The Double

Xue Fangfei couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

Day after day, a bowl of medicine—she had long sensed something amiss and poured all the medicine into the flowerpot. They wanted her to "fall ill and die," so that Princess Yongning could marry in as if it were the natural course of things—she refused to comply. From a young age, Xue Huaiyuan had told her never to give up hope until the very last moment. Moreover, why should she? Why should she give herself up to death when this adulterous couple conspired and trapped her? Never!

Xue Fangfei's voice was laced with endless scorn as she said, "Stealing someone's marital fate, murdering their spouse, killing a wife to harm the heir, I have experienced the 'kindness' of the princess."

Princess Yongning's anger flared in an instant but calmed down just as quickly. She stood up, walked over to the table, and picked up the withered Hai Tang in its pot. The Hai Tang pot was no bigger than a palm, with intricate and adorable designs etched on its delicate white porcelain. Princess Yongning toyed with the pot, her smile brimming as she said, "Do you know how your brother died?"

Xue Fangfei's spine stiffened for a moment.

"Your brother was quite a figure, if only a bit too impetuous," said Princess Yongning, enjoying her reaction. "He managed to sense that something was wrong and even found some evidence, intending to lodge a complaint in court, nearly implicating me as well." Princess Yongning patted her chest as if still frightened by the thought. "He was clever; he went to the Mayor of Jingzhao in the middle of the night, but he didn't know that the Mayor and I were on good terms. He immediately informed me of the situation." Princess Yongning spread her hands in regret, "It's such a pity—he was young and quite capable; had it not been for this, he might have secured a noble wife and offspring. Such a waste."

Xue Fangfei almost crushed her teeth in anger.

Xue Zhao! Xue Zhao! She had long suspected something fishy about Xue Zhao's death. He practiced martial arts with his master in Tongxiang since childhood and was clever—how could he die at the hands of bandits! She never imagined the truth to be so cruel! It seemed her brother, in an act of indignation on her behalf, uncovered the connection between Princess Yongning and Shen Yurong, and with righteous passion, thought to seek justice through the officials, not realizing that officials protect each other and his enemy was one of them!

She exclaimed, "Shameless! Utterly shameless!"

Princess Yongning's eyebrows slanted in fury, and she mocked coldly, "What good is your moral high ground? Cooped up here every day, you're likely unaware of your father's fate. I've come specially to inform you: your father already knows of your involvement in tarnishing the family reputation. He also knows that bandits killed your brother and has been angered to death because of it!"

Xue Fangfei was stunned and cried out, "Impossible!"

"Impossible?" Princess Yongning laughed, "Why not step outside and ask the maidservants if it's possible!"

Xue Fangfei's mind was in chaos. Xue Huaiyuan, indifferent to fame and wealth and the virtuous Tongxiang County Magistrate, was clearly a good man. How could he have met such an end, a white-haired person sending off the black-haired one, even dying from anger. Xue Fangfei didn't dare to imagine Xue Huaiyuan's feelings after learning of this.

This was indeed a case of "commit murder and arson and receive a gold belt; build bridges and roads, and leave no remains."

Princess Yongning spoke at length, seemingly impatient, and set the Hai Tang pot casually on the table, gesturing for two maidservants to step forward.

Xue Fangfei realized what was happening and shouted loudly, "What are you doing?"

Princess Yongning's smile was filled with satisfaction and triumph as she said, "You, Xue Fangfei, of noble character and unparalleled beauty, certainly cannot bear the stigma of an illicit affair. Struggling bitterly for months, and although Mr. Shen treated you as he always did, you cannot forgive yourself and decided to hang yourself while Mr. Shen was not in the mansion." She chuckled lightly, "What do you think? Does this narrative preserve your dignity?" She changed her countenance again, saying somewhat viciously, "If it weren't for Mr. Shen's reputation, I wouldn't have let you off so easily!"

"How dare you? How can you dare!" Rage surged in Xue Fangfei's heart, but before she could react, the two maidservants pinned her down.

"Mr. Shen and I are in love," Princess Yongning continued, "it's just that you happen to be in the way, and I certainly cannot tolerate you. If you were the daughter of a prestigious family, perhaps I'd face some difficulty. However, your father is just a lowly county magistrate; in Yanjing, among its many states and counties, your Xue family is but trivial. In your next life, remember to weigh your options before reincarnating into a wealthy family."

Despair surged in Xue Fangfei, unwilling to give up, grasping desperately at any chance to turn the tables. She hadn't given up hope, but she was no match for the oppression of power, the disparity between the high and the low!

Looking up, she caught sight of a familiar figure outside the window, barely discerning that it was her intimate partner.

Hope sparked anew in Xue Fangfei's heart, and she cried out loudly, "Shen Yurong! Shen Yurong, how you treat me is against all conscience! Shen Yurong!"

The shadow outside the window shifted, as if evading and trying to escape. Princess Yongning cursed, "What are you waiting for? Do it!"

The maidservants lunged at her, and the white silk tightened around her neck—silk as smooth as a beauty's skin, a tribute from Lady Zhao of Songjiang River, each bolt worth a fortune. During Xue Fangfei's struggle, she thought how even a murderer's weapon could be so valuable.

Princess Yongning stood three feet away, watching her struggle like a dying fish, mocking, "Remember, even with your unparalleled beauty and learning, you are still just a petty official's daughter. I can crush you to death as easily as crushing an ant!"

The Hai Tang pot was knocked over and shattered amidst her struggles. The soil spilled out, sour-scented, and the withered branches fell out, the painted decorations broken and incomplete.

In the human world, it was April, and Fangfei's blooms had all fallen.