Chapter 81: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

 FlamingoBees 

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 81: 

 

The recent frequent tea parties hosted by the Marchioness were also driven by her urgency over her son's marriage.

Perhaps influenced by past issues with his ex-wife, Jia Yu had been reluctant to agree to a marriage, and his frequent trips had caused delays. The Marchioness was concerned that, with his current position, he still lacked a formal wife and an official heir. She was determined to keep him from leaving again and knew he was intent on finding a suitable match. Thus, she had been actively inviting young ladies from various noble families to the tea parties, using the opportunity to build connections and seek a potential match for her son.

Of course, married women were also invited, as their relatives might include suitable young ladies of comparable family background and age. Engaging with them could potentially broaden the selection range for a good match.

This was Liu Mian Tang's first appearance before the Marchioness of Zhenzhou's social circle.

Old Princess Consort Chu was determined not to have her future daughter-in-law appear out of place. Before leaving, she took great care in preparing Mian Tang.

Her hair was elegantly styled in a high chignon, exposing her smooth, full forehead and her bright, attractive features. Her brows were delicately arched, and her eyes were enhanced by makeup that made them shine with a captivating light. She wore a long, water-blue strapless gown, the skirt adorned with elegant cloud patterns. As she walked, the flowing hem of the dress created gentle ripples, evoking the delicate feel of clouds and water.

On her feet were beaded shoes that exposed her ankles and the tops of her feet. A circle of tiny pearls around her slender ankles highlighted her fair skin, with the sparkling beads subtly visible beneath the constantly shifting skirt.

The Old Princess Consort looked at Liu Mian Tang with satisfaction and nodded, feeling a deep sense of accomplishment.

Old Princess Consort Chu had always loved dressing up. When Lian Binglan was around, she often gave her advice on clothing and accessories. Unfortunately, Lian Binglan did not have the same allure as her aunt; though her features were delicate, they lacked the grace to carry off many outfits.

Now, Old Princess Consort Chu felt she finally had a suitable "doll" to indulge her fashion sense. Whatever the color scheme, it looked good on Liu Mian Tang.

Liu Mian Tang's striking features suited both light and heavy makeup. Old Princess Consort Chu could fully express her creativity in coordinating colors. In her younger years, she had a slim waist and loved wearing dresses that accentuated it. Sadly, as she aged, her waist had thickened, and she could no longer wear such dresses herself. Instead, she had her daughter-in-law wear them, proudly recounting how she looked so graceful in similar outfits during her youth.

Liu Mian Tang hadn’t anticipated that, after narrowly escaping the scrutiny of the accounts, she might almost falter over the matter of attire and adornments.

Though she too appreciated beauty, the Old Princess Consort’s relentless fussing over her like a young girl playing with dolls was almost overwhelming.

Seeing that her soon to be mother in law was thoroughly absorbed, bringing out three or four boxes of her dowry jewelry for Liu Mian Tang to try on, Liu Mian Tang could only cautiously remind her that they might be late for the tea party if they didn’t hurry.

Only then did the Old Princess Consort reluctantly select a set of jewelry and accessories for Liu Mian Tang.

Once the clothing and accessories were finally settled, Liu Mian Tang let out a long sigh of relief.

With the Old Princess Consort’s excellent taste, Liu Mian Tang naturally attracted a lot of attention when she appeared. People whispered among themselves, wondering who this extraordinarily beautiful woman was.

When they learned that she was the fiancée of the Prince of Huaiyang, they understood why the marriage with the Lian family had been called off, and why the prince had chosen such a stunning beauty.

After admiring Liu Mian Tang, their gaze towards the Lian family mother and daughter became tinged with a hint of sympathy.

Lian Binglan felt extremely embarrassed, secretly resenting her mother for dragging her here and making her a subject of comparison. Meanwhile, Madam Lian Chu, seeing that Liu Mian Tang was wearing the very jewelry that had once belonged to her sister, was infuriated.

That set of jewelry had always been a source of envy for Madam Lian Chu. She had coveted it while her mother had given it to her elder sister, which had long been a source of grievance for her.

Fortunately, Old Princess Consort Chu had once promised that the set of jewelry would be passed down to her daughter-in-law. So, even though Madam Lian Chu had not received it herself, it would eventually go to her daughter, Lian Binglan.

Now, with her daughter’s marriage prospects dashed, seeing that the jewelry was being worn by someone else was unbearable for Madam Lian Chu.

She had hoped that the Old Princess Consort would seize the opportunity to address the sudden appearance of the Huaisang Princess while Prince Huaiyang was away. Instead, her sister, who seemed like a lost cause, had managed to make such a striking impression, with even the treasured jewelry being given to Liu Mian Tang. This seemed to publicly endorse Liu Mian Tang as the future daughter-in-law, further humiliating Madam Lian Chu.

Finding an opportunity, Madam Lian Chu approached Old Princess Consort Chu, greeting her respectfully before sitting down to speak in private.

The Old Princess Consort, unaware that her son had issued a ban against his aunt, inquired why Madam Lian Chu had not visited recently. Madam Lian Chu, maintaining a stiff demeanor, explained the situation.

The Old Princess Consort could only lament her son's lack of understanding and poor temper, offering comfort to her sister. As Madam Lian Chu observed Liu Mian Tang, who was conversing with the wife of the Old Marquis, she leaned in and asked in a low voice, "Princess Consort, what is her background? I heard from someone returning from the capital that she comes from a lowly background, just a commoner who was elevated by Xingzhou and received a reward from the Emperor..."

Old Princess Consort Chu had also been displeased with Liu Mian Tang's background, but she distinguished between family matters and public perception. Hearing her sister’s comments, she responded indifferently, "My son is so capable, does he need his wife's family to support him? It's not like in the past where aristocratic families and commoners did not intermarry. If he likes her and she is of good character and appearance, that's enough. Besides, she is an imperial gift from the Emperor, who would dare to belittle her?"

Madam Lian Chu was taken aback, unable to counter her sister's remarks. Unyielding, she pressed further, "What about... that woman from North Street..."

Old Princess Consort Chu, unwilling for anyone to know about Liu Mian Tang’s past, cut her off impatiently, "I’ve already told him not to go to North Street anymore. Consider it as if it never happened. And don’t mention it to anyone else."

Madam Lian Chu was once again silenced by The Old Princess Consort’s dismissal, feeling unsettled. As she was about to speak, Liu Mian Tang, accompanied by her maid, returned.

The Old Princess Consort then introduced Liu Mian Tang to Madam Lian Chu and Lian Binglan.

This was Liu Mian Tang’s first formal encounter with Cui Xingzhou’s former fiancée. She acted as if she was unaware of any hostility, smiling and greeting the two women politely.

Madam Lian Chu, however, was not so courteous. After scrutinizing Liu Mian Tang from head to toe, she loudly asked, "May I ask where the princess' father holds an official position?"

Liu Mian Tang looked up at her, detecting the malice in her words. She maintained a pleasant smile, carefully observing her future aunt-in-law.

In truth, among the ladies at the tea party, everyone had some connections. With a little effort, they could have discovered her background. However, out of respect for Prince Huaiyang, no one mentioned it. Speaking ill of someone and creating enemies rarely results in any benefit, and only those lacking in wisdom would choose to do so.

Yet, Madam Lian Chu, having been reprimanded by her husband and barred from visiting the Old Princess Consort, was further angered by the sight of Liu Mian Tang wearing the complete set of bridal jewelry. Fueled by frustration, she decided to publicly undermine Liu Mian Tang.

Lian Binglan was equally frustrated seeing her mother acting so foolishly and spitefully. If her mother disgraced Liu Mian Tang today, it wouldn't just be an affront to Liu Mian Tang but to the entire Prince's Residence as well.

Lian Binglan hoped for a chance to reconcile with her cousin and leave a good impression at the Marquis residence. She couldn't afford for her mother’s actions to jeopardize both prospects. As a result, she accidentally tipped her cup, spilling tea on her skirt, and used this as an excuse to stand up and drag her mother away.

After Madam Lian Chu had been pulled away, Old Princess Consort Chu finally let out a sigh of relief.

Though she had always thought her sister was overly ambitious and sharp, she had hoped to be tolerant of her. However, she hadn’t expected her sister to still be so clueless and troublesome at her age, nearly embarrassing the entire Prince's Residence with her behavior toward Liu Mian Tang.

Thus, Old Princess Consort Chu reminded herself not to reveal to her sister that Liu Mian Tang was the same person as the courtesan from North Street.

If others found out that Liu Mian Tang had lived with Cui Xingzhou before marriage, it would be scandalous. Old Princess Consort Chu would never be able to show her face in front of the other ladies again.

Fortunately, at this tea party, the focus was on the selection of the new bride for the Zhen Nan Hou, and everyone’s attention was on that matter.

The Old Marchioness and Old Princess Consort Chu were quite friendly, and while chatting together, she praised Old Princess Consort Chu's future daughter-in-law as charming and lovely. She lamented, however, that her son seemed to have impossible standards, as no one seemed good enough for him. She wondered if he was looking for a fairy descended from the heavens.

Liu Mian Tang listened quietly from the side, her head lowered, secretly hoping that Zhao Quan would find a suitable match soon.

Before long, Madam Lian Chu, who had just been scolded by her daughter, came over. Perhaps influenced by her daughter’s reprimands, she made no further attempts to provoke Liu Mian Tang. Instead, she focused on flattering the Old Marchioness, constantly steering the conversation towards her own daughter.

Initially, the Old Marchioness pretended not to understand, but as Madam Lian Chu became more blatant, repeatedly suggesting family ties and connections, she finally smiled and addressed Lian Binglan: “I am your aunt, and of course, I am concerned about your marriage. If your cousin Zhao were a good match, it would be ideal for our families to be connected. Unfortunately, your cousin has very high standards. Just recently, he looked at several very handsome prospects but came back saying they were unattractive! As the head of the Marquis family now, I cannot make decisions for him…”

The Marchioness' words were subtly phrased, but the implication was clear—her cousin Zhao was also very particular about appearances. If even the most handsome prospects didn't meet his standards, then someone like Lian Binglan, with her more modest looks, stood little chance.

This left both Madam Lian Chu and Lian Binglan visibly dismayed. Madam Lian Chu realized that her earlier calculations had been overly optimistic. She had been counting on both the Cui and Zhao families, but it seemed that both might now be out of reach.

As the mother and daughter processed their disappointment, the crowd stirred with excitement. Someone announced that the princess consort of the Prince Sui’s estate had arrived to attend the tea party.

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