The Double

Chapter 156: Precious Horse

On Shen Ruyun and Zhou Yanbang's joyous day, the people Jiang Yuanbai sent to search for Jiang Youyao returned disappointed. Neither around Marquis Ningyuan's residence nor within its vicinity had anyone resembling Third Miss Jiang been spotted. From then on, Jiang Yuanbai grew even more despondent. That the person he longed to see refused to meet him could only mean one of two things: either Jiang Youyao was no longer in Yanjing City, or she remained in the city but was unable to move freely.

Neither scenario boded well. For Jiang Yuanbai, the latter was particularly heartbreaking. As time passed, his displeasure and disappointment toward Jiang Youyao had nearly faded, replaced by a father's instinctive concern.

In contrast, Old Madam Jiang grew uncharacteristically resolute. She declared that since Jiang Youyao could not be found, there was no need to continue searching.

None of this mattered much to Jiang Li. Aside from visiting Xue Huaiyuan daily, she was simply waiting for Situ Jiuyue to finish preparing the fake pregnancy medicine so she could proceed with the second phase of her plan.

Unexpectedly, however, a peculiar invitation arrived at the Jiang residence that day.

Feicui came to Fragrant Garden Courtyard to find Jiang Li. Upon seeing her, she said, "Second Miss, Old Madam requests your presence at Evening Phoenix Hall."

Tong'er asked, "Sister Feicui, why does Old Madam suddenly seek our young mistress? Is there something important?"

Feicui smiled. "This servant isn't entirely sure of the details. It seems Old Madam asked me to fetch Second Miss after receiving an invitation." She glanced at Jiang Li. Among the Jiang family's young ladies now, Jiang Li was the only one whose words still carried some weight. Feicui was happy to do her a favor.

"No matter, I'll find out when I go see for myself," Jiang Li replied with a laugh. Yet she couldn't help feeling suspicious. She had just paid her morning respects to Old Madam Jiang. If it were a trivial matter, Old Madam Jiang wouldn't have specifically summoned her to Evening Phoenix Hall. So what could be so important?

When she arrived at Evening Phoenix Hall, Jiang Li's heart gave a violent jolt.

Old Madam Jiang sat in her seat, while Jiang Yuanbai occupied the adjacent one. Jiang Yuanbai had been feigning illness to avoid court for some time, merely escaping the criticism his colleagues directed at the Jiang family. Aside from sending people to inquire about Jiang Youyao's whereabouts, he spent his days leisurely writing calligraphy and reading in his study. Yet now he, too, was in Evening Phoenix Hall, examining an invitation in his hand.

Jiang Li frowned slightly. From such a distance, she couldn't make out the invitation's origin. She only knew it must be no small matter.

Softly, she said, "Father, Grandmother."

Only then did Old Madam Jiang and Jiang Yuanbai notice Jiang Li's arrival. Old Madam Jiang said, "Second girl, take a seat."

Jiang Li sat down in a lower seat. Zhenzhu poured her a cup of tea, which Jiang Li lifted to drink. She could feel Old Madam Jiang and Jiang Yuanbai studying her with complex gazes. Unperturbed, she calmly blew on the tea's surface, took a small sip, and swallowed.

"Second girl." Just as Jiang Li swallowed the hot tea, Old Madam Jiang's voice rang out. She said, "Someone has sent you an invitation."

Jiang Li looked up, feigning just the right amount of surprise. "For me alone?"

"Yes.""Is that... Miss Liu Xu from the Chengde Official's residence? Or perhaps my uncle? An invitation from the Ye residence?" To invite only her alone indicated it must be from a friend. Unfortunately, in Yanjing City, the number of friends Second Miss Jiang had could be counted on half a hand.

"No." This time it was Jiang Yuanbai who spoke, staring into Jiang Li's eyes as he said, "It's an invitation from the Duke Su's residence."

Jiang Li was momentarily stunned.

Her surprised expression this time truly didn't seem feigned. Seeing this, Jiang Yuanbai's expression softened slightly. Had Jiang Li appeared as if she had anticipated it, it would have made him suspicious.

"The Duke Su's residence... why would they invite me? And only me alone?" Jiang Li was so startled she became somewhat incoherent.

Jiang Yuanbai said, "It's for the old general's birthday. Having heard of your outstanding skills in the Six Arts, they've invited you to attend the birthday banquet at the Duke Su's residence for Old General Ji."

"Birthday banquet?" Jiang Li was puzzled, "But it shouldn't be just me alone. Didn't Father and Grandmother receive invitations? Who else will be attending this birthday banquet?"

She genuinely appeared to know nothing about it. Jiang Yuanbai said, "There are no others. Among those invited by Old General Ji, you're the only one. I came specifically to ask you - what connection do you have with Old General Ji? Or perhaps, what ties do you have with Duke Su Ji Heng?"

He maintained the calm demeanor of a scholar, yet his eyes gleamed like a fox catching the scent of prey, shining green.

Jiang Li laughed silently in her heart. While Jiang Yuanbai appeared to be an average official with mediocre political achievements, merely slick and smooth on the surface, at his core he was no less cunning than those jackals and hyenas. He had sensed something amiss in this matter and had come specifically to fish for information from her.

Jiang Li expressed surprise, "I've met Duke Su at palace banquets before, and the next time we met was outside the hall during the Imperial Council. As for any connection with Old General Ji, that's even more unfounded - I've never met Old General Ji before."

This statement was half-truth and half-lie. The truth was that Jiang Yuanbai knew about those two encounters with Ji Heng, and since many people had witnessed them, it would have been suspicious if Jiang Li claimed she had never seen Ji Heng. As for Old General Ji, every time Jiang Li met him, it was during private visits to the Duke's residence, something outsiders couldn't possibly know.

Hearing Jiang Li's sincere words that matched exactly with what he knew, Jiang Yuanbai mostly believed her. In fact, when the Xue family case occurred, there had been some talk in court about Ji Heng speaking up for Jiang Li and confronting Prince Cheng, though the rumors weren't widespread. When Jiang Yuanbai first heard about it, he didn't pay much attention. After all, Duke Su had no connection with him over the years, and Jiang Li certainly had no dealings with Ji Heng. Perhaps the rumors had been exaggerated, distorting the facts.

But today, when Old Madam Jiang's people hurriedly came to him with this strange invitation, Jiang Yuanbai began to feel uncertain.

Had he overlooked something? Was there some connection between Jiang Li and Ji Heng that he didn't know about?

But at least from Jiang Li's current reaction, it seemed she and Ji Heng weren't particularly familiar.

"Father," Jiang Li hesitated before asking, "Must I attend Old General Ji's birthday celebration?"Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuanbai also found it difficult to handle. In truth, Old General Ji was quite a decent man—utterly loyal, upright, and magnanimous, never resorting to any underhanded methods. Back when Old General Ji hadn't fully retired, he had even pointed at Jiang Yuanbai and laughingly called him a sly old fox. Jiang Yuanbai didn't take it to heart; after so many years in court, he knew well what constituted loyalty and what was treachery. Although this old general sometimes said startling things, like an old rascal, his character was beyond reproach.

The problem lay with his grandson, the current Duke Su, Ji Heng. Despite his youth, he was already someone everyone in the court feared. Not to mention his unpredictable temperament made it hard to guess his thoughts—even Jiang Yuanbai, who was many years older than Ji Heng, found him dangerous and tricky whenever they crossed paths.

Jiang Yuanbai was not one to take risks; he always kept a respectful distance from such dangerous individuals. Fortunately, Ji Heng did not support Prince Cheng and maintained a distant relationship with the Right Prime Minister, so they weren't enemies and could be considered amicable.

Now, this invitation appeared to be from Old General Ji, but who knew if Ji Heng had a hand in it? If it was Ji Heng's intention, would the Jiang family's outright refusal invite retaliation? But what if it was just Old General Ji's whim? The invitation also mentioned that others had been invited, though not official court families, which only added to Jiang Yuanbai's confusion.

He couldn't outright refuse the invitation, nor dared he let Jiang Li rashly attend the banquet. He intended to question Jiang Li to see if there was some unknown connection, but she couldn't provide a suitable explanation either.

Jiang Yuanbai was caught in a dilemma.

Old Madam Jiang said, "Perhaps... we should just decline the invitation. It's improper for a young girl like Second Miss to attend a banquet alone."

Jiang Yuanbai smiled wryly; of course, he wanted to, but the Jiang family was currently in a precarious situation. If they offended Duke Su and Ji Heng took the opportunity to kick them while they were down, the Jiang family might truly face ruin. At that point, the Li family of the Right Prime Minister would surely not miss the chance to strike, and the entire Jiang family would suffer. Such was the nature of officialdom: many people clawed their way up relentlessly because if they stopped, their entire clan might be cast into the abyss.

They simply couldn't afford to stop.

Jiang Li observed the conflict on Jiang Yuanbai's face and sighed softly. She said, "I've heard that Duke Su Ji Heng is unpredictable. If we outright refuse his grandfather's invitation, he might think our Jiang family doesn't know our place and bring unnecessary trouble upon us. The Jiang family can't withstand any more blows right now."

Both Old Madam Jiang and Jiang Yuanbai looked at her.

Jiang Li's voice was calm: "It's just a birthday banquet. I'll go."

"A Li," Jiang Yuanbai called out urgently, but after stopping her, he didn't know what to say. He gazed at the girl's gentle features, vaguely thinking that her temperament didn't resemble his or Ye Zhenzhen's—he wondered whom she took after.

"Do you have a better solution, Father?"

Jiang Yuanbai was at a loss for words. He truly didn't know what else to do. With a family like Duke Su's, it was best to have no dealings with them at all. How unlucky they were to have crossed paths like this."If there's no other way, then so be it." Jiang Li smiled faintly. "I've heard that old general is known for his integrity. After all, I am the daughter of the Grand Secretary, so nothing should go wrong. If anything were to happen, their ducal residence wouldn't be able to escape responsibility. Moreover, if they truly had ill intentions, why would they target me so openly? How would they manage the aftermath? If they wanted to scheme, wouldn't it be easier to act when no one knows? From this perspective, Old General Ji's birthday banquet isn't some treacherous feast—it's just the old general indulging in some whimsical amusement."

She spoke with such nonchalance that both Old Madam Jiang and Jiang Yuanbai were taken aback. Especially when Jiang Li mentioned "acting when no one knows," her calmness was unsettling. Yet upon reflection, her reasoning held merit—if there were truly any ulterior motives, why make such a public spectacle and leave behind evidence like an invitation?

Jiang Yuanbai looked at Jiang Li and said, "You may leave for now. I need to think it over."

Without another word, Jiang Li bowed to Jiang Yuanbai and Old Madam Jiang before departing from Evening Phoenix Hall.

She came and went quickly, leaving only Jiang Yuanbai and Old Madam Jiang facing each other in the hall.

Old Madam Jiang sighed. "You see, I told you the second girl has her own mind."

"Who does she take after with this temperament?" Jiang Yuanbai smiled wryly. "Now I can't even tell what's on her mind." He reflected on his failures as a father—one daughter killed by his second wife, another who ran away and remained missing, and this daughter whom he wronged and sent away for eight years, now distant from him. None of his three daughters were close to him now.

Old Madam Jiang glanced at him, seeming to understand his thoughts, but didn't comment further. Instead, she said, "Yuanbai, I've been thinking—the second girl is now at the age where we should be considering marriage prospects. But with all the troubles at home recently, it's not the right time to bring this up. Besides, even if we did, families might be hesitant. Today... do you think," her voice trembled with uncertainty, "do you think Duke Su might have taken a liking to the second girl?"

"Impossible!" Jiang Yuanbai shot to his feet at once. Old Madam Jiang hadn't expected such a strong reaction. Frowning, Jiang Yuanbai said, "A man like Duke Su—what kind of beauties hasn't he seen? Why would he be interested in someone like A Li? Moreover, he's ruthless and cunning—A Li must never marry such a man!"

"I was just speculating. Why are you so agitated?" Old Madam Jiang urged him to sit back down. "I was merely asking because I truly don't understand why he would send an invitation specifically to the second girl. They have no connection whatsoever. With so many young ladies in Yanjing City, why single her out? I fear Old General Ji might have other plans—that he has his eyes on the second girl..."

"Mother, please don't talk nonsense." Jiang Yuanbai grew increasingly perturbed. "There's absolutely no possibility of that. I'll send someone to investigate further and get to the bottom of this!"

He strode out of Evening Phoenix Hall.

On her way back to Fragrant Garden Courtyard, Jiang Li pondered carefully.What was the reasoning behind the Duke's residence suddenly sending this invitation? If there was truly something important, Zhao Ke could have informed her directly, and she could have visited the Duke's residence at night... Jiang Li rubbed her forehead in frustration. What was wrong with her? She had grown so accustomed to sneaking out at night to visit others' residences that it now seemed normal. This was truly an outrageous matter.

But then again, this invitation left Jiang Li utterly perplexed. Clearly, it would arouse unnecessary suspicion from Old Madam Jiang and Jiang Yuanbai, yet they still sent the invitation, and so openly at that. Were they genuinely inviting her to attend a birthday banquet?

Wasn't this just absurd?

Yet Jiang Li couldn't refuse to go. If this was part of Ji Heng's strategy, with some special significance behind it, her absence might disrupt his plans. That was why, in the Evening Phoenix Hall, Jiang Li had declared her willingness to attend.

She knew Jiang Yuanbai would inevitably become suspicious and would certainly send people to investigate. Of course, they would find nothing. Ji Heng's people were no fools; if others could easily uncover clues about anything, it was most likely because he intentionally allowed them to see what he wanted them to see.

Tong'er asked, "Miss, what are we returning to the courtyard for now?"

"To think about a birthday gift," Jiang Li replied.

"Ah?" Tong'er was surprised.

Jiang Li smiled. Old General Ji wouldn't use his birthday as a pretext, so if the invitation stated it was his birthday, then it truly was. Since she was attending under the guise of a birthday celebration, she couldn't go empty-handed. She needed to consider what gift would be neither too extravagant nor too modest to lose face.

All of this was under the assumption that Jiang Yuanbai would agree to let her accept the invitation, but Jiang Li believed it was only a matter of time.

...

By nightfall, Jiang Yuanbai and Old Madam Jiang still hadn't indicated whether Jiang Li should accept the invitation. Yet Jiang Li had already asked Bai Xue to bring out all their silver to calculate how much remained and determine what kind of gift would be appropriate for Old General Ji.

Tong'er asked, "Miss, it's not yet certain that we're going. Why are we already planning?"

"It's inevitable that we'll go," Jiang Li replied with a faint smile. "The fact that Father and Old Madam haven't made a decision by now means they've tacitly agreed." She counted the banknotes in her hand—some given by Ye Mingyu, and plenty left from the compensation given by Old Madam Jiang and Jiang Yuanbai. Aside from occasional expenses for others and buying supplements for Xue Huaiyuan, she rarely spent money on herself. When it came to jewelry and clothing, which other young women adored, Jiang Li only acquired what was necessary, so she had substantial savings. After weighing her options, she felt it was enough to purchase a decent gift for Old General Ji. She instructed Tong'er to put the box of banknotes away and said, "Let's go take a look on the street tomorrow morning."

Tong'er nodded.

The next day, Jiang Li went with Tong'er and Bai Xue to select a birthday gift on the street.She hadn't left the mansion for a long time, and the Jiang family's guards followed in considerable numbers. Jiang Li pondered over what kind of congratulatory gift to give Old General Ji but found herself at a loss. For elderly people, gifts like precious ginseng or deer antlers were common choices, but the Duke's residence surely had no shortage of such items. Since Old General Ji was a military man, should she gift him a fine weapon? Yet he must have seen plenty of weapons in his time. Moreover, presenting him with an excellent weapon when he could no longer go to battle might evoke sadness in his twilight years—what if it upset him?

After wandering for the entire morning, she still hadn't come across anything particularly satisfying. As they approached the East Market, Jiang Li had the carriage stop and stepped out.

Tong'er asked, "Miss, you're not planning to go to the East Market, are you?"

"Exactly my intention."

"But... but..."

"No buts," Jiang Li interrupted her. "Let's go in."

Tong'er had no choice but to obediently follow.

The East Market was a shadowy bazaar located in the eastern part of Yanjing City. It was a place where all sorts of people mingled—perhaps robbers who had committed murder and arson, tomb raiders fresh from the mud of graves, or destitute scions of fallen wealthy families. In short, sellers here could simply spread a mat on the ground and start doing business. Of course, there were also swindlers; whether one bought genuine or fake goods depended entirely on their own discernment. Once a transaction was completed, even if the item turned out to be counterfeit and the deal was a loss, one had to accept it as bad luck.

Therefore, those who came to the East Market to shop were mostly people specialized in these trades, with a keen eye for authenticity.

When Jiang Li and her group entered, many turned to look at them. Firstly, although Jiang Li wore a bamboo hat, she was dressed as a woman, and female visitors to the East Market were rare. Secondly, the line of guards following her was quite conspicuous. With a little thought, one could guess that she was likely a young lady from a wealthy family here to broaden her horizons.

Consequently, the sellers sitting on the ground enthusiastically called out to her, extravagantly praising their own goods. They assumed that a sheltered young lady would be easily fooled.

Tong'er and Bai Xue were both nervous and curious, but the place was somewhat dirty and chaotic, and they feared Jiang Li would find it difficult to navigate. However, glancing up, though they couldn't see Jiang Li's expression, her steps were calm and steady.

She seemed quite familiar with such an environment, without the slightest discomfort.

As if she had been here before, Tong'er muttered to herself.

In truth, Jiang Li had never actually been to the East Market—at most, during her time as Xue Fangfei, she had passed by its entrance. But she was neither unfamiliar with nor afraid of these worldly, rough-edged people. Xue Zhao had once taken her to see similar places. Besides, everyone said there was an unbridgeable gap between the upper class and the lower class. Yet the upper class wouldn't remain upper class forever, nor would the lower class stay lower class forever. In the eyes of these people, she was from the upper class, but Jiang Li knew that, deep down, she was still the daughter of a minor official from Tongxiang, no different from the people here.Her gaze swept over the nearby stalls but found nothing that caught her interest, leaving her somewhat disappointed. After all, ordinary items could hardly catch Old General Ji's eye. She had hoped to find some rare treasures here, but it seemed there were no interesting finds.

Just then, a faint whimper from a young animal sounded not far away. Jiang Li followed the sound and saw a long mat with a sturdy wooden post erected beside it. Several ropes were tied to the post, and at the other end of each rope stood a young foal.

The foals appeared to have been born not long ago, still unsteady on their feet. They came in various colors, but all were covered in a thick layer of dust and grime, obscuring their true appearance.

Jiang Li walked over to the foals' owner, a middle-aged man. Seeing her approach, he quickly stood up and greeted her, "These are all newly acquired foals, young lady. Would you like to pick one to raise? They're very well-behaved."

Bai Xue and Tong'er exchanged glances. The Jiang residence had its own stables, and the mares there often gave birth to foals—why buy one here? Yet Jiang Li actually lifted her skirt and bent down, carefully examining the group of foals. She pointed at one small foal and said, "I want this one."

Everyone turned to look at the foal she had chosen—a small pony not even reaching Jiang Li’s knees, with exceptionally bright eyes. Standing among the herd, it appeared particularly short and was covered in mud and scabs, looking filthy.

Tong'er whispered, "This one is too dirty, miss. Why not choose that chestnut one instead?"

Jiang Li shook her head. "I want this one."

The middle-aged man was also taken aback. Young ladies usually picked cute foals, but this one looked fierce, with a somewhat fierce gaze, and was dirty. He hadn’t expected Jiang Li to choose this one—her taste was truly unconventional.

"How much?" Jiang Li asked.

Seeing her straightforward manner, the man thought she must be a sheltered young lady with no understanding of hardship. "I feel a connection with you, miss," he said. "These foals are all fine stock, but I’ll give you a discount today—five hundred taels of silver!"

"Five hundred taels?" Tong'er exclaimed, glaring at the man. "Do you think our silver grows on trees, or do you take us for fools who don’t know the price of a foal?"

"Tong'er, pay him," Jiang Li said.

Hearing this, the man’s eyes lit up with a smile. "This young lady knows her stuff. She’s a decisive one!"

Tong'er fumed inwardly. Spending so much on a foal would make them the laughingstock if word got out. The man might be praising her young mistress outwardly, but he was surely mocking her as a fool inside. Still, since Jiang Li had given the order, Tong'er had no choice but to comply. She counted out five silver notes from the case and handed them over.

The man’s eyes gleamed as he took the notes, which only deepened Tong'er’s frustration.

The East Market was bustling with people, and Jiang Li’s group had long attracted attention. The process of her buying the foal had drawn a crowd. Many onlookers wore mocking smiles, seeing her spend such a large sum on a peculiar-looking foal.

Jiang Li paid no mind to any of this. She instructed Bai Xue to lead the foal carefully out of the East Market and had someone keep an eye on it before she got into the carriage.

Finally unable to hold back, Tong'er asked, "Miss, why did you spend so much on this foal? Our estate has plenty of horses. Now that we’ve lost more than half our silver, what’s left won’t be enough to buy a birthday gift for Old General Ji."

"No need," Jiang Li said. "The gift for the old general has already been bought."

"What?" Tong'er was stunned. "When did you buy it?"

"It’s that foal."

Tong'er stared blankly. "But it’s just an ordinary foal. Even if you tell the old general it cost five hundred taels, it’s still just a common horse you can find anywhere." She silently added, "And so dirty," but didn’t voice it aloud.

"Oh? You think it’s an ordinary horse?" Jiang Li asked with a smile.

"Isn’t it?" Tong'er, intrigued by Jiang Li’s expression, turned to Bai Xue. "Bai Xue, did you notice anything?"

Bai Xue answered honestly, "No, I just thought that horse was dirtier than the ones we usually see."

Tong’er: "..."

"That’s no ordinary horse," Jiang Li said with a faint smile. "It’s a Ferghana horse."

"What?" Both Tong'er and Bai Xue gasped in disbelief, staring at Jiang Li."Although I don't know how the Ferghana horse ended up mixed in that herd of foals, nor why their owner failed to notice, this deal is clearly my gain. Not just five hundred taels of silver, but even ten thousand taels of gold would be worth it."

Ali: Surprised? Thrilled? Exciting?

(End of Chapter)