The Double

Chapter 194: Night Assault

The day passed just like that.

Jiang Li stayed in the residence, and Zhao Ke and Wen Ji naturally had little to say to her. With Lu Ji and Ji Heng absent, Wenren Yao was quite talkative, but his inquiries left Jiang Li at a loss for answers, forcing her to feign ignorance.

Jiang Li had never visited Huangzhou in her previous life, only knowing it was famous for producing a particular type of wine. Though Ji Heng hadn’t mentioned it, Jiang Li understood that the city was fraught with hidden dangers, far from the peace it appeared to have on the surface. Prince Cheng had likely made some arrangements here as part of his contingency plan. Once he initiated his rebellion, Huangzhou would inevitably be implicated.

She didn’t know when Prince Cheng would act, but Jiang Li felt it wouldn’t be long. Thus, even in Ji Heng’s absence, she had no intention of venturing out into the streets—not only because her strength hadn’t fully returned, but also because she might stumble upon hidden dangers at any moment. Wenren Yao probably understood this as well; otherwise, given his sociable nature, he wouldn’t have stayed inside the residence all day without stepping out.

From morning till night, meals and wine were bought by Zhao Ke from nearby the residence. With little to do, Jiang Li was relieved to find a study in the residence, where she discovered some books. Though they were dull storybooks, they were better than nothing.

Reading and daydreaming, she soon found it was evening.

By the time the lanterns outside were lit, Ji Heng and Lu Ji still hadn’t returned. A maid came to ask, “Miss, would you like to retire for the night?”

Jiang Li glanced at the sky; the stars were hidden behind clouds. From the nearby streets, she could faintly hear the songs and dances of courtesans from the taverns, though the noise had faded compared to earlier—as the night deepened, everything grew quiet. People were either asleep or resting, and the entire city of Huangzhou had settled into tranquility.

“I don’t wish to rest yet. You may leave first,” Jiang Li shook her head. “I’ll go to bed when I’m tired.”

The maid withdrew.

Strangely enough, at this hour, Jiang Li would usually feel somewhat drowsy, but today she was unusually alert. She didn’t know if it was due to the Muscle Weakening Powder or something else, or simply because Ji Heng’s absence left her feeling unsettled. In any case, she felt no sleepiness at all. Fortunately, by this time, twelve hours had passed since she had taken the Muscle Weakening Powder the previous day, and she was fully awake, no longer as weak as before.

Unable to sleep, Jiang Li paced around the room. The room had likely belonged to an ordinary family in Huangzhou, probably a young lady’s bedroom. It had a red canopy and a soft, fragrant bed. Jiang Li sat before the dressing mirror; under the dim lamplight, her face still showed traces of blemishes. Though the redness had faded slightly, it was minimal.

On the dressing table was a palm-sized vermilion basket containing a spool of fine thread and a pair of scissors. The scissors, quite small and delicate, were probably used by the girl for needlework. Most likely, when Ji Heng purchased the residence quickly, the previous occupants had left in haste, forgetting to take the scissors with them.

Jiang Li weighed the scissors in her hand—they weren’t heavy and felt comfortable to use—so she tucked them into her sleeve.All her previously sharpened hairpins, along with the dagger given by Jiang Jingrui, had been thoroughly confiscated and cleared away by Prince Cheng's subordinates when they seized her. Moreover, since it was a woman who conducted the search, the process was extremely meticulous, leaving nothing useful behind. Without any means of self-defense, she felt as though something was missing. But she had no time to search for new hairpins now and could only let it be for the moment.

Although Wen Ji and Zhao Ke were present, it was always better to have an extra layer of protection.

After putting away the scissors, Jiang Li walked to the window again. She didn't know when Ji Heng would return. It was already late at night, and perhaps he wouldn't come back at all tonight. Wenren Yao had long since returned to his room to rest, and the light in his room seemed to have gone out, but Jiang Li still felt no drowsiness.

In fact, the silence was so overwhelming that she even considered waking Wenren Yao just to have someone to talk to.

The candle flame flickered weakly, and wax tears dripped onto the table one by one, making a clearly audible sound. It should have been a tranquil night, yet for no apparent reason, Jiang Li suddenly felt uneasy.

It was simply because the surroundings were too quiet.

On spring nights, even in silence, one could usually hear faint sounds—the croaking of frogs, the splash of fish tails in the pond, the murmurs of birds, or the whisper of the evening breeze. These sounds adorned the night, creating a quiet yet lively atmosphere, full of vitality.

But tonight, the silence was excessive. Jiang Li heard nothing, as if everything had agreed to stop at the same moment. Even the faint sounds of singing and dancing that had been vaguely audible earlier had vanished without a trace.

Jiang Li inexplicably broke out in goosebumps.

Perhaps because she had died once before, she had developed an intuition for danger. Unlike the caution killers felt when facing formidable enemies, this intuition was more like a wild animal sensing the scent of danger, growing restless just before disaster struck.

A sudden sense of suffocation tightened in Jiang Li's chest. After a moment's thought, she put on her outer robe and gently opened the door.

As soon as she opened it, she felt the door bump into someone. Two people were crouching in front of her door, though she hadn't noticed them earlier. Jiang Li nearly screamed, but one of them immediately spoke in a hushed, urgent voice: "Second Miss Jiang, it's me!"

It was Zhao Ke's voice.

By the dim candlelight from her room, Jiang Li finally saw clearly that the two crouching at her door were none other than Zhao Ke and Wen Ji. She was utterly astonished. Although she knew Zhao Ke and Wen Ji were responsible for her safety, she hadn't seen them when she entered her room earlier. Why were they crouching right at her door? Wouldn't it be better to keep watch nearby? And why were both of them on night duty? Shouldn't they take turns, with one resting while the other kept watch? Why such extreme caution?

Jiang Li's mind was a tangled mess, unable to make sense of it for the moment. But one thing she understood deeply: something was likely to happen tonight.

Sure enough, as soon as the thought crossed her mind, an excited voice sounded from not far away. It was Wenren Yao, who said, "Second Miss Jiang, why are you out here too?"

Jiang Li was taken aback and asked Zhao Ke, "What's going on?"

"Something might happen tonight. Prince Cheng may be making his move, attempting to seize Huangzhou under cover of darkness. There are troops and horses outside the city," Zhao Ke replied.

"Are there also Prince Cheng's people inside Huangzhou?" Jiang Li asked.Zhao Ke seemed taken aback that Jiang Li had grasped the situation so quickly. After a momentary pause, he nodded, then realized she might not see his gesture in the darkness and said, "Indeed. We hadn't intended to disturb you, Second Miss Jiang—hoping the night would pass quietly—but you emerged on your own." He hesitated before asking, "Why did you come out so suddenly?"

"I've had this restless feeling, as if something terrible is about to happen," Jiang Li replied. "You might not believe it, but the night feels unnaturally quiet. I wanted to check outside, and as soon as I stepped out, I encountered you all."

Zhao Ke understood.

As they spoke, Wenren Yao, apparently dissatisfied with being left out, scurried over from another direction. He carried two small wooden stools and offered one to Jiang Li, saying, "What are you discussing? Second Miss Jiang, why don't we all sit here?"

Jiang Li asked, "Why not go inside to sit?"

"Afraid we might miss the signal," Zhao Ke explained.

Jiang Li grasped the reason and inquired further, "Where is Ji Heng now?"

"He's dealing with the night raid," Wenren Yao answered enthusiastically. "He's negotiating with the city defense commander. As a Duke, the garrison has to obey him. If Ji Heng is involved, Prince Cheng's forces won't get in for now. But his remaining followers in Huangzhou might seize the chance to cause chaos—perhaps harming innocent civilians or even opening the city gates to let the troops in. So tonight is critical."

Jiang Li understood Wenren Yao's meaning and asked, "What about the common people?"

Wenren Yao said, "Aside from the garrison near the gates, some will stay in the city, but tonight... there will likely be looting and killings."

Chaos and rebellion always boiled down to disorder, and it was the innocent who suffered. Even Ji Heng couldn't change that—he couldn't save everyone. Moreover, Ji Heng wasn't known for his mercy. Perhaps his purpose in defending Huangzhou and thwarting Prince Cheng's plans wasn't to save the city's inhabitants but simply to achieve his own goals.

Though his motives remained unclear, Jiang Li could vaguely trace some clues. However, these seemed too important to Ji Heng for her to inquire directly. Asking others close to him, like Wenren Yao, probably wouldn't reveal the truth either.

It was all shrouded in mist, difficult to see through.

"Don't worry, Second Miss Jiang," Wenren Yao said, mistaking Jiang Li's silence for fear. "Although A-Heng isn't here, I can protect you. Stay with me, and you'll be safe!"

Jiang Li wasn't entirely reassured, especially by Wenren Yao. If Zhao Ke and Wen Ji were guarding the place, it seemed more like Wenren Yao was the one in need of protection.

As these thoughts crossed her mind, she noticed the dark sky had suddenly brightened. It was as if someone had taken a torch and smeared red across it. The red spread, growing larger and brighter, illuminating nearly half of Huangzhou City. Then, a clear drum and horn sounded.

The enemy was launching a night raid!Jiang Li immediately turned to look at Zhao Ke and Wen Ji, their expressions unprecedentedly grave. From the adjacent area not far away, panicked footsteps began to emerge. It seemed the drum and horn sounds had startled many from their slumber, as commoners hastily threw on clothes and rushed out to see what was happening.

Just then, the candle in Jiang Li's room burned out completely, the flame flickering faintly before extinguishing entirely. The room was plunged into utter darkness, with only the distant illuminated sky visible.

They must have made their move.

(End of Chapter)