Chapter 55: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 55: 

 

Because of the implications of her father’s case, her grandfather’s escort agency had been harassed by the grieving families of the scholars involved in the academy case. They would come every day to cause trouble, smashing things and wailing endlessly.

Her father had died, and all his property was confiscated. So, these relentless mourners turned to her grandfather, demanding compensation.

After her grandfather filled the huge financial hole left by her deceased father, he also, unfortunately, lost a major escort job. The compensation for that failure wasn’t paid promptly, which led to a loss of reputation, and from then on, the escort agency’s business rapidly declined.

If it weren’t for Lu Xian keeping this from his ill father and taking some dangerous risks, the signboard of Shenwei Escort Agency would have been taken down for good.

However, that money wasn’t easily earned, with most of the profits being funneled into the accounts of Yangshan. Even then, because Mian Tang’s uncle was in charge of the northwest mines, there were still former allies of the Eastern Palace accusing Mian Tang of using her position for personal gain.

When Mian Tang disappeared, Lu Xian and Lu Mu lost interest in the mining business and deployed a vast number of people along the riverbanks to search for her. It took them a whole year of effort before they finally gave up hope.

But by then, the profitable northwest venture was no longer viable. The barbarian tribes had fallen into internal conflict, and the political landscape had shifted, with new players taking over the lucrative opportunities.

Mian Tang knew that her grandfather and uncle were loyal to their comrades. Even if it meant they had to live on thin porridge, they would still provide for their escort masters—especially the elderly ones who had no other skills. Her grandfather and uncle would never abandon them.

But now that the northwest revenue had dried up, Mian Tang didn’t want to return empty-handed and place an even greater burden on her family.

So, before crossing the river, she planned to use her dowry to buy some goods for resale.

During the intense battles in the northwest, the entire region was sealed off. Even though the situation had improved significantly, the three northwest passes remained closed.

Many merchants who had planned to transport goods to the northwest found themselves stranded in the riverside town of Jin Tuo. Ahead lay the fierce barbarian soldiers, and if they turned back, who would cover the cost of transporting the goods?

Faced with this dilemma, many merchants decided to stay in the town and sell their goods at a loss, simply to recover their initial capital. After all, adding the cost of returning goods would only increase their losses.

However, with the ongoing war and the disruption of north-south trade routes, the flow of people in Jin Tuo Town was limited, making it difficult for merchants to sell their goods.

After arriving in Jin Tuo Town, Mian Tang planned to stay for a few days. She took Liu Kun and others around the town to inquire about prices.

After gathering information, Mian Tang felt more confident about her plans.

Liu Kun noticed the lady's intentions and asked, "Miss, are you planning to buy these goods? Once they cross the river, they'll be worth even less. What's the point of buying them?"

Mian Tang smiled slightly and said, "That's why we won't cross the river. We'll buy the goods and transport them to the barbarian borders."

Liu Kun's eyes widened in shock. "Miss, are you crazy? We just escaped from a dangerous situation. How can we go to our deaths? Even if Prince Sui doesn't pursue us, that A'Guoshan is no pushover!"

Taking advantage of the fact that her uncle was resting at the inn and not present, Mian Tang planned to persuade Liu Kun completely. She pulled out a map she had drawn over the past few days and showed it to him.

"Though the war in the Northwest has not yet ceased, the barbarian forces have begun a strategic defensive retreat. We won't encounter A'gu Shan's troops at the border now. Most of the checkpoints are guarded by soldiers, but there is a shortcut through Iron North Mountain that was originally too narrow for people to pass. It was later widened specifically for the purpose of ambushing the barbarians defending the three passes. During foggy days, it can be used to enter and exit relatively freely..."

Liu Kun, who had been in the barbarian lands for a long time, was surprised to hear about this shortcut and asked Liu Mian Tang how she knew of it.

Liu Mian Tang slightly smiled and said, "In order to conquer the barbarian lands, Prince Huaiyang had his soldiers re-survey the border, especially the rugged mountains. They discovered this mountain wall, which was originally too narrow for passage. It was later widened to be used for ambushing the barbarians stationed at the three passes."

Even though he was busy, Prince Huaiyang often stayed up late drawing maps. She had not deliberately looked at his work, but with her keen eyesight, she remembered this detail while serving him tea.

Now that the three passes had been recaptured by Cui Xingzhou, the military use of this shortcut would be greatly reduced. Liu Mian Tang was confident that the number of guards here would be less, and if she could use this route to enter, it would be a significant opportunity for transporting goods to the material-starved three passes.

After all, even during war, people still need clothing, food, and medicine!

Liu Mian Tang wanted to make a big deal of money before returning home with dignity.

This was such a significant matter that Liu Kun couldn't make a decision on his own and thought to inform her uncle. However, Liu Mian Tang said, "I am determined to do this. If you tell my uncle, wouldn’t he insist on going too? With his current health, can he really handle it?"

Liu Kun wanted to protest further, but Liu Mian Tang, with a serious expression, said, "There are so many people in Shenwei Escort Agency relying on silver to buy rice and food. You and my uncle dared to smuggle iron before, so why are you hesitating now over such basic things like rice and oil? Are you waiting for my uncle, lying sick in bed, to come up with ways to make money for all of you?"

Those words certainly wounded Liu Kun’s pride! As a man of the jianghu, he lived with his life hanging by a thread—what was there to fear? Could it be that he, a seasoned man, had less courage than a nineteen-year-old girl?

Moreover, what Liu Mian Tang said hit home for him.

Just recently, a letter had arrived saying that the old master was ill but reluctant to even buy medicine. Thinking of Master Lu, Liu Kun was ready to sell himself just to earn some money.

Liu Mian Tang knew Liu Kun’s temper and character very well. The moment she saw him hesitate, she knew she had him. So, she carefully laid out her plan.

Although Liu Kun didn’t know about the daring deeds Mian Tang had pulled off at Yangshan, he knew that this girl had real skills. Back when they were working in the iron mine, it was also Liu Mian Tang who had made all the arrangements for the master.

So, as he listened to her detailed plan, his confidence grew, and he resolved to carry it out, determined to return to Xizhou with a large fortune and in grand style.

Seeing that Liu Kun had relented, Mian Tang didn’t miss the opportunity to give him a bit more encouragement: "Now that’s the Liu Kun I know, the mighty Master of Heaven and Earth, Liu Kun!"

Liu Kun squinted at his young mistress, thinking that her cheerful, scheming expression was exactly the same as Master Lu's when he was younger!

The next day, as the Lu family caravan prepared to depart, Liu Mian Tang, having caught a cold, covered her face with a scarf and only boarded the carriage once it had been pulled into the courtyard.

After the caravan had been on its way for a while, Liu Kun, along with two of his men, followed behind Liu Mian Tang, who had disguised herself in men’s clothing, sneaking out through the back door of the inn’s kitchen.

At that moment, they stayed hidden, watching as Fan Hu and his men, who had been staying across the street, also set off, unknowingly trailing behind the decoy caravan.

This was Liu Mian Tang's plan: she had Fang Xie wear her clothes and cover her face, pretending to be her. By using the excuse of a cold to avoid getting off the carriage, she hoped to maintain the ruse along the entire journey. Fan Hu, unaware that she had intentionally stayed behind, would surely do his utmost to protect her uncle on their way back to Xizhou.

Now that all the burdens were cast off, Liu Mian Tang felt free from worries and finally ready to take bold action.

As for the goods she planned to purchase, she had already selected them—fabrics and dried medicinal herbs, items that were less likely to be damaged during travel.

Having run a pharmacy near the border for many months, she was well-versed in the pricing of medicinal herbs. When negotiating prices, she was ruthless, precise, and steady.

Additionally, some of the medicine traders were desperate to recoup some of their money before leaving the area, so in the end, they grit their teeth and sold their goods at a low price to the young woman in disguise.

As a result, Liu Mian Tang managed to fill three large carts with goods, all paid for with her silver notes.

She didn’t dare buy too much at first, wanting to test the waters. Therefore, she made an agreement with the other merchants that once she returned, they would discuss the rest of the unsold goods.

Next up was transporting the goods to the Three Passes.

Liu Kun had never known that Miss Liu was so accurate at reading maps. The terrain in the Barbarian lands was filled with many diverging paths, yet Liu Mian Tang's instincts were spot on, leading them smoothly to the shortcut path that had been cleared through the mountains.

Mian Tang didn’t rush to proceed; instead, she sent one of the guards ahead to scout the area. The guard reported back that he had found a patch of charcoal halfway up the mountain, indicating that people had once camped there. However, there was no trace of them now. Judging by the charcoal, it seemed the campfire had been abandoned a long time ago.

Mian Tang nodded; the result was as she expected. Prince Huaiyang's forces had advanced quickly, rendering the military shortcut obsolete, and the local villagers were mostly unaware of its existence, which worked greatly to her advantage.

If her prediction was correct, the border restrictions would soon be lifted. When that happened, her ability to profit from rare goods would disappear, and these items would no longer fetch high prices.

The window to make good money was only open for a few days.

She had to make the most of it, and with enough profit from this deal, she'd have the capital to expand her business ventures. Her path forward would be much smoother...

The moment she thought about making money, Mian Tang's eyes lit up. Truthfully, when her uncle had vaguely mentioned her involvement with Zi Yu on Yangshan Mountain, she couldn't fathom why she had helped him.

With so many profitable ventures in the world, why had she tied herself so firmly to a rebel cause? Had she and Zi Yu once shared feelings for each other? She honestly couldn’t remember, and it seemed likely that Zi Yu had long since forgotten as well.

After all, back then Cui Jiu had deliberately informed her about Zi Yu's marriage to General Shi’s daughter… Although Cui Jiu clearly didn’t have good intentions, it was obvious that any feelings she had once shared with Zi Yu had long been severed.

But why would someone go so far as to sever her tendons? Mian Tang had a gut feeling that this couldn’t have been the doing of the sickly Zi Yu.

In any case, the person who crippled her needed to stay alive—such a deep grudge couldn’t go unavenged. If she didn’t exact her revenge, then she might as well change her name to Liu Turtle!

In Mian Tang's mind, there were so many things she needed to accomplish that they temporarily dulled the pain of separation. The grief and sorrow of an abandoned woman were luxuries reserved for noble ladies with no worries of food or drink.

As for her, Liu Mian Tang had over a hundred mouths to feed and a gravely ill grandfather awaiting her care. Any thoughts of that handsome false husband and their sweet past would have to wait until she had the time.

For now, Mian Tang spent her days traveling and her nights planning the next leg of the journey with others. By the time she crawled into her small tent to sleep, her legs ached and she was so exhausted that she could close her eyes and immediately fall asleep.

What she had expected to be a wave of overwhelming grief and sorrow had no time to bother her.

By the time they reached the Three Passes, Mian Tang and her group were covered in dust from their journey, and she felt like she reeked with a sour stench. But they had cartloads of goods that needed to be sold off quickly!

So, as soon as they settled down, Mian Tang didn’t even bother to wash up. She found a corner on the street, displayed her goods, and almost immediately, people started coming to buy.

At first, there weren’t many customers, but gradually, return buyers started bringing others along. There were even some unidentified barbarians coming to purchase.

Since Mian Tang no longer held the status of a military spouse, she had fully embraced the opportunistic mindset of a profiteer, her sense of morality dropping significantly.

As long as the barbarians weren’t buying weapons or medicines for treating wounds—anything that could benefit the barbarian army or bandits—and as long as they had real gold and silver and were willing to pay three times what the Han people did, she would sell to them without hesitation!

She even sweetened the deal: for minor ailments, a half-baked doctor was thrown in along with a free prescription!

Thanks to previous pointers from Madam Lin, Mian Tang had developed a keen ear for barbarian accents, making the transactions even smoother.

She noticed that several times, the people buying her medicine were high-nosed barbarians speaking in the accent of the Qangqi tribe. This indicated that they were not from the same tribe as A'Gushan, and they were purchasing medicine for treating cold-related illnesses. It seemed that someone was gravely ill, which had driven them to risk coming to the Three Passes to buy medicine.

However, on the second day, a familiar face appeared to buy medicine.

When Mian Tang saw Madam Lin, accompanied by several tall attendants, standing in front of her cart, she couldn’t help but look up in surprise.

Mian Tang was currently disguised as a man, and her face wasn’t particularly clean, so she wasn’t sure if Madam Lin would recognize her.

Unexpectedly, Madam Lin chuckled and said, "Young brother, I see you've been busy all morning. You should take a break and have a cup of tea. Would you care to join me for a drink?"

Her words caused the elderly women who were buying medicine to turn their heads, astonished at the barbarian woman’s impropriety. They thought it scandalous that she would invite a man to tea so openly on the street.

No wonder people said the barbarians had no sense of propriety. Even their women would drag a handsome Han man into their tents if they saw one!

However, the young man in question turned out to be equally lacking in dignity, as he nodded and agreed. Then, he followed the barbarian woman away.

When they reached a courtyard, Mian Tang glanced at the respectful men trailing behind Madam Lin. A few of them looked familiar, likely the ones who had previously bought medicine from her.

Mian Tang asked, "It seems you've found your relatives, Madam Lin? I didn’t expect to see you here at the Three Passes."

Madam Lin replied, "It's a long story, one that can’t be explained in just a few words. Let's talk inside."

She pulled Mian Tang into the room, where two barbarian women were sitting on the kang, playing with little Walnut.

When little Walnut saw Liu Mian Tang enter, he froze, his big eyes staring at the dirty little shepherd uncle.

This made Mian Tang feel a bit embarrassed about hugging her godson, afraid that she might stink the little one so much that he’d tumble over.

Madam Lin turned to the two older women and instructed, "Go, prepare a bath for our esteemed guest, and also ready all kinds of fine horse feed and food."

The two women immediately accepted the orders and left. Madam Lin, not minding Mian Tang’s condition, warmly held her hand and sat her down on the kang. "Time flies so quickly. By now, it’s been several months since we last saw each other. If I hadn’t gone to the market today and heard my servant mention buying medicine from you yesterday, I might have missed you altogether!"

Mian Tang looked over at Madam Lin and asked, "Are you unwell?"

Madam Lin shook her head and pointed to the little boy climbing over Mian Tang. "It's my son. He’s been running a high fever for the past few days, which has been terribly distressing for me. I brought him here with a group to find a doctor. However, with the blockade in place, it’s been impossible to buy medicine. I was about to send someone to break through the blockade to get herbal medicine when you arrived. The medicine you provided worked wonders. After just one dose, his fever subsided, and look at him now—he’s full of energy and mischief again!"

Indeed, Little Walnut was now rubbing his little finger on Mian Tang's hand, trying to clean off the dirt. Mian Tang couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time, amused by the little one's earnest efforts.

Then, Madam Lin began to recount what had happened since her last meeting with Mian Tang.

It turned out that after Fan Hu had arranged for her to be settled in a safe place, her father’s trusted subordinates had found her. Her father was the leader of their tribe.

Although her father was absent, his influence still loomed large. Their tribe had fallen on hard times, being oppressed by outsiders. They urgently needed someone to rally the people and restore the tribe to its former glory.

As their tribe's new leader, Lin Siyue had become the bearer of all their hopes, bringing newfound cohesion to their previously disbanded people.

Madam Lin spoke vaguely, not revealing the name of their tribe, and Mian Tang didn’t press further. After all, these were internal matters of the barbarian tribes, and as a mere herbalist, she wasn’t inclined to inquire too deeply.

However, Madam Lin was curious about why Mian Tang, who was originally a military dependent, now found herself in such a situation. Mian Tang preferred not to disclose her identity as the ex-mistress of the Supreme Commander of the Northwest to the barbarians, so she simply explained that she and Cui Jiu had parted ways and were no longer together.

Most women might have asked more questions about the reasons, but for Lin Siyue, abandoning a man was quite normal. 

She simply nodded and said, "If it weren't for the need to raise children, men would be of little use. I also joined that merchant from within the pass to escape the disasters of my tribe. If his family didn’t drive me away, I wouldn’t have stayed with him and my child for long. However, Mr. Cui's appearance is quite handsome. Since things didn’t work out between you two, it’s not a great loss. You can always find someone better in the future."

Mian Tang laughed heartily, realizing that her unconventional ideas seemed perfectly normal to the barbarian woman. It appeared that her initial attraction to the second young master of the Hu family was also based on his appearance, and she had a son with him! In the barbarian tribes, there is no distinction between grandsons and step-grandsons.

Lin Siyue’s son was regarded as a little prince of their tribe.

Afterward, Mian Tang enjoyed a refreshing hot bath at Lin Siyue’s place and changed into clean undergarments provided by her.

Little Walnut, having seen his godmother bathed and freshened up, became even more affectionate, smiling shyly at his godmother's beautiful face and insisting on giving her slobbery kisses.

Despite feeling full and satisfied, Mian Tang, when preparing to leave with Uncle Liu and the others, smeared a bit of kitchen soot on her delicate face to avoid being recognized.

Uncle Liu and the others, having sold their goods, were resting at the inn. Seeing Mian Tang arrive with a food box, they ate heartily.

With a generous patron like Mian Tang, the medicinal herbs were quickly sold out, with many inquiring about when she would return if they missed out.

However, the cloths Mian Tang brought were not selling well. Most people were interested in buying scraps for patching up rather than new fabrics. With the war still ongoing, the people of the Three Passes, having just recovered from the barbarians' ravages, could not afford luxuries.

Mian Tang took note of this in her mind, noted the goods she would need to bring next time, and inquired about the largest ranch in the area.

She then drove her load of cloth to the ranch owner and after a good chat, managed to trade the entire load of fine fabric for five sheep pelts.

On the return journey, Mian Tang sat in the empty cart and cut the sheep pelts. Uncle Liu helped her punch holes with an awl and sew them with coarse thread. She made a simple, loose-fitting sheep pelt coat and also made sheep pelt ear protection hats for Uncle Liu and the others.

With autumn already here, and the northwest getting colder faster than other places, the nights felt like winter.

When she left, she not only left behind the house deed but also the expensive mink-lined cloak.

While maintaining her pride, Mian Tang was also freezing badly, especially during the night winds in the countryside. Her longing for that mink cloak felt endless.

So, throughout the journey, she had to make do with an old leather coat of Uncle Liu's.

Now that she had made her own sheepskin coat, Mian Tang returned the coat to Uncle Liu. The coat was made to be quite loose, allowing for a thick cotton jacket to be worn underneath. A coarse rope tied at the waist kept it snug and warm against the cold wind.

Being a girl who loved beauty, Mian Tang, wearing her new coat, stood on the cart and asked the others how she looked.

Uncle Liu adjusted his own sheepskin hat, looked at her somewhat dirty face and bulky outfit, and honestly said, "You look like a shepherd..."

Seeing Mian Tang's face fall, Uncle Liu quickly added, "But you look warm!"

Mian Tang nodded slightly satisfied, as the new coat did indeed make her look more presentable.

The return journey was not as rushed as the trip there. As she leaned back on the cart, Mian Tang watched the sun slowly set over the vast wilderness, casting a breathtaking scene of "the long river and the setting sun."

In the red glow of the setting sun, she had some time to think about the news she had heard while in the Three Passes. It was reported that the 130,000-strong army of Prince Huaiyang, led personally by the commander, was advancing into the deeper territories of the barbarian tribes.

It was said that during the rally at Zhenzhou, Prince Huaiyang, Cui Xingzhou, led the charge, and his soldiers swore an oath, pledging to drive the barbarian tribes out north of Qi Yin Mountain and to ensure that the barbarians would have no intention of invading the Central Plains for a century.

Some of the local people had seen this with their own eyes at Jin Jia Pass and had even sent the troops off with tears in their eyes and voices hoarse from shouting.

The stories went that Prince Huaiyang, in his golden helmet and shining armor, looked so valiant that the entire street of onlookers had tears in their eyes and cheered hoarsely. Such fervor could ignite the blood of even the oldest elder.

Mian Tang sighed, half-closing her eyes as she imagined—such a tall and broad-shouldered man would look even more impressive in bright golden armor, exuding authority and power.

Lost in thought, Mian Tang began to hum a military tune, a song she had heard him sing inadvertently while they bathed in the hot springs. The melody, though typically suited for soldiers and not women, took on a haunting, sorrowful quality in her subdued voice. Accompanied by the creaking of the cart wheels, it traveled with her as she moved forward, never to look back.

Such moments of idle distraction were rare for Mian Tang, and she cherished them more than the luxury of a hot bath.

When she returned to Jintu Town, her finances were abundant, and she was back to her busy self, like a spinning top. This time, she felt more confident and quickly assembled a caravan of ten carts. She didn't just transport medicinal herbs; she also included iron pots, salt, oil, and other scarce goods.

However, after calculating her profits, Mian Tang felt that there was still not enough margin. 

Recalling the scene she had observed at the ranch, she crossed the river and negotiated with the sheep traders on the other side. She agreed on a price with them: if she could bring back the black-tailed sheep unique to the grasslands of the Three Passes, the traders would buy them at a high price.

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