Chapter 10: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

 FlamingoBees 

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 10: 

 

Her mother's grievances had subtly influenced Binglan, which is why she unhesitatingly chose Cui Xingzhou over Zhao Quan when faced with the decision between the two cousins. The reason was simple: Zhao Quan's character was too similar to her father Lian Hanshan's—content with mediocrity, lacking ambition, and overall ineffectual.

She didn’t want to be like her mother, constantly envying others’ success and living in perpetual dissatisfaction.

Thus, she had long understood her cousin Cui Xingzhou's preferences and temperaments, knowing that he favored gentle, understanding, and filial women. By always putting her Aunt, Princess Consort Chu, first and winning the favor of the old Princess Consort, she managed to become engaged into the royal family, partially redeeming her mother’s lifelong regrets.

As long as she could maintain her position with her aunt’s favor, no matter how dazzling the flowers outside, they could not shake her status.

With this thought, Lian Binglan felt a sense of relief, realizing that she shouldn't have let her mother sway her into taking the less advantageous path. The hour was getting late, so she needed to go to bed quickly, so she could be energetic the next day, win over her future mother-in-law, and demonstrate her virtues to her cousin…

As the old Princess Consort’s birthday celebration approached, Cui Xingzhou’s married sister, Cui Fu, also returned to her family home with her two-year-old son, Jin’er.

Her husband was the legitimate son of the Duke of Qing, and their residence was in the distant province of Yanzhou, so her return was quite rare.

Before the birthday banquet, Cui Fu, who had come to see her brother, asked with a smile, “A while ago, when you went on official business to the Southern Town, I asked you to bring back some powder from Hanxiang Studio. Did you manage to buy it?”

Cui Xingzhou was playing with his nephew, shaking a rattle drum, and after a moment’s thought, he replied, “I bought it… but I gave it away casually. I’ll make sure to get you some more next time.”

Cui Fu gave her brother a stern look: “The powder from Hanxiang Studio needs to be ordered in advance because it’s made from the flower juice of chrysanthemums from Chuanbei before the frost. If it’s not reserved this year, we have to wait until the golden autumn of the next year… Who is this enchanting lady who has made my usually meticulous brother so infatuated that he gave away the powder I had carefully arranged?”

Cui Xingzhou hadn’t realized that the powder he casually gifted to Liu Mian Tang had such significance. Liu Mian Tang had diligently mended his padded jacket, and he had simply followed the etiquette of giving the powder he had on hand as a small gift.

Cui Fu had a straightforward personality and wouldn’t be upset with her brother over a box of powder. As for the lady Cui Xingzhou had met outside, she must have been charming and likable to have won his affection.

Unlike her mother, Cui Fu had never liked her Aunt Lian Chu and her scheming daughter. When their mother was sidelined by concubines and unable to bear children, the maternal uncles of the Chu family frequently visited their mother. However, that aunt always seemed to take pleasure in their mother’s misfortune, implying that their father was not a good man and that their sister’s life was hard.

Every time this happened, their aunt's words would make their mother cry.

Now, their mother had finally endured and overcome the difficulties. With her brother succeeding as the Prince of Huainan, that aunt seemed to have become a different person, flattering their mother as if she were naturally blessed with good fortune and that her hardships had finally come to an end. She was now eager to push her daughter into the Prince’s household.

Cui Fu, who had married far away, couldn't tend to the affairs of her family. If she were at home, she certainly wouldn’t let her brother marry her aunt’s daughter.

Therefore, Cui Fu was quite pleased to hear that Cui Xingzhou had another woman in his life.

However, the brother and sister quickly exchanged words and didn’t delve into the matter further, as Cui Xingzhou had to go to the front hall to meet guests.

The birthday banquet at the Prince’s residence was lively, with five days of banquet tables set up and local famous performers invited to the hall.

However, compared to previous years, there were fewer guests this time.

Cui Xingzhou understood that this was closely related to the recent accusations in court against him for wielding too much military power.

The current emperor has always been wary of the various non-imperial princes appointed by the late emperor. Now that the bandit problem in Zhenzhou has greatly improved over the past year, the emperor is naturally eager to dismiss those princes who were once useful but are now considered a liability.

In the officialdom, one must be very mindful of the prevailing winds. When the warm spring breeze doesn’t reach Zhenzhou, those with sharp minds will quickly understand the emperor’s intentions and avoid suspicion by not attending.

Navigating the bureaucracy often feels like drifting through the treacherous seas of the political world. Although the sounds of music and laughter fill the banquet hall and garden, no one knows if the next moment could bring about a fall from grace or a complete purge.

At the banquet, the guests at the same table as Prince Huaiyang wore smiles, but their words were laced with subtle meanings and probing questions.

Others, meanwhile, were full of flattery and obsequiousness, hoping to gain some benefit from the prince’s table and secure an official post or favor through the prince’s influence.

In social engagements like banquets, such matters are unavoidable, and Prince Huaiyang was accustomed to them.

After the banquet, as the garden tea party began, Prince Huaiyang excused himself due to having drunk too much and went to his study to rest.

At this time, the study was empty, and Prince Huaiyang sat alone at a sandalwood desk, gazing at the blue sky outside the window.

On the desk lay several letters from relatives seeking official positions. The first few letters were from his future father-in-law's nephews.

Since they were sent by his aunt, he had to give them a look. However, these applicants were clearly not fit for any significant positions. Earlier at the banquet, his aunt had pushed her husband, who was awkward and not good at persuasion, to speak on their behalf. His father-in-law stumbled through the task, making it necessary for Prince Huaiyang to step in and handle the situation diplomatically.

Such personal favors were numerous every day. In the past, Prince Huaiyang would have bypassed his future father-in-law's face and handled it properly.

However, he now remembered that his future father-in-law had listened to his aunt’s instigation and sent a servant to investigate the situation in Lingquan Town, which had touched a sensitive nerve with Cui Jiu.

Lingquan Town was tightly guarded, waiting for the rebels to come forth. There was no room for anyone to meddle.

Such official matters were not something he would discuss with his aunt or cousin.

Prince Huaiyang did not like women who acted independently. Regardless of whether his aunt’s suggestion today had been influenced by Lian Binglan, he wanted to give his cousin’s family a warning.

Thus, he did not even glance at the remaining letters and threw them directly into the incense burner beside him.

There were many guests in the main hall, but Prince Huaiyang, feeling lazy and uninterested in socializing, chose to avoid the formalities. Although the atmosphere in the royal residence was lively and bustling, he desired some quiet.

So he took only his servant Mo Ru and left the royal residence through the back gate, boarding a boat along the riverbank.

Although it was spring, the night air was still cool. After drinking some wine at the banquet, the chill of the evening made him feel slightly tipsy.

The boatman asked Mo Ru where they were headed. Seeing the prince resting against the boat’s rail, Mo Ru could not specify a direction, so he instructed the boatman to sail aimlessly. In less than half an hour, they arrived at the dock of Lingquan Town.

Since his mother’s birthday celebration was still ongoing, he needed to return early the next morning. Given that traveling to the military camp would be too tight on time, he naturally thought of the ready-made house on North Street. At this late hour, when no one would notice his whereabouts, he could easily stay there for the night.

So, Prince Huaiyang waited for his tipsiness to subside before asking the boatman to dock. He then took a leisurely walk under the starry sky, eventually arriving at North Street and knocking on the door.

Meanwhile, Liu Mian Tang, having purchased the shop, had been urging the craftsmen to renovate it.

In just a few days, the shop began to take shape, but her husband, who had gone out with Doctor Zhao for some social engagements, had yet to return.

Today, while she was out on the street asking the carpenter to return and set up the shelves, she had hoped her husband would be back. To her surprise, she heard the door knocker in the middle of the night.

Upon hearing the sound at the door, Liu Mian Tang quickly got up.

In the past few days, to avoid greeting her husband with a disheveled appearance if he returned late at night, she had made sure to have Mama Li help her braid her hair neatly before bed.

When she heard her husband's footsteps, she had already changed into a well-fitting pleated skirt, applied a bit of rouge to her lips, and put on embroidered slippers. With her hair and face neatly arranged, she opened the door and greeted him with a shy smile, saying, "You're back, my lord!"

Since it was already night, Cui Xingzhou originally planned to quietly sleep in the guest room. However, he was surprised to find that Liu Mian Tang was still awake. Before he could even enter one of the side rooms, she had come out to greet him.

Without giving him a chance to speak, she lifted the door curtain and looked at him eagerly, waiting for him to come inside.

Cui Xingzhou took a moment to observe her. She seemed even more beautiful than before, despite the hardships she had faced in recent years. Her appearance, though tested by trials, remained exquisite. She had evidently been well cared for, and her fair skin and innocent eyes reflected a sense of untouched purity.

Such eyes were bound to make one lower their guard. It was no wonder that the shopkeepers had sold their store to her at a bargain price.

As Cui Xingzhou walked into the fragrant room, he found himself unable to resist. 

Having experienced the late-night visits before, Liu Mian Tang had been well-prepared. She had bought salted meats, eggs, and plenty of oil and grains in the past few days. Even if someone were hungry in the middle of the night, she was ready to slice and fry the meat to make a delicious meal.

Additionally, Liu Mian Tang had bought a large bath tub. However, since heating the water required quite a bit of firewood, she was reluctant to use it herself and decided to wait until Cui Xingzhou returned. She planned to heat up two large pots of water to give him a relaxing bath and help him unwind from his fatigue.

So, when Cui Xingzhou arrived, Liu Mian Tang excitedly led him to see the new addition behind the screen.

"The wife of the bucket maker on North Street, Mrs. Pei, is renowned for her craftsmanship. I ordered this tub from her, and since we’re neighbors, she even gave me a discount of half the price! I’ll have Li Mama prepare a hot bath for you shortly..."

As she spoke, Liu Mian Tang noticed the strong smell of alcohol on Cui Xingzhou and hesitated, asking, "Have you been drinking, my lord?"

At that moment, the effects of the banquet’s fine wine hit Cui Xingzhou. He simply pushed Liu Mian Tang aside, not bothering to remove his shoes, and collapsed onto the bed.

Feeling troubled and lazy, he had no desire to play the role of a husband. He just wanted to lie down and be left alone.

Even in his drunken state, Cui Xingzhou couldn't help but think that if Liu Mian Tang harbored ill intentions, this would be the perfect opportunity.

He closed his eyes and listened to the faint sounds of footsteps. Liu Mian Tang went outside to speak with Li Mama and returned after a while.

Cui Xingzhou lay still with his eyes closed, but his ears were attentive to the soft rustling sounds around him. After a while, he felt a warm cloth gently placed on his forehead.

Liu Mian Tang had gone to fetch a basin of water and dampened a cloth to wipe Cui Xingzhou’s face.

However, as she wiped his face, she noticed that Cui Xingzhou furrowed his brow slightly, appearing to be irritated by the disturbance.

If Liu Mian Tang had been one of the palace maids, she would have read his signals and refrained from bothering him, especially without a direct summons, and would not have pressed the wet cloth onto his face. 

But Liu Mian Tang, believing herself to be the proper wife of Cui Xingzhou, felt that the rich and sweet wine, while pleasant in the barrel, would soon turn foul after a few hours in the stomach.

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