The Double

Chapter 95: Third Young Master Ye

After Jiang Li, Tong'er, and Bai Xue returned from Cherish Flower House, the sky had already grown late. They didn't continue wandering outside nor visit Lizheng Hall, heading straight back to the Ye residence instead.

None of the Ye family servants dared to interfere with her movements, making her comings and goings quite convenient. However, upon returning, Jiang Li specifically asked Tong'er to inquire about Ye Jia'er's situation, only to learn that Ye Jia'er hadn't returned yet.

The entire afternoon, from when Jiang Li left Lizheng Hall, Ye Jia'er had remained there. If it were merely business matters, she should have returned by evening. Her current absence led Jiang Li to suspect it was related to the "Uncle Zhuang" and "Uncle Zhao" Ye Jia'er had mentioned earlier. The minor troubles in the Ye family's business appeared to be more significant than they seemed.

Yet even if she asked the Ye family members now, they wouldn't tell her the truth. After all, they hadn't "reconciled their past differences," and there was no need to share too much family matters with a guest who wasn't particularly close.

The timing wasn't right yet.

Jiang Li didn't concern herself further with Ye Jia'er's affairs. Having met Qiong Zhi today had settled one of her worries, leaving her feeling much more at ease. That night, unusually tired quite early, she went to bed to rest.

She slept soundly through the night.

It was from this day onward that the Ye family suddenly became extremely busy. Over the following days, whenever Jiang Li moved about the Ye residence, she only encountered housekeepers and maidservants. Not only were Ye Mingxuan and Ye Minghui absent, but even Zhuo Shi and Guan Shi were nowhere to be seen. Ye Rufeng and Ye Jia'er had also disappeared somewhere. Sometimes even during meal times, no one was around, so the steward simply set up a small kitchen for Jiang Li. She no longer needed to go to the main hall for meals, eating separately in her own courtyard instead.

This wasn't because the Ye family was snubbing Jiang Li—they were genuinely too busy to even eat at home. Had she not known about the Lizheng Hall situation, one might have suspected such a large estate had no masters present at all.

Jiang Li vaguely sensed that the Ye family's troubles were no small matter, but with everyone absent, her attempts to inquire were futile. Even when she sent Tong'er to gather information, the Ye family maids knew nothing. Jiang Li felt utterly helpless.

On this particular day, the weather was fine.

Late autumn transitioning into early winter—Xiangyang, being in the south, was somewhat warmer than Yanjing, with winter arriving later. Draped in an outer garment, Jiang Li stood in the courtyard watching Tong'er and Bai Xue making Chinese knots.

The two maids had grown somewhat idle in the Ye residence. After all, it wasn't their home, and they lacked the enthusiasm for tending plants. Sometimes after completing their morning tasks, they had nothing to do during the day. Jiang Li taught them character recognition to pass the time.

Tong'er yawned and said, "There's hardly anyone in the Ye residence again today."

Saying "hardly anyone" wasn't entirely accurate—the Ye residence was full of people, but they were all servants. When asked about the Ye family's affairs, they knew nothing, leaving Tong'er without even the interest to strike up conversations.

"Isn't it good that no one's restricting you?" Jiang Li teased her. "You're practically free now."

"Miss makes it sound like this servant enjoys running wild everywhere," Tong'er pouted. "This servant is indignant on your behalf. It's bad enough that the Ye family members are all absent, but they haven't mentioned letting you visit Old Madam Ye either. These servants are even more tight-lipped about Old Madam Ye. We've been here so long, yet Miss doesn't even know which courtyard Old Madam Ye lives in."The Ye family indeed seemed to have no intention of letting Jiang Li meet Old Madam Ye right away. They didn’t specify when the meeting could take place, leaving the wait feeling endless. Jiang Li could have taken the opportunity to find Old Madam Ye on her own while the Ye family was absent, but doing so would only worsen their impression of her and make mending their relationship even more difficult.

Moreover, as the Ye family had mentioned, Old Madam Ye was currently unwell. If she became too agitated upon seeing Jiang Li and something unfortunate happened, it would truly be Jiang Li’s fault.

So, Jiang Li refrained from touching that fragile string and chose to feign ignorance for the time being.

Glancing at the sky, she noted how fine the day was and said, “Let’s go out for a walk.”

Staying cooped up in the Ye residence wouldn’t achieve much; it was better to go out and see the surroundings.

Tong’er immediately brightened up at the suggestion, pulling Bai Xue to her feet. “That sounds wonderful, Miss. Where would you like to go?”

“Just a casual stroll,” Jiang Li replied with a smile.

The group left the courtyard together. The gatekeeper didn’t stop them, only asking if they needed an escort, which Jiang Li politely declined. Just then, a caravan of horses and carriages came to a halt in front of the Ye residence.

It appeared to be a merchant convoy, as the horses were laden with bundles, and the carriages were loaded with heavy wooden crates.

Jiang Li paused briefly. Were these guests of the Ye family?

The convoy stopped, but there were no guards—only a coachman and a young man who looked like a servant. The servant, noticing Jiang Li standing at the entrance, gave her a curious once-over before quickly heading toward one of the carriages. A man jumped down from it.

This man had a scar the length of a little finger on his left cheek. He wore a dark brown, close-fitting martial attire, with what seemed to be a layer of soft armor underneath. He looked like a common trader or laborer, but the boots he wore were expensive deerskin ones embroidered with gold trim.

Jiang Li was taken aback. This was the same man she had encountered at the back entrance of the Cherish Flower House shortly after meeting Qiong Zhi. At the time, he had also given her a few extra glances. Jiang Li had found him somewhat familiar, yet he was undeniably a stranger.

She never expected to run into him here.

The gatekeeper, spotting the man, immediately forgot about Jiang Li and rushed forward excitedly. “Third Master, you’re back!”

Third Master Ye? This was Ye Mingyu!

Jiang Li suddenly understood. So this man was the notorious Ye Mingyu of the Ye family—the very same Uncle Mingyu who was born alongside her mother. No wonder he had seemed familiar, yet she couldn’t place him. She and Ye Mingyu had never met, but they shared blood ties through Ye Zhenzhen, which explained the sense of connection.

Ye Mingyu laughed heartily as he greeted the gatekeeper, and it was then that he noticed Jiang Li. His gaze fixed on her, clearly recognizing her from their brief encounter at the Cherish Flower House. Puzzled, he asked the gatekeeper, “And this young lady is…?”

The gatekeeper coughed awkwardly and said, “This is the young cousin from Yanjing City, Second Miss Jiang.”

Just then, Ye Mingyu’s servant, who was struggling to carry a box toward the entrance, let it slip from his hands. It fell to the ground with a loud clatter.

Ye Mingyu, too, was utterly astonished.Second Miss Jiang—wasn't this the daughter of his twin sister! Ye Mingyu had always held some concern for this niece he had never met, making him perhaps the only one in the Ye family who still retained a shred of affection for Jiang Li. Back when Ye Minghui and Ye Mingxuan went to fetch Jiang Li, Ye Mingyu was away on business. Both Ye Da and Ye Er had personally heard Jiang Li’s hurtful words, but Ye Mingyu had not. As a result, unlike his two elder brothers, he did not hold a grudge over the matter.

Moreover, having traveled widely, he was naturally bold and unrestrained, with a broader mind than others—simply put, he was easygoing. He believed that Jiang Li was young and that saying the wrong thing wasn’t a big deal. If Old Madam Ye hadn’t fallen gravely ill because of it later, he would have defied the Ye family’s objections and gone to Yanjing to bring Jiang Li back.

Over time, as Ye Mingyu frequently accompanied merchant fleets overseas and only returned once a year, the idea of fetching Jiang Li gradually faded from his mind.

Never did he expect to encounter this legendary niece here and now. Ye Mingyu nearly wondered if he was dreaming. Jiang Li was here? How could she possibly have come to Xiangyang? She was Jiang Yuanbai’s daughter, the legitimate young lady of the Grand Secretary’s household—why would she endure the hardships of travel to Xiangyang? And how could the Ye family have allowed her inside? Weren’t the Ye family deeply resentful of Jiang Li? Yet this young girl before him seemed to be living quite comfortably in the Ye residence?

Damn, what kind of chaotic mess was this?! Why hadn’t Ye Er mentioned a word about it in his letters? Was he dreaming?

Countless questions clogged Ye Mingyu’s throat, leaving him momentarily speechless. Seeing his reaction, Jiang Li smiled instead and said, "You must be Uncle Mingyu. I’m Jiang Li."

Only then did Ye Mingyu snap out of his daze. He asked, "Jiang... A Li, how did you end up here?"

"Uncle Mingxuan visited Yanjing and stopped by the Jiang residence. I returned to Xiangyang with him to see Grandmother." Jiang Li glanced behind Ye Mingyu. "Uncle Mingyu, you’ve just returned, but there aren’t many people in the Ye residence right now."

"Never mind them—they’re not important anyway." Ye Mingyu waved a hand dismissively. "A Li, let me put my things away and see Mother first. Then you can explain to me what’s going on."

Jiang Li paused. Ye Mingyu was certainly straightforward, not treating himself as an outsider. But that was just as well—from the start, she had intended to use Ye Mingyu as her entry point into the Ye family. However, with his prolonged absence, she hadn’t known what kind of person he was. Now that she had met him, Ye Mingyu was even more informal and unreserved than she had imagined. That was excellent.

There was no need to go out today. Jiang Li smiled and said, "Alright, I’ll wait for you in the main hall, Uncle Mingyu. But," she added with a light laugh, "I haven’t seen Grandmother yet, and she doesn’t know I’ve returned to the Ye family. When you see Grandmother, please don’t mention my presence. It wouldn’t be good if she became too excited and harmed her health."

Ye Mingyu was stunned once more. Jiang Li had said she returned to Xiangyang specifically to see Old Madam Ye, yet now she claimed she hadn’t met her, and Old Madam Ye was unaware of her return. What was going on? What were Ye Da and Ye Er playing at?

Ye Mingyu felt his mind turn to mush, unable to make sense of it all for the moment. He could only agree to Jiang Li’s request and attend to his tasks first.

Jiang Li turned and walked back toward the main hall.Tong'er asked, "Miss, shall we not go out for a walk?"

"No need," Jiang Li replied with a smile. Going out for a walk was originally to find out what had happened in the Ye family. Now that Third Master Ye had returned to the estate, there was no need to go out—she could learn everything directly from him.

It seemed Third Master Ye was an easygoing person.

...

Back in the front hall, Jiang Li sat at the table while Bai Xue brewed a pot of tea. Ye Mingyu had not yet arrived, but Jiang Li was in no hurry and waited patiently.

Her patience had always been remarkable—even the Ye family servants who attended to her had noticed this. No matter how long she waited, Jiang Li's expression remained calm and gentle, without a trace of impatience. For a girl her age, this was quite rare. She carried none of the arrogance typical of a young lady from a wealthy family, instead appearing as approachable as the girl next door.

Yet, even as the girl next door, she was one whose heart remained inaccessible to others.

After some time, Ye Mingyu finally returned.

As soon as he saw Jiang Li, his eyes lit up, and he laughed heartily, "I thought you'd already left. Have you been waiting long?"

"Not long," Jiang Li replied with a smile. "I haven't even finished this cup of tea yet."

Ye Mingyu plopped down opposite Jiang Li and immediately asked eagerly, "A Li, I just returned from outside and don't know what's been happening. Why did you suddenly come back to Xiangyang?"

"I've already explained," Jiang Li said helplessly. "I wanted to visit Grandmother, so I came back with Uncle Mingxuan."

"But you still haven't seen Old Madam Ye, have you?" Ye Mingyu pressed.

"It's not that I don't want to see Grandmother," Jiang Li explained. "Uncle Minghui and Uncle Mingxuan said that Grandmother is unwell, and seeing me abruptly at the wrong time might upset her and harm her health. I've been in Xiangyang for nearly half a month but haven't found a suitable opportunity yet."

Hearing this, Ye Mingyu looked embarrassed. He understood the implication—the Ye family was preventing Jiang Li from seeing Old Madam Ye, not that she was unwilling. Although Ye Mingyu hadn't been in Xiangyang at the time of the past incident, he had heard about it later. He was aware of the Ye family's distant and cold attitude toward Jiang Li, so her sudden return to the Ye family in Xiangyang was unlikely to be met with warmth.

Still, Ye Mingyu couldn't take it upon himself to arrange a meeting between Jiang Li and Old Madam Ye right away.

He awkwardly changed the subject, muttering, "I see."

Jiang Li smiled and said, "Uncle Mingyu, you've worked hard on your journey."

Ye Mingyu laughed, "What hardship? I was just traveling and enjoying the scenery."

Ye Mingyu's so-called "overseas business ventures" hardly brought much profit to the Ye family each year. The family didn't bother restraining him—while it was called business, it was essentially sightseeing. Because of his carefree nature, even though Jiang Li was already fifteen, Ye Mingyu, who was the same age as Ye Zhenzhen, remained unmarried.

This had almost become a sore point for Old Madam Ye. Every New Year when Ye Mingyu returned to Xiangyang, she would busy herself trying to find him a suitable match. But Ye Mingyu was quick to evade—as soon as the New Year passed, he would set off again, disappearing to distant lands.

"Even so, not everyone has the courage to travel and enjoy life so freely," Jiang Li said with a smile. "Unbound by worldly conventions, following one's heart—isn't the purpose of life to seek happiness? Having seen different famous mountains and great rivers broadens one's horizons, making one freer than those who stay confined within the estate walls every day."Ye Mingyu was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then excitement surged in his heart, almost making him regard Jiang Li as a kindred spirit. Everyone who knew him thought he was fooling around—as a descendant of the Ye family with endless family wealth, instead of properly managing the family business, marrying, and having children, he insisted on wandering the world, traveling and sightseeing, which was simply irresponsible. But deep in his bones, he disliked stability and loved adventure and broadening his horizons, just as an eagle cannot be confined under the eaves, and a spirited horse cannot be tethered in a stable.

However, the only one in the Ye family who understood him was Ye Zhenzhen, perhaps because of their blood ties. It was precisely because of Ye Zhenzhen's understanding back then that Ye Mingyu had always been reluctant to distance himself from Jiang Li. But later, Ye Zhenzhen passed away, and the last person who understood him was gone.

Unexpectedly, here, Jiang Li once again spoke words similar to Ye Zhenzhen's.

Ye Mingyu couldn't help but feel sentimental. Everyone said Ye Zhenzhen was simple and honest, lacking cunning and not particularly clever. But Ye Mingyu believed that it was precisely such a gentle and sincere person like Ye Zhenzhen who could grasp the simple truths. Upon closer look, Jiang Li's appearance was not the same as Ye Zhenzhen's—compared to Ye Zhenzhen's rounded features, Jiang Li was much more delicate and refined, resembling Jiang Yuanbai, with a clear, intelligent beauty and greater wit.

But after all, she was Ye Zhenzhen's daughter.

Jiang Li noticed the softness in Ye Mingyu's gaze and felt a stir in her heart. Ye Mingyu's attitude toward her had softened—this was a good thing.

Ye Mingyu felt that he got along very well with this niece, and Jiang Li was not as arrogant and calculating as Ye Minghui had described. Having traveled far and wide for so many years, he had seen plenty of spoiled young ladies, but Jiang Li was exceptionally gentle, with a softness in her expression. Yet this gentleness was different from that of his other niece, Ye Jia'er. Ye Jia'er was steady and dignified, while Jiang Li was particularly clever. Her perspective seemed different from that of ordinary sheltered young ladies, appearing more unique. She was a girl with great "vision."

Not just because she was Ye Zhenzhen's daughter, Ye Mingyu genuinely liked this young girl from the bottom of his heart.

He scratched his head and suddenly thought of something, saying, "Since you've returned this time, I haven't given you anything. My trade team brought back some trinkets from overseas." He was uncharacteristically embarrassed. "But since you're from Yanjing, these things aren't particularly rare. I just bought them because they looked interesting. I don't know if you'll like them, A Li."

Ye Mingyu naturally bought things on a whim; even his transactions with the maritime fleet were as capricious as he was, never considering whether they would bring profit but simply following his preferences.

Jiang Li smiled and said, "Interesting things are much rarer than precious ones."

"You're right," Ye Mingyu wholeheartedly agreed with Jiang Li's words and called to his servant, "A Shun, go fetch a chest!"

He truly had an impulsive nature.

Jiang Li smiled without speaking. She intended to have a good conversation with this Uncle Mingyu to deepen their bond, so that Third Master Ye would stand by her side and help her "reconcile" with the Ye family.

A Shun and Ye Mingxuan's servant, Afu, were likely brothers—they looked somewhat alike but had completely different personalities. Afu was as refined and shrewd as Ye Mingxuan, while A Shun was as rough and clumsy as Ye Mingyu. Soon, A Shun brought over a rosewood chest—there had been many such chests in Ye Mingyu's trade team before.Ye Mingyu instructed A Shun to open the chest and asked Jiang Li with a smile, "A Li, which one catches your eye? Your uncle will give it to you."

Do the Ye family members enjoy saying this phrase so much? Jiang Li wondered. When Ye Jia'er took her to Lizheng Hall, she had said she would gift her any fabric she fancied, and now Ye Mingyu was offering any trinket she liked. Perhaps this was how extremely wealthy families behaved—flush with money and exceedingly generous?

Jiang Li lowered her head to look into the chest.

The chest was filled with an assortment of miscellaneous items. There were some pearls and cat's eye stones, which could be considered valuable. There was also a Western mirror and a small wooden box that, when a mechanism was pressed, would release little figures dancing—quite amusing. There was also a long tube-like object. As soon as Jiang Li picked it up to examine it, Ye Mingyu said, "This is a kaleidoscope. Let me show you how to..."

Before he could finish the word "use," Jiang Li had already skillfully lifted it to her eye and rotated the wheel.

Ye Mingyu was left speechless, while A Shun stared at Jiang Li in astonishment. Even the well-traveled Ye Mingyu had been stumped the first time he saw this gadget, yet the young lady from the Jiang family seemed quite familiar with it. Had she seen it before? But hadn't the maritime merchant said that almost no one in Northern Yan knew about this thing?

"Have you seen this before?" Ye Mingyu asked.

"No," Jiang Li replied with a smile. "I only read about it in a travelogue. This is the first time I’ve held one in my hands."

Xue Zhao had always been fond of such peculiar objects and enjoyed reading miscellaneous books behind Xue Huaiyuan’s back. However, this habit of his had led to the family accumulating many rare editions, and Jiang Li had also learned about many unusual things because of it.

Ye Mingyu regarded Jiang Li with even greater esteem, feeling that she shared a kindred spirit with him.

Jiang Li then picked up a shell-like object. This shell was exceptionally unique, resembling a peacock’s feather, vibrant and almost dripping with color. Upon closer inspection, it shimmered with a delicate, rippling radiance under the sunlight. Placed beside the cat's eye stone, it was not overshadowed in the slightest.

"This is a peacock feather," Ye Mingyu said, noticing Jiang Li examining the shell in her hand. "I bought it from the maritime merchant fleet this time. I thought it was novel and beautiful, so I bought a lot. The chests in my room are full of them. But after I returned, I asked around, and when people heard it was just a shell, they weren’t willing to pay much. I bought these peacock feathers with real silver, so I’ll probably end up losing money on this." He sighed regretfully.

Jiang Li was unimpressed. Ye Mingyu only saw the novelty and beauty of the peacock feathers, but that couldn’t change the fact that they were merely shells. Even the dullest cat's eye stone was undoubtedly more valuable than the most exquisite peacock feather. However, Ye Mingyu likely never concerned himself with business matters and had no insight into trade, so it was hardly surprising that he would do something so laughable. She couldn’t help but wonder what expressions Ye Da and Ye Er would wear when they returned and saw the chest full of shells.

Suddenly, Ye Mingyu remembered something and said to Jiang Li, "Perfect. Since you like them, I’ll give you this entire chest of peacock feathers. A Shun, take this to the young lady’s courtyard later."

Before Jiang Li could refuse, A Shun immediately agreed and carried the chest away, grunting with effort. Jiang Li suspected that Ye Mingyu, seeing no way to sell these peacock feathers and having no other place to store them, had simply decided to let Jiang Li help him get rid of some.

Still, it was hard to decline."Then thank you, Uncle Mingyu." Jiang Li smiled.

"No need, no need," Ye Mingyu waved his hand, "If you don't have enough, I have plenty more. I can give you several chests full."

Jiang Li: "..."

Afraid that Ye Mingyu would truly pile all the peacock feathers in her courtyard if this continued, Jiang Li said, "Uncle Mingyu, let's talk about something else."

Hearing this, Ye Mingyu suddenly slapped his thigh and said, "Now that you mention it, I just remembered. After talking with you for so long, there's something I haven't had the chance to ask you. A Li, was it you I saw at the Cherish Flower House the other day? I didn't mistake you for someone else, did I? What were you doing at the Cherish Flower House for no reason?"

The moment Ye Mingyu saw Jiang Li, he recognized her as the young girl he had encountered at the Cherish Flower House. At the time, he had found it strange—women who visited the Cherish Flower House were usually married ladies, yet this girl was dressed unlike one and carried herself with an unusual calmness. Moreover, when he saw her, she seemed familiar, though he couldn't recall where he had met her before. Now, thinking back, that sense of familiarity was likely his bloodline subtly reminding him that this was his niece.

Jiang Li smiled and said, "I also have something to ask Uncle Mingyu. You arrived in Xiangyang at least three days ago and even ran into me at the Cherish Flower House. Since you returned so early, why haven't you gone back to the Ye family?"

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Ye Mingyu's face as he raised his hand to rub his nose. "I... wanted to familiarize myself with the surroundings and make some preparations first."

Though he didn't elaborate, Jiang Li understood. Ye Mingyu had indeed gone to the Cherish Flower House for entertainment, likely sneaking in through the back door to avoid being spotted and reported to the Ye family. As for why he hadn't returned home despite being so close, he was probably avoiding the nightmare of being nagged by his family about marriage.

Jiang Li wasn't there to listen to Ye Mingyu's romantic escapades, so she simply nodded and said, "I didn't know what the Cherish Flower House was—I thought it was a tavern. Since there was no one outside, I went up to take a look. It was only then I realized it was a brothel, and I left immediately. That's when I happened to run into you, Uncle Mingyu."

"So that's how it was," Ye Mingyu understood. He didn't dwell on it further, as no one in Xiangyang—not even a beggar on the street—would believe that Jiang Li had intentionally visited a brothel. After all, she was the daughter of the Grand Secretary, untouched by such filth, and even ordinary girls would never set foot in such a place.

"Uncle Mingyu, there's one more thing I'd like to ask you," Jiang Li hesitated before speaking.

"What is it? Go ahead."

"Your return to Xiangyang this time probably isn't solely to visit Grandmother. It seems the Ye family's business has encountered some trouble. Since even you have rushed back, the issue must not be easily resolved." Jiang Li looked at him intently. "Could you tell me what exactly is wrong?"

Ye Mingyu was taken aback, never expecting Jiang Li to ask about this. For a moment, he was uncertain how to respond. Matters concerning the Ye family's business required caution, but Jiang Li, who had been speaking to him so gently, now stared at him unblinkingly, her determination clear.

Under her gaze, Ye Mingyu felt an inexplicable softness in his heart. He thought about how Jiang Li was, after all, half a member of the Ye family, and if the family guarded against her as if she were a thief, it would surely sadden the young girl. So he said, "It's actually not a major issue. Our Ye family's fabrics are supplied to clothing shops across the region every year. Especially the Ancient Fragrance Satin—as you know, even the nobles in Yanjing City love to wear it."

"Recently, there's been a problem with this batch of fabric. Some people developed rashes after wearing clothes made from the Ancient Fragrance Satin. Even physicians couldn't determine the cause. We're still investigating," Ye Mingyu rarely showed a worried expression. "But I can assure you, it's definitely not an issue with the fabric itself. The weaving workshop is right here in Xiangyang, and my elder brothers oversee it closely—there have never been any problems before. It's just that no one believes us when we say that."

He shook his head, looking deeply troubled.As they were speaking, footsteps approached from outside, followed by a surprised exclamation: "Mingyu?"

Jiang Li and Ye Mingyu turned to look toward the door—it turned out Ye Minghui and Ye Mingxuan had returned.

(End of Chapter)