The Double

Chapter 170: Commoner

"You are the child's father. You know this best."

These words sent a shockwave through the entire court!

Shen Yurong? Princess Yongning? When did these two become involved?

Prince Cheng's mind was in turmoil as he angrily retorted, "Li Xian, you cannot speak recklessly!" Although he had been shielding the Li family and didn't wish for this incident to create a rift between them, that didn't mean the Li family could openly reveal Yongning's secret here. If Yongning were to be seen as someone who lacked self-respect and had illicit relations before marriage, even his own reputation would be tarnished.

The Li family weren't typically this impulsive—why would they choose to expose each other's scandals in the Golden Luan Hall today, ensuring mutual destruction?!

Li Xian, however, understood the situation clearly. No matter what, Princess Yongning had already revealed his patronage of catamites. If he didn't counterattack, he feared the entire world would believe Princess Yongning's words, and the Li family would become a laughingstock forever. Since she struck first, he saw no reason to hold back. Besides, society's tolerance for his actions was likely still higher than for Princess Yongning's behavior.

Then there was Shen Yurong, standing safely among the crowd, expertly maintaining his neutrality—completely untouched by the flames. He simply watched from the sidelines. But why should the Li family raise Shen Yurong's illegitimate child? They weren't fools to be taken advantage of. This entire mess began with Shen Yurong. If Princess Yongning hadn't been carrying his child and sought to protect it, why would Consort Liu have begged the Empress Dowager to arrange an early marriage, plunging the Li family into this disaster?

Since they had already become the officials' laughingstock, no one should escape—drag them all down together!

Shen Yurong never expected that, in an instant, he would become the target of public condemnation. Everyone's eyes were fixed on him—scrutinizing, mocking, gloating—making him unbearably uncomfortable. He had no idea how Li Xian discovered that Princess Yongning's child was his. Judging by Princess Yongning's expression, she seemed equally surprised, so it likely wasn't her who revealed it. As for others, he believed that unless Princess Yongning was utterly foolish, she wouldn't have willingly disclosed this matter.

What should he do? Usually quick-witted, Shen Yurong found himself truly at a loss. Following his usual disposition of avoiding arguments, he should have remained standing there, smiling calmly under everyone's gaze, projecting an image of "uprightness fearing no shadow." But today, with Princess Yongning present, no one could predict what this thoughtless woman might do next to make everything worse.

Thus, his composed smile began to falter. He had no choice but to speak up in his own defense: "Lord Li's words are untrue. This is slander..."

"Whether it's slander or not, Lord Shen knows in his heart," Li Xian responded. "If there is a will to investigate, traces will inevitably be found. Lord Shen need not rush to prove his innocence—evidence will emerge to settle this matter."Originally, Li Xian only knew that Princess Yongning's child was not his, but he couldn't determine who the father was. It wasn't until the second night after Princess Yongning's miscarriage that he inexplicably received a letter. A servant handed it to him, saying someone had left it on the servant's desk addressed to Eldest Son Li. Li Xian opened it and found only a note inside, which stated that Shen Yurong was the father of the bastard in Princess Yongning's womb.

Li Xian didn't know who sent the letter or whether its contents were true. But as he carefully recalled, it seemed that at every banquet Shen Yurong attended, Princess Yongning would also appear. Even for events where she wasn't invited, she would find various excuses to attend. When people reflect, they often remember small details usually overlooked. With this new suspicion, Li Xian realized that Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong likely had some ambiguous relationship that couldn't be clearly explained.

Moreover, aside from Shen Yurong, there didn't seem to be anyone else who fit the description.

Earlier, provoked by Princess Yongning, Li Xian had revealed her secret. Yet even then, Shen Yurong maintained an aloof demeanor. However, Li Xian keenly noticed that in her panic, Princess Yongning had secretly glanced at Shen Yurong.

That single glance erased all Li Xian's hesitation, prompting him to name Shen Yurong. And indeed, Shen Yurong wasn't innocent—though he tried hard to conceal it, his efforts appeared strained. Even his rebuttals seemed feeble.

They were all clever people, and this was something everyone tacitly understood. The court was full of old foxes who could more or less discern the clues. It was likely that both Princess Yongning and Eldest Son Li were telling the truth: Eldest Son Li genuinely had the habit of keeping young boys, while Princess Yongning had indeed been secretly involved with Minister Shen and married into the Li family to conceal their affair.

Amidst the shock, the crowd treated it as entertainment, watching with great interest. Jiang Yuanbai stood quietly, a smile playing on his lips as if watching a play. He recalled what Jiang Li had once told him about why Princess Yongning should be married into the Li family. Convinced by Jiang Li at the time, he now saw her words proven true—in less than three months, the Li household was in chaos. With Princess Yongning and the Li family tearing into each other, regardless of how Princess Yongning fared, Li Zhongnan had utterly lost face.

The more the Li family suffered, the happier Jiang Yuanbai—as their rival—became.

And all this stemmed from that day at Old General Ji's birthday banquet, when Jiang Li overheard a few remarks at the Duke's residence. Those few words completely altered the fates of Li Xian and Princess Yongning. Lost in thought, Jiang Yuanbai glanced toward Duke Su.

Ji Heng stood at the edge of the crowd, entirely unaffected by the uproar. He stood composed and amused, clearly treating the court's chaos like a theatrical performance, merely a bystander.

Jiang Yuanbai couldn't help but feel puzzled. From this perspective, it seemed Prince Cheng and the Right Prime Minister weren't aligned with Ji Heng; otherwise, why would Ji Heng remain so casually detached, watching the drama unfold without taking action?After all, Prince Cheng's rebellion was imminent. One must carefully distinguish friend from foe and avoid any missteps at this critical juncture.

Amidst the chaos unfolding in the Golden Luan Hall, there was one person who remained a spectator, quietly observing every move of those below with an inscrutable expression—the Hongxiao Emperor.

He neither interrupted Princess Yongning's accusations nor stopped Li Xian from speaking. Even toward Shen Yurong, whom he had once held in high regard, he offered no protection. Silent, he watched these people tear into one another like a detached statue looking down with contempt.

It wasn't until Eunuch Su drew out his voice to signal everyone to quiet down that the assembly suddenly realized the emperor had been silently watching all along without uttering a word.

What did this mean? Was he indifferent? No one could decipher what the Hongxiao Emperor was thinking, not even Prince Cheng, who grew increasingly suspicious. Though his own influence expanded daily, his wariness toward his imperial brother intensified proportionally. This very apprehension drove his urgency to rebel this year—he felt any delay would be fatal.

This emperor was evolving at an alarming rate.

The Golden Luan Hall had fallen so silent that one could hear a pin drop. At the epicenter of the storm stood Shen Yurong, utterly disgraced, while Li Xian and Princess Yongning hurled accusations at each other, their dignity in tatters.

The Hongxiao Emperor looked at Yongning and suddenly smiled.

That smile was even more enigmatic and unfathomable, sending a involuntary shiver down the spine of even Jiang Yuanbai, who had served the emperor for many years.

"In that case," declared the Hongxiao Emperor, "your petition to divorce Li Xian is granted."

...

The scandal involving Princess Yongning and Li Xian inevitably spread beyond the palace walls.

With so many civil and military officials present in the Golden Luan Hall that day, containment was impossible. Princess Yongning had once claimed only the dead could keep secrets, but she couldn't possibly silence every court official. The sordid secret was destined to leak, and overnight, the disgrace of the Li family and Princess Yongning—along with the once-admired "devoted" top scholar Shen Yurong—became subjects of public scorn and condemnation.

Though Princess Yongning obtained her divorce decree as desired, it came at a great cost. Not only had she failed to avenge her son's death at Li Xian's hands, but she had also implicated herself. Li Xian had dragged Shen Yurong into the affair as well. While the Hongxiao Emperor's stance remained ambiguous—granting the divorce without delving into details like whether Li Xian truly kept boy attendants or if Princess Yongning had indeed been impregnated by Shen Yurong—rumors proliferated wildly. Unfounded tales were already circulating as truth; these actual scandals thus became irrefutable facts in the public eye.

In no time, Yanjing City was abuzz with rampant gossip.Princess Yongning could no longer carry out her threat of "killing anyone who dares gossip behind my back," as she had been placed under house arrest by Prince Cheng. Furious, Prince Cheng saw that Princess Yongning's commotion in the Golden Luan Hall had not only tarnished his reputation but also driven a wedge between the Li family and him at this critical juncture. His other trusted confidant, Shen Yurong, was also implicated. Originally, Shen Yurong could have been a pawn planted by the emperor's side, especially since Hongxiao Emperor favored him, but now that plan had to be abandoned. After such an incident, it was uncertain whether Shen Yurong's official career could continue, let alone regain the emperor's favor as before—such hopes were now unthinkable.

In the Jiang residence, Jiang Li learned of these events not through Tong'er but from Jiang Yuanbai himself. On the day Princess Yongning and Li Xian caused a scene in the Golden Luan Hall, Jiang Yuanbai returned home after court and immediately summoned Jiang Li to his study, recounting everything that had happened in detail. Finally, he asked Jiang Li if she had long been aware of the relationship between Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong, and even whether she knew that Princess Yongning was pregnant before marrying into the Li family.

Jiang Li naturally denied it, deflecting with pre-prepared excuses. Although Jiang Yuanbai remained skeptical, Jiang Li was unperturbed. This matter was a secret between her and the Duke's residence; no matter how much Jiang Yuanbai investigated, he would uncover nothing.

Tong'er asked, "Miss, is it true that Princess Yongning and Lord Shen had an illicit affair and conceived a child long ago?"

Jiang Li replied, "Yes."

Tong'er fumed, "That's utterly shameless! To marry someone else while carrying another man's child. But that Li Xian from the Li family is no good either. People say he scours for handsome orphaned youths and brings them back to the Li residence to... well, in any case, how could they possibly divorce? They ought to torment each other forever."

Jiang Li smiled faintly. "If they didn't divorce, how could Shen Yurong be exposed?"

"Right, and Shen Yurong too," Tong'er said. "He always acted so devoted, letting others curse his wife to no end, while all along he was carrying on with Princess Yongning. Such a hypocrite, seeking fame and praise—I spit on him!"

Jiang Li chuckled. "You even know the phrase 'seeking fame and praise.'"

"Of course," Tong'er replied, tidying clothes while muttering to herself, "But I wonder what deep grudge Li Xian and Princess Yongning hold against each other, that they had to expose each other's secrets in the Golden Luan Hall. If they hadn't spoken up themselves, no one might have ever known about their disgraceful deeds."

Jiang Li smiled slightly. The conflict between Li Xian and Princess Yongning naturally stemmed from the nonexistent "child." In Princess Yongning's eyes, nothing was more important than the child she shared with Shen Yurong. For this child, she had reluctantly married into the Li family, only to discover that Li Xian had harmed her unborn child. Princess Yongning would never let Li Xian off the hook, and upon learning his secret, she seized the chance to expose it to the world.Even Jiang Li hadn't anticipated that Princess Yongning would directly storm into the Golden Luan Hall. It seemed that in her past life, Princess Yongning had grown too accustomed to smooth sailing. She believed the Li family had no leverage over her and could only swallow their bitterness in silence. Little did she know that the Li family was far from easy to deal with and would inevitably seek revenge. Moreover, the secrets the Li family knew were even more significant.

However, this mutually destructive situation was exactly what Jiang Li was pleased to see.

Bai Xue asked, "But the Emperor didn't punish Li Xian or Scholar Shen. Apart from damage to their reputations, what else can happen to them?"

"It may seem that way, but Eldest Son Li and Scholar Shen likely won't be able to continue serving as officials. I expect they'll voluntarily resign within three days," Jiang Li said with a laugh. "The Emperor anticipated this exact outcome, which is why he didn't impose any punishment on them."

Without needing to say anything, the censors' memorials would pile up on the Emperor's desk like snowflakes. Even if Shen Yurong and Li Xian tried to tough it out, they would soon experience how "gossip is a fearful thing" - their official careers had reached the end.

This way, Li Xian, having lost his official position, would harbor even more hatred toward Princess Yongning. No matter how much Prince Cheng tried to smooth things over, a rift would likely form. As for Shen Yurong without his official rank - now just a commoner - the inherently selfish Shen family would blame everything on Princess Yongning.

An ordinary Shen Yurong and a disgraced Princess Yongning staying together would only bring endless troubles and resentment. Without Jiang Li needing to lift a finger, they would exhaust their passion themselves, replacing it with nothing but bitterness.

When that time came, the cases of Xue Fangfei and Xue Zhao could finally see the light of day again.

This was her goal, planned for so long. From that dark, cloudy rainy night when she woke up, she had finally reached a place with light.

...

The romantic rumors about Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning spread throughout Yanjing City, naturally reaching the Ye family's ears as well.

Ye Mingyu and Ye Shijie had long known that Xue Huaiyuan's daughter was this Scholar Shen's wife. Jiang Li had consistently shown support for the Xue family, and judging by Xue Huaiyuan's character, no one believed Xue Fangfei was as rumored. They always suspected there was more to the story of Xue Fangfei's alleged affair. So when this news emerged, Ye Shijie and Ye Mingyu felt they had finally found evidence. Ye Mingyu said, "I always felt something was off about what happened back then. Now it seems Scholar Shen's wife's bad reputation might be connected to this wretched princess. Could they have manipulated the situation?"

"Quite possible," Ye Shijie sighed in agreement. "Since I entered court service, I've seen how this young Scholar Shen maintained an excellent reputation - no one spoke ill of him. Neither the Grand Secretary's faction nor the Right Prime Minister's faction ever gave him trouble. Though he was always amiable, I never felt comfortable getting close to him. Now I finally understand why. It must have been difficult for him to maintain this act for so long, though the word 'devotion' seems quite inappropriate when applied to him.""Exactly, exactly. Those officials always say we merchants are shrewd and opportunistic, but damn it, at least I don’t engage in such hypocritical acts—mourning for his wife on one hand while secretly carrying on with a princess, even having a child together. And then letting her marry someone else while bringing the child along. The official circles are truly messed up. Thankfully, my brain isn’t sharp enough to ever become an official in this lifetime. But Shijie, listen to me carefully: you must not pick up these vile habits. You know our Ye family—we don’t have such messy affairs. Although your third uncle here has wandered through countless flowers, I’ve never let a single petal cling to me. At least I’ve never harmed any innocent women. If you ever fool around outside, just see if I don’t break your legs and make sure you never leave your bed for the rest of your life!"

He spoke with such ferocity that Ye Shijie had no choice but to reply helplessly, "...I know, Third Uncle."

Ye Shijie glanced toward another courtyard and asked softly, "Third Uncle, does Mr. Xue know about this yet?"

"He does," Ye Mingyu said. "Haitang just went in to tell him. Ah, it’s so pitiful. If Miss Xue was truly killed by that despicable pair, if I were the old master, I’d be heartbroken to death."

Inside the room, Haitang stood beside Xue Huaiyuan. She had just finished recounting in detail everything she had learned outside about Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong. Prior to this, she had already informed Xue Huaiyuan about the secretive behavior between Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong back when Xue Fangfei was still alive.

Although Jiang Li had long insisted that Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong had been involved and that they had killed Xue Fangfei precisely to clear the way for Princess Yongning to become Shen’s wife, there had been no concrete evidence. Now that the entire Yanjing City knew, Haitang felt deeply agitated and inexplicably on the verge of tears.

"Master," Haitang said softly, "since their true faces have been exposed, we only need to wait a few more days. Miss Jiang said that once all the evidence is gathered, we can avenge Miss and Young Master."

Xue Huaiyuan listened quietly to Haitang’s words. His expression was calm and composed, but his eyes were filled with a tightly suppressed sorrow. He said, "Yes, A Li and Ah Zhao have waited too long for this day. It’s my failure as a father for not taking better care of them."

"No, it’s not," Haitang replied. "It’s those people who are despicable. Please don’t blame yourself, Master. If Young Master and Miss are watching from heaven, they would be heartbroken to see you like this."

"Don’t worry." Xue Huaiyuan straightened his expression. "I will live on, for Ali and Ah Zhao... At the very least, I must see with my own eyes that Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning receive the punishment they deserve."

Haitang nodded.

...

As for the scandal of the Li family, by the end, what the people of Yanjing discussed most was no longer Li Xian’s keeping of young boys, but rather when exactly Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong had gotten together. They even had a child and boldly brought the child into the Right Prime Minister’s household upon marriage, with Shen Yurong raising no objections. Although it was the Hongxiao Emperor who arranged the marriage, the emperor had done so unaware of the circumstances. Princess Yongning could have resolved the situation in many other ways—such as not keeping the child or explaining the truth to the emperor. Yet she ultimately chose this method, clearly intending to protect Shen Yurong.If the Hongxiao Emperor were to learn that one of his officials had engaged in such an affair with the current princess, Shen Yurong's official position would undoubtedly become utterly untenable. Even now, his standing was already precarious.

At the Shen residence, both Shen Ruyun and Shen's mother were present. Shen Yurong sat in the room. Over the past two days, he had attended court as usual. Surprisingly, the emperor had not uttered a single word about him, though Shen Yurong could easily imagine how many censures the censors had submitted against him. The Hongxiao Emperor remained silent, and Shen Yurong wished to pretend nothing had happened, but how was that possible?

Not to mention the mocking glances directed at him, there were even those who, after court, would openly discuss the matter within earshot as he passed by. Some went so far as to ask him directly what it felt like to be with the princess and when they could expect to drink his and Princess Yongning's wedding wine.

Shen Yurong knew all too well that these people believed his official position was doomed sooner or later. For someone destined to become an ordinary commoner, there was no need to maintain pretenses or feign respect. When a wall begins to crumble, everyone pushes it; when a tree falls, the monkeys scatter—this truth was especially stark in the political arena.

Thus, over these two days, the journey from home to the court and back again, whether leaving or returning, required immense courage. And his courage had already been exhausted.

Seeing him return, Shen Ruyun asked, "Elder brother, did the emperor say anything today?"

Shen Yurong replied, "No."

Shen Ruyun patted her chest as if relieved, saying, "Good, good. I thought this time even your official position would be lost. It seems Princess Yongning spoke on your behalf before the Emperor, which is why this crisis passed without harm."

Shen's mother added, "Exactly. Find an opportunity to visit the princess and comfort her. After such an event, as a woman, she must be deeply hurt."

Shen Yurong felt only profound exhaustion. He truly couldn't understand why, even at this point, his mother and sister still held expectations of Princess Yongning. Didn't they realize that after this incident, not only he and Li Xian, but even Princess Yongning herself would likely have no chance of recovery?

The Hongxiao Emperor's silence wasn't due to favoritism toward him as a minister, making him reluctant to punish despite such events, but because the Emperor knew that even without saying anything, Shen Yurong and Li Xian would voluntarily resign from their positions.

Yes, he intended to resign voluntarily. He would have liked to shamelessly remain in court, but over these past two days, Shen Yurong had discovered it was simply too difficult. If he had to continue living like this day after day, year after year—where as long as he remained in officialdom, this matter would be constantly brought up and even used against him—he couldn't live that way.

"Tomorrow I will inform the Emperor of my decision to resign," Shen Yurong stated.

"What?" Shen Ruyun and their mother exclaimed simultaneously. Shen's mother stood up, staring at Shen Yurong. "What did you just say?"

"I'm resigning from my official position," Shen Yurong said with complete calm.

"You've gone mad," Shen's mother said agitatedly. "Even the Emperor hasn't punished you. Why would you resign voluntarily? What you should be doing now isn't resigning, but properly communicating with Princess Yongning. Since she's already divorced Li Xian and others know about your relationship with her, you might as well marry her. Wouldn't that be perfect!"

Shen Yurong suddenly found this somewhat amusing. If Princess Yongning heard these words, she would undoubtedly be extremely pleased. Princess Yongning was determined to marry into the Shen family, and his mother was equally determined to bring the princess into their household. It appeared perfectly satisfactory—except for himself.

Although this romantic entanglement was of his own making. But now he felt that if he couldn't handle it, he could at least avoid it. He no longer wanted this complicated relationship.

"Elder brother, you need to think carefully," Shen Ruyun said. "If you resign, everything will be lost. All your previous efforts will have been in vain. What will our Shen family rely on for livelihood afterwards? You can't possibly expect Mother to take up needlework again! As for me in the Marquis Ningyuan's household, I probably wouldn't be able to survive either!"

Shen Yurong also felt somewhat adrift. His entire life, his relentless striving, had been solely for the purpose of distinguishing himself. After entering officialdom and rising steadily to this position, everything was suddenly coming to an abrupt halt. If he resigned, everything would return to the beginning, with nothing left.

Wealth and glory had turned into illusions; grievances, affections, and hatreds had vanished in an instant.

And Xue Fangfei...

He thought of her vaguely.

"Elder brother, what exactly are you thinking? Don't just stand there silent," Shen Ruyun urged impatiently when she saw Shen Yurong remaining quiet.

Just then, a servant from the Shen residence rushed in from outside, looking flustered. Seeing Shen Yurong, he immediately said, "Young master, something has happened."

"What is it?" Shen Yurong asked."Rumors are spreading outside that Princess Yongning has been demoted to a commoner by the Emperor today!"

Demoted to a commoner? This meant she was no longer the lofty princess, becoming no different from the ordinary people of the realm—transformed into the very ants she had always looked down upon, the commoners.

(End of Chapter)