Chapter 56: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 56: 

 

Due to the war, black-tailed fat sheep had become a highly sought-after commodity.

The lords inside the borders were very picky, but they weren’t short of money. During this period when these fat sheep were hard to come by, if she managed to get some, she could sell them at a high price.

Having negotiated the price, Mian Tang felt confident.

When she previously exchanged sheep skins with the rancher, she had discussed the situation with him. During the invasion by the barbarians, he had driven a large flock of sheep into the dense forests by the river and took refuge there with his family, only losing a few lambs and some weak cattle to the barbarians.

However, with the border being sealed for so long, no one knew when it would be lifted.

If he couldn’t sell the sheep, he wouldn’t be able to cover his daily expenses.

So when this seemingly dirty little fellow expressed interest in buying his sheep, despite his initial doubts, he agreed to the price, and even offered a low one.

When Mian Tang arrived at San Guan for the second time, she set up two of her guards at a street corner to sell medicine and daily necessities. Meanwhile, she and Uncle Liu went to the rancher to negotiate.

To the rancher's surprise, this unremarkable sheep herder had indeed come up with the money to buy sheep. The grassland merchants were straightforward and not like the insincere businessmen from the borders, so he sold 200 sheep to Liu Mian Tang at the agreed price without hesitation.

Liu Kun looked at the sheep with concern. They weren't inanimate objects—how were they going to be loaded onto the carts?

Mian Tang, however, had already arranged with the rancher to borrow five shepherds to help drive the sheep to Jintu Town.

Hearing this, Liu Kun quietly said to Mian Tang, "If you have people following us, won't that expose the shortcut through the border?"

Mian Tang was marking the sheep's foreheads with red pigment and replied without looking up, "If that's the case, then the shortcut will no longer be usable. The border is expected to open within half a month, and once that happens, a flood of merchants will come in, and we won’t matter. By then, our wallets will be fuller, and we won't have to face embarrassment. But if we don’t leave now, we might end up being the ones people talk about as fat sheep."

Liu Kun was surprised and asked why Mian Tang thought that way.

Mian Tang adjusted her hat, revealing her bright eyes, and said, "Today on the street, two barbarians were following us and talking in hushed tones. Their accent was heavy, so I couldn't hear everything clearly, but I caught the term 'Hudali.' Hudali is a term used by the barbarians meaning 'to slaughter.' It’s like saying a fat sheep is to be slaughtered. Those two have been following us for days. They probably think we're about done with business and are planning to attack us once we leave town."

Liu Kun was astonished and somewhat embarrassed. As a seasoned veteran, how had he not noticed someone following them?

Mian Tang, however, chuckled and said, "The barbarians can track wolf packs across the plains. They’re quite skilled! And these two look like seasoned experts. If they knew I could speak their language, they might have been more careful. The real question is how many more of their accomplices are out there."

Liu Kun also understood some barbarian language but, being older, he struggled more with learning foreign languages compared to someone like Mian Tang. So, apart from everyday and business-related terms, he couldn’t make out much else.

Mian Tang let Liu Kun take over the task of marking the sheep’s foreheads with red paint, while she rubbed her hands on the wool and pulled out a map from inside her coat, muttering to herself, "If I were to stage an ambush, where would I strike to ensure success?"

Liu Kun glanced at Mian Tang and thought how unusual it was. While other young women might panic and consult their elders if they were targeted by barbarian bandits, Mian Tang, deeply engrossed in her map, clearly had a plan and was contemplating how to handle the situation herself.

Liu Kun couldn't help but compare Mian Tang's audacious demeanor to that of her grandfather, Lu Wu, who had been renowned for his shrewdness in his younger days. It was surprising that while Lu Wu's sons had not inherited his sharpness, his granddaughter had taken up his traits almost perfectly.

He sighed, thinking about the glory of the past. If Lu Wu were still in his prime, the reputation of the Shenwei Escort Agency would not have declined so drastically.

But for now, the most pressing concern was dealing with the bandits targeting them.

Following Mian Tang's advice, Liu Kun paid closer attention and indeed spotted the two suspicious-looking barbarians trailing them. Three Passes was a chaotic area, a place once teeming with bandits and mercenaries. Although it had since been brought under control by Prince Huaiyang, with local officials and militia maintaining order, the threat of bandits remained a real concern.

So, while the number of barbarians had decreased compared to the past, many former nomads had turned to commerce. 

Because of this, Liu Kun had initially overlooked the two barbarians following them. 

Mian Tang had successfully purchased a large number of black-tailed sheep and achieved her goal for this trip. Additionally, the goods she brought on her second trip had sold well. After all, items like iron pots and salt were necessities for every household.

Although the salt Mian Tang sold was not as fine and white as the salt from Sichuan, it was still a valuable commodity. This type of salt, extracted from private wells, easily avoided official taxes and was hard to trace, so Mian Tang was able to sell it at a very low price.

Although the people in San Guan could get salt, its price was exorbitant, comparable to that of meat. Many impoverished families, unable to afford it for a long time, eagerly dipped their fingers into a small jar of salt when they could afford it, savoring every bit as if it were a rare treasure, which brought them a sense of relief and joy.

Before long, the entire cart of well salt and the six or seven iron pots had been sold out, and the local apothecary bought all the medicinal herbs to process them into pills.

With the cart emptied, Mian Tang could load the sheep. However, not all the sheep could fit on the cart, so she only allowed the weaker, older ones to be loaded to avoid them becoming exhausted on the journey.

After loading the cart, Mian Tang and her team spent the night at the inn. Since the sheep and the cart needed to be watched over, Mian Tang volunteered to keep guard herself.

Knowing that they were being watched, Mian Tang decided not to rush the return trip. Driving a large flock of sheep made it impossible to move quickly. 

Once they were out of town, however, the tailing barbarians disappeared. Mian Tang knew that the thieves, having figured out their departure time and route, had likely gone ahead to set up an ambush in a more suitable location.

Although Liu Kun frequently transported goods, it was always with a team of bodyguards, making them bolder and more secure, especially with local officials arranged to ensure safe passage. As long as they avoided risky shortcuts, major incidents were rare.

Now, however, they had only four people, not including the hired shepherds and car drivers. Among them, Mian Tang was injured and unable to fight.

Knowing the danger of the mountain paths, Liu Kun had never ventured through such perilous routes before. 

As they approached a desolate area, Liu Kun urged Mian Tang to reconsider, suggesting they wait until the border was reopened and then take the safer main roads. 

But Mian Tang was firm in her decision: “No, if we wait until the official roads are reopened, the sheep won’t fetch the price we’re hoping for. Don’t worry, Liu Uncle, I’ve got a plan…”

She leaned closer to Liu Kun and whispered her strategy. 

Liu Kun's eyes widened with each detail, his gaze shifting nervously toward the ten carts. The carts were filled with sheep that were too weak to keep up with the main group, having been temporarily placed on the carts. As night approached, the sight of the carts was a sea of white, the sheep huddled together, creating a restless scene.

As the convoy of carts and sheep slowly entered the wilderness, they approached a canyon. At this point, Mian Tang suddenly commanded the convoy to halt and prepare to rest, suggesting they cook and have dinner right there.

Several shepherds were puzzled and asked Mian Tang, who was dressed in men’s clothing, “Why not continue to the stream past the canyon? It would be more convenient for camping there.”

Mian Tang remained unmoved and insisted, “We’ll rest here.”

Since the leader had spoken, everyone complied and began to set up camp.

The bandits, hiding in the shadows, were frustrated. If the convoy had gone just a little further, they would have reached the canyon, where the bandits had set traps. They could have easily surrounded and ambushed the merchants without any effort.

But now, the bandits were frustrated that the convoy had abandoned a much better camping site and instead stayed by the barren roadside. This made it more challenging for them to encircle the convoy in the vast open wilderness.

As the bandit leader furrowed his brows in frustration, one of his subordinates approached and asked in their native tongue, “Should we wait until morning to attack?”

The leader shook his head. Originally, his plan was to leave no survivors, but now the priority was to loot their silver and fat sheep. 

Since the Three Passes region was a mix of barbarian and Han territories, it would be easy for them to return to their own lands and lay low until the heat died down. They could always come back to the Three Passes for more plundering later.

Deciding to take advantage of the merchants’ moment of relaxation as they prepared their meal, the bandit leader chose to launch a surprise attack.

Barbarian raiders were known for their ruthless methods. They didn’t waste time with grandiose declarations like "This mountain is ours." When it came to using their knives, there was no unnecessary chatter.

As they emerged from their hiding spots with fierce expressions, they swiftly approached the campsite, ready to strike and kill without leaving any survivors. One of the bandits notched an arrow and aimed it at the dirty-faced young man standing on the cart.

The bandits were expecting the young man to fall immediately, but to their surprise, she swiftly used a small iron pot to block the arrow, which clanged off harmlessly.

The young woman reacted quickly; after deflecting the arrow, she blew a sharp iron whistle and leaped down from the cart, disappearing into the sea of white sheep.

The drivers and herders in the convoy, having been instructed by Mian Tang, immediately dove into the sheep once they heard the whistle. Though they were confused, they followed her orders.

The bandits, seeing this, couldn’t help but laugh. They thought it was amusing that these soft Han people believed they could hide in the sheep and be safe.

They were ready to attack, thinking these were just lambs waiting to be slaughtered. However, as they charged towards the seemingly unguarded sheep and carts, suddenly, from the sea of sheep, over twenty “sheep monsters” sprang up in a semi-circle.

When the bandits saw that the “sheep” standing up were actually strong men dressed in sheep skins with horns, it was already too late. The men, armed with bows and arrows, began shooting in a rapid volley. The arrows rained down on the bandits, causing them to cry out in pain and collapse. Even those who managed to fend off the initial barrage were quickly dispatched by the burly men who leapt down from the carts, wielding broad blades.

Liu Kun, who had not hidden with the drivers and herders, fought alongside the disguised men. The battle was over much faster than expected; within the span of a tea break, most of the bandits were either killed or injured and fleeing down the cliff.

As Mian Tang emerged from the sheep pile, she saw Liu Kun and the others clearing the battlefield, finishing off the surviving bandits. The drivers and herders, still trembling with fear, were visibly shaken.

Mian Tang approached the lead man, a robust fellow named A'Lian, and clasped her hands in thanks. “Thank you for your help. I’m sorry for the inconvenience of having you hidden among the sheep. Your assistance was invaluable.”

A Lian, adhering to the customs of the barbarian tribe, returned the gesture with respect, speaking in fluent Han Chinese, “You are not only our young prince’s benefactor but also a great friend to our tribe. There is no need for thanks for dealing with these bandits.”

It turned out that these men were followers of Lin Siyue.

When Mian Tang realized she was being targeted by the barbarian bandits, she knew that her own small group wouldn't be enough to ensure their safety. So, she decided to seek help from Lin Siyue.

Without hesitation, Lin Siyue had immediately dispatched warriors from her tribe to assist Mian Tang. 

Thus, Mian Tang had set a clever trap. The night before setting out from the carriage inn, she had the barbarian warriors disguise themselves in sheep skins and hide in the ten carts filled with sheep. This deception was meant to mislead the pursuing bandits, making it difficult for them to gauge the situation. They then stopped in an open, suitable area for archery, waiting for the bandits to take the bait.

As expected, the impatient bandits revealed themselves as soon as they saw the caravan stop.

The carters were initially stunned and complained that their employer hadn’t been truthful with them.

Mian Tang, smiling, explained, “I didn’t tell you before because I was afraid you’d be scared and give away our secrets. If the bandits realized something was wrong, they might have prepared more thoroughly and brought even more men. We’d have had to deal with a whole pack of hungry wolves, which would be much more difficult even with our preparations.”

The carters and shepherds thought to themselves that if they had known, they would have refused the job outright and left. However, having already traveled most of the way, they knew that with their young employer’s cleverness, they wouldn’t get paid until they reached their destination. So they had no choice but to continue, hoping for a smooth journey and no more bandit attacks.

With the threat of the bandits dealt with, Mian Tang could now travel with peace of mind. 

As they were in the wilderness, they could only manage to eat cold food during the day, with proper meals being prepared only at night. 

To thank the warriors of the Madam Lin's tribe for their help, Mian Tang organized a small feast the following night. She had the carters and shepherds gather wild fruits, herbs, and wild ginger. Liu Kun selected three large sheep, slaughtered them, and cut the meat into large chunks. These were cooked with the wild vegetables and ginger until tender, then served with dipping sauces.

Even without any alcohol, everyone enjoyed the lamb stew heartily.

The black-tail sheep was naturally tender and flavorful, requiring little seasoning. Once it was cooked until tender, dipping it in salt offered a unique taste. Mian Tang added her own chili oil, which neutralized the gamey smell of the lamb and provided a spicy kick that danced on the taste buds.

Even Liu Kun found the chili oil particularly delicious.

When he inquired, Mian Tang explained that her chili oil was made from small peanuts, cardamom, licorice, dried tangerine peel, and other spices ground together, then mixed with chunks of ginger and scallions and fried. The oil was then strained and poured over finely ground red chili powder from Lingnan, with the sesame seeds being imported from afar.

Liu Kun was surprised to learn that the chili oil Mian Tang carried with her was so meticulously prepared.

Mian Tang smiled ruefully. Having been deceived into being a military spouse and spending her days either in the medicine shop or in the kitchen learning to cook for her husband, she had acquired a refined palate for high-class cuisine. She had learned a lot from Li Mama, including the method for making this chili oil.

When they left Wuning Pass, Li Mama almost cleared out the small kitchen for her, sending wither her, along various seasonings, three large bags of honey-glazed meat jerky, along with a few big pots of steamed buns.

Unfortunately, on the way, Fan Hu and the others ate so much that her snacks were eventually used to accompany the buns.

Fortunately, she had saved this jar of chili oil. Even with the plainest hard biscuits, the chili oil could make them more appetizing.

As Mian Tang reminisced about the relatively peaceful days she had spent in the house over the past two years, it felt almost like a lifetime ago.

Now that the jar of chili oil was nearly finished, she resolved not to dwell on the past days spent around the kitchen and courtyard. As she finished a big bowl of mutton soup, she thought that she probably wouldn’t look back on those times again.

During the meal, Mian Tang chatted with A'Lian to gather information about the situation among the barbarians.

According to A'Lian, A'Gushan was known for his cruelty and was never well-regarded by the various barbarian tribes. He was tolerated as long as he won battles and shared the spoils of war. However, now that A'Gushan was suffering defeat after defeat at the hands of Prince Huaiyang, dissatisfaction was growing among the tribes following him. They were becoming increasingly weary and hoped for a swift resolution to the conflict.

But Prince Huaiyang seemed to have no intention of negotiating, appearing determined to wipe out A'Gushan completely.

Mian Tang listened without revealing her thoughts, then suddenly asked, “Has your Guli tribe also fought alongside A'Gushan?”

A'Lian spat disdainfully onto the ground and said, “Who would ally with a scavenging wolf that feeds on rotten meat? Even if all the people of our Guli tribe were to die, we would never submit to A'Gushan…”

After saying this, A'Lian seemed to realize he had spoken out of turn and fell silent, focusing on eating the mutton.

Mian Tang, holding her bowl and sipping the mutton soup, found her thoughts drifting to a strange association. She recalled hearing Cui Xingzhou tell stories about the succession of the barbarian kings.

Suddenly, she thought of the barbarian chieftain who had died at A'Gushan's hands. It was said that the chieftain’s only daughter had disappeared after her father’s death.

This coincided with the time when Madam Lin had aligned herself with the Hu family’s second son. Furthermore, Madam Lin spoke Han language and had refined manners, suggesting she had likely been educated by Han scholars at a young age. Such luxury was unusual for a tribal princess…

And now, these warriors around her seemed very different from the typical flat-nosed barbarians, and they certainly weren’t ordinary barbarian herders.

Hearing them speak with the pure accent of the Wangqi region, Mian Tang couldn’t help but speculate whether Lin Siyue might be the missing daughter of the old chieftain.

However, since the other party clearly preferred not to have their details explored, Mian Tang tactfully refrained from asking further and urged them to return quickly.

If her suspicions were correct, Lin Siyue and her son, Little Walnut, were likely in great danger. If A'Gushan discovered that the old chieftain's bloodline still existed, he would undoubtedly want to eliminate it completely. Therefore, Lin Siyue couldn’t afford to be short of protection.

So, early the next morning, Mian Tang asked A'Lian to come over again to thank him, explaining that they were nearing Jintu Town and wouldn’t need their escort any longer. She asked them to head back.

A'Lian, however, refused to leave. He insisted that his lady had instructed him to ensure Miss Liu’s safety before he could return.

Nian Tang, however, said with a serious expression, “I’ve heard that Prince Huaiyang has stationed many spies in Jintu Town. Your appearance is quite conspicuous. If you get too close, you might be captured and interrogated by the officials. If that happens, who will look after Miss Lin?”

This made A'Lian hesitate. The princess and the young prince were the last hopes of their tribe; any mistake would be irreparable.

Mian Tang, skilled in persuasion, managed to convince A'Lian to agree to return.

As she watched A'Lian and his men leave, Mian Tang let out a slow sigh of relief. With these elite warriors having already severely injured the bandits, the remaining ones were no longer a significant threat. Even if they sought revenge, they would be powerless to obstruct her for now.

The remaining cargo was mainly the sheep, which were live animals requiring careful handling. Mian Tang aimed to travel quickly and leave the northwest as soon as possible. She hoped that Miss Lin and her son would soon find peace and security.

The journey continued smoothly, and they arrived at Jintu Town without any further issues.

The arrival of such a large flock of sheep caused quite a stir in the town. Bringing in a herd of sheep at this time was no small feat. Sheep traders from the town flocked to Mian Tang to negotiate purchasing them, and the prices offered kept rising.

In the end, Mian Tang decided to divide the sheep into three groups and sold them to the three highest bidders.

Liu Kun couldn’t stop smiling. Despite the risks of the journey, the profits were substantial, equivalent to four or five regular trips. Mian Tang and Liu Kun exchanged the cash for silver notes, which they wrapped in thick oilcloth and sewed into the lining of their sheepskin coats, keeping it on even while they slept at night.

However, when they set out early the next morning, Mian Tang found a small forest to change into women’s clothing. She also instructed Liu Kun and the other bodyguards to shave off their beards.

As seasoned wanderers, shaving off their beards felt like erasing their personal history, and Liu Kun and the others firmly refused to do so.

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