Chapter 43: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

 FlamingoBees 

Translating Chinese Historical Dramas for your enjoyment... and mine! :)

Home    :    Novels

 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 43: 

 

Mo Ru, being perceptive, quickly understood the prince’s intention. He hurried to the rear of the convoy, dispersing the inspection cavalry and leaving only a few of the prince’s personal guards to avoid suspicion.

As Cui Xingzhou made his way to the rear, his mind was a whirlwind of emotions. Amidst the shock, he felt a flicker of joy. However, he also thought the girl’s actions were quite audacious—trailing behind an army heading to the Northwest was hardly fitting.

Upon reaching the site, his intention to reprimand her faltered when he saw the young woman huddled by a campfire. Dressed in men’s clothing with disheveled hair and a weary, dirty appearance, she seemed exhausted from the journey. Despite the presence of a carriage, her shoes were caked with mud, and her face, unadorned with makeup, appeared pale and worn.

He couldn’t help but wonder how this frail woman had managed to trail the army.

Cui Xingzhou came to a halt, his heart stirred with mixed emotions as he watched her.

When Mian Tang saw him, her large eyes shifted from confusion to a bright shine. Slowly, she stood up from beside the fire and then stumbled toward him with an urgency that made Cui Xingzhou’s heart warm. He instinctively reached out to catch her as she ran toward him.

However, to his astonishment, when Mian Tang reached him, she didn’t embrace him but instead swung her slender arm with all her might, delivering a resounding slap to his handsome face.

Cui Xingzhou, caught completely off guard, didn’t have time to react and was struck hard enough to make his head tilt slightly.

Mo Ru gasped, covering his face in shock, and the nearby guards exchanged uncertain glances, unsure whether to intervene.

Cui Xingzhou was stunned by her reaction. He turned to look at Mian Tang, struggling to believe what had just happened.

Was she so enraged by the annulment that she had come all this way just to give him a piece of her mind?

Mian Tang didn’t sense the immense anger radiating from her husband’s face.

To her, the past few days felt like an eternity.

Traveling north, her clothes were insufficient to keep her warm. Inside the carriage, she had to huddle with her maid and servants under a quilt to stay warm.

Recently, a kind soldier, seeing how cold they were, had made a fire for them to warm up.

Just a moment ago, through the smoke and flames, she had seen a tall man in military gear, with broad shoulders and a slim waist, striding toward her with confidence.

At that moment, she almost couldn’t recognize him—this fierce and heroic man, exuding a military aura, was her husband, Cui Xingzhou?

It wasn’t until he drew closer, revealing his familiar mountain-like brows and piercing eyes, that she confirmed it was indeed her husband.

The grievances she had felt, like a bursting spring, surged up from deep within her. Without thinking, her hand acted on its own and slapped him.

After the slap, she let out her frustration: “Do you really think you’re something special just because you’re following Prince Huaiyang? You had to create some fancy excuse for the annulment, make it a public declaration of your noble intentions. As a commoner, why imitate such nonsense? Why not find something better to do? You act as though you’re sacrificing your family for the country, but remember, even if a prince goes to the front lines, he will never lack for company. When he returns, he’ll be promoted and live in luxury. But you, in your moment of enthusiasm, abandoned your wife, wiped out your wealth, and left with nothing. Do you really think anyone will praise you for forsaking your family for the country? Perhaps all that reading has made you foolish!”

The young lady was now full of rage, her voice sharp and defiant, matching Cui Xingzhou’s anger in intensity.

It was Li Mama who reacted swiftly, muttering about “tragedies” as she hurried over to grab Mian Tang, preventing her from delivering another slap to the prince.

But Cui Xingzhou held up a hand to stop Li Mama from intervening.

Meanwhile, Mian Tang pulled out the annulment letter from her sleeve, tore it into pieces, and threw them at Cui Xingzhou. “I was born a member of the Cui family, and I will die as one. Since I haven’t committed any grave offenses, what right do you have to annul our marriage?”

Cui Xingzhou had never been slapped before, and the boldness of this act only fueled his anger further. He forced a bitter smile and said, “You’ve never borne any children for the Cui family, and you’ve been poorly disciplined. Now you’ve even taken to hitting people. What reason is there not to annul your marriage? Besides, you’re lacking in understanding—following the army like this is absurd! Go back with Mo Ru and live your life properly!”

Liu Mian Tang was left feeling guilty by Cui Xingzhou’s harsh words. She reflected on her own shortcomings and realized she hadn’t fulfilled the role of a devoted wife, failing to provide him with an heir before he went to the battlefield. As Cui Xingzhou finished his scolding, her eyes had reddened, and the tears she had been holding back for days began to flow freely. 

“You went to join the army, and you should focus on that. Don’t worry about me,” she sobbed. “I’ll just stay here, following behind the army. If you die in battle and I’m still alive... I’ll bring you home.” 

With that, she broke down completely, crying like a child, as if her husband were already dead.

At that moment, Cui Xingzhou no longer felt the sting on his cheek from the slap. As he looked at Liu Mian Tang’s tear-streaked face, every drop of her hot tears felt like it was piercing his heart, causing him deep pain.

He disregarded the presence of others around them and pulled Liu Mian Tang into his embrace, holding her tightly. He realized her hands were icy cold, so he wrapped her in his cloak, speaking softly, “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have left you behind. Please stop crying; the wind is strong here, and you’ll catch a cold.”

Liu Mian Tang clung to him, feeling much more at ease. 

When she first received the divorce letter, it felt like a thunderbolt had struck her. She couldn’t immediately tell if his letter was genuine or if something else had happened to make him end their marriage so suddenly.

On the day when the local villagers were sending off the troops from Zhenzhou, she rushed there hoping to confront her husband and seek an explanation. However, she soon learned that the main force had already departed.

Liu Mian Tang was someone who needed to have everything clarified; she wouldn’t just accept being divorced without understanding the full situation.

So, she dismissed the interfering servant Mo Ru and ignored Li Mama’s objections. With plenty of silver and banknotes, she changed into men’s clothing, prepared a carriage, and hired an experienced driver to chase after her husband. 

She spent a lot of money to arrange for couriers at relay stations to change horses, traveling day and night and facing some difficulties along the way, but she managed to catch up with him.

As her husband softened his tone and abandoned his patriotic fervor in favor of the “Cui Family’s principle,” Liu Mian Tang’s crying gradually subsided.

At this point, Cui Xingzhou had a moment to ask Li Mama, “Why is the lady dressed so lightly in this cold weather? Where is her fur cloak?”

Li Mama, who was worried about Liu Mian Tang after she slapped the prince and noticed that he hadn’t shown any anger, was relieved. 

She knew how vengeful the prince could be; those who had been around him long enough were well aware. If he had exploded with anger on the spot, it would have been easier to handle. But his silence could mean he was plotting a more severe revenge for later.

Upon hearing the prince’s reproach, Li Mama hurriedly explained, “The fox fur cloak was indeed brought, but yesterday… the Madam lent it to someone else.”

Cui Xingzhou looked in the direction Li Mama indicated and saw that a cart was being towed behind the carriage. The several of his secret guards he had assigned were now standing awkwardly beside the cart, each with blood-stained bandages or bruises, clearly unsure if they should approach the prince and apologize.

As Cui Xingzhou approached, he noticed that the head of the secret guards, Fan Hu, was lying on the cart. Liu Mian Tang’s expensive fur cloak was carefully covering him. Upon uncovering the fur cloak, Cui Xingzhou saw that Fan Hu had a deep wound in his chest, despite the medication, the wound was still bleeding.

“Dear husband, I encountered dangers along the way. Fortunately, I met these brave soldiers who were preparing to enlist, and they helped me. However, this Brother Fan sustained a serious injury while saving me. Is there a military doctor among your comrades who can tend to his wounds?”

Originally, Liu Mian Tang intended to stay far behind the main army, planning to find a way to contact her husband once they reached the northwest to avoid offending the military and impacting her husband’s future.

However, yesterday, their carriage was suddenly ambushed by bandits. Fortunately, the brave soldiers who were preparing to enlist and follow the main army happened to pass by and rescued them.

When Liu Mian Tang saw the severely injured soldier, she recognized him as someone who had helped her several times in Lingquan Town. Seeing his severe injury, she urged the coachman to speed up, hoping to use her remaining silver to hire a military doctor in the camp. Otherwise, this noble-hearted Fan, who had helped her, might die before his ambitions were fulfilled.

Unfortunately, Li Mama, acting on her own accord, revealed Cui Xingzhou’s name to the soldiers who had captured them. Liu Mian Tang was too preoccupied with pleading for mercy to notice the details of what was said, and she worried that this might have implicated her husband and caused him trouble with his superiors.

Fortunately, Cui Xingzhou, wielding some authority, frowned as he assessed Fan Hu’s injuries and then sent for a military doctor to treat him.

Liu Mian Tang had always seen her husband in scholarly attire, looking like a refined gentleman. But now, seeing him in his fitted armor, he appeared even more striking, with a slim waist, long legs, and a pronounced form.

Now, standing at a distance, surrounded by the righteous soldiers, Cui Xingzhou's commanding presence really made him stand out, almost like a crane among chickens. The armor highlighted a side of him that was rarely seen, making him appear both striking and impressive.

Despite being a first-time soldier, he had already been promoted to a squad leader by the discerning general. Liu Mian Tang felt a surge of pride as she watched her husband issue orders with a calm and authoritative demeanor. She always knew her husband was not a playboy; he was just someone like Prince Chu from the book—quiet until he made a spectacular appearance. Now, her husband had revitalized his spirit and found a stage to showcase his talents.

Knowing that her husband’s skills were now being put to use in the face of national crisis, she resolved not to be a hindrance.

As Liu Mian Tang wrapped herself in Cui Xingzhou’s cloak, sitting by the fire to warm up, Cui Xingzhou received a report from his undercover guards, which revealed why all the guards assigned to protect Liu Mian Tang were injured.

It turned out that ever since Liu Mian Tang and her party left Lingquan Town, someone had been secretly following them. Initially, Fan Hu and his team had detected and subdued this follower. Upon interrogation, they discovered that he was an agent sent by Prince Sui to keep tabs on Liu Mian Tang.

Moreover, there wasn't just one spy. When Liu Mian Tang left, some locals had asked where she was going. She had explained that her husband was serving in the military and that she was also heading to the northwest. Consequently, someone hurried back to inform Prince Sui.

Fan Hu, aware of the danger, suspected that Prince Sui might have plans to target the isolated woman. As feared, when the carriage reached the outskirts of the third prefecture and entered the desolate wilderness, Prince Sui's men ambushed the carriage, intending to bind Liu Mian Tang and stuff her into a sack.

They could no longer stay hidden and had to reveal themselves to protect her.

It was unclear whether Prince Sui had detected the presence of the hidden guards, but the men he sent were skilled fighters. Despite Fan Hu and his team’s best efforts to fight, they were still at a disadvantage.

Just when Fan Hu was critically injured and his life was in danger, Liu Mian Tang, who had been prepared, took out a large pouch of powder she had prepared in Lingquan Town. She threw the powder into the fray, using the wind to spread it over the attackers.

Fan Hu knew that Liu Mian Tang had prepared medicine before leaving the city, but he didn’t realize it was such a potent concoction. The mixture of common powders with lime proved to be extremely effective.

The powder made the attackers’ heads spin and their eyes burn, making it impossible for them to see. Within moments, the skilled fighters were incapacitated by the crude but effective drug.

Once the powder was dispersed by the wind, Liu Mian Tang had her two maidservants cover their faces with veils and use cloths to cover their noses and mouths. She also used the cooking oil she carried to help wash out the powder from their eyes.

Despite these efforts, the guards still spent the night recovering their strength. Fortunately, Liu Mian Tang managed to find an old cart in a nearby deserted village, which she had attached to the back of their carriage to transport the injured guards.

While bandaging their wounds, Liu Mian Tang expressed her regret, saying, “I was afraid you might all be affected, so I held back on using the medicine. Had I known you would be overpowered by those bandits, I would have used it sooner.”

Liu Mian Tang was indeed filled with guilt. Despite the bandits being blinded by the powder, it was still preferable to being wounded by knives. The fact that Fan Hu and the other brave men were injured was a result of her hesitation.

As for the bandits who were rolling on the ground and howling in pain, they were dealt with by Liu Mian Tang and her maidservants. According to the guards' suggestion, they should have been finished off to prevent them from recovering and coming after them. 

However, Liu Mian Tang and her maidservants were not inclined to kill. Instead, Liu Mian Tang came up with an alternative solution. She said, “We are law-abiding women; how can we bring ourselves to kill? But I heard wolves howling in the wilderness. Let’s tie them up and leave them far from the road to be devoured by wolves!”

Later, they heard that Liu Mian Tang, fearing the wolves might not come, even went so far as to make cuts on the bandits to attract them. This only led to the bandits crying and cursing in desperation.

As for the guards, being saved by the very people they were supposed to protect was already a humiliation. Adding to that was their failure to act in time, which they saw as an even greater disgrace.

By the time they arrived at the camp, weak and sprawled on the cart, they felt they had committed a grave sin in failing their duty.

Fan Hu lay on the cart, looking at the stern expression of the Prince with tears in his eyes. If he weren’t gravely injured and unable to rise, he would have drawn his sword to end his life to atone for his shame.

As Prince Cui Xingzhou listened to their experiences, his hands slowly clenched into fists.

He had long known that Prince Sui had shown an interest in Liu Mian Tang, but he hadn’t anticipated that the man would be so audacious as to send his subordinates, disguised as bandits, to abduct a vulnerable woman like Liu Mian Tang!

Had Liu Mian Tang not been prepared, she might have fallen into the hands of Prince Sui, with no telling what kind of humiliation she would have suffered.

Turning his gaze back to the fire, he saw Liu Mian Tang drinking hot water that Li Mama had brought. Her face seemed slightly flushed.

As the sun set and the main force camped and rested not far ahead, Cui Xingzhou had soldiers fetch a military doctor to treat Fan Hu. He also ordered that several thick cowhide tents be brought from the supply convoy and set up for Liu Mian Tang and her group. Charcoal stoves were used to warm the tents, providing Liu Mian Tang a place to rest for the night.

Due to her injuries, Liu Mian Tang was sensitive to the cold, and her hands and feet were particularly numb. With the immediate danger past, she felt a wave of exhaustion and, upon lying down on the thick woolen mat inside the small tent, her head grew heavy, and her body began to shiver with fever.

Liu Mian Tang, poking her head out from under the blanket and trying to appear unaffected, said to Cui Xingzhou, "You've been promoted to a thousand-man commander so quickly after joining the army, which is truly remarkable. Don't worry about me being reprimanded by the generals. Once Fan Hu has received treatment and is out of danger, I'll just let the carriage follow the main force at a distance. When we reach Jin Jia Pass, I'll find a nearby village to stay in. You don’t need to worry."

Cui Xingzhou touched her forehead and found it burning hot, so he frowned and prepared some medicine for her. "You've only been out a few days and already encountered robbers. Do you still want to stay by yourself? Aren't you afraid of being captured by bandits?"

He stopped abruptly, unwilling to dwell on the memory of Liu Mian Tang being captured in the past. Just thinking about her being with another man filled him with a mix of frustration and jealousy.

However, Liu Mian Tang, unaware of Cui Xingzhou's internal struggle, spoke with a hint of pride, "You don’t need to worry about me, husband. My grandfather dealt with bandits when they were still babies. He had plenty of ways to handle such road threats! As his granddaughter, I’ve picked up a few useful tricks. Otherwise, would I, a woman, dare to travel alone so recklessly?"

Cui Xingzhou knew that Liu Mian Tang's grandfather was a bodyguard, so her use of protective medicinal powders wasn’t surprising. 

He didn't want to argue with her about where to go next; he just wanted her to take the fever-reducing medicine quickly. However, Liu Mian Tang kept avoiding it, eventually curling up under the blanket and insisting, "I'm not very sick; drinking more hot water should be enough. I don't need the medicine."

She had been ill for a year, with daily herbal remedies, so she was rather averse to the bitter taste. She felt her condition wasn’t serious enough to warrant such drastic measures.

Initially, Cui Xingzhou thought she had so much to say because they had been apart for a long time. But then he realized she was using it as an excuse to avoid taking the medicine.

After several unsuccessful attempts to persuade her, he finally recognized her little trick. With his brows raised, he took a swig of the bitter medicine himself and then leaned over to feed it to her, who was curled up under the blanket.

For the first time, Liu Mian Tang realized there was such a method of administering medicine, and the embarrassment of being fed this way made her feel as though her toes were turning red.

So, after being fed a spoonful of medicine by her husband, Liu Mian Tang took the bowl herself and drank the bitter medicine in one go.

Cui Xingzhou, still not fully satisfied, said, "If you don’t honestly take your medicine in the future, I’ll have to feed you like this."

Liu Mian Tang, feeling shy, looked down and playfully fiddled with the buttons on his leather armor. "If I don’t take the medicine, can we still do this? The medicine is a bit bitter..."

The usually stern Cui Xingzhou, who had been frowning since leaving Zhenzhou, was momentarily charmed by his little wife's cheeky request and smiled.

After rinsing his mouth, he followed her wishes, leaning in to kiss her tenderly once more.

Cui Xingzhou didn’t linger in her small tent for long. As the commander of the marching army, he couldn’t afford to be delayed by the comforts of home.

After he left, Liu Mian Tang’s cheeks remained flushed. It was hard to tell if it was from the fever or from embarrassment.

However, thinking back on the tender kiss with her husband, all the hardships of the journey seemed to fade away.

People often say that the Northwest is a land of barren mountains and harsh weather, especially in winter, making it almost unbearable. Yet, with her husband by her side, Liu Mian Tang felt that she could endure even the harshest conditions and maintain a sense of home.

The journey ahead was still long, but amidst the howling winds of the wilderness, Liu Mian Tang fell asleep with a smile, filled with an indescribable sweetness.

Although Cui Xingzhou could not keep Liu Mian Tang with him, he had assigned reliable personal guards to protect the small group of women and injured soldiers following the main army.

The horses pulling the carts were replaced with stronger ones from the troops, and additional carts were provided so that Liu Mian Tang and her servants would not have to crowd into one compartment.

After taking the medicine, Liu Mian Tang slept soundly due to its effects. The next morning, as they needed to continue their journey, the small group of dependents rose early.

Li Mama, being very capable, managed to prepare a simple and convenient meal of porridge with dried meat and vegetables over the fire.

As Liu Mian Tang drank the porridge, she felt her mind clear up and her fever subside. 

The soldiers left by her husband were efficient and quickly packed up the tent, loaded the carts, and the journey to the Northwest resumed.

Liu Mian Tang sat inside the carriage, which had been lined with thick felt for extra warmth, peering out from the curtain with anticipation—her husband was somewhere in the large convoy ahead, though she couldn’t see him clearly.

Even so, her heart was finally at ease.

As for Fan Hu, the head of the personal guards, although he had sustained a deep knife wound, it had not affected his internal organs. With proper bandaging and a nourishing soup made from blood-enriching ingredients, he was gradually recovering. The other guards had only minor injuries and were expected to heal without any issues.

These guards, who had initially lied about enlisting in the army to protect their true identities, found themselves in a difficult situation. Unable to revert to their secretive ways, they were instructed by the prince to use their injuries as an excuse and to continue accompanying Liu Mian Tang on her journey.

© translations belonging to  flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

•••

Prev  :  TOC :  Next

https://ko-fi.com/flamingobeestranslations

https://twitter.com/FlamingoBee2009

Thank You For Reading <3