The Double Episode 8 Recap
> The Double Recap
Xiao Heng arrived at the tea house, joining Li Lian and his brother, Li Jing. Li Lian, annoyed by Xiao Heng's presence, muttered insults, calling him a mere dog serving His Majesty. Li Jing urged him not to provoke Xiao Heng, but Li Lian seethed with resentment.
Downstairs, Meng Hongjin, daughter of General Xuanwei, was loudly accusing Ye Shijie, the eldest son of the Ye family from Luyang, of damaging her valuable painting, "Pine Shade" by Li Zhaodao, demanding a large sum of gold. Ye Shijie insisted it was extortion. Xiao Heng, observing from above, recognized Ye Shijie as Jiang Li’s cousin and anticipated an entertaining spectacle. As Meng Hongjin’s men moved to apprehend Ye Shijie, Jiang Li stepped forward, despite Jiang Jingrui’s attempts to stop her.
She took the painting, examined it carefully, and publicly declared it a fake. She pointed out that the silk fabric was a modern double-thread silk, not the coarse silk of the former dynasty, and the seal lacked the distinctive features of ancient stone seals. The crowd was astonished, and Jiang Jingrui echoed her observations. Realizing her deception was exposed, Meng Hongjin backed down, asking for a reduced compensation of five taels of gold.
Ye Shijie, however, was resolute in seeking justice, wanting to take Meng Hongjin to the authorities for extortion. Jiang Li intervened, suggesting it was all a misunderstanding and offering to buy the painting herself to prevent further trouble. She advised Meng Hongjin to tear it up to avoid deceiving others. Ye Shijie, still fuming, accused Jiang Li of being a busybody.
Jiang Ruoyao, watching from the side, mocked Jiang Li for seeking attention, but Zhou Yanbang admired her courage and suggested teaming up with her for the upcoming exam. Li Lian was furious, believing Jiang Li had ruined his plan. He had orchestrated Meng Hongjin’s confrontation with Ye Shijie to later intervene as a savior, thus earning Ye Shijie’s gratitude and recruiting him. Xiao Heng, amused by the turn of events, invited Jiang Li upstairs for tea.
Jiang Li, though irritated, accepted. Xiao Heng addressed her by her childhood nickname, “A Li,” revealing his knowledge of her true identity. He then recounted the story of "Duke Huang of the East Sea," a tale of overconfidence leading to downfall, implicitly warning Jiang Li about the formidable challenges ahead. Jiang Li understood his message, acknowledging that the path she was on was fraught with danger, like a tiger ahead and a cliff behind.
She firmly stated her pursuit of justice had nothing to do with him, to which Xiao Heng cryptically responded that their destinies might converge. As she left, Jiang Li deliberately stomped on a pastry Xiao Heng had offered, a clear sign of her refusal to cooperate, a gesture Xiao Heng found intriguing. Upon returning home, Jiang Li prepared for the inevitable confrontation.
Her maid, Bai Xue, informed her that Old Madam had summoned her to Wanfeng Hall, as Ji Shuran had already relayed Jiang Ruoyao’s embellished account of the incident. Old Madam, initially hesitant, listened as Ji Shuran subtly implied Jiang Li’s conduct was inappropriate for a Jiang family daughter and could strain their relationship with the powerful Li family and General Xuanwei. Ji Shuran suggested Jiang Li should stay by her side to learn decorum, subtly trying to restrict her.
Jiang Li admitted her actions might have seemed imprudent but explained she had merely identified a fake painting. She clarified that her primary motivation was to clear her father’s and her own reputation, which had suffered after her ten years in Zhennyu Hall. She also argued that knowingly allowing a fake to pass as genuine would be dishonest and tarnish the Jiang family’s name.
Her articulate defense impressed Old Madam, who found her to be a person of great moral understanding. Suddenly, Jiang Jingrui burst in, eager to corroborate Jiang Li’s story. He proudly recounted how the onlookers had praised Jiang Li and how even Duke Su had personally invited her for tea and commended her, asking him to relay his regards to Jiang Yuanbai.
This news from Duke Su instantly settled the matter for Old Madam, who dismissed Ji Shuran’s concerns and sent everyone away. Back in her room, Jiang Li admitted to Jiang Jingrui that she had fabricated Xiao Heng's compliments to sway Old Madam. Meanwhile, Li Lian sought out Ye Shijie, offering him protection and promising an easier path in his career if he joined Li Lian’s team for the Entry Exam.
He assured Ye Shijie that with his backing, no one in the capital, including the Imperial Academy, would dare to trouble him. Ye Shijie was asked to give his answer the next day. Later, Zhou Yanbang cornered Jiang Li in school, trying to recruit her for his team, using their past engagement as a reason. Jiang Jingrui, witnessing this, fiercely intervened, accusing Zhou Yanbang of being greedy for wanting Jiang Li while still connected to Jiang Ruoyao.
Liu Xu, who had initially seemed indifferent, expressed her admiration for Jiang Li’s bravery during the Meng Hongjin incident and offered her protection at the School of Integrity. Jiang Li, in turn, proposed they team up, adding that Ye Shijie might also join. Liu Xu was visibly excited at the prospect. Jiang Li then approached Ye Shijie, who remained cold towards her due to a thirteen-year-old misunderstanding.
He reminded her of the painful memory when his grandmother had traveled to the capital to bring Jiang Li back to Luyang, only for young Jiang Li to reject them, claiming her home was with the Jiang family and that she refused to be a merchant's daughter. This incident had caused his grandmother to fall seriously ill and severed ties between the families.
Jiang Li, having learned the truth from Tong Er about Ji Shuran's manipulation (who had falsely accused the Ye family of mistreating her and fabricating rumors about their greed for Jiang Yuanbai’s position), tearfully explained that as a naive child, she was swayed by lies, believing she was protecting her stepmother and father. She further clarified that Ji Shuran's seemingly kind but indulgent treatment was a form of "fatal flattery"—a scheme to ruin her by spoiling her rotten.
Realizing that Li Lian’s offer was part of a larger scheme to exploit him, Ye Shijie accepted Jiang Li’s invitation to join her team. Jiang Yuanbai was pleased to hear of Jiang Li’s success in resolving the conflict with Meng Hongjin and praised her spirit, dismissing Ji Shuran’s lingering worries about Jiang Li potentially causing more trouble. With Ye Shijie joining, Jiang Li’s team now had four members: herself, Ye Shijie, Jiang Jingrui, and Liu Xu.
However, Jiang Jingrui and Liu Xu often clashed, their mutual disdain evident, though Liu Xu became noticeably softer in Ye Shijie's presence. Meng Hongjin, accompanied by her own group, confronted them, mocking their team as "a motley crew" and disparaging Jiang Li's reputation from Zhennyu Hall. Jiang Jingrui and Liu Xu immediately defended Jiang Li.
Meng Hongjin then proposed a high-stakes bet for the Entry Exam: if Jiang Li's team was eliminated, Ye Shijie would publicly kneel and apologize to her. Jiang Jingrui upped the ante, suggesting that if their team won, Meng Hongjin would kneel and apologize to Jiang Li. When Li Lian arrived, he escalated the wager further, declaring that if Jiang Li’s team lost, Jiang Li herself would be sent back to Zhennyu Hall. In response, Jiang Li confidently accepted the bet, proclaiming that she would never allow anyone to dictate her fate again.
