Chapter 38: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

 FlamingoBees 

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 38: 

 

As for Yun'niang, she hadn't anticipated that the thugs she hired would be so useless!

Yanchi, who stood beside her, lowered his head in shame and whispered, "Miss, I failed in my duty. I never expected these men to be such worthless fools!"

"Shut up!" Yun'niang snapped, her face dark with anger.

Sitting in the tea shop, she had been observing from a distance. The crowd of onlookers had blocked her view, and she couldn’t see clearly what had happened. By the time the crowd dispersed, she only caught a glimpse of several large men dragging the tied-up thugs away.

Yun'niang grit her teeth in frustration. Since when did Lingquan Town become a place full of hidden masters? Why were there so many people meddling in others' business?

Now that her hired goons had been captured, staying here would be of no use. She needed to consider how to grease the right palms and bribe the local officials to thoroughly investigate the origins of this "fake Cui Jiu"...

After all, the marriage certificate was genuine, and the local records office had it on file. She wasn’t afraid of anyone verifying it.

With that thought in mind, Yun'niang decided there was no point in lingering any longer. She rose to leave.

But unexpectedly, across the street, Liu Mian Tang—who had been looking off into the distance—suddenly shifted her gaze back and, after spotting her, grabbed the hem of her skirt and angrily marched straight toward her.

Her leg had been injured, and though it had mostly healed, she usually didn’t walk very fast. But today, perhaps driven by anger, she moved quicker than usual. In just a few strides, she had reached the woman wearing the veiled hat and, without hesitation, yanked the veil off.

In an instant, she recognized the woman as none other than the "old acquaintance from the capital" she had seen at the blacksmith shop a few days ago…

To be fair, Mian Tang recognizing Yun'niang wasn’t some stroke of clairvoyance.

It was just that earlier, when the greasy, fat nobleman had his jaw dislocated by her husband, he kept glancing towards the tea shop across the street. And when the righteous men were dragging away the hooligans, the desperate thugs had also cast frequent looks at the tea shop.

Mian Tang noticed this and grew suspicious—not of her husband being a fraud, but rather that the situation wasn’t as simple as the fat nobleman’s claims of randomly encountering a runaway wife. Someone had clearly orchestrated this trouble!

And so, Liu Mian Tang headed straight toward the tea shop. Somehow, she felt that the veiled woman’s figure seemed familiar, and on impulse, she lifted the veil.

As soon as she recognized Yun'niang, Mian Tang’s anger flared up immediately.

A few days ago, she had openly admitted that she had lost her memory due to illness and couldn’t recall anything about her marriage. Who would have thought that this woman would use that fact against her, bringing in a few lowlifes to ruin her reputation?

What kind of grudge was this? How vile and malicious did someone have to be!

At that moment, Mian Tang was in no mood for pleasantries. She glared at Yun'niang and demanded, "Were you the one who instigated those thugs to wreck my shop?"

Yun'niang hadn’t expected Liu Mian Tang to confront her so quickly. Forcing herself to remain calm, she replied, "What are you talking about, sister? How could I know those men? Didn’t that fat nobleman claim you were his runaway wife? It seems to be a personal matter between the two of you—what does it have to do with me?"

Liu Mian Tang almost laughed out loud. She slapped Yun'niang across the face, causing her head to tilt. "You’re talking nonsense! When that fat man barged into my shop, all he did was shout at us, and the rest was just him smashing things. The locals who were watching outside my shop didn’t see what was going on and were exchanging confused whispers about it. How could you, sitting far away in a teahouse, know that he called me his runaway wife?"

When Liu Mian Tang and Yun'niang were on friendly terms, Yun'niang had always played the role of a soft and understanding neighbor, and Liu Mian Tang had taken good care of her. Even after Liu Mian Tang started to suspect her, she refrained from being openly hostile due to Yun'niang’s father being a senior figure in the Eastern Palace. She had merely kept her distance, not engaging in any harsh words.

But now that Liu Mian Tang had lost her memory and had no reservations, she found the flaw in Yun'niang’s words and responded with a sudden, sharp slap!

The servants Yanchi and Huaping were caught off guard and didn’t manage to protect their mistress in time. However, Huaping quickly recovered and shouted to the dragon guards behind her, "Are you all just standing there? Hurry up and restrain Liu Mian Tang!"

The guards, who were familiar with Liu Mian Tang's reputation, found themselves at a loss. Despite her absence from the mountain for over a year, she was still regarded as the formidable Miss Liu who commanded respect. Given that they had been instructed by Young Master Zi Yu to never harm Liu Mian Tang or face severe consequences for disobeying, they were unwilling to take any action against her. They could only watch helplessly as Liu Mian Tang grabbed Yun'niang by the hair and started dragging her toward the wall.

Huaping and Yanchi tried to intervene, but they were quickly outmatched by Fang Xie and Bi Cao. These two maids were no ordinary servants; they were chosen by Cui Jiu for their strength and combat skills to support Liu Mian Tang in case of emergencies. Seeing their mistress being attacked, they sprang into action, tackling Yun'niang’s servants with fervor. They pulled hair, bit ears, and fought with everything they had.

The maids from the countryside were fierce fighters! Huaping and Yanchi, despite their loyalty, found themselves in a chaotic brawl with Fang Xie and Bi Cao, who were fighting with all their might.

Liu Mian Tang, though physically weakened and lacking in strength, still used the skills she had learned before to handle Yun'niang with ease. She quickly got the upper hand, leaving Yun'niang's face bruised and battered. Despite Liu Mian Tang’s own fatigue and lack of strength due to her injuries, she managed to drag Yun'niang around by her hair and twist her face.

Seeing her struggle, Bi Cao took charge, pulling Yun'niang’s collar and taking over the fight. Liu Mian Tang, exhausted and swaying, was supported by Cui Xingzhou. He was witnessing such a raw and intense female fight for the first time, having only seen subtle forms of conflict among the women in his father's palace. The chaos of the fight, with its physicality and brutality, was a new experience for him.

Cui Xingzhou, watching Liu Mian Tang and the two maids handle Yun'niang, maintained an expressionless demeanor, his hands clasped behind his back. He found it preferable that Liu Mian Tang had identified Yun'niang's scheming rather than uncovering his own plans.

As he supported Liu Mian Tang, sweat dripping from her forehead, he spoke calmly, "Fighting in the street is unbecoming."

Seeing the scene, the dragon guards were about to intervene and pull the maids away. However, Cui Xingzhou stepped forward first, addressing the disheveled Yun'niang, "You have tarnished my wife's reputation without cause. Please, accompany me to the authorities to settle this matter."

Yun'niang, whose plans had failed utterly, felt deeply humiliated. Despite her early hardships after leaving the capital with her father, she had lived comfortably and in high regard. In the mountains, no one dared disrespect her, and even Zi Yu treated her with courtesy. Today, being beaten in public like a stray dog was a severe blow to her pride.

As Miss Yun was helped out of the tea house by the disheveled Huaping, she fiercely shrugged off the dragon guards' attempts to assist and left in silence. The crowd outside, still thick with onlookers, watched as she forced her way through, protected by the guards.

Cui Xingzhou did not immediately pursue them. During the commotion, he had already instructed his secret guards to wait for the right moment to apprehend Miss Yun that night for interrogation.

Liu Mian Tang, exhausted from the fight, leaned heavily against Cui Xingzhou, her old injury aggravated by the strain. She looked at Yun'niang as she fled and urgently said, "Husband, don't let her escape! We need to find out what she was planning!"

Mo Ru, always quick on the uptake, realized that if Liu Mian Tang interrogated Yun'niang, it might reveal too much. He intervened, saying, "Madam, she has many followers. If we engage them all, we might not win. Besides, with the thugs she incited now in the custody of the authorities, we can rely on them to clarify the situation. The shop is in disarray from the destruction, and we should focus on restoring it."

Liu Mian Tang felt the urgency of Mo Ru's words. The thugs had damaged many valuable items in the shop, and the extent of the losses was unknown. She needed to quickly assess the damage, arrange for repairs, and seek compensation from the authorities.

Despite the pain in her wrist, she hurriedly returned to clean up the store. The onlookers, many of whom were from North Street, had witnessed her fierce display and were impressed. They offered their support, helping her tidy up the shop and angrily denouncing the thugs for their unruly behavior.

After the commotion, Cui Xingzhou realized it was best for him to leave. He instructed Mo Ru to help the staff with the cleanup and took Liu Mian Tang and the maid Fang Xie back to North Street.

Liu Mian Tang had overexerted herself during the scuffle, causing a fingernail to break and cut her finger, which bled slightly. 

Li Mama, who hadn't gone to the shop earlier, was alarmed when she saw Liu Mian Tang come back with her limbs feeling weak, supported by the prince. After hearing the general details from Fang Xie, she couldn't help but mutter “a disaster” under her breath.

Cui Xingzhou asked Li Mama to prepare warm water for Liu Mian Tang to soothe her injuries and placed the ointment on a warm stove to melt before applying it. 

Liu Mian Tang's wrists were slightly swollen from the exertion, and the once delicate skin of her arms was now a bit puffed up. Seeing this, Cui Xingzhou frowned and scolded her genuinely: “Fighting in the street—what kind of behavior is that? Didn’t you know you shouldn’t use your hands forcefully when they’re already injured?”

Liu Mian Tang, having calmed down from her anger, felt guilty. She couldn’t quite explain why she felt such uncontrollable rage when she saw that woman. It was as if she wanted to tear her apart, forgetting her own limitations in the process.

After her serious illness, Liu Mian Tang had asked Dr. Zhao about the state of her limbs. The doctor had been vague, mentioning only that she had been hit by a fast-moving carriage while shopping, which left her with lingering effects, affecting both her body and mind.

Although Liu Mian Tang had struggled with the weakness in her limbs, she considered surviving under the carriage’s wheels a divine blessing and didn’t dwell on her physical limitations too much.

Hearing her husband’s concern now, her heart warmed. She said, “I was so angry at the time that I didn’t think about much else. Who would have guessed that woman would be so obsessed and even went so far as to set me up? I have no idea what she was scheming.”

Cui Xingzhou, curious about why this astute woman never questioned him, decided to test the waters.

He asked, “That so-called young master today claimed to be Cui Jiu and said he was your husband…”

Before he could finish, Liu Mian Tang furrowed her brows and wrinkled her nose in distaste. “Don’t mention such unpleasant things. What ‘young master’? He’s just a pig from the pen! If I were to marry someone like that, I’d rather jump off a cliff than go through with the wedding!”

Cui Xingzhou couldn’t help but smile at her reaction. While massaging her wrists, he casually asked, “So what kind of man would you prefer to marry?”

Liu Mian Tang turned her head to look at her husband. His brows and eyes were deeply set, his nose straight, and his lips thin—his appearance was both refined and handsome, growing more charming the longer she looked at him.

“Of course, it would be someone like you, my dear husband, who is both refined and talented!”

Liu Mian Tang spoke sincerely, but for some reason, Cui Xingzhou’s expression darkened.

There were many refined and talented gentlemen in the world.

It was said that Young Master Zi Yu was not only good-looking but also had impressive manners and exceptional skills in chess, a true talent.

Cui Xingzhou had never deeply considered the nature of Liu Mian Tang's feelings for the so-called Zi Yu, Lu Wen. 

But today, hearing her words made him think—if she had truly married a corpulent man, would she have genuinely fallen for the refined bandit leader who took her away?

An unfamiliar pang of jealousy spread in his heart. Was Liu Mian Tang truly someone who was captivated by handsome men?

Such shallow women, who care only for physical appearance, were completely lacking in discernment! Did she, back then, also show such sweet affection for Lu Wen?

With her limbs treated and unable to move, Liu Mian Tang had to lie quietly on the bed. Feeling a bit of a headache from the day’s stress, she reached out for her husband’s hand, seeking his comfort.

Cui Xingzhou’s hands, calloused from martial practice, provided a soothing massage when he pressed on her acupoints, making it quite comfortable for Liu Mian Tang.

She had developed a bit of an addiction to these massages, finding them incredibly relaxing.

Though he was brooding, Cui Xingzhou could not help but notice how she nestled against him, almost like a cat. He paused, then gently massaged her head, but his voice held a trace of probing as he asked, “Do you remember anything about that woman? Why would she go so far as to deceive you?”

Liu Mian Tang rested her head on his lap, eyes closed in contentment. She murmured, “I can’t remember. I hate being deceived, but it’s better to forget someone like her…”

Cui Xingzhou’s fingers momentarily faltered before he suddenly stood up, his expression cold. He announced he was going to the magistrate to inquire about the situation and left abruptly.

Liu Mian Tang’s head slipped onto the soft pillow as he departed. She propped herself up with one hand, feeling puzzled. Her husband’s recent mood swings were confusing. Could it be that men also have their own days of discomfort, leading them to act out?

As Cui Xingzhou left the mansion and felt the evening breeze, it did little to clear his troubled thoughts. He found himself brooding over the possibility that if Liu Mian Tang ever learned the truth and changed her attitude towards him, he might just prefer the solitude, indifferent to her fate.

The carriage arrived, and he climbed in without a backward glance, his mind still clouded with unease.

The ruffians who had caused the chaos were quickly taken to the military camp for interrogation by the undercover guards. They were not the same ruthless thugs who had previously abducted Liu Mian Tang; after a few lashes and with the branding iron yet to be heated, they swiftly revealed what they knew.

Although they did not know the name of the woman who had hired them, they confessed that a young man who paid them off was present at the teahouse, following a woman with a hat.

The marriage certificate, found on the fat man, was presented to the Prince intact.

The Prince examined the document closely. It was an old, yellowed marriage certificate, but it had been preserved with care. The writing on it, along with the official seal of the Great Yan, was still clearly visible.

The marriage certificate was genuine, but the man claiming to be the merchant's son, Cui Jiu, was an impostor.

Prince An was now curious as to why Miss Yun had kept Liu Mian Tang’s marriage certificate for so long. It seemed as though she had intentionally kept it to cause Liu Mian Tang trouble.

Feeling idle, the Prince ordered the retrieval of the dossier on Liu Mian Tang and her acquaintances from when they had thoroughly investigated her background.

Although he had received these documents previously, he had only glanced at her father’s files and had not examined the rest in detail. At that time, he had not been particularly concerned; Liu Mian Tang was merely bait, a disposable pawn.

Now, he specifically chose to review the dossier on the Cui family, which Liu Mian Tang was originally supposed to marry into. According to the records, after Liu Mian Tang was abducted by bandits, the Cui family, embarrassed and fearing ridicule from their peers, hastily found a matchmaker and a replacement bride from another merchant family in the capital. This replacement bride was quickly married to the merchant Cui Jiu, and the wedding was conducted in a rush.

The original Cui Jiu, now with a wife and two concubines, had long since forgotten Liu Mian Tang, who had been abducted.

Cui Xingzhou coldly tossed aside the dossier, genuinely relieved that Liu Mian Tang had not married into such a fickle family. If the real Cui Jiu had been as unsightly as the impostor who caused trouble today, it would have been a sight to sour the eyes.

He then randomly picked up the dossier on Liu Mian Tang’s maternal grandfather’s family.

The dossier, which had gathered a layer of dust from disuse, was shaken open. As Cui Xingzhou scanned it, his gaze suddenly fixed on one name, unable to move.

Liu Mian Tang’s maternal grandfather was a prominent figure in the Jiangnan region—he was known as Lu Wu, the head of the Shunwei Escort Agency.

For a moment, Cui Xingzhou’s mind raced, trying to piece together the relationship between Lu Wen and Lu Wu.

He quickly flipped through the Lu family’s documents but found no mention of anyone named Lu Wen.

“Mo Ru!” he called out sharply.

Mo Ru, waiting outside the military tent, hurried in upon hearing his name.

“Go and have someone fetch the Lu family’s genealogy from the Shunwei Escort Agency. Also, get a copy of the records for all relatives within the fifth degree of kinship!”

Mo Ru, wary of the anger on Cui Xingzhou’s face, promptly left to carry out the orders.

Cui Xingzhou stared at the documents, a vague idea forming in his mind—could Liu Mian Tang really have eloped with someone familiar, as the fake Cui Jiu claimed? 

Was this Lu Wen somehow related to her maternal family? Perhaps it was like a melodramatic tale of star-crossed lovers?

His mind churned with countless thoughts, picturing Liu Mian Tang as a girl who had grown up with Lu Wen as childhood sweethearts. The idea made him feel uneasy, as if he had swallowed something unpleasant.

Once they captured and interrogated the fake Cui Jiu, he would uncover the details of Liu Mian Tang’s relationship with Lu Wen. He was eager to find out just how deep their affections had been.

Tonight, he had dispatched his shadow guards to surround the inn where the woman was staying. They were set to launch a surprise raid as night fell, to apprehend everyone involved.

Realizing he was letting his emotions get the better of him, Cui Xingzhou composed himself, lying down fully clothed on the bed, waiting for news of the raid’s success.

As he calmed down, he began to think he might be overthinking the situation with Liu Mian Tang. 

The name Lu Wen was common and likely just a pseudonym or a random choice. Based on his demeanor, the so-called Zi Yu did not seem like a figure from the underworld. His refined manners were a stark contrast to Liu Mian Tang’s affected etiquette.

Moreover, the crucial point was that Zi Yu had failed to protect Liu Mian Tang, allowing his new interest to mistreat her so grievously. No matter how romantic the past might have been, it had become a faded memory, like flowers wilted on the vine.

As the night fell, Cui Xingzhou was preoccupied with trivial matters, until his lead shadow guard reported with a serious expression, “My lord, Ying Niang has escaped. I am incompetent and deserve punishment!”

Cui Xingzhou narrowed his eyes and asked, “How did she manage to escape?”

The shadow guard explained, “We had captured Yun'niang and were transporting her in a sack on a cart. However, upon leaving the inn, we encountered General Gong Sun, who serves under Prince Sui. He surrounded us and claimed that Miss Sun was the Prince’s adopted daughter. He threatened to shoot us with arrows if we did not release her immediately.”

After hearing this, Cui Xingzhou fell silent. He had not anticipated that Liu Pei, Prince Sui from neighboring Huizhou, would also be involved.

The guard expected a furious reaction from Cui Xingzhou, but instead, the prince began pacing back and forth. He then ordered for the records of Qingzhou officials to be brought to him.

The documents revealed that “Shi Yikuan, in the sixth year of Yonghe, had served as Prince Sui’s protector, and was later promoted to the position of general in Qingzhou.”

Cui Xingzhou had originally planned to capture Yun'niang and interrogate her, but he had unexpectedly entangled the Prince Sui in the process.

Realizing the situation’s significance, Cui Xingzhou waved his hand dismissively, not reprimanding his subordinate.

After all, Prince Sui, Liu Pei, was the favored younger brother of the late Emperor and enjoyed considerable privilege and power during his reign. Even the late Emperor showed him significant leniency.

Unfortunately, with the death of the late Emperor and the rise of Empress Dowager Xi, Prince Sui's former glory faded significantly. Under the current regime, which has cracked down on various princes and dissenters, including those of the royal bloodline, his influence has diminished.

Given that Cui Xingzhou’s own power is being curtailed by the court, and the Prince Sui faces similar restrictions, it appears that Shi Yikuan’s negotiation with the rebels in Yangshan serves not only to align with the court’s interests and strengthen his own position but also indicates a substantial role played by the Prince Sui behind the scenes.

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