Chapter 24: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

 FlamingoBees 

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 24: 

 

To be honest, even though Li Mama was used to dealing with high-ranking officials and was never easily shaken, she couldn't help but feel a shiver inside when Mian Tang threw the bowl and shouted so fiercely. The usually gentle young lady could be so intimidating.

Since the words were already out, Li Mama decided to press on with a steely resolve. "Before you lost your memory, you were involved with him for a while. Have you recalled anything about that?"

Mian Tang felt as though she had been struck dumb, her mind racing back to the dream she had just experienced. She couldn’t believe that before her memory loss, she might have behaved so unfaithfully, leaving behind a good husband to be involved with someone like that sickly-looking young man.

The shock and disbelief were palpable. She stammered, “How could this be… How could this be? Did my husband know?”

Seeing Mian Tang in such a distraught state, Li Mama’s resolve softened. She spoke gently to reassure her, “Don’t worry, the master knows everything. He has said he will be lenient and forgive you.”

This was true. The prince had indeed mentioned that once the troubles with the rebels were over, he would provide a place for this destitute and fallen woman. It was evident that the prince was a generous man who saw Mian Tang’s inherent goodness and wished to offer her some stability amidst her tumultuous fate.

But hearing that her husband knew of her past indiscretions, Mian Tang slumped heavily into her chair. In that moment, everything made sense—why Li Mama had always looked at her with disdain when she first awoke, and why her husband had been so formal and distant, never crossing boundaries even when they shared the same bed.

It dawned on Mian Tang that there had been a rift between her and her husband long before, and she had unwittingly betrayed him, giving him the proverbial "green hat." The realization filled her with intense regret. She felt a strong urge to reach back into the past and slap her former self for her ignorance and mistakes.

She wondered if her loneliness, stemming from her husband’s long absences due to his studies and social visits, had led her to be swayed by the advances of a frivolous young man, resulting in her grave error.

The audacity of the young man named Ziyu to appear in front of her husband, to challenge him so openly and brazenly, was infuriating. Mian Tang was seething with both embarrassment and anger. How dare this loose young man insult her husband and make a mockery of their situation!

Mian Tang’s thoughts were a chaotic storm of guilt and regret. She wanted to question Li Mama further about her past mistakes, but found that Li Mama's answers were evasive and unsatisfactory. Li Mama, feeling the weight of the lies she’d had to tell, was clearly distressed and avoided giving more details.

Li Mama handed her a bowl of sweet soup, attempting to soothe her. She said, “These matters from the past are best left to your own reflection. Think carefully, and if you remember anything, do let the master know.”

Mian Tang felt frustrated by Li Mama’s vague responses. Even if she did recall her past mistakes, how could she possibly bring them up with her husband? It would only serve to rub salt into an already deep wound.

Her focus was entirely on her betrayal of her husband, and she couldn’t bear to think about the details involving the young man named Ziyu. Despite Li Mama and her husband’s efforts to shield her from the harsh truths due to her illness and amnesia, she couldn’t simply act as if nothing had happened. The weight of her actions loomed heavily over her, and she was deeply troubled by the thought of facing her husband with the painful truth.

When Chui Jiu returned to their room after dinner, he was surprised to see Mian Tang, who should have been resting, once again adopting a formal and respectful demeanor. She was kneeling deeply, hands placed correctly, and asked with utmost reverence, “My lord, if you are tired from your day, would you like me to massage your legs and ease your muscles?”

Chui Jiu raised an eyebrow, noticing how Mian Tang had recently become so attentive to proper etiquette. Perhaps her frequent interactions with him had made her feel more at ease and less formal over time. Today, however, she was once again putting on a show of deference, as if trying to make up for something.

“There’s no need,” Chui Jiu replied gently. “I have plans to meet friends tonight for a game of chess by candlelight. You should rest. I’ll be leaving shortly.”

To his surprise, Mian Tang’s eyes reddened as she replied urgently, “If you find me a burden, just give me a divorce letter. I won’t trouble you any further. It’s too painful for both of us to keep enduring this slow, emotional torment!”

Chui Jiu, though he had instructed Li Mama to investigate subtly, was unaware of what had been said. Seeing Mian Tang’s tearful and distressed state, he frowned slightly and asked softly, “What are you talking about?”

Mian Tang grit her teeth and recounted what Li Mama had told her.

Her nature was usually straightforward, and although her husband was a rare and ideal partner, she felt it was only right for her to own up to her past mistakes. She couldn't accept living in a way that would have him avoid her and treat her with disdain, turning their home into a place of estrangement.

If her actions had indeed been wrong, it was only fair for him to divorce her!

Hearing this, Cui Jiu frowned slightly but struggled to find fault with what Li Mama had said.

Li Mama’s attempt to provoke Mian Tang’s memories by describing Lu Wen as her lover was, if not entirely accurate, close to the truth. However, when Cui Jiu was about to speak, he hesitated for a moment and then softened his approach: “He had ulterior motives and made several attempts to seduce you, but you did not yield to his advances.”

Li Mama’s account, while factual, was harsh and difficult to hear. If Mian Tang had been someone who couldn't handle such revelations, she might have been overwhelmed by shame and distress.

After the suppression of the rebels in Yangshan, Mian Tang would eventually have to face her past. It was best if she could remember on her own, but if not, Cui Jiu preferred not to disclose the full extent of her suffering and loss of honor directly, especially if it would cause her further distress.

The Prince Huaiyang rarely considered others so thoroughly. However, seeing that this woman’s nature was not bad and that she was sincere, he decided to grant her some dignity for the future.

Mian Tang had been prepared for a divorce from her husband, only to learn from him that her honor was still intact.

For a moment, she breathed a sigh of relief, her sadness subsiding as she asked with heavy nasal tones, “Husband, are you just saying this to reassure me?”

Mian Tang’s eyes, usually bright and captivating, were now tearful and swollen under the candlelight. Even the hardest heart would soften at the sight of such tearful, pleading eyes.

Cui Jiu looked down at her, slowly raising his hand to wipe away her tears with his long fingers, and said, partly truthfully, “If you had truly been involved with that man, would I have kept you until now?”

This was the truth. As she had been abducted and forced into humiliation by bandits, he would not make things too difficult for her. However, if she had truly become the wife of the rebel, he would have had plenty of ways to deal with her.

Chui Jiu’s words, like sunlight breaking through dark clouds, cleared away Mian Tang’s sorrows.

Li Mama, being rather conservative, had suspected Mian Tang of not being faithful just because she had spoken to the scholar, Ziyu, a few times. Fortunately, her husband, Chui Jiu, was perceptive and understood the hidden truth of her innocence.

It was understandable now that Chui Jiu’s jealousy and anger had led to his cold treatment of her, which was likely a result of his hurt feelings.

No wonder he was unwilling for her to converse with figures like Dr. Zhao. After all, a person bitten by a snake will be wary of ropes for ten years!

No matter what, it was her own lack of caution that nearly gave opportunities to people like Ziyu and Dr. Zhao. From now on, she would focus solely on her husband and avoid even looking at other men.

However, after Cui Jiu had spent so long reassuring his wife, it was clear that he would miss the “chess appointment.”

In Qingzhou, there was a curfew at night. Under the pretext of being the "merchant Cui Jiu," he could not wander the streets outside the inn. As a result, he would spend another night with his wife.

Perhaps because they had resolved their issues, that night, Mian Tang clung to him tightly, insisting on wrapping her arms around his neck to fall asleep.

In the morning, when Mian Tang saw Cui Jiu off, she felt especially reluctant. However, her husband seemed to have had a poor night's sleep, with bloodshot eyes and speaking little. He quietly drank his porridge, not even glancing at her.

Though Cui Jiu still treated her with some formality, rather than the warmth typical of a married couple, Mian Tang felt optimistic about their future. She believed that, just like a high mountain covered in snow would eventually give way to spring flowers and flowing streams, their relationship would improve with time.

With this thought, Mian Tang found new hope for her days. Even if her husband was grumpy and uncommunicative due to his morning mood, she chose to be understanding. She pretended not to notice his sour expression, carefully adjusting his clothes and wiping his face with a cloth.

As she stood close to him, she could hear him take deep breaths and sigh, unsure of what kind of breathing exercises he might be practicing.

Despite his frowning, Cui Jiu's appearance remained captivating, making it hard for anyone to look away.

As for the gift from the gentleman Zi Yu, she firmly decided not to accept it. Although the poetry and painting tea gathering had high standards, accepting such a gift would only cause her husband distress.

Hearing that she had decided to forgo the invitation, Cui Jiu was very satisfied. After waking up, his usually stern face finally broke into a smile. He told her that Mo Ru had already secured a stall at the Qingzhou market and she could go there to man the stall and see if any patrons would appreciate their porcelain.

Mian Tang nodded in agreement, determined to work hard promoting their porcelain.

With everything arranged, Cui Jiu felt relieved and left for the day, getting into the carriage. He could finally relax and unwind after a night of tense nerves.

After all, if she attended the official tea party, it would disrupt the carefully planned layout he had prepared.

Now that Mian Tang had a business to focus on, she wouldn’t be wandering around. Being stationed in the bustling market would attract Lu Wen’s attention.

Lu Wen, hiding in a guesthouse guarded by soldiers, was difficult to act against. But if he exposed himself, interacting with people in the market and getting into a confrontation that could lead to his death by blade, it would be straightforward. If General Shi wanted to earn a reputation for virtue, he would have to see what would happen if the bandit leader he sought to pacify died on his own turf. The emperor’s plans to trim the true wings of Zhenzhou would then be put to the test—whether it was as easy as he thought.

That Miss Liu’s sleeping posture was quite restless and clingy, almost childlike. He also noticed a sweet peach scent coming from her, probably due to some incense she used.

Somehow, as Cui Jiu pondered this, his thoughts began to wander elsewhere. 

Realizing his lapse in focus, he frowned slightly, stopped his idle thoughts, and closed his eyes to rest.

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