The Double

Chapter 193: Staying

"Why are you avoiding me?" Ji Heng raised an eyebrow. "Afraid to look at me?"

Jiang Li was taken aback, lifting her gaze to meet his smiling eyes.

His eyes held layers of amusement, as if he found her disheveled state rather entertaining. Yet within that laughter, there was no mockery or malice—Jiang Li could see that clearly.

The young man's fingers were cold as they brushed against Jiang Li's brows. He leaned in close, studying her thoroughly messy face without any sign of distaste, and remarked, "They really went all out. Young lady, your face is ruined."

Jiang Li glared at him, her earlier anxiety and unease completely vanishing. How could someone be like this? While others suffered disfigurement, he had the leisure to stand by and laugh as if it were none of his business!

It was rare for her to feel this angry. Ji Heng chuckled, "It's fine. You're not Yanjing's top beauty anymore anyway, so whether your face is ruined or not doesn't really matter."

Jiang Li froze for a moment. Ji Heng was right—she wasn't Xue Fangfei anymore. Having lost that exceptionally beautiful face, how she looked now hardly mattered.

Then it suddenly occurred to her: Ji Heng knew the truth that she was Xue Fangfei. After he learned the reality and their agreement was fulfilled, he had stopped interacting with her. Jiang Li had felt a sense of loss but also believed it was the best outcome. Otherwise, if they met again, she wouldn't know how to behave around him.

After all, she wasn't truly a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, and his occasional care and tenderness were clearly favors meant for a young woman.

But the current Ji Heng seemed entirely unaffected by that truth. He still engaged in his characteristic teasing and schadenfreude, yet he would appear like a divine savior at critical moments, rescuing people from dire situations.

Although she had always known—especially after dying once—that she shouldn't rely on anyone, that the only one who could save her in this world was herself, when such a person did appear, it felt like life gained an extra layer of meaning, making everything special.

"Don't worry about your face," Ji Heng said. "These red marks will fade gradually. In a few days, it'll be back to normal."

Jiang Li replied, "I'm not worried about that. What you said isn't wrong either. This current appearance might actually be a good thing for me."

This answer surprised Ji Heng. "Why?" he asked.

"At least I can use it as an excuse to decline marriage proposals and avoid getting married."

Ji Heng raised an eyebrow. "You don't want to marry?"

"The Duke knows my past. There's no need to ask that," Jiang Li said softly. "Once bitten, twice shy. Anyone in my position would feel the same."

"You just met the wrong person," Ji Heng said. "If you ever consider marriage in the future, you can come to me. I can thoroughly investigate anyone's background in Yanjing City."

"That won't do," Jiang Li joked. "I have nothing left to trade with the Duke. Our agreement has already been fulfilled. And now I don't want to give my life to you—my father has come back to life, and I can't bear to die."

"Was your skill in burning bridges after crossing the river also taught by your father?" he asked.

Jiang Li said, "Not exactly."

After a moment of silence, Jiang Li asked, "Did the Duke come to Huangzhou because of Prince Cheng's affairs?"

"You could say that."

"When will Prince Cheng make his move?" Jiang Li asked.

"Within the next couple of days."Jiang Li looked up: "Starting from Huangzhou?"

"More or less."

"Then Huangzhou is quite dangerous?"

Ji Heng's gaze shifted to Jiang Li's face, and he chuckled softly: "I can have someone escort you back to Yanjing."

"I'd rather stay here," Jiang Li said.

Ji Heng raised an eyebrow: "Why?"

"I'm afraid Prince Cheng might make his move before I even reach Yanjing City. Once chaos breaks out, who knows what might happen. It's better to stay with you—by your side, I'm less likely to lose my life. It's safer here than outside."

Ji Heng stared at Jiang Li for a moment, then suddenly curved his lips into a smile: "You're not staying behind because you're worried about me, are you?"

Jiang Li's heart raced a little faster. She wanted to turn away but found herself unable to move, so she averted her eyes from Ji Heng and replied calmly: "How could that be? But if the Duke wishes to think so, it's not entirely impossible. After all, you are my savior—I ought to repay you."

Ji Heng didn't press the matter further. He smiled and said: "If you wish to stay, of course, it's fine. But Huangzhou is dangerous, and I cannot guarantee what we might encounter next. If you follow me, it may not be as safe as in Yanjing."

"I've already died once," Jiang Li whispered. "There's nothing left to fear."

Upon hearing this, Ji Heng was taken aback. After a pause, he suddenly asked: "I heard that Xue Fangfei was strangled to death?"

"Yes," Jiang Li replied. "During the joint trial of Shen Yurong and Princess Yongning by the three judicial departments, the case records made it very clear."

"What did it feel like?" His amber eyes were captivating, the corners slightly upturned, yet his eyelashes were lowered, creating a blend of enchantment and tenderness, mischief and innocence.

"Probably very painful..." Jiang Li's gaze grew distant. Before she had taken revenge, those memories felt as if they had just happened. She could even vividly recall every expression on Princess Yongning's face and the suffocating agony she had felt. But after Yongning and Shen Yurong were dealt with, those events became distant, as if a lifetime had passed. When she looked back now, everything was hazy and unreal.

Had she truly let go?

Ji Heng patted Jiang Li's head, much like he usually patted Xiao Lan's. He said: "Rest well. I'll have someone come attend to you. We can discuss everything else tomorrow."

Jiang Li said: "Please, Duke, send a message to my father and uncle, letting them know I am safe for now and they need not worry."

"Alright," Ji Heng said as he walked toward the door. Just as he reached the threshold, Jiang Li's voice came from behind.

She asked: "When Prince Cheng makes his move, will the Prince of Xia return to the capital?"

Ji Heng's back stiffened slightly, but he said nothing in response to Jiang Li's question and simply left.

Jiang Li sat on the bed, the lamplight in the room gradually calming her heart. The initial tension, fear, and anger had all dissipated. With Lu Ji and the others in the house, there was no need to worry about safety.

Surprisingly, she fell asleep.

...

By the time the maid Lu Ji had found from outside came in to attend to Jiang Li, she was already asleep. The maid tucked Jiang Li in properly, informed Lu Ji and the others of the situation, and then left.

Lu Ji asked Ji Heng: "Is Miss Jiang staying in Huangzhou?"

Ji Heng nodded.

"Won't it be unsafe for her to stay in Huangzhou?" Wenren Yao asked. "Prince Cheng is about to make his move.""Sending her back to Yanjing now would be unsafe," Ji Heng said. "She wants to stay herself."

"But didn't Prince Cheng initially intend to kidnap her and cause trouble? If he discovers she's still in Huangzhou, he definitely won't let Second Miss Jiang go."

Ji Heng replied, "Do you think he can take someone right in front of me?"

Wenren Yao shook his head, then nodded. "What I mean is, having Second Miss Jiang with you is rather inconvenient."

"Anyway, Miss Jiang's appearance here was entirely unexpected," Lu Ji interjected. "Earlier, Miss Situ sent a message saying Miss Jiang had been kidnapped. Who would have thought she'd be accidentally discovered here by you, sir? I think we should write to Miss Situ and have her inform the Jiang and Ye families so they can stop searching."

Ji Heng said, "Handle it as you see fit."

When he wasn't smiling, he appeared rather dangerous. Lu Ji withdrew, presumably to write the letter. Wenren Yao remained in the room, occasionally glancing at Ji Heng as if pondering something. Ji Heng asked, "If you have something to say, say it."

"A-Heng, do you think..." Wenren Yao chose his words carefully, "Could Second Miss Jiang be that person? The woman from the fate divination years ago."

"No."

Wenren Yao looked up. "Why not?"

"No reason."

...

When Jiang Li woke the next day, the sky was already bright. An unfamiliar maid, seeing she was awake, hurried to help her up and assist with washing up. Seeing this maid made Jiang Li think of Tong'er back in Yanjing City. Before she was kidnapped, Tong'er had been injured while trying to block a knife for her - she didn't know how Tong'er was faring now, or whether both Bai Xue and Tong'er had ultimately emerged unharmed.

After washing up with these worries weighing on her, she was helped through breakfast. The effects of the Muscle Weakening Powder had somewhat diminished - she didn't know if Ji Heng had later found an antidote, but compared to yesterday, Jiang Li could now move her limbs slightly. Though still weak and lacking strength, she was no longer completely immobilized and incapable of action.

"Help me outside for some fresh air," Jiang Li said to the maid.

The maid supported Jiang Li as they walked outside. It was a courtyard residence with buildings on four sides - likely because they were in Huangzhou, the estate wasn't particularly large, with just one room on each side and a single courtyard. Wenren Yao was in the courtyard, squatting on the ground doing something. As Jiang Li was helped closer, she saw several plump pigeons surrounding him, pecking at corn on the ground.

He was actually feeding pigeons.

"Young Master Wenren," Jiang Li called.

Wenren Yao, who had been facing away from her, stood up and turned around. Seeing Jiang Li, he smiled and said, "Second Miss Jiang, you're up?"

Jiang Li glanced at the bright sky and, seeing no one else in the courtyard, asked, "Where are the others?"

"Wen Ji and Zhao Ke are still here. His Lordship and Lu Ji went out early this morning. How are you feeling today? Still weak?" Wenren Yao inquired.

"I'm much better, thank you for your concern, Young Master Wenren," Jiang Li replied.

"Just casual words, no need for thanks. If you really want to thank someone, you should thank A-Heng," Wenren Yao said with a smile. "After all, he was the one who rescued you yesterday."

Jiang Li said, "The Duke's kindness is something I will never forget for the rest of my life.""There's no need to remember it for life, a simple thank you will suffice," Wenren Yao said dismissively, then noticed Jiang Li's face. Jiang Li hadn't worn her veil since morning—it was uncomfortable. And as she observed her own face, just as Ji Heng had said, the redness remained but had faded slightly compared to yesterday, the color growing lighter. It seemed the two who had kidnapped her had not only been feeding her Muscle Weakening Powder but also some medicine that caused red patches. Once she stopped taking those drugs, the redness gradually lightened.

"I wonder how long it will take for these red patches to fully disappear," Wenren Yao remarked. "It might be best for Second Miss Jiang to stay here a while longer. Besides us, no one in Huangzhou knows you. Once the marks on your face fade completely, you can return without anyone being the wiser. If you go back now looking like this, people in Yanjing City might see you and who knows what rumors would spread." He sighed with exaggerated gravity. "Gossip is fearsome—better to lay low for now."

Jiang Li found this man truly peculiar. Though he followed the esoteric arts of divination, he was brimming with mundane chatter, without a trace of the aura of a master. But perhaps this was the unique charm of their "Planchette Sect"?

Jiang Li didn't understand.

Wenren Yao continued chattering, "Speaking of which, A-Heng is usually so picky, yet when he saw your face like that yesterday, he didn't show any disgust and even carried you back..." He blinked at Jiang Li, studying her.

Jiang Li felt unnerved by his stare.

"Second Miss Jiang, do you like A-Heng?"

"What?" Jiang Li was startled. Based on what Wenren Yao had just said, the logical follow-up should have been "A-Heng likes you," not "you like A-Heng." This Wenren Yao spoke in such a disjointed way that it was impossible to predict what he would say next.

Being patient by nature, Jiang Li replied calmly, "The Duke saved my life. I am grateful to him and consider him a friend. There is nothing beyond that, so I hope you will be cautious with your words, Young Master Wenren."

Such a gentle "cautious with your words" had little effect on Wenren Yao. He simply looked earnest, as if deeply puzzled, and said, "A-Heng isn't the type to get close to strangers easily. Even among those he's close to or considers friends, none are particularly good people—except for me, of course. Every one of them is a handful."

Jiang Li: "..." If Situ Jiuyue and Lu Ji heard this, she wondered how long Wenren Yao would survive. With his knack for courting disaster, he might as well cast a divination for himself to see when he'd finally talk himself into an early grave.

"Second Miss Jiang, you're different," Wenren Yao insisted. "You're a good person, and for A-Heng to treat a good person so well is strange. You say you don't like him? How is that possible?"

Jiang Li: "Why is it impossible?"

"I just feel that you're the woman destined for A-Heng," Wenren Yao declared, then reached out to grab Jiang Li's hand. "Second Miss Jiang, how about I cast a divination for you to see what fate has in store?"

Jiang Li was taken aback. "But doesn't your Planchette Sect only perform divinations for one person in a lifetime?""Indeed." Wenren Yao spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "So when I perform divination for you, it's not using the Planchette Sect's methods. When I descended the mountain back then, I learned techniques everywhere. Up to now, aside from my own sect, I've achieved some modest accomplishments. Which school's method do you prefer? If I know how to use it, I'll employ that school's technique to help you."

Jiang Li: "..."

She was truly at her wit's end, not wanting Wenren Yao to perform divination for her. If he were incompetent it would be one thing, but if he actually had skill and calculated that she had lived two lifetimes, what if it frightened him? The truth that she was Xue Fangfei was something better known by fewer people.

She said: "Young Master Wenren, could you let my father and uncle know that I'm now safe in Huangzhou? They must be very anxious since I've disappeared."

"Arheng already gave the order last night." Wenren Yao replied. "The letter is already on its way. There's no need to worry, Miss Jiang."

(End of Chapter)