Chapter 68: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

 FlamingoBees 

Translating Chinese Historical Dramas for your enjoyment... and mine! :)

Home    :    Novels

 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 68: 

 

Li Guangcai was not in the front hall but was outside the gate of the Lu residence, inspecting the wedding gifts. He was a thin, middle-aged man with a slightly disheveled appearance, checking off items on a list from the Prince’s residence to ensure nothing was missing.

Lu Wu, having already dealt with numerous distinguished guests that day and feeling quite fatigued, found it challenging to engage with the new county magistrate.

Seeing Lu Wu approach, Li Guangcai quickly adjusted his robes and greeted him with small, respectful steps. "Old Master Lu, I am the newly appointed County Magistrate Li Guangcai."

Lu Wu returned the gesture with a slight bow. "May I ask, Magistrate Li, what brings you here today?"

Li Guangcai produced a copy of the Great Yan legal code concerning marriage from his sleeve, flipping through the pages until he pointed to a specific section. "According to the Great Yan laws, the order should be 'first the marriage contract, then the gifts.' However, I’ve inquired with your second master, and it seems that no marriage contract was signed with the Prince's residence before these gifts were sent. This is in violation of the law. As a local official, it is my duty to correct this. Therefore, you must return these five carts of gifts until a formal marriage contract is signed."

Lu Mu had been accompanying the magistrate. Initially, he thought the magistrate and his retinue, who had arrived on a small donkey, were there merely to observe the situation.

So Lu Mu, unable to contain his excitement about the high-profile engagement, informed Magistrate Li about the Prince’s proposal.

Unexpectedly, Magistrate Li, eager to assert his authority as a new official, had inadvertently interfered with his niece’s promising match.

Lu Wu, on the other hand, was impressed by the new magistrate’s thoroughness. Perhaps having heard about the grand display at the Lu residence, Magistrate Li came to investigate. It was impressive that he had noticed such an oversight, reflecting his deep understanding of the Great Yan laws.

Relieved, Lu Wu felt a bit of joy and said, “You are absolutely correct, Magistrate. The situation indeed does not adhere to proper protocol. However, I am unaware of where the Prince resides…”

Magistrate Li waved dismissively, indicating that the location of the Prince was not important. “Since you agree to return the betrothal gifts, I will handle the rest. You can go ahead and rest, Old Master.”

With that, Magistrate Li directed his subordinates to harness the horses and drive the five carts of gifts out of the alley.

Just as Magistrate Li was about to leave, someone called out from behind him. He turned around to see a stunningly beautiful young woman standing at the entrance of the estate. In his entire life, he had never seen such a strikingly beautiful young lady, and he instinctively guessed that this must be Liu Mian Tang, the woman whom the Prince wished to marry.

Magistrate Li, with an air of resolute integrity, reassured Liu Mian Tang, “Rest assured, Miss Liu. My duty is to uphold the law, and the law applies equally to all, regardless of status. The Prince, having dedicated himself to piety and self-cultivation after the late Emperor’s passing, is a man of great virtue. It is unlikely he would deliberately cause trouble for the common people.”

Liu Mian Tang observed the Magistrate’s straightforward demeanor and noted his adeptness in rhetoric. His confident assurances suggested he was skilled in persuasion as well as in law.

Magistrate Li added, with a reassuring tone, “Do not worry, Miss Liu. Even if the skies were to fall, I will stand firm and shield the Liu family from any harm.”

With that, he signaled his men to move the wedding gifts away from the Liu residence.

Meanwhile, as Liu Mian Tang conversed with the Magistrate, Lu Mu rushed to find his father, hoping to convince him to stop the withdrawal of the gifts. However, his father, Lu Wu, was resolute and harshly scolded him, making Lu Mu’s frustration palpable.

By the time Lu Mu returned, the Magistrate had already seen off the procession of gifts, leaving him distressed and pounding his thighs in agitation.

Seeing Liu Mian Tang, Liu Mu snapped, "Why didn't you tell Magistrate Li that the gifts couldn't be returned? Now, aren't we effectively offending the Prince?"

Liu Mian Tang, calm and composed, replied, "So, according to my second uncle, should I accept becoming a concubine to the Prince?"

Lu Mu hesitated, stumbling over his words. "Not exactly... Your uncle understands you don't want to be a concubine, but you must realize this is a prince's court, not just any local wealthy merchant's household. It's a high position that many would envy. If the Prince holds a grudge, the entire family could suffer."

Liu Mian Tang, with a serene expression, said, "I've already decided. Tomorrow, I will apply for a female household registration at the yamen and arrange to move to a separate residence. I am Liu by birth, not Liu by marriage. Whether I marry or not is a personal decision, and I will bear the consequences myself."

With that, she turned away from Lu Mu and returned to her residence with her maidservants.

In fact, Liu Mian Tang had long planned to leave the Lu household and had even purchased a small house in Linzhou, just waiting for the right moment to discuss it with her grandfather. Her initial intention was not to avoid Prince Sui but to prevent any potential issues with Cui Xingzhou from affecting the Lu family. Now, with Prince Sui's insistence on making her his concubine, she found a legitimate reason to leave the Lu household.

Her brother was in exile, and her father had passed away, so she qualified for a female household registration. When Magistrate Li heard about her intent to establish her own household, he wasted no time and had the registration clerks process the paperwork.

Liu Mian Tang acted decisively, handling all the paperwork before informing her grandfather. 

After days of dealing with constant surprises, Lu Wu had grown unexpectedly calm. He simply asked Liu Mian Tang if she feared that her grandfather couldn't protect her.

While massaging her grandfather’s back, Liu Mian Tang replied, "If it were just you, grandfather, I wouldn't leave. I know you would protect me well. But with so many children in the Lu family, you can't just look after me and neglect them. Prince Sui is a domineering man, not one to be reasoned with. If I separate myself from the family and firmly claim I have no interest in him, he can't do anything to me. Why drag the entire Lu family into muddy waters for the sake of an outsider like me?"

As the head of the family, Lu Wu understood that Mian Tang’s reasoning was sound. However, she was an orphaned girl without parents, establishing a household on her own. The hardships awaiting her were likely numerous.

Moreover, he wasn't certain if Prince Sui would give up so easily, making the situation seem less than secure.

But Liu Mian Tang urged her grandfather not to overthink it, saying that once a household registration was established, it couldn't be easily revoked. Even if her grandfather didn't approve, it was too late to change it now.

She further explained that she had bought the house long ago and was currently having it whitewashed. Once the walls dried, she could start moving in her furniture.

After a night of contemplation, Lu Wu led Lu Xian to Linzhou the next day to inspect the house. Located in a bustling area, it was not in a remote location. Though the courtyard wasn't large, it was tastefully maintained. Lu Wu could see that Mian Tang had been preparing it for some time. She had even built a pond under a grape trellis, complete with swimming koi and lotus flowers the size of a fist.

When Liu Wu saw that there wasn't much left to add to her new household, he gave Liu Mian Tang the dowry chest he had long prepared for her. In addition, he assigned a few skilled guards to watch over her home and ensure its security.

When Liu Mian Tang received the dowry chest, she was surprised to find that the silver notes inside were even more plentiful than when her grandfather had shown them to her before.

She looked at her grandfather in astonishment.

Liu Wu, speaking calmly, explained, "The girl from the second branch has a father who knows how to earn money, so I don’t need to worry myself over her. I’ve combined both dowries into one and given it all to you."

Upon hearing that her cousin Lu Qingying's portion had been included, Liu Mian Tang naturally refused to accept it.

But Lu Wu insisted, saying, "The second branch has taken enough for themselves to marry off several daughters. Since I’ve already shown favoritism, I might as well continue to do so. You don’t need me to make decisions for you in establishing your own household, so you don’t get to decide how much dowry I give you! Just accept it!"

Liu Mian Tang, unable to argue, reluctantly accepted the dowry. After all, her grandfather was still upset with her and wasn't even looking her in the eye.

Although Lu Wu had checked the place multiple times, County Magistrate Li Guangcai also personally visited Liu Mian Tang's new neighbors when she moved in. He knocked on their doors, counted the occupants, and checked for any potential criminals or suspicious outsiders who had recently rented houses in the area.

Li Mama was very pleased with Li Guangcai’s thoroughness. During a break in the magistrate’s inspection of the household registrations, she had Fang Xie deliver a food box to him. Inside were some small dishes and fine wine, ensuring the magistrate wouldn't go hungry while dutifully tending to the needs of the people.

Once Liu Mian Tang had everything arranged, she breathed a deep sigh of relief, feeling quite satisfied as she admired the cozy courtyard she had set up. She asked Bi Cao to bring over the newly bought wicker chair so she could sit under the grapevine trellis, where green leaves were sprouting, and feed the fish.

But one careless remark from Bi Cao dampened Liu Mian Tang's good mood: "Miss, this courtyard looks so much like the one on North Street in Lingquan Town!"

Liu Mian Tang nearly choked on the tea she had just sipped. She was about to refute the comparison, but then she fell silent.

Indeed… The courtyard in North Street also had a grapevine trellis. In the summer, Liu Mian Tang loved to set up a table under it for meals. She had even once told Cui Xingzhou that it would be nice to have a small fish pond there.

And the long rack that had been specially made by a carpenter—there was a similar one in the North Street courtyard, where she used to hang clothes, cups, and the cured sausages and salted meat made by Li Mama…

After surveying the courtyard, Liu Mian Tang suddenly stood up and went inside.

The furniture inside had already been arranged, and sure enough, whether it was the bed or the placement of the tables, it was remarkably similar to how things had been set up in the Lingquan Town house.

It was rare for Liu Mian Tang to feel frustrated, but at that moment, she truly wanted to knock her head against the wall. If the maid hadn't mentioned it, she wouldn't have realized how deeply ingrained her habits had become.

Now that she had established her own household and was living independently, Liu Mian Tang found herself unintentionally influenced by past memories, arranging her courtyard in the same style as the one on North Street.

That night, Liu Mian Tang didn't sleep well at all.

The next morning, she got up early and instructed Bi Cao and the others to help her rearrange the bed and cabinets inside the house.

Poor Bi Cao, who had carelessly spoken the day before, ended up spending half the day moving furniture and was so exhausted that she could barely straighten her back.

Liu Mian Tang had originally planned to tear down the grapevine trellis, but she loved eating and enjoying the fish beneath it so much that she decided to tolerate that bit of similarity for now.

Li Mama watched Mian Tang tirelessly rearranging things and could only shake her head in exasperation. She turned to the kitchen to stew some ribs—out of sight, out of mind!

However, there was something more frustrating than the furniture arrangement.

As for Prince Sui, he initially thought that marrying Liu Mian Tang would be a simple matter. After all, she no longer held any ties to Yangshan, and she had no powerful backing. She was just the granddaughter of an old escort agency owner.

He figured that by proposing, the Lu family would be so grateful that they would accept the betrothal gifts and send Liu Mian Tang over in a sedan chair.

But to his surprise, instead of receiving her, he got back the five large carts of wedding gifts he had sent. Accompanying them was none other than the man he had specifically stayed in Xizhou to recruit—Li Guangcai.

Liu Pei believed he had a good eye for talent, and it was clear that Li Guangcai was indeed a capable person. Bold and audacious, Li Guangcai stood before him, speaking with confidence and using the argument that forced marriage was against the laws of the Yan dynasty to firmly return the betrothal gifts before riding off on his little donkey.

For a moment, Prince Sui pondered why Li Guangcai had been so bold. Could it be that the county magistrate had taken a liking to Liu Mian Tang and was rushing to protect the lady’s reputation?

However, there was one thing Li Guangcai had misjudged: Liu Pei hardly cared about his own reputation. The vow to live as a monk back then had simply been a cover for his strategic withdrawal. Even if he were to forcibly marry an orphaned girl, so what? Which censor would bother to concern themselves with the trivial affairs of a prince not in office?

Between Li Guangcai and Liu Mian Tang, Prince Sui weighed the options and found that he still preferred Liu Mian Tang more.

So when he heard that Liu Mian Tang had established her own household, Prince Sui smiled playfully. It seemed that she realized she had offended him and didn’t want to implicate her family, which is why she had hastily set up her own household to live independently.

Yet, it was no easy feat for a woman to sustain a household alone. Since that was the case, how could he not offer a bit of "help"?

With that thought, Prince Sui decided to send his men over again to "persuade" Liu Mian Tang, making sure she understood the consequences of rejecting him.

When his subordinates knocked on the door, Bi Cao peered through the crack and saw the intimidating servants. Her heart raced with anxiety, and she quickly informed Mian Tang. However, Mian Tang remained calm, continuing to practice her calligraphy, and simply said, "Don’t mind them. Just tell those men that this household is run by a woman and that we do not entertain male guests. Kindly ask them to leave."

Bi Cao followed Mian Tang's instructions and relayed the message to Prince Sui’s men.

However, the prince's subordinates had anticipated that Mian Tang would not open the door. They remembered how arrogant Prince Sui had been in the capital city. Although his actions had become more restrained in Huizhou, following his mother’s instructions, his inherent arrogance had never faded.

Seeing that Mian Tang refused to open the door, the subordinates exchanged glances and surged forward, kicking the door open.

Prince Sui’s orders were clear: they must bring Liu Mian Tang back. If she remained in his residence, her reputation would be tarnished, and it would force her to act out of desperation if he decided to release her. He was confident that a mere county magistrate wouldn’t dare challenge him.

If she refused to speak to him respectfully, he would show her how a man who disregards reason acts.

As the intruders stormed into the courtyard, Fan Hu and his men, who had been prepared for such an intrusion, confronted them. A fierce battle ensued, with Fan Hu and his team struggling against the highly skilled enforcers hired by Prince Sui.

Inside, Liu Mian Tang bit her lip, fully aware of the prince's arrogance and his underlying intentions.

This was not a remote wilderness. Even if Prince Sui's subordinates had deliberately stormed in, any deaths or injuries that occurred on her property could easily be twisted by the prince to blame her.

With this in mind, Prince Sui felt emboldened, likely hoping to escalate the situation and even cause a few casualties among his men to blackmail her further.

As for Prince Huaiyang, he was far away, and even if he were present, whether he would choose to confront Prince Sui on her behalf was another matter.

Realizing this, Liu Mian Tang slowly lowered the small bow she had raised. Although she had established herself as a single woman with her own household, she knew that escalating the situation would inevitably involve her grandfather's family. She couldn’t act recklessly like in the wilderness, where she could let the bandits have their fill.

Caught in such a predicament, Liu Mian Tang felt an unexpected pang of frustration. As a respectable woman, she felt constrained by the need to navigate the whims of the powerful, wishing instead for the straightforwardness of life as a bandit, where she didn’t have to compromise her principles to appease the influential.

Just as the skirmish in the courtyard grew more intense, a powerful, thundering sound of footsteps suddenly came from outside the alley, as if an army was approaching.

The clamor on both sides ceased as they listened to the approaching “thud, thud” of the footsteps, growing louder and closer...

Seeing the situation deteriorate, the thugs exchanged glances and attempted to retreat from the courtyard. However, as they stepped outside, they were immediately surrounded by a group of heavily armored soldiers.

Without a word, the soldiers drew their swords and charged at the intruders. The glittering blades of dozens of long swords descended swiftly, leaving no chance for escape. Several heads were cleaved open immediately.

After a few had been dispatched, the armored soldiers surged into the courtyard, continuing to deal with the remaining intruders. One of the soldiers commanded, "The general ordered that these bodies be chopped up outside, so as not to dirty the courtyard." Following this order, the remaining thugs were thrown to the ground, their limbs grabbed and dragged out of the courtyard, followed by a few chilling screams that abruptly stopped.

"Drag the bodies to the outskirts and feed them to the dogs! Wash the courtyard with several buckets of well water!" The order came with the sound of hurried footsteps and the splash of water, as the courtyard was cleaned up.

After a while, the orderly sound of marching soldiers retreated, and the street was cleared efficiently.

With some courage, Bi Cao followed behind Fan Hu and peeked outside. She saw that the residents of the neighborhood were cautiously sticking their heads out from behind their walls, their faces filled with fear and confusion.

The street, however, seemed eerily clean despite the lingering smell of blood and the traces of water. It was as if nothing had happened.

Liu Mian Tang, momentarily stunned, suddenly realized the implications of the threat Cui Jiu had made earlier. The insane threats he had uttered had turned out to be serious, and the more than twenty men sent by Prince Sui were all wiped out without a trace.

This outcome would undoubtedly leave Liu Pei both shocked and enraged!

Worse still, the entire region around Xizhou, including the surrounding counties, was now surrounded by thousands of troops. Even outside his own residence, a contingent of heavily armored soldiers stood guard.

Prince Sui was now trapped, unable to leave.

In a state of utter helplessness, Prince Sui had no choice but to visit the temporary headquarters set up in the outskirts of Xizhou to personally meet with Cui Xingzhou, who was incapacitated and bedridden.

"Prince Huaiyang," the Prince of Sui said, his tone brimming with irritation, "you leave the capital to come to this small town of Xizhou to flaunt your power... Isn't that a bit excessive?"

Prince Huaiyang, seated in a lacquered wooden wheelchair, responded with calm composure, "While passing through this region, I received a request from an old acquaintance who is now a county magistrate in Xizhou. He mentioned that the area is troubled by local ruffians engaging in criminal activities, such as forcing their way into homes and abducting women. Since he reached out to me for assistance, I sent some of my men to help maintain order in the streets. It was just a matter of a few blows. My soldiers are accustomed to battle, and they are not always precise in their actions."

His words were carefully measured and left no room for argument. Prince Sui was fuming with frustration but found himself unable to counter Prince Huaiyang's reasoning. It became apparent to him that Li Guangcai and Cui Xingzhou were still connected in some way, rather than having completely severed ties.

If Li Guangcai had taken a liking to Liu Mian Tang and sought help from his old associate Cui Xingzhou, it could be understood…

Prince Sui, fuming, replied with a sarcastic laugh, “A woman of tarnished reputation is valued so highly by Lord Li? Is he really so unconcerned with his own reputation? What is she, then—wife or concubine?”

Cui Xingzhou's expression darkened upon hearing this. He responded with a scowl, “It seems Prince Sui is just bitter and small-minded. Listening to you, I feel embarrassed for you. If you’re so desperate for a concubine, perhaps I should buy some from a broker and deliver them to you to ease your frustration!”

After speaking, Liu Pei realized he had overstepped. He hadn't anticipated that such a minor matter would lead to such a significant blunder at the hands of Cui Xingzhou.

With the Northwest Army surrounding Xizhou tightly, he needed to persuade Cui Xingzhou to relent quickly to escape the encirclement!

Reluctantly, he endured the mockery and humiliation for the time being.

Cui Xingzhou didn't waste much time or words on Prince Sui. After all, both parties were engaged in disreputable activities that, if exposed, would invite scorn from the censors.

Since they were both pulling at each other's dirty little secrets, their interactions remained superficially cordial, pretending as if nothing had happened.

In the end, Cui Xingzhou provided Prince Sui with a badge, allowing him to maintain some semblance of dignity as he left Xizhou.

After the chaotic scene, Liu Mian Tang directed her servants to tidy up the courtyard.

Turning around, she noticed a tall man in a long robe, leaning on a cane, entering her courtyard through the damaged gate with an air of familiarity.

© 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.

•••

Prev  :  TOC :  Next

https://ko-fi.com/flamingobeestranslations

https://twitter.com/FlamingoBee2009

Thank You For Reading <3