Chapter 78: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

 FlamingoBees 

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 78: 

 

Mo Ru was surprised to see the usually gentle Old Princess Consort suddenly leading her servants to apprehend him.

However, given his extensive connections within the manor, he quickly signaled a nearby young servant, trying to convey the message “Prince” through gestures, hoping the servant would fetch the prince to rescue him.

Initially, Mo Ru wasn’t too concerned, thinking it might just be a matter of the Old Princess Consort asking some questions, which he could easily handle.

But as Mo Ru was brought into the Old Princess Consort’s courtyard, where rough long sticks and saltwater-soaked whips were laid out, he realized the situation was more serious than he anticipated. The Old Princess Consort seemed intent on using severe punishment to get answers.

With a stern expression, the Old Princess Consort first asked about the identity of the Princess Huaisang.

Mo Ru felt there was nothing to hide and truthfully replied that she was the granddaughter of the Lu family from Xizhou. The Old Princess Consort furrowed her brow, struggling to recall any notable prince or marquis from the Lu family in Xizhou who had settled there.

The Old Princess Consort then asked what kind of title or rank the Lu family held. Mo Ru answered honestly, saying they only operated a security agency and had no official titles.

The Old Princess Consort’s eyes widened in surprise as she exchanged glances with Lian Chushi. Lian Chushi then inquired, “What about her father? What does he do?”

Mo Ru, being quick on his feet, avoided mentioning that her father had been executed and simply stated that the Liu family was a prominent clan from Pei Mountain, with ancestors who had fought alongside the founding emperor.

The Old Princess Consort felt somewhat reassured, thinking that although the maternal family was less distinguished, the paternal side was quite respectable, and the fact that the woman had been recently favored indicated that her family background was acceptable.

However, Madam Lian Chu noticed something odd. If the woman’s paternal family was so distinguished, why did Mo Ru first emphasize her less notable maternal family? Sensing deceit, she pressed further, “Is her father currently in office? Where does he serve?”

Mo Ru, realizing he shouldn’t reveal that the Liu family head was now deceased, replied quietly, “I truly don’t know.”

The Old Princess Consort then asked, “Let me ask you this: did the Prince stay at the North Street residence in Lingquan Town when he returned?”

Mo Ru, unable to dodge the question, hesitated and said, “The Prince went… to visit friends…”

Madam Lian Chu, upon hearing this, slammed the table and shouted, “Bold and deceitful servant! Dare to conceal the truth? Someone, use a whip on him until he speaks!”

Rough servants quickly surrounded Mo Ru, twisting him and starting to whip him with saltwater-soaked lashes.

Mo Ru, aware of the Prince’s temper, knew how much he despised any breach of secrecy. If he revealed the truth about Huaisang Princess staying with the Prince while they were not yet married, he would not only face the Old Princess Consort’s wrath but also the Prince’s.

Used to the harsh realities of serving the Prince, Mo Ru gritted his teeth and endured the punishment, refusing to speak.

At first, the Old Princess Consort was furious, but seeing Mo Ru’s back being severely lacerated, she softened and said, “Stop! This servant, he is your Prince, but he is also my son! Do you think I don’t know he has a mistress outside? And yet you remain stubbornly silent to protect him. It’s your bad influence that has led him astray. If you keep being obstinate, I’ll have you thrown out of the mansion!”

Madam Lian Chu, disapproving of the Old Princess Consort’s leniency, scolded, “Old Princess Consort, why keep such a deceitful servant around? Just kill him with a single blow and throw him to the wastelands for the dogs to eat!”

Before Madam Lian Chu’s words had fully settled, a voice from outside called out, “Auntie, what great authority you have! My servant, you say kill and he will be killed? Since when did the management of the Prince’s estate become the Lian family’s responsibility?”

Madam Lian Chu turned to see Cui Xingzhou standing at the hall entrance with a stern expression, coldly watching the bloodied Mo Ru.

Seeing his savior, Mo Ru sighed in relief and, unable to endure any more, let his eyes roll back and fainted, avoiding further questioning.

Madam Lian Chu had not expected Cui Xingzhou to return so quickly. She had hoped to extract useful information from the servant and then stir up trouble with the Old Princess Consort and Cui Xingzhou, assuming that her involvement would be limited. Thus, she had ignored her daughter’s objections and advised the Old Princess Consort to interrogate the servant.

But her plans were thwarted by Cui Xingzhou’s timely arrival.

Madam Lian Chu couldn't help but put on the airs of an elder, saying, "Your mother has cried several times because of that affair in Lingquan Town. When you didn't return yesterday, she was extremely worried. Today, seeing you return reeking of alcohol, how could she not ask thoroughly? But this little servant of yours spoke so rudely that it upset your mother. I only scolded him out of frustration."

Cui Xingzhou waved his hand, ordering the guards behind him to carry Mo Ru out for treatment. He said lightly, "Thank you, Aunt, for managing the affairs of this household for my mother. But it’s getting late now. I’m sure Uncle must miss his wife and daughter. So, while there’s still daylight, it’s best for you and Cousin Lianlan to head back home."

This was a clear dismissal!

Old Princess Consort Chu, standing nearby, found this quite inappropriate and scolded Cui Xingzhou for his disrespectful words, urging Madam Lian Chu not to take it to heart.

Madam Lian Chu, also a woman of pride, stood stiffly, her face tight as she rose and left.

After Madam Lian Chu and her daughter left the residence, Cui Xingzhou turned to his mother and said, "Mother, if you have any questions, wait until I’ve finished my tasks, and I’ll naturally explain everything to you in full. There’s no need to resort to the petty behavior of cruel women who punish servants, as it only demeans us."

Old Princess Consort Chu also wore a stern expression as she replied, "When will you ever finish your tasks? When will you have time to speak to your own mother? Go ask around the court. Which household takes a new wife without the mother knowing who her daughter-in-law is? You’re just like your father. He never consulted me when taking concubines, and now you don't need your useless mother to weigh in on your marriage either..."

By the end of her speech, Old Princess Consort Chu was overcome with grievances from both past and present, and she began to sob.

Cui Xingzhou, who had always been unable to bear the sight of his mother in tears, sighed and walked over to kneel by her feet. "Mother, you can ask around the entire court—who else has raised a son as considerate as yours, always thinking everything through for your sake? The woman I've chosen is certainly virtuous and talented. By questioning her background like this, aren't you encouraging the servants to look down on her?"

Old Princess Consort Chu couldn’t argue with her son and only asked, "Then tell me, where is her father serving as an official?"

Knowing he couldn’t hide the truth from his mother forever, Cui Xingzhou said, "Her father was implicated in the Daisan Academy case years ago and has since been executed."

Old Princess Consort Chu was completely unprepared for this revelation about her new daughter-in-law's background. She gasped in shock and leaned back against her chair, staring at her son in disbelief. "You dare to marry a woman with such a background? Is the Cui family so desperate that we can't find a suitable bride?"

Cui Xingzhou remained calm and replied, "There are plenty of candidates if I were to look, but none of them are who I want. Besides, our marriage has already been presented to His Majesty, and she has been granted the title of Princess by imperial decree. She has her own lands and income. She is my equal, and her background is beyond reproach now."

Bound by the Emperor’s decree, Old Princess Consort Chu decided not to criticize her new daughter-in-law's origins for the time being. She then asked, "So, what’s this business about the North Street?"

Cui Xingzhou replied, "I’ve kept someone there…"

"Which family is she from?" Old Princess Consort Chu asked again.

"She’s also a granddaughter of the Lu family from Xizhou," Cui Xingzhou replied.

By now, Old Princess Consort Chu had developed a stronger resilience to such shocks. No matter what her son said, she remained steady, though her voice trembled as she asked, "So... are these two sisters both serving you?"

Cui Xingzhou chuckled, "Mother, I would never do something so absurd. The truth is, they are one and the same person."

This was more than Old Princess Consort Chu could take. She leaned back against her chair once more, astonished. "You... You were already living together before marriage? She comes from a respectable family—how could her elders allow such a thing?"

Cui Xingzhou didn't want to delve into the details of the Yangshan situation, so he offered a half-truth. He explained that she had accidentally fallen into the water and was injured, and that he had saved her. Her clothes had been soaked, and he had personally carried her out of the water. Feeling responsible, he had nursed her back to health and temporarily sheltered her on North Street. Once she recovered, he sought out her family and formally proposed marriage. It was nothing like the rumors circulating outside.

Old Princess Consort Chu was left speechless after hearing her son's explanation. Yet, as she processed the situation, she reasoned that while her son had acted honorably by preserving the girl's reputation, given her lowly background, elevating her to the status of a concubine would have been more than enough kindness. Why, then, did he insist on marrying her as his wife?

However, the next day, when Cui Xingzhou brought Liu Mian Tang from Lingquan Town to the mansion, Old Princess Consort Chu immediately understood.

Her son might not have taken after his father in many respects, but when it came to a fondness for beauty, they were remarkably similar!

As soon as Princess Huaisang stepped down from the sedan chair, dressed in a pale lotus-colored waist-hugging gown, her slender waist as graceful as a young willow in the spring breeze, and her snow-white neck like finely carved jade, every feature—from her eyes to her nose—was perfectly exquisite. It wasn't just that Lian Binglan couldn't compare; even the renowned beauties Old Princess Consort Chu had seen in the capital seemed a bit lacking next to her.

No wonder her usually calm and composed son appeared as if he had been bewitched, utterly captivated by this woman. It wasn’t merely out of a sense of obligation for saving her life; he had clearly been swept away by her beauty.

When Liu Mian Tang knelt before Old Princess Consort Chu, her head slightly lowered in respect, there was a long, awkward silence. Old Princess Consort Chu did not immediately grant her permission to rise or offer her a seat, leaving the hall in an uncomfortable quiet.

Cui Xingzhou began to grow displeased. The ground was cold and hard, and Mian Tang was dressed in a thin gown today. With her old leg injury, how could she endure kneeling for so long in the cold?

So Cui Xingzhou simply stood up, striding over to help Mian Tang to her feet.

Old Princess Consort Chu, irritated by her son’s behavior—putting his new wife before his own mother—snapped, "What is this? She wants to be my daughter-in-law, and I can’t even accept a proper bow from her?"

Mian Tang understood that Old Princess Consort Chu was likely still unsettled by her humble background, and it was only natural that she would be upset today. Since she had anticipated this cold reception from the Cui family's elders, her mindset remained calm. In this situation, it wasn't her place to placate Old Princess Consort Chu, so she simply kept her head down, standing quietly behind Cui Xingzhou.

Cui Xingzhou had actually spoken to his mother extensively the previous day, mainly telling her about all the hardships Mian Tang had endured in the past, and how she was sincere and honest. He had hoped his mother would treat her like her own daughter and not make her feel uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, Cui Xingzhou didn’t understand a woman’s mind as thoroughly as he did military strategy.

The awkwardness Old Princess Consort Chu felt wasn’t something that could be smoothed over with a few words.

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