The Double

Chapter 197: Death by Decree

The news of Prince Cheng's uprising outside Huangzhou City spread throughout Yanjing overnight.

The common people cursed Prince Cheng for being a heartless ingrate. Not only had he previously engaged in an illicit affair with a palace consort, but now he was rebelling—clear evidence of long-held treacherous ambitions. Although Huangzhou wasn't Yanjing City, the citizens still felt uneasy, fearing the day Prince Cheng's troops would arrive at their doorsteps. After all, apart from the Western Rong border, Northern Yan hadn't seen war in many years. People universally dreaded conflict.

In no time, Prince Cheng became a target of public scorn.

Li Pin's maternal family, the Ji family, naturally faced execution and confiscation of their property due to her affair with Prince Cheng. On the day of the execution, many spectators gathered, but none expressed sympathy for the Ji family—only resentment. Prince Cheng was ruthlessly ambitious, and Li Pin was shameless. Some even brought up Ji Shuran's past scandals, claiming the entire Ji family were birds of a feather, all rotten to the core.

Ji Yanlin probably never dreamed that Li Pin, whom he had schemed to send into the palace and who had brought countless honors to the Ji family, elevating their status over the years, would commit such a treasonous act. It was said that when Ji Yanlin encountered Li Pin in prison, he grabbed her and demanded to know why she had done it.

Li Pin's reply was thought-provoking: "Father had already found a young girl to replace me, so naturally, I had to plan for my own future. I've secured so much for the Ji family—Father's current status was all earned through my painstaking efforts to navigate palace politics. Now that you see I can't bear a prince and have become useless, you're thinking of finding another pawn, but did anyone ask if I was willing? Since the Ji family doesn't consider me, I have no reason to consider them. We're family, so we should share both joy and hardship—there's no logic in me suffering alone while you all reap the benefits. I'm no Guanyin Bodhisattva, sacrificing myself for others. The nature of us Ji family members is to drag others down with us, even in death!"

Her words showed no remorse. It was said that Ji Yanlin went mad on the spot and tried to kill Li Pin. Had the guards not intervened, Li Pin would have been beaten to death then and there.

When the Ji family met their downfall, Jiang Yuanbai said nothing. Even so, some court colleagues mocked him, as the Ji family had once been his in-laws. Jiang Yuanbai had no choice but to endure it. Prince Cheng's rebellion, Jiang Li's disappearance, and assassins in Yanjing City—one incident after another piled up, leaving everyone overwhelmed.

In the palace, Consort Liu was granted a cup of poisoned wine.

The cold, desolate hall was a far cry from her own quarters. Without a single attendant, she had fallen from heaven to earth overnight. Consort Liu never imagined she would end up in such a state. In her and Prince Cheng's initial plans, things weren't supposed to unfold this way. Prince Cheng was supposed to arrange her escape from the palace before launching the uprising. But Li Pin's affair with Prince Cheng was suddenly exposed, leading to her arrest, the Ji family's confiscation, and Prince Cheng's flight from the city—all accomplished almost in a single night.

Prince Cheng had escaped, yet he abandoned his birth mother, leaving her alone in the palace to face the hostile Hongxiao Emperor.Consort Liu had initially thought that as a senior consort, the Hongxiao Emperor would not make things too ugly for her, whether out of sentiment or reason. Perhaps the emperor might even see value in keeping her alive to use as leverage against Prince Cheng. As long as she remained alive, there would be hope for everything. Once Prince Cheng killed that wretched boy and ascended the throne, she would no longer be a mere consort but the Empress Dowager.

In her youth, she had failed to become empress. Now, she could not afford to miss the chance to become Empress Dowager. She was so close to achieving her desire—how could she let it all fall apart at the final step? She refused!

The poisoned wine before her was served in an exquisite golden vessel, intricately carved and inlaid with tiny rubies, the very kind of opulence Consort Liu had always adored. In the past, she would have cherished such a piece, but today, it seemed like a cursed fruit of death. She retreated frantically, shaking her head in desperation, her composure completely shattered.

"No... I won't..."

The eunuch repeated for the third time: "Your Highness, please. This humble servant must report back to His Majesty."

"No... I am a consort... I cannot die! Summon the emperor! I have words for him—he cannot kill me like this! I demand to see the emperor!"

The eunuch replied impatiently, "His Majesty will not see you, Your Highness. Drink the wine quickly so this humble servant may fulfill his duty."

Consort Liu remained unmoving, desperately evading and even attempting to rush past them to push open the door. The eunuch exchanged a glance with two younger eunuchs beside him. They immediately seized Consort Liu. Though she struggled with all her might, years of pampered life in the palace had left her with little strength, and she soon grew exhausted. The young eunuchs expertly pinned her limbs, one prying open her jaws, and forcibly poured the entire flask of poisoned wine down her throat.

Once the deed was done, they released her. Consort Liu clutched her throat, frantically digging her fingers into her mouth, trying to vomit the poison she had swallowed. Her robes were in disarray, her hairpins scattered, tears and mucus streaking her face—any semblance of dignity was gone.

She cared for nothing else, kneeling on the ground and gagging herself, as if this were the only thing that mattered. But as she retched, she began to vomit blood. Gradually, her body went limp, collapsing to the floor. Her eyes widened, she convulsed a few times, and then lay still.

Consort Liu was dead.

The eunuch instructed the younger eunuchs to clean the room and then left. Not far away, in the garden, the Empress Dowager and the Hongxiao Emperor were conversing.

The Empress Dowager spent most of her days in Cining Palace copying scriptures, rarely venturing out. The palace grounds were bursting with spring vitality, vibrant red flowers blooming in profusion. The Hongxiao Emperor, having just concluded his morning court, had encountered the Empress Dowager during her stroll, and they were now engaged in conversation.

The eunuch who had delivered the poisoned wine to Consort Liu arrived to report. Upon learning of her death, the Hongxiao Emperor nodded in acknowledgment, and the young eunuch withdrew.

The Empress Dowager sighed.

"Is Mother grieving for Consort Liu?" the Hongxiao Emperor asked.

The Empress Dowager shook her head. "Too many have died recently. This family feels the world is unsettled."

From Princess Yongning onward, deaths had followed one after another: Shen Yurong, Li Pin, the Ji family, the assassins in Yanjing City, and now Consort Liu. Indeed, the toll had grown heavy.

"They brought it upon themselves," the Hongxiao Emperor said calmly. "Mother is kind-hearted, but you cannot save those who seek their own ruin."The Empress Dowager smiled, and when she did, she was as elegant and gentle as in her youth. She said, "Has Your Majesty publicly announced the execution of Consort Liu?"

The Hongxiao Emperor replied, "Yes."

"Prince Cheng has made no move." The Empress Dowager sighed. "After all, they are mother and son."

No one came to the palace to save Consort Liu after she was sentenced to death. Not even Prince Cheng had arranged any pawns in the palace to rescue her if the situation changed. Yet, there was nothing. From the moment the Hongxiao Emperor decreed Consort Liu's death until the moment before she died, nothing happened in the palace.

It was unclear whether Prince Cheng had miscalculated or simply did not care about Consort Liu's fate. Thinking about it now, it was likely the latter. Even if he had miscalculated, a truly devoted son would have found a way to stir up some commotion rather than allowing Consort Liu to die without any action.

The Hongxiao Emperor sighed, "Indeed, they are mother and son."

The Empress Dowager looked at the Hongxiao Emperor and said, "Your Majesty has been weary these past few days. You should rest more."

The Hongxiao Emperor agreed. They, too, were mother and son, and usually, there were no conflicts between them. But if even Consort Liu and Prince Cheng, who were biological mother and son, could abandon each other in times of crisis, how could the Empress Dowager and the Hongxiao Emperor, who were not blood-related, remain as peaceful as they were now if something were to happen someday?

No one could predict.

The Empress Dowager asked, "Your Majesty, I heard that Prince Cheng has raised forces at the gates of Huangzhou, and General Wuwei has rushed to reinforce. Is Yanjing... in danger?"

"There is no need for concern, Mother Empress," the Hongxiao Emperor said. "I have already ordered General Zhaode to lead troops back to the capital to defend the city against the enemy. They are traveling day and night and will surely arrive before Prince Cheng reaches Yanjing."

"General Zhaode..." The Empress Dowager's expression was unreadable, and her voice trailed off, leaving her meaning unclear.

The Hongxiao Emperor fell silent. The wind swept up leaves from the ground, carrying them to the pond beside the garden. The ripples swirled and swallowed the leaf, leaving no trace behind.

...

In the Jiang residence, Jiang Yuanbai received a letter.

The gatekeeper handed the letter to Jiang Yuanbai and said, "Master, I dozed off at noon, and when I woke up, this letter was in my arms. I don't know who delivered it. I ran outside to ask, but no one said they had entered the room. The letter is addressed to you, Master... Would you like to open it and see?"

Jiang Yuanping and Jiang Yuanbai had been talking when the servant burst in and thrust the letter into Jiang Yuanbai's hands, surprising them both. Over the past few days, Jiang Yuanbai had grown noticeably haggard and had not changed his clothes. Suspicious, he stared at the letter in his hand, thought for a moment, and opened it.

The letter was brief, only a few lines long. After reading it, Jiang Yuanbai's expression became complex and inscrutable.

"Brother, what does the letter say?" Jiang Yuanping asked.

"It's A Li..." Jiang Yuanbai frowned. "A Li is currently in Huangzhou. Prince Cheng's men took her there, but Duke Su rescued her. Now, A Li is with Duke Su."“A Li has been found?” Jiang Yuanping’s face lit up with joy. Over the past few days, Jiang Yuanbai had practically turned all of Yanjing City upside down searching for Jiang Li, yet to no avail. Everyone speculated that she had likely been taken outside the city, but searching outside the city—which direction to take, how to proceed—made the hope of finding her grow increasingly faint. Now, with the sudden news that Jiang Li had been found, Jiang Yuanping naturally breathed a sigh of relief.

But then, he looked at Jiang Yuanbai with confusion. “Rescued by Duke Su? Why would Duke Su save A Li?”

“Perhaps it was a chance encounter,” Jiang Yuanbai replied, his brows deeply furrowed. “He has met A Li before.”

“But, Elder Brother,” Jiang Yuanping remained puzzled, “Duke Su is not one to meddle in others’ affairs without reason. Not to mention A Li, even with our Jiang family, he has no particular ties. Would he be so kind as to save A Li?”

Jiang Yuanbai was also skeptical. What kind of person was Ji Heng? His temperament was unpredictable, his moods shifting like the weather—this was well-known throughout the court. Words like “kind-hearted” or “soft-hearted” could never be associated with Ji Heng. If Ji Heng saw someone in trouble, the most likely outcome was that he would stand aside. Even if Jiang Yuanbai or Jiang Yuanping were in trouble, Ji Heng would probably just watch from the sidelines, let alone offer help.

Yet the letter stated exactly that.

Involuntarily, Jiang Yuanbai recalled Old General Ji’s birthday celebration, where Jiang Li alone had been invited. Although Jiang Li claimed she didn’t know why, Jiang Yuanbai always felt there was more to it—that Jiang Li was hiding something from him.

But now, it was impossible to investigate the exact relationship between Ji Heng and Jiang Li. Jiang Yuanbai ordered the servant outside, “Prepare a horse! Send someone to Huangzhou immediately to bring the Second Young Lady back to the residence!”

“Elder Brother,” Jiang Yuanping pressed Jiang Yuanbai’s hand, “You must not!”

“Why?” Jiang Yuanbai looked at him.

“Huangzhou is in chaos right now. Prince Cheng’s troops are still stationed outside the city and haven’t withdrawn. If you send someone to fetch her now, you might end up making things worse. Those who kidnapped A Li did so with her as their target. If she reappears in their sight, she’ll be in danger. On the other hand, with Duke Su—we both know Ji Heng’s capabilities. Even if all of Huangzhou falls, Ji Heng would likely emerge unscathed. A Li is safer with him than with anyone else.”

“I don’t trust him,” Jiang Yuanbai insisted. “Ji Heng’s motives are unfathomable. Who knows what he’s planning!”

“Elder Brother,” Jiang Yuanping reasoned, “If he intended to do something, he wouldn’t have rescued A Li from Prince Cheng’s clutches. Even if he plans to use A Li for some scheme, he would at least ensure her survival. There’s no need to worry. At this point, General Zhaode is about to return to the capital. You should focus on what our Jiang family should do next!”

(End of Chapter)