The Double

Chapter 93: House of Pleasure

Unlike the Ye family's inner turmoil, Jiang Li's days were much more relaxed. At least in the eyes of the Ye family's servants, this Second Miss Jiang showed no signs of discomfort, as if this wasn't her first time living in the Ye household. The maids assigned to serve Jiang Li had long known of her past deeds—not only had she disdained her maternal family for their merchant background years ago, but she had also later been sent to a temple for spiritual cultivation after allegedly killing her stepmother and younger brother.

They had expected to meet a vicious, unruly, and incredibly difficult-to-serve young lady, but to their surprise, the person who arrived was exceedingly easy to manage. She made no excessive demands, and for anything that Tong'er and Bai Xue could do, Jiang Li didn't trouble the Ye family's servants. If Jiang Li was a guest at the Ye residence, she was certainly the easiest one to wait on.

The Ye family maids all breathed a sigh of relief. After a few days, they gradually became friendly with Tong'er and Bai Xue. Tong'er was a clever girl and often shared snacks with the maids, while Bai Xue, having come from a farming background, was very approachable. The maids slowly grew bolder and began to exchange idle chatter and amusing stories with Tong'er and Bai Xue.

However, even so, after five or six days had passed, the Ye family still hadn't taken the initiative to arrange a meeting between Jiang Li and Old Madam Ye.

When Tong'er brought this up with Jiang Li, she was quite indignant. "What on earth is the Ye family thinking? They said they would let you see the Old Madam, but they haven't mentioned a single word about it these past few days. It's truly worrying."

If the Ye family didn't bring it up, Jiang Li couldn't very well ask.

"You've been getting along so well with those maids. Haven't you found anything out?" Jiang Li asked with a smile. Compared to Tong'er, she was in no hurry. She wasn't the real Second Miss Jiang; Old Madam Ye was her grandmother in name only. In terms of genuine affection, there wasn't much to speak of, and it would be too deliberate to feign a look of constant longing. Now that she had arrived in Xiangyang and was living in the Ye residence, she had already succeeded in her first step, which was already very smooth progress.

Tong'er shook her head. "I heard from the maids in the courtyard that the Old Madam's health is poor. It's been difficult for her to even get out of bed for a few years now. The doctor said she needs quiet recuperation." At this, she sighed. "Perhaps we can't blame the Ye family. If the Old Madam truly can't handle any agitation, now is indeed not the right time for you to meet her." She then remembered something. "I heard that because the Old Madam is unwell, Third Master Ye, who has been traveling, is also rushing back to Xiangyang. He should be arriving in the next few days."

Old Madam Ye had three sons and one daughter. Ye Minghui was the eldest, and Ye Mingxuan was the second. This Third Master Ye, Ye Mingyu, was born at the same time as Ye Zhenzhen. While Ye Zhenzhen was simple and kind, Ye Mingyu had never been one to follow the rules, even as a child. In his early years, he had wanted to be a wandering swordsman, traveling the country. After getting his nose bloodied in the martial world, he decided to return home and go into business. But even in business, Ye Mingyu insisted on being unconventional. Every year, he would set sail with the maritime merchant caravans, traveling to remote foreign towns along the way, spending silver on all sorts of strange trinkets to sell upon his return.

Sometimes he would find valuable items, but more often than not, the things Ye Mingyu's caravan found didn't earn much money. Fortunately, the Ye family's enterprise was large and prosperous. With the First and Second Masters supporting the family business, he could still get away with his shenanigans.

This time, it was likely because Old Madam Ye's health was genuinely poor that Ye Mingyu was returning to Xiangyang from his sea voyage to visit his mother before the year's end.

Because Ye Zhenzhen and Ye Mingyu were fraternal twins, they had been very close since childhood. Back when Jiang Li's harsh words had wounded Old Madam Ye, the entire Ye family had grown cold towards Jiang Li. Only this Third Master Ye had continued to think of her. It was only after Ye Minghui expressly forbade anyone in the Ye family from mentioning Jiang Li again that Ye Mingyu finally gave up.

When it came to mending fences with the Ye family, the others, though polite, were in fact distant and not easy to get close to. This Third Master Ye, however, was an excellent opening.

"Third Master is probably not returning to Xiangyang just because of the Old Madam," said Bai Xue, who was wiping a table nearby. "I heard the Ye family's business has run into some trouble recently. The maids outside are all saying Third Master is coming back to help."

"Trouble with the business?" Jiang Li asked. "What kind of trouble?"

Bai Xue shook her head. "I couldn't find out. I suppose those maids don't know the details either. They just said it's a small problem."

Jiang Li pondered this. If it were a small problem, there would be no need for even Ye Mingyu to return to Xiangyang. As the rumors outside said, Ye Mingyu was not involved in the family's affairs at all and couldn't be of much help to the business. If even the inconsequential Ye Mingyu was returning, the Ye family's trouble was definitely not as minor as they claimed.

But right now, the Ye family didn't trust her, so she had no way of knowing what was really going on.

She actually wanted to return to Tongxiang very much, but Xiangyang was not close to Tongxiang. To the people of Xiangyang, Tongxiang was just a poor, remote place. Even if she asked about Xue Huaiyuan, it was unlikely anyone would know of him.

However... A glint flashed in Jiang Li's eyes. There was another way. She could find out news of Tongxiang even in Xiangyang. Here, besides the Ye family, she was not without acquaintances.

After all, she had been Xue Fangfei for so many years.

Jiang Li stood up and said, "It's getting stuffy in the room. Let's go for a walk."

Tong'er looked at her in surprise. "Where are we going?"

"Just a casual stroll," Jiang Li smiled. "This place is much smaller than Yanjing City. It's my first time in Xiangyang, and staying cooped up in the Ye residence all day is no way to live. Since there's nothing to do and the Ye family won't let me see Old Madam Ye, why don't we just walk around? When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Let's see what customs Xiangyang has and how they differ from Yanjing City."

Tong'er and Bai Xue were taken aback at first, then both nodded in agreement. Tong'er smiled. "That's a great idea. We're not short on silver. Miss, if you see anything you like, or anything that Yanjing doesn't have, feel free to buy it all. We can take it back to Yanjing with us."

Jiang Li smiled. "Of course."

After getting ready and preparing to leave, they happened to run into Ye Jia'er and Zhuo Shi on the path.

The two of them were also startled to see them. Zhuo Shi looked a little awkward and fidgeted for a moment before looking at Jiang Li and smiling. "A Li, where are you going?"

She said "A Li" with a distinct awkwardness, and it sounded just as awkward to Tong'er. But to Jiang Li's ears, the name was exceptionally dear, as if it were Xue Huaiyuan in Tongxiang calling her "Ali."

"I was feeling cooped up in my room and decided to go for a walk," Jiang Li replied with a smile.

Zhuo Shi was stunned. For the past few days, Jiang Li had hardly left her courtyard. The few times they had seen each other were at meals, where the Ye family treated Jiang Li with great politeness, but beyond that politeness, there seemed to be nothing more. Jiang Li had also been exceptionally quiet. For her to suddenly suggest going out for a stroll left Zhuo Shi momentarily speechless.

"You... you're planning to go out for a stroll alone?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes," Jiang Li smiled. "It's my first time in Xiangyang, and I want to see how it differs from Yanjing."

Zhuo Shi couldn't help but blush. Letting a young lady from Yanjing wander around the unfamiliar city of Xiangyang by herself was simply not right. However, she had to help her sister-in-law, Guan Shi, with the account books later and truly couldn't spare the time. Besides, if she were to actually stroll around Xiangyang with Jiang Li, Zhuo Shi herself wouldn't know how to interact with her. To be honest, the polite yet distant relationship with Jiang Li made not only Jiang Li feel ill at ease, but Zhuo Shi herself was also uncomfortable.

The Ye family members were not fond of doing things with hidden intentions.

It was Ye Jia'er, who had been quietly listening to the conversation between Zhuo Shi and Jiang Li, who now spoke softly. "It's alright. I'm heading to Lizhengtang, so I have to go out anyway. I'll go with my cousin."

Jiang Li was taken aback and smiled. "There's no need to trouble you, cousin..."

Ye Jia'er smiled. "What's there to be troubled about? It's on the way. Lizhengtang is a Ye family shop. I'm going to take a look. If you don't mind, cousin, you can also see if there are any clothes you like. If you find something, I'll gift it to you."

With the offer put so plainly, it would seem ungracious for Jiang Li to refuse again. Moreover, Ye Jia'er was, so far, the friendliest person Jiang Li had met in the Ye family. So Jiang Li said, "In that case, it would be rude to refuse."

Ye Jia'er smiled.

Zhuo Shi breathed a sigh of relief. If they let Jiang Li go out alone, it would make their Ye family seem like poor hosts. Right now, they really didn't know what kind of relationship to have with Jiang Li, so treating her as a guest was the best they could do. And even for a guest, the host had to fulfill their duties. With Ye Jia'er offering to accompany Jiang Li, it wouldn't be considered neglectful.

But soon, another thought occurred to Zhuo Shi. Although Second Miss Jiang seemed obedient and gentle now, who knew what her true personality was like? If she deliberately made things difficult for her daughter, given Ye Jia'er's kind and honest nature, wouldn't she be at a disadvantage against Jiang Li?

She was worried, but she couldn't think of a better solution. Furthermore, Ye Jia'er gave her a reassuring look. So, despite her reluctance, she had no choice but to let the two of them leave the residence together.

Jiang Li left the Ye residence's main gate with her cousin.

Ye Jia'er was a typical young lady from a prominent family. Although she came from a merchant background, her manners, speech, and conduct were all graceful, gentle, and elegant. In comparison, while the noble ladies of Yanjing City came from impressive families, their privileged upbringing often made them arrogant. On Ye Jia'er, however, there was not a trace of these bad tempers.

Towards Jiang Li, Ye Jia'er was also very friendly. Unlike the wary and distant attitude of the other Ye family members, Ye Jia'er treated Jiang Li like a cousin she had never met before—with warmth and a bit of curiosity. She asked Jiang Li about Yanjing City, and Jiang Li held nothing back, telling her about it piece by piece.

When smart people interact, they always hit it off. On the way to Lizhengtang, Jiang Li and Ye Jia'er actually grew much closer. Compared to their previous unfamiliarity, it was as if they had established a kind of unspoken understanding.

After walking for some time, Ye Jia'er stopped and gestured for Jiang Li to look. "Look, that's the Ye family's shop, Lizhengtang."

Not far away stood an exquisite, red-tiled building. Right in the middle of the bustling market, this establishment occupied over a dozen mu of land all by itself, looking quite magnificent.

"All the fabrics produced by the Ye family are here. The tailor shops in Xiangyang City all get their cloth from Lizhengtang to make ready-to-wear clothes. The most famous is the Ancient Fragrance Satin. If you like it, cousin, you can go in and pick a few bolts," Ye Jia'er said.

Jiang Li nodded.

The Ye family was a fabulously wealthy merchant clan that had a hand in all sorts of industries. It was only after they withdrew from Yanjing City that their other ventures gradually became more like hobbies, and they mainly relied on their founding textile business. The Ye family's fabrics were renowned throughout the land, and the Ancient Fragrance Satin that Ye Jia'er mentioned was also highly favored among the noble ladies of Yanjing. With products like that, it would be strange if the Ye family wasn't prosperous.

Although Ye Jia'er was modest, when she spoke of her family's ancestral property, a hint of pride couldn't help but slip into her tone. She turned to look at Jiang Li, only to see her expression was calm, showing no surprise.

This was not Jiang Li's first time seeing Lizhengtang. In the past, when she and Xue Zhao came to Xiangyang for fun, they would inevitably see Lizhengtang in the bustling market. However, the two of them were not people who could afford to wear Ancient Fragrance Satin, so they only ever looked from the outside, never daring to step in.

This time, however, she was being invited in as an honored guest. How unpredictable the world was.

Ye Jia'er didn't know the reason behind it and just assumed that Jiang Li was indeed a young lady from Yanjing who was unfazed by such sights. So she smiled and said, "Let's go in."

As she entered Lizhengtang with Ye Jia'er, the young shop assistant who greeted them immediately broke into a smile. "Miss Jia'er."

Ye Jia'er turned to Jiang Li and said, "Cousin, you can take a look and see if there's anything you fancy."

Hearing Ye Jia'er's words, both the assistant and the shopkeeper turned to look at Jiang Li. The people in the shop were all aware that Second Miss Jiang had come to Xiangyang. Outsiders didn't know that the rift between Jiang Li and the Ye family was because of Jiang Li's hurtful words; they assumed it was simply because Jiang Yuanbai had remarried, and the two families naturally stopped interacting. Even so, Jiang Li's widespread, infamous reputation for killing her stepmother and younger brother had reached the ears of people in Xiangyang. There was much speculation about this supposedly cruel and vicious Second Miss Jiang. The person Ye Jia'er was calling "cousin" must be the Second Miss Jiang who had recently returned to the Ye family in Xiangyang.

But seeing the girl standing beside Ye Jia'er, she was not the least bit inferior. Her features were clear and exceptionally beautiful, her smile light and gentle, not at all like the venomous image they had imagined. If nothing else, just looking at her eyes—a person with a truly foul heart could never have such a pair of clear eyes.

While the shopkeeper and the assistant were lost in thought, Jiang Li had already walked around the counter and was heading their way. The shopkeeper snapped to his senses and immediately had the assistant pile several bolts of new fabric in front of Jiang Li, saying with an ingratiating smile, "Miss Cousin, these are all new fabrics, and the styles are very fashionable."

Jiang Li looked at the silks and satins. She had to admit, the Ye family truly deserved its reputation for starting with textiles. The fabrics here were even more delicate and vibrant than those in Yanjing City. Touching them, they felt smooth and cool, and seemed to give off a faint, fresh fragrance.

"It seems there's no Ancient Fragrance Satin here?" Jiang Li tilted her head and asked. She was a little curious. For a Ye family shop famous for its Ancient Fragrance Satin, why was it not on display among all the fashionable fabrics? Surely they weren't unwilling to show it to an outsider like her?

Ye Jia'er was taken aback and looked at the shopkeeper. "Shopkeeper Qian, why haven't you brought out the Ancient Fragrance Satin for my cousin to see?"

A troubled look immediately appeared on Shopkeeper Qian's face. "Miss Jia'er, it's not that I won't show it to Miss Cousin, it's just that..."

Before he could finish, his gaze suddenly froze. Jiang Li followed his line of sight and turned to see two unfamiliar middle-aged men.

"Uncle Zhuang, Uncle Zhao, why are you here?" Ye Jia'er asked.

The two men looked at Ye Jia'er and asked, "Jia'er, are your father and your First Uncle not here?"

"They're not. Is something the matter?" Ye Jia'er asked cautiously.

The young ladies of the Ye family began learning the ways of business from a young age. Ye Shijie was on the path to becoming an official, and the vast family enterprise couldn't always rely on the older generation to manage it. Among the grandchildren, only Ye Rufeng and Ye Jia'er were left. However, according to the maids, Ye Rufeng was perhaps still a bit young and hot-headed, and his handling of matters was not as proper as Ye Jia'er's. The Ye family had already started letting Ye Jia'er participate in some of Lizhengtang's business.

The two men exchanged a glance, then looked at Ye Jia'er and said, "There is indeed something. Since your father and the others aren't here, we'll tell you about it first, Jia'er."

When they spoke to Ye Jia'er, they didn't notice Jiang Li, probably assuming she was just a friend of Ye Jia'er's, an unimportant person. Jiang Li, however, was observing the two men. Their tone was not relaxed; it seemed they had encountered some thorny issue.

Ye Jia'er nodded. "Alright." She then smiled apologetically at Jiang Li. "Cousin, I have matters to discuss with Uncle Zhuang and Uncle Zhao. You'll have to wait a moment..."

"It's no trouble," Jiang Li interrupted her gently. "Just go ahead and discuss your business. I only wanted to come out for a stroll today anyway, and seeing Lizhengtang has already been a pleasant surprise. Tong'er, Bai Xue, and I will just wander around nearby. We won't go far, it's fine."

"You alone..."

"It's alright," Jiang Li said. "There are city guards everywhere, so there's nothing to fear."

Seeing Jiang Li's insistence, Ye Jia'er couldn't say much more. Besides, there was no telling how long this discussion would take, and it would be boring to make Jiang Li wait outside alone. So she nodded at Jiang Li and went inside with the two men to talk. Jiang Li then bid farewell to Shopkeeper Qian and left with Tong'er and Bai Xue.

On the way, Tong'er asked, "Miss, why didn't you wait for Miss Cousin to come out? We haven't even seen the Ancient Fragrance Satin yet."

Jiang Li teased her, "It's not like you haven't seen Ancient Fragrance Satin in Yanjing City. Why are you acting like it's your first time? Isn't it embarrassing? Have you completely forgotten what Ancient Fragrance Satin looks like?"

"But the Ancient Fragrance Satin in Yanjing is delivered to us. The Ye family's might have even more unique varieties," Tong'er said, aggrieved. She then pulled Bai Xue over. "Besides, even if I've seen it, Bai Xue hasn't. Right, Bai Xue?"

Bai Xue answered her earnestly, "I have seen it. The day after you received honors from His Majesty for entering the palace, the Old Madam sent over a lot of fabric, and there was Ancient Fragrance Satin among them. You even let me touch it."

Tong'er: "..."

Jiang Li chuckled. "Alright, it's just that I have my own business to attend to, which is more important than Ancient Fragrance Satin." In truth, she had really wanted to stay at Lizhengtang. Those two men called "Uncle Zhuang" and "Uncle Zhao" seemed to have very important business to discuss with Ye Jia'er, and Shopkeeper Qian's reluctance to bring out the Ancient Fragrance Satin also seemed to have other reasons. Jiang Li guessed it was related to the "small trouble" Tong'er had mentioned. She was tempted to find out what was going on, but on second thought, even if she asked, Ye Jia'er might not be willing to tell her.

This young lady of the Ye family, though young, was already very methodical in her actions. She was indeed a kind and sincere person, but she was not brainless. When it came to the Ye family's business, she was likely even more cautious.

Since staying at Lizhengtang would yield no results, it was better to leave. Besides, what was meant to be known would eventually be known; there was no need to be anxious. At this moment, she had something more important to do.

"Miss, where are we going now? Let's not walk too far. It's your first time in Xiangyang. If you get lost later, we won't know how to get back. We didn't take a carriage when we left."

Xiangyang was not like Yanjing. In Yanjing, it was absolutely unacceptable for a noble young lady to go out without a carriage. But in Xiangyang, whether one took a carriage or not was a matter of personal preference. It was very common for young ladies to go out on the streets. One could say the local customs were simple and honest. Although it would be ridiculed in Yanjing City, here, Jiang Li quite liked this feeling.

It was very freeing.

"It's fine," Jiang Li smiled. "We'll just stroll along this street."

Tong'er didn't suspect a thing, but Bai Xue sensed something was off. Although Jiang Li said she was just walking around randomly, her steps were clearly determined, as if she had made up her mind to go somewhere specific. Moreover, Bai Xue had a feeling that Jiang Li was very familiar with Xiangyang, just like how they knew which parts of their farm were for growing grain and which were for growing fruits and melons, never getting them mixed up.

But Tong'er had said that this was Jiang Li's first time back in Xiangyang, and everyone else said so too, so it was probably just her imagination. Bai Xue shook her head, clearing the strange feeling from her mind.

But this intuition was confirmed not long after.

After walking a while longer, Jiang Li stopped.

"Miss?" Tong'er stopped with her, thinking Jiang Li was tired. She quickly said, "Are you tired? Let me help you rest for a bit."

"No need," Jiang Li said. "Let's go in."

"Go in?" Tong'er looked ahead in surprise. In front of them was what seemed to be the courtyard gate of an ordinary household, with nothing special about it. Tong'er said, "...Miss, this is someone's home, isn't it? Where are we going in? Do you know the people inside?" She thought to herself, how could Jiang Li possibly know anyone in Xiangyang? Besides the Ye family, Jiang Li had no connection to Xiangyang whatsoever.

"It's not a home," Jiang Li replied unexpectedly. She said, "This is the back door of Cherish Flower House."

"Che-Cherish Flower House?" Tong'er stammered. "What kind of place is this? A restaurant?" She vaguely felt that the name didn't sound very proper.

Jiang Li smiled. "It's the most famous house of pleasure in Xiangyang."

Tong'er and Bai Xue were completely stunned.

"My lord, Second Miss Jiang has gone to Cherish Flower House."

As soon as these words were spoken, in the pavilion, Lu Ji failed to swallow a mouthful of tea and spat it out with a "pfft."

Opposite him, the beauty in red was quick-witted. With a "snap," he opened his folding fan, fanning all of Lu Ji's sprayed tea back at him, a trace of disgust flashing in his eyes.

Poor Lu Ji, half-choked by his own saliva and then drenched head to toe by the tea that Ji Heng had flicked back at him, stood there miserably soaked. When had this once elegant and carefree scholar ever fallen to such a state? Had Kong Liu, that rough fellow, been present, he would surely have burst into raucous laughter.

But at this moment, Lu Ji paid no mind to his own disheveled state, instead pressing Wen Ji urgently: "Are you telling the truth? She went to Cherish Flower House?"

"Indeed," Wen Ji replied methodically. "Moreover, Second Miss Jiang entered through the back door."

"What difference does it make between the back door and the main entrance?" Lu Ji asked, puzzled.

"Cherish Flower House is the most famous house of pleasure in Xiangyang. Its patrons are all distinguished gentlemen of the city. The gentlemen enter through the main door, while their family members who come looking for them use the back entrance."

Suddenly understanding dawned on Lu Ji. So that was it. Simply put, men entered through the front door, while women coming to retrieve their husbands used the back entrance - all to preserve the men's dignity. Speaking of which, Cherish Flower House was quite considerate. No wonder it had become Xiangyang men's favorite pleasure house.

"But how did she know to use the back door?" Lu Ji questioned. "Did the Ye family tell her? But aren't they known for upholding moral integrity and avoiding such establishments? Besides, how would a young lady from a noble family discuss pleasure houses with the Ye family? Isn't her relationship with them still quite distant?"

Lu Ji was utterly bewildered, unable to make sense of it. And who could blame him? Who would have thought that the Grand Secretary's daughter from Yanjing would make visiting a pleasure house her first priority upon arriving in Xiangyang? And to know the rules about using the back entrance - it all seemed utterly incredible.

Ji Heng, paying no attention to Lu Ji's confusion, asked calmly: "Who did she go with?"

"Second Miss Jiang went with her two maids. No one guided them along the way."

Ji Heng continued: "From your observation, did she intentionally seek it out, or did she happen to pass by?"

"Reporting, sir. I believe she sought it out herself." Wen Ji hesitated for a moment before speaking his mind: "Second Miss Jiang didn't seem unfamiliar with Xiangyang's streets. The distance from Lizheng Hall to Cherish Flower House isn't short, yet she found her way. She didn't stop anywhere else along the route, proceeding directly to Cherish Flower House."

"This..." Lu Ji tried to find a reasonable explanation for Jiang Li's behavior. "Second Miss Jiang has always had exceptional memory. During the Six Arts examinations, she ranked first in both 'Calligraphy' and 'Rites.' Though she's only been back in the capital studying for a few days, it's possible she possesses photographic memory."

"Not so," countered Wen Ji unexpectedly. "Even if she had photographic memory, coming from Yanjing to Xiangyang - a completely unfamiliar place - she should have appeared cautious, careful, and somewhat disoriented. But Second Miss Jiang showed none of that. She was completely relaxed and bold, moving through Xiangyang with remarkable ease."

As he spoke, Wen Ji couldn't help but recall the scenes from when he had secretly followed Jiang Li. She hadn't been traveling alone but with two maids, whose presence only served to highlight how different Jiang Li appeared. She seemed to blend seamlessly with Xiangyang's streets, as if she were a native who had grown up there. This sense of familiarity and comfort was even more pronounced than how she carried herself in Yanjing City."She even knows the rules of the back door at Cherish Flower House, so she certainly can't be underestimated." Ji Heng smiled lightly. "Jiang Li has been trying every possible way to return to Xiangyang—perhaps this is the reason. Wen Ji," he spoke with calm composure, "have your people keep a close watch on Jiang Li. Find out what she does at Cherish Flower House and who she meets."

"I'm also quite curious to see what other surprises this Second Miss Jiang might bring us," he added with a faint smile.

Off to the brothel!

(End of Chapter)