Chapter 46: 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 46: 

 

However, when Grain Officer Zhao saw his good friend and Mian Tang both poking their heads out from the window to look at him together, a wave of jealousy and envy stirred within his heart.

Back when he heard that Cui Xingzhou had set out for the northwest, although he was worried for his friend's safety, he also found himself distracted by other matters.

For instance, he eagerly went to the small courtyard on North Street, planning to take care of the supposedly abandoned Miss Liu.

To his surprise, the courtyard was completely empty, leaving Zhao Quan feeling an unexpected emptiness in his own heart.

After some careful inquiries, he learned that Miss Liu had chased after Cui Xingzhou, following him into the army.

Now, Zhao Quan was struggling to make sense of the whole "Cui the fake husband" act. Could it be... Miss Liu had found out that Cui Xingzhou was actually Prince Huaiyang but, after being deceived by him, refused to let the matter go and had decided to chase him down?

Zhao Quan never believed that Cui Xingzhou would officially take Miss Liu into his manor. Prince Huaiyang was far too rational and level-headed to do something as foolish as losing his senses over beauty and making hasty decisions driven by lust.

At most, Cui Xingzhou probably just acted on his lust, playing around a bit.

Now, with this young lady so deeply infatuated, if she chased after him relentlessly, clinging to him and refusing to let go, what would happen if she annoyed Cui Xingzhou? If he wounded her with harsh words or even punished her severely, what then?

Marquis Zhao certainly remembered the cold, detached tone Cui Xingzhou used when discussing how he would deal with Liu Mian Tang in the past. It was no different from how one might crush an ant!

With this deep concern for the young lady's fate in mind, Zhao Quan had gone to great lengths to gather supplies, hoping that, when the time came for him to plead on her behalf, Cui Xingzhou might show some leniency.

But he never could have imagined that the fake love story from the courtyard on North Street would have blossomed into genuine affection, continuing all the way to this dilapidated outpost in the northwest.

When Cui Xingzhou stepped out of the house, wearing a slightly worn thousand-man commander's uniform, Zhao Quan's frustration nearly overwhelmed him. After holding it in for a moment, he was determined to confront Cui Xingzhou and ask—playing out this theatrical charade day after day, isn't he exhausted?

However, when Cui Xingzhou saw that his friend had personally come to deliver provisions, he showed a genuine smile. Holding Mian Tang's hand, he stepped forward and said, "Your sense of smell is impressive. You managed to find your way here. Mo Ru, fetch some of that strong northwest liquor, we won't stop drinking until we’re completely drunk tonight."

Although Mian Tang didn't think too highly of Doctor Zhao at first, seeing him now dressed in a military uniform made her realize he, like her husband, had answered the call of duty in the face of the nation's peril. 

This changed her impression of Zhao Quan slightly. Despite his usual carefree, almost reckless demeanor, it became clear that at his core, he was a passionate man with a strong sense of duty—a true hero who stood tall in difficult times. 

Thus, when her husband invited Zhao Quan for drinks, Mian Tang softened a bit toward him. She instructed Mama Li to prepare more fried dishes, hot soup, and some roasted meat to go with the drinks.

However, Zhao Quan drank with a hint of bitterness. He glanced sideways at Cui Xingzhou's worn military uniform, then sized him up and asked, "So, brother, with all the merits you've earned, what recognition will Prince Huaiyang bestow upon you? Surely he must promote you to some higher office? Otherwise, remaining a penniless thousand-man commander with meager pay—wouldn’t that mean your wife would have to suffer along with you?"

Cui Xingzhou, catching the sly tone in Zhao Quan's words, smiled with a hint of depth in his gaze and replied, "Mian Tang was willing to follow me across a thousand miles, putting her life at risk. Why would she care about the rank of my office? Since she has shown such true affection, I will never disappoint her. I promise her a life of prosperity and luxury in the future."

The meaning behind Cui Xingzhou's words was quite clear: "Even if I were to march to death's door, my beloved would still follow me through life and death. So why wouldn't she follow me if I were a prince? And in the future, I will definitely give her wealth and prosperity, so there's no need for you, Brother Jia Yu, (his courtesy name) to worry unnecessarily!"

Hearing the hidden message in Cui Xingzhou's reply, Zhao Quan immediately felt a deep sense of loss, like the somber resignation of a monk’s wife who had renounced worldly attachments. 

Yes, although Cui Xingzhou had deceived Liu Mian Tang from the beginning, the man's handsome appearance was undeniable! Even if one didn't know his aloof nature, just his dashing and elegant demeanor was enough to charm countless young maidens in their prime.

Moreover, Cui Xingzhou wasn’t some pauper pretending to be a nobleman in order to trick women into his bed. Once his identity as Prince Huaiyang was revealed, which woman would willingly forgo such immense wealth and status?

Liu Mian Tang, after all, was still a young girl. Perhaps she didn’t even care much for riches; she was simply head over heels for Cui Jiu's striking appearance. Otherwise, why would she, still unaware of the truth, risk danger to follow him all the way to this wild northwest land?

In contrast, when Zhao Quan thought of his own wives and concubines, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of frustration—each one was a disappointment in comparison.

When Zhao Quan had heard he was headed to the northwest, his main wife merely recited "Amitabha" and assured him she would chant scriptures for his safety, day and night, without pause.

As for his beautiful concubines, each of them wept as if their hearts were breaking. Yet, when he asked if any of them were willing to accompany him to the northwest, they all seemed to suddenly become frail. Some claimed to have caught a cold, while others said their old ailments had flared up again, leaving them unfit for the hardships of travel.

After making such comparisons, Zhao Quan suddenly felt as if life had lost all meaning, an overwhelming sense of emptiness and loneliness consuming him.

He couldn't help but question: What exactly did he lack compared to Cui Xingzhou? Why was it that such a devoted and affectionate young lady did not love him instead?

Thinking this way, Zhao Quan realized that unless Cui Xingzhou tragically fell in battle, only then could he legitimately care for his widow. Otherwise, in this lifetime, he and Liu Mian Tang were destined to be strangers, forever without a chance to be together...

Zhao Quan, unable to hold his tongue, became tearful after a few cups of the strong Shaodaozi wine. He clung to his friend's hand, tearfully urging him not to worry about what would happen after his death. He assured Cui Xingzhou that he could sacrifice himself for the country without hesitation because Liu Mian Tang would be well taken care of—by him.

Hearing this, Cui Xingzhou furrowed his brow. If it weren't for the deep friendship between them, Zhao Quan’s constant talk of death and offering to care for his wife would have earned him a solid beating!

Thus, what had started as a heartfelt reunion between two close friends now teetered on the brink of something more dangerous.

Meanwhile, Liu Mian Tang was thoroughly enjoying her meal.

Out of consideration for Zhao Quan, who was an outsider, she chose not to sit with her husband at the same table. Instead, she dined alone at a small table in an adjacent room.

Seeing that Liu Mian Tang was eating by herself, Li Mama prepared some light snacks that were favorites of young women.

A small plate of grilled rabbit skewers was cooked to tender perfection, and the seasoning Li Mama used was flavorful and rich. Paired with a sip of Shaodaozi wine, the taste was simply exquisite.

The wild boar meat had also been stewed to perfection, simmered with chunks of eggplant and gourd strips that Li Mama had brought from Lingquan Town. The rich, savory aroma of the stew filled the air, and when served over rice, it was both fragrant and delicious.

In addition, Li Mama thoughtfully prepared a small pot of Shaodaozi wine for Liu Mian Tang, adding large sour plums and blending it with some sweet glutinous rice wine to soften the sharpness of the strong liquor.

It had been quite some time since Mian Tang had indulged in alcohol, and the food paired with the wine was so tempting that she ended up drinking a bit more than she intended.

Outside, snow had begun to fall again. Holding the warm cup of wine in her hands and sipping slowly, she felt as if she were living in a moment of perfect contentment. Truly, it was a scene of "red clay stove, clear mellow wine"—even a god would not trade places with her now!

However, from the next room, her husband and Zhao Quan were deep in conversation. As they drank, Zhao Quan's voice took on a weepy tone, as if he were on the verge of tears, sounding utterly sorrowful.

Mian Tang asked Li Mama, who had come in to serve sweet soup, about the situation in the next room.

Li Mama, having heard Marquis Zhao’s melancholic ramblings, wasn’t in the best mood either. With drooping eyelids, she replied, "Marq... Zhao— Young Master Zhao has just had a bit too much to drink. He's getting emotional, worried that the master might have an accident on the battlefield, and so he's weeping a bit… Madam, just continue eating. When men drink, this is how they are!"

Mian Tang nodded. She recalled how the guards at her grandfather's escort agency would often lose their decorum after drinking, with some even getting into fights. As long as her husband and Zhao Quan didn’t flip over the table, she had no intention of interrupting their drinking.

Due to taking herbal medicine previously, Mian Tang had been avoiding alcohol. After arriving in the northwest, since she hadn't continued with the medicine, she no longer needed to avoid certain foods or drinks. Forgetting herself in the moment, she indulged a little too much. Perhaps because she hadn’t drunk in so long, the alcohol hit her hard after finishing her meal, and she ended up falling asleep in the side room.

She had no idea how long she had been asleep when she suddenly felt movement beneath her. Slowly opening her eyes, she realized that her husband had, at some point, carried her back to the main room.

"Zhao Quan got drunk, so I let him sleep in the side room," Cui Xingzhou said.

Mian Tang snuggled into his arms, blinking sleepily and murmured lazily, "I don’t know how I fell asleep… I haven't even washed up yet..."

The kang in the side room was a bit blocked, making it somewhat drafty and uncomfortable to sleep on. Seeing that she had curled up tightly even under a fox fur cloak, Cui Xingzhou’s heart ached with concern, fearing she might catch a cold. 

So, he had Zhao Quan, who was passed out in the main room, carried back to the side room, and brought his delicate little wife back to the warm kang in the main room instead.

Hearing that she wanted to wash up, Cui Xingzhou said, “Since you didn’t go to the medicine shop today, it’s not like you got dirty. I’ll just bring you a damp cloth to clean up.”

Although Mian Tang was drunk, she felt a bit shy hearing her husband’s words and softly said, “You don’t need to. I can clean myself…”

However, her legs were weak from the alcohol, and she couldn’t get up. Cui Xingzhou had a maid bring some warm water, wrung out a cloth, and gently began to clean her.

Mian Tang obediently lay there while her husband wiped her face. Since she had stopped using cosmetics after arriving at Wuning Pass, her face was quite clean and easy to wipe.

The warm cloth made her cheeks flush, making him wonder if the rest of her was just as rosy.

Cui Xingzhou became a bit distracted and slowed his movements.

Mian Tang, unaware of her beauty, contentedly nuzzled her cheek against his hand like a cat curled up by a warm fire.

“Hubby, when are we going to have children? I want to give you a son soon…” At that moment, with half-closed eyes and influenced by the alcohol, Mian Tang sweetly and playfully expressed her desire.

In the quiet of the night, alone together, Mian Tang’s words were truly enticing.

Cui Xingzhou tossed the cloth aside and pulled the tipsy young woman into his arms.

Though he had drunk some wine himself, he still had a degree of clarity. The thought of Zhao Yuan’s morbid wishes for him weighed on him, making him uneasy. He pressed his nose against hers and whispered, “I might die in battle at any time. What will become of you and our child?”

Mian Tang furrowed her brows slightly, disliking her husband’s talk of death. She squinted her eyes and pouted, saying, “Who dares to touch my husband? I’ll overturn their underworld… Hubby, come kiss me!”

With such a fragrant and soft young woman in his arms, if he remained indifferent, he’d be nothing short of a eunuch or an old man!

Cui Xingzhou, still in his prime, couldn’t resist Mian Tang’s deliberate temptation. He complied with her request, sealing her sweet, plum-flavored lips with his own.

In that moment, all his earlier plans dissipated. Despite his gentlemanly demeanor, the wine he had drunk and Mian Tang’s seductive words stirred his passion.

She wanted a child, did she? He vowed that by dawn, she’d be pregnant!

As Cui Xingzhou's blood boiled with passion, he was caught off guard when Mian Tang, who had been giggling under his kisses, suddenly tilted her head and fell into a deep sleep.

Cui Xingzhou’s frustration peaked. He felt a mix of anger and disbelief, realizing that all drunkards, regardless of gender, seemed to be so irresponsible!

He clenched his teeth and lay down beside her in defeat, contemplating whether he should practice some martial arts in the cold snow outside.

-----

The next morning, Mian Tang awoke feeling refreshed and full of energy. She stretched lazily and, glancing at her husband beside her, reached out to gently touch his face with her slender fingers.

Mian Tang’s gentle touch roused Cui Xingzhou, though his eyes were bloodshot and not very clear.

She was accustomed to this. He had mentioned his chronic insomnia before, a condition that had plagued him for years. Mian Tang felt a deep sympathy for him and decided to take advantage of Zhao Quan’s presence to ask him for any remedies for insomnia.

Early in the morning, Zhao Quan, still groggy from the effects of the wine, sat in the small kitchen sipping on the hot rice porridge that Li Mama had brought him to help with his hangover.

He needed to hurry and prepare to accompany Cui Xingzhou back to Jin Jia Pass to oversee the grain transport.

As Li Mama was delivering washing water to the main room, she took Mian Tang’s request into account and decided to ask Zhao Quan if he had any remedies for treating insomnia.

When Li Mama relayed the request, Zhao Quan initially thought she was joking. He couldn't believe that Cui Xingzhou, who seemed so vigorous, suffered from such a chronic condition.

Zhao Quan’s frustration grew as he considered the possibility that Cui Xingzhou might be indulging in too much pleasure at night, leading to his insomnia. This thought only added to his irritation, making him feel even more aggrieved.

Fuming, Zhao Quan skipped breakfast and, as he mounted his horse, called out loudly towards the main house: “Cui Xingzhou, I’ll be waiting for you at the camp! And be careful—if you continue without restraint, you might find yourself worn out before middle age, and your bed will no longer be as lively!”

Mian Tang, who was just starting her morning routine, heard Zhao Quan’s outburst and interpreted it as concern for Cui Xingzhou’s insomnia. She thought Zhao Quan was indicating that her husband’s condition was quite serious and needed immediate treatment.

She turned back with a worried expression and asked her husband, "What should we do? If Zhao Quan's words are true, does that mean you might be unable to go on?"

Cui Xingzhou, still lying on the heated bed, slowly opened his eyes and gave her a meaningful smile. "Once the war is over, you’ll find out just how capable I am."

By dawn, Cui Xingzhou finally got up, skipped breakfast, and donned his clothing and hat before heading out to the camp to return to his duties.

Mian Tang, leaning by the door, anxiously watched her husband’s departing figure, her mind occupied with Zhao Quan's words.

Determined to help her husband, she decided to study her medical books thoroughly and find remedies for insomnia. Her husband was still young—there was no way he should be experiencing such weakness. 

With this resolve, she finished her breakfast, tidied up, and went to the pharmacy to open for business.

Despite the chaos of war driving all the other doctors away, her Cui’s Pharmacy had become the only one in town. However, her previous prescriptions had either been too potent or ineffective, and gradually, the townspeople came to view her as a pretty face with no real skills—though she talked knowledgeably about medicine, the results of her prescriptions often left much to be desired.

As a result, while the pharmacy's medicines might be good, the proprietress was seen as unreliable. Unless someone had their own prescription, they wouldn’t trust her to prepare effective medicine.

Thus, the shop appeared somewhat desolate. However, Mian Tang was no longer concerned about the state of the business. In these war-torn times, her original intention was to provide convenience for the official families in town and assist her husband.

The fact that the batch of medicines she prepared had achieved great results for her husband made profits less significant.

So, over the next few days, whenever someone did come in for medicine, she would have the shop assistants handle it. The rest of the time, she focused entirely on studying medicine at the counter.

Mian Tang had been growing increasingly disheartened, feeling she might not be cut out to be a doctor. Comparing her husband's symptoms with the medical texts, she believed he seemed more like someone with internal heat and excessive energy needing release, rather than simply being weak and suffering from insomnia.

Over the past few days, her initial enthusiasm had waned as she continued to feel uncertain and discouraged.

On this day, after several days of snowfall, the snow finally stopped. She had her assistant, Fan Hu, clear the snow in front of the pharmacy.

She set aside her book and decided to prepare a tea to refresh herself. Just then, the sound of a carriage approaching caught her attention. She looked up to see a carriage stopping in front of the pharmacy.

An elderly woman rushed in, sweating profusely, and asked urgently, "Where is the doctor? Please, someone come quickly—my mistress is in labor..."

Mian Tang immediately replied, "We don't have a doctor here. Please hurry to find another place; you can't afford any delays..."

Seeing Mian Tang busily preparing medicine, the old woman felt she must be knowledgeable in medicine and, without hesitation, knelt before her. "With the snow blocking all the roads these past few days, we can’t get to a faraway place. We heard that only your pharmacy is open nearby. Please, miss, help us save our mistress!"

Mian Tang wasn’t unwilling to help, but she knew her own limitations. If she tried to handle the situation herself, it could lead to a disaster.

The urgent task was to find a skilled physician. She hurried to the carriage and lifted the curtain to find a young woman lying in the carriage, her abdomen visibly swollen and writhing in pain.

Seeing this, Mian Tang wasted no time and immediately sent an assistant to find Dr. Zhao at Jin Jia Pass.

If she remembered correctly, Dr. Zhao had mentioned that after the grain transport was completed, he would return to Zhenzhou. Since no convoy had passed by in the past few days, she was confident that Dr. Zhao had not yet left. If luck was on her side, she might be able to catch him on the road to Jin Jia Pass.

The assistant, formerly a shadow guard from North Street now working as a helper, was well-versed in horseback riding. He quickly mounted his horse and set off for Jin Jia Pass to fetch Dr. Zhao.

Mian Tang instructed the old woman to help the expectant mother down from the carriage and into the back room of the pharmacy for some rest. The cold outside was unbearable, and the laboring woman wouldn’t be able to withstand the freezing temperatures.

At that moment, the pregnant woman grimaced in pain and spoke a phrase that was not in Central Plains Chinese, but rather a language that resembled the speech of the northern frontier tribes.

Upon hearing this, the old woman's face turned pale. The woman in labor was not a native of the Central Plains, and this was partly why experienced midwives were reluctant to assist her.

With the northern frontier tribes aggressively expanding and wreaking havoc, local villagers harbored deep resentment and fear towards these foreign invaders. Even with substantial payment, most people were unwilling to help due to their strong aversion. Furthermore, the old woman and her family didn’t have extra money, so she had to seek help herself.

This was the woman's first pregnancy, and due to unknown reasons such as an incorrect fetal position, the baby had not yet descended despite prolonged labor. The old woman had no other option but to find help, which led her to the pharmacy in desperation.

The old woman worried that the pregnant woman’s desperate cry in the frontier dialect might result in them being expelled from the pharmacy. 

Despite noticing that the pregnant woman had a slightly different appearance from the Han Chinese, Mian Tang did not let her emotions show. She remained calm and continued to offer them assistance, ushering them into the back room and bringing the expectant mother a bowl of red sugar water to help replenish her strength.

The pregnant woman, realizing she had unintentionally spoken in a dialect and fearing they might be turned away, silently endured the pain, biting her hand to manage the contractions.

Mian Tang’s initial surprise was not from disdain towards the frontier origin of the woman, but rather from her own unexpected comprehension of the dialect. She was astonished to understand the woman’s words, “If I don’t make it…”

She had never consciously studied the frontier dialect, so it was puzzling to her that she could understand it so clearly.

Mian Tang, momentarily concerned she was hearing things, hoped the woman would speak more. 

The pain evidently intensified, and the woman began to talk urgently with the old woman beside her, her words now clear to Mian Tang. The woman, with tears in her eyes, pleaded, “I can’t endure any longer. Please cut open my belly; perhaps there’s a slim chance for my child to survive…”

It was heart-wrenching to hear such despair, and Mian Tang, deeply moved, interjected, “Why give up so soon? Be strong, the physician will arrive soon, and he will surely ensure your safety and that of your child.”

After speaking, Mian Tang was stunned herself. How could she speak such fluent frontier dialect?

© 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