Chapter 63: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 63: 

 

Zhao Quan wasn't very clear about the details of the split between Cui Xingzhou and Liu Mian Tang.

With the chaos in the northwest resolved, the court has recently been in talks with the daughter of the old chieftain, hinting at plans to stabilize the region. Cui Xingzhou was stationed in Youzhou with his troops but encountered some unexpected issues, delaying his return.

When Zhao Quan visited Youzhou to see Cui Xingzhou, Cui Xingzhou was reluctant to even mention Liu Mian Tang. He only gave Zhao Quan a few instructions and provided him with the eagle bone flower for the medicinal ointment. He specifically asked Zhao Quan not to reveal to Liu Mian Tang that the medicine came from him, as she might refuse to use it. The medicine was urgent, so Zhao Quan was instructed to present it as if it were from a physician and explain its importance.

After giving these instructions, Cui Xingzhou hurriedly sent Zhao Quan away.

In Zhao Quan's view, it was likely that Cui Xingzhou had started the relationship and then abandoned it, seeing that Liu Mian Tang was no longer useful and thus unwilling to take responsibility. This ointment was probably just a form of compensation to ease his conscience.

In fact, without Cui Xingzhou's instructions, Zhao Quan would not have revealed the truth to Liu Mian Tang. Instead, he would contentedly present the ointment as a gift from himself to Miss Liu.

As for the fact that Liu Mian Tang did not want Cui Xingzhou, it required considerable imagination. Marquis Zhao was somewhat lacking in this aspect and did not think of it for the time being. He was solely focused on gaining Liu Mian Tang’s special favor.

Liu Mian Tang thought that if Zhao Quan weren’t a Marquis, he’d probably have been beaten several times over for his offhand remarks.

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Mian Tang pulled out three hundred taels of silver and slapped them on the counter. "If you don’t state the value of the medicine, I’ll pay blindly. If the Marquis won’t accept it, then just take the medicine back."

Zhao Quan had no choice but to quickly accept the silver, providing some instructions on how to use the medicine before leaving the escort agency.

After Liu Mian Tang returned, she applied the ointment that night. She only tested it on her right hand, but by that evening, her wrist began to feel warm, with a tingling and itchy sensation, as though the withered tendons in her hand were finally coming back to life.

Liu Mian Tang had a lot of trust in Zhao Quan’s medical skills. If he was correct, her limbs would soon start to improve, and she wouldn’t feel so weak in her hands and feet anymore.

Liu Mian Tang didn’t ask for much; she didn’t expect to fully recover but only hoped to manage daily life without feeling like a cripple. So, she continued to apply the ointment regularly over the next few days.

Regarding the Su family’s situation, Liu Mian Tang subtly shared what she knew with her grandfather.

Her grandfather, however, was quite irate: “I told your second uncle about this a long time ago. But unfortunately, this so-called noble was introduced by your second aunt’s own father. Your aunt said that her father is a respectable county magistrate and has more insight than either of us. Qingying has parents; it’s not for an old man like me to worry about. But you... how did you get acquainted with that Zhao marquis?”

The old man’s sharp eyes made Liu Mian Tang realize he must have seen through something, but she wasn’t flustered. She simply explained, based on what she had verified with Zhao Quan.

Lu Wu knew his granddaughter was determined and that meddling too much could backfire. Nevertheless, he earnestly advised her: “Child, you’re not superficial. Even if he is a genuine marquis, the noble circles are not easy to enter. Remember your mother’s words: never be tempted by wealth and status, and don’t let your thoughts stray.”

Liu Mian Tang smiled and reassured him, “Please don’t worry, Grandfather. My relationship with Marquis Zhao is truly pure. I wouldn’t dare to reach beyond my station.”

Seeing Liu Mian Tang genuinely unconcerned, Lu Wu felt relieved.

Indeed, Liu Mian Tang was not the kind of girl from the second house who pursued wealth and status. Even if the person was a marquis, Liu Mian Tang would remain dignified and unassuming.

However, recently, Marquis Zhao had been coming to the residence in various ways, especially during times when matchmakers came to inquire about Liu Mian Tang. He would always interrupt, which was quite annoying.

The next day, she planned to instruct the gatekeepers to refuse visitors. If the second house wanted to seek connections with the powerful, they should go outside to do so. They should not be drawing any kind of unwanted attention into the house.

But Zhao Quan was unaware of how much he was irritating people. Since he couldn't enter the Lu residence, he decided to visit the escort agency directly, talking to Liu Mian Tang across the counter.

However, Liu Mian Tang had recently been visiting the escort agency less frequently, making it difficult for the marquis to find her.

Zhao Quan was extremely frustrated. He had official duties to attend to and could not stay in Xizhou for long. If Liu Mian Tang kept avoiding him, how could he settle matters with her and bring her into the marquis’s residence?

So, he deliberately waited at the back door of the Lu residence, hoping to express his admiration for her as soon as she appeared.

Liu Mian Tang, trying to avoid the marquis, had been using the back door these days. She was surprised to find Zhao Quan willingly waiting at the back door, which was cluttered with slop buckets and had a somewhat foul smell.

Upon reflection, although Zhao Quan and Cui Xingzhou had deceived her, Zhao Quan was indeed a compassionate doctor who had saved her life.

Liu Mian Tang felt it was appropriate to invite the marquis for a cup of tea and clarify her feelings.

So, Liu Mian Tang invited the marquis to the teahouse at the east gate, promising to join him shortly.

When they were seated in a private room of the teahouse, Liu Mian Tang poured Zhao Quan a cup of tea and, in a polite and tactful manner, expressed that she only felt gratitude towards him and nothing more. She requested that he not be too insistent and let go of his obsession.

Zhao Quan, initially hurt and somewhat annoyed, was touched by Liu Mian Tang’s gentle demeanor and especially her lively eyes. He persisted, “I understand that you were deeply hurt by Cui Jiu, and I don’t expect you to accept me immediately. However, you are a naturally delicate person who deserves to be cherished like a peony or lotus. Now that you are staying at your grandfather’s home, surrounded by matchmakers who are insufferably common, what kind of good match can they offer you?”

Liu Mian Tang smiled and replied, “What they propose is actually fitting for my status. Marquis, with your high standing and noble qualities, you would not be satisfied with such matches. If you seek another suitable partner, you should look for someone of comparable status... With your talents and looks, even a princess would be a fitting match for you.”

Zhao Quan waved his hand and said, "Miss Liu, don’t curse me. If a princess really took an interest in me, it would be quite disastrous. I wouldn’t want to end up like Cui Jiu, trapped in Youzhou with a crippled leg..."

He stopped abruptly, realizing he had let something slip. Although he quickly shut his mouth, Liu Mian Tang was intently watching him and asked hesitantly, "What did you just say? He... was trapped in Youzhou? And his leg is crippled?"

Zhao Quan nodded helplessly. Since he had inadvertently revealed something, he decided to be honest: "I didn’t intend to mention him in front of you, fearing it might spoil your mood..."

Liu Mian Tang replied calmly, "It’s fine. If you explain further, it might even be interesting enough for me to eat a few more bowls of rice today..."

Zhao Quan felt that although Liu Mian Tang’s words seemed a bit harsh, they were understandable given her past with Cui Jiu. After all, she had been abandoned by him and must have some lingering resentment.

So, Zhao Quan explained Cui Xingzhou’s current situation.

It turned out that after the court received the petition from the daughter of the former chieftain, requesting to eliminate corruption and chaos, there was also an intention to unite various barbarian tribes to overthrow the A'Gushan royal court and quickly end the border conflicts.

Surprisingly, Cui Xingzhou advocated for a ceasefire, which was quite unexpected.

There had been ongoing criticism that Prince Huaiyang was deliberately expanding the front lines to strengthen his own position. However, this time, the peace proposal was personally submitted by Prince Huaiyang, demonstrating his loyalty to the court and silencing those who accused him of waging unnecessary wars.

Moreover, Empress Dowager Wu had finally begun to consider marrying the princess to Cui Xingzhou, intending to win him over for her own purposes.

However, the princess favored by Empress Dowager Wu was pampered and accustomed to a certain lifestyle. Her marriage was not something that could be easily arranged with just an imperial decree.

Thus, the court issued an edict to have the Ministry of War dispatch personnel to take over the Northwest Army and quickly negotiate with the various tribes allied with the princess. Cui Xingzhou was summoned to the capital to meet the princess in person before a formal decree would be issued.

Unexpectedly, the emissaries sent by the court were ambushed in Youzhou. Prince Huaiyang personally led troops to rescue them and was injured by an arrow, which reportedly left him with a permanent disability.

Liu Mian Tang listened silently, gripping her skirt tightly. She couldn’t imagine that the proud man had been reduced to... a cripple!

“Aren’t you a skilled physician? Didn’t you give me medicine to restore tendons and bones? Why haven’t you given it to him and instead wasted time here with me?” After a moment of silence, Liu Mian Tang suddenly questioned Zhao Quan.

Zhao Quan was yelled at by Liu Mian Tang but felt quite innocent. Reluctantly, he finally revealed the truth: "The herb for restoring tendons and bones, the eagle bone flower... is a rare item from the remote Snow Mountains. It blooms only once every hundred years, and the blooming period is very short. It’s not something you can buy with money. This medicine... sigh, let me explain! Actually, it was Cui Jiu who gave it to me and asked me to prepare it. He obtained it by chance and only had a small amount. He insisted I bring it all to you. I tried to persuade him to keep some, but he refused, urging me to deliver it to you quickly to avoid losing its effectiveness..."

Liu Mian Tang tightly pressed her lips together. She hadn’t expected that the ointment which showed immediate results was actually something Cui Xingzhou had asked Zhao Quan to bring. She was even more surprised to learn that he had given her the entire supply despite knowing his own leg was crippled.

"Is he really crippled? Are you trying to deceive me again?" Liu Mian Tang asked coldly.

Zhao Quan, feeling a shiver under her intense gaze, swore that he was not lying. He and the emissary had witnessed Cui Xingzhou's leg injury firsthand, and it was indeed severe.

Cui Xingzhou had also suffered from a high fever for several days, only gradually recovering clarity after Zhao Quan administered acupuncture.

Liu Mian Tang lowered her eyes, feeling a bit tired. She instructed her maid to settle the bill and left the teahouse.

Zhao Quan was astonished by Liu Mian Tang’s indifferent reaction. Though Cui Xingzhou’s deception was detestable, his current plight was also pitiable. 

Now, because of his leg injury, he couldn’t go to the capital to ease his relationship with the Empress Dowager and was left with a permanent disability. He had sacrificed the valuable medicine that could heal him for Liu Mian Tang’s sake. Even if there was a great enmity, it should be softened.

However, Liu Mian Tang's attitude remained so cold and lacking in compassion that it shattered some of Zhao Quan’s idealistic expectations of women.

But it wasn’t entirely her fault. She had been cruelly deceived by Cui Xingzhou, and it seemed she was not going to forgive him easily.

For a moment, Zhao Quan was invigorated with a sense of optimism, thinking that now that Cui Xingzhou was defeated, he had a great chance!

The next day, dressed and prepared with the help of his servant, he set out to visit the Lu family again to formally discuss making Liu Mian Tang his concubine.

However, before he even reached the Lu residence, he saw the place in disarray. The master of the house appeared to be hastily mounting a horse, heading towards the river dock.

He noticed Lu Mu standing at the entrance and cautiously inquired. Lu Mu, looking uneasy, responded, “Miss Liu is ill and cannot receive visitors.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Quan was even more determined to visit Liu Mian Tang, thinking that as a physician, no one could be better suited to help her than himself.

Seeing his insistence, Lu Mu was resigned. Initially, he was secretly pleased that the marquis was interested in making Liu Mian Tang a concubine, thinking it would be a great fortune for her.

But he had forgotten that his niece was indeed a troublemaker.

Rather than wait for the marquis to hear worse from others, Lu Mu decided it was better to reveal the truth himself to prevent the marriage proposal from falling apart. He rubbed his hands and said, “Ah, Marquis, my niece has always been wild. I’ve heard that a convoy heading to Yizhou from the escort agency ran into trouble. She left without notifying anyone, packed her things, and took her two maidservants with her, leaving for Yizhou last night! Look at her, so capable. Fortunately, she took her maid and servants, so she should return soon…”

Zhao Quan was taken aback. If he remembered correctly, Yizhou was less than a few miles away from Youzhou…

Liu Mian Tang had indeed left that night, but her ultimate destination was not Yizhou but Youzhou.

She had already used some of the eagle bone ointment, and with the remaining medicine having been unsealed, it needed to be used quickly; otherwise, its effectiveness would greatly diminish.

After hearing Zhao Quan’s words yesterday, she returned home without eating, holding a book she didn’t read, and sat by the window the entire afternoon.

The dried flowers pressed within the book still had a lingering fragrance, faintly drifting in her nostrils.

Liu Mian Tang had never been so troubled before. She abruptly tossed the book into the nearby coal stove.

She tried to reassure herself that Youzhou was far away, and whether the people there lived or died had nothing to do with her, a common citizen.

But even after forcing herself to close her eyes in bed, the aching and tingling sensation from the medication in her limbs made it difficult to fall asleep.

Bi Cao, unaware of her inner turmoil, followed the usual routine and came to apply the medicine.

However, Liu Mian Tang glanced at the nearly half-empty jar of medicine and suddenly said, "Don’t touch that medicine... Go, pack up some simple belongings for me."

As a woman, even if her limbs were weak, it was no concern. But as a military officer, could he ride a horse with a crippled leg?

Liu Mian Tang didn’t want to be indebted to Cui Xingzhou for no reason. She intended to repay him in full, so she could move on without further attachments.

Once Liu Mian Tang decided to do something, she would not hesitate.

However, Fan Hu and his group were a nuisance. Not only did they follow her, but they also asked where she was going.

Halfway through their journey, Liu Mian Tang stood at the bow of the boat, furrowing her brows slightly. She told Fan Hu that there had been some issues with her business and requested that he bring his guards aboard to help with the work.

Fan Hu, having been assigned by the marquis to assist Liu Mian Tang, was reluctant but could not refuse. He brought a dozen or so of his men onto the boat to help with the cargo at the dock.

This shipment was a large batch of mountain goods, and the owner also gave the escort agency a bag of high-quality dried goods.

Liu Mian Tang selected the best ingredients: monkey head mushrooms, astragalus, hen, dangshen, and large red dates. She personally cooked a pot of astragalus and monkey head mushroom chicken soup. After Fan Hu and his men finished their work, she invited them to have some soup at the bow of the boat.

In the cold winter of the riverlands, a hot bowl of fragrant and rich mushroom chicken soup made everyone feel warm and comfortable. The soup was so delicious that they all had several bowls, and soon the entire pot was consumed. They felt as if they were floating in the starry sea, their bodies almost nonexistent.

One by one, they soon collapsed, leaning against the table and falling asleep. Fan Hu was the last to fall asleep and, in a daze, realized that he seemed to have been tricked by Liu Mian Tang again.

The soup must have contained Liu Mian Tang’s special secret sleep-inducing drug.

In his haze, he heard Liu Mian Tang promise that if they lost their jobs, they could come to her escort agency. While it might not be as prestigious as working in the Prince’s residence, the pay would be generous.

When Fan Hu woke up again, they had been dumped at the dock, and Liu Mian Tang and the boat were nowhere to be seen.

Liu Mian Tang, having dealt with the troublesome tail and departed from the cargo ship, traveled day and night. By using fast boats, she reached Youzhou in less than half a month.

Fortunately, it was the middle of winter, so the medicine paste, kept cold with ice, didn't spoil.

However, upon arriving in Youzhou, figuring out how to meet Cui Xingzhou was another problem.

Unexpectedly, she arrived even faster than anticipated and encountered the Prince Huaiyang, who was seeing off the imperial envoy.

In the bustling streets, Liu Mian Tang followed the crowd as they cheered and shouted. She saw the man she had not seen for a long time sitting in a carriage, dressed in a jade crown and wide robes, looking leisurely. However, his skin seemed darker and thinner compared to her memories. His eyes were sharp like a sword, and his brows and mouth were taut and serious.

When they reached the city gate, Prince Huaiyang disembarked from the carriage to see the envoy off. He used a cane with an ivory-carved handle to help him down. His once vigorous stride was now a slow, limping walk.

Even though Liu Mian Tang had imagined countless scenarios of him leaning on a crutch and limping, seeing him in person still made her eyes well up with tears. She quickly covered her face with her headscarf, trying to stifle the sob that was about to escape.

She had promised herself to forget completely, but facing him again made all those buried feelings surge back to the surface.

Her original plan was to deliver the medicine directly to the prince’s guards and be done with it. However, now she found herself wanting to see him in person, though she didn't want to speak with him. If she could meet him like in a dream, that would be ideal.

Due to his leg injury, Prince Huaiyang was staying at the famous Yaoshuan Mountain Villa in Youzhou for recuperation. The doctors had advised him against the strain of travel, which was why he hadn't returned to the capital with the imperial envoy.

The villa was a luxurious retreat frequented by many high-ranking officials, and with the prince's arrival, the estate was heavily guarded with sentries stationed everywhere.

Liu Mian Tang walked around the perimeter of the villa, observing the streams of mountain water channeled into the estate, and soon she had a plan.

That day, as usual, Prince Huaiyang soaked his injured leg in the medicinal hot spring and then rested on the warm couch in the study.

He had trained in martial arts with masters from a young age and had exceptionally keen hearing. So when the guards at the door fell as if they were chopped vegetables, he immediately became alert. Seeing the seductive mist seeping through the window, Cui Xingzhou quickly covered his mouth and nose with a wet cloth from a nearby basin and pulled up the blanket to cover half of his face, pretending to be unconscious.

After a short while, when the mist had dissipated, a delicate and petite figure appeared in the warm chamber.

Cui Xingzhou remained still, squinting his eyes, waiting for the assassin to approach so he could deliver a fatal blow.

However, to his surprise, the assassin did not rush to draw a weapon. Instead, the figure first observed him, then took a nearby stool and placed it by his couch, even glancing at the half-written letter he had been working on.

These letters, written to pass the time, were often aimless and lacking in literary flair. In recent letters to the Western Province, he had even resorted to describing mundane details like how his kitten, Mian’er, had urinated in his shoes.

As expected, such letters were dismissed by the assassin, who let out a soft “tch” of disdain.

Cui Xingzhou felt his body tense and then relax again as the "assassin" approached him. The figure finally rolled up their sleeves and prepared to get down to business, lifting the blanket and pausing in silence.

As Cui Xingzhou began to feel the cold on his injured leg, he noticed a cool substance being applied to it. He suddenly sprang up, grabbing the "assassin's" hand.

The figure was taken aback, not expecting him to resist the sedative. 

Cui Xingzhou looked greedily at the familiar face he hadn’t seen for a long time and said calmly, “If you came to see me, I would have seen you regardless. Why sneak around like this?”

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