The Double

Yin Zhiqing took a deep breath and shook her head, "I don’t know, and I don’t want to know anymore." She stood up, her expression sorrowful as she looked at Jiang Li, saying, "I once heard about the hardships you faced on Green City Mountain and felt deep sympathy for you. Now it seems, you are much better off than me. The crimes you are accused of are false, and one day you will clear your name, without guilt in your heart. Whereas the crimes I carry are real, and can never be absolved."

"You are you, and Yin Zhan is Yin Zhan," Jiang Li reminded her.

"If possible, I too wish my surname were not Yin. I’m sorry, Jiang Li," Yin Zhiqing said, "I can’t help you, nor can I take you away from here. But do you really think that Duke Su would venture deep into enemy territory for your sake? The fields of deer field are filled with Yin Family Troops. If he comes, his death is certain."

Jiang Li’s heart skipped a beat. She had an intuition that Jih Heng would definitely come, yet she said, "If wishes could come true, I hope he never comes."

Yin Zhiqing stared at her steadily, and after a long time, finally said, "I hope so too."

Jiang Li didn’t know what her "I hope so too" meant. Was it that she hoped Jih Heng didn’t care for Jiang Li enough to exchange his life for hers or that she hoped Jih Heng wouldn’t get hurt?

"There’s another thing I want to ask of the County Princess of Pingyang," Jiang Li said.

"I can’t help you with anything," Zhiqing replied.

"It’s not for me; it’s for Jih Heng."

Yin Zhiqing frowned, "What do you mean?"

"I don’t know how your brother is going to deal with Jih Heng, but I’m sure he will show no mercy. If Jih Heng ends up trapped because of me, it’s the last thing I want to see. You like Jih Heng and certainly wouldn’t want him to die. If possible, please help him when the time comes. As for me, you needn’t bother. Whether I live or die doesn’t really matter. Even if I truly die, as long as it doesn’t bring trouble to others, that’s good enough for me."

Yin Zhiqing didn’t say anything further, just stood there, seemingly lost in thought for a while, before finally saying, "I understand." She then walked out of the tent.

Jiang Li didn’t follow her. The tent seemed to echo with the desperate sobs of Yin Zhiqing. She knew there was no time left. Now that Yin Zhan had died, Yin Zhili would immediately begin his next plan—he would use her as bait to trap Jih Heng.