Chapter 48: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 48: 

 

With a ruthless and relentless leader like A'Gushan in charge of the barbarians, peace on the border would remain elusive.

Cui Xingzhou was fully aware of this and prepared for a prolonged stalemate. As long as Jin Jia Pass remained secure, the court would not send further imperial edicts demanding additional military action.

According to reports, Empress Dowager Wu's upcoming birthday celebration was consuming the nation's efforts and resources. With the emperor focusing on filial duties, it seemed that he would have little time to attend to border affairs, allowing Cui Xingzhou some leeway to address other matters.

One issue that troubled him was Liu Mian Tang's knowledge of the barbarian language. The fact that she knew it, despite not remembering how, suggested that she must have learned it during the period of her memory loss while being around Lu Wen. This raised concerns about what kind of business Lu Wen was involved in that required interaction with the barbarians.

Cui Xingzhou reviewed the intelligence gathered over time. It revealed that the barbarian tribes had been engaged in trade with the inner regions, particularly involving iron ore. A trader from Dyan had exploited the barbarians' inability to smelt the ore, collaborating with them and making a substantial profit from illegal transactions.

Connecting this to the issues during the unrest in Yangshan, where bandits continually received money and weapons, Cui Xingzhou suspected there might be a link between these events.

If Zi Yu, the imperial grandson, had secretly contacted the barbarians and secured the rights to mine iron ore, it would explain his frequent interactions with them and Liu Mian Tang's familiarity with the barbarian language.

However, questions remained about where the iron ore was being sent and who the mysterious traders from Yangshan were.

Regardless of whether Zi Yu was behind the mysterious traders, Cui Xingzhou felt that such transactions should be stopped. He decided to act accordingly, arranging for his men to root out these secret traders while he continued to reclaim checkpoints and towns.

Cui Xingzhou cast a wide net, sending numerous spies to investigate the iron ore trade in the barbarian lands. If Zi Yu was indeed involved, it would be a testament to his capabilities. Reflecting on the fierce battles with Lu Wen, Cui Xingzhou saw the future challenges as both daunting and promising.

Regardless of whether the enigmatic Zi Yu was Lu Wen or another figure, they could not be allowed to remain. Cui Xingzhou was determined not to coexist with Lu Wen. If such enemies were to rise to power, the entire region of Zhenzhou could face devastation.

Yet now, there was little that could be done besides quietly amassing strength at Jin Jia Pass. Due to the wartime conditions, there were no restrictions on troop numbers, and the soldiers from Zhenzhou had expanded their numbers several times compared to their previous numbers in Zhenzhou.

Cui Xingzhou remained distanced from the political and martial affairs, choosing instead to observe and act as the situation evolved.

In contrast to her husband Cui Xingzhou's grand plans, Liu Mian Tang's concerns were much simpler.

As a military wife on the frontier, her life revolved around taking care of her husband's needs and managing a bit of extra income, which made her feel quite fulfilled.

Her life in the border town was far busier compared to her previous life in Lingquan Town.

Not only did Liu Mian Tang have to manage the pharmacy, but she also took on the responsibility of caring for a newborn.

Madam Lin, who had been homeless and poorly fed before giving birth, initially struggled with insufficient milk, leaving the baby hungry and crying with a red face.

With the kind-hearted Sheng Mama, who had been caring for Madam Lin, deciding she had done enough and leaving, only the clumsy new bride, Lin Siyue, was left to manage the situation.

Although Madam Lin had a room in the pharmacy for her confinement, she was reluctant to trouble the pharmacy staff with her care.

Seeing the baby cry from hunger, she used leftover rice mixed with water to make a thin rice porridge to feed the hungry infant.

Liu Mian Tang, despite never having had a child herself, knew that feeding the baby such a concoction during confinement was not ideal.

Thus, she instructed her staff to buy a well-milked goat from the town at a high price so that the baby could have fresh milk.

Liu Mian Tang also advised Madam Lin to drink plenty of fluids, as good nourishment would help her produce enough milk. The baby needed the mother’s milk to grow properly.

Madam Lin had been worried that Liu Mian Tang might hand her over to the military, given that her husband was the thousand-man commander under Prince Huaiyang.

However, her seemingly stern husband had never interrogated her, and Liu Mian Tang had never pressed her for information about the barbarian tribes.

Lin Siyue, seeing Liu Mian Tang’s kindness, began to lower her guard and frequently conversed with Liu Mian Tang in the barbarian language.

Although Liu Mian Tang didn’t remember how she had learned the barbarian language, she embraced the skill enthusiastically, as it could support her husband in the future.

According to Madam Lin, although the area outside the pass was inhabited by barbarians, different tribes had different mindsets. For example, the current aggressors were led by A’Gushan, but many tribes were forced to follow him.

Liu Mian Tang asked why she had seen two local barbarian traders in the market and couldn’t understand what they were saying.

Madam Lin smiled and explained, “Actually, people from different tribes speak with different accents. The accent you use is pure Qiyao, which is spoken mainly by people from the Qiyao Tribe.”

Liu Mian Tang, intrigued, asked, “So that’s how it is! I didn’t know before. But Madam Lin, you mentioned that you’re from the Guli Tribe, yet I find your accent quite similar to Qiyao.”

Lin Siyue hesitated and smiled awkwardly, replying, “I only learned it later. My original accent was quite different from Qiyao…”

Liu Mian Tang then noticed another detail. According to Lin Siyue, the Qiyao Tribe people were the authentic royal descendants from the north of the Snow Mountains, and they looked down upon the flat-nosed barbarians. It was said that the current great chieftain A’Gushan had a flat nose. Liu Mian Tang glanced at the baby in Lin Siyue’s arms.

The baby had just had a small bowl of goat’s milk, burped, and showed a sweet smile. The baby’s nose, like Lin Siyue’s, was high and straight.

Since the baby’s head was quite large, Liu Mian Tang had given the baby a nickname, Little Walnut.

Holding the soft, fragrant baby, Liu Mian Tang found herself pondering what her future children with her husband would be like.

However, thinking about it, their child would likely have a high nose bridge too, given that both parents have prominent noses!

With this thought, Liu Mian Tang smiled sweetly.

In recent days, while choosing soft fabric to make clothes for Little Walnut, Madam Lin's baby, she couldn't help but prepare a small set of clothes for herself as well. After all, her husband had mentioned that they would be preparing for a baby when they returned, so getting ready in advance was always a good idea.

Just then, as the pharmacy was about to close and the shop assistants started putting up the door panels, someone suddenly kicked the door, startling the baby in Liu Mian Tang’s arms. The baby, frightened by the noise, began to cry.

Liu Mian Tang looked up and saw two burly servants kicking the door open. A tall, slender young woman, with a stern face and supported by an old maid, walked in. The old maid quickly scanned the room, and upon spotting Liu Mian Tang holding the baby, she said to the young woman, “Miss, this should be her…”

It turned out that the young woman with the imposing servants was none other than the new wife of the Hu family's second son.

During the earlier crisis on the frontier, the entire Hu family had fled. Fearing the chaos and uncertainty of wartime, Madam Hu had arranged for her second son to marry the daughter of a deputy general from the inner regions, hoping to ensure their safety.

Now that they were in-laws, Madam Hu took the liberty of requesting military protection for her family. However, the situation at the frontier had resolved more quickly than anyone anticipated.

People had feared that they would be away from their homes for three to five years, but the young Prince Huaiyang, who had been dispatched to the pass, proved to be more capable than the previous generals. Not only did he lift the siege of Jin Jia Pass, but he also pushed the front lines significantly forward.

With the barbarians no longer posing a significant threat, those who had left their homes in haste began to return. Prominent families like the Hu’s, with their extensive estates and lands, found it difficult to part with their properties. So, once the situation stabilized, they decided to return to their homes.

The new bride, Madam Zhou, had heard that her husband had once had a foreign concubine. Before Madam Zhou married him, this concubine had been sent away. 

Knowing that the concubine had left pregnant, Madam Zhou had been uncomfortable for a long time. When she found out that her husband had secretly been trying to locate the concubine, intending to buy a house to settle her after childbirth, she was furious.

Yesterday, she had already caused a scene in her own room, and her husband had been scolded and made to kneel in front of the Buddha altar by his mother.

Madam Zhou's anger grew when she considered that the dismissed concubine might have seduced her husband behind the scenes. Determined to find the concubine, she interrogated her husband's servants about Madam Lin's whereabouts and, with her entourage—including her dowry maidservants and two soldiers sent by her father—stormed her way here.

Upon arriving at the pharmacy, Madam Zhou saw the woman with a blue cloth wrapped around her head, holding a newborn baby. Despite the woman's strikingly beautiful appearance and her tall stature compared to most Central Plains women, Madam Zhou immediately identified her as the abandoned Concubine Lin.

The two soldiers stationed themselves at the door, blocking anyone from leaving with an air of determination.

The old maid turned to Liu Mian Tang and demanded, “Are you Concubine Lin?”

Realizing from their demeanor that they meant trouble, Liu Mian Tang carefully handed the crying baby to a nearby servant and asked her to take the child to Madam Lin. Then, she turned calmly to face them and said, “Who are you?”

The old maid raised her eyebrows and replied, “We are from the Hu family. The Madam here is the new wife of Hu’s second son. You should come and pay your respects!”

Upon learning that they were from the Hu family, Liu Mian Tang smiled and asked, “Is there something wrong that has brought you here to buy medicine?”

The old maid spat disdainfully and retorted, “You insolent wench! How dare you curse the esteemed Madam’s health? Since the Big Madam has dismissed you, you are no longer part of the Hu family. And now you’ve shamelessly kept the child of who knows whose. You expect to cling to our young master and have him buy you a house? You are nothing but a lowly wretch!”

Madam Zhou had come today to vent her anger. Seeing Concubine Lin seated in a position of authority as if running the pharmacy, she felt that all the money spent here must have come from her husband.

She was so enraged that she almost wanted to tear that wench Lin apart and take away the child. After all, her husband had only sought to protect the Hu family's flesh and blood from being lost.

Madam Zhou planned to take the child back and see how her husband would search for this seductress.

Without further hesitation, she angrily ordered, “Someone, give this shameless woman a scar on her face!”

As she prepared to slap Liu Mian Tang and teach her a lesson by tearing at her arms and cutting her face, she was unexpectedly met with resistance. A pharmacy worker, who had been watching from the side, threw a punch straight at her abdomen, causing her to stagger back and fall to the ground with a yelp of pain.

Seeing this, the two soldiers rushed forward, ready to attack the pharmacy worker.

However, the pharmacy workers, who were actually former secret guards, were all well-trained and accustomed to dealing with rough situations. They had faced enough hardship traveling to the Northwest and were not going to be intimidated by a bunch of unruly servants.

If they couldn’t handle these ruffians, they might as well find a rope and end their misery themselves.

As a result, the two soldiers were quickly subdued and tied up tightly by several workers who emerged from the back of the shop. 

Liu Mian Tang took a sip of tea to calm herself and then addressed the stunned Madam Zhou, “I thought Hu’s family must have married a celestial beauty or a virtuous wife to so disregard family and cast out a pregnant woman. But seeing you today, lacking both appearance and virtue, it’s clear that you and the ruthless Hu family are a perfect match—like rotten fish and stinking shrimp in the same pot. How dare you come here to snatch a child and disfigure someone? What do you have to do with us? Are you feeding or supporting us? You and the Hu family are nothing to us!”

Madam Zhou had previously heard that although the Hu family’s concubine spoke Chinese, she was not known for being particularly talkative. However, seeing Lin Mian Tang now, she was surprised by how sharp-tongued and articulate she was. Liu Mian Tang’s demeanor, with her raised eyebrows and aloofness, made her seem as though she were a high-ranking lady, which only added to Madam Zhou's frustration.

Madam Zhou, taken aback by Liu Mian Tang’s audacity, angrily retorted, “My father is Vice General Zhou Lin Guan, and these two are his subordinates. If you dare lay hands on soldiers of the Great Yan, you’ll end up in jail!”

While this threat might have intimidated ordinary civilians, it had little effect on the workers in the shop, who were not mere commoners.

In terms of rank, Fan Hu was far superior to Madam Zhou’s father. A small local military officer from the borderlands was not enough to intimidate them.

Before Liu Mian Tang could respond, Fan Hu’s deep voice cut in, “This is a border defense period, and soldiers within a hundred miles are not allowed to leave their posts or roam freely. Furthermore, with the military supplies at Lin Guan, soldiers there must be on constant alert, and any laxity is unacceptable. Who is this Vice General Zhou to wield such military power, sending soldiers on personal errands and smashing civilian shops? According to Great Yan’s laws, you should prepare to collect your father’s corpse!”

Madam Zhou was taken aback that a mere shopkeeper could speak with such authority and seemed to have a valid point. Panicked, she shouted sharply, “I only came to buy medicine and speak a few words with you. How dare you detain my people? They are just household servants, not soldiers. Release them immediately, or we’ll never buy medicine from you again!”

Seeing that Madam Zhou was backing down, Liu Mian Tang instructed Fan Hu to let the soldiers go, allowing them to leave in a hurry. Madam Zhou’s resentful glare as she left made it clear she might seek revenge in the future.

Once the trouble with the shop was resolved, Liu Mian Tang turned to find Madam Lin and saw her carefully wrapping the baby in a small blanket.

Liu Mian Tang frowned and asked, “What are you doing?”

Madam Lin whispered, “The trouble today is caused by us, so it’s not right to trouble you any further. That woman’s father is a military officer. If they accuse me of colluding with the enemy, it could drag you into it.”

Liu Mian Tang understood that Madam Lin's concerns were not unfounded. If Madam Zhou returned and made an issue of Madam Lin's foreign origins, it could indeed create serious problems.

It wasn’t that Liu Mian Tang was afraid, but she didn’t want her husband in the military to be affected. However, she couldn’t just let Madam Lin and her baby face the harsh weather and have nowhere to go.

After some thought, Liu Mian Tang decided to have Fan Hu escort Madam Lin out of the border.

Since the soldiers at Jin Jia Pass were on rotation the next day, the roads outside the pass would have military presence. Thus, Madam Lin set out early the following morning.

Now that some of the towns outside Jin Jia Pass have been recaptured, the local population includes both Han Chinese and various tribes. Madam Lin settling there shouldn't attract too much attention. Lin Mian Tang also provided for all her needs, including the essentials for living and settling down. Even the quilts for little Walnut were made by Liu Mian Tang herself, filled with enough cotton to be warm and durable. Although the stitching was a bit uneven, the quilts were thick and there were four of them, sufficient for changing if the baby had any accidents.

As Li Mama loaded two large bundles of supplies onto the cart, Madam Lin watched silently and then spoke to Liu Mian Tang, “In our grassland tribes, we are taught from a young age not to speak of great kindness. The support you have given to us will be remembered deeply. I will certainly repay this kindness to you in the future... Furthermore, it is a custom in our tribe for children to have a sworn mother from an early age. I wonder if you would be willing to become my son's sworn mother?”

Liu Mian Tang, hearing Madam Lin’s words, smiled nonchalantly and said, “I don’t expect you to repay me with a spring of kindness. If you can raise little Walnut safely, that would be the best reward. I’m happy to have another sweet and plump son, so from now on, he will be my adopted son!”

Since it was a matter of adopting a child, Liu Mian Tang decided to give a token of her affection. She took a small jade pendant from around her neck and hung it around little Walnut’s neck.

Madam Lin smiled back at Liu Mian Tang, then climbed onto the cart with her child. With Fan Hu escorting them, they left the pass.

As Liu Mian Tang watched the little bundle of joy, now enveloped in the fragrance of milk, leave, she felt a pang of sadness. She stood at the front of her shop, watching them for a long time before finally turning and going back inside.

At that moment, Cui Xingzhou also arrived on horseback outside her apothecary.

Liu Mian Tang turned around and smiled warmly at her husband, Cui Xingzhou, who was wearing a broad-brimmed hat. She felt that he truly understood her heart. He didn’t want other girls to see his face, so he always wore the hat when he returned to Wuning Pass.

After Cui Xingzhou dismounted, Liu Mian Tang went over and affectionately took his hand. “Husband, are you here to take me home?”

Cui Xingzhou looked at her radiant face in the morning sun and gently adjusted a strand of hair from her temple. “The deputy commander just reported that there are suspicious individuals near the town. I was worried about you, so I came to check…”

Liu Mian Tang turned her head and noticed that there were indeed soldiers patrolling the area. She said, “Since you’re on duty, come inside and have some tea before you leave…”

Cui Xingzhou nodded and held her hand as they entered the apothecary.

Lin Mian Tang focused solely on her husband and didn’t pay attention to her surroundings. She didn’t notice a man in a thick scarf across the street corner, staring in disbelief at Liu Mian Tang.

After Liu Mian Tang returned to the shop and saw Cui Xingzhou seated at a table drinking tea, while she was at the counter keeping accounts, the man quickly memorized the name of the shop and hurriedly left.

He didn’t go far. After leaving Wuning Pass, he ran to a desolate temple on the outskirts and rushed inside.

In the dilapidated temple, three people were resting on a mat, with one of them lying down. The newcomer approached the middle-aged man who was lying and said, “Eldest Young Master, I just saw Miss Liu in the market at Wuning Pass…”

The man named Lu Xian, with a leg injury that prevented him from standing, was half-lying on the mat. Upon hearing the news, he quickly propped himself up and stared with wide eyes. “What did you say? Who did you see?”

Liu Kun, the old escort from the Shenwei Escort Agency, gasped for breath and said, “I saw Miss Liu—the daughter of the eldest young lady—Liu Mian Tang.”

Lu Xian’s eyes widened even further. “Nonsense! Didn’t Yang Shan send a letter saying that Mian Tang fell into the river… and died?”

Liu Kun, looking anxious, replied, “I was afraid I might have mistaken her. I kept pinching my own thigh to make sure, and the woman I saw looked exactly like our eldest young lady. How many people can look like that, with such striking features?”

Lu Xian, tears welling up, exclaimed, “Sister, can you hear me from the heavens? Your daughter, Mian Tang, is still alive! She didn’t die!”

Overcome with emotion, he tried to stand, but the pain in his leg was too severe, preventing him from getting up. He anxiously said, “Why didn’t you approach Mian Tang and let her come see me?”

Liu Kun replied, “The streets of Wuning are filled with soldiers today. I don’t know if they’re here to capture us. And… Miss Liu was holding hands very intimately with a thousand-man commander. I… I didn’t dare to approach.”

Lu Xian was both relieved and skeptical. “Are you sure you didn’t mistake her for someone else? Mian Tang was always devoted to that Young Master Zi Yu. How could she be so intimate with someone else?”

Liu Kun, desperate to prove his point, said, “I swear it’s Miss Liu. She’s at a pharmacy in town. If needed, I can pretend to be a customer and deliver a message to her, so she knows you’re here.”

Knowing that his niece was alive eased Lu Xian’s worries somewhat, but he remained concerned. “When you deliver the message, be very careful. We are being hunted by A'Gushan’s men and pursued by the spies of Prince Sui. Make sure you don’t bring any trouble to Mian Tang.”

Liu Kun nodded vigorously, retrieved a writing kit from his travel bag, and, after preparing the ink, quickly wrote a note.

© 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.

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