The Double

Chapter 215: Father and Brother

That night, Jiang Li returned to the Jiang residence just before dawn. Tong'er and Bai Xue had waited for her for a long time. Seeing her return so late for the first time and appearing restless, they finally breathed a sigh of relief when she returned safely. They then urged Jiang Li to rest on the bed and get a good night's sleep.

She slept straight through until noon the next day. When Jiang Li woke up, she felt refreshed and clear-headed. Tong'er and Bai Xue were surprised to find that the worries in her smile seemed to have completely vanished, replaced by an exceptionally lighthearted and radiant expression that made anyone who saw it unable to suppress a smile.

Tong'er still remembered what Jiang Li had said the previous night. After Jiang Li finished washing up and began her meal, she asked, "Miss, when are we leaving Yanjing City?"

When Jiang Li went to the Duke's residence the night before, she had mentioned that she was going to bid farewell to Ji Heng. Since they were planning to leave Yanjing City, everything needed to be arranged in advance. The victory banquet was likely to begin soon. If the Emperor were to arrange a marriage between Jiang Li and Yin Zhili at that time, fleeing afterward would implicate the Jiang family and bring upon them the charge of defying an imperial decree. Escaping beforehand would avoid involving others.

"We're not leaving," Jiang Li said.

Bai Xue and Tong'er looked at each other in surprise. Bai Xue quickly guessed that Ji Heng might have changed Jiang Li's mind. She looked at Jiang Li and cautiously asked, "Does the Duke have a solution?"

Jiang Li's mind suddenly flashed back to the scene from the previous night when he had kissed her, along with his words, "Little girl, would you be willing to marry me?" Her face flushed bright red instantly, but she nodded nonchalantly and said, "So there's no need to leave."

Although she didn't say anything more, the two maids, seeing her reaction, felt a sudden jolt of understanding. Jiang Li rarely showed shyness; in most situations, she was poised and graceful. Even when facing Yin Zhili and knowing he wanted to marry her, she hadn't shown any particular reaction. Yet today, merely mentioning Ji Heng had caused her to behave like this—clearly, something had happened the night before.

The two maids felt both joy and worry. They were happy because their young mistress was happy, and of course, they rejoiced for Jiang Li. However, they were also concerned that she might do something improper, remembering that Princess Yongning was a living example of such consequences.

Unaware of her maids' thoughts, Jiang Li wasn't just happy about Ji Heng's affection for her. What brought her even greater joy was discovering that Ah Zhao was still alive. To her, Ah Zhao's survival was already an extraordinary mercy from heaven. Their reunion had also gone surprisingly smoothly. She had thought that after becoming Jiang Li, aside from her unfamiliar identity, she had lost everything. She hadn't held out much hope, but first, she had reunited with her father, and now she knew Ah Zhao was alive. Although things weren't the same as before—her father had aged considerably, and Ah Zhao could no longer stand—what could be more joyful than a family reunion?

She couldn't openly visit the Duke's residence during the day, but she could still go to the Ye residence. Previously, because of Prince Cheng, Jiang Yuanbai had forbidden Jiang Li from going out alone, not even to the Ye residence. Now that Prince Cheng's rebel forces had been completely suppressed by Yin Zhan and Yanjing City was safe again, she could naturally leave the residence.After finishing her meal and resting for a while, Jiang Li said, "I'm going to Evening Phoenix Hall to see Old Madam."

Bai Xue asked, "What business does Miss have with Old Madam?"

"I believe the Jiang family's curfew should be lifted by now. I need to make a trip to the Ye residence."

Subsequently, Jiang Li went to Evening Phoenix Hall to speak with Old Madam Jiang. Having opened her heart to Ji Heng last night and reunited with Ah Zhao, Jiang Li was in an unprecedentedly good mood. Her previous resistance and aversion toward the Jiang family members due to the Yin family matter had completely dissipated. Her smile was gentle and sincere, which made Old Madam Jiang pause in surprise. The old madam knew this granddaughter appeared obedient and sensible but was actually quite stubborn. Yet today, she seemed to have shed all her armor, becoming incredibly soft. Faced with such a Jiang Li, Old Madam Jiang's heart softened as well. When Jiang Li mentioned wanting to visit the Ye family in the coming days, the old madam agreed without hesitation.

Having obtained Old Madam Jiang's consent and chatted with her a while longer, Jiang Li prepared to leave. Just before departing, Old Madam Jiang called her back.

"Second girl," Old Madam Jiang said to her, "don't hold grudges against us. You are a daughter of the Jiang family, and we only want what's best for you."

The smile on Jiang Li's face faded slightly. Had Tong'er not overheard the conversation between Jiang Yuanbai and Old Madam Jiang earlier, Jiang Li might not have taken these words to heart. But knowing the truth now, she understood that Old Madam Jiang was laying groundwork for the upcoming imperial marriage arrangement.

It wasn't that the Jiang family didn't value Jiang Li—at least in their view, Yin Zhili truly had no flaws and was a good match. However, the fundamental difference between the Jiang and Xue families lay in how Xue Huaiyuan and Xue Zhao would respect her wishes. No matter how suitable the candidate might be, if Xue Fangfei didn't like him, they would never force her.

This was perhaps the distinction between ordinary families and official households.

Jiang Li smiled politely, bid farewell to Old Madam Jiang, and walked out of Evening Phoenix Hall.

Old Madam Jiang sighed and said nothing more.

...

In the Duke's residence, Xue Zhao's identity seemed to have become known to everyone overnight.

"So you're Xue Fangfei's brother," Situ Jiuyue said with sudden realization. "No wonder your enemy is Princess Yongning."

"I couldn't tell you at the time, Physician Situ, because the situation was critical. I feared implicating you if I spoke rashly," Xue Zhao replied apologetically.

"You don't need to explain these things to me. Telling me wouldn't help anyway, as I won't seek revenge for you. But..." she asked curiously, "have you met Jiang Li before? Otherwise, how could she recognize you?"

Everyone in the Duke's residence knew Ah Zhao's surname was Xue and that he was Xue Fangfei's brother, but they didn't know the current Jiang Li was actually Xue Fangfei. Perhaps in this world, aside from Xue Zhao himself, only Ji Heng knew this secret. Of course, Ji Heng would never reveal it.

Xue Zhao said, "She... she has some past connections with our Xue family, so she has met me before."

Situ Jiuyue didn't doubt him, nor was she inclined to pry into others' secrets. She believed what Xue Zhao said and remarked, "I could tell long ago she had deep ties with your Xue family. Otherwise, why would she show such special treatment—seeking revenge and clearing your name? She's done quite a lot."To outsiders, Jiang Li's actions for the Xue family were naturally perplexing, but only Xue Zhao knew the reason. He said, "I heard Physician Situ also saved my father... Thank you, Physician Situ."

"I didn't save your father," Situ Jiuyue replied. "It was Jiang Li who saved him. I merely restored his consciousness. Initially, I thought it would be better for him not to regain his senses, as living with such clarity is painful. If not for Jiang Li's insistence, I wouldn't have treated him. But now it seems Jiang Li was right. Your father is mentally resilient; he didn't collapse from the pain. Not only did he exact revenge, but he also got to see you, his son, again. That can be considered a blessing."

Xue Zhao smiled and said, "Regardless, without Physician Situ, my father wouldn't be as he is now. The Xue family will never forget your kindness."

Situ Jiuyue scoffed dismissively, as if she hadn't taken Xue Zhao's words to heart. In her lifetime, she had killed far more people than she had saved. If she took every word spoken to her seriously, it would truly be exhausting. Despite her attitude, Xue Zhao wasn't angered. Instead, he suddenly thought of something and asked, "Physician Situ, there's something I'm quite curious about."

"What are you curious about now?"

"Is Duke Su on good terms with the Jiang family's second young lady?" Xue Zhao asked.

Upon hearing this, Situ Jiuyue paused briefly before turning to look at Xue Zhao. The young man's gaze was fixed intently on her, filled with tension and curiosity, as if he genuinely cared about the answer. For some reason, Situ Jiuyue suddenly felt a pang of irritation. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why do you care? What does the relationship between Jiang Li and Ji Heng have to do with you?"

"I'm just curious," Xue Zhao replied, startled by her cold tone and sounding aggrieved. Although Physician Situ was always icy, she had never treated him poorly before. Yet now, he could clearly sense that she was angry—though he had no idea why.

Xue Zhao was merely puzzled. Last night, his encounter with Jiang Li had been purely coincidental, meaning her purpose in coming to the Duke's residence was to find Ji Heng. It seemed she hadn't hidden her identity as Xue Fangfei from Ji Heng either. How could one trust someone to such an extent unless they had deep faith in them? But why did Ji Heng deserve Jiang Li's trust? Xue Zhao couldn't help but recall Ji Heng holding Jiang Li's hand and the unique tenderness in his words when he spoke to her.

His former sister had possessed beauty that could topple cities, and it was natural for men to flock to her. His current sister... though her appearance couldn't compare to before, could she still captivate a man like Duke Su?

Xue Zhao wondered if his injuries were affecting his mind, making him dwell on such inexplicable matters. His dazed expression only irritated Situ Jiuyue further. She quickly packed her medicine chest, shot him a glare, and turned to leave the room.

Zhao Ke happened to come looking for Xue Zhao and, seeing him in the room, said, "Ah Zhao, the master sent me to fetch you." He walked around behind Xue Zhao, pushed his wheelchair, and headed out of the room.Zhao Ke’s heart was also heavy. He hadn’t known that Ah Zhao was the young master of the Xue family until last night. Considering how Second Miss Jiang treated even Haitang, a mere maid, with special regard, it was clear how important the young master of the Xue family was to her. Yet he had shouted and scolded Xue Zhao right in front of Jiang Li. If she held a grudge against him because of this and complained to Ji Heng, what would he do?

He had no choice but to try to win Xue Zhao’s favor first to make up for his mistake.

His baby-faced appearance was quite amiable, making Xue Zhao feel somewhat embarrassed. “I can push myself,” Xue Zhao said.

“Ah Zhao… Young Master Xue, what are you saying? You’re injured and it’s inconvenient for you,” Zhao Ke replied with a beaming smile.

Xue Zhao was momentarily stunned by the address “Young Master Xue.” By the time he regained his composure, Zhao Ke had already pushed him at a run all the way to Ji Heng.

Ji Heng was standing in front of the flower bed, with the noisy myna still perched on his shoulder. When the bird saw Xue Zhao, it opened its beak and blurted out, “Fool!”

Xue Zhao: “...”

“You’re here,” Ji Heng turned to look at him and casually handed him a letter, saying, “A letter from Ali.”

When Xue Zhao heard the name “Ali,” he was startled once again. This was Jiang Li’s childhood name, one only Xue Huaiyuan used. Even Shen Yurong had never called Jiang Li by that name in Xue Zhao’s presence. Hearing Duke Su say it now left Xue Zhao utterly at a loss.

“Fool!” Little Red’s sudden cry snapped Xue Zhao back to his senses. He then opened the letter and, after reading it, couldn’t contain his excitement. “My sister wants me to go with her to the Ye family tomorrow to see Father!”

Zhao Ke, who happened to overhear this, was puzzled. How had this kid started calling Second Miss Jiang “sister” after just one night? His ability to latch onto connections was truly impressive.

Ji Heng nodded and said, “Tomorrow, Zhao Ke will escort you there.”

“Thank you, My Lord,” Xue Zhao said sincerely, unable to resist stealing another glance at Ji Heng. Perhaps because he knew Ji Heng had a close relationship with Jiang Li, Xue Zhao’s gaze held a hint of scrutiny. He observed the young man, who looked exceptionally striking even in red robes, with a face both enchanting and mesmerizing. Though his features were overwhelmingly beautiful, they didn’t come across as effeminate. Despite the smile playing on his lips, those familiar with the ways of the world could sense his lethal aura, restrained yet undeniably arrogant.

In terms of presence, he far surpassed Shen Yurong, and in looks as well. As for literary talent, since Xue Zhao had no interest in it, he didn’t consider it a merit. Martial skills… Hmm, Xue Zhao’s eyes fell on the ornate folding fan in Ji Heng’s hand. That fan held many secrets.

“Why are you staring at me?” Ji Heng raised an eyebrow and asked.

“My Lord… what is your relationship with my sister?” After pondering for a long time, Xue Zhao decided to be direct. He had an intuition that Ji Heng was not one for beating around the bush. If you asked him something, he would give you a straightforward answer—a trait that could be seen as honesty or arrogance.

“What relationship?” The young man closed his fan, and the lavish golden peony pattern vanished in an instant, leaving only a seamless line. After a brief pause, he smiled and said, “Soon enough, you’ll be calling me brother-in-law. That kind of relationship.”

Xue Zhao nearly choked, and Zhao Ke felt his scalp go numb.

He was truly blunt.

…Jiang Li and Xue Zhao had agreed to visit the Xue Huaiyuan at the Ye family residence together the next day. Early that morning, Jiang Li began her toilette. She dressed and styled her hair herself, refusing Tong'er's assistance, leaving the maid standing idly by. When Jiang Li finished her preparations, Tong'er felt there was something particularly different about her mistress today—she seemed brighter, almost as if she were a completely different person.

Assuming it was just a whim of their young lady to try something new, neither Tong'er nor Bai Xue thought much of it. They helped Jiang Li out of the mansion and into the carriage. Since Old Madam Jiang had been informed in advance, she made no objections, merely assigning additional guards from the Jiang residence to escort the carriage, lest any mishap occur along the way.

Summer mornings were still tolerable, but by noon, the heat became unbearable. Jiang Li had set out early, while the sun was still mild, yet her restless excitement made it difficult to stay calm.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the Ye residence, they spotted a carriage parked outside. Zhao Ke and Xue Zhao had just arrived at the Ye family's doorstep when they caught sight of Jiang Li. At the sight of her, Xue Zhao nearly blurted out, "Sister!" But he immediately checked himself—Jiang Li was now younger than him, and others might find it strange for him to address her so familiarly. Instead, he smiled and said, "Miss... Miss Jiang."

"Ah Zhao," Jiang Li called out smoothly, glancing around but seeing no sign of Ji Heng. Zhao Ke seemed to understand her thoughts and approached her quietly, saying in a low voice, "His Lordship is not at the residence today. He instructed me to escort Young Master Xue here."

Jiang Li nodded. "Thank you." But inwardly, she thought, Yin Zhan is surely plotting some scheme at court, and Ji Heng must devote his efforts to countering him. No doubt he's been very busy these days. Without further comment, she said, "Let's go inside."

Inside the Ye residence, Ye Shijie had left for court. Ye Mingyu, having been informed in advance of Jiang Li's visit, had been waiting in the main hall. He had also heard that someone from the Duke's residence would be coming and had assumed it would be Situ Jiuyue. Instead, he saw a young man in a wheelchair. Though unaware of Xue Zhao's identity, he understood that this youth was certainly not a guard escorting Jiang Li—what guard would be a cripple? Guessing he might be some extraordinary talent, Ye Mingyu looked at Xue Zhao and asked Jiang Li curiously, "A Li, this young master..."

"Master Ye," Xue Zhao spoke up proactively with a smile. "All these days, from Tongxiang to Yanjing, it is thanks to your protection that my father has been safe. The great kindness you have shown our Xue family is something I shall repay even if it means knotting grass or holding a ring in my mouth. If there is ever any way I can be of service in the future, I will go through fire and water without hesitation."

Perhaps because Ye Mingyu himself exuded a roguish air, Xue Zhao's words to him carried a hint of the youthful gallantry often seen in the martial world. This pleased Ye Mingyu immensely, and he immediately beamed, cupping his hands in salute. "Not at all, not at all, it was merely a small effort. Young friend, there's no need for such courtesy. You just said... your father, the Xue family? Your father is..."

Just as Xue Zhao was about to speak, Haitang entered the courtyard carrying tea. At the sight of Xue Zhao, she froze, and the teapot in her hands crashed to the ground with a loud clatter, drawing everyone's attention. Haitang seemed oblivious, staring dumbfounded at Xue Zhao, who smiled gently and said, "Haitang.""Young... young master!" Haitang cried out involuntarily. "You're alive! But weren't you..."

"I didn't die," Xue Zhao smiled. "Second Miss Jiang saved me."

"Young master?" Ye Mingyu finally caught on at this point. "You're the young master of the Xue family?"

Having lived with Xue Huaiyuan for so long, Ye Mingyu had learned most of the details about the Xue family. He knew Xue Huaiyuan had a son named Xue Zhao, who was also said to have been killed by Princess Yongning. Now this youth sitting in a wheelchair was claiming to be Xue Zhao?

Ye Mingyu walked over to Jiang Li, tugged at her sleeve, and asked in a low voice, "A Li, what's going on? How did you find Xue Zhao?"

"That's a long story," Jiang Li smiled faintly. "Uncle, let's go see Mr. Xue first. Since Ah Zhao is still alive, Mr. Xue will surely be overjoyed to know."

Ye Mingyu quickly nodded. "You're right, let's go, let's go! We'll give Mr. Xue a surprise and shock him completely!"

Inside the room, Xue Huaiyuan was reading.

During the daytime when Ye Shijie went to court, Xue Huaiyuan would read in his room. The Ye family wasn't short on money - to help Ye Shijie succeed, they had previously collected numerous rare books from renowned scholars of previous dynasties, filling an entire chest. Even Xue Huaiyuan found them captivating. When he had nothing else to do, Xue Huaiyuan would read these books, never finding them dull. Sometimes he would spend entire days reading in the study.

Haitang gently knocked on the door and entered only after receiving Xue Huaiyuan's response. However, after entering, she stood by the doorway without approaching, calling out, "Master."

Xue Huaiyuan asked, "What is it?"

"Young master... young master has returned," Haitang said.

Xue Huaiyuan froze, not quite understanding what Haitang meant, when he saw Jiang Li pushing a youth in a wheelchair toward him. The young man's features were familiar, his eyes filled with tears, yet he smiled as he called out to Xue Huaiyuan, "Father!"

Xue Huaiyuan stared straight at Xue Zhao. Gradually, his lips began to tremble, and his hands shook as he reached out to touch Xue Zhao's shoulder. Yet his movements were hesitant, as if afraid this was just a dream. He cautiously held back, fearful of shattering this hard-won beautiful dream, worried that when he woke up, Xue Zhao would disappear again.

Xue Zhao actively grasped Xue Huaiyuan's hand and said, "Father! It's me, I've returned, I didn't die!"

As Xue Huaiyuan felt Xue Zhao's hand - warm and real, not an illusion from a dream - he seemed to finally dare to believe it was true. He cried out "Ah Zhao!" and immediately burst into tears.

Xue Zhao also wept continuously, saying between sobs, "It's all my fault for being unfilial, making Father worry. If I had found you earlier, Father wouldn't have suffered under that vicious woman Yongning's torment."

"Ah Zhao," Xue Huaiyuan asked, "what happened to your legs?"

Xue Zhao looked down at his legs and smiled. "Father, I can't walk anymore. But it's alright - I'm still alive!"He spoke with an air of nonchalance, but Xue Huaiyuan understood immediately. He knew his son’s lifelong aspirations and recognized his chivalrous yet tender heart, yearning to roam the martial world. For a young man in the prime of his youth to be confined to a chair from now on, never again able to move freely and unrestrained—what immense agony this must be for him. Xue Huaiyuan’s lips turned pale. Though he had always been strict with Xue Zhao, this time, he couldn’t help but pat his son’s hand and say, “It’s all right, Ah Zhao. It’s all right.”

Everyone in the room felt a pang of sorrow, their eyes growing moist as they witnessed the reunion of this father and son.

“Ah Zhao, where exactly have you been? Miss Jiang said you had died, and I even visited your grave. From what I know, you truly…”

"Father, that was Princess Yongning's trap. I wasn't killed, just imprisoned in her private prison. She tortured me, but used news of my death to torment you and sister. I thought I'd never escape, never imagined I'd survive," Xue Zhao explained.

Xue Huaiyuan's gaze fell upon Jiang Li. "You're saying... it was Miss Jiang who saved you?"

"Yes," Xue Zhao replied.

Xue Huaiyuan looked at Jiang Li with confusion, and Ye Mingyu was equally puzzled. Everyone knew the princess's private prison had been discovered by accident, but no one had seen Xue Zhao there at the time. How had Jiang Li found Xue Zhao, and moreover, how had she recognized his identity at a glance? Recalling all the help Jiang Li had previously given the Xue family, Xue Huaiyuan grew increasingly suspicious.

"Father, this matter is complicated. Let me explain it to you slowly," Xue Zhao said, then turned to Ye Mingyu and the others. "Master Ye... apologies, but could the rest of you please step out for a moment?"

Ye Mingyu shrugged and voluntarily withdrew. It was indeed inappropriate for an outsider like him to listen to a private conversation between father and son, especially if Xue Zhao was going to reveal some secret. Haitang and Zhao Ke also retreated. When Ye Mingyu turned back and saw Jiang Li still standing behind Xue Zhao's wheelchair, unmoving, he asked, "A Li, why aren't you coming out?"

"Second Miss Jiang should stay," Xue Zhao said. "I have some things I'd like to say to Second Miss Jiang as well."

Ye Mingyu was taken aback as Zhao Ke closed the door. After a moment's pause, Ye Mingyu muttered, "What's this? A Li is from our family, why is she going to theirs? And they act so familiar with each other, it's strange!" For some reason, seeing Jiang Li together with Xue Huaiyuan and Xue Zhao made him particularly uncomfortable. Clearly, Jiang Li had no relation to the Xue family, so why did the three of them seem so natural together, as if this was how it should be? Instead, he felt less like Jiang Li's uncle and more like an outsider.

Zhao Ke kept his head down, intently studying the floor. He knew why Xue Zhao wanted Jiang Li to stay - Xue Zhao had even called her "sister." By claiming kinship, of course he needed to act more intimate to make Jiang Li feel closer to the Xue family. This kid, Zhao Ke thought to himself, never expected him to be such a flatterer, quite skilled at charming young ladies.

Inside the room, Xue Huaiyuan and Xue Zhao were seated. Xue Zhao said to Jiang Li, "Sister, please sit down too."

Hearing the word "sister," Xue Huaiyuan was startled. In his memory, Xue Zhao had only ever called Xue Fangfei "sister." Why was he being so affectionate with Jiang Li now?

He looked at Jiang Li. Previously overwhelmed by Xue Zhao's appearance, Xue Huaiyuan hadn't properly observed Jiang Li. Now, looking closely, he suddenly realized how remarkably similar Jiang Li was to Fangfei.

They had completely different faces, yet her sitting posture, her manner of dressing, even the slight frown - if not for the different face, Xue Huaiyuan almost had the illusion that Fangfei had returned."Master Xue," Jiang Li began, settling into her seat before looking directly at Xue Huaiyuan. "You've repeatedly asked me why I've continuously extended help to the Xue family—from Tongxiang to Yanjing, seeking revenge against Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong, and now saving Xue Zhao. I told you it was because of a past connection I had with the Xue family, but what that connection was, you never knew, and I never told you. I truly didn't know how to explain it, and I was afraid you wouldn't believe me, thinking I was talking nonsense."

"But now that Ah Zhao has returned, I have nothing to fear, so I can finally speak the truth."

Xue Huaiyuan stared at Jiang Li, his breathing gradually growing rapid.

"Father, I am Ali."

(End of Chapter)