The Double

Chapter 222: Rest Assured

Xue Huaiyuan only called Ji Heng inside, without inviting Jiang Li or Xue Zhao to join them. Jiang Li felt somewhat anxious, unsure of what they would discuss behind closed doors.

Her restless expression caught Xue Zhao's attention. He wheeled his chair over to her and gestured for her to lean closer. As Jiang Li bent down, he whispered in her ear, "A father naturally has many things to say when meeting his future son-in-law. Besides, Father knows your true identity and doesn't need to hold back. Sister, don't worry—Father won't eat your husband alive."

He kept calling Ji Heng "brother-in-law" so naturally that anyone unaware would think they were brothers-in-law who had been close for years. Jiang Li thought to herself that she wasn't worried about what Xue Huaiyuan might do—her father had always been gentle with others. Her concern was that Ji Heng's temper might upset her father.

But then it occurred to her that Ji Heng's polite and mild demeanor when he met Xue Huaiyuan today had even surprised Old General Ji. It was clear he was quite skilled at putting on an act. No matter how much she worried now, it would be futile, so Jiang Li decided to stop overthinking.

Turning her head, she noticed Situ Jiuyue staring at her and Xue Zhao with a thoughtful expression. Jiang Li's heart skipped a beat—their posture was indeed rather intimate. Since Situ Jiuyue didn't know that Xue Zhao and Jiang Li were siblings, she might easily misunderstand.

Jiang Li straightened up and, perhaps because she sensed Situ Jiuyue's thoughts, spoke to her with extra warmth, "Miss Jiuyue, didn't you come today to examine Ah Zhao's wounds and develop new poisons? Why don't you take a look at Ah Zhao first?"

Xue Zhao looked at Jiang Li in confusion, not understanding why she suddenly brought this up. However, he wouldn't refuse Situ Jiuyue's kindness and smiled, "Really? Physician Situ, my wounds have healed quite a bit. If they can help you refine poisons, that would be wonderful."

Situ Jiuyue pursed her lips and finally said, "Come with me." Though her expression remained cold, her tone had softened considerably.

Just as Jiang Li was about to strike up a conversation with Old General Ji, she noticed him and Ye Mingyu engaged in a heated discussion not far away. They seemed to be debating blade techniques—Old General Ji's face was flushed red, his neck thick with excitement, and his voice boomed like thunder.

Lin Yao sat cross-legged on a stone stool, a plate full of pastries and flower tea on the stone table before him. He was eating with great delight, crumbs clinging to the corners of his mouth. Jiang Li couldn't help but laugh at the sight. She took out her handkerchief and wiped his mouth, saying, "Eat slowly, Xiao Yao. Does the Duke's residence not provide these treats for you? Why are you eating so urgently?"

Wenren Yao also picked up a small piece of osmanthus cake and put it in his mouth, sighing, "Don't just talk about my little disciple—even his master has never eaten such delicious pastries at the Duke's residence."

Jiang Li asked in surprise, "Why? The Ye family isn't short on money and can afford cooks, and the Duke's residence isn't poor either. Why would they skimp on food?""Second Miss Jiang, do you really think Ji Heng would be considerate enough to prepare such sweet treats favored by young girls? The cooks in the Duke's residence prepare meals according to A-Heng and the Old General's tastes—these kinds of snacks aren't usually made. If you want to eat them, you'll have to buy them from the street vendors. Of course, if A-Heng ever cooks, you might get to taste some. But A-Heng rarely steps into the kitchen—maybe only a few times in ten years."

Jiang Li found his words amusing and couldn't help but laugh.

Wenren Yao, thinking she didn't believe him, quickly added, "I'm telling you the absolute truth. Even though you're now engaged to A-Heng and I'll have to call you sister-in-law someday, I still have to speak honestly about his flaws." He then muttered to himself, "Speaking of which, how did A-Heng end up engaged to a young lady? I thought he would never marry in his lifetime."

"Why would he never marry?" Jiang Li asked. She expected Wenren Yao to say something about Ji Heng's difficult temperament, but his answer surprised her.

"Because of that divination slip!"

Jiang Li asked, "What divination slip?"

Wenren Yao didn't hide it. "Ten years ago, when we performed a divination for A-Heng, the result showed: 'Born in the winter month, bearing the countenance of nobility, yet doomed to meet calamity through a woman's misfortune, left exposed in the wilderness, preyed upon by eagles and hounds.'' It sounded extremely ominous. Although A-Heng never seemed to take it seriously on the surface, all these years I've never heard him mention marriage or having children. So I thought perhaps he still cared about it. But I never expected him to actively request an imperial marriage decree from the Emperor.Jiang Li asked, "What is 'a woman's disaster'?""

"It means disaster caused by a woman. Ah," Wenren Yao seemed to realize his misspeak and hurriedly corrected himself, "I'm not referring to you, Second Miss. And that divination... might not be accurate anyway. A-Heng himself isn't afraid, and my master also said that the Planchette Sect has been declining with each generation. By my generation, my planchette writing skills are a complete mess—I'm practically disgracing our sect—so there might have been a mistake."

Although Wenren Yao said this, Jiang Li didn't feel reassured by his explanation. For some reason, a sense of foreboding grew in her heart, like a heavy stone weighing on her chest.

Seeing that Jiang Li still looked troubled, Wenren Yao silently cursed himself for speaking too much. Suddenly remembering something, he said, "Second Miss Jiang, there's no need to worry. The divination wasn't complete—it was only one side. There's more to it, I..."

Before he could finish, the door to Xue Huaiyuan's room opened, and Ji Heng walked out.

Wenren Yao immediately forgot what he was about to say. He looked at Ji Heng and said in surprise, "You actually look quite happy?"

Jiang Li turned to Ji Heng. His complexion was good, the corners of his mouth lifted in a smile, and he seemed very relaxed. Her heart settled slightly. Xue Huaiyuan followed closely behind. He also looked well and nodded at Jiang Li with a smile. Only then did Jiang Li's heart completely ease.

She walked to Ji Heng's side and asked softly, "What did Father say to you?"

Ji Heng's lips curved. "He said you're spoiled and willful, and asked me to be more tolerant of you in the future."

Jiang Li glared at him, knowing he wasn't telling the truth. How was she spoiled? When it came to willfulness, Ji Heng was the most willful one. She was about to say more when Ye Mingyu called everyone to the main hall for the meal. Since it was a family banquet, there was no need for formality.The Ye family still seemed somewhat uncomfortable, but the others were fine. Old General Ji was straightforward and sincere, Wenren Yao was a sociable fellow who loved joining in the fun, Lin Yao was just a child, and Situ Jiuyue, though rather aloof, was a physician—and a very beautiful one at that—so she was tolerable. But Ji Heng was different. Though he was also strikingly handsome, his beauty carried an aggressive edge. Even though he wore a smile the entire time, one couldn't help but fear that at any moment he might drag someone out and have them eliminated.

Moreover, Ye Shijie stubbornly believed that Ji Heng had stolen his niece. Originally, he had intended to match Jiang Li with Ye Shijie, so that in the future, Jiang Li would marry into their family and be well cared for by the Ye family. Who would have thought that someone like Ji Heng would appear out of nowhere?

During the meal, Ye Mingyu's gaze was filled with resentment.

Jiang Li found it amusing, but what comforted her was that Xue Huaiyuan, Xue Zhao, and Ji Heng actually got along quite well. Being her father and brother, Jiang Li knew them well. She could tell that Xue Zhao, being a naive young man, had already sided with Ji Heng because of the life-saving favor Ji Heng had done for him. Her father, though not showing any particular delight, was certainly not resistant—he was perfectly at ease. And Jiang Li wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but she even felt that, compared to Shen Yurong from years ago, Xue Huaiyuan seemed to like Ji Heng more.

All in all, the meal could barely be considered a pleasant gathering for both hosts and guests. By the afternoon, it was time for everyone to leave. Jiang Li whispered to Ji Heng, "Wait for me outside. I have something to say to Father and Ah Zhao."

Ji Heng nodded. Wenren Yao and Old General Ji had already boarded the carriage outside. Situ Jiuyue also packed up her medicine chest. Ye Mingyu watched coldly from outside, wondering what was going on. He was Jiang Li's uncle, yet both Ji Heng and Jiang Li always whispered with Xue Huaiyuan. Could there be some connection between the Xue family and the Duke's residence?

Ye Shijie, on the other hand, was much more courteous than Ye Mingyu. Though he hadn't been in the court for long—only a year—he was a far cry from the young man who used to argue with others over a painting on the street. It was difficult to hold onto one's true self in the officialdom, and he was growing rapidly. Though he hadn't yet mastered the art of concealing his emotions completely, he had begun to learn how to hide his feelings so others wouldn't notice.

He suspected that his own slight disappointment might not escape the keen eyes of the young man before him, but he did it anyway, hoping to maintain a dignified posture and retreat gracefully, without disgracing the Ye family name.

Meanwhile, Jiang Li, Xue Zhao, and Xue Huaiyuan returned to the room.

Jiang Li closed the door and asked, "Father, what exactly did you and Ji Heng talk about in the room earlier?"

She was truly curious.

Xue Zhao said carelessly, "Sister, I already told you—it was the father-in-law giving instructions to the son-in-law. Why don't you get it?"

Jiang Li retorted impatiently, "I wasn't asking you."

In front of Xue Huaiyuan and Xue Zhao, her old temperament surfaced completely, as if she had never experienced those profound wounds. Xue Huaiyuan watched her, momentarily lost in thought, but he quickly collected himself and smiled, "Your brother is right. I did give him some instructions. After all, I'm entrusting Ali to him in the future, and I'm still not entirely at ease."Jiang Li asked nervously, "So what was the outcome?"

"What others say about him doesn't concern me, for there are far too many two-faced people in this world. Even if everyone outside considers someone a good person, they may not necessarily treat their family and friends with the same kindness they show outwardly. So I don't care about others' opinions—I need to see for myself."

"There are many upright, honest, and kind-hearted people in this world, but perhaps they are not the ones Ali likes. After all we've been through, it's not that I don't want Ali to marry someone flawless and noble in character. But if the person Ali likes isn't like that, I won't stand in her way. When Ali likes someone, there must be reasons for it. I didn't understand before what Ah Zhao meant about how Ji Heng protects you. But after speaking with him today, I feel reassured."

Jiang Li looked at him in surprise.

"I can entrust you to him with complete peace of mind," Xue Huaiyuan said with a smile. His tone carried no pretense, leaving even Xue Zhao momentarily stunned. Back when it was Shen Yurong, Xue Huaiyuan had never shown such confidence.

Xue Huaiyuan's thoughts drifted to the past.

Jiang Li had lost her mother when she was just a child—a delicate, jade-like little girl whom he had raised single-handedly, acting as both father and mother. During their poorest days when they first moved to Tongxiang, they couldn't afford a maid, and even her hair was styled by Xue Huaiyuan himself after he learned how. One could imagine how reluctant he was to marry Jiang Li off to Shen Yurong.

Back then, Shen Yurong had knelt before him, vowing that he would surely top the imperial exams, achieve greatness, and provide Ali with a good life, cherishing her always. Yet, Xue Huaiyuan hadn't felt truly happy about it. He knew his daughter wasn't the type to chase after wealth and status; what she wanted most wasn't a husband's success or the title of an official's wife. But since Ali loved Shen Yurong and Shen Yurong had the ambition, Xue Huaiyuan had relented.

Today, Ji Heng didn't kneel before Xue Huaiyuan. He could see the young man's pride in his eyes, reminiscent of Ji Mínghán from years past. Ji Heng was different from Shen Yurong. The Duke's estate had power, influence, and wealth—he didn't need to strive for them like Shen Yurong did. So what could he do for Ali?

"I will ensure her a lifetime of peace and smooth sailing, eternal happiness, and that she never has to compromise herself for others or become someone else—and that 'others' includes even myself," Ji Heng said.

His words, spoken unhurriedly, carried the weight of a precious promise.

In her past life, Ali had compromised and done unhappy things for Shen Yurong and the Shen family. Understanding this, Ji Heng declared that Ali should always remain Ali, never needing to change, even for his sake.

"I don't understand—what is it about Ali that you like?" Xue Huaiyuan asked. "Is it her looks? She's no longer the top beauty of Yanjing. Is it her courage or her intelligence? Ji Heng, you must have no shortage of such women around you."

"Lord Xue," Ji Heng replied with a faint smile, "It's not that I like her because of her qualities. It's because I like her that I like her qualities. If she were a murderous, domineering, spoiled, and malicious woman, and if I liked her, then no matter what kind of person she was, I would still like her."He truly was audacious—how many people in this world dared to speak such words? Promises were easy to make, but sincere promises were far too difficult. He was inherently a person of intense brilliance, so his affection was equally resolute and profound.

"How many ill reputes exist in this world? I am not afraid." Ji Heng spoke with a faint smile: "Let the unpleasant tasks fall to me. She can grow up forever as she is now. Lord Xue," he looked into Xue Huaiyuan's eyes, his amber pupils clear to the point of coldness, yet his words were so gentle, like a fierce beast revealing its softest fur, stubbornly guarding what was most precious. He said: "Shen Yurong could not protect her, but I can."

It was this single sentence that dissolved all of Xue Huaiyuan's doubts.

His daughter—he had witnessed her being hurt once with his own eyes. For a father, the only wish was for her safety. Though Ali was clever and capable of many things, when danger came, someone who could truly protect her surpassed all else.

Xue Huaiyuan said: "You win."

Ji Heng still smiled.

"I entrust Ali to you, Ji Heng," Xue Huaiyuan said: "Please take good care of her."

That young man shed the venomous reputation spoken of in rumors, becoming unbelievably gentle. He said: "I will also take good care of all of you, because you are her family."

The conversation with Ji Heng seemed to linger before his eyes when Xue Huaiyuan saw Jiang Li frown in front of him and ask: "But what exactly did you two talk about?"

"Ali," Xue Huaiyuan said: "Your father is growing old. Perhaps I cannot accompany you on the long road ahead. He can protect you—I have faith in him, and you should have faith in him too, as well as in yourself."

Jiang Li fell silent.

She could see that Xue Huaiyuan was genuinely at ease. This meeting with Ji Heng had gone more smoothly than Jiang Li had imagined. Since Xue Huaiyuan refused to speak, Jiang Li did not press further. If her father wouldn't say, he must have his reasons. Moreover, this was a conversation between her father and Ji Heng—a secret between two men—and it deserved respect.

After giving Xue Huaiyuan a few more reminders, she prepared to leave. Xue Zhao called out from behind: "Sister, say goodbye to brother-in-law for me."

This child! Jiang Li found it amusing—he had accepted the matter faster than anyone else. After a moment's thought, she said: "Ah Zhao, you should properly express your gratitude to Physician Situ in daily life. He treated your injuries, and you haven't even paid the consultation fee—how can that be justified? This is not the Xue family's way."

Having said this, she paid no mind to the stunned Xue Zhao and went out alone.

Once outside, after bidding farewell to Ye Mingyu and Ye Shijie, Jiang Li walked over to Ji Heng. She actually had more to say to him, but Wenren Yao and the others had already boarded the carriage, making it inconvenient to speak further. They had no choice but to part ways. Still, before separating, Jiang Li couldn't help but say: "Why did you speak to Father like that today? It startled me."

Ji Heng had never been so courteous when speaking to anyone.

"Because he is your father, and because of you," he said with a smile.

Jiang Li was taken aback.

Perhaps it was because in her past life, she had been the one to change for others—she knew that heartache well—and had never experienced someone changing for her out of tolerance. Yet Ji Heng, whom everyone saw as a villain, would change for her.She laughed, feeling that Ji Heng was truly a celestial being sent by heaven to make up for her losses—just like the scholars in those unofficial histories and storybooks who, at their most desperate moments, would have a stunning enchantress descend from the skies to add fragrance to their sleeves, whisper sweet nothings in their ears, and then help them soar to success in the imperial examinations.

The only difference was that those enchanting beauties never met a good end, and the scholars eventually discarded them as mere romantic escapades. But she silently vowed in her heart that she would never abandon Ji Heng.

Seeing her staring at him with nothing but a smile, Ji Heng reached out and gently pinched her cheek. His touch was light, but he scoffed, "Silly girl."

It felt wonderful.

...

Xue Huaiyuan's meeting with Ji Heng passed without a hitch. After that, Ji Heng became increasingly busy, and Jiang Li didn't get to see him again. Zhao Ke, however, returned to the Jiang residence as a gardener. Tong'er subtly inquired among the other servants, who naturally explained that Zhao Ke had left earlier to attend a funeral back home.

This lie was quite well-founded, carefully laid out from the start to pave the way for his return.

The weather grew colder day by day. Gradually, Tong'er began airing out the rabbit-fur cloaks and fox-fur coats on sunny days, saying that in another month or two, Yanjing City would truly enter winter with heavy snowfall. With the cold setting in, it was best to prepare these things early.

The Jiang family was also bustling with activity—so much so that Jiang Li sometimes went several days without catching a glimpse of Jiang Yuanbai or Jiang Yuanping. They left early and returned late, often after Jiang Li had already gone to bed, making it impossible to see them. Jiang Li suspected it had something to do with Yin Zhan. Old Madam Jiang and Lu Shi gradually came to accept Ji Heng as the Jiang family's son-in-law and began preparing Jiang Li's dowry. Back when Ye Zhenzhen married into the family, her dowry had been exceptionally lavish. After Ji Shuran entered the household, she had taken possession of those items, intending to pass them all to Jiang Youyao as a dowry upon her marriage. She never expected such a turn of events. Old Madam Jiang handed the warehouse keys to Jiang Li and asked Lu Shi to draft a dowry list.

Jiang Li reviewed the list. For the daughter of a Grand Secretary, it was certainly not meager, but it wasn't exceptionally generous either. Many of the items were originally brought by Ye Zhenzhen. Jiang Li didn't mind much, as she never cared about the size of her dowry. Still, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness for the real Second Miss Jiang. The belongings that rightfully belonged to her mother had finally been reclaimed, but the one receiving them was no longer her—instead, it was Jiang Li, the one who had taken her place.

Life continued uneventfully until Jiang Li received a piece of news from Zhao Ke: Xia Junwang Yin Zhan no longer needed to return to Yunzhong.

When Jiang Li heard this, she wasn't entirely surprised, likely because Ji Heng had already warned her that the Yin family wasn't as detached from worldly affairs as they appeared. Still, she asked, "Why?"

Zhao Ke replied, "They say that with winter setting in, the journey from Yanjing to Yunzhong is plagued by heavy snow, making it difficult for troops to march and wasting provisions. Moreover, Yunzhong doesn't need guarding. On the contrary, we should be wary of Prince Cheng's forces making a comeback. Yanjing City is the most vulnerable."Jiang Li smiled faintly. This reason was neither particularly bad nor particularly good. It was evident that Yin Zhan genuinely wished to remain in Yanjing City, and he had likely deduced from the Hongxiao Emperor's previous attempt to arrange his marriage that the emperor had grown suspicious of the Yin family. Thus, he no longer bothered to conceal his ambitions—even if his actions appeared blatant, he was determined to stay.

Yin Zhan was different from Prince Cheng. To deal with Prince Cheng, the Hongxiao Emperor had spent years preparing, matching the duration of Prince Cheng's role as a bargaining chip. But Yin Zhan had returned to Yanjing City only much later, and over the years, the court had nearly forgotten him. Had it not been for the astonishing bravery he displayed during the recent rebellion suppression, those in the imperial court would not have taken him seriously. Regarding Yin Zhan, the Hongxiao Emperor had neither preparations nor understanding; he could not act rashly. The strategy of trapping someone like a turtle in a jar, waiting for them to fall into a trap—as used against Prince Cheng—was not applicable to Yin Zhan.

Both sides were locked in a stalemate, testing each other's resolve.

Jiang Li's heart also grew somewhat apprehensive. This peaceful life could end at any moment, and once it did, the Duke's residence and the Jiang family would inevitably be implicated.

May all remain well.

...

Deep within the palace, flowers withered one after another. After the flourish of prosperity, an unusual desolation set in.

Nearly all the flowers in the garden had faded. Even the evergreen trees, under the gloomy sky, seemed coated in a layer of dust. Winter in Yanjing City was fast approaching, and winters here always took an eternity to pass. People often began yearning for early spring long before winter had even ended.

The young emperor stood with his hands behind his back. Outside the imperial mausoleum, troops stood guard. He stood before a tombstone—the grave of his birth mother, Consort Xia.

Within the deep palace, various rumors about Consort Xia circulated. Many of the older palace maids and eunuchs had either died or scattered, leaving very few behind. Thus, the past glories were no longer spoken of. Born as a prince, the Hongxiao Emperor had witnessed the shifts and storms of the Northern Yan court. He should have been indifferent to such matters, but as a son, remembering his mother was only natural.

Unlike Consort Liu's fierce beauty in her youth or the Empress Dowager's gentle grace, Consort Xia was clever, lively, intelligent, and beautiful. She treated her subordinates with kindness, was sharp-witted, decisive, and knew when to advance or retreat—a fascinating person whom the emperor admired.

But the phrase "beautiful women often suffer tragic fates" seemed like a curse. Consort Xia fell ill and passed away shortly after giving birth to him. The Hongxiao Emperor never knew what his birth mother looked like. He could only glimpse her likeness in paintings by palace artists and piece together her image from fragmented, uncertain rumors. Yet even so, whenever he stood before his mother's grave, his memories remained a blank slate.

The late emperor entrusted him to the empress, who at the time had her own crown prince and kept her distance. Later, when the crown prince died young, the empress even suspected him of being the murderer. It wasn't until the imperial physicians cleared his name, proving the crown prince had died from a congenital heart condition, that the suspicion lifted.

But the doubtful gazes from everyone back then, including his own father, were something he could never forget. Sometimes, waking from a nightmare in the middle of the night, that bone-deep grief and despair would vividly resurface.

Later, the emperor named him crown prince. Prince Cheng and his mother grew increasingly arrogant. To secure his position, the empress used him as a pawn in her struggle against Prince Cheng and his mother. Temporarily on the same side, he and the empress could not afford to break openly—at the very least, they had to maintain the appearance of a loving mother and devoted son, leaving no room for others to exploit.

When exactly he and the Empress Dowager began to appear exceptionally close, like true mother and son, the Hongxiao Emperor could no longer recall. But in his heart, the past had never truly passed. He had never fully moved on from those events, which was why he felt such rage upon hearing of Jiang Li's plight. He had gradually learned how to be a true emperor, but the chance to learn how to be a son had been stripped from him when he was very young.

"Mother," the emperor murmured, his expression dazed, revealing a trace of barely perceptible fragility. His voice seemed lost as he asked, "How are you faring now?"

...In the Hall of Benevolent Tranquility, wisps of blue incense smoke curled upward. Meixiang approached with light steps, stopping beside the kneeling figure before the Buddha statue. She whispered softly, "Your Majesty, the scout has just returned. The Emperor has gone to the imperial mausoleum—to Consort Xia’s tomb."

The Empress Dowager, clad in silk robes and striking a wooden fish, paused her rhythmic tapping. Amid the swirling smoke, a faint, gentle smile graced her face.

She sighed softly, "Truly, an ungrateful wretch."

The young emperor could be said to be quite pitiful [facepalm].

(End of Chapter)