The Double

Chapter 155: The Marriage Proposal

The maid and other alarmed residents quickly rushed to Xiao Deyin’s side.

Xiao Deyin had collapsed to the ground, her veil fallen away, her face pale with terror. The maid was startled and asked, “Madam! Madam, what happened?”

“Someone—,” Xiao Deyin gasped, her face deathly white, “Someone tried to kill me!”

“Who?” The neighbors who had hurried over upon hearing the commotion glanced around but said, “We don’t see anyone. Could it be a robber? Madam Xiao, perhaps you should report this to the authorities and let them handle it.”

These were all residents of the alley, familiar with Xiao Deyin, and they eagerly offered their advice.

The maid added, “Yes, Madam, let’s go report it to the authorities now!”

At the mention of reporting to the authorities, Xiao Deyin instinctively recoiled. She coughed a few times and said, “I’m feeling terribly unwell right now. I’d like to rest in my room for a while. Once I feel better, I’ll go report it.”

Seeing her pale and unsteady state, everyone nodded in agreement. A few women stepped forward to offer comforting words before Xiao Deyin was helped into her room by the maid.

Worried that it might still be unsafe outside, the maid instructed the household guards to keep a close watch on the main gate that night and to lock it securely. She then busied herself preparing ginger soup to help calm Xiao Deyin’s nerves.

Although the alley was usually quiet, there had never been any incidents involving robbers or bandits before. What happened to Xiao Deyin was a first.

Seated on the couch in her room, Xiao Deyin waited for the ginger soup. Only cold tea was available, and in her desperate need for a drink, she reached for a teacup. But her hand trembled violently, shaking so much that she couldn’t grasp the cup. With a sharp “crack,” the teacup fell to the floor and shattered.

Hearing the noise, the maid hurried in to clean up the mess. Fortunately, it was cold tea and hadn’t scalded anyone. Staring at the large wet stain on the floor, Xiao Deyin felt her heart race as she recalled how close she had come to death.

The outsiders had speculated it was a robber who had targeted her because she was alone, but Xiao Deyin knew better. Those two men had clearly come for her from the start—they had even called her by name, indicating they were acting on someone’s orders. Yet, Xiao Deyin couldn’t recall having any enemies. The only wrongdoing she had ever committed was framing Xue Fangfei.

But the man had mentioned a princess. A princess—there was only one princess in Northern Yan now: Princess Yongning, Prince Cheng’s sister. But why would a princess of such high status want to harm her? She had never offended the princess!

Wait, she remembered now. In their haste, the man had also said, “Only the dead can keep secrets.” What did that mean? It meant they were here to silence her. But what earth-shattering secret had she learned?

Xiao Deyin was no fool. On the contrary, she was exceptionally sharp. From those few words, she had pieced together much. Yet, the deeper she thought, the more her head throbbed with pain. Was it truly the chill she had caught, or was it the guilt haunting her?

Just then, the maid brought in the freshly brewed ginger soup and said, “It’s hot, Madam. Have a sip or two to calm your nerves.”Xiao Deyin wanted to reach out and take it, but her hands were still too unsteady. The maid then attended to her, spoon-feeding the ginger soup into Xiao Deyin's mouth. As warmth spread through her stomach, her heart settled slightly. Calming her mind, Xiao Deyin pondered the matter again. Suddenly, a thought surfaced in her mind.

She had heard that Jiang Li, the daughter of the Grand Secretary, had brought a group of villagers from Tongxiang to the capital to petition the emperor. During the Imperial Council, it was even revealed that the person who had instigated the plot against Xue Huaiyuan was Princess Yongning. Although Jiang Li later voluntarily proved that this was a false accusation and fabricated evidence, rumors had already begun to spread.

Xue Huaiyuan happened to be Xue Fangfei's father.

Initially, Xiao Deyin hadn't connected these dots. But today, the assailant had referred to a princess. She thought it over and realized that her only connection to Princess Yongning was that the princess enjoyed listening to her play the qin. In the past, she had often visited the princess's residence to perform for Yongning. However, at some point, Princess Yongning had lost interest in the qin.

Wait—the time when Princess Yongning stopped summoning her to the princess's residence seemed to coincide precisely with Xue Fangfei's death.

As if finding a thread, it became much easier to think in this direction. Xiao Deyin also recalled that back when Xue Fangfei was still alive, she was already renowned in Yanjing City as a beauty and a talented woman. Yet whenever Princess Yongning mentioned her, there was always a hint of disdain. At the time, Xiao Deyin had assumed it was merely jealousy toward a woman more accomplished than herself. Now, however, it seemed worth delving deeper into.

She had killed Xue Fangfei, and Princess Yongning might be the mastermind behind the plot against Xue Huaiyuan. Xue Huaiyuan was Xue Fangfei's father. The common link between herself and Princess Yongning lay in Xue Fangfei.

But why would Princess Yongning target her?

In her ears echoed the cold words of that stranger: "Only the dead can keep secrets."

What secret did she have? She had only one secret—that during Shen's mother's birthday banquet, she had added something to Xue Fangfei's wine.

That was her secret!

In an instant, everything became clear. Why would Princess Yongning want her dead? Years ago, a mysterious figure had threatened her into harming Xue Fangfei. She had thought she was administering poison, but it turned out to be something even more sinister. The identity of that mysterious figure had been unknown at the time, but now, it seemed almost certain that it was Princess Yongning!

That was precisely why Princess Yongning wanted to have her killed—because she could reveal the secret! But why act only now? It was likely because, at the recent banquet at the Shen residence, Princess Yongning had seen her! Perhaps the sudden encounter reminded the princess of this uncontrollable piece of evidence. Or perhaps it was that piece "Moon Over the Mountain Pass"—not only had it unsettled her, but it had also disturbed Princess Yongning!

What a vicious scheme—killing two birds with one stone!

If she died, no one would know that she had been instructed to administer the drug. Even if Xue Fangfei's case were someday discovered to be suspicious, all blame could be shifted onto her. Because—the dead cannot speak, much less defend themselves!

How similar—what had happened to Xue Fangfei would now play out on her!

Xiao Deyin felt a chill run through her entire body.She knew all too well Princess Yongning's capabilities. If she could discreetly kill Xue Fangfei back then, she could certainly kill her too. Prince Cheng's influence was so vast, with eyes and ears everywhere—as long as she remained in Yanjing City, there was no escaping.

Yet she had to flee. Once Princess Yongning resolved to silence her for good, escape was imperative.

But Xiao Deyin was terrified she might meet her end before even stepping out of this estate.

Her mind raced. In Yanjing City, whether trying to leave the city or go into hiding, she could never manage it alone. Though she knew many influential figures, they would all scramble to curry favor with Princess Yongning. To seek refuge, she needed someone who neither feared Princess Yongning nor lacked substantial power.

Who could that be?

Xiao Deyin pondered and pondered, and indeed, one person came to mind.

Jiang Li, daughter of the Grand Secretary.

To be fair, Xiao Deyin deeply disliked Jiang Li, for no other reason than during the Six Arts examination's music segment, Jiang Li's performance of "Eighteen Songs of a Nomad Flute" had been stunning. Some even remarked that her skill might not be inferior to Xiao Deyin's. How could she tolerate such a thing? But Jiang Li was, after all, Jiang Yuanbai's daughter, leaving Xiao Deyin powerless. Fortunately, Jiang Li had not showcased her musical talents elsewhere since, which gave Xiao Deyin some relief.

Though she intensely disliked Jiang Li... back then, Jiang Li had dared to openly declare during the Imperial Council that Feng Yutang was acting under Princess Yongning's orders. This showed she did not fear Princess Yongning's authority. There were even whispers at court that Jiang Yuanbai and Prince Cheng were at odds.

If so, the Jiang family was not aligned with Princess Yongning. Most importantly, when Jiang Li stated before all the officials that Xue Huaiyuan was Xue Fangfei's father and that Princess Yongning had orchestrated Feng Yutang's framing of him—was it an unintentional remark, or did she already know something?

If she had spoken deliberately because she knew something, then there might be an opportunity to exploit here.

"I need to think," Xiao Deyin murmured, "about what to do next..."

...

Meanwhile, in the Jiang residence, Jiang Li received news that Ye Mingyu's men had succeeded.

Ye Mingyu's people acted swiftly, and the ruse was executed flawlessly, likely without raising suspicion. It was said that Xiao Deyin had turned pale and looked utterly distraught. Jiang Li knew that with Xiao Deyin's intelligence, she would quickly connect this to the matter of Xue Fangfei and, by extension, Princess Yongning.

When dogs fight, they end up covered in each other's fur. It wasn't yet time for them to tear into each other—at least, not until they each realized who their true adversary was.

The false pregnancy medicine for Haitang would still take some time to prepare. In the following days, Jiang Li found herself with rare moments of leisure.

Soon after, Shen Ruyun was to be married.

Old Madam Jiang had not received an invitation. In truth, the Marquis Ningyuan's household had no face to send one to the Jiang family. After all, it was Jiang Youyao who had originally been engaged to Zhou Yanbang. If not for Zhou Yanbang's own scandal, the lady of the Zhou household should have been a daughter of the Jiang family.Although Old Madam Jiang hadn't received an invitation and had no intention of attending the ceremony, Jiang Yuanbai secretly sent several people to blend into the wedding crowd. Likely searching for Jiang Youyao's whereabouts—as she remained missing—if she were still in Yanjing City and free, Zhou Yanbang being her lifelong aspiration, she would surely come to watch on his wedding day.

Jiang Yuanbai thought that if Jiang Youyao showed up, they could find her.

When Jiang Li learned of this, she merely smiled faintly without comment. Even if Jiang Youyao did attend, she would only be humiliating herself.

Tong'er folded clothes while remarking, "Now that the Shen family's young lady is marrying the heir of Marquis Ningyuan's household, Fifth Young Lady must be furious. She's always been proud—being a concubine while the other becomes the wife must gall her deeply."

"She knew the distinction between wife and concubine from the start," Jiang Li chuckled. "But she believes being Zhou Yanbang's concubine surpasses being a commoner's wife. That was her choice."

When setting the trap for Zhou Yanbang, Jiang Li had given Jiang Yu'e a chance. Had Jiang Yu'e shown even slight hesitation then, things wouldn't have reached this point. Yet Jiang Yu'e was determined to enter the Ningyuan Marquis household, even as Zhou Yanbang's concubine. Jiang Li had seen such women before—moderately attractive, of ordinary origins, yet restless and desperate to climb higher.

They all reap what they sow.

"But Third Master seems truly frightening," Tong'er mused. "When I went to the kitchen today, I saw him in the courtyard. Though he was never particularly close to the First and Second Masters, they used to be harmonious. He'd even smile occasionally, but lately he's turned cold. Perhaps he's suffered setbacks from Third Madam?"

Everyone in the household knew Yang Shi was notoriously sharp-tongued, often berating Jiang Yuanxing for his incompetence.

Hearing this, Jiang Li fell into contemplation.

Jiang Yuanxing had initially opposed Jiang Yu'e becoming a concubine. Being born of a concubine himself, he understood the hardships. But since Jiang Yu'e had been discovered lying with Zhou Yanbang before witnesses, her reputation was already compromised. If she didn't marry Zhou Yanbang, no respectable family might take her—possibly leaving her worse off than being his concubine.

Reluctantly, Jiang Yuanxing had consented. Yet from that day onward, he grew increasingly gloomy. He seemed to hold grudges against the first and second branches, becoming more distant and formal in his dealings. Even Yang Shi, though as shrewish as ever, struck Jiang Li differently—her sharpness and smiles carried a hypocritical, calculating quality unlike Lu Shi's.

Now that Shen Ruyun had married into the Zhou family, Jiang Li knew turbulence between Jiang Yu'e and Shen Yurong was inevitable. She also believed Zhou Yanbang wouldn't allow peace between these two women. The third branch's unusual composure gave Jiang Li an uneasy feeling.

Something felt amiss.

After some thought, she instructed Tong'er: "Tong'er, recently try to interact more with the third branch's maids in the mansion—discreetly, without being noticed. Inquire if there's anything unusual about their daily routines.""The third branch?" Tong'er was rather surprised, as the third branch had never had any dealings with Jiang Li, making this inquiry quite peculiar. But Tong'er knew Jiang Li had her own reasons for doing things, so she obediently nodded and said, "I understand, Miss. Don't worry."

Jiang Li looked out the window. Outside, it was calm and peaceful, a fine day with warm, gentle sunlight. Gazing at the sky, she could almost picture the lively, joyous wedding procession with its gongs and drums.

She wondered what the situation was like at the Marquis of Ningyuan's residence now.

Jiang Li smiled faintly and closed the window.

...

The Marquis of Ningyuan's residence was unusually bustling today.

Zhou Yanbang, the heir of the Marquis of Ningyuan, was taking a wife, and many guests had come to witness the ceremony. Some were naturally there due to their ties with the Marquis of Ningyuan's household, but a larger number had come because of the bride's side.

The bride's elder brother was none other than Shen Yurong, the Imperial Secretariat Writer, who was currently highly favored by the emperor. To curry favor with this young official, quite a few had come to show their support for the bride.

The Marquis of Ningyuan and his wife were all smiles. Although the marriage alliance with the Grand Secretary's Jiang family had fallen through, the Shen family was still a decent match. While the Jiang family was influential and wealthy, their daughters were inevitably spoiled. If one were to marry into the family, wouldn't they have to be treated like a deity? This young lady from the Shen family would be much easier to manage.

Moreover, fortunes change unpredictably. Looking at the recent series of misfortunes befalling the Jiang family, it was uncertain how long their prosperity would last. If anything were to happen to Jiang Yuanbai, and Jiang Yuanping also encountered trouble, the Jiang family would collapse like a tree with its monkeys scattering. Anyone who married a Jiang daughter would be in for bad luck. The Shen family, on the other hand, was different. It seemed this official Shen had a bright and enduring future ahead.

With this thought, the smiles on the faces of the Zhou elders grew even more genuine.

Shen's mother had been invited as an honored guest today. The idea that her daughter could marry a marquis was something she had never dared to dream of before. Moreover, Zhou Yanbang was handsome and pleasing to the eye. Shen Ruyun herself was very fond of her husband-to-be, and Shen's mother believed there could be no more perfect match. Strangely, while Shen's mother was harsh toward others, she was lenient with her own daughter. Shen Yurong was the same, likely because in the past, to support his studies, Shen Ruyun had to do needlework with her mother from a young age to help make ends meet. After Shen Yurong achieved success, he always felt guilty toward his younger sister and would often yield to her and indulge her.

Yet he failed to realize that while he might yield to his mother and sister, others had no obligation to endure grievances or make sacrifices for them.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out outside—the groom had arrived.

Zhou Yanbang walked in.

Half a year ago, Zhou Yanbang had been renowned in Yanjing City as a handsome and refined gentleman, elegant and graceful. But now, compared to half a year ago, he had grown considerably heavier, to the point that his once handsome face was somewhat bloated and distorted. His demeanor was listless, and though he had been meticulously groomed and dressed for the occasion, he still seemed devoid of energy.

Naturally, he had no energy to spare. Earlier that morning, the Zhou family had found him in a pleasure house. If they hadn't dragged him back by force, he would likely still be carousing and drowning his sorrows in places he shouldn't be, even on his wedding day.Even now, the lingering effects of last night's drink had likely not yet worn off, leaving his gaze dull and lifeless.

Shen Yurong's eyes turned cold.

Ever since the incident at the banquet, Zhou Yanbang had been unable to recover. With his official career hopeless, he had become a laughingstock among the noble youths of Yanjing City. Everyone who saw him would sarcastically praise his "good fortune," their mockery barely concealed. Overwhelmed by such treatment, Zhou Yanbang abandoned himself to dissipation, spending his days lingering in houses of pleasure, drowning in alcohol and gambling, no different from the vagrants on the streets.

This, of course, tormented Zhou Yanbang's parents. Although the Zhou family no longer had a marriage agreement with the Jiang family, they now had one with the Shen family. If Shen Yurong were to find out about Zhou Yanbang's reckless behavior, how could things possibly end well? Unable to control their son, they often helped cover up his misdeeds. Yet, no matter how hard they tried, they could never achieve perfection. Shen Yurong had personally visited the Zhou residence several times to issue warnings. Initially, Marquis Ningyuan had ordered Zhou Yanbang to be restrained, but he couldn't keep him tied up every day. Whenever an opportunity arose, Zhou Yanbang would slip out to cause trouble.

The Zhou family had assumed that, given the circumstances, the Shen family would surely oppose the marriage. However, despite repeated warnings, the Shen family never brought up the matter of annulling the engagement, which finally put Marquis Ningyuan's household at ease. They speculated that it was likely because Shen Ruyun had also been caught in a compromising situation with Zhou Yanbang. A young woman's reputation was paramount, so the Shen family had no choice but to grit their teeth and marry her into the Zhou family.

Of course, Shen Yurong did not see it that way.

Standing at the forefront of the crowd, his expression stern, he watched as Zhou Yanbang, with an utterly shameless demeanor, took Shen Ruyun's hand without any reverence or caution—as if she were some pleasure house girl. The gesture was casual to the extreme.

A fire burned in Shen Yurong's heart, but reason told him he could not act. Moreover... Shen Ruyun herself was happy.

Shen Ruyun had long been fond of Zhou Yanbang. To marry him, she had even gone so far as to stake her own reputation, creating a situation where the matter was settled in the eyes of everyone, forcing Zhou Yanbang to marry her. As a woman, she had abandoned even her own self-respect. But Shen Yurong, as a man, could see that Zhou Yanbang held no affection for Shen Ruyun—not even the slightest fondness. Once Shen Ruyun entered his household, she would inevitably suffer greatly.

Yet he could not stop Shen Ruyun, nor could he stop Shen's mother. Shen Yurong knew that even if the Zhou family temporarily treated Shen Ruyun with caution due to his status, it was not a long-term solution. A married daughter was like spilled water—Shen Yurong could not keep a constant watch over the Zhou family. With Zhou Yanbang's character, he would undoubtedly make Shen Ruyun endure countless hardships. Her days of suffering were still ahead.

At this thought, Shen Yurong couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. He reflected that foolish women were indeed tiresome. If it were Xue Fangfei, she would never have allowed herself to fall into such a passive position. She had always been clever... But then again, he caught himself, realizing the absurdity of his own thoughts. Although Xue Fangfei had not married Zhou Yanbang, she had married Shen Yurong. While Shen Ruyun, by marrying into the Zhou family, at least still had her life, Xue Fangfei, by marrying into the Shen family, had lost even that.

In that case, wasn't Xue Fangfei even more foolish than Shen Ruyun?

He smiled, though he didn't know whether the smile was directed at himself or at others.

Shen Ruyun, led by Zhou Yanbang, could hardly contain her joy. Happiness bubbled up from the depths of her heart, like a spring in early days, flowing endlessly. She had truly seen her dream come true!She had liked Zhou Yanbang for a long time. All along, she knew the distance between them destined her to only watch him from afar. Zhou Yanbang even had an early engagement, and the other party was the daughter of the Grand Secretary. Everything changed on the day Shen Yurong placed first in the imperial examinations. She was no longer the daughter of a commoner; she was the younger sister of the top scholar. And as if heaven wanted to compensate her for the hardships of the past decade or so, it actually gave her the opportunity to take advantage of the situation, causing Jiang Youyao and Zhou Yanbang's engagement to be called off, while she herself married into the Zhou family.

Even heaven was helping her.

Holding her beloved's hand, Shen Ruyun felt extremely satisfied. If she didn't have to wear the bridal veil at this moment, she would have even wanted to see the envious or jealous looks from those around her.

All of this she owed to her brother—and, of course, to that noble princess. Early on, Princess Yongning had told her, "Marry whomever you wish. For me, it's not difficult at all."

So she had spoken well of Princess Yongning in front of Shen Yurong. She had never understood why her brother hadn't married the princess sooner. After all, the entire world knew that Xue Fangfei had cuckolded her own brother. For him to remarry was only natural—in fact, people would even applaud it.

Once Princess Yongning entered the Shen family, their status would only rise further.

Yet she dared not say these words to Shen Yurong. She had been bold enough before, but ever since Xue Fangfei's death, Shen Yurong had grown increasingly distant and fearsome.

Shen Ruyun had never liked Xue Fangfei, not from the very beginning. Perhaps it was because Xue Fangfei was too beautiful—standing beside her, Shen Ruyun felt like dull, insignificant dust. Or perhaps it was because Xue Fangfei, despite being the daughter of a minor official, excelled in poetry and literature, making Shen Ruyun feel utterly worthless. In Xue Fangfei's presence, Shen Ruyun always felt an inexplicable inferiority. The more inferior she felt, the more she sought to prove her superiority by causing trouble for Xue Fangfei. As Xue Fangfei's sister-in-law, it was only natural for Xue Fangfei to assist her.

Shen Ruyun's admiration for Zhou Yanbang was no secret to Xue Fangfei. Yet, unlike Princess Yongning, who encouraged her and helped resolve her problems, Xue Fangfei had merely smiled—as if she understood everything, as if she were watching Shen Ruyun's foolish dreams, knowing full well they would never come true.

In the end, Shen Ruyun had been right, and the seemingly infallible Xue Fangfei had been wrong. And now, Xue Fangfei was dead.

Beneath her bridal veil, Shen Ruyun frowned. She had no idea why, on such a joyous day, thoughts of Xue Fangfei suddenly surfaced. One thing was certain: thinking of Xue Fangfei made her deeply uncomfortable, as if a heavy stone were lodged in her chest, suffocating her.

She shook her head, as if to cast Xue Fangfei from her mind. The hand holding hers felt so warm. From this day forward, she would be the wife of the heir.

What Shen Ruyun could not see was that among the crowd, standing with the Zhou family, was another person.

This woman possessed a beauty like flowers and the moon. Dressed in a pink silk gown, lightly powdered without heavy makeup, she appeared exceptionally delicate and charming. A smile graced her lips, but her gaze remained fixed intently on Shen Ruyun.

This was Jiang Yu'e.

As she watched Shen Ruyun, her hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched her handkerchief tightly in resentment.

Resentment.

Clearly, Shen Ruyun was inferior to her in every way—in looks, in grace, in conversation. Although Jiang Yu'e was the daughter of an illegitimate child, she had neglected none of the skills expected of a young lady in the Shen family. At Mingyi Hall, she was considered something of a talented maiden. What did Shen Ruyun have? Nothing more than being the daughter of a common family, barely literate, utterly unskilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Was she to occupy the position of the principal wife merely because she had an official for a brother?

Over this period, Jiang Yu'e had painstakingly cultivated Zhou Yanbang's favor. Was everything now to revert to the beginning because of Shen Ruyun's presence? Absolutely not!

Jiang Yu'e twisted her handkerchief fiercely, as if wringing a rope, her gaze growing increasingly bitter and fixed on Zhou Yanbang. It seemed as if infinite grievances and unspoken affections were trapped within her, unable to find release.This gaze was caught by Zhou Yanbang. The young woman's deep affection and hidden resentment inevitably stirred one's heart. Yet this very gaze was also noticed by Shen Yurong.

A cold sneer rose in Shen Yurong's heart.

Seeing that cold sneer, Zhou Yanbang shuddered and averted his eyes, no longer looking at Jiang Yu'e. Greatly disappointed, Jiang Yu'e secretly began plotting in her heart how to win Zhou Yanbang over, and how... to bring about Shen Ruyun's downfall.

(End of Chapter)