Chapter 93: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

 FlamingoBees 

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 93: 

 

Normally, Prince Sui should have been heading to the capital. However, with his wife and child in trouble halfway, it would appear as though he was abandoning them if he went to the capital now.

The news of his wife and child being captured spread widely, with rumors suggesting that Eastern bandits had taken his consort as their own. This scandalous rumor painted Prince Sui in a poor light, portraying him as prioritizing money over the rescue of his family. Such a reputation would severely tarnish his long-standing image of virtue and compassion.

Facing the heavy ransom demanded by the bandits, Prince Sui had no choice but to pay, in hopes of retrieving his family as soon as possible so that he could proceed to the capital.

Meanwhile, Liu Dan's throne was somewhat secure. His rise to power had involved considerable bloodshed, and many still opposed his rule. The capital was missing a figure who could balance the various power factions effectively. Liu Pei's support of Liu Dan was strategic, aimed at using Liu Dan to eliminate potential threats. Compared to Liu Dan, Liu Pei, as a prince of the royal family, was more clearly established and accepted.

In the palace study, someone was earnestly advising the emperor not to let Prince Sui enter the capital.

The adviser, naturally, was Shi Yikuan, who was well-acquainted with Prince Sui's temperament. Now that he had become father-in-law of an emperor, Shi Yikuan hoped that his son-in-law would stabilize the throne. His focus had shifted from his old loyalties to his own interests.

Liu Xu listened to his father-in-law's counsel and sighed slightly. "Among the six ministries, except for the Ministry of Works, all others are controlled by the Empress Dowager's people. I cannot command them. Previously, due to the upheavals, I had to redeploy my personal guards to stabilize the capital, but now, surrounding the Three Guards are all generals loyal to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager misses Liu Pei and wants him to come to the capital, but I cannot prevent it…”

He had managed to topple the demoness of the Wu family and the previous young emperor because the demoness had a bad reputation, and his rise to power had been dubious, giving him ample excuses to act.

However, the Empress Dowager, who had been in seclusion and held in high esteem, was beyond his reach. His Empress visited the Empress Dowager daily to maintain a semblance of harmony. But recently, the Empress Dowager had been obsessively thinking about Prince Sui, and no one could obstruct her.

Liu Xu knew that once Prince Sui entered the capital, the political situation would become even more complicated, and it would be difficult for him to control Prince Sui's influence with his own limited power.

The court was like cooking a delicate fish: too much movement and the fish would fall apart, too little and it would burn. Liu Dan treaded carefully, maintaining a fragile peace.

Shi Yikuan was also aware of Liu Dan’s difficulties. He advised, “If there are rats in the granary, you must put a cat in to catch them. If Your Majesty does nothing, the rats will fatten themselves up freely. But if you introduce a cat that they fear, they will be too wary to cause trouble.”

Liu Dan frowned and asked, “And the cat you’re referring to—who is it?”

Shi Yikuan looked up and said, “Prince Sui is in Huizhou, and he’s been at odds with Prince Huaiyang. According to my spies left in Qingzhou, it seems that Prince Sui’s wife and daughter were abducted by people sent by Prince Huaiyang, who disguised themselves as bandits. I believe only Prince Huaiyang, this ‘evil cat,’ could control the ‘evil rat’ that is Prince Sui!”

Liu Dan listened with a cold expression and replied, “You should know that Prince Huaiyang is not one of my closest allies.”

Shi Yikuan was well aware of this; otherwise, he wouldn’t have suggested Prince Huaiyang. It was precisely because such a capable minister might not be in the emperor’s favor that he would be useful and not diminish the emperor’s own prestige.

“Prince Huaiyang is indeed unruly and not a good minister. However, he is from the Cui family and does not harbor ill intentions like Prince Sui. As long as Your Majesty manages him properly, you can wield Prince Huaiyang as a sharp blade.”

Shi Yikuan paused briefly and continued, “Prince Sui will inevitably enter the capital. His clandestine network is extensive and tangled, with even spies in my own residence. This is why I only dared to speak after ensuring the surroundings were secure. I urge Your Majesty to make a decisive decision soon to avoid being hindered by treacherous officials!”

Liu Dan remained silent, his hands clenched tightly. If he were to secure his throne and command destiny across the land, his greatest desire was not to deal with Prince Sui but to eliminate Prince Huaiyang, who had taken Liu Mian Tang for himself.

Shi Yikuan, observing the emperor's expression with caution, spoke again, “Your Majesty should be broad-minded. Prince Huaiyang is just one of your ministers. Even if there were past grievances, Your Majesty can certainly find a way to resolve them and have him willingly serve Your Majesty’s interests, like a loyal servant.”

Liu Xu took a deep breath, his expression softening as he replied, “I understand your concern. I will consider the matter of summoning Prince Huaiyang to the capital for an official appointment. As for the Empress, she is pregnant with the dragon heir and often misses her mother. I request that you allow her mother to visit the palace to see her.”

Upon hearing the news of his daughter’s pregnancy, Shi Yikuan’s face lit up with joy, and he readily agreed.

In the palace, there were many beautiful women, but the newly favored Consort Yun, with her superior looks, overshadowed Empress Shi. It was rare for the emperor to show such favor to his daughter, so Shi Yikuan was determined to ensure his son-in-law’s stability, so he could enjoy the fruits of his efforts.

After Shi Yikuan left, Liu Dan sat in the study room for a while, lost in thought. He then rose and retrieved a scroll from the bookshelf.

The painting depicted a woman dressed in hunting attire, holding a bow and arrow, with delicate and refined features, like a blooming lotus.

Liu Xu had recently learned about the upheavals in Zhenzhou. The reports from his spies detailed Liu Mian Tang’s daring rescue of Old Princess Consort Chu in Zhenzhou.

Even if Liu Mian Tang had lost her memory, she remained the courageous and resourceful woman she had always been. He would never encounter another Liu Mian Tang in his lifetime.

Yet, he had lost her.

Liu Xu had been suffering from severe insomnia lately. Besides the political intrigue at court, his yearning for Liu Mian Tang kept him awake at night.

Summoning Prince Huaiyang to the capital might offer him a chance to see her, even if she no longer remembered him.

In the palace study, the flickering candlelight cast shifting shadows. Liu Xu gazed at the portrait, his eyes growing more infatuated by the minute.

While someone in the capital struggled to sleep at night, Liu Mian Tang was enjoying restful nights at the Marquis residence, as the soft beds there were far better than sleeping on a door.

With Zhenzhou in disarray, Prince Huaiyang had to stay behind to handle the complex affairs. He forbade Liu Mian Tang from traveling too far, even to Lingquan Town.

Thus, Liu Mian Tang continued to stay with the Old Princess Consort at the Marquis residence. Although the bandits had invaded the residence during their assault on the city, they hadn't managed to loot or destroy it since the Old Princess Consort had escaped the city, leaving them with little time to cause more damage.

The Marchioness recalled the events with lingering fear, frequently expressing how dangerous it had been and then inquiring about the repairs needed for the residence.

The Old Princess Consort turned to Liu Mian Tang and asked, “How much will it cost to repair our residence?”

Liu Mian Tang pulled out a small golden abacus strung with pearls from her pocket and, with a flick of her fingers, said, “If the funds are used wisely, it would be about the size of this palm.”

Marchioness cautiously inquired, “Fifty thousand taels?”

Liu Mian Tang smiled and replied, “Considering the need to compensate the deceased household guards and the Prince’s intention to expand and refurbish the residence, it will likely be around five hundred thousand taels.”

The Marchioness was taken aback by the large sum. Normally, such an amount wouldn’t be a concern for a wealthy household like Prince Huaiyang’s, which had long maintained an extravagant lifestyle, with expenditures rivaling those of the capital's aristocracy.

However, given the recent sacking of Huaiyang residence, even though there were still some rental incomes from other properties, it wasn't sufficient to cover the costs immediately. The Hou lady then asked, “Does your household have enough funds, or would you need the Marquis residence to assist with the financial burden?”

The Old Princess Consort looked at Liu Mian Tang, waiting for her response.

Liu Mian Tang, with a gentle smile, replied, “I appreciate your offer, but the Old Princess Consort and I are already imposing on your hospitality. It would not be right for you to incur additional expenses. I will cover these costs with my dowry, so there is no need to borrow funds for now.”

The Marchioness was aware of the future princess's background. 

To be honest, like others, she had initially underestimated the future Princess Huaisang. She had even told her son Zhao Quan that if he were to bring back a woman of dubious repute as his main wife, she would rather lie in a coffin and haunt him forever than see him be at peace.

However, her son's erratic behavior led him to sigh longingly, saying that if he could marry a woman like Liu Mian Tang, he would be content to be a bridegroom for just one day before lying in a coffin.

The Marchioness had been so infuriated that she pinched her son's ear and gave him a good talking-to.

But now, it seemed that Prince Huaiyang had indeed struck gold. Liu Mian Tang, a woman of common origins, claimed she could provide five hundred thousand taels of silver with ease. Her wealth exceeded that of some aristocratic young ladies.

No wonder the Old Princess Consort now lacked the usual sternness of a mother-in-law, eagerly waiting for her future daughter-in-law to take charge.

Hearing the Marchioness’ words of admiration, Liu Mian Tang modestly replied, “I’m using all that I have. However, the Prince has promised to repay me double in the future, and he will even give me an additional three percent interest!”

The Marchioness laughed heartily, saying, "You young people are so playful! In the future, as husband and wife, there will be no need to talk about interest rates and such!"

Liu Mian Tang smiled along and chose not to elaborate further. She couldn’t reveal that she had negotiated with Prince Huaiyang for a higher interest rate, setting it at four percent!

After all, in addition to her newfound four loyal brothers, she also had the scattered remnants of the Yangshan bandit group to manage. Every mouth needed feeding. The title of big boss wasn’t given for nothing; she had to deal with the consequences of her own actions. She needed to take care of these people and ensure they didn't turn back to banditry.

When the Old Princess Consort recounted her escape from danger, the Marchioness' perception of Liu Mian Tang completely changed. This seemingly delicate woman had shown such bravery at a crucial moment!

In that light, Liu Mian Tang seemed to be a blessing for the Huaiyang estate. She was far more reliable than Prince Huaiyang’s previous fiancée, Miss Lian.

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