The Double

Chapter 229: Death Announcement

The snow in Qingzhou had been falling for three consecutive days. Jiang Li, confined to an unfamiliar house, found herself accompanied everywhere she went—even when she visited the privy, a martial-skilled maid stood watch nearby.

There was no escape. Though the courtyard was small, it was heavily guarded by layers of soldiers. She had become the most crucial bargaining chip, not a single misstep permitted. Since her last encounter with Yin Zhiqing, Jiang Li hadn’t seen her again. Counting the days, she had no idea of the situation outside, whether the Ye family and Situ Jiuyue’s people were safe, or where Ji Heng was and if anything had happened to him. All she could do was sit in hopeless idleness. These days, she had even abandoned her usual calm composure, resorting to hunger strikes, arguments, and threats in protest—but to no avail. Beyond the silent guards, she saw no one.

This night was no different.

Late at night, only the sound of wind and snow could be heard outside. Jiang Li sat by the table, unable to sleep, her mind racing with thoughts of escape. The oil lamp cast a dim glow in the room, illuminating shadows on the floor. It was winter, the trees bare and leafless, leaving only stark trunks outside. Thus, the swaying human shadow stood out conspicuously.

The shadow lingered on the ground, unmoving, as if it were merely Jiang Li’s delusion. She stared at it for a long time before finally saying, “Since Young Master Yin has come, why not enter?”

The shadow outside shifted slightly, followed by a soft sigh. With a creak, the door pushed open, and someone stepped inside.

It was Yin Zhili.

Jiang Li hadn’t seen Yin Zhili for some time. Under the lamplight, his face looked haggard, almost unrecognizable. The clear, gentle gaze from their first meeting was gone, replaced by an indescribable mix of complexity and resentment. Standing before Jiang Li, he said, “Miss Jiang.”

The refined, handsome young master of the past had vanished; the Yin Zhili before her now was utterly unfamiliar. Jiang Li stared at him and said, “Please have a seat, Young Master Yin.”

Yin Zhili sat down.

Jiang Li asked, “Would you like some tea?” She picked up the teapot from the table, poured a cup for Yin Zhili, and handed it to him. Yin Zhili looked at the cup but neither reached for it nor showed any intention of drinking.

Jiang Li smiled faintly, a note of regret in her voice. “Not falling for it, I see.”

All the tea here was laced with drugs that sapped one’s strength and prevented any further actions. Likely, her captors, aware of her cunning nature and fearing she might scheme her way out, had devised this method. Yin Zhili clearly knew about it already—he wouldn’t even touch the cup.

Sure enough, he looked at Jiang Li and murmured, “I’m sorry.”

A trace of guilt flickered across Yin Zhili’s face, giving him a semblance of the person Jiang Li once knew. She sighed and said, “I only ask you this: where is the young lady who came out with me that day? And what have you done with the Ye family members and Mr. Xue? As for Haitang’s little finger…”

“Don’t worry,” Yin Zhili replied, “they are safe now. Since you are here, there’s no use keeping them, so they’ve all been sent back. As for Haitang’s finger… I apologize…”"It was your father's doing, wasn't it?" Jiang Li stared into his eyes.

Yin Zhili remained silent, which was as good as an admission. Jiang Li had long suspected this. Yin Zhili wasn't inherently wicked—such cruel methods could only come from Yin Zhan. Likely, all of this was part of Yin Zhan's plan to secure an escape route for his son. No matter the outcome of Yin Zhan's struggle with Ji Heng, Yin Zhili could use this arrangement to ensure his own safety.

"Where is your father now?" Jiang Li asked.

"I don't know," Yin Zhili replied. "He didn't tell me."

Yin Zhili had locked himself away here, and the more guilt he felt, the more Jiang Li understood he couldn't release her. Or perhaps Yin Zhili simply had no power to free her—this was Yin Zhan's design, and his arrangements were unchangeable. Yin Zhili himself was merely a pawn in Yin Zhan's chess game, manipulated at every turn.

"Where are we?" Jiang Li asked.

"A hundred li from Qingzhou."

"How long do you plan to keep me imprisoned?" Jiang Li asked.

Yin Zhili looked up. Jiang Li's gaze was calm, devoid of any resentment or blame toward him. The more composed she appeared, the more he struggled to respond, averting his eyes.

Everything was Yin Zhan's arrangement, and as his son, Yin Zhili had no choice but to obey. He carried the blood of the Empress Dowager—even if he wished otherwise, he was already aboard this ship with no turning back. The men Yin Zhan left behind had instructed him: if Yin Zhan returned alive, they would await his orders. If Yin Zhan did not survive, they were to rally troops from Qingzhou with Jiang Li, using the Long River as a boundary. The Yin family commanded a hundred thousand soldiers in Yunzhong, with another hundred thousand hidden in Qingzhou. If both Yin Zhan perished and Ji Heng lived, they would use Jiang Li as bait to lure and eliminate Ji Heng, eradicating the threat once and for all.

Yin Zhili had no right to refuse. By the time he learned of these plans, Yin Zhan had already vanished. The lives of the entire Yin family rested on Yin Zhili's shoulders—if he failed to act, all of them: Yin Zhiqing, Lady Yin, every servant, the uncles and elders he knew, his martial arts masters, and the soldiers who had fought alongside Yin Zhan—would be doomed. With so many lives depending on him, Yin Zhili couldn't afford to defy the plan. He had no other choice.

After a long silence, Yin Zhili finally met Jiang Li's eyes and asked softly, "Miss Jiang... do you care deeply for Duke Su?"

A chill ran through Jiang Li's heart—with that single question, she could glimpse his innermost thoughts. She paused, then answered, "Yes."

Hearing her response, a sharp pain pierced Yin Zhili's chest. A dark, murky emotion surged within him, which he forcibly suppressed. "And how does Duke Su treat you?" he asked.

"If you intend to use me as bait to lure or threaten Ji Heng, you should abandon that notion," Jiang Li said coldly. "Yin Zhili, don't make me despise you."

Yin Zhili let out a bitter laugh. "If you despise me, so be it. I already despise myself—why would I care what others think?"

His expression was one of utter dejection, a reckless resignation that bordered on shamelessness. Anyone who saw him now would be astonished, unable to imagine how this once radiant and noble man could have fallen to such a state."However, I also hope that day never comes. Killing the person you love with your own hands would surely make you hate me for life. I don’t want you to hold resentment toward me," he said.

Jiang Li fell silent. If that day truly never came, it would mean Ji Heng had already died before then. These words did not bring Jiang Li any joy—they only tightened her heart further.

"What do you intend to do, Young Master Yin?" Jiang Li asked. "You’ve taken me captive to threaten Ji Heng, but the troops outside don’t look ordinary. Do you also aspire to follow in Prince Cheng’s footsteps, raising an army in rebellion, aiming for the throne?"

Yin Zhili suddenly grew agitated. With a violent sweep of his hand, he sent the teacups on the table crashing to the floor. Scalding tea splashed across the ground, steaming as shards scattered everywhere. Soldiers outside, hearing the commotion, rushed into the room, but Yin Zhili barked at them to get out, and they withdrew.

Yin Zhili sneered coldly, "Who cares for that throne!"

"Your father does," Jiang Li replied.

It seemed Yin Zhili had no desire to rebel, yet Yin Zhan’s stance was so resolute. This only deepened Jiang Li’s confusion, but judging by Yin Zhili’s demeanor, he had no intention of explaining further. Jiang Li pressed on, "I remember when we played chess before, you once said that war brings suffering to the common people. Do you realize that if the Yin family’s troops rise in rebellion, countless civilians will be displaced, and countless families will be torn apart? Is this what you wish to see?"

Yin Zhili let out a pained groan. His expression stirred a flicker of pity in Jiang Li’s heart. He seemed trapped, as if roasted over a fire, unable to please either side, yet forced to walk a path that ran counter to his original intentions—a path with an inevitable, bleak end.

"I don’t want this… I don’t… but I have no choice," he said.

"You do have a choice," Jiang Li said gently. "You are the son of the Duke of Xia. It’s not too late to stop this now. Don’t wait until there’s no turning back to seek a solution. There’s still time, isn’t there?"

She tried to persuade him, but Yin Zhili stared blankly for a moment before suddenly rising to his feet. His eyes hardened with resolve, and the warmth he had once shown Jiang Li was gone, replaced by a cold, resigned detachment. "Say no more, Lady Jiang. You are not me. You don’t understand that I have no other path. From the moment I was born into the Yin family, this day was destined to come. This is my fate, and I no longer intend to resist it. So… you should accept your fate as well." With those words, he turned away without another glance and strode out, his sleeves sweeping behind him.

The door closed once more, and silence returned to the room. Only the shattered remnants of the teacups on the floor bore witness to what had just transpired. Jiang Li gazed at the closed door and sighed deeply.

Yin Zhili’s path was now closed to her. At least the Ye family and Jiu Yue were safe. Yin Zhili would not harm them—to Yin Zhan, she alone was the key to threatening Ji Heng. The others were merely burdens, not worth his attention. But… what about Ji Heng?

From Yin Zhili’s words, there had been no sign of Yin Zhan’s presence. She had no idea what was happening outside. Jiang Li could only pray silently in her heart, hoping that Ji Heng was safe and sound.

…

Qingzhou and Yanjing were too far apart. While Qingzhou was still shrouded in wind and snow under vast skies, the streets of Yanjing City were nearly deserted by nightfall.The imperial palace stood resolute amidst the wind and snow, as if it would never falter. Yet it no longer gleamed with its former golden splendor, appearing no different from an ordinary estate. It even resembled a sinister yet magnificent underground palace, where those who entered never returned.

In the Cining Palace, lantern flames flickered while the heated floors burned fiercely, making it far warmer than the outside world. Scriptures lay scattered across the desk, untouched for copying in a long time. Only the incense in the burner continued to burn through the quiet night, like the glowing red eyes of a mythical palm-sized beast, its ferocity hidden beneath a gentle facade.

The Empress Dowager reclined on a soft couch, dozing lightly. Recently, she had often found herself lost in thought. Sitting in the hall, she would attempt to calmly copy a few lines of scripture but could never settle her mind, eventually abandoning the effort. With no scriptures to copy, she had little to do. When Consort Liu was still here, she could at least hear her causing trouble. After Consort Liu's departure, the rear palace grew increasingly desolate, evoking a sense of mournful solidarity. The consorts of the Hongxiao Emperor seldom visited her—this Empress Dowager had long withdrawn from worldly affairs. The rear palace was a place where people favored the rising and neglected the falling; the consorts were too busy forming alliances, vying for favor, and scheming against one another to spare time for an old woman.

The Empress Dowager found herself particularly nostalgic for the past. Even the days of youthful rivalry in the rear palace with Consort Liu and Noble Consort Xia now seemed endearing. Of course, her most frequent recollections were of the times connected to Yin Zhan. She had dreamed repeatedly of their first meeting: Yin Zhan on horseback, a tall and handsome young man with a radiant smile. After rescuing her from villains, she tended to his wounds while he sat on a rock, smiling as he watched her. Blushing under his gaze, she mustered the courage to ask his name. She lingered in this dream, unwilling to wake, and each time she opened her eyes, it felt as if everything had been but an illusion—as if she were still Miss Lin of the Lin family, with a chance to change her fate.

But there was no such chance. Today, she dreamed of Yin Zhan again, though this time it was not their first encounter. She was at the Red Mountain Temple, on the day a hundred archers ambushed Ji Mínghán, who subsequently vanished. Returning to her room, she found Yin Zhan wounded. She knew he had killed many—Ji Mínghán was his sworn brother. Yin Zhan remained silent until she asked, "Do you resent me?"

"No," Yin Zhan replied. "I have never resented you. I only regret not meeting you sooner."

In the next moment, his figure was suddenly engulfed in raging flames. His face contorted in agony as he cried out her name: "Roujia…"

The Empress Dowager jolted awake, drenched in sweat. Meixiang approached with concern. "Your Majesty, are you all right?"

"It's nothing," the Empress Dowager said, wiping her forehead with a handkerchief. "Just a nightmare."

As she spoke, a man's voice came from outside. "What nightmare has frightened Mother so?"

The Empress Dowager looked up to see the Hongxiao Emperor at the hall's entrance. Behind him, eunuchs and palace maids knelt in rows—he must have ordered no announcement upon his arrival, which was why she hadn't heard any commotion. The Hongxiao Emperor stepped forward with a smile. The Empress Dowager sat up straight and returned his smile. "What brings His Majesty here today?"Her heart raced, unsure if it was the lingering fear from the nightmare she had just woken from, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the dream was an ill omen. Even her smile felt forced. The Hongxiao Emperor rarely visited Cining Palace; most of their conversations took place in the imperial garden.

"With the heavy snowstorm outside today, I came specifically to see you, Mother," the Hongxiao Emperor said, gesturing to Su Gonggong, who then dismissed the surrounding palace attendants.

The Empress Dowager vaguely sensed something amiss but couldn't pinpoint what it was. She instructed Meixiang to serve the emperor tea and walked over to the tea table, inviting the Hongxiao Emperor to sit as well.

The Hongxiao Emperor glanced at the incense burning on the Empress Dowager's altar and asked with a smile, "For whom is Mother offering prayers?"

"Naturally, for the common people of the world," the Empress Dowager replied. "With the snow disasters across the regions, many have frozen to death. Hearing this, my heart aches, but there is little I can do except copy scriptures and pray for them here in the palace."

"Mother truly has the world in her heart," the Hongxiao Emperor praised.

The Empress Dowager looked up at the emperor. Unbeknownst to her, this prince, whom she once found displeasing to the eye, had grown into such a man. She still remembered how, shortly after the crown prince's death, she had to feign a loving mother-son relationship with this prince to secure her position. She recalled the young Hongxiao Emperor as obedient and timid, following her every word. While she felt reassured and smug, she also despised and scorned him. But she had underestimated this prince. Every prince carried the blood of the late emperor—predation and deception were instincts they were born with. From the incident with Prince Cheng, it was clear that the Hongxiao Emperor was no exception. In fact, he had awakened earlier, knowing how to use her to get what he wanted even in his youth.

It made sense, she thought. The deep palace was like a jungle, and beasts raised in the jungle would inevitably prey on others. The Empress Dowager thought of Yin Zhili, the young man she had seen at the palace banquet—the first time she had laid eyes on her son in over twenty years. Yin Zhili's gentle and refined nature was something she had always cherished and taken pride in, but now she worried about his chances when facing this formidable emperor.

She could not let Yin Zhili fail. She could not let such a thing happen. So, she had to clear all obstacles for him, including the emperor before her. She knew she couldn't do it alone, but fortunately, there was Yin Zhan. No matter what difficulties she faced, this man would never abandon her and would always stand behind her, resolving every challenge.

"Actually, I came today to tell you one more thing, Mother," the Hongxiao Emperor said, picking up his teacup and taking a small sip before continuing leisurely, "The Prince of Xia is dead."

The Empress Dowager had been reaching for her teacup with a smile, but at these words, her hand trembled, spilling some tea. Meixiang quickly wiped the table with a handkerchief. The Empress Dowager, however, gripped her teacup tightly, as if struggling to steady it. Her smile stiffened as she said, "What nonsense is Your Majesty speaking? How could the Prince of Xia die, just like that?"

"It's true," the Hongxiao Emperor replied matter-of-factly. "At the Red Mansion in Qingzhou, Old General Ji of the Duke's residence killed the Prince of Xia, and the Prince of Xia killed Old General Ji in return. A pity."A single "pity," uttered so lightly that it betrayed no emotion, made it impossible to guess the thoughts of this emperor or discern his meaning. Standing behind the Empress Dowager, Meixiang's expression shifted slightly, and she couldn't help but glance behind the Hongxiao Emperor, where two sword-bearing imperial guards stood as steady as boulders, as if aware of all her thoughts.

"How could that be?" The Empress Dowager laughed softly. Without looking at the Hongxiao Emperor, she focused on the armor guards on her hands, as if trying to scrutinize every gem on them. She said, "How could Old General Ji kill the Prince of Xia? And how could the Prince of Xia kill Old General Ji? This old one is getting on in years, Your Majesty. Don't jest about such matters—I won't take it seriously." Her tone was like that of an adult indulgently forgiving a child's lie.

"I have no inclination to jest about such things either," the Hongxiao Emperor replied with a faint, ambiguous smile. "If Mother does not believe it, so be it. Soon enough, the bodies of Old General Ji and the Prince of Xia will be returned to the capital for burial."

At last, the Empress Dowager's expression changed. She lifted her head to look at the Hongxiao Emperor, this sovereign who had grown up under her watchful eye, and saw in him a fierce, beast-like glare. In that single glance, she knew—he could not be ignorant. He understood everything.

Yet she still struggled, as if hoping to muddle through. The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "This old one does not understand. Is Your Majesty so at ease because you do not intend to press charges?"

"Press charges?" The emperor chuckled. "Mother may not be aware, but this matter traces back to events long ago. I, too, only learned of it recently. Years ago, the father of Duke Su, the Golden Crow General, went missing. In truth, he was framed and killed by the Prince of Xia. The hatred for one's father's murderer is irreconcilable. Ji Heng killing the Prince of Xia is understandable, but the old general, out of love for his grandson, helped Ji Heng carry it out. Mother, it is only natural that a life must be paid with a life. Even I can say nothing against it. Do you wish for me to show favoritism?"

The Empress Dowager stared at the Hongxiao Emperor for a long time without speaking.

The Hongxiao Emperor smiled again and said, "I nearly forgot. When the Golden Crow General was ambushed and killed all those years ago, Mother was present as well. Naturally, you would side with the Prince of Xia.At this point, the Empress Dowager instead grew calm. She looked at the Hongxiao Emperor and smiled faintly. "Your Majesty, over all these years, I have treated you well. If you wish to see me dead, there is no need for such methods. To slander me like this—do you have evidence?"

"Evidence?" The Hongxiao Emperor laughed, enunciating each word deliberately. "Yin Zhili is the evidence."

Meixiang's hands tightened nervously on the hem of her skirt. The Empress Dowager's face paled dramatically—this was her greatest weakness. If the Hongxiao Emperor threatened her with this, she stood no chance!

"Has Mother forgotten so quickly? Not long ago, before the Prince of Xia left Yanjing for Qingzhou, did he not come to see you?"

He had known all along! The Empress Dowager's heart trembled uncontrollably. She looked at the Hongxiao Emperor as if he were a monster. She had imagined many times that the truth would one day come to light, but not like this. She had no leverage in her hands, Yin Zhan was not by her side—she was like a piece of meat on a chopping block, entirely at others' mercy.

It was not that she was weak or powerless, but rather that both she and Yin Zhan had underestimated this emperor."With the Empress Dowager restraining Us in the palace, the Prince of Xia containing Duke Su in Qingzhou, and Yin Zhili raising troops with the Yin family army south of the Chang River, We cannot but admire the Prince of Xia's patience—lying low for so many years to set up such a scheme." The Hongxiao Emperor laughed. "He truly spared no effort for Yin Zhili."

The Empress Dowager said, "Does Your Majesty wish to kill this grieving one?"

"How could that be?" The Hongxiao Emperor smiled. "Isn't Yin Zhili still alive?"

"Does Your Majesty intend to use this grieving one to threaten Yin Zhili?" The Empress Dowager sneered.

"Impossible." The Hongxiao Emperor spoke gently, "Mother knows that I do not enjoy such actions. Just as Prince Cheng would not risk his life for Consort Liu, Yin Zhili may not gamble with danger for you either."

His words were exceptionally cutting. The Empress Dowager stared at the Hongxiao Emperor for a long time before suddenly laughing. She shook her head as she laughed, nearly to the point of tears, and said, "Third Son, it seems I have underestimated you all along. I always wondered how Xia Liulan's son could be so mediocre. It turns out it wasn't that you were lacking, but that I had misjudged you!"

Xia Liulan was the name of Consort Xia. Upon hearing this name, the Hongxiao Emperor's expression stiffened, and he withdrew his smile, saying, "My mother's death all those years ago was related to you, wasn't it!"

Consort Xia had passed away shortly after giving birth to the Hongxiao Emperor, and it was widely believed that she died of illness. The Hongxiao Emperor had investigated for years, eventually tracking down elderly palace servants from that time, who claimed that Consort Xia had been in perfect health before her death, without a trace of illness.

"Hmph, in a place like the palace, countless people wanted Xia Liulan dead. It wasn't me!" the Empress Dowager retorted disdainfully.

The Hongxiao Emperor's face turned pale with anger, clearly unconvinced by this answer. Sure enough, the Empress Dowager's next words immediately enraged him: "However, back when Xia Liulan gave birth to you, I was indeed deeply resentful. In the palace, sometimes one doesn't need to lift a finger to end a life. All I had to do was say that the Emperor intended to name you as Crown Prince, and countless people rushed to do the deed for me."

"You!" the Hongxiao Emperor seethed. The Empress Dowager's baseless remark had made Consort Xia a glaring target in the palace. Pitifully, Consort Xia had just given birth and was wholly devoted to her child, with no attention to spare for anything else.

"I only regret that those people didn't finish you off as well, leaving behind a scourge," the Empress Dowager said, her eyes filled with venom. "If I had known it would come to this, I would have taken matters into my own hands and eradicated you from this world myself!"

"Unfortunately, you no longer have that opportunity," the Hongxiao Emperor replied, having regained his composure. "Although you did not personally kill my mother, her death was because of you. This debt, I will record for now. I have long said that debts must be repaid and lives must be atoned for. The sins you and Yin Zhan committed will be punished by heaven. Now that Yin Zhan is dead, Yin Zhili is next. Once Yin Zhili is also dead, I will personally send you on your way. No, I've changed my mind—I won't let you die. I will keep you alive, imprisoned in a palace, worse off than any consort in the cold palace. You will watch those around you die one by one, living in perpetual despair. That is the most fitting punishment for you. I will expose the disgraceful deeds you and Yin Zhan committed to the world, making Yin Zhili a public enemy despised by all. Even if he raises an army in rebellion, his followers will be ashamed of him. He will carry this stain to his grave, scorned even in death!"

"No—" the Empress Dowager let out a sharp cry, lunging as if to claw at the Hongxiao Emperor's face. The guards at his side drew their swords, shielding him as they pushed her away. The Empress Dowager fell to the ground, her hair coming completely undone.

"No..." she murmured.The Hongxiao Emperor cast her a cold glance before turning to leave. "Guards, imprison her! No one is permitted to see the Empress Dowager without my authorization," he commanded, then added with a chilling smile, "Keep close watch—ensure she doesn't die."

The Empress Dowager collapsed to the floor. As Meixiang moved to help her up, she futilely stretched out a hand, gazing at Meixiang through tears. "He's deceiving me, isn't he? Yin Zhan isn't truly dead... right?"

Her tears fell freely.

The young emperor is actually quite handsome—anyone fond of him, raise your hand!

(End of Chapter)