Chapter 60: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

 FlamingoBees 

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 60: 

 

Lu Wu didn’t know what schemes were brewing in Mian Tang's mind. Listening to her words, he merely thought it was the playful teasing of a child and laughed heartily without giving it much thought.

Mian Tang also laughed along, but her laughter held a much deeper meaning.

The next day, she went to find her eldest uncle and asked him how many regular customers the Lu family's security bureau still had.

Lu Xian felt a bit embarrassed by his niece's question and, with a face full of shame, said, "Our security bureau used to mainly handle long-distance escorts, but after losing credibility from a few failed deliveries, our reputation suffered. Now, we’re left with only a few short-distance jobs in nearby provinces. The remaining business barely makes enough to support a few workers—better than nothing, I suppose."

Mian Tang then inquired about the family's side businesses in river transport and camel caravans, but none of them were doing well, either, with few profits left.

Mian Tang nodded and said to her eldest uncle, "The money I earned before—Grandfather refuses to take it. You know how stubborn he can be. But the family urgently needs funds, and that estate was part of Grandmother's dowry. We absolutely cannot sell it. So instead, why don't we think of a way to supplement the household income? You can assess the security bureau’s business, and I’ll buy it from you. That way, the family will have money, and we won't have to sell the estate."

Lu Xian turned to her suspiciously and said, "What kind of mischief are you planning now? Your grandfather doesn’t want you causing any more trouble. It’s better to stay quietly at home, and in a few days, we’ll find a good matchmaker to arrange a proper marriage for you..."

Mian Tang didn’t wait for her eldest uncle to finish nagging and simply asked, "If you don't sell it to me, I'll find another way to stir up trouble. When that happens, don't say I’m being unreasonable and causing problems for the family again..."

If any of the other Lu family children had said this, Lu Xian would have dismissed it as youthful bravado. But since it was Mian Tang who said it, his heart started pounding with anxiety.

After all, he hadn’t lost his memory. He knew exactly how much trouble this little lady could cause! Since she wanted the remains of the failing security bureau, he figured he might as well give it to her. It would keep her occupied and perhaps keep her behaving in the West Prefecture for a while.

Since Lu Wu no longer handled the family's affairs, Lu Xian thought it over and went to discuss it with the second brother. When Lu Mu heard about it, he asked, "How much silver is Mian Tang planning to offer?"

Lu Xian replied honestly, "One thousand taels..."

Lu Mu’s eyes widened in shock. That short-distance security bureau hardly made a hundred taels in a year on a good day, and yet she was offering a thousand taels to buy it?

So he cautiously asked Lu Xian, "There were rumors back on Yangshan Mountain that she took some silver and fled in secret... Do you think..."

"Think what, my ass!" Lu Xian cursed harshly at his second brother. "Those backstabbing scoundrels on Yangshan would do anything to smear Mian Tang! If she had truly taken that large sum of silver, would those bastards on Yangshan be sitting quietly, not coming after her?"

Lu Mu quickly tried to calm his elder brother down and said, "I wasn’t suggesting our Mian Tang did anything wrong. It's just... where did she get that much silver?"

Lu Xian, suppressing his temper a little, replied, "You still don't know Mian Tang's abilities? During the lockdown in the Northwest, she traded some Black-Tailed Fat Sheep. Nowadays, in the mansions of high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital, those sheep are sold by the jin, and they we’re worth a fortune. She made some money from that and has probably been using it indirectly to help support the family."

Upon hearing this, Lu Mu nodded repeatedly and praised Mian Tang for being such a considerate child who thought of her family. He then said, "Since Mian Tang has the Lu family in her heart, it wouldn’t be right for you to ignore her good intentions. She’s still a young girl, and when she gets married in the future, she’ll need the Lu family to back her up. If our family collapses, who knows how much the girls in our family would have to suffer at their in-laws' homes!"

Lu Xian sighed deeply at this, and in the end, it was Lu Mu who helped him make the decision to agree to hand over what little business remained of the security bureau to Mian Tang.

Although Mian Tang was considered part of the Lu family, her surname was still Liu. So on the day the security bureau’s ownership was officially transferred and a new owner took charge, Mian Tang ordered two strings of firecrackers to be lit. As they crackled loudly, the old plaque that had hung for decades with the words "Shenwei (Divine Might) Security Bureau" was taken down.

The onlookers watched as the new plaque was hung up, their eyes widening as they carefully read the characters on the sign: "Liang Xin (Honest Heart) Security Bureau!"

Some shook their heads, commenting that the new owner of the bureau didn’t seem to have much learning. The name didn’t have the same imposing presence as the old one.

But Mian Tang paid no attention to the crowd’s murmurs behind her. She smiled contentedly at the plaque she had personally written, feeling proud that her calligraphy had finally made its way into a formal setting. It truly was a moment of honor!

With the opening of the new security bureau, she recruited some new workers, many of whom were orphans long supported by the Lu family.

One of the young men, named He Quansheng, heard that the Lu family's granddaughter had bought the security bureau and took the initiative to offer himself as a security escort. His father had once been a security escort for the Shenwei Security Bureau, but sadly, after contracting typhoid fever while away on business, he died from lack of timely treatment.

Mian Tang sat at the bureau’s counter, sipping tea as she sized up the young man through the rim of her cup. He had thick eyebrows and large eyes, and was quite handsome. She then asked, "You want to be a security escort—do you have any special skills for the job?"

The young man didn’t say a word. He simply stood in the main hall and performed a set of long fist boxing techniques. The movements were accompanied by the sound of wind, executed with precision and efficiency, not as a flashy display but as solid, practical martial arts.

Mian Tang, being someone who knew quality, couldn’t help but nod in approval. Although this young man’s skills lacked the seasoned finesse compared to that military officer on North Street, his abilities were still quite good.

“Good moves! But unfortunately, our security bureau is small, and we can’t afford to pay much. Would you still be willing to work here?”

He Quansheng glanced at the bright and beautiful Miss Liu in front of him, feeling a bit embarrassed, and looked away. Yet, he replied earnestly, “My mother always told me that over the years, we’ve received much kindness from the Lu family. She constantly reminded me that once I became an adult, I should repay the Lu family for their care. I previously went to offer my services to the old master, but he said he didn’t need more people and suggested that you could use some capable hands... I don’t need a monthly wage. The Lu family has already given my mother and me ten years' worth of wages. When you no longer need me here, I’ll leave.”

After hearing this, Mian Tang nodded. Her grandfather had been righteous all his life, and not everyone he raised turned out to be an ungrateful wolf. So she pointed to the plaque above her and said, “Though this place is a bit rundown, it bears the words ‘Honest Heart.’ Since you are a man with an honest heart, you are certainly welcome here.”

And so, Mian Tang’s small, humble security bureau was officially open for business.

As with any new business, they needed to build some popularity, so they temporarily lowered their fees to attract customers. They even put up a sign offering half off the security fees for merchants who came in within the first month.

Meanwhile, the old-timers from the Shenwei Security Bureau could often be found drinking tea at the teahouses in West Prefecture, chatting about this newly opened "Honest Heart Security Bureau." One by one, they shook their heads with wry smiles, resigned to the situation.

They would say that Old Master Lu’s granddaughter was really a handful, always stirring up trouble! Since ancient times, there hadn’t been any stories of a female boss making her mark in the security escort business!

And sure enough, in the following days, the entrance to the Honest Heart Security Bureau was deserted, with hardly a soul in sight.

However, the young Miss Liu who was in charge didn’t seem worried at all. She continued to eat and drink as usual, and even occasionally took strolls along the canal, admiring the bleak winter scenery by the riverbank.

After a while, the family couldn’t bear to watch anymore.

One day, while the women of the two households were gathered together cutting fabric and sewing clothes, the eldest aunt, Madam Shen, couldn’t help but vent to Mian Tang: “Your eldest uncle is such a muddle-headed man. How could he foolishly hand over the security bureau to you? A few days ago, when Father heard about this absurd affair, he scolded your two uncles until their heads were spinning. He told them to return the silver to you... That silver was originally divided into three shares by your second uncle. The portion intended for our branch of the family hasn’t been touched by your eldest uncle at all; he’s been saving it to add to your dowry. As for the rest...”

Second Aunt, Madam Quan, interrupted the eldest aunt’s words: "What do you mean by saying we divided Mian Tang’s money? Eldest Brother is in debt up to his ears from doing business in the Northwest. My simple-hearted man thought that using the money from the security bureau to help cover Eldest Brother’s debts would be a good idea. As for the other two portions, they weren’t divided among anyone; they were simply allocated for public expenses and future contingencies... Recently, our Second Lu borrowed some money from my dowry to cover public expenses. Now that the bureau has been sold, he should repay the money he owes me, right?"

Everyone fell silent upon hearing this. It was well known that Madam Quan seemed to have endless dowry funds, and since she said so, no one dared to question the accounts of the second household.

Mian Tang, with an injury that made it hard to work for too long, took a break from cutting fabric and started eating the red bean cakes made by Eldest Aunt. Hearing Madam Quan’s hurried explanation, she smiled and said, "There are so many places where money is needed at home. Once it's spent, there’s no turning back. Since Grandfather has already scolded everyone, please let the two uncles use the money. As for my dowry in the future, don’t worry about it, either of you."

Second Aunt Quan quickly replied, "Exactly! Mian Tang isn’t really trying to make a business out of the security bureau; she’s just finding ways to support the family. Eldest Sister-in-Law, don’t be embarrassed. Mian Tang has money now; this amount isn’t significant to her at all..."

Madam Shen was about to continue speaking, but the topic was swiftly shifted by Madam Quan to the Su family who were coming to visit. She mentioned that Master Su and his family were arriving in West Prefecture soon and that everyone should support and entertain the distinguished guests well, helping her daughter secure a happy marriage.

As the conversation turned to lighter and more jovial topics, Madam Shen felt it was inappropriate to bring up the issue of returning the money from the second household.

Meanwhile, the Su family’s young master, whom the Lu family’s second household had been eagerly anticipating, arrived in West Prefecture punctually the next day.

The second household had renovated the Lu family's residence extensively in preparation for the Su family’s visit. If the Su family hadn’t shown up, it was feared that the second household might have demolished the old house and rebuilt it entirely.

However, Mian Tang did not stay at home to join the Lu family in welcoming the prospective son-in-law. She had her own engagements for the day.

Having previously worked with the He family from Lingquan Town in the royal business, Mian Tang had timed her schedule to coincide with the He family's visit to purchase high-quality dyes.

In the vast region of Great Yan, only one type of dye, derived from the saliva of a specific tortoise native to West Prefecture, produced an elegant and subdued green color. This dye had always been monopolized by the He family.

Mian Tang had heard from He Zhen that her father enjoyed the local specialties of crispy duck and drunken crab from West Prefecture, so every year, he would stay a few days in West Prefecture while selecting the ancestral green dye.

Recalling this past event, Mian Tang kept track of the timing and walked by the dock near the canal daily. Her patience paid off, and she finally awaited the arrival of the He family's merchant ship.

To her surprise, two people disembarked from the ship: besides Master He, Miss He Zhen, the third young lady of the He family, had also come to West Prefecture with her father.

When He Zhen saw Mian Tang, who was wearing a hood and a large cloak, she exclaimed in surprise, “Madam Cui, aren’t you going to the Northwest? What are you doing here?”

The He family, being from Lingquan Town, was unaware of the recent upheaval involving the Cui family in the Northwest. He Zhen had been feeling quite troubled lately, and seeing Mian Tang felt like encountering a savior. As her father turned to speak with the boatmen, she quietly confided in Mian Tang, “Since you left, I haven’t had anyone to talk to... Do you know, Prince Huaiyang... he is about to be married off!”

Mian Tang, upon hearing this, slowly lifted her gaze and silently stared at He Zhen. The He family, being royal merchants, knew a lot about the happenings in the capital.

He Zhen continued in her sorrowful tone, “I heard that the Empress Dowager intends to marry her own daughter to Prince Huaiyang... This means... there is no hope left.”

Mian Tang understood what He Zhen meant. Historically, no prince consort would dare to take concubines casually. With Cui Xingzhou becoming the Empress Dowager’s son-in-law, he would likely have no other thoughts but to focus solely on harmonizing with the princess.

He Zhen had originally hoped that Prince Huaiyang might break off the engagement, giving her a slim chance. But now, with the prospect of marrying a princess, it seemed far better to have married his virtuous and accommodating cousin instead.

He Zhen poured out many of her pent-up feelings but noticed that Mian Tang did not comfort or console her as she had in the past. Mian Tang simply stared at the river, her expression as calm and unruffled as the still water.

Feeling somewhat awkward, He Zhen asked, “By the way, you still haven’t said why you’re here?”

Mian Tang seemed to come to her senses and smiled slightly, saying, “I’m here to check on the shipping business.”

He Zhen, not suspecting anything, warmly recommended, “The Cao family’s shipping company we use is reliable and fair-priced. You should consider using them for your shipping needs.”

However, Mian Tang shook her head firmly and said, “I don’t need to use their services.”

He Zhen asked in surprise, “Why not?”

Mian Tang smiled and replied directly, “I’ve heard that their company started by breaking away from the Shenwei Escort Agency and privately taking on escort contracts. Shortly after establishing their shipping company, the goods they handled were frequently stopped and taxed by officials, resulting in additional charges. Even if the escort fees themselves aren’t high, the overall cost ends up being more expensive.”

The He family always entrusted the Cao family’s shipping company to transport fuel and sometimes to send porcelain back to Xizhou or to the capital.

Since they used the Cao family’s shipping company for this route every time, they had no basis for comparison.

However, He Zhen’s father had done business with the Shenwei Escort Agency in the past. After the Shenwei Escort Agency went out of business, he switched to using shipping services, and it seemed that since then, there had been more vehicle and shipping taxes. Indeed, his stewards had encountered tax collectors on the ships.

After listening to Mr. He’s words, Mian Tang smiled slightly and said, “The shipping routes and taxes are updated by each escort agency. That shipping tax is not uniformly imposed by the court. The Cao family has changed the old escort agency’s route and intentionally took the route through Lianzhou, which has heavy taxes. The officials in Lianzhou collude with many shipping companies, and the additional taxes are divided between the officials and the shipping companies. The shipping company earns twice the amount per trip. A company with such hidden schemes… if it were me, I wouldn’t use them.”

Although the He family had always used the Cao family’s shipping company, they were not in the escort business and didn’t know about these details. Despite acknowledging that he had been paying more taxes for years, Mr. He was reluctant to accept this and continued to defend the Cao family’s company, saying, “But the Cao family’s current route is a day faster than before!”

Mian Tang couldn’t be bothered to argue further and directly asked, “Mr. He, can’t you just send the goods a day earlier instead of using money to balance it out? Well… your family might not be short of money, but for someone like me, every penny needs to be accounted for. Otherwise, the expenses add up significantly over the year!”

Seeing Mian Tang turn to leave, He Zhen asked, “So, Mrs. Cui, which company do you plan to use?”

Mian Tang didn’t even turn her head and spoke suggestively, “If I needed to ship something, I’d definitely choose the new Honest Heart Escort Agency. Their affiliated shipping company is really quite good!”

After boasting about her own company, Mian Tang shamelessly got into her carriage and left, leaving the He father and daughter staring at each other.

Everyone in Lingquan Town knew about Mian Tang’s shrewdness.

After hearing her words, it was evident just how meticulous she was in examining every detail of the shipping process.

The father and daughter discussed it and decided to skip the crispy duck for now and visit the Honest Heart Escort Agency that Mian Tang had mentioned. Although the He family was financially comfortable, as Mian Tang had pointed out, saving on shipping costs could result in substantial savings over the year.

When they arrived at the escort agency, an old gentleman received them. After discussing the prices and inspecting their new ships, Master He decided to test the waters by shipping some non-essential goods first. If the service proved reliable, he would follow Mian Tang’s example and switch to the Honest Heart Shipping Company.

Thus, the Honest Heart Shipping Company officially started operations, taking on its first order with the newly replaced sign.

While the owner remained calm and collected, the two young maids, Fang Xie, and Bi Cao were anxious for their young mistress.

They knew that all of Mian Tang’s remaining funds had been used to purchase ships, and if business didn’t pick up soon, they would be left in a difficult situation.

However, Mian Tang wasn’t worried. Although she had intentionally misled the He family, everything she had said about the Cao family’s shipping company was true.

The Cao family’s profits were tainted, with hidden schemes. If clients became suspicious, they would lose their trust and find it hard to retain old customers.

Since the He family was switching to the Honest Heart Escort Agency, they were unlikely to use large shipments for their first order. Therefore, the few ships Mian Tang had bought were sufficient to handle the initial business.

The shipping routes were ones she had personally mapped out. Zhao Quan had once mentioned during a discussion about transporting military supplies to the northwest that the court had opened the rivers in four prefectures for easier transport. Local officials were not allowed to set up roadblocks, and any such behavior would be severely punished.

Moreover, with military ships constantly passing through, the river routes were very safe. Many small merchants who couldn’t afford escorts followed the military ships for added security.

When the He family tested the Honest Heart Shipping Company, they found that not only were the prices reasonable, but the delivery times were also comparable to those of the more expensive routes.

Master He immediately transferred all of his shipping business between his company and Xizhou to the Honest Heart Escort Agency.

His shipments were substantial, and after two such orders, the agency’s accounts became healthy enough to invest in new ships.

As rumors about the Cao family’s dubious practices spread, many merchants who had dealings with Master He also switched to the Honest Heart Shipping Company.

Before long, a representative from the Cao family requested to meet Miss Liu.

The visitor was Master Cao, a former elder of the Cao family, who brought several former elders of the escort agency with him. He claimed he was there to mediate for his nephew but looked quite displeased.

Upon entering the agency’s hall, he immediately began boasting about his past contributions and assumed the role of a senior elder, criticizing Miss Liu. He accused her of being unprincipled, claiming that even if she had established her own escort agency, she had no right to undermine others' business. He warned that if she didn’t come up with a satisfactory explanation, he would take her to Old Master Lu for arbitration.

The remaining few elderly men, who had scruffy beards, appeared to be trying to calm Master Cao down but were actually supporting his accusations against Liu Mian Tang.

During Master Cao’s tirade, Liu Mian Tang remained calm and composed. Only when Master Cao had nearly finished his outburst did she slowly glance at him and ask, "May I ask, Master Cao, are you representing the Shenwei Escort Agency?"

Master Cao’s eyes widened in surprise. The hall was filled with items and furniture from the old Shenwei Escort Agency. However, the name of the agency had indeed been changed to Honest Heart Escort Agency.

Realizing this, Master Cao continued, still fuming, "Even if this isn’t Shenwei Escort Agency, it’s still the Lu family’s property! Don’t try to mislead me. For a young girl like you to conduct yourself so unscrupulously, it’s no wonder your grandfather would scold you!"

Liu Mian Tang smiled slightly, then slowly withdrew her smile and said, "My grandfather told me that I am a Liu, not a Lu, and that I will eventually marry into another family. This escort agency was bought with my own money from the Lu family, so how can it be considered Lu family property? You, Master Cao, have deep and priceless ties with the Lu family, as if you were their second father. How the Lu family shows respect to you is their own business, unrelated to me."

Her response left Master Cao speechless, unable to find a retort. The head of the Honest Heart Escort Agency was indeed a Liu, not a Lu.

However, Master Cao was infuriated by what he perceived as a blatant theft of business and the recent lack of orders for his own shipping company. He was determined to take Liu Mian Tang to see Old Master Lu.

But before he could lay a hand on her, a strong young man with thick brows and large eyes stepped forward, pushing him aside and glaring fiercely. "Old man! Dare to lay a hand on our young lady and see what happens!"

The onlookers recognized the young man as a member of the He family and quickly exclaimed, "Oh, how dare you strike your own uncle? When your father was alive, he used to call Master Cao ‘Big Brother’!"

He Quansheng glared and retorted, "Who considers him family? My mother said that one must act with integrity. When my father passed away, who came to support us mother and son? It was the Lu family who took care of us. When you all worked for the Lu family, did you work for free? Didn’t you receive generous wages every month? How did you end up as the Lu family’s ancestors, constantly flaunting the little work you did back then? It makes me sick to see you still have the nerve to come to the escort agency and cause trouble. Others may not know, but I am well aware of how you slowly drained the escort agency of its resources!"

The old veterans were embarrassed by the young man's rebuke, their faces turning various shades of blue and white. Master Cao, in a fit of anger and humiliation, actually flipped the table over with one hand.

© 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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