The Double

No one spoke.

Underneath the peach blossom forest, atop the roof, the strikingly handsome man was steeped in allure, his eyes lowering towards Jiang Li.

His smile held a touch of wicked charm, and yet it was unclear whether he was a friend or foe, both virtuous and evil intertwined.

It was Tonger, who had been in a daze, that couldn't help but question with doubt, "… Flower Fairy?"

The man's beauty was like that of a bewitching fairy, his elegance too dazzling, indeed causing a trance.

Before Jiang Li could speak, she suddenly heard a clamorous noise from outside. Her heart tightened, and when she looked up at the roof again, the beautiful young man had vanished, leaving only the gently swaying peach tree branches, as if she had been caught up in a long, springtime dream of beauty.

Tonger was equally startled, rubbing her eyes, she said, "Could it be that I was dreaming?"

Jiang Li replied, "It wasn't a dream, but now…" She listened to the increasingly loud voices approaching and, with a slight smile, she set aside her previous puzzlement, "Let's go kneel in the temple hall."

Tonger, faced with so many surprising and dubious events, asked no more questions and simply followed Jiang Li to kneel before the clay Bodhisattva in the temple hall, placing the offering of fruit back as it was. They had just knelt down when the lively voices outside grew louder, and someone began banging forcefully on the nunnery's doors.

The knocking disturbed the nuns in the nunnery, someone went to open the door, and the lanterns inside the nunnery lit up one by one. The noise from outside swelled as Jiang Li calmed her breath and knelt with Tonger.

Suddenly, someone burst into the temple hall, led by an older woman holding a lantern. She seemed not to have expected anyone to be kneeling there, as it was so late. She called back, "Madam, there are two nuns here."

Following her, a procession entered, comprising both ladies and gentlemen, all dressed in richness and finery. The "Madam" the older woman referred to was a fair-skinned and graceful woman of gentle bearing. Upon seeing Jiang Li, she paused in surprise, then shook her head at the older woman, "She's not a nun; she still has her hair and the one beside her likely a maid."

Jiang Li watched in astonishment as the crowd entered. Her long black hair made her pale complexion stand out more, and her frail figure was wrapped in the grey monk's robe. Her face was serene and peaceful, and though her appearance was frail, she looked even more ethereal and uncontending under the Bodhisattva, easily endearing herself to others.

Perhaps out of pity for her youth, the Madam spoke to her in a softened voice, "Little girl, why are you here so late at night?"

Jiang Li replied, "I have made a mistake, and Venerable Master Jing'an has instructed me to kneel here to reflect."

The men and women who had arrived were extremely astonished. Someone indignantly said, "It's so late, what mistake could warrant making a young girl kneel in the temple hall? What if she harms her body? Aren't monks and nuns supposed to be compassionate? How can they be so malicious!"

Tonger's eyes darted around, suddenly quick-witted, she adopted a pitiable expression and said, "It's my fault, during yesterday's meal service, I accidentally broke a dish, and Venerable Master Jing'an decreed that both the young lady and I must kneel here in the temple hall." She wiped away a tear, "It doesn't matter for me, but our young lady hasn't eaten all day."

Upon hearing this, the visitors immediately took on an angry and interrogative demeanor. Since they had come to the temple to pray, naturally, they were all "benevolent-hearted," and seeing a young girl being oppressed, they were bound to express their anger.

Someone exclaimed, "No wonder, no wonder such a wicked deed has been done; it's clearly the work of a malicious demon nun."

"Exactly."

Jiang Li looked around and, not seeing any of the nuns from the nunnery, asked curiously, "May I ask, where have all the young masters of the temple gone?"

Having said this, the group of men and women before her all revealed different expressions as if they found it difficult to speak.

The gentle-looking woman who first spoke to Jiang Li tentatively asked, "This young lady does not seem to be from the temple."

"Our miss is Miss Jiang the Second from the Jiang family of Yanjing," Tonger crisply replied.

"The Jiang family?" Another younger lady's eyes lit up upon hearing this and asked, "Is that the Jiang family of the Grand Secretary, Lord Jiang Yuanbai?"

"Precisely!" Tonger answered confidently.

"How can that be?" The younger lady, who appeared even younger than Jiang Li, hesitated and said, "I only knew about the Jiang family's Third Miss, Jiang Youyao, but I have never heard of a Second Miss."

As soon as the words "Miss Jiang the Second" were uttered, the young ladies remained quiet, but the madams each had their own thoughts. It was known throughout Yanjing eight years ago that Miss Jiang the Second had caused Lord Jiang's wife to have a miscarriage by pushing her down, but too much time had passed. Since then, it was heard that Miss Jiang the Second had been sent to the family temple to be taught discipline and had not returned to the capital for many years. Having not seen her, it was only natural they couldn't remember her.

They did not expect to meet her here.

Jiang Li, the Miss Jiang the Second before them, did not appear as malevolent as the rumors which accused her of plotting against her stepmother and young brother's lives. Kneeling in the hall, she looked so frail and gentle - could she really harm her stepmother? People would hardy believe such a story if told!

People always prefer to believe what they see with their own eyes.

Jiang Li looked at the lady who had first spoken to her and hesitated for a moment before saying, "Madam... are you Madam Liu from the residence of Lord Liu, Gentleman Chengde?"

The surprised lady asked, "You recognize me?"

Jiang Li lowered her head, seemingly embarrassed, and smiled slightly, "Many years ago during the Peony Festival, the madam had visited our residence to enjoy the blooming flowers. I still remember."

Upon hearing this, Madam Liu contemplated for a moment and then said, "Indeed." Her gaze towards Jiang Li softened a bit more, "It's impressive that you remember me."

Madam Liu, the wife of Gentleman Chengde Liu Yuanfeng, had been very close to Jiang Li's birth mother, Ye Zhenzhen. When Ye Zhenzhen first married into Yanjing City, she interacted with Madam Liu quite frequently. After Ye Zhenzhen passed away and left Jiang Li behind, Madam Liu continued to visit Jiang Li from time to time because of her affection for her friend.

However, after Ji Shuran entered the household, it became inappropriate for Madam Liu to visit Jiang Li and their relationship gradually faded. The Peony Festival that Jiang Li mentioned was probably the last time Madam Liu saw Jiang Li, and now that Jiang Li brought it up, the image of her late friend Ye Zhenzhen immediately appeared before Madam Liu's eyes.

Madam Liu carefully observed Jiang Li in front of her, and perhaps due to some guilt towards her late friend, she felt a growing warmth and kindness towards the girl before her. She said, "Did Lord Jiang send you here?"

Jiang Li nodded slightly.

"You are a legitimate daughter of the Jiang family of Yanjing City, Lord Jiang's own daughter. How can you live in such a place? The early summer dampness is heavy. Kneeling all night like this, what if you fall ill? It's clearly someone's intentional hardship. Miss Jiang the Second, come back to Yanjing with me tomorrow," Madam Liu suddenly said.

Tonger, kneeling on the ground, brightened up at these words. What Madam Liu said was an offer to support Jiang Li. Jiang Li had been tossed aside at Green City Mountain for so many years, forgotten and out of mind. Now, as Madam Liu was the wife of an official, if she were to speak up, even if it meant nothing at the moment, by mentioning it to other ladies once back in Yanjing, it might reach Lord Jiang Yuanbai's ears, and he naturally would remember his daughter who had been discarded at the nunnery.

Yet, after Madam Liu had spoken, she did not hear the response she had hoped for. The young lady in front of her, upon hearing her offer, looked up with a surprised gaze, as if a flicker of joy passed through her eyes, but it quickly turned to hesitation, and then she firmly shook her head and said, "Thank you for your kind intentions, Madam, but I fear that it won't be possible."