The Double

After returning to the mansion, it was already evening.

Jiang Li did not go straight back to her courtyard; instead, she went to Night Wind Hall. This visit to the Duke Residence had left both Madam Jiang the Elder and Jiang Yuanbai puzzled, so they had waited for her specially at Night Wind Hall. Seeing her return safe and sound, with no apparent distress in her demeanor, very tranquil, they finally put away their worries.

"Little Miss Li, when you visited the Duke Residence today, did you meet anyone in particular? What did you do there? Did Old General Jih say why he invited only you to the banquet?" asked Madam Jiang the Elder.

"At the birthday banquet of Old General Jih in the Duke Residence today, I wasn’t the only guest; there were five or six others. But all of them were unfamiliar to me, and they didn’t seem to be members of Yanjing’s Official Families. There were both men and women, presumably old acquaintances of the old general," Jiang Li fabricated without changing her expression and continued, "After eating, the old general inquired about some matters concerning archery. It seems that he learned of my performance in the Six Arts school examination and, thinking I had a deep understanding of the art, was curious about me, which was why he especially invited me. Later I had a casual conversation with several young ladies and returned in the evening. It appeared to be an ordinary family banquet, nothing special about it. As for why I was the only one invited, it really wasn’t appropriate to ask, and the old general didn’t say."

Her response seemed flawless, leaving Madam Jiang the Elder and Jiang Yuanbai with nothing else to ask. Even if they had questions, judging by Jiang Li’s appearance, she just went for a meal and knew nothing, and wouldn’t be able to provide any answers.

Jiang Yuanbai said, "Since that’s the case, you should go back and rest."

Jiang Li hesitated for a moment before adding, "Father, today at the Duke Residence’s birthday celebration, I overheard them discussing the political climate. It seems that Yanjing City may not be very peaceful lately... Father, please be prepared."

Jiang Yuanbai was jolted, "What do you mean by that?"