The Double

Chapter 172: True Colors

On the way back, recalling Ji Heng's words, Jiang Li couldn't help but smile.

Her amusement was so evident that Tong'er and Bai Xue exchanged puzzled glances. Tong'er asked, "What did you discuss with the Duke to make you so happy, miss?"

"Just casual conversation," Jiang Li replied.

She truly hadn't expected that in Ji Heng's eyes, the former Xue Fangfei would ultimately earn the evaluation of "a beauty." This came as somewhat of a surprise to her, especially since Ji Heng was himself the foremost beauty of Northern Yan. She had assumed he would have completely looked down upon the Xue Fangfei of those days. She had always considered physical appearance of little consequence, yet now, learning that her past self had received such praise from Ji Heng struck her as rather amusing.

The Xue Fangfei of those days was probably beautiful. But the current Second Miss Jiang could at best be called a minor beauty—far from being a stunning, city-toppling figure. She imagined Ji Heng would never describe her present self with the word "beauty" again.

Nevertheless, her visit to the Duke's residence tonight had brought her some peace of mind. She was gradually realizing that whenever she needed to make important decisions, merely visiting the Duke's estate and exchanging a few trivial words with Ji Heng seemed to fortify her confidence. Jiang Li had previously only heard the saying "it's easy to relax in the shade of a great tree," but she hadn't understood what that felt like—until now, she was experiencing it fully.

No wonder so many people in the world would go to any lengths to find themselves a "great tree" to rely on.

But even with such a tree, the remaining tasks still fell to her. As the carriage slowly made its way back to the Jiang residence, Jiang Li mused idly. The now-demoted commoner, Princess Yongning, likely wouldn't restrain herself for long before seeking out Shen Yurong. Having endured such "injustice" for Shen Yurong's sake, and having previously married into the Li family to conceal her pregnancy while suppressing her longing, Yongning no longer needed to hide anything now that the truth was out in the open. In fact, without her royal status, she might even feel freer.

However, Princess Yongning would soon come to understand the harshness of reality.

Back in the Shen family, Xue Fangfei had paid with her life to see through the inherent shrewdness and coldness of the Shen family members. All their talk of benevolence and morality was merely a facade. Stripped of her royal title, this noble princess would likely not receive the same reverent treatment upon her return to the Shen family. In fact, the Shens might even blame her for all the misfortunes that had befallen Shen Yurong.

Princess Yongning was in for a world of suffering.

A lighter smile touched her lips as she gazed at her hands, slowly clenching her palms.

Soon, the day she had long awaited would arrive.

...

Just as Jiang Li had anticipated, after staying in an inn for what felt like an eternity, Princess Yongning finally arrived at the Shen residence.

She wore a wide-brimmed hat. Initially, Princess Yongning believed that even if the people of Yanjing City knew of her affairs, they wouldn't dare to point and gossip in her presence. But she soon realized she was mistaken. Wherever she went, piercing stares followed her like shadows. She could clearly sense the whispers and mockery from the crowds, which infuriated her. Yet, when she habitually thought to order her guards to arrest those gossiping, she found that aside from Meixiang, she had no one left by her side.A tarnished reputation was like a brand seared onto her face—wherever she went, she had to endure the mocking gazes of the crowd. Princess Yongning was utterly miserable. Suddenly, she understood why, after the rumors of Xue Fangfei's affair had spread, Xue Fangfei had secluded herself within the Shen residence ever since. While Shen Yurong had deliberately placed her under house arrest, even if he had allowed her to go out freely, Xue Fangfei would likely not have dared.

She would have been drowned in the spittle and scorn of Yanjing City's residents.

These lowly commoners, Princess Yongning thought bitterly. She couldn't possibly remember every face in the crowd, so she couldn't have Consort Liu arrest them all once she returned to the inn. These wretched people seemed to have learned of her demotion to commoner status, emboldened by the news. Those who wouldn't have dared to even glance at the hem of her skirt in the past now pointed at her and gossiped without restraint.

Just as she was on the verge of losing her composure, too fearful to even step out of the inn's door, Meixiang brought her a bamboo hat. Princess Yongning seized it as if it were a treasure, hastily placing it on her head before rushing out in a near-panic. Meixiang followed closely behind, and they could hear the malicious laughter trailing after them.

Princess Yongning was so enraged she nearly bit through her lip.

Prince Cheng had left them some silver, and Meixiang hired a carriage. The two of them rode in it to the Shen residence.

The Shen residence appeared much as it always had, though the plaque bearing the words "Zhuangyuan Jidi" (Top Scholar) seemed to have gathered a layer of dust, perhaps because the household had recently suffered a great upheaval and even the servants had neglected their duties. The once-gleaming plaque now looked dull and neglected, exuding an air of decay. When Princess Yongning's carriage stopped at the gate, passersby turned to stare. Given that the Shen family had recently become the center of public gossip, anyone visiting naturally drew curiosity.

Princess Yongning hurriedly stepped out of the carriage and urged Meixiang to knock on the door. The gatekeeper, who had previously known Princess Yongning, had always been obsequiously respectful in the past, even ingratiating himself with Meixiang. But today, upon seeing them, he first showed surprise, then hesitation, and did not immediately open the door.

"How dare you!" Meixiang hissed. "Open the door for Her Highness at once!"

The servant seemed to snap out of his daze, as if still struggling with the decision, but upon seeing Meixiang's stern expression, he finally unlocked the gate.

Princess Yongning observed his every move, seething with anger. A mere watchdog had learned to fawn over the powerful and despise the fallen, showing her such disrespect. She resolved that once she saw Shen Yurong, she would insist he find an excuse to sell off this servant!

The servants in the Shen residence were the same as before, but the atmosphere was far more subdued. As soon as Princess Yongning entered, she removed her hat. Here, she had no need to conceal her identity. Yet, none of the Shen family's servants came forward to greet her; instead, they all lowered their heads, pretending not to see her. Only after she had passed did they cast ambiguous glances her way from behind.Princess Yongning was seething with anger, yet she hadn't even seen Shen Yurong. Moreover, all the servants in the Shen residence were like this—she couldn't possibly replace every one of them at once. In the past, it would have been as simple as snapping her fingers for Princess Yongning, but now she was a commoner. At least until Prince Cheng succeeded, she couldn't live as she used to and had to endure the life of an ordinary lowly commoner.

Princess Yongning was very familiar with the layout of the Shen residence. She intended to go to the front hall first and find a maid to summon Shen Yurong. Unexpectedly, upon reaching the front hall, she first encountered Shen's mother.

Shen's mother was seated in a rattan chair in the front hall, scolding a young maid. The maid trembled in fear, unable to lift her head under the barrage of insults. It seemed she had spilled a bit of tea while serving Shen's mother, who was now venting her fury. However, anyone with eyes could see that Shen's mother was merely using this as an excuse to vent her frustrations. Such a trivial matter hardly warranted such harsh and unpleasant words.

Much of it was due to the pent-up resentment in her heart.

Princess Yongning walked in, and Meixiang called out, "Madam Shen."

Shen's mother turned around in surprise. Upon seeing the two of them, she immediately stood up, her face breaking into a familiar, ingratiating smile as she said, "Your Highness."

"Madam Shen," Princess Yongning felt slightly relieved to see that Shen's mother's attitude toward her remained unchanged. She said, "I've come to see Shen Lang."

Perhaps it was her use of "I" instead of "this princess" that gave Shen's mother pause, reminding her of Yongning's demotion to commoner status. The smile on Shen's mother's face faded slightly as she first instructed a servant to summon Shen Yurong from his study. After the servant left, Shen's mother asked, "Your Highness, what exactly does the Emperor's decree mean? Have you... truly been stripped of your title?"

Princess Yongning forced a smile and replied, "It's only temporary."

What she truly thought was that once Prince Cheng made his move, the Hongxiao Emperor's decree would no longer hold any weight. However, she couldn't speak too plainly. Shen's mother, being a woman of limited understanding, took Yongning's words as empty reassurance. She immediately retorted, "So that means you can no longer speak on Yurong's behalf before the Emperor regarding his official position?"

"Not for now," Princess Yongning frowned. Shen's mother's suddenly raised voice grated on her ears.

Shen's mother's disappointment was now plainly written on her face. Although she had heard the news of Princess Yongning's demotion, she had clung to a sliver of hope. After all, Princess Yongning was Consort Liu's most favored daughter, and her elder brother was Prince Cheng. Surely, if Consort Liu spoke a few kind words to the Emperor, he might revoke the decree. She was unaware of the delicate relationship between Prince Cheng and the Emperor. As a woman confined to the inner quarters, and before Shen Yurong had earned the title of top scholar, Shen's mother had been an illiterate commoner—how could she possibly understand such complexities?

Shen Yurong's insistence on resigning his official post against her wishes had already left Shen's mother deeply disappointed. Now, hearing Princess Yongning's words, she felt as if the future stretched bleak and hopeless before her. With Princess Yongning reduced to a commoner and no longer reliable, and her son having lost his official position, the Shen family's prospects seemed to have reached a dead end.Thinking of this, Shen's mother looked at Princess Yongning, and a surge of resentment suddenly arose in her heart. If it weren't for Princess Yongning being pregnant, marrying into the Li family, and tearing up all pretense of cordiality with the Li family in the Golden Luan Hall, how could their Shen family have fallen to such a state? It was Princess Yongning who had ruined her son!

"Now you are no longer a princess..." Shen's mother said with a false smile, "People outside are saying all sorts of things. If you have nothing important, it's best not to visit so easily. You should know that if outsiders see you, they will gossip. Our Yurong has already been forced to resign from his official position because of your affairs. If this continues, I'm afraid both mother and son won't be able to stay in Yanjing City any longer."

Meixiang and Princess Yongning both looked at Shen's mother in surprise. In just the time it took to say one sentence, Shen's mother could change her expression so abruptly and without warning!

This fickle and petty demeanor, even for Princess Yongning who had seen all kinds of people, instantly evoked anger and disgust. She almost wanted to have Meixiang throw this harsh and acrimonious woman out the door. But the next moment, Princess Yongning restrained herself. This was Shen Yurong's mother, and Shen Yurong was extremely filial. She couldn't quarrel with Shen's mother, at the very least, she shouldn't stoop to her level.

"Madam Shen," Princess Yongning said loudly, "I've told you, this is only temporary!"

As if startled by Princess Yongning's voice, Madam Shen fell silent for a moment. However, the way she looked at Princess Yongning no longer held the previous warmth. It was as if she were looking at a stubborn scoundrel, pretending to be merciful by not exposing her, yet filled with malicious delight in watching the spectacle.

Just then, a voice came from behind: "Mother."

It was Shen Yurong.

Seeing Shen Yurong, Princess Yongning was overjoyed. She called out, "Shen Lang," with an expression of infinite grievance and sorrow.

Shen Yurong looked at his mother and said, "Mother, the princess and I have something to discuss. We'll take our leave now."

"Ah," Shen's mother grabbed him. She wanted to remind her son that it was this woman who had dragged him down to this state, but she was wary of Princess Yongning's arrogant temper. In the end, she could only say, "Be quick. We should have our meal after you finish talking."

Shen Yurong nodded. Princess Yongning was extremely happy, thinking that Shen Yurong was speaking up for her in front of his mother. She eagerly stepped forward and took Shen Yurong's hand. Shen's mother glanced at her, suppressed her anger, and then left.

Princess Yongning was again filled with fury. In the past, whenever Shen's mother saw her coming to the Shen residence, she would naturally welcome her with boundless enthusiasm. If Shen Yurong showed even the slightest intimacy with her, Shen's mother would appear immensely delighted, as if it were exactly what she had hoped for. Now, it was as if she were a fly, ruining Shen Yurong's fine meal.

Princess Yongning had now seen through the true nature of the Shen family. But it was alright—she tightly held Shen Yurong's hand. She still had Shen Lang.

After Shen Yurong saw his mother leave, he withdrew his hand from Princess Yongning's grasp and said to her, "Princess."

"Shen Lang, I know you've resigned from your official position," Princess Yongning said before Shen Yurong could speak. "I never thought Li Xian would find out about our affair. I didn't know he would involve you. If I had known this would happen, I would never have argued with him, no matter what!"

"I know," Shen Yurong said. "I don't blame you."Princess Yongning was nearly moved to tears. She gently leaned her head on Shen Yurong’s shoulder and sobbed uncontrollably, "Shen Lang, do you know why I refused to let Li Xian, that scoundrel, off? It’s because he killed my child. The child was murdered by someone Li Xian arranged. He had long wanted to kill our child. He knew it was your child... I failed to protect our child—it’s my fault. But I absolutely cannot forgive Li Xian. If I get the chance, I will avenge my child!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Yurong’s expression remained unmoved. He only said, "Why do you say the child was killed by Li Xian?"

Princess Yongning then recounted in detail what had happened in the Li residence, including the voices Meixiang had overheard. After listening to the entire story, Shen Yurong said, "I’m afraid you’ve misunderstood."

"What?"

"If Li Xian wanted to eliminate this child, he wouldn’t use such an overt method. As you said, tampering with the fetus-protecting medicine might have been Li Xian’s doing. But the sudden appearance of an assassin likely wasn’t his work."

"No." Princess Yongning frowned. "I’m certain it was Li Xian’s doing. If not him, who else would do such a thing? But Shen Lang," she slowly straightened up and looked at Shen Yurong, as if trying to see into his heart. She asked, "This was your child. Why do I not sense even a hint of sorrow from you?"

Shen Yurong looked at her quietly. After a long pause, he said, "He is already dead."

"But he was your child!" Princess Yongning cried out sharply.

She suddenly realized that from the beginning until now, whether analyzing Li Xian’s actions or discussing the outcome, Shen Yurong’s expression had not shown the slightest trace of grief. If he had any feelings for this child, he would not be so indifferent. Even someone as ruthless as Princess Yongning had genuinely mourned when she learned she had miscarried.

Could it be that he felt nothing at all? This was his own flesh and blood!

"Yongning," Shen Yurong looked at her, his expression still terrifyingly calm. He said, "What’s done is done. You shouldn’t cling to it endlessly."

"So what?" Princess Yongning asked. "You also think I’m wrong? I should pretend to know nothing, not seek revenge against Li Xian, not expose him in the Golden Luan Hall, not give him the chance to reveal our relationship, not let you get implicated, not cause you to be criticized or lose your official position—is that it? Is it?!"

Her words carried a hint of madness. And within that relentless madness, a bone-deep sorrow emerged.

She knew that although Shen Yurong hadn’t spoken, the answer was undoubtedly "yes." Because for Shen Yurong, everything was expendable. This had been evident from the moment he learned Princess Yongning was pregnant—his first thought was to discard the child. Or even further back, from the way he knew everything she had done to Xue Fangfei yet feigned ignorance and watched coldly from the sidelines.She knew there was no turning back, but Princess Yongning had no desire to turn back anyway. Looking back now, she had clearly seen many times that Shen Yurong’s treatment of her was not sincere, yet she loved him deeply—obsessively so. She would stop at nothing to have him. Whether his feelings were genuine or feigned no longer seemed to matter.

For instance, at this moment, Shen Yurong remained silent, and Princess Yongning was the first to yield.

She knew she could not win against him, for her deep love destined her to lose. Moreover, Shen Yurong was now her last lifeline. She had no other recourse; only by holding onto him could she avoid drowning.

"I'm sorry," Princess Yongning said with difficulty. "It's my fault for dragging you into this."

Shen Yurong replied, "It’s alright."

"Shen Lang," Princess Yongning continued, "I have been stripped of my title by the Emperor and reduced to a commoner. Although my elder brother gave me a considerable amount of silver, moving about in public will inevitably attract gossip. I no longer wish to stay at an inn—I want to live with you... After all, since people already know about our relationship, there’s nothing to fear even if we live together. I have divorced the Li family, so those who criticize me have no grounds."

She rarely spoke to others with such caution, and even Meixiang watched in astonishment. Princess Yongning had always been accustomed to issuing commands from a position of superiority—when had she ever been so humble? Yet Princess Yongning herself knew all too well that, at this point, Shen Yurong was all she had left. If she were to lose him as well, she would truly have nothing. Besides, she had schemed tirelessly all along just to be with Shen Yurong. Even in her current predicament, that goal remained unchanged.

If only to ensure her efforts had not been in vain.

She gazed at Shen Yurong, pleading cautiously. The man appeared as gentle and refined as ever, seemingly someone she could entrust her life to. He looked at Princess Yongning, and even in such circumstances, he had not uttered a single harsh word to her; his attitude could even be described as tender.

But Princess Yongning clearly saw the indifference in his eyes.

Shen Yurong said, "Alright."

Princess Yongning looked at him excitedly, suppressing the unease in her heart. She reached for his hand, and Shen Yurong did not pull away. Instantly, her earlier doubts vanished, and she felt satisfied once more.

There was a time when she had been the one in control, subtly luring and teasing, waiting for Shen Yurong—the prey—to take the bait. But now, she was completely in Shen Yurong’s grasp. Princess Yongning could not live without him, yet Shen Yurong could discard her at any moment, without a trace of attachment.

Meixiang stood outside the door, watching with concern. It seemed the immediate crisis had been resolved, and Princess Yongning could now live with Shen Yurong openly and legitimately. But would things really go so smoothly? Leaving aside other matters, just the mere thought of Shen's mother’s attitude clashing with Princess Yongning’s inherent pride was enough to foresee trouble sooner or later.

...

Princess Yongning’s demotion to commoner status and Shen Yurong’s resignation from his official post had a profound impact on the entire Shen family. Shen's mother held considerable resentment toward Princess Yongning as a result, while Shen Ruyun lost all the privileges and support she had enjoyed at the Marquis Ningyuan’s estate overnight.Zhou Yanbang grew increasingly unrestrained in his behavior, staying out all night and spending his days seeking pleasure in the House of Pleasure. Even when he returned to the residence, he never visited Shen Ruyun, always going to Jiang Yu'e instead.

After the affair between Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning came to light, the servants at the Marquis Ningyuan residence began looking at Shen Ruyun with different eyes. Some even whispered that during the palace banquet incident, while it was said Zhou Yanbang had taken liberties with Shen Ruyun, who could tell if she hadn't thrown herself at him? Perhaps Zhou Yanbang had done nothing at all, and it was Shen Ruyun who wanted to marry him, framing him with false accusations—a sheer extortion attempt. After all, her elder brother was no decent man either, secretly carrying on with the princess behind everyone's back and even getting her pregnant before she married another.

Wherever Shen Ruyun went within the residence, she could hear these discussions. And when Shen Yurong truly resigned from his official post as he had declared, these sneers intensified, almost daring to surface right in front of Shen Ruyun.

Shen Ruyun was utterly miserable. She never imagined that Princess Yongning, who had once brought boundless hopes and glory to the Shen family, would now become an inescapable burden—like a stubborn plaster that couldn't be shaken off. Their past connection to the princess was no longer seen as "a blessing earned by the Shen ancestors' graves emitting auspicious smoke," but rather a stain despised by the world. Earlier that morning, Marquis Ningyuan and his wife had summoned her to their chambers, hinting obliquely that Shen Ruyun should voluntarily seek a divorce to bring peace to the Ningyuan Marquisate and spare them from becoming a laughingstock in others' eyes.

Fuming to the point of nausea, Shen Ruyun had just left the marchioness' quarters when she encountered Jiang Yu'e.

Strangely enough, as the legitimate wife, Shen Ruyun naturally controlled the concubines' allowances, granting Jiang Yu'e a pitifully small monthly stipend. Though Zhou Yanbang seemed to never give Jiang Yu'e any silver either, her food and clothing were scarcely inferior to Shen Ruyun's. Rumor had it this was all supported by her maternal family. Shen Ruyun found it baffling—after all, Jiang Yuanxing was merely an illegitimate child of the Jiang family with meager official pay, so how could he afford such extravagance?

Regardless, Jiang Yu'e's natural beauty already surpassed Shen Ruyun's. With careful adornment, she could easily captivate Zhou Yanbang, keeping him away from Shen Ruyun's courtyard.

"Sister, it's you," Jiang Yu'e greeted Shen Ruyun with a graceful curtsy, smiling. "I've heard about the recent troubles in your maternal family. Is everything still dire? When the heir mentioned it, I truly broke into a sweat worrying for you. The more such times arise, the more you must stand firm. Endure a little longer, and it shall pass."

Her tone was unmistakably gloating. The thought that Zhou Yanbang also knew about this and had used it to humiliate her before Jiang Yu'e made Shen Ruyun wish she could dash her brains out to escape the shame. Glaring at the lavishly dressed Jiang Yu'e, she sneered, "Concubine Jiang seems quite at leisure, strolling about the manor daily."

"Well, I'm in high spirits, after all," Jiang Yu'e replied. "Just now, passing by the marchioness' door, I overheard her suggesting you propose a divorce from the heir? Indeed, with such a scandal, clinging to the manor must feel unbearable."

"Even if I divorce the heir, it would never be your turn!" Shen Ruyun gritted her teeth. "You sneaked into this manor by vile means, and your father is merely an illegitimate child of the Jiang family. If the Ningyuan Marquisate seeks a new wife for the heir, it would never be a lowly creature like you. No matter how hard you scheme, you'll only ever pave the way for others!"

"So what?" Jiang Yu'e's smile vanished under Shen Ruyun's tirade, but she still aimed to provoke. "I knew from the start I was entering as a concubine. Even if I remain one for life, it matters not—so long as the heir dotes on me. But you? You were the legitimate wife, carried into the manor with great pomp in a grand wedding procession. You appeared far superior to me, yet your fate may prove no better! At least I won't be cast out, while you—who knows where you'll end up in your remaining years?"

"The heir will not divorce me, and I will not seek a divorce from him," Shen Ruyun seethed."Is that so? The reason the heir married you in the first place was solely because your elder brother was an official favored by the Emperor. Shen Ruyun, what merits do you possess yourself? Tossed into a crowd, no one would even notice you. Now that your elder brother has resigned from his post, he is nothing, and the Shen family's reputation is in ruins. What makes you think Marquis Ningyuan's household would still want a destitute like you? Even when Shen Yurong was an official, the heir never thought much of you. Now that Shen Yurong has nothing, the heir is even less likely to spare you a second glance."

"So you'd better get as far away as possible, right now!"

(End of Chapter)