Chapter 86: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 86: 

 

Liu Mian Tang's departure was decisive, but the Old Princess Consort's mind was in turmoil.

To be honest, the suggestion she made was merely a test. Given Liu Mian Tang’s soft nature, even if she was unwilling, the Old Princess Consort would have had something to counter her with. After a few rounds of verbal sparring, they might have reached a compromise.

After all, Liu Mian Tang’s background was a hard truth, and her past as Cui Xingzhou’s concubine was undeniable. If she had been self-aware and willingly played the role of a secondary wife, that would have been ideal.

With a proper wife like Lian Binglan and a beloved concubine serving Cui Xingzhou, the family would naturally be harmonious.

This was a compromise the Old Princess Consort came up with after being swayed by Madam Lian Chu's feigned distress and several whispers of advice.

However, the Old Princess Consort had not anticipated that Liu Mian Tang would suddenly take a stand, resolutely leaving without a hint of compromise.

If her son returned and discovered that she had driven Liu Mian Tang away, the Old Princess Consort knew he would be furious.

At that moment, she regretted speaking too bluntly and was frustrated that Liu Mian Tang had not given her a chance to backtrack. She instructed the servants to keep the matter confidential, forbidding anyone from mentioning Liu Mian Tang's departure.

She planned to find another opportunity to reconcile and bring Liu Mian Tang back after some time.

Since Liu Mian Tang had left through a side gate rather than the main entrance, only a few in the manor knew of her departure.

While the Old Princess Consort was preoccupied with her plans, the situation took a sudden turn. Just three days after Liu Mian Tang left, all the letters intended for Cui Xingzhou were inexplicably returned. It was reported that the postal routes had been blocked, and the letters could not be delivered.

It was rumored that the rebel forces had received reinforcements from somewhere, and their momentum had greatly increased. 

Five days after Liu Mian Tang left the manor, reports from Dongzhou grew increasingly alarming. Eventually, wild rumors began circulating that Prince Huaiyang had fallen into an ambush set by the rebel leader, becoming trapped on a remote island. Reinforcements were reportedly cut off by the rebels, leaving them unable to assist, and causing widespread panic. The local population was abuzz with fears that the rebel forces might soon storm the city.

The Old Princess Consort overwhelmed by the chaos, fell seriously ill from the stress.

On Liu Mian Tang’s side, she received word of the situation and instructed Fan Hu to investigate further details.

When Fan Hu returned from the post station, his expression was grave. He reported that while the rebels had indeed received additional troops, the circumstances of the Prince’s ambush were suspicious and unclear. The exact details were still unknown, and Fan Hu decided to wait a bit longer for more information. If there were no further updates, he planned to lead a team personally to investigate near the island.

Liu Mian Tang bit her lip, spreading out the map of Dongzhou she had purchased from the bookstore, contemplating the situation.

Since Prince Huaiyang's troops had been dispatched, Liu Mian Tang had asked Fang Xie to buy a map, marking the advancing positions of the troops in Zhenzhou to keep track of the Prince's location.

On the battlefield, circumstances could change in an instant; even the great warrior Guan Yu had faced setbacks. 

Liu Mian Tang's concern for the Prince's safety was so intense that she could only cling to a thin map to convey her longing. As she looked at the map, now filled with numerous annotations, she felt a sense of lurking danger everywhere. The rebel farmers, who had risen up, were unlikely to have significant reinforcements.

Suddenly, Liu Mian Tang recalled her initial encounter with the third Miss He upon her return. 

When she first arrived in Lingquan Town, she had kept her arrival private. However, as she disembarked from her carriage, she happened to see He Zhen returning from an arranged meeting. Liu Mian Tang invited her into her new residence for a brief chat.

He Zhen had been courting the son of a local official, Zhang Yuanwai, who had dedicated himself to studying for the imperial examinations. He had sworn not to marry until he had achieved success in his studies. This year, he had finally passed the examination and was preparing for his wedding, fulfilling his parents' expectations.

As He Zhen came to terms with her youthful dreams of romance, she readily agreed to the match with Zhang Yuanwai's son. The two had delayed their marriages until now, but it seemed fate had brought them together at the right time.

He Zhen had recently finished her courtship process. Although she mentioned that Young Master Zhang wasn't as handsome as Prince Huaiyang, he was gentle and unassuming, not the type to intimidate his wife. Given their similar social standings, the marriage was soon settled, with the wedding date set close by.

He Zhen was pleasantly surprised that she would marry before Liu Mian Tang, feeling that a marriage to a wealthy, though smaller, family was preferable to the high doors and deep courtyards of the royal household. She speculated that Liu Mian Tang's return to Lingquan Town was due to not being well received by the Prince's family.

Curious, He Zhen asked Liu Mian Tang about her reasons for coming back, but Liu Mian Tang skillfully deflected, simply stating she was here to handle accounts and changing the subject.

During their conversation, He Zhen casually mentioned her recent experiences in Huizhou. She shared that the Prince Sui’s household, which was moving to the capital, had dispatched a significant number of guards. The He family’s night boat, passing through Huizhou’s docks, almost got detained by officials. If it hadn't been for the savvy actions of the ship's manager, who quickly bribed the officials, they might have lost both the ship and their cargo.

Upon hearing this, Liu Mian Tang's thoughts were stirred. She wondered why the guards for Prince Sui’s entourage, who were moving to the capital, would need to travel by boat at night, given that official escorts typically traveled early rather than late.

He Zhen waved her hand dismissively, saying, “Those matters is not our concern. By the way, my father got me a batch of jade hairpins. I picked out a few new designs for you, Princess…”

She continued discussing various matters related to food and clothing, but Liu Mian Tang did not pay much attention. Her thoughts kept returning to the blockade of the Huizhou docks at night that He Zhen had mentioned.

She wondered if there might be a connection between this blockade and the current situation in Dongzhou.

With the siege in Dongzhou dragging on and no news from Prince Huaiyang’s army, Liu Mian Tang felt restless. She wanted to go to Dongzhou with Fan Hu, but Fan Hu stopped her, saying, “Princess, you are a precious individual. During wartime, rumors are rampant and mostly unreliable. Dongzhou is in chaos, not just with the rebellious forces but also with opportunistic bandits. If you go, you’ll only add to the confusion. What if, when the prince returns victorious, you’re unable to come back?”

Before Mian Tang could make a decision, the crisis in Zhenzhou struck one after another.

It turned out that a group of rebel troops had somehow broken through the rear encirclement, creating a breach and advancing directly towards Zhenzhou.

These bandits came with overwhelming force and moved silently, with the surrounding states and counties receiving no news. They advanced straight to the gates of Zhenzhou like phantoms in the night.

What was most peculiar was that this group seemed to have a specific target. They avoided the wealthy and unprotected counties and villages around them and headed straight towards Zhenzhou, which was separated by only a river.

Lingquan Town, where Mian Tang was located, was also passed by these rebels.

That night, the streets were filled with the sounds of shouting and horse hooves. Terrified, the wealthy merchants of Lingquan Town were trembling in their beds, cursing the troops of Prince Huaiyang for not putting up a fight and allowing the bandits to arrive so quickly. They were unable to escape even if they wanted to.

Hearing the noises, Liu Mian Tang had people set up a ladder against the wall. Under the cover of the dark night, she climbed up to take a look.

The rebels were carrying torches, moving swiftly, and showed no signs of stopping to rest or plunder. After watching for a while, Mian Tang quietly descended and asked Fan Hu, who was also observing, if he had noticed anything.

Fan Hu frowned and said, “Looking at them, they don’t seem like rebels…”

Who would rebel when they can afford food? Fan Hu had once helped suppress rebels under the prince, and those rebels always had dark, desperate expressions in their eyes.

But these troops were all robust and well-trained, not like the ragtag groups of rebels.

Indeed, Mian Tang noticed the same thing.

Yet this formidable group was carrying the banner of the bandit King Lu.

After some thought, Mian Tang guessed that someone was taking advantage of the situation, pretending to be loyal to King Lu, to attack Zhenzhou while Prince Huaiyang was off besieging.

Their objective in attacking Zhenzhou was clear: they wanted to capture the Prince Huaiyang’s residence and hold his family hostage to coerce him.

Previously, when Cui Xingzhou led his troops, he had stationed soldiers in Zhenzhou, which was not a major concern. However, recently, the Emperor issued an edict to transfer troops from Zhenzhou to Linzhou for transporting military supplies.

With the postal routes sealed off, Cui Xingzhou would likely be unaware that most of Zhenzhou’s troops had been reassigned. Everything had come together by chance, but it was clear that the intention was to endanger Prince Huaiyang’s life and fortune.

If that's the case, Mian Tang felt that there was no need to worry too much about Cui Xingzhou’s safety for now. He must be fine, which is why this schemer hiding in the shadows wants to attack Zhenzhou quickly to grasp Prince Huaiyang's vulnerabilities.

Thinking this, she hurriedly said to Fan Hu, “Quick! You need to report to the Prince Regent residence before this army arrives. You can leave behind anything else, but make sure to rescue the Old Princess Consort and the ladies and young masters in the residence. Saving them is the most important thing…”

Fan Hu listened to the continuous sounds of footsteps outside and said urgently, “Understood, saving people is the priority. But if I leave, you’ll be in danger here…”

Mian Tang was already hastening towards her room to change clothes and said, “It’s fine. I used the back door when I left the residence, so no one saw me. The Old Princess Consort values her reputation, so she probably hasn’t made a fuss about it. The bandits don’t know I’m not in the residence. You see, they’ve been marching for so long without coming to attack the gate, so they must be unaware. Take the people out and wait for me at the Fengyu Pavilion in the western suburbs of Zhenzhou. However, if you report it and the Old Princess Consort is reluctant to believe or hesitates, then use some of the sleeping medicine I prepared to knock her out and have the hidden guards carry her out. Once these people start attacking the city, it will be difficult to get out! Zhenzhou… can’t be protected!”

Fan Hu, with his brow tightly furrowed, did not hesitate any longer. He quickly led people out through the back streets and, following Mian Tang's instructions, made their way to the canal outside the Burned Jade Porcelain Workshop. They boarded a small cargo boat and swiftly sailed downstream to Zhenzhou.

These “rebels” were numerous, and crossing the river would take time, so Fan Hu was sure he could reach the Prince Huaiyang’s residence before they did.

Meanwhile, Liu Mian Tang quickly changed into a set of men’s clothing, adopting the appearance she had used in the northwest. She used coal from the stove to darken her face, then took some silver notes and a few pieces of gold and silver. She, along with Fang Xie, Bi Cao, and a few remaining hidden guards dressed in men’s clothing, made their way out through the back streets.

She then sought a boat to cross the river and hired a simple carriage and fast horse to wait at the Fengyu Pavilion. However, despite waiting and waiting, no one arrived until dawn.

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