The Double Episode 16 Recap
> The Double Recap
Jiang Li, identifying herself as the daughter of the Secretariat Director and Grand Preceptor, confronted the agitated crowd. Li Jin, observing, remarked on Jiang Li's audacious revelation of her identity to defend the Ye family, questioning if she feared accusations of favoritism. Jiang Li retorted that the true drama was yet to unfold. The crowd, disbelieving her identity, accused the Jiang and Ye families of colluding.
Jiang Li countered that impersonating a high-ranking official's relative was a serious offense and challenged Vice Magistrate Zhu on his lack of evidence, accusing him of arresting people based on rumor. She highlighted that the Jiang family was stringent even with their own, citing her decade-long punishment at Zhennyu Hall as proof that they prioritized justice over personal ties.
Jiang Li stressed that the Ye family’s Soochow brocade was widely worn by nobles and officials in the capital, implying widespread panic if the fabric was indeed deadly. She demanded a proper investigation by the Office of Weaving and Dyeing, accusing Prefect Tong of impeding justice by not involving them and instead resorting to arbitrary arrests.
She also revealed that she had informed her father, who would personally involve the Office of Weaving and Dyeing, and their officials would soon arrive in Luyang. Faced with this threat, Vice Magistrate Zhu and his men retreated. To further de-escalate the situation, Jiang Li proposed that the Ye family buy back all problematic Soochow brocade at the original price and offer additional compensation, which appeased the protestors.
Watching the scene, Xiao Heng found Jiang Li's "abusing power" technique highly skilled, while Li Jin questioned if Grand Chancellor Jiang would blame her. Xiao Heng predicted that if Jiang Yuanbai knew of the Li family's involvement in the incident, he would commend his daughter for escalating the conflict between the Jiang and Li families. After the confrontation, Jiang Li was invited by Xiao Heng to share tea.
She pressed him about his intentions, accusing him of observing her struggles from a distance, speaking vaguely, and leaving her feeling indebted without revealing his own agenda. Xiao Heng confirmed her anger but complimented her for sounding pleasant even when upset. He explained that the woman she saw him with at the brothel, Wu Lan, was an accomplice of Taohong, and he was there for an investigation, not pleasure. Jiang Li acknowledged his explanation.
Meanwhile, Ye Jia'er praised Jiang Li to Mrs. Ye, believing Jiang Li's communication with Grand Chancellor Jiang had forced the officials to change their tune. Jiang Li clarified that she had only leveraged her father's name to intimidate Prefect Tong, whom she perceived as greedy and career-driven.
She explained that she had actually written to her cousin, Ye Shijie, a newly appointed Vice Director of the Ministry of Revenue, whose influence would prompt the Office of Weaving and Dyeing to investigate. Jiang Li reassured a worried Mrs. Ye that success in this matter would only bolster her father's reputation. She instructed them to carefully preserve the collected Soochow brocade as evidence, confident that the problem was recent and potentially localized to Luyang.
In a separate meeting, Li Jin reminded Prefect Tong of Li Zhongnan's plan to acquire the Ye family's assets, promising him one-tenth of the Ye family's fortune. Tong Zhiyang assured Li Jin of his success as long as Ye Mingxuan remained in his custody. Elsewhere, Tang Fan, the Director of the Office of Weaving and Dyeing, and his subordinate Li Yu arrived in Luyang.
Li Yu was unsure which side to favor, but Tang Fan warned him against being manipulated in a complex case involving powerful families. Prefect Tong, anticipating Jiang Li’s arrival, prepared to meet her, confident in his authority. Jiang Li confronted him, insisting on a thorough investigation of the Soochow brocade case by the newly arrived officials from the Office of Weaving and Dyeing. Tong Zhiyang stalled, claiming the Ye family was uncooperative and accusing Jiang Li of obstruction.
Jiang Li countered his excuses, noting his lack of progress and subtly threatening to report his delay to higher authorities. Tang Fan then introduced himself. Jiang Li quickly briefed him on the Prefect's inaction and suggested they investigate elsewhere, as the Prefect seemed reluctant to release Ye Mingxuan. Tong Zhiyang allowed them to leave, confident that they would find nothing substantial quickly and instructed his subordinates not to interfere.
At the Ye family's weaving mill, Tang Fan commended Jiang Li's meticulousness. Examining the problematic Soochow brocade, he detected an unusual "sweet scent" distinct from the usual incense. Ye Jia'er, also smelling it, felt dizzy. Tang Fan quickly had a flame extinguished, then identified the sweet scent as Tuoluo, a poisonous plant from the Western Regions, concluding it had been added after the fabric's creation.
Ye Jia'er, recalling her father's knowledge, confirmed Tuoluo's extreme toxicity, explaining that even a few drops of unprocessed sap could be fatal and cause severe bodily decay. She argued that the immense cost of using such a large quantity of Tuoluo made it an improbable act for a merchant like the Ye family, suggesting it was a deliberate frame-up. Jiang Li agreed, asserting that they must trace the source of the smuggled Tuoluo.
Tang Fan, however, expressed reluctance to pursue the lead, stating that tracing the poison's origin required broader governmental authority than his office possessed, subtly rejecting Jiang Li's offer of a reward from her father. Undeterred, Jiang Li decided to investigate independently. She approached her Third Uncle, Ye Mingyu, offering to invest in his struggling escort agency in exchange for his help.
Disguised as men, they ventured into the black market to seek out Lai Biao, the notorious head of the Luyang black market, known for handling matters beyond the reach of officialdom. After successfully navigating the black market's coded entry, they met Lai Biao. Jiang Li, posing as a "Little Master" seeking Tuoluo for an addiction, was met with skepticism.
When she pressed for information about a recently sold batch, Lai Biao realized she was an investigator, not a buyer, and ordered them to leave, dismissing her threats of official investigation. Jiang Li provoked him further, questioning his competence if he couldn't assist a client. Challenged, Lai Biao invoked the "Golden Water Formation," a high-stakes drinking game where contestants roll dice, and the loser drinks.
Ye Mingyu explained that the challenger must defeat three times their number before facing Lai Biao himself. Meanwhile, Xiao Heng, informed by Wen Ji of Chu Lan's impending arrival and Jiang Li's presence at the black market, instructed Wu Lan to delay Chu Lan and hurried to the black market. Ye Mingyu began the Golden Water Formation confidently, boasting of his drinking prowess.
He managed to defeat several of Lai Biao's men but eventually collapsed, handing Jiang Li a small firecracker and instructing her to use it to wake him after two more rounds. Jiang Li struggled against Lai Biao, unable to win at dice or outdrink him. Xiao Heng then arrived and offered to drink on her behalf, declining her offer to keep a debt.
As Xiao Heng and Lai Biao began to gamble, Lai Biao recognized Xiao Heng as the son of his old rival, Xiao Minghan. Lai Biao warned Xiao Heng that joining mid-game meant double the drinks. After Lai Biao won the first round by relying on his sharp hearing to know the dice numbers, Jiang Li, recalling Ye Mingyu's firecracker, ignited it to disrupt Lai Biao's concentration during a critical roll. The distraction worked, leading to Xiao Heng's victory.
Frustrated by the noise, Lai Biao conceded the game. Xiao Heng then stayed behind to speak with Lai Biao, revealing that his father had saved Lai Biao years ago. He explained that his father knew Lai Biao was innocent and had been framed by their common enemy, Li Zhongnan. With this shared history, Xiao Heng asked for Lai Biao's help.
