The Double

Having poisonous spiders create venom sounds truly enough to chill one to the bone. Yet Situ Jiuyue, as if afraid it wasn’t frightening enough, continued, "When these poisonous spiders bite someone, it hurts terribly, as if a hundred needles were piercing you all at once. It’s not just painful; it also itches, an unbearable itch that you cannot scratch with your hands, otherwise all efforts would be in vain. Not only would it prevent healing, but it would also cause the skin to fester and lead to death. But if you can endure without scratching, and survive this ordeal, you can restore your previous appearance." As she said this, a proud expression appeared on her face, "The Molan Royal Family raises these spiders. If any of the female members were to have their appearance marred by an accident, they could use the poisonous spider to restore their looks. However, under such pain and itching, very few actually manage to restore their appearance in the end. The majority can’t bear the pain midway and scratch themselves, resulting in their deaths."

Upon hearing Situ Jiuyue’s words, Jiang Li began to wonder if this young lady was intentionally scaring Hai Tang, but her expression didn’t seem to suggest she was joking.

Situ Jiuyue looked at Hai Tang and asked, "Well, have you made up your mind?"

Even behind her veil, Jiang Li could sense the sudden pallor of Hai Tang’s complexion, but after a brief silence, she simply said, "Yes."

Situ Jiuyue’s eyes flashed, "Aren’t you afraid? The process is excruciating. If you can’t bear it, you may well lose your life. I’ve heard you need to prove your mistress’s innocence. Are you willing to gamble with your life for the sake of restoring your looks, regardless of whether you can still testify for your mistress?"

Jiang Li thought to herself that Situ Jiuyue’s words were truly heartrending. There was no doubt that these words would make Hai Tang feel even more distressed. However, Hai Tang was not rendered speechless by Situ Jiuyue’s words. Instead, she serenely replied, "No, it is precisely because I must vindicate my mistress. If my scars are healed, I can restore my appearance. Then others will recognize that I am indeed a servant of the Xue Family. Otherwise, even if one day the case concerning my mistress is brought to light, if my appearance is altered, they may not acknowledge my identity, claiming that I am an impostor pretending to be a Xue Family servant. In that case, no one will believe my words."

Situ Jiuyue looked at Hai Tang, letting out a light snort, her expression indecipherable.

"Moreover," Hai Tang smiled, "I will endure it. If I could bear the agony of losing my appearance, then what is this pain in comparison? I can withstand it. But Mistress Jiuyue," she asked, "can I truly restore my former looks exactly?"

Situ Jiuyue replied, "Of course, my poisonous spider is a rarity in the entire Northern Yan. If you can bear it, within a month, you’ll certainly restore your former appearance."