue to wait outside, and pushed the door open to enter.

Inside, Haitang was sitting at a table, wiping it down. She felt quite uncomfortable staying at the Duke's residence, as she was accustomed to serving others and had never been served herself. Moreover, most of the people in the Duke's residence were male servants, who were hardly suitable to attend to her. Thus, she politely declined the assigned servants and took care of her own daily needs.

However, she often didn't know what to do with herself, unsure of what was permissible, and with no one to talk to, she could only find small tasks to keep busy.

Hearing movement outside, Haitang turned abruptly. Recognizing Jiang Li, she was taken aback but remembered Jiang Li's status and quickly stood up to bow, saying, "Second Miss Jiang."Jiang Li carefully examined Haitang's face. Although Situ Jiuyue repeatedly claimed to be a poison user rather than a healer, the two terrifying scars on Haitang's face now showed no trace at all. Her smooth, delicate skin overlapped in Jiang Li's mind with the image of the pretty girl from the past.

Haitang noticed Jiang Li studying her face and couldn't help touching her own cheek. She smiled at Jiang Li and said, "The scars on my face have completely healed, thanks to Miss Jiuyue's medical skills. It looks exactly as it did before."

"Indeed," Jiang Li sighed, "there's no difference at all."

Haitang found this somewhat strange - Jiang Li's tone sounded as if she had seen her before, which was impossible. But she assumed Jiang Li was just expressing emotion and didn't think too much of it.

"How have you been staying here these days?" Jiang Li asked. "Are you settling in well?"

"Everything in the Duke's residence is fine," Haitang lowered her head, "but I'm not used to having nothing to do. Second Miss Jiang," she suddenly looked up, her gaze firm, "that day you said that as long as I live, I can become evidence to avenge my young lady. I boldly presume that Second Miss Jiang intends to clear my young lady of those trumped-up charges and expose the true culprit to the public. I wish to contribute - may I ask when Second Miss Jiang plans to act?"

Though her tone was calm, her eyes revealed barely restrained urgency. Jiang Li sighed inwardly - Haitang had always been loyal and rational, yet even shortly after surviving such an ordeal, she was still thinking about this matter.

"There's no hurry about this," Jiang Li said. "I'm already making preparations. When the time comes that I need you, you'll naturally make your appearance."

"I... don't know who to trust in this world now, nor who I can talk to," Haitang said somewhat lost. "When the Xue family still existed, the master, young master, and young lady were my entire world. But now, the master has gone mad, the young master and young lady are dead, and my sisters have either died or scattered. Though the world is vast, there's no place for me." She smiled self-mockingly. "I was sold as a maid at five and long lost contact with my family. Later when I returned to Zaohua Village, though I had two younger brothers, we weren't close. Besides, I can't discuss these matters with them."

Jiang Li could empathize deeply - for Haitang, everything from the past was gone. Even if she wanted to start over, she didn't know how. To Yanjing City, she was practically a stranger with no friends or family, and without Xue Fangfei.

"Haitang," Jiang Li said softly, "after Xue Fangfei's case is resolved and the murderer is brought to justice, you won't have to fear being recognized and silenced. Then I'll send you to the Ye family to serve County Magistrate Xue."

"Really?" Haitang asked.

"Really," Jiang Li replied. County Magistrate Xue should have someone to care for him. But Jiang Li didn't trust anyone now - Ye Mingyu could provide care, but being a rough man, he wasn't particularly attentive. If Haitang stayed with Xue Huaiyuan, she could naturally provide meticulous care. Moreover, for Haitang, Xue Huaiyuan was someone familiar who could make her feel less lonely and useless.Haitang said, "Second Miss Jiang, I... I truly have no way to repay you." She was somewhat incoherent.

Jiang Li patted her hand and spoke gently, "Don't be like this. I didn't do these things for your repayment. If I want anything, it's simply for the culprit to be thoroughly punished. If you feel uneasy or think you owe me too much, consider it this way: I share the same enemy as you. Helping you is ultimately for my own sake. Doesn't that make you feel much more at ease?" She smiled.

Haitang stared blankly at the young girl before her. The girl was still very young, with skin as white as snow. Though she was clever and lovely, she wasn't as stunningly beautiful as her own lady. Yet Haitang felt that this girl's every gesture carried a shadow of Xue Fangfei.

Especially her smile—it seemed capable of soothing all worries and bringing peace to the heart.

Just like her lady.

For some inexplicable reason, Haitang felt drawn to this young miss before her.

Jiang Li added, "These days, don't overthink anything. Although you can't leave the estate, it's for your own safety. If Princess Yongning's people see you're still alive, they'll surely try every means to harm you. If you must go out for anything, ask Wen Ji to accompany you, but it's best not to." At this point, she seemed somewhat embarrassed. "The Duke and I aren't as familiar as you might think. I've already imposed on him quite shamelessly during this time, so..."

Haitang, being a clever girl, immediately said, "This servant understands. I won't make things difficult for Second Miss."

Jiang Li breathed a sigh of relief, spoke a few more comforting words to Haitang, and then left the room.

Wen Ji was still standing guard outside. Jiang Li approached him and said, "I'd like to see Miss Jiuyue. Could you take me to her, young brother Wen Ji?"

Wen Ji agreed and led her in another direction.

Situ Jiuyue was in her room refining medicine—or so it seemed. She was probably using local resources, as a silver bucket beside her contained a large bunch of flowers that looked very familiar. Jiang Li suddenly remembered—these were exactly the flowers from the Duke's garden!

Those flowers were highly poisonous, perfectly suited for Situ Jiuyue to use in her medicines. Dressed entirely in black amidst the colorful array of flowers in the room, she didn't seem out of place at all.

Jiang Li said, "Miss Jiuyue."

Situ Jiuyue turned around, saw it was her, and put down what she was holding. "You're here," she said.

Her demeanor suggested she had long expected Jiang Li's visit.

"I just saw Haitang. Her face has completely healed. Thank you for your remarkable medical skills, Miss Jiuyue," Jiang Li said with a grateful smile.

"I've told you before, I'm not a physician. Treating her face followed the principle of using poison to combat poison," Situ Jiuyue replied indifferently. "It was her own perseverance that made it work. I'm surprised a mere maid could endure it."

She always refused to easily accept others' gratitude, even when doing good deeds, maintaining an air of casual assistance. Jiang Li smiled inwardly. The princess of Moran, having experienced great upheavals and wandering, would be strange indeed if she still readily offered her true heart to others. Perhaps this icy demeanor was Situ Jiuyue's way of protecting herself—her mode of survival.Situ Jiuyue looked at Jiang Li and asked, "I heard from Ji Heng that you're looking for medicine that induces false pregnancy?"

"Indeed," Jiang Li replied. "Can you make it, Miss Jiuyue?"

"Of course." When it came to this topic, Situ Jiuyue was always brimming with confidence. She said, "Fifteen days—within fifteen days, I can refine it. After the medicine is refined and taken, it will be indistinguishable from a normal woman's pregnancy. Even if imperial physicians take the pulse, they won't detect any issues."

Jiang Li felt a surge of joy in her heart and said, "That would be perfect."

"However, this medicine only works for three months. After three months, all symptoms will vanish completely. If someone checks the pulse again, they'll find no signs of pregnancy. You need to consider this when planning your actions."

Situ Jiuyue didn't ask Jiang Li who she intended to use the medicine on or why—this likely had to do with her detached nature. But this saved Jiang Li the trouble of explaining.

"Three months is sufficient," Jiang Li said with a smile. "I'll have to trouble you again, Miss Jiuyue."

"It's no trouble. Ji Heng paid me silver, so I'll naturally handle things properly." Situ Jiuyue glanced at Jiang Li and added, "You're the truly remarkable one, to have Ji Heng help you like this."

Jiang Li was startled: "He paid you?"

She had never known about this, but after saying this, Situ Jiuyue turned around and continued refining medicine. Not wanting to disturb her, Jiang Li quietly retreated from the room, gently closing the door behind her.

Her purpose for coming to the Duke's residence today had been accomplished. Since Ji Heng wasn't here either, there was no point in staying. Jiang Li exchanged a few words with Wen Ji, who then escorted her out of the residence.

While passing through the courtyard, a black creature suddenly flashed by. The sound of flapping wings was heard as the thing landed on top of a lantern under the eaves. It looked at Jiang Li and immediately called out: "Fangfei! Fangfei!"

Startled, Jiang Li followed the sound and saw the mynah from the Shen residence facing her, calling out with extreme enthusiasm and cheerfulness.

For a moment, Jiang Li didn't even register that the mynah was calling her "Fangfei," instead exclaiming in surprise, "How did it get here?"

"This is my lord's bird, called Little Red," Wen Ji said.

Jiang Li: "Little Red?"

She suddenly remembered that when Ji Heng left last night, he had said to her, "You can also visit Little Red." At the time, she had wondered who Little Red was, but before she could ask, Ji Heng had already left. She had thought Little Red was someone she knew—she never expected it to be this mynah!

Wait, wasn't it supposed to have been crushed to death by Ji Heng?

At the Shen residence, this mynah had been so noisy that Ji Heng had developed the intention to silence it permanently. Jiang Li had indeed watched as he held the mynah in his palm, slowly tightening his grip. She thought he had killed it and had felt quite sad about it. Now it appeared Ji Heng hadn't taken the bird's life after all, but had instead brought it back to the Duke's residence and given it a completely unrelated name—Little Red?

But this was clearly a black mynah!

Jiang Li looked up at Wen Ji, who remained as cold and expressionless as ever. Meanwhile, Little Red cheerfully called out to her twice more: "Fangfei! Fangfei!"

Jiang Li: "..." She was still somewhat incredulous. How exactly had this bird recognized her?However, no matter what, she couldn't stay here any longer. She stopped looking at Little Red and said, "I'll take my leave now," then departed from the Duke's residence.

Sitting in the carriage, Jiang Li reflected on everything that had happened at the Duke's residence today and found it both absurd and amusing.

What exactly was going on? She couldn't make sense of it either.

...

In Yanjing City's Gazing Immortal Pavilion, the room by the window had been reserved early as usual.

Kong Liu had just returned from outside and was terribly thirsty. He grabbed the teapot from the table and gulped down its contents. That small pot of tea was extremely precious, worth several hundred taels of silver, yet he drank it as crudely as a cow chewing peonies. Lu Ji's eyelids twitched at the sight, feeling utterly helpless.

"I say, news from Yuzhou has come through," Kong Liu said to the red-clad young man. "Prince Cheng is likely about to make his move. We need to be prepared at all times. What did the Emperor say?"

"Proceed according to the original plan," Lu Ji replied. "The key is when exactly Prince Cheng will strike and what method he'll use."

"The altar," Ji Heng said. "On May 18th, the Emperor will ascend the mountain to offer sacrifices to heaven. It's a good opportunity."

"Prince Cheng plans to—" Kong Liu made a throat-slitting gesture, "—the Emperor on the mountain? Impressive, ruthless indeed, just like Prince Cheng's style!"

"Should I try planchette writing later to see if there will be bloodshed on May 18th?" Wenren Yao interjected.

"Don't involve your fortune-telling nonsense here," Kong Liu said disdainfully. "Everyone knows your predictions are inaccurate. It's useless—better to rely on ourselves."

"In any case, all factions have now appeared," Lu Ji tapped the table, "but if His Majesty eliminates Prince Cheng this time, will he next target the Jiang family?"

"No," Ji Heng's tone was very certain.

Everyone in the room looked at him.

The corner of his lips curled up. "The big one hasn't been dealt with yet, why bother with the small one?"

The others silently pondered his words but couldn't grasp their meaning, all feeling somewhat confused. Just then, a guard entered and reported to Ji Heng, "Ye Mingyu has sent people to watch outside Xiao Deyin's residence. It appears they plan to make a move within the next day or two."

"Eh? Eh? Eh?" Wenren Yao couldn't help exclaiming. "Isn't Ye Mingyu Second Miss Jiang's uncle? Why are they watching Xiao Deyin?"

"Xiao Deyin seems to be the music teacher at Mingyi Hall," Kong Liu stroked his chin. "Is there some grudge between them?"

Lu Ji chuckled lightly: "Ye Mingyu and Xiao Deyin have no enmity between them—where would any grudge come from? Without a doubt, it must be Second Miss Jiang's idea. Ye Mingyu obeys Second Miss Jiang completely, though we don't know what has happened between Second Miss Jiang and Xiao Deyin." He looked at Ji Heng—among them, Ji Heng was the one most closely connected to Second Miss Jiang.

"Perhaps Xiao Deyin was too strict with Second Miss Jiang before, and she's held a grudge. But that doesn't seem right—Second Miss Jiang isn't that petty. Besides, she ranked first in the Six Arts Examination and plays the zither quite well. Even that old man Mian Ju praised her, which shows she's skilled. What could be the problem?"

Ji Heng ignored them and simply instructed the guard: "Assign some people to watch those sent by Ye Mingyu. Don't let them cause trouble."

This meant he intended to clean up after Ye Mingyu.The guard departed with his orders, leaving the others exchanging uncertain glances. Kong Liu asked, "Duke, what does this mean? Are you conducting some secret dealings behind the scenes?"

Ji Heng cast him a sidelong glance and replied indifferently, "Just drink your tea." Yet inwardly, he pondered how swiftly Jiang Li was moving, leaving Xiao Deyin no time at all to react. Her haste and eagerness in these matters were clearly aimed at bringing down Shen Yurong and Yongning.

But why such urgency? What reason could drive her to such impatience?

His lips, crimson and thin, parted as he took a sip of tea. Lowered eyelids concealed the deep thought in his eyes, unnoticed by anyone.

...

The sky darkened.

Xiao Deyin sat in her room, watching the lanterns gradually light up outside, her heart filled with melancholy.

The more one fears something, the harder it is to let it go. Ever since overhearing people discussing "Moon Over the Mountain Pass" at her door, she had repeatedly thought of Xue Fangfei. Despite her efforts to avoid dwelling on the past, nightmares clung to her like shadows. She had even dreamed of Xue Fangfei standing beside her, mocking her in a white gown, slowly drawing nearer.

As if to drag her into the pitch-dark depths of hell.

Xiao Deyin woke with a start, drenched in cold sweat, startling her maids who feared her chill had worsened. The room was soon filled with the bitter scent of medicine.

Sitting on the couch, she couldn't help but reflect that when Xue Fangfei fell ill and never left her bed after the incident, her state must have been much like her own now. She wondered what had gone through Xue Fangfei's mind back then—perhaps confusion over what had happened, perhaps despair, or maybe suspicion about the true culprit, eventually landing on her.

A shiver ran down her spine.

Xiao Deyin called for a maid and said, "I want to go out for a walk."

The maid replied, "Madam, you're not fully recovered yet. You shouldn't be moving around too much."

"It's fine," Xiao Deyin insisted. "I'll just stroll nearby and not go far. Accompany me—I feel so stifled in this room."

She felt she couldn't stay indoors any longer; being inside always led her to wild thoughts and haunting memories of the past. The room seemed to hold the ghost of Xue Fangfei, and she feared being haunted by vengeful spirits or that Xue Fangfei would come for her.

She needed to be where there were people, to soak in the vitality of life, to see the bustling streets, and to reassure herself that everything from the past was over, that no one would discover what she had done, and that all would be well.

Unable to dissuade her, the maid fetched a heavy cloak, bundled Xiao Deyin up securely, placed a hand warmer in her grasp, and supported her as they stepped out.

As she crossed the threshold, Xiao Deyin felt a surge of tension, afraid she might hear the lingering strains of "Moon Over the Mountain Pass" again, that she still hadn't escaped Xue Fangfei's shadow. Fortunately, this time, no one was playing the tune nearby, and no one was discussing Yanjing's top qin master at her door.

With her maid, Xiao Deyin made her way toward the end of the alley.The streets were filled with playing children. Though evening had fallen, the lively atmosphere showed no signs of diminishing. Instead, sugar-figure vendors and street performers could be seen everywhere. Lanterns lit up one after another, dyeing the entire Yanjing City crimson and shimmering.

This was the Yanjing City she knew—bustling and vibrant, so different from the gloomy mansion. In this prosperous place, she wanted to create her own legend. At the very least, in her lifetime, she hoped to preserve the title of "Foremost Qin Master." After all, she truly loved the qin, and she truly loved the envious and jealous gazes of others.

Xiao Deyin hadn't gone far, merely strolling along the streets near her residence. Perhaps it was the presence of many people on the streets that gave her a sense of security, or perhaps it was because she hadn't encountered the haunting melody of "Moon Over the Mountain Pass" today. Her complexion had improved significantly, and her maid, noticing this, smiled and said, "Madam, you look much better now. The medicine must be taking effect."

Xiao Deyin gave a noncommittal "Hmm" and continued wandering around. She had intended to inquire about the mysterious qin master who had appeared recently, renowned for his exceptional performance of "Moon Over the Mountain Pass," and to find out whether it was common knowledge that Yanjing's top qin master had been replaced. However, when the maid she had sent to gather information returned, she told Xiao Deyin that there was no such news.

Though puzzled, Xiao Deyin felt relieved. While she didn't understand what was going on, since nothing untoward had happened, she guessed she might have been overthinking things.

After walking for a while, the sky began to darken, and Xiao Deyin and her maid headed back toward the mansion. As they reached the entrance of the alley, the maid suddenly remembered something and said, "Madam, you mentioned a few days ago that you wanted pastries from Xingdezhai. There shouldn't be a long queue at this hour, and it's not far. Please wait here for a moment. I'll be back soon."

Xiao Deyin nodded. "Go ahead." She did recall mentioning her craving for Xingdezhai's pastries a few days prior and stood waiting calmly at the alley's entrance.

The narrow alley was nearly deserted by evening. Xiao Deyin remained standing in place when two passersby approached from a distance.

Since the alley was a dead end, terminating in a wall, these two couldn't be merely passing through. Most people in the alley were either residents or visitors to nearby relatives. However, by nightfall, guests were rare. Not recognizing the two men, Xiao Deyin couldn't help but glance at them a few more times.

To her surprise, they were staring directly at her.

Startled, Xiao Deyin realized she was wearing a veil when she went out, making it impossible for others to recognize her. Even if they were ruffians, there was no need for such an intense, fixed gaze. Moreover, their eyes were peculiarly cold, like jackals eyeing their prey. Instinctively, she wanted to distance herself from them, but as they brushed past her, they suddenly turned back and advanced toward her.

Terrified, Xiao Deyin was certain they were targeting her and immediately turned to flee. But before she could take more than two steps, someone grabbed her. Being an unarmed and vulnerable woman, she tried to scream, but one of the men clamped a hand over her mouth, silencing her completely. Her eyes widened in horror, and despair slowly crept across her face.

She watched helplessly as one of the men drew a glint of a blade from his sleeve.

Just as the blade was about to strike her face, the other man abruptly pulled off Xiao Deyin's veil. His eyes lit up, and he said, "Hey, this Madam Xiao is indeed a beauty. What a waste to let her die just like that... How about it?" He leered suggestively.

Hearing this, Xiao Deyin's heart sank even further. But the other man interjected, "Stop the nonsense. Just do what the princess ordered. Do you dare complicate things?"

Princess? Xiao Deyin was stunned. What princess?

"But it's truly such a pity," the man holding the knife grumbled unwillingly, pinching Xiao Deyin's cheek. "Look, so tender it feels like you could squeeze water out of it."Xiao Deyin felt a surge of humiliation, but even more so, fear. She had no idea whom she had offended, nor who had sent these two men. Just as despair overwhelmed her, a maid's voice suddenly rang out from outside: "Sir? Sir!"

Hearing this, the two men instinctively loosened their grip. Xiao Deyin immediately pushed with all her might and screamed, "Help! Help!"

In the quiet of the night alley, such loud cries quickly drew attention. The gates of several residences opened as people followed the sound to investigate.

When Xiao Deyin turned to look, the two strangers had vanished.

(End of Chapter)